This thesis explores the role of context-specific peace education initiatives in promoting social cohesion in the Western Cape, South Africa, with an emphasis on drawing lessons from the philosophy of Ubuntu. Against the backdrop of South Africa's colonial, apartheid and post-apartheid historical and social significance, including issues of social cohesion, the study addresses the country's complex socio-political dynamics and ongoing challenges in fostering unity and inclusivity. By applying the Social Capital Theory, which highlights the importance of social networks, trust, reciprocity, shared norms and values, as well as collective action in achieving shared goals and cooperation, this study explores how context-specific peace education initiatives can be customized to local contexts and their potential to promote positive social change. With a focus on the Western Cape province, characterised by high levels of violence and socio-economic disparities, this research delves into peace education initiatives to comprehend their adaptation to local circumstances and their capacity to drive constructive social transformation. The findings underscore the significance of relationships, social networks, and individuals with strong social capital in building positive peace and fostering social cohesion. Creating inclusive spaces for dialogue through storytelling, art, music, and other means emerges as a key finding. These spaces provide opportunities for people to come together, share their experiences, and engage in difficult conversations. The research also emphasizes the role of young people and their active engagement in civic participation as crucial for the success of peace education initiatives. By valuing and incorporating local wisdom, traditions, and practices such as Ubuntu, peace education initiatives can better address the specific needs and challenges of the Western Cape. The study recommends further research on the integration of gender-sensitive and intersectional approaches. Understanding and addressing gender-related factors are essential for promoting inclusivity and equality within peace education programs.

This research study examined the relationship between family cohesion and depression in mothers and fathers of children with disabilities. One hundred and six two-parent families who had a child with a disability provided information on their feelings of cohesion through Bloom's cohesion subscale and depression through the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression scale (CES-D). Analyses indicated that mothers and fathers of this sample are not significantly more depressed than the general population. However, there was a correlation between mothers' and fathers' depression, indicating that when mothers' depression increased, fathers' depression increased. Negative correlations were found between mothers' and fathers' self-reported levels of cohesion and depression indicating that when there were high levels of depression there were low levels of cohesion. Limitations, implications, and further research ideas are presented.

This research explores and describes co-authorship network structures in the academic publication process. The production of academic publications, through co-authorship choices or strategies, creates a network structure among co-authoring scholars which can influence research visibility and enhance stature among peers (Bayer & Smart, 1991). A specific scholar's co-authorship network may reflect a structure of more cohesion (Coleman, 1988) or one which fills more structural holes (Burt, 1992), both of which are theorized, from contrasting perspectives, to be associated with publication success. Therefore, this study examined the association of these two academic co-authorship network structures with publication success, specifically within the field of research and scholarship on higher education. The network population consisted of 810 academic scholars who published articles in at least one of four top-ranked higher education research journals. Based upon structural holes and cohesion, seven different co-authorship network structures were identified. In terms of total publications, findings suggest that filling structural holes—a network structure that spans across the larger network and provides authors with a greater variety of co-authors—may even be further enhanced when there were also multiple publications with the same co-authors. Thus, an ideal hybrid network structure of both structural holes and strong ties may be possible. The data suggested that co-authoring multiple times with the same scholars (mean tie strength) may be critical to realizing the potential value buried within the structural holes (Burt, 2001).

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between family leisure involvement and family functioning among families that include children with developmental disabilities. The sample consisted of 154 families (154 parents and 62 youth). Data were analyzed from the parent, youth, and family perspective. The Family Leisure Activity Profile (FLAP) was used to measure family leisure involvement. FACES II was used to measure family functioning. A scale based upon the definition, classification, and systems of support manual of the American Association on Mental Retardation adapted by Dyches was used to measure the level of support needed by the child with a developmental disability. Blocked multiple regression analysis indicated a positive relationship between core family leisure and family cohesion, adaptability and overall family functioning, but the analyses indicated no relationship between balance family leisure and family cohesion, adaptability, and overall family functioning from all three perspectives. Results also indicated that family functioning and family leisure involvement were very similar between traditional families and families including children with developmental disabilities. Implications for practitioners and recommendations for further research are discussed.

Previous studies based on morphological, allozymic and mitochondrial sequence data have indicated that Liomys pictus is paraplyletic relative to L. spectabilis. The purpose of this study was to determine the species boundaries that exist within this complex. I estimated phylogenetic relationships within this complex using sequence data from 1,140 bp of the mitochondrial DNA cytochrome b gene and two nuclear introns from engrailed protein (190 bp) and myosin heavy chain (254 bp) genes for approximately 712 individuals representing 82 localities across the range of L. pictus and L. spectabilis. Maximum parsimony, maximum likelihood, and Bayesian analyses suggest that there are six species within the L. pictus complex using the Weins-Penkrot approach and Templeton's cohesion test for delimitating species whereas previously only two have been recognized.

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships between family downhill skiing patterns and family functioning. The Family Adaptability and Cohesion Evaluation Scale (FACES II), was used to measure family functioning. Questions created by the researcher were used to measure the average number of family ski experiences per year (frequency) and how many years the family has skied together (duration). Satisfaction with family ski experiences was measured using the Satisfaction with Family Skiing Scale. The sample consisted of 110 family units from throughout the United States. The findings from this study found that frequency and duration of family ski experiences were not significant predictors of family functioning. The data did determine that satisfaction with family ski experiences was a significant predictor of family functioning from the youth, parent, and family perspectives.

Research has consistently shown group psychotherapy to be an effective form of treatment. Group cohesiveness, the quantity and magnitude of the strength of the bonds within the group, has received considerable attention. This study describes the integration of the cohesion literature using a random effects meta-analysis to ascertain the magnitude of the relationship between cohesion and outcome as well as explore the effect specific group variables have on this association. Studies were included which measured the relationship between groups comprised of at least three members, included both an outcome and cohesion measure convertible to an effect size, and were published in English. 40 published studies, comprised of 3,323 participants, were analyzed and yielded an omnibus effect size of r = .25, suggesting a positive, moderate relationship exists between cohesion and outcome. Four group variables (group size, treatment duration, treatment setting, and group focus) and a client variable (age) demonstrated markedly stronger relationships with cohesion. The study also examined the most frequently used cohesion measures and definitions as they relate to their relationship to outcome and frequency of use. Clinical implications for group therapists are identified and future research suggested.

Motivation på arbetet kan härledas till individens upplevelse och tillfredsställande av sin autonomi, kompetens och samhörighet. Tillfredsställda behov har en positiv inverkan på individens välmående, prestation och attityd mot organisationen. Dessa  behov främjas av intresse för sitt arbete, upplevd sakkunnighet och gemenskap. Studiens syfte var att undersöka hur upplevelsen av de grundläggande behoven (autonomi, kompetens och samhörighet) inom självbestämmandeteorin påverkar motivationen hos anställda i Försvarsmakten. I en kvalitativ studie med nio semistrukturerade intervjuer med heltidsanställda inom Försvarsmakten har jag som författare undersökt detta. Resultatet summerat genom en tematisk analys visar att anställda upplever sig motiverade genom ett varierande arbete med ansvar. Ett arbete som bidrar till att utveckla sin egen och andras sakkunnighet i ett öppet och stödjande arbetsklimat med god återkoppling. Sammanfattningsvis bidrar de till en positiv inverkan på arbetsmotivationen inom Försvarsmakten och tillfredsställer behoven autonomi, kompetens och samhörighet.

No description available.

Compared to traditional thermal spray, cold spray as a new emerging surface treatment eliminates or substantially reduces phase transformation of deposited material and reduces coating porosity. Therefore, the appearance of this new type of surface treatment and additive manufacturing process has attracted considerable attention from researchers. In this research, three-dimensional modeling of Al6061-T6 particle impact and cohesion process was simulated by utilizing commercial finite element analysis (FEA) software ABAQUS/Explicit. To guarantee that a stable bonding phenomenon can be realized in the scope of physical validity, a built-in cohesive contact behavior model was implemented in the simulation to understand the bonding phenomenon. A non-planar surface was introduced to replace the usual planar impacted surface to mimic micron-scale curvature of the sprayed target in the real condition. Simulation models of spraying particles impact on positions with spray angle corresponding to 90°, 80°, 70° were created to investigate the effect generated by the curvature for the residual stress after bonding. Curvature function was exploited to describe the non-planar surface wavy condition derived from optimized impacting angle for achieving bonding phenomenon. This numerical simulation work can provide further insights for the residual stress evolution status in the condition of realized cohesion between impactor and non-planar surface after a kinetic peening process. Beneficial suggestions toward cold spray technology utilization in additive manufacturing areas are concluded from the results of the numerical simulation.