Universiẗat, Diss., 2004--Kiel.

The Romani are a largely unknown people group in the United States though their plight world-wide is highly visible. The story of Romani in the United States remains largely untold. This study explored the daily lives of 15 Romani women within the United States. The study investigated questions of historical prejudice, gender roles, educational achievement and barriers to assimilation with in the Romani community. Results of the study highlighted that many Romani women encounter significant barriers inside and outside of their communities that impact their ability to pursue higher education and to fully assimilate into mainstream society due to current and historical prejudice encountered outside of their communities and bias found within their communities.

The purpose of this study is to investigate which perceptions pedagogues have about the importance of play in children´s development and how they work in kindergartens to stimulate the children to play more. The essay for this study is based on preschool´s curriculum and preschool activities. Preschool´s curriculum has placed great importance on children´s lifelong learning and therefore it is important that activities in preschool must be fun, safe and instructive. Therefore, I have chosen to do a qualitative study which is a based on a phenomenology hermeneutics method. I will collect my empirical material by interviewing six educators in five preschools which is located in three different municipalities. My purpose of this choice was to interview six educators who work in different environments. At the end of my study I will describe what answers I received on my purpose and what perceptions do the pedagogues have about the significance of the play.

Organizations use the formal mentoring program as a human resource intervention in the socialization of newcomers. Mentoring scholars have found that effective mentoring leads to various socialization outcomes of newcomers, partially because mentors, seen as organizational agents, can facilitate the learning process in the socialization. Despite this progress, several limitations can be found in the literature. First, it is largely unknown how mentoring influences socialization outcomes in addition to the learning process (e.g. assimilation process). Second, the assumption that mentors are organizational agents in the socialization has never been tested. Third, previous studies of mentoring mainly focused on the white-collar workers, calling into the question about the generality of the findings in the mentoring literature. To fill the research gaps, this study applied the belongingness theory as the theoretical basis to explain how mentoring functions influence socialization outcomes through assimilation process. Drawing on the belongingness theory, this study proposed a research model and tested the mediation effects of organization based self-esteem (OBSE) and person-organization fit on the relationship between mentoring functions and three socialization outcomes (i.e. affective organizational commitment, job satisfaction and organizational citizenship behavior). In addition, this study also tested the moderating effect of mentor’s organizational prototypicality on the relationship between mentoring functions and two mediation variables. Two-wave dyadic data have been collected from blue-collar workers in a manufacturing company. The results supported most of the hypotheses in the model. Specifically, OBSE and person-organization fit significantly mediated the relationship between mentoring functions and two socialization outcomes (i.e. affective organizational commitment and job satisfaction). Only person-organization fit significantly mediated the relationship between mentoring functions and organizational citizenship behavior (OCB). In addition, mentor’s organizational prototypicality significantly moderated the relationship between mentoring functions and two mediation variables. This study advanced our understanding on how mentoring influences socialization outcomes through assimilation process. It also contributed to the literature by testing the role of mentor’s organizational prototypicality as the boundary condition of mentoring-outcome link. Finally, data from blue-collar workers increased the generality of findings in mentoring literature. Limitations and suggestions for future research have been discussed at the end of the study.

Boston University. University Professors Program Senior theses. / PLEASE NOTE: Boston University Libraries did not receive an Authorization To Manage form for this thesis. It is therefore not openly accessible, though it may be available by request. If you are the author or principal advisor of this work and would like to request open access for it, please contact us at open-help@bu.edu. Thank you. / 2031-01-02

During the most crucial years of the early republic (1780-1830), Jeffersonian Philanthropy saw the incorporation of the Native American into American citizenry as an ideal cornerstone for the building of the new nation. This assimilation would take many forms, yet the most discussed are intermarriage, the acceptance of Christianity, and the Native influence on the story of the nation's founding. This study examines the ways in which the literary genre of the Frontier Romance portrays, influences, and critiques Native American assimilation and interacts with political and social writing of the early republic. Intermarriage between Native and European Americans is discussed in a chapter on Rowson's Rueben and Rachel, Child'sHobomok, and Sedgwick's Hope Leslie. Christianity and the Native American is discussed in a chapter on Bleecker's The History of Maria Kittle, Brown's Wieland, Sedgewick's Hope Leslie, and the anonymously published work The Christian Indian. Lastly, the Natives role in shaping the American individual is discussed in a chapter covering Brown's Edgar Huntly, James McHenry's The Wilderness, and the third novel in James Fennimore Cooper's Leatherstocking Tales, The Prairie.

AN ABSTRACT OF THE THESIS OF Mary Doran, for the Master of Arts degree in Political Science, presented on October 30, 2008, Southern Illinois University Carbondale. TITLE: A discourse analysis of "Laïcité" and its effects on the integration of Muslim and Arab minorities in France. MAJOR PROFESSOR: Dr. Stephen Shulman. What is the current status of the integration of minorities of Muslim and/or Arab origin in France? In this paper I attempt to answer this question by evaluating the assimilation of these minorities into French society through an examination of the current conception of "Frenchness" as it is understood by the French themselves. Numerous scholarly works have attempted to measure the degree of assimilation of the Arab/Muslim minorities in France; their theses often revolve around problems presented by the often presumed "cultural/religious identities" of the majority and minority populations. Others have studied the effects of discrimination on the assimilation of these populations. Few, however, have addressed the problematic concept of Frenchness itself in order to determine whether it is open enough to welcome these immigrant peoples and their offspring. (Laurence and Vaisse 2006, x) In this paper, I argue that, contrary to popular belief, events such as the 2005 suburban riots, the "Islamic veil affair" and the reaction to the 2006 caricatures of the Islamic prophet Mohammed constitute evidence of minority movement toward assimilation into French society. This movement, however, is not guaranteed. Through an examination of the French discourse surrounding the word "laïcité", which is a central aspect of French identity, I find two major obstacles to the full integration of Muslim and Arab populations in the Hexagon. The first is the contradiction of claiming government neutrality vis-à-vis religions while simultaneously insisting on the Catholic nature of the society. The second is the gap between the greatly revered ideal of "universalism" and the reality of negative discrimination aimed at Muslim and Arab minorities.

Les migrants africains aux États-Unis sont-ils intégrés ? Sont-ils assimilés ? Les deux ? Quelle est leur place dans la société américaine, notamment par rapport aux WASPs ? Pour répondre à ces questions ce travail tente de définir les notions d’intégration et d’assimilation et se penche pour commencer sur la genèse et le contexte sociohistorique de l’immigration africaine aux États-Unis. A l’aide de la bibliographie disponible, de statistiques officielles, d’un questionnaire inédit et d’entretiens il observe les causes de l’immigration et les différentes catégories de migrants, selon leurs origines géographiques, sociales, religieuses, etc. puis selon leurs activités aux États-Unis (prenant en compte la fuite des cerveaux, le business ethnique, etc.). Les degrés et stratégies d’intégration économique, sociale, politique, culturelle sont étudiés ainsi que les degrés et stratégies d’assimilation. Pour finir les perspectives d’avenir des migrants étudiés sont examinées. / Are African migrants to the United States integrated? Are they assimilated? Both? What is their place exactly in American society, notably in regards to WASPs? To answer those questions this research work attempts to define the notions of integration and assimilation and looks at the birth and the sociohistorical context of African immigration to the U.S. With the help of the available bibliography, official statistics, an original poll and personal interviews it observes the causes of immigration and the different categories of African migrants, according to geographical, social, religious, etc. origins, then according to their activities in the U.S. (notably taking into account the “brain drain,” ethnic business…). The extent and strategies of economic, social, political then cultural integration are studied, as well as the extent and strategies of linguistic and cultural assimilation. To conclude, the perspectives of African migrants in the U.S. are examined.

O uso da técnica de assimilação de dados meteorológicos é extremamente importante para a correção de imprecisões nos dados que compõem as condições iniciais e de fronteira dos modelos de previsão do tempo. Neste trabalho, faz-se uso da técnica de assimilação de dados 3DVAR contida no modelo de mesoescala WRF (Weather Research and Forecasting), o objetivo principal do trabalho é analisar o impacto da assimilação de dados meteorológicos de diversas fontes de dados (GTS – Sistema Global de Telecomunicações, estações automáticas, dados radar) no modelo WRF. Para analisar a consistência da assimilação de dados no WRF verificou-se a diferença entre a análise com e sem assimilação de dados. Confirmando a consistência da mesma, foram realizados os procedimentos necessários para gerar os prognósticos com assimilação de dados para cada caso individualmente. Os experimentos com assimilação de dados foram realizados para cada tipo de dado e em conjunto, possibilitando assim fazer uma análise do impacto que cada dado tem na previsão. Os resultados foram comparados entre si espacialmente utilizando dados do modelo global GFS (Global Forecast System) e satélite da Missão de Medida da Chuva Tropical (TRMM). A variável da precipitação acumulada foi comparada e validada espacialmente com os dados do TRMM, constatou-se para o caso do mês de janeiro uma superestimação dos valores acumulados para algumas regiões e para o caso do mês de abril uma subestimação, isso se deve ao fato da frequência temporal dos dados do satélite TRMM, pois provavelmente elas não foram compatíveis com o horário das precipitações. Quando comparado com o volume de chuva pontual com os dados da estação automática a maioria dos processamentos mostrou-se eficaz. Também no estudo de caso ocorrido no mês de janeiro a inserção de dados assimilados possibilitou uma melhora na intensidade e localização da célula convectiva. As variáveis da temperatura e do vento foram comparadas espacialmente com as análises do modelo GFS. A variável da temperatura ora apresentou valores superiores, ora inferiores ao modelo GFS, mesmo assim os resultados foram satisfatórios, uma vez que, foi possível simular temperaturas superiores antes da passagem do sistema e inferiores após a passagem do mesmo. Para o campo de vento houve uma pequena discrepância em todas as simulações em relação a magnitude, porém a direção do vento foi plotada de forma coerente, simulando até o ciclone presente no caso do mês de abril. Para o perfil vertical da temperatura e temperatura do ponto de orvalho o impacto da assimilação de dados foi pequeno, porém ambas as simulações representaram de forma coesa os perfis quando comparados com o perfil observado. Em suma, o estudo comprova que, embora se tenha algumas incoerências assimilação 3DVAR contribui de modo significativo nas previsões do tempo do modelo WRF. / The use of meteorological data assimilation technique is extremely important for the correction of the imprecisions of observational data for the initial and boundary conditions of weather forecasting models. In the present work it is used the 3DVAR data assimilation technique of the mesoscale model WRF system (Weather Research and Forecasting) aiming the analysis of the impact of the assimilation of meteorological data from several data sources (GTS - Global Telecommunication System, automatic surface stations network and radar) in the WRF model. To analysis the consistency of the data in the WRF assimilation it has been gathered the difference between analysis, with and without data assimilation. Confirming its consistency the procedures required, to generate predictions with data assimilation for each individual case were performed. The data assimilation experiments were performed for each data type as well as including all of them allowing, therefore, the analysis of the impact of each over the forecast. The results were compared and validated using data from the spatially global forecasting model GFS (Global Forecast System), satellite and the mission of the Tropical Rain Measurement (TRMM) data. The cumulative rainfall variable was compared spatially with data from TRMM, where it has been observed, in the case of January, an overestimation of the accumulated values for some regions and an underestimation for the case of April. These have been occurred because of temporal frequency of the TRMM satellite data - which probably because were not compatible with the precipitation time occurrence. Comparison between the accumulated precipitation with data from automatic station presented mostly effective results. Also, in the case study of the January with assimilated data, produced an improvement in the intensity as well as in the location of the convective cell. The wind and temperature variables were compared with the spatially GFS’s analysis. The higher temperature variable values presented alternated, from higher and lower values compared to the GFS results. The results were nevertheless unsatisfactory, because the simulated temperatures presented prior to passing the frontal system and after passing it. For the wind field there was a small discrepancy in all simulations regarding the magnitude, but the wind direction was plotted consistently simulating up to the present in the case of April cyclone. For the vertical profiles of temperature and dew point temperature the impact of data assimilation was small, but both simulations made represented good profiles, compared with the observed values. In summary, the study shows that, although there were some inconsistencies, compared with the observations, the 3DVAR assimilation contributes significantly to WRF model forecasts.

Schools developed to serve the "European" sectors of African economies. British colonial governments regarded this phenomenon as a political threat. There were "assimilationist" and "adaptationist" educational solutions to this problem. "Adaptation It seemed to hold greater promise of political stability yet colonial education was predominantly "assimilationist" at the time of political independence. In this study,colonial educational policies have been categorised as assimilationist- or Euro-centred- and as adaptionist- or Afro-centred. An attempt has been made to determine the conditions associated with the adoption of Euro-centred and Afro-centred policies. Models of Euro-centred and Afro-centred policies have been constructed which include political,economic and socio-political dimensions and which distinguish between the general aims of education, administration, provision and curriculum policies. Education policies for Africa formulated by official agencies firstly in Britain 'and then in the Gold Coast and Tanganyika have been analysed by the criteria of the models.