Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of California, Riverside, 2009. / Includes abstract. Available via ProQuest Digital Dissertations. Title from first page of PDF file (viewed March 20, 2010). Includes bibliographical references. Also issued in print.

This thesis deals with the political economy of mining laws and regulation in Namibia from 1884 to 1986. Mining laws and regulations have played an important role in the exploitation of Namibia's mineral resources since the colonial period. They have also played an important role in the exploitations by foreign mining companies of Namibia's mineral resources. The study shows how this process has evolved. Chapter I discusses the link between colonialism and exploitation. It also shows the special interest of the colonial administration in mineral development. The formal and substantive rules governing the acquisition of mineral rights are discussed in detail in Chapter II. An important element in the exploitation of Namibia's mineral resources is the international market. Chapter III examines the marketing of Namibia's minerals. It shows that the colonial administration is unable and unwilling to exercise control in this area. Special attention is paid to the marketing of diamonds as it illustrates very well the dominant position of the mining companies. Marketing of minerals is closely linked with taxation. This is examined in Chapter IV. The chapter reveals that the inadequacies of the legislation enables mining companies to achieve their objective, maximisation of profits without corresponding benefits to Namibia. The exploitation of Namibia's mineral resources has a direct effect on the environment. Chapter V shows that the spread of multinational mining companies and their operations have a direct effect on the environment, health and safety of mine employees and the community in surrounding areas. It also shows that mining laws and regulations are inadequate to cope with this problem. South Africa's continued occupation of Namibia since the termination of the mandate in 1966 has important legal consequences. The legal status of the mining concessions granted by South Africa before and after the termination of the mandate are examined in Chapter VI in the light of the United Nations action in this respect. In order to clarify the options for independent Namibia, Chapter VII discusses the experience of other developing countries in mineral development and their relationship with multinational companies. In Chapter VII, we recommend that mining laws and regulations of an independent Namibia should reflect the needs of the Namibian population.

This report compares surface elevation change and volume change esti- mates from three methods: repeat track (RT), crossover (CX), and overlapping footprints (OFP). These three methods use different approaches to group- ing elevation point measurements taken at different measurement epochs and estimating elevation change. Volume changes are calculated from elevation changes in the same manner for all three methods but differences in sampling resolution between the methods affect volume change estimates in different ways. The recently reprocessed Release 633 version of elevation measurements from the Geoscience Laser Altimeter System (GLAS), flown on the Ice, Cloud and land Elevation Satellite (ICESat), are used in this analysis. Both elevation changes and volume changes are compared for both the Greenland Ice Sheet (GrIS) and the Antarctic Ice Sheet (AIS). Additionally, uncertainties in the estimates for each method are quantified and compared. Results are separated by drainage systems and by above/below 2000 m surface elevation for the GrIS. For the AIS, results are aggregated to the East, West, and Penin- vi sula regions. Volume change estimates agree well for the three methods for the GrIS, with estimates of -227.75 ± 2.12 km³/yr, -249.30 ± 3.42 km³/yr, and -218.24 ± 7.39 km³/yr for the RT, CX, and OFP methods, respectively. These estimates are similar to those published from previous studies. For the AIS, however, larger discrepancies are found in the estimates. This stems primarily from a large discrepancy in the volume change estimate of the East AIS, where the RT, CX, and OFP methods estimate volume changes of 33.39 ± 1.42 km³/yr, 46.42 ± 5.46 km³/yr, and -2.72 ± 2.12 km³/yr, respectively. It's not entirely clear why this large discrepancy exists in this particular region, and elevation change estimates for a few particular drainage systems in this region are examined. Previously published volume changes for the AIS also show a large scatter and more work must be done to reconcile the various estimates. Finally, the volume change uncertainties reported do not completely account for the discrepancies in most regions. Additional analysis must be done to completely quantify all error sources. / text

Islamic practices have led to exhaustive debate in academia ranging from the traditional battlefield of gender related issues to the relatively new decisiveness surrounding the war on terror. In most of the debates regarding Islam, when one legitimises or delegitimises his/her stance, the divine is invoked as the main point of reference. The divine thus turns into the source of vice and virtue simultaneously through these competing opinions. In this game of "authenticity", we often ignore the aspect that, in our religious zealousness, the divine itself is victimised. This is because, while referring to the divine as the main architect of our opinions, we sideline those non-divine factors in the process of constructing "authenticities" which help shape our reading of the divine. The divine is simply a part of our constructed "authenticity" but not its exclusive constituent. We need to realise that the divine is not read in a vacuum and by those who do not have materiality; its readings are always carried out by those who are a product of their own circumstances and their understandings are routed through their particular contexts. The present study is an effort to analyse those non-divine factors which help shape our reading of the divine, and are not any less important in the process of constructing "authenticity" than the divine with reference to the gender discourse of Jamaat-i-Islami Pakistan. This study proposes that there is always a need to maintain a gap between our understanding of the divine and "the divine"; because of the fact that the former is constructed, while the latter believed by Muslims as eternal, hence immutable. In addition to carrying out problematization of "authenticity" of the JI discourse, the study underscores the fact that problematization ought to be an integral part of our exercise of ascertainment of "authenticity" so that we may maintain the gap referred to above.

Discrimination based on health status is a serious problem in China, which influences the fundamental rights of millions of people. This thesis mainly discusses the nature, characteristics and reasons of discrimination based on health status in China. As a contextual and socio-legal study, this thesis employs doctrinal, empirical, historical, international & comparative law methods to provide a comprehensive and in-depth study on tackling discrimination based on health status in China. It is among the earliest researches that focus on the specific topic of discrimination based on health status in China. This thesis argues that various factors are responsible for continuing discrimination based on health status in China. Particularly, the fragmentary, incomplete, ambiguous and conflicting legislation, the ineffective, arbitrary and bureaucratic administration, the dependant and ineffective judiciary, the less active nongovernmental actors, and other relevant political, economic, medical and cultural factors, interact with one another to cause continuing discrimination. To pursue this argument, first, the thesis clarifies the necessity to prohibit discrimination based on health status by analysing relevant definitions and theories of such discrimination. Second, the thesis explores how discrimination based on health status has been tackled in international law and domestic law in various other jurisdictions, in order to reveal international responsibility China should bear and foreign lessons China can learn. Third, the thesis examines how discrimination based on health status has been tackled in Chinese history and reality to understand why such discrimination remains serious today. Fourth, the thesis discusses findings of the author’s fieldwork on tackling discrimination based on health status in China to investigate the effectiveness of the current anti-discrimination regime. Based on the above analyses, the thesis finally concludes the main reasons for continuing discrimination based on health status in China and proposes a more effective antidiscrimination regime in China to prohibit such discrimination.

Uganda is credited for carrying out extensive reforms in its tax system in the 1990s. The system of administration was overhauled together with a complete overhaul of tax legislation. The overriding objective was to increase tax revenues. Improvements were registered in the tax revenues but only temporarily. Since 2004, there has been stagnation in the tax revenue figures. The revenue from direct taxes only contributes about 20% to the total revenue well below the Sub-Saharan average of 40%. This has focused attention on the appropriateness of the reforms. The focus of the reforms on achieving efficiency did not sufficiently take into account the fundamental importance of equity within the system. As a result, the Income Tax Act 1997 embodies distortions and inequalities in the treatment of taxable income and taxpayers that have led to inefficiency in the system as a whole. The tax reforms also took a narrow technical view of the tax system. Taxation has an impact on state-building and is, therefore, affected by the state of governance. The reforms, even where they were well designed, have been affected by institutional weakness and the lack of accountability in the political process. The fact that institutional capacity affects effectiveness of the tax system is well documented yet it does not seem to have been taken into account in 1997 (UNDP, 1991:70). Taxpayer morale and revenues have been constrained by high levels of corruption within the Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) and arbitrariness in the award of tax waivers and other tax advantages. The purpose of the thesis is, therefore, to examine the distortions engendered by the tax system and their impact on taxpayer morale, tax revenue and investment. The thesis focuses on the direct taxation of profits from business activity in the formal and informal sector. An examination of the taxation of business profits provides an opportunity to highlight the distinctions in the tax system with regard to the treatment of the same type of income based on the legal status of the taxpayer and other considerations. The taxation of business profits in the corporate sector is compared with the taxation of business profits under the personal income tax system, taxation of partnerships and other unincorporated businesses. There is emphasis on the taxation of the informal sector which is presently less than satisfactory. However, the analysis is done in the context of the socio-political situation in Uganda. The weaknesses in governance and corruption have had an impact on the tax system by encouraging tax avoidance and evasion among political elites as well as on activities in the informal sector. The thesis also explores possibilities of broadening the tax base within the existing legislative framework as well as other possibilities for reform, for example, the call for the expansion of the tax base through taxation of land and agriculture by various experts and the URA itself (Private Sector Foundation- Uganda, 2009:122). Account must also be taken of Uganda’s membership of East African Community (EAC) and the constraints this puts on its exercise of fiscal sovereignty.

This thesis focuses on the physics of static sea-level changes following variations in the distribution of grounded ice and the influence of these changes on the stability and dynamics of marine ice sheets. Gravitational, deformational and rotational effects associated with changes in grounded ice mass lead to markedly non-uniform spatial patterns of sea-level change. I outline a revised theory for computing post-glacial sea-level predictions and discuss the dominant physical effects that contribute to the patterns of sea-level change associated with surface loading on different timescales. I show, in particular, that a large sea-level fall (rise) occurs in the vicinity of a retreating (advancing) ice sheet on both short and long timescales. I also present an application of the sea-level theory in which I predict the sea-level changes associated with a new model of North American ice sheet evolution and consider the implications of the results for efforts to establish the sources of Meltwater Pulse 1A. These results demonstrate that viscous deformational effects can influence the amplitude of sea-level changes observed at far-field sea-level sites, even when the time window being considered is relatively short (≤ 500 years). / Earth and Planetary Sciences

Many chemicals used in everyday personal care products are today amongst the most commonly detected compounds in surface waters throughout the world. Collectively referred to as micropollutants, they include paraben preservatives, organic UV filters, alkylphenols, triclosan, and bisphenol-A. Micropollutants enter the aquatic environment predominantly via wastewater discharges. To date there has been only limited assessments on their presence and impacts in coastal environments. The wastewater treatment plants in Lyttelton, Governors Bay, and Diamond Harbour were found to discharge micropollutants into Whakaraupo Harbour. Similarly, the sewage effluents of the Antarctic research stations Scott Base and McMurdo Station were found to discharge micropollutants into Erebus Bay. Strong seasonal changes in the Whakaraupo effluent concentrations were observed, with concentrations higher in winter than in summer. Concentrations fluctuated greatly in Scott Base, reaching concentrations higher than have been previously reported internationally. The nine most commonly detected analytes were octylphenol, 4-MBC, BP-3, BP-1, triclosan, methyl triclosan, bisphenol-A, estrone, and coprostanol. The marine environments in Whakaraupo Harbour and Erebus Bay were found to be similarly impacted. The most commonly detected micropollutants in seawater in Whakaraupo Harbour were mParaben, 4-MBC, BP-3, OMC, bisphenol-A, and estrone. The marine sediments in Whakaraupo Harbour accumulated mParaben, octylphenol, 4-MBC, BP-3, BP-1, bisphenol-A, OMC, estrone, and coprostanol, while mussels bioaccumulated mParaben, octylphenol, and BP-3. The same range of micropollutants were detected in seawater throughout Erebus Bay, including the reference sites. Marine biota (clams, urchins, and fish), including those from the reference site, were shown to readily bioaccumulate mParaben, pParaben, octylphenol, BP-3, E2, EE2, and coprostanol. A much larger coastal area of Antarctica and New Zealand is therefore impacted than was previously thought. Photodegradation was identified as an important environmental degradation pathway for micropollutants. mParaben, BPA, EE2, and BP-3 are highly photo-stable, while triclosan and OP readily photodegrade. The low temperature and irradiance conditions in Antarctica were modelled to investigate their potential environmental persistence. Field measurements suggest the model may underestimate the photodegradation potential of some micropollutants.

The origin of many lophotrochozoan groups can be traced to “small shelly fossil” (SSF) faunas of the Early Cambrian. Antarctica is a key region of study, due to the continent’s known close geographical proximity to well-studied Australian and Indian basins in in the Cambrian. Few studies have focused on this region however, due to a paucity of data. Re-examination of camenellan sclerites from the Early Cambrian Shackleton Limestone of the Churchill Mountains of Antarctica has revealed a previously unidentified species of Dailyatia in the formation, co-occurring alongside previously described Dailyatia odyssei Evans and Rowell, 1990, as in the Arrowie Basin of Australia. Re-examination of material previously described as Kennardia sp. A and Kennardia sp. B has indicated that these taxa can likely be synonymized as a second species of Dailyatia. Dailyatia sclerites were also found in the temporally equivalent “Schneider Hills Limestone” formation, which cropsout in the Argentina Range of Antarctica. These specimens appear to belongto a third species of Dailyatia, suggesting that the spatial distribution of tommotiids in the Early Cambrian was more complex than previously recognized, and that the group may be useful in future biostratigraphic studies. A study ofthe Middle Cambrian (Drumian Stage) Nelson Limestone Formation of the Neptune Range, Antarctica has revealed a moderately diverse brachiopod and trilobite fauna. The brachiopods have strong faunal links to taxa from South Australia and India, as well as other parts of the Antarctic province, fitting independent strong evidence for a united East Gondwanan region in the Middle Cambrian. An unidentified camenellan tommotiid sclerite is also described from the Nelson Limestone. This extends the worldwide temporal range of the tommotiid clade into the Drumian Stage, and suggests that more basal members of the brachiopod stem-group survived to form part of a more diverse Middle Cambrian fauna.

En la Patagonia Argentina los bosques de Nothofagus antarctica (ñire) ocupan 751.000 ha extendiéndose desde la provincia de Neuquén (33º S) hasta el canal Beagle (55º S). Del total de esa superficie, 303.000 hectáreas se encuentran ubicadas en Patagonia Sur (101.000 ha en la provincia de Santa Cruz y 202.000 en Tierra del Fuego). El ñire es considerado la especie forestal patagónica de mayor amplitud ecológica por tener la capacidad de crecer y desarrollarse en una gran variedad de ambientes. Es una especie de gran importancia económica para la región, por su ubicación y distribución, ocupando los sectores donde se realizan gran parte de las actividades agropecuarias de Patagonia Sur. La importancia de los bosques nativos de ñire como sistemas silvopastoriles radica principalmente en su capacidad productiva ganadera y la posibilidad de obtener productos madereros provenientes de las intervenciones silvícolas intermedias. Son escasos los trabajos publicados vinculados a la biometría de N. antarctica en toda la región patagónica, muchos de los cuales no son compatibles entre sí o incluyen un solo factor de influencia en su análisis. Los estudios biométricos forestales son la base para el desarrollo de modelos, los cuales son necesarios para conocer la estructura de los bosques, tanto en el presente como a futuro. Existen diferencias en la estructura forestal de los bosques de ñire a lo largo de gradientes de edad y calidad de sitio, pero con diferentes relaciones entre las variables cuali-cuantitativas de sus componentes. Es por ello que el crecimiento y dinámica de esos bosques se relaciona de forma diferencial con las distintas variables de la estructura forestal (e.g., clase social, sanidad, diámetro o altura de los árboles) a lo largo de dichos gradientes, afectando la posibilidad de cosecha de estos bosques. El objetivo general de la presente Tesis fue determinar relaciones entre variables de estructura forestal y productividad del bosque de N. antarctica, para sentar pautas de manejo silvícola a los fines de maximizar la producción de madera en el marco de la sustentabilidad del recurso. A partir de estas relaciones se determinarán los factores más influyentes a nivel individual y de rodal, modelizando la respuesta en gradientes de edad y de calidad de sitio. Se realizaron diversos muestreos en Patagonia Sur, los que incluyeron: (i) la medición de 136 parcelas de diámetro variable en las que se obtuvieron muestras de barreno de todos los individuos medidos para el posterior análisis del crecimiento a nivel individual y de rodal, (ii) la realización de 72 análisis fustales en árboles dominantes para analizar el crecimiento en altura, (iii) la cubicación 423 árboles en 22 localidades para evaluar el volumen total con corteza, (iv) la medición de 506 parcelas de inventario para evaluar la variación de la densidad de los rodales. Se ajustaron diferentes modelos que explicaron diversos aspectos de la biometría de N. antarctica entre los que se incluyeron: modelos de índice de sitio, modelos de crecimiento diamétrico, modelos de volumen a nivel individual y a nivel de rodal, y un modelo de índice de densidad relativa. Los diversos modelos desarrollados fueros aplicados de manera coordinada para el desarrollo un modelo de producción que permitiera predecir la evolución de los rodales de ñire de diferente calidad de sitio. La estructura forestal mostró una gran variabilidad a lo largo de los gradientes de edad y de calidad de sitio. Siendo esta variabilidad, el fundamento principal para incorporar estos gradientes en las modelizaciones de los diferentes aspectos de la biometría de los bosques de N. antarctica. El modelo de crecimiento en altura e índice de sitio propuesto fue adecuado para ser empleado en una gran diversidad de condiciones de rodal. Sin embargo, los otros modelos de crecimiento presentaron un desarrollo incompleto. Es por ello que se realizaron propuestas de nuevos modelos de crecimiento (en diámetro y volumen total) que incluyeron la incorporación de otras variables (e.g., clases de copa) mediante una propuesta diferente en la toma de datos (e.g., muestras de rodal en lugar de árboles individuales). Tanto el crecimiento en altura como en diámetro presentaron diferentes patrones dependiendo de la calidad de sitio. En las mejores calidades de sitio se alcanzaron los máximos incrementos de manera mas temprana que en las peores calidades de sitio. Fue posible aplicar metodologías para el cálculo del volumen total que alcancen un equilibrio entre el ajuste y el costo en la toma de datos, con buenos estadísticos y comportamiento biológico (e.g., modelos estándares no tradicionales o modelos de rodal basados en funciones de crecimiento). A partir de un nuevo modelo de crecimiento fue posible determinar el incremento volumétrico en rodales de diferentes calidades de sitio a partir de variables de fácil medición o estimación (clase de sitio y edad). La densidad de los rodales se estimó mediante una modificación de la propuesta clásica, que incluyó dos modelos anexos que incorporaron las variaciones debido a la dinámica de establecimiento y de regeneración de los bosques naturales. Mediante esta propuesta se pudo estimar la mortalidad de los rodales naturales creciendo en densidad completa a lo largo de un gradiente de diámetros posibles de encontrarse en todo el gradiente de sitios y edades. Mediante la conjunción de los modelos que describen diferentes aspectos de la biometría de los árboles y rodales de ñire fue posible simular de manera satisfactoria el desarrollo de rodales de diferente calidad de sitio bajo dinámica natural. Los diferentes modelos empleados en el modelo de producción mostraron un elevado grado de compatibilidad que se manifestó a partir de la simulación de la evolución de los rodales con una satisfactoria significancia biológica. La base biométrica desarrollada en la presente Tesis, brinda herramientas para predecir el estado y el crecimiento de los árboles y rodales de N. antarctica que se encuentran bajo dinámica natural, libres de disturbios catastróficos y de efectos antrópicos como el manejo forestal. Los modelos biométricos representan una herramienta eficaz para la planificación del manejo forestal de los recursos boscosos, y los resultados aquí presentados pueden ser la base para futuras investigaciones que incluyan parámetros de manejo silvicultural en los modelos, que deberán acompañarse con la instalación de redes de parcelas permanentes que abarquen su gradiente geográfico y de calidades de sitio.