The Cuban Missile Crisis has been considered by political scientists and historians as one of the most critical point in U.S. – Soviet relations during the Cold War and probably the only case of the possibility of the nuclear exchange was on highest level. The Cuban Missile Crisis was considered to be a part of continued political game of the ideological struggle between the leaders of United States and Soviet Union. However, the fact of the existence of Soviet nuclear missiles in Cuba created situation for U.S. government to decide what course of actions should be taken and not escalate a further confrontation, which could lead to a mutual nuclear exchange. The suggestions to such course of actions were coming from different members of the Executive Committee of the National Council or EXCOMM, which did make impact on U.S. president’s decision making in relation to Soviet installation of nuclear missiles in Cuba in October 1962.  The focus of this study relied on outcome of the decisions taken on secret meetings within the Executive Committee of the National Security Council or EXCOMM (included U.S. president as member of this committee) during the Cuban Missile Crisis in October 1962. The results of this study show if inter – and intragroup conflicts within EXCOOM made such impact on decision making outcome.

The IPCC report from 2013 predicts radical temperature changes in the world the coming years, with a melting ice cap in the Arctic as consequence. According to geological research made by institutes and scholars from the Arctic states the Arctic is likely to hold the last remaining oil and gas resources of the world. The melting ice cap opens up for resource exploitation and for new naval transportation routes between Asia and Europe and North America. There is a debate over what geopolitical implications these natural resources and the new transportation routes will get for the surrounding Arctic states since the existing international regulations in some areas are inadequate. This debate is divided into two camps; one side argues that the Arctic states will act cooperatively when exploiting the resources and navigating the new transportation routes, while the other side predicts violent and conflictive state behavior. The objective of this study is to analyze existing and potential conflicts in the Arctic through the perspective of leading international relations theories in order to make projections of potential Arctic developments. As analytical tool the study applies a conflict analysis framework to structure and categorize both the findings and the analytical chapter. In this qualitative and abductive study the data has been collected through mainly official state and private documents and text analysis of these documents have been used as method. The study concludes that a combination of both cooperation and competition is likely to occur in the Arctic in future, but cooperation will be the first alternative of choice for states rather than conflict.

The impetus of this research to explore cross-cultural differences and conflicts between Singaporean Chinese Managers and their western MNCs managers was due to the researcher's 12 years real-life, working experiences in western MNCs. The interest was extended to discover how these managers are able to deal with the corresponding cross-cultural conflict that is embedded in the day-to-day interaction between himself and his superiors from the west The research has found out that despite the changing cultural influence on Singaporean Chinese Managers, they still exhibit a substantial number of Confucian behavioural characteristics that was inherited from their Chinese forefathers, in the area of work attitudes; the importance of intrinsic and extrinsic work attributes; the commitment to the organisation they work for; and from the job itself. Singaporean Chinese Managers are also found to be less confrontational in nature when dealing with conflicts, and are less incline to express their dissatisfaction, or even have a face-to-face argument with their superiors. The research also found that there is a growing 'compromisers' cluster, a group of people who only moderately uphold traditional values regarding family, education and morale, who are open to innovation and whose aim in life is to be socially and financially successful. It further reveals that younger Singaporean Chinese Managers are now more vocal and more confrontational than their older counterparts and possesses more westernised behavioural characteristics. Therefore, this research provides an insight into the way in which Singaporean Chinese Managers both construct and maintain a notion of identity and also explores the evolving cultural shift in the next generation of managers in the Singaporean Chinese community.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Adelaide, School of History and Politics, Discipline of Politics, 2005. / "December 2003" Includes bibliographical references (leaves 349-387).

Thesis (M.A. in National Security Affairs) Naval Postgraduate School, December 1995. / "December 1995." Thesis advisor(s): Dana P. Eyre, James J. Wirtz. Includes bibliographical references (p. 107-109). Also available online.

La violence au Moyen Âge ne serait-elle qu’une question de perspective ? Cette question marque le point de départ de cette étude consacrée aux récits de la violence dans les sources hagiographiques. L’analyse du discours, reposant sur une déconstruction systématique des récits, a fait apparaître un canevas narratif commun sur lequel chaque auteur est venu broder son propre récit. Mais sous une simplicité apparente se dissimule un discours bien plus complexe en lien avec les problématiques sociales de leur époque. L’approche lexicale a permis de montrer que la dénonciation d’une action comme « violence » devient un moyen d’en exprimer l’illégitimité du point de vue de l’auteur et de sa communauté. Elle entre ainsi dans des stratégies plus larges d’autolégitimation mises en place par l’Église, dans lesquelles le discours de la violence est instrumentalisé dans le but de « normer » la communauté des fidèles, mais aussi de défendre son patrimoine ou de légitimer certaines réformes. Évidemment, le récit hagiographique de la violence n’offre qu’une vision unilatérale dans laquelle les motivations de la partie adverse sont déformées ou tout simplement ignorées. Enfin, l’intérêt porté au discours et à son élaboration, mais aussi à ses formes et aux thématiques abordées a permis de mener une réflexion plus générale sur les enjeux de l’écriture hagiographique. L’hagiographie s’adresse à un public très large en divers lieux et à différents moments, empruntant alors des voies communicationnelles variées. La lecture mais aussi l’écoute le plus souvent dans un cadre liturgique permettent une large diffusion du message hagiographique et lui confère toute son efficacité. De par ce caractère quasi universel, l’hagiographie devient aussi multifonctionnelle et joue un rôle socialimportant. / Would the violence in the Middle Ages be only a question of perspective? This question is the basis for this study on hagiographical stories of violence. The analysis of discursive strategies showed a common narrative structure on what each author came to embroider his own story. But this visible simplicity hides a more complex discourse linked to social issues of their times. The lexical study has showed that the denunciation of an action as "violence" becomes a means to express illegitimacy from the point of view of the author and his community. It belongs to strategies of autolegitimization set up by the Church, in which violence is instrumentalized with the intention not only to influence behaviours of the community of faithful, but also to defend its property or to justify some reforms ongoing. Of course, the hagiographical story of violence gives us only an unilateral vision in which the motivations of the opposite camp are simply distorted or hidden. Finally, the interest on discursive strategies and on the various forms of violence reported lead us to consider writing motives of thehagiographers. Hagiography touch a very large public in various places and at various times, using several ways of communication. Reading but also listening often in a liturgical context make the hagiographical message efficient. All over this quasi universal character, hagiography becomes multifunctional as well and plays an important social role. In this way, we can say that hagiography can be seen as a weapon in hands of religious men. It allows the glorification of a past through the holyness of the community foundator or members. But it’s also a support of the instrumentalisation of conflictsbetween the lay aristocracy and religious communities. / Könnte die Gewalt im Mittelalter nur eine Frage der Perspektive sein? Diese Frage ist der Anfangspunkt dieser Studie über Erzählungen der hagiographischen Gewalt. Die Diskursanalyse, auf einer systematischen Infragestellung der Berichte beruhend, hat ein gemeinsames narratives Schema gezeigt, dem jeder Autor seine eigene Geschichte hinzufügt. Dennoch verbirgt das scheinbar Einfache einen viel komplexeren Diskurs, der mit der sozialen Problematik der Epoche zusammenhängt. Die lexikalische Analyse hat nachgewiesen, daß die Stigmatisierung einer Tat als „Gewalt“ dem Autor unddessen Gemeinde als Mittel dient, die Ungesetzlichkeit der Tat hervorzuheben. So wird diese Darstellung zu einem der von der Kirche etablierten Selbstlegitimationsverfahren. In diesen Verfahren, wird die Gewaltthematik nicht nur dazu genutzt, um die Gläubigen zu beeinflussen, sondern auch um ihr Erbe zu schützen und diverse Reformen zu rechtfertigen. Selbstverständlich gibt die hagiographische Erzählung der Gewalt nur eine einseitige Sicht wieder, in der die Beweggründe der Gegner verdreht, bzw. verheimlicht werden. Schlussendlich hat die Analyse des Diskurses und seines Aufbaus eine allgemeinere Betrachtung der Ziele der hagiographischen Schriften ermöglicht. Die Hagiographie richtet sich an ein sehr breites Publikum, an verschiedenen Orten und zu unterschiedlichen Zeiten. Dazu werden verschiedene Kommunikationswege genutzt. Das Lesen sowie das Hören, in einem oft liturgischem Umfeld, verbreiten auf eine schnelle und wirksame Weise die hagiographische Botschaften. Dadurch wird die Hagiographie übergreifendund spielt eine wichtige Rolle in der Gesellschaft.

Orientador: Laura Antunes Maciel / Banca: Flavia Arlanch / Banca: Olga Brites da Silva / Resumo: Este trabalho aborda os vários projetos de ocupação e colonização agrícola implementados pelo Exército na região de fronteira do vale formado pelos rios Madeira e Guaporé, entre as décadas de 30 e 40 do século XX. A proposta é analisar a atuação dos militares e os debates em torno da construção e da administração do Território Federal do Guaporé, quando foram instalados os primeiros Núcleos Agrícolas e os Contingentes Especiais de Fronteiras, no atual Estado de Rondônia. A colonização implementada pelos militares, ancorada na ideologia do "vazio demográfico" na fronteira, significou um impacto sobre os modos de vida das populações nativas - seringueiros e índios -, gerando conflitos sociais e étnicos. Confrontando os interesses das elites regionais e seus projetos para a região com os princípios sobre segurança e defesa de fronteiras que norteavam a ação do exército na região, busco recuperar os debates e seus desdobramentos na criação do Território Federal do Guaporé, nos bastidores do Estado Novo. Procuro, também, questionar as "mudanças" propagandeadas pelo governo federal e elites locais, a partir da implantação da estrutura administrativa do Território, evidenciando as contradições sociais agravadas com a continuidade da política de concentração de terras e dos seus recursos estratégicos e com a instituição de normas militarizadas para administrar a sociedade na região. / Abstract: This work boards lots of agricultural occupation and colonization's projects implemented by the Army, on the frontier área of the valley formed by the Madeira river and Guaporé river, between the decades of 30 and 40 of the XX Century. The proposal is to analyse the militaries' performance and the debates about the construction and administration of GuaporéþFederal Territory, when there were instaled the first Agricultural Nucleus and the Especial Frontier Contingents, at the actual Estate of Rondônia. The colonization, implemented by the militaries, anchored on the ideology of "demography empty" at the frontier, meant an impact on the native populationþs ways of live - rubber tree workers and indians- producing lots of social and etnical conflicts. Confronting the regional elite's interests and its projects on the principles about safety and frontier defence has guided the Army's action in the area, I try to recuperate the debates and their consequences on the creation of Guaporé's Federal Territory, on the wings of the New Estate. I also try to discuss the "changes" diffused by the federal government and local elites, from the establishment of the Territory"s administrative structure, evidencing the social contradictions aggravated with the continuity of the lands' concentration politics and its strategic resources and with the institucion of militarized rules to administrate the regional society. / Mestre

Orientador: Mário Sérgio Vasconcelos / Banca: Ulisses Ferreira de Araújo / Banca: Nelson Pedro da Silva / Resumo: Esta pesquisa se insere na área de estudos sobre os raciocínios morais construídos na resolução de conflitos. Teve por objetivo identificar quais os modelos organizadores de pensamento aplicados na resolução de conflitos morais hipotéticos por uma amostra de adolescentes autores de infração. Partiu de referenciais teóricos sobre a moralidade que discutem o envolvimento de conteúdos (valores, regras, princípios) na construção de raciocínios morais, além do desenvolvimento de estruturas cognitivas. Foram realizadas entrevistas individuais com 20 adolescentes que cumprem medida sócio-educativa de Liberdade Assistida e Prestação de serviços à Comunidade. Nessas entrevistas narramos uma situação de conflito moral envolvendo agressão física e roubo. Sobre esta situação solicita-se os pensamentos do protagonista diante dos atos presenciados e as ações que esse protagonista afirmaria como necessárias para ser justo diante do que presenciou. Para elucidar os modelos organizadores, analisamos os raciocínios empregados destacando os dados, os significados e as implicações entre eles. Foram identificados vários modelos organizadores os quais foram agrupados em 3 categorias (A, B e C). Os modelos organizadores refletem as soluções elaboradas pelos adolescentes para resolver os problemas explicitados pela situação. Nessas soluções foram evidenciados conteúdos presentes na situação e no enunciado das questões, bem como conteúdos que não estavam presentes no contexto nem nas questões formuladas. A variedade de modelos organizadores identificada na resolução de conflitos morais reforçam a idéia da importância dos conteúdos na construção dos raciocínios e, portanto, na maneira de interpretar e conhecer a realidade objetiva. / Abstract: This dissertation is inserted in the study area about built moral ratiocinations in the resolution about conflicts. The aim was identify which organizing models of thought applied in resolution of hypothetical moral conflicts by a sample of transgressor teenagers who did some infraction. We study theoretic references about morality which idea is involved in the construction of argumentations, besides of development of cognitive structures, the contents (values, rules, and principles). We made individual interviews in 20 transgressor teenagers who were in a process of social reeducation. In these interviews we reported a situation of moral conflict involving physical aggression and robbery. About this situation was asked the thoughts of the protagonist about observed acts and actions that this protagonist asked as necessary to be fair for who observed the act. To elucidate the organizing models, we analyzed the ratiocinations used emphasizing the data, the meanings and implications among them. We identified several organizing models that we divided in 3 categories (A, B, C). The organizing models reflect the elaborate solutions gave by teenagers to resolve the cleared problems by the situation. These solutions were evidenced contents that showed the situation and the enunciation of the questions that did not explicit in the context even in the formulated questions, derived of everyday experiences of teenagers. The variety of organizing models identified in the resolution of moral conflicts reinforce the idea of the importance of contents in the building of ratiocinations and, so, the manner of elucidate, explain, interpret and know the objective reality. / Mestre

The study of conflicts in conservation (also known as human-wildlife conflicts) is a growing field of research in areas where people and wildlife interact, because of the negative impacts each can have on the other. Addressing conflicts is certainly challenging because of the complexities of considering diverse interests from numerous stakeholders and the specific ecological and socio-economic characteristics of a given study system. No matter how complex the system under study is, the aim is in all cases to find effective and sustainable mitigation strategies for local people, as well as for wildlife conservation and local authorities. In this thesis, I look at two of the preliminary steps required to address conservation conflicts and develop efficient long-lasting management solutions: the gathering of ecological data and the assessment of mitigation strategies in the field. To do this, I use two case studies: crop-foraging by African elephants (Loxodonta africana) in northern Botswana, and selective hunting of the red deer (Cervus elaphus) population on the Isle of Rum in Scotland. In Chapter 2, I built a baseline for the level of conflict in the Okavango Delta Panhandle (Botswana) using temporal trends of crop-foraging by elephants as an index of the level of conflict, and subsequently looked at how this relates to trends in agricultural land allocated in the study area, as well as with trends in human and elephant population size. In Chapter 3, I mapped the distribution of the local population of elephants and assessed its interaction with landscape features and sites where crop-foraging events had been recorded. In both chapters (2 & 3) I found that -in general- the number of elephants was not a determinant of the level of conflict in the study area, but that the spatiotemporal distribution of the species as well as the spatial and temporal scales considered were. In the second half of my thesis, I assessed the effects of two common conflict mitigation methods: the use of deterrents (Chapter 4) and lethal control (Chapter 5). I first evaluated the effectiveness of chilli-briquettes in deterring elephants and secondly, I used a modelling approach to predict the demographic effects of increasing levels of selective hunting in a male red deer population. I found that both mitigation methods showed unexpected results, which would not have been detected had I not tested for them. This thesis highlights the advantages of applying methods that are based on informed decisions in areas of conflict, as well as the value of sharing results in conservation management. My findings contribute towards a better understanding of the negative impacts of human-wildlife interactions, which often lead to conservation conflicts, as well as contributing protocols and methodologies that can be adapted and applied elsewhere.

A presente tese trata de analisar, a partir da situação das Regiões Ártica e Antártica, questões ambientais que se inserem no campo das relações e dos estudos de segurança internacionais. Neste sentido, através de uma abordagem comparativa, ajusta-se, metodológica e teoricamente, as relações entre questões ambientais e de segurança e sua intersecção com os estudos sobre regimes internacionais. O objetivo é a partir de uma concepção de que são o Ártico (parcialmente) e a Antártica, áreas internacionais, examinar a relação existente entre a exploração de recursos naturais e questões ambientais (mudanças climáticas) e as possibilidades de conflitos e sua superação ou adiamento, em função do exame intrínseco da competição por recursos naturais (petróleo, gás, hidratos de gás, bioprospecção, recursos marinhos, água doce, turismo e rotas polares, esse último somente para o Ártico) e das mudanças climáticas e dos regimes concebidos nas Regiões Polares. Foram examinadas, ao mesmo tempo, dificuldades econômicas, ambientais, técnicas e políticas (dificuldades intrínsecas) à exploração de recursos ambientais, os efeitos das mudanças climáticas e a força dos regimes das Regiões Polares, verificando-se as respectivas capacidades de adiar ou evitar conflitos. Sendo que a força do regime foi examinada a partir do grau de impacto dos elementos que a formam: 1) efetividade do regime, 2) a resiliência do regime, 3) resistência do regime, 4) a presença do hegemon e outros Estados protagonistas, 5) mecanismos de aquiescência, que incentivem ou obriguem o respeito as regras do regime, e 6) existência de uma organização internacional vinculada. Partiu-se do pressuposto de que quanto maiores as dificuldades para exploração, menor seria a competição e, portanto, menores as possibilidades de ocorrerem conflitos. A possibilidade de ocorrência de conflitos também foi cotejada com o grau de fortalecimento dos regimes instalados nas Regiões Polares. A tese conclui que no Ártico e na Antártica as dificuldades para a exploração dos recursos naturais se equivalem. Especificamente no campo político e econômico, quanto aos minerais (inclusive água) na Antártica a dificuldade é maior na atualidade em função da vedação da exploração até 2048 e porque as pesquisas ainda são insuficientes para comprovar a viabilidade da exploração; em compensação no Ártico a localização dos recursos em áreas sob soberania ou no espaço que compreende a ZEE não enseja dificuldades políticas e jurídicas para exploração em função da aplicação da CNUDM. Por sua vez, em especial, as externalidades dos efeitos das mudanças climáticas nas Regiões Polares podem provocar o aumento do n.m.m. e alterações dos padrões climáticos, contudo conflitos não seriam inevitáveis. Em relação aos Regimes Polares ambos foram considerados fortes, contudo o regime antártico foi considerado mais fortalecido. O exame dos elementos, principalmente, a resiliência e efetividade do STA e cotejamento com o processo de consolidação do regime complexo do Ártico justificam a conclusão. Por fim conclui esta tese que as condições para exploração dos recursos naturais, os efeitos das mudanças climáticas nas e a partir das Regiões Polares e o grau de fortalecimento dos regimes internacionais lá constituídos revelam, que os conflitos, ainda que possíveis não são prováveis. / This thesis analyzes, from Arctic and Antarctic regions, environmental issues which fall within the field of international relations and security studies. In this sense, through a comparative approach sets, intends to, methodological and theoretically, the relationship between environmental and security issues and its intersection with studies on international relations. The goal is, from a design which are the Arctic (in part) and Antarctica, international areas, examining the links between the exploitation of natural resources and environmental issues (climate change) and the potential for conflicts and overcome them or postponement, due to the intrinsic exam competition for natural resources (oil, gas, gas hydrates, bioprospecting, marine resources, freshwater, tourism and polar routes, the latter only for the Arctic) and climate change and regimes in the polar regions. Were examined at the same time, economic, environmental, technical and policy difficulties (intrinsic difficulties) the exploitation of environmental resources, the effects of climate change and the strength of the polar regions regimes, verifying their ability to delay or avoid conflicts. The strength of the system was examined from the degree of impact of the elements that form it: 1) effectiveness of the system, 2) the resilience of the system, 3) regime resistance, 4) the presence of the hegemon and other protagonists States 5) compliance mechanisms that encourage or force respect the rules of the regime, and 6) the existence of a linked international organization. It started with the assumption that the greater the difficulties for exploration, would be less competition and therefore lower the chances of occurrence of conflicts. The possibility of conflict was also checked against the degree of strengthening of systems installed in the polar regions. The thesis concludes that the Arctic and Antarctic difficulties for the exploitation of natural resources are equivalent. Specifically, in the political and economic field, as minerals (including water) in Antarctica the difficulty is greater today due to the operations are prohibited up to 2048 and because the research is still insufficient to prove the viability of the exploitation; in compensation in the Arctic location of resources in areas under the sovereignty or within the EEZ that comprises not entails political and legal difficulties to exploitation due to the implementation of UNCLOS. In turn, in particular, the externalities of the effects of climate change on the polar regions can cause an increase in sea level and changes in weather patterns, however conflicts would not inevitable. Regarding the polar regimes both were considered strong, however the Antarctic regime was considered more strong. Examination of the components, especially the resilience and effectiveness of ATS and mutual comparison with the consolidation of the complex Arctic regime justify the conclusion. Finally, this thesis concludes that the conditions for exploitation of natural resources, the effects of climate change on and from the polar regions and the degree of strengthening international regimes established their reveal that the conflicts, although possible is not probable.