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Thesis (M.S.)--Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, 1990. / Vita. Abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 136-137). Also available via the Internet.

Thesis (M.S.)--Ball State University, 2009. / Title from PDF t.p. (viewed on June 07, 2010). Includes bibliographical references (p. 63-67).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Massachusetts Amherst, 2009. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 266-272). Print copy also available.

Thesis (M.S.)--Rochester Institute of Technology, 2009. / Typescript. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 58-59).

Natural disasters are a part of the ecological system, so they are beyond human control. To reduce devastating effects, researchers in Emergency Management seek to understand the causes and cycles of natural disasters so that warning systems may be improved and better advice may be given to the general public about protecting themselves and their property. Emergency management is a relatively new discipline, so much research is still needed to understand the complex interaction of human activity and the natural environment. Therefore, this study was designed to explore the impact of the 2009 flood on the healthcare system in Fargo, North Dakota, and Moorhead, Minnesota, when many health facilities were evacuated. This research is unique because it examined the simultaneous evacuation of multiple healthcare facilities: two Fargo hospitals, all Fargo nursing homes, and the largest Moorhead nursing home. A qualitative approach was used: 27 in-depth interviews were conducted with leaders of the healthcare facilities and other involved parties (e.g., community officials, ambulance providers, public health personnel) to understand their decisions and actions as a record flood triggered evacuations. The researcher found that (1) the healthcare facilities had done minimal pre-planning and preparation for the flood, even though the area had been threatened by previous flooding, and (2) each facility wasted time and resources by working independently to arrange transportation and to locate alternative healthcare facilities to house their patients. The recommendation is made that healthcare facilities coordinate their efforts during natural disasters.

The need to have evacuation plans in place for readily implementation for special need populations has become evident after catastrophic events such as Hurricane Katrina. For the purpose of this research special need populations will include, but are not limited to, people with physical disabilities, senior citizens, non-English speaking populations, residents and employees without vehicles, and tourists. The main objective of this research is to evaluate different evacuation procedures for special need populations from large urban areas utilizing current public transit systems. A microscopic simulation model was constructed to analyze real life scenarios for evacuation methodologies. A linear programming optimization model was developed to find the optimum locations for evacuation bus stops for the case study area. The results from this research were very interesting and can aid evacuation planners in the future. / by Linda S. Hess. / Thesis (M.S.C.S.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2009. / Includes bibliography. / Electronic reproduction. Boca Raton, Fla., 2009. Mode of access: World Wide Web.

Indiscriminate violence against civilians is a recurrent problem in armed conflicts of all sorts. However, from a social science perspective this type of violence poses a puzzle. The literature on government and non-government violence mostly assumes that indiscriminate violence has counter-productive effect and is ultimately self-defeating. Yet, this begs the question as to why an actor should use indiscriminate violence at all? This dissertation tries to solve at least part of the puzzle. First, it critically reviews the literature and points to some misunderstandings that have made progress in comprehending indiscriminate violence more difficult. Second, the dissertation provides a theory on the effects of indiscriminate violence that targets groups, i.e. group-selective violence. While most of the literature assumes that violence against groups seeks to coerce the groups that are attacked, this dissertation widens the view and includes non-targeted groups in the calculation as well. It thereby demonstrates that group-selective violence can be able to produce coercive effects among those groups that are not targeted while generating only limited counter-productive effects. Empirically, this dissertation provides two types of supporting evidence. First, it will provide several case studies as a plausibility probe. These cases are designed to highlight that group-selective violence is used in the way proposed by the theory and has the hypothesized effects. Second, the dissertation will test the hypotheses of the theory of group-selective violence with data on violence against civilians in ethnic wars. Here quantitative methods are used to investigate the patterns and the consequences of violence. Both empirical investigations provide support for the notion that group-selective violence can be beneficial for the perpetrator and that it is used to achieve those benefits. In sum, this dissertation puts forth the theoretical background and empirical support for the effectiveness of group-selective violence.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Texas State University-San Marcos, 2006. / Vita. Appendices: p. 104-117. Includes bibliographical references (p. 118-124).

Thesis (M.S.C.E.)--University of Massachusetts Amherst, 2009. / Open access. Includes bibliographical references (p. 84-86).