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Can institutions successfully reduce ethnic conflict? Institutions such as autonomy and federalism are often advocated as a means to prevent ethnic conflict, however empirical evidence is largely mixed with regards to their effectiveness. In a similar manner, political parties have begun to receive more scholarly attention in determining their relationship with ethnic conflict, but their evidence is also mixed. In this research I examine autonomy, federalism, and the banning of political parties within ongoing ethnic group self-determination movements. While I do not find evidence for a relationship between autonomy and conflict, I do find that federalism increases the likelihood of ethnic conflict. Additionally, the banning of ethnic political parties indicates a strong increase the likelihood of ethnic conflict, while the banning of regional political parties significantly reduces the likelihood of ethnic conflict.

This dissertation consists of three chapters on questions in Environmental Economics, addressing policy and health issues in indoor and outdoor environments. In the first chapter, I explores price and quantity policy solutions to externalities that arise from private decisions made over time, focusing on resource extraction as a specific example. In the U.S., mining causes more pollution than any other single industry. I show how tax policy can optimally address a flow externality associated with resource extraction when the policymaker faces asymmetric information in the short run. Chapter 2 investigates whether ordinary exposure to a common indoor air pollutant—Nitrogen Dioxide (NO₂)—affects respiratory health. About 40 percent of occupied homes in the U.S. use gas stoves for cooking, which produce NO₂ as a byproduct of combustion (US Census, 2006), and peak concentrations in homes may reach above 900 ppb when a gas stove is used for cooking (Dennekamp et al., 2001). Permanent or fatal lung damage occurs at NO₂ concentrations greater than 1000 ppb (Samet and Utell, 1990). Previous studies find mixed evidence of negative effects from indoor NO₂ (Basu and Samet, 1999), but exposure may be endogenous in these analyses. I address this problem by developing a physical model of indoor NO₂ concentrations that depends on ventilation decisions and housing characteristics and estimate it using data from the third wave of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. In every model I consider, I find no significant effects of gas stoves on respiratory outcomes. In the final chapter, I combine data on state and local tobacco control ordinances from Americans for Non-smokers Rights Tobacco US Tobacco Control Laws Database with a sample of 35 million births in the U.S. to examine the impact of smoking bans on birth weight and related outcomes. Using difference-in-difference techniques, I identify the effects of state bans net of local bans, as well as the effects of local bans net of state bans. The results suggest less restrictive bans do more to improve birth outcomes than “100% smokefree” bans do, particularly in urban settings. / text

Cette thèse fait partie d'un ensemble de 4 thèses réalisées en commun et consacrées à la géologie de la partie orientale du Haut Dauphiné cristallin. Elle traite de la pétrographie des gneiss et de la tectonique de la partie SE du Massif, et complète les thèses de C. Gillot-Barbiéri, A. Barbiéri et J.C. Lacombe traitant respectivement des gneiss très migmatitiques de la partie NE du massif, des granites intrusifs hercyniens et des faciès moins métamorphiques du Combeynot. Après une introduction sur l'état des connaissances sur le massif au moment du début de ce travail (partie commune avec les 3 autres thèses citées), la thèse aborde dans la deuxième partie la description pétrographique des gneiss et migmatites de la région Ailefroide-Pelvoux-Bans. Sur des critères cartographiques et pétrographiques trois ensembles sont distingués : les gneiss de Peyre Arguet, où un petit massif d'amphibolite à grenat est inséré au seins d'une série de gneiss "granulitique"; l'ensemble de Claphouse, comprenant des niveaux peu étendus d'amphibolites et des gneiss biotitiques passant localement à des faciès plus ou moins oeillés; l'ensemble Ailefroide-Pelvoux, se différenciant surtout du précédent par son épaisse couverture d'amphibolites rubanées. Un dernier chapitre traite des filons acides ou basiques tardi-heryniens, abondants dans cette zone. La troisième partie apporte des informations sur la chimie (éléments majeurs) et le métamorphisme de ces gneiss. Le métamorphisme apparaît comme polyphasé, l'empreinte métamorphique la plus forte étant marquée par l'association FK-sillimanite (quelques reliques de disthène dans les gneiss de Peyre-Arguet) et la migmatisation. La dernière partie concerne la tectonique de cette bordure Est du massif : tectonique post migmatitique hercynienne, pour laquelle les amphibolites de l'Ailefroide constitue un ensemble marqueur important; tectonique alpine, avec ses chevauchements et fractures bien visibles dans le socle cristallin, et ses plis dans la couverture. La conclusion propose une histoire du massif, qui aurait commencé dès le précambrien Note (2010) : Dans ce travail, fait avec les moyens et idées de l'époque, la cartographie et la description des différents ensembles semblent rester pertinentes. Certaines interprétations sont maintenant caduques ou dépassées, en particulier la signification des gneiss de l'ensemble de Peyre-Arguet (des éclogites rétromorphosées (?) et des blastomylonites à quartz en rubans), des gneiss des Bans (des orthogneiss que l'on peut rattacher aux massif de gneiss oeillés de Crupillouse), les hypothèses sur l'âge du métamorphisme et de la migmatisation, la signification des reliques trouvées ça et là de roches ultrabasiques serpentinisées, la sous estimation de la tectonique ductile post-hercynienne dans le socle,...

ABSTRACT This study provides an empirical analysis of the effect of tobacco marketing regulation on unit sales, in order to evaluate the effectiveness these laws in the United States. The analysis did not find a significant effect of tobacco advertising expenditure on unit sales. Examination of advertising expenditure revealed that tobacco companies substituted banned forms of advertising for other marketing strategies, leading to little reduction in total advertising expenditure and a limited effect on sales. Furthermore, it found an unexpected positive relationship between the 1971 Public Health Cigarette Smoking Act and tobacco consumption; the ban on advertising and promotion actually increased sales by over 88 billion units. Additional empirical evidence is provided from studies performed by Fight Ordinances and Restrictions to Control and Eliminate Smoking (FORCES) and Saffer and Chaloupka that show correspondingly inconclusive results. The paper then discusses several policy implications and subsequent recommendations that follow from these results.

Background Smoking prevalence is the highest in people with mental illness. As more and more countries develop governmental regulations to protect employees from exposure to environmental tobacco smoke, complete smoking bans or partial smoking bans have been introduced in many psychiatric hospitals. Objectives To systematically review the literature to examine the impact of smoking bans in psychiatric hospitals, to identify the obstacles to implement tobacco-free policy and provide recommendations for policy-making in Mainland China on implementing tobacco-free policy in psychiatric hospitals. Methods Multiple searches for key words were conducted through electronic sources including PubMed, Medline, PsycINFO, Cochrane Library, Google Scholar, and CNKI database for all relevant English language and Chinese language articles. The PICO (patient problem or population, intervention, comparison and outcomes) indicators were used as basic inclusion/exclusion criteria, data extraction and quality assessment. Results A total of 227 studies were identified (188 English language articles including 4 reviews and 39 Chinese language articles), and 25 articles (19 English articles and 5 Chinese articles) were included in this paper. For the English language studies, psychiatric inpatients generally had positive attitudes towards the tobacco-free policy in psychiatric hospitals and increasing number of inpatients wanted to quit smoking after hospitalized in a tobacco-free psychiatric hospital. Increasing number of staff members working in psychiatric hospitals were supportive of the tobacco-free policy compared to previous reviews. No change in patients’ aggressive behaviors after implementing smoking bans in the psychiatric hospitals was observed in most studies. Factors identified for successful implementation of tobacco-free policy in psychiatric hospitals included comprehensive planning time, good leadership and significant attitudinal and system changes, high level and consistency of staff support and cohesive teamwork, extensive training for staff and effective use of nicotine replacement therapy (NRT). For the Chinese language studies, negative outcomes of psychiatric inpatients were observed after a total smoking ban in one psychiatric hospital, but positive effects were observed when only the smoking amount was controlled in four psychiatric hospitals. Conclusions The tobacco-free policy aims at eliminating tobacco smoking for both staff members and patients in psychiatric hospitals so as to create a healthy place for work and stay. This goal can be achieved with the efforts of the hospitals and staff, and the cooperation of patients. National legislation to ban smoking in all hospitals, indoor and outdoor, are urgently needed in China Mainland. / published_or_final_version / Public Health / Master / Master of Public Health

Within the last few decades, the prevalence of cigarette smoking has decreased because of the vast amount of research which indicates that smoking leads to health problems many of which are potentially fatal. Also, smoking harms not only those whom choose to smoke but non-smokers in the area are affected by even low levels of cigarette smoke. Thus, cigarette smoking has become a public health concern. Around the globe, countries are passing smoke-free laws in public areas such as businesses, restaurants, and bars. In the United States, many universities have enacted smoke-free campus policies to ensure the health of all their students in all places on campus. The purpose of this research is to identify the support or opposition for a smoke-free campus policy at the University of Central Florida by UCF students. A survey was distributed to undergraduate students at UCF which asks whether they would support such a policy along with characterizing questions about their smoking habits, lifestyle, history, and opinion. The analysis of the data shows that the majority of UCF student would support a smoke-free campus policy.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between alcohol advertising and alcohol consumption among the youth in the Vaal triangle, south of Gauteng. The study was conducted in four high schools under Sedibeng West District of the Gauteng Department of Education. A quantitative approach in the form of a questionnaire was used to conduct the research. Results obtained indicated that there is no significant correlation between alcohol advertising and alcohol consumption among the respondents. Drawing on the findings and literature review, recommendations were made to government, the liquor industry and schools that participated in the study. Limitations of the study were identified and recommendations were made for the benefit of future research. The primary and secondary objectives of the study were successfully realised in this study. / MBA, North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between alcohol advertising and alcohol consumption among the youth in the Vaal triangle, south of Gauteng. The study was conducted in four high schools under Sedibeng West District of the Gauteng Department of Education. A quantitative approach in the form of a questionnaire was used to conduct the research. Results obtained indicated that there is no significant correlation between alcohol advertising and alcohol consumption among the respondents. Drawing on the findings and literature review, recommendations were made to government, the liquor industry and schools that participated in the study. Limitations of the study were identified and recommendations were made for the benefit of future research. The primary and secondary objectives of the study were successfully realised in this study. / MBA, North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

Approximately 135,000 Brazilians die from smoking-related diseases every year (ERIKSEN et al., 2015). Due to the relevance of smoking as a public health problem, some states and municipalities implemented restrictive smoke-free environments from 2008 onwards. The national regulation became effective only in 2014. In this paper we explore the regional differences in the adoption of this policy to evaluate its impacts on cigarette consumption in Brazil. We propose a difference-in-differences approach to estimate the effects throughout the years on the smoking behavior of two age groups: adults and youths. We also estimate the impacts according to different levels of enforcement among states. We have built our panel using micro data from the National Health Research, collected by the Brazilian Bureau of Statistics (IBGE) in 2013. Our results indicate that smoking bans reduced daily cigarette consumption among young individuals in 7% on average, by reducing smoking initiation. This impact increases to 10% when considering higher enforced smoking bans and vanishes when the law is not enforced. In absolute values, it represents from 64 to 80 thousand less smokers among young individuals in the treated capitals. No impacts were found on smoking initiation and on smoking prevalence among adults, but high enforced smoking bans are related to 1.2% smoking cessation rate. Robustness tests show that the results are consistent. Our paper contributes to the literature providing evidences to developing countries on the effects of tobacco control policies / Aproximadamente 135.000 brasileiros morrem por doenças relacionadas ao tabagismo anualmente (ERIKSEN et al., 2015). Devido à relevância do tabagismo como um problema de saúde, alguns estados e municípios adotaram áreas totalmente livres de fumo a partir de 2008. A legislação nacional passou a vigorar apenas a partir de dezembro de 2014. Nesse estudo, exploramos a variação regional da adoção dessa política para avaliar seus impactos no consumo de cigarro no Brasil. Para tanto, adotamos uma abordagem de diferenças-em-diferenças para estimar os efeitos ao longo dos anos de introdução das leis no comportamento de fumantes em dois grupos etários: adultos e jovens. Os impactos também foram estimados considerando diferentes níveis de aplicação das leis entre os estados. Construímos um painel utilizando micro dados da Pesquisa Nacional da Saúde (PNS), coletada pelo Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatística (IBGE) em 2013. Os resultados indicam que a criação de áreas livres de fumo reduziu, na média, em 7% o consumo de cigarro entre jovens, e isso ocorreu através do desincentivo à iniciação ao tabagismo. Esse impacto aumenta para 10% quando consideramos leis efetivamente aplicadas e desaparecem quando a aplicação é baixa. Em valores absolutos, esse efeito representa de 64 mil a 80 mil menos fumantes entre jovens nas capitais tratadas. Não foram encontrados efeitos em iniciação ao tabagismo e em consumo de cigarro entre adultos, mas leis fortemente aplicadas estão relacionadas a uma taxa de cessação do fumo de 1,2%. Testes de robustez mostram que os resultados são consistentes. Esse estudo contribui para a literatura sobre os efeitos das políticas de controle do tabagismo ao apresentar evidências para países em desenvolvimento