Based on oral histories of agriculture and health in the Mae Chaem valley, northern Thailand, this work documents changing child health and medical practice since the 1950's and explores possible connections with increasing pesticide use. The research shows how local knowledge can help us understand relationships between changing technology, ecology, and human health. Parents and farmers in the Mae Chaem valley of Chiang Mai province, Northern Thailand, live at the intersection of multiple local and global streams of land use and child health biotechnology. Based on systematically collected autobiographical oral histories from parents and farmers, as well as interviews and participant observation with land use and child health experts the study considers the relationships between child health and land use change, and particularly the rise of pesticide intensive cash cropping, since the late 1950’s. Introductory chapters on theory and methods precede a description of the ethnographic context. Case studies illustrating parent and farmer histories of child health and land use change spanning fifty years are provided. Seven streams of biotechnical expertise are identified, and mini-ethnographies are provided for each including domestic, Buddhist, Muang, spirit, market, national, and Christian. These seven streams are analyzed using actor-network theory (ANT) with relationships to particular notions of ontology, cosmology, and ecology. Results demonstrate the ongoing importance of parents and farmers as decision making agents at the intersection of multiple and competing cultural and biotechnical streams, even where they face efforts by large multinational corporations or other agencies to advertise, constrain and monopolize local biotechnical choice. Within the fifty year time period under consideration, the oral histories describe particular child health and land use trends. These locally perceived trends provide challenging perspectives on the relationship between ‘development’ and child health in Thailand. While children die far less often now than in the past, oral histories suggest that both children and fields now suffer from more kinds of illness, and more often, than before. In particular, both qualitative and more quantitative analysis suggests differences in the experience of child health among pesticide and non-pesticide using households.

'Language Ecology and Language Planning in Chiang Rai, Thailand' had three main aims: to study the language ecology and sub-ecologies of Chiang Rai province, to study the factors and forces that affect the language ecology, and to study language plans and language policies in Chiang Rai. This study employed two main frameworks: theoretical and methodological framework. The theoretical construct is based on a parameter rich linguistic theory, Ecolinguistics, where concepts and parameters from linguistics and non-linguistics disciplines are employed. The parameter rich theory assists immensely in the understanding of language as it believes that language is interconnected with the world and the world with language. The study was conducted using ethnography as the methodological framework due to it allowing a wide array of data collection methods which include document studies, observation, participant observation, recorded and unrecorded interviews, personal communications and field notes. Moreover, ethnography provided an opportunity to reflect on the researcher's multiple identities and in varying degrees as insider and outsider. Data collection was conducted in Chiang Rai and six villages in three districts; two districts in the Greater Mae Khong Subregion (G1-IS) area namely Chiang Khong and Chiang Saen; and one district in a special economic border zone area Maesai district. The districts were chosen based on economic influences while the six villages were randomly selected. The villages studied were Wiang Mok and Huay Kok villages in Chiang Khong district; Sop Ruak and Santhaat villages in Chiang Saen province; and Phamee and Payaang Chum in Maesai district. Data were also collected from stakeholders concerned in language planning namely government and nongovernment organizations. There were two main findings in accordance with the research aims. Firstly, it was found that the language ecology and sub-ecologies of Chiang Rai province and the villages were dynamic and multiplex. The dynamics and complexities of the ecology and sub-ecologies wee dependent on numerous interactions of different factors and forces. The factors were social educational, geographical, economic, and political/geopolitical. There were four main levels of forces: world level, national level, regional/provincial level, and home level. The interaction of forces could be positive, negative or neutral to the health of the language ecology. Secondly, with regards to language planning and policy, it was found that there was no explicit minority language policy or planning in Thailand. Two types of language policy were found in Chiang Rai and Thailand: a top-down policy and quasi-bottom up policy. Both policies were education related. The top-down policies were comprised of an implicit national language policy and an explicit foreign language policy, especially for English and Chinese. The quasi-bottom up policy was the only local policy found in Chiang Rai where a Chinese language curriculum was developed at the local level but with a national economic related strategic vision. The study also suggested that future language planning and policies in Thailand should take into account the findings of language ecology and sub-ecologies in Chiang Rai. Language plans should recognise the effect of those factors and forces that will affect other languages within the same ecology. / http://proxy.library.adelaide.edu.au/login?url= http://library.adelaide.edu.au/cgi-bin/Pwebrecon.cgi?BBID=1375070 / Thesis (Ph.D.) -- University of Adelaide, School of Humanities, 2009

This thesis investigates how ethnic communities perceive the problems and benefits of local participation in the tourism planning process. It also explores how inhabitants perceive the general impacts of tourism development. In particular, problems associated with tourism development in terms of its impacts on ethnic communities, as understood by the local residents involved, are identified. One factor suggested by the results is that such impacts are in part a result of both insufficient and ineffective participation of local residents in tourism planning.

Between 1919 and 1934, as members of China's Guomindang (Nationalist Party) struggled to take control of and transform the country, they increasingly appropriated language and symbols associated with the fallen Qing Dynasty. At the same time, these were accompanied in party discourse by radical appeals that included strong critiques of China's past. In this they were far from unique: studies of nationalisms around the world have found them to combine appeals to the new and the old. Yet in China this combination incited particular controversy, as Guomindang members and others, wrestling with the cultural legacy of the empire, put forward powerfully radical critiques not only of the culture of the past but also of traditionalist appeals to it. The result was distinctive textual practices I term 'revolutionary traditionalism', which appropriated cultural elements of the imperial orthodoxy while reconciling these appropriations with radical language. Yet this revolutionary traditionalism could not unproblematically form a unified modern nationalist orthodoxy. Radical and traditionalist positions in regard to culture recurred through power struggles within and beyond the party. Through these struggles, by the end of the 1920s revolutionary traditionalism came to characterise the new Nationalist Government formed by Guomindang members in Nanjing. While like other nationalists Guomindang members reinvented the language and symbols to which they appealed, however, the case of Confucius shows that they could not unilaterally control these reinterpretations. The central place of Confucius in national culture was established through a process of negotiation, as groups identifying themselves as 'Confucian' petitioned the state, appropriating its own traditionalist discourse, for recognition and commemoration. Yet these Confucians, pursuing their own often religious agendas, also cast doubt on the authenticity of the state's commitment. Revolutionary traditionalism thus remained unstable, repeatedly challenged both from radical and traditionalist positions.

Based on oral histories of agriculture and health in the Mae Chaem valley, northern Thailand, this work documents changing child health and medical practice since the 1950's and explores possible connections with increasing pesticide use. The research shows how local knowledge can help us understand relationships between changing technology, ecology, and human health. Parents and farmers in the Mae Chaem valley of Chiang Mai province, Northern Thailand, live at the intersection of multiple local and global streams of land use and child health biotechnology. Based on systematically collected autobiographical oral histories from parents and farmers, as well as interviews and participant observation with land use and child health experts the study considers the relationships between child health and land use change, and particularly the rise of pesticide intensive cash cropping, since the late 1950’s. Introductory chapters on theory and methods precede a description of the ethnographic context. Case studies illustrating parent and farmer histories of child health and land use change spanning fifty years are provided. Seven streams of biotechnical expertise are identified, and mini-ethnographies are provided for each including domestic, Buddhist, Muang, spirit, market, national, and Christian. These seven streams are analyzed using actor-network theory (ANT) with relationships to particular notions of ontology, cosmology, and ecology. Results demonstrate the ongoing importance of parents and farmers as decision making agents at the intersection of multiple and competing cultural and biotechnical streams, even where they face efforts by large multinational corporations or other agencies to advertise, constrain and monopolize local biotechnical choice. Within the fifty year time period under consideration, the oral histories describe particular child health and land use trends. These locally perceived trends provide challenging perspectives on the relationship between ‘development’ and child health in Thailand. While children die far less often now than in the past, oral histories suggest that both children and fields now suffer from more kinds of illness, and more often, than before. In particular, both qualitative and more quantitative analysis suggests differences in the experience of child health among pesticide and non-pesticide using households. / Arts, Faculty of / Anthropology, Department of / Graduate

University of Macau / Faculty of Social Sciences. / Department of Government and Public Administration

Thailand has faced under-nutrition and yet, paradoxically, the prevalence of diseases of over-nutrition, such as obesity and diabetes, has escalated. Since access to diabetes prevention programs is limited in Thailand, especially in rural areas, it becomes critical to develop a health information delivery system that is relevant, cost-effective and sustainable. Therefore, the main objective of this program is to build capacity for chronic disease prevention in Thailand through application of learning technologies in the education, support and accreditation of community health care workers (CHCWs). This program stems from established partnerships among: The University of Waterloo (UW), Department of Health Studies and Gerontology; Institute of Nutrition, Mahidol University (INMU); The Office of Disease Prevention and Control 10 Chiang Mai province; Ministry of Public Health (MOPH), Thailand and UW, Centre for Teaching Excellence (CTE) . The development of the community-based diabetes prevention education program in Chiang Mai, Thailand was informed by in-depth interviews with health care professionals (n=12) and interviews (n=8) and focus groups (n = 4 groups, 23 participants) with community volunteers, screened as at-risk for diabetes. Coded transcripts from audio-taped interviews or focus groups underwent qualitative analysis by hand and using NVivo software. Health care professionals identified opportunities to integrate health promotion/ disease prevention into CHCWs’ duties. However, they also identified potential barriers to program success as motivation for regular participation, and lack of health policy support for program sustainability. Health care professionals supported an education program for CHCWs and recommended small-group workshops, hands-on learning activities, case studies and video presentations that bring knowledge to practice within their cultural context; CHCWs should receive a credit for continuing study. Community volunteers lacked knowledge of nutrition, diabetes risk factors and resources to access health information. They desired two-way communication with CHCWs. A tailored diabetes prevention education program was designed based on this formative research. Learning modules were delivered over eight group classes (n=5/class) and eight self-directed E-learning sessions (www.FitThai.org). The program incorporated problem-based learning, discussion, reflection, community-based application, self-evaluation and on-line support. The frequency that students accessed on-line materials, including video-taped lectures, readings, monthly newsletters, and community resources, was documented. Participant satisfaction was assessed through three questionnaires. Knowledge was assessed through pre-post testing based on an exam that was pilot tested with 32 CHCWs from a district outside of the 5 districts in semi-urban Chiang Mai province from which the 69 participating CHCWs (35 intervention, 34 control) were randomly selected. The program was implemented over four months. Three quarters of participants attended all eight classes and no participant attended fewer than six. Online support and materials were accessed 3 – 38 times (median 13). Participants reported that program information and activities were fun, useful, culturally relevant, and applicable to diabetes prevention in their specific communities. Participants also appreciated the innovative technology support for their work. Comfort with E-learning varied among participants. Scores on pre-post knowledge test increased from a mean (SD) of 56.5% (6.26) to 75.5% (6.01) (P < .001). The effect of the program on knowledge of CHCWs was compared between intervention and control communities at baseline and the end of the program. Overall, the knowledge at baseline of both groups was not significantly different (56.5% (6.26) intervention versus 54.9% (6.98) control) and all CHCWs scored lower than 70%. The lowest scores were found in the “understanding of nutritional recommendations” section (mean score = 28% in intervention and 30% in control CHCWs). After 4 months, CHCWs in the intervention group demonstrated improvement relative to the control group (75.5% (6.01) versus 57.4% (5.59), respectively, p <.001, n=69). The percent of CHCWs achieving a total score of 70% was 77% (27/35) in intervention and 0% in control groups. The diabetes prevention education program was effective in improving CHCWs’ health knowledge relevant diabetes prevention. The innovative learning model has potential to expand chronic disease prevention training of CHCWs to other parts of Thailand. Ultimately, prevention of chronic diseases and associated risk factors should be enhanced.

Thailand has faced under-nutrition and yet, paradoxically, the prevalence of diseases of over-nutrition, such as obesity and diabetes, has escalated. Since access to diabetes prevention programs is limited in Thailand, especially in rural areas, it becomes critical to develop a health information delivery system that is relevant, cost-effective and sustainable. Therefore, the main objective of this program is to build capacity for chronic disease prevention in Thailand through application of learning technologies in the education, support and accreditation of community health care workers (CHCWs). This program stems from established partnerships among: The University of Waterloo (UW), Department of Health Studies and Gerontology; Institute of Nutrition, Mahidol University (INMU); The Office of Disease Prevention and Control 10 Chiang Mai province; Ministry of Public Health (MOPH), Thailand and UW, Centre for Teaching Excellence (CTE) . The development of the community-based diabetes prevention education program in Chiang Mai, Thailand was informed by in-depth interviews with health care professionals (n=12) and interviews (n=8) and focus groups (n = 4 groups, 23 participants) with community volunteers, screened as at-risk for diabetes. Coded transcripts from audio-taped interviews or focus groups underwent qualitative analysis by hand and using NVivo software. Health care professionals identified opportunities to integrate health promotion/ disease prevention into CHCWs’ duties. However, they also identified potential barriers to program success as motivation for regular participation, and lack of health policy support for program sustainability. Health care professionals supported an education program for CHCWs and recommended small-group workshops, hands-on learning activities, case studies and video presentations that bring knowledge to practice within their cultural context; CHCWs should receive a credit for continuing study. Community volunteers lacked knowledge of nutrition, diabetes risk factors and resources to access health information. They desired two-way communication with CHCWs. A tailored diabetes prevention education program was designed based on this formative research. Learning modules were delivered over eight group classes (n=5/class) and eight self-directed E-learning sessions (www.FitThai.org). The program incorporated problem-based learning, discussion, reflection, community-based application, self-evaluation and on-line support. The frequency that students accessed on-line materials, including video-taped lectures, readings, monthly newsletters, and community resources, was documented. Participant satisfaction was assessed through three questionnaires. Knowledge was assessed through pre-post testing based on an exam that was pilot tested with 32 CHCWs from a district outside of the 5 districts in semi-urban Chiang Mai province from which the 69 participating CHCWs (35 intervention, 34 control) were randomly selected. The program was implemented over four months. Three quarters of participants attended all eight classes and no participant attended fewer than six. Online support and materials were accessed 3 – 38 times (median 13). Participants reported that program information and activities were fun, useful, culturally relevant, and applicable to diabetes prevention in their specific communities. Participants also appreciated the innovative technology support for their work. Comfort with E-learning varied among participants. Scores on pre-post knowledge test increased from a mean (SD) of 56.5% (6.26) to 75.5% (6.01) (P < .001). The effect of the program on knowledge of CHCWs was compared between intervention and control communities at baseline and the end of the program. Overall, the knowledge at baseline of both groups was not significantly different (56.5% (6.26) intervention versus 54.9% (6.98) control) and all CHCWs scored lower than 70%. The lowest scores were found in the “understanding of nutritional recommendations” section (mean score = 28% in intervention and 30% in control CHCWs). After 4 months, CHCWs in the intervention group demonstrated improvement relative to the control group (75.5% (6.01) versus 57.4% (5.59), respectively, p <.001, n=69). The percent of CHCWs achieving a total score of 70% was 77% (27/35) in intervention and 0% in control groups. The diabetes prevention education program was effective in improving CHCWs’ health knowledge relevant diabetes prevention. The innovative learning model has potential to expand chronic disease prevention training of CHCWs to other parts of Thailand. Ultimately, prevention of chronic diseases and associated risk factors should be enhanced.

The subject of Canada’s policy-making in relation to the Sino-Japanese War (1937-1945) has been neglected for over half a century. Therefore neither the scope of Canada’s official assistance to the Chinese during their War of Resistance against Japan nor the motivations behind this assistance have been fully explained or adequately contextualized. Through research using archival records and other primary and secondary sources, the thesis sheds light on the ways in which Canadians chose to respond to Chinese efforts to secure an ally against Japan. Revealing unscrupulous opportunism on the Canadian side during China’s struggle against Japan, the thesis contributes to a revisionist trend which takes aim at romantic mythology about Canadians’ virtuous role in the Second World War. From 1931 to 1941, the Government of Canada sought to maintain a neutral position regarding Japanese encroachments in China. This was partly to honour a friendship established in the First World War but also to protect Canadian exporters’ valuable sales of strategic minerals to Japan. After the attack on Pearl Harbor, pro-Japanese sympathy among Canadians eroded and trade with Japan became politically untenable. In 1942, already five years after the beginning of full-scale war between Japan and China, the Canadian government began preparations to provide material assistance to the beleaguered Chinese. Increasing dialogue between Mackenzie King and Chiang Kai-shek, especially communications through Chiang’s wife Song Meiling, nurtured a promising friendship despite King’s unwillingness to commit “the lives of white men” to war in China and apparently ensured that several shipments of arms and munitions were provided to Chiang’s armies. As the research reveals, the assistance was motivated by hopes of cultivating “goodwill” in China that would favour Canadian businesses after the war. However, the official decision to assist China against Japan sparked a new controversy. Doubts about China’s postwar political stability gave rise to questions about the danger that Canadian munitions would be used in an imminent Chinese civil war. Such warnings, as it turned out, were merited. A bloody conflict between the Communists and Nationalists would erupt in China shortly after the end of the Second World War, in part waged with Canadian weapons. / Thesis (Master, History) -- Queen's University, 2011-05-05 15:23:06.094

張羣(1889-1990),是蔣中正幕僚群中的關鍵人物,歷任上海市市長、湖 北省主席、外交部長、四川省主席及行政院長等職。但涉及張羣的相關歷史研究 並不多。 本文聚焦張羣任上海市市長時期(1929 年 4 月至 1932 年 1 月)。對於張羣 的著述、蔣中正相關資料、檔案、當時的報刊等史料,加以分析比對並分類歸納。 通過厘清張羣任上海市市長期間相關行事,筆者認為張羣本欲在市政上有所作為, 也初步解決了市政上面臨的困難。但蔣中正對上海的政治期望並非市政建設,而 是上海的治安問題;當國家有難,蔣中正需要張羣運用他善於遊說地方勢力的縱 橫捭闔的政治手腕為他掃清屏障。張羣被要求頻繁奔波在非市政的領域,最終導 致了他在上海市市長任內的市政建設成果慘澹。 筆者試圖以此為基礎,探討張羣之政治才幹、張羣與蔣中正之關係、市長 張羣和中央執行委員張羣雙重身份下的張力等議題,以期能對理解張羣其人及訓 政初期的國民政府政治生態有所貢獻。 / Chang Chun(1889-1990) was one of the most important lieutenants of Chiang Kai-shek. He followed Chiang’s political path and took the position as Shanghai Mayor, the Chairman of Hupei Province, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Chairman of Sichuan Province and the Premier of the country. Even though he played an important role in modern China, the study of Chang Chun is not sufficient today. This dissertation will focus on Chang’s Shanghai Mayor period (From April 1929 to January 1932). By collecting Chang’s works, the archive of Chiang Kai-shek and newspapers at that time, a most comprehensive viewing of what Chang did in and outside his mayor duty could be made. This dissertation makes clear that Chang wanted to do something on municipal administration on his position as Shanghai Mayor, and he preliminarily succeed to conquer the problems met. However, Chiang paid more attention on public order than municipal construction, which Chang focused on, in Shanghai. When the nation were in trouble,Chiang needed Chang to use his powerful social ability on lobbying the local power. As Chang was always forced to do some tasks outside Shanghai, his municipal construction was always not on the plan. On the basis of these arguments, I want to discuss Chang’s intelligence in politics, the relationship of Chang and Chiang and the roles of Chang as mayor and central executive committee at the same time, in order to learn more about Chang Chun, as well as the political circumstance of early national government.