This dissertation is composed of three essays examining adoption of agricultural technologies in Ecuador and intergenerational mobility in the United States. The first essay entitled 'Does IPM Have Staying Power? Revisiting a Potato-producing Area Years After Formal Training Ended' examines (Integrated Pest Management) IPM spread and adoption several years after formal intensive IPM outreach efforts ceased in a potato-producing region in Ecuador. It describes adoption patterns and sources of IPM knowledge in 2012 and compares them with patterns that existed when outreach ceased in 2003. Results show that IPM adoption continues in the area but with a lower proportion of farmers adopting all practices and a higher proportion adopting low to moderate levels compared to 2003. Farmer-to-farmer spread has supplanted formal training and outreach mechanisms. IPM adoption significantly lowers pesticide use and saves production costs for adopters. The second essay entitled 'Can Text Messages Improve Agricultural Outreach in Ecuador?' seeks to understand how receipt of text messages complements training from a farmer field day. It measures the effect of text message receipt on adoption of (Integrated Crop Management) ICM technologies and knowledge about these technologies. In the first part of the paper, we present a theory of behavioral change and its application to adoption of agricultural technologies. In the second part, we use intention to treat (ITT) and an improved-ITT analyses to measure the impact of the intervention. The results of this essay suggest that as providers of information, text messages have some knowledge building effect leading to the adoption of IPM practices. As reminders, text messages effectively increase adoption of IPM practices, in particular recommended pesticides. The third essay entitled 'Determinants of Absolute Upward Income Mobility: The Hidden Cost of Commuting' focuses on commuting times as a determinant of upward income mobility in the United States. We provide an explanation of the channel through which the effect of commuting times on upward income mobility operates. Additionally, it evaluates empirically the effect of commuting on upward income mobility. The empirical results confirm the theoretical model predictions that commuting times affect negatively upward income mobility. / Ph. D.

Texas Pararnormalists mixes participatory and observational styles in an effort to portray a small community of paranormal practitioners who live and work in and around North Texas. These practitioners include psychics, ghost investigators, and other enthusiasts and seekers of the spirit world. Through the documentation of their combined perspectives, Texas Paranormalists renders a portrait of a community of outsiders with a shared belief system and an unshakeable passion for reaching out into the unknown.

This study takes its point of departure in the 1950s when the car became more accessible to the public and its impact on the use of public transport. There are many positive aspects to using public transport which in turn lead to better sustainability, reduced carbon dioxide emissions and other societal factors. Despite these advantages, this study addresses several obstacles such as distance, travel times and safety aspects as reasons for travelers to opt out of means of transport such as public transport. The purpose of the study is to investigate and understand the obstacles that affect commuters' choice of means of transport between Falun and Borlänge, with a focus on the reasons that lead to some commuters opting out of public transport as a means of transport. The study has used qualitative interviews to bring out themes such as limitations and time aspects, which are some of the aspects that influence the choice of means of transport. The study focuses on finding out the obstacles that influences commuters to opt out of public transport to travel betweenFalun and Borlänge. The discussion part of the study also addresses how individual behaviors and preferences affect the choice of means of transport. / Denna studie tar utgångspunkt i 1950-talet när bilen blev mer tillgänglig för allmänheten och dess påverkan på kollektivtrafikens användning. Det finns många positiva aspekter med att använda kollektivtrafiken som i sin tur leder till bättre hållbarhet, minskade koldioxidutsläpp och andra samhällsfaktorer. Trots dessa fördelar tar denna studie upp flera hinder som till exempel avstånd, restider och säkerhetsaspekter som orsaker till att resenärer väljer bort transportmedel som kollektivtrafik. Syftet med studien är att undersöka och förstå de hinder som påverkar pendlares val av transportmedel mellan Falun och Borlänge, med fokus på de orsaker som leder till att vissa pendlare väljer bort kollektivtrafiken som transportmedel. Studien har använt sig av kvalitativa intervjuer för att ta fram teman som bland annat är begränsningar och tidsaspekter som är några av de aspekter som påverkar valet av transportmedel. Studien har fokus på att ta reda på de hinder sompåverkar pendlare till att välja bort kollektivtrafiken för att transportera sig mellanFalun och Borlänge. I studiens diskussions del tas även upp hur individuella beteenden och preferenser påverkar valet av transportmedel.

This thesis develops a framework for analyzing the application of commuter rail and bus services between several small urban centers to enhance overall connectivity. The study includes analyzing specific performance criteria for commuter rail service and express bus service based on data from existing systems around the U.S. The study then compares these findings to the theoretical performance of commuter rail and express bus service in the U.S. Highway 20 corridor from Corvallis, OR to Lebanon, OR via Albany, OR. The study concludes that commuter rail rated higher in six of eight analysis criteria and would be the preferred mode to bus service in terms of the performance criteria used in the study. Further cost and operational analysis is necessary to analyze implementation of future commuter rail or express bus service in the Mid-Willamette Valley in Oregon. / Graduation date: 2013

At the turn of the 19th century, cities were vibrant with strong economies, increasing populations, large building movements and most importantly, technological innovations. Availability of frequent and efficient transportation was key to the sustenance and growth of cities. This thesis is an exploration of the impact the street and interurban railway systems made on the city of Indianapolis and its suburbs during their heyday of service between 1864 and 1930.To verify the value of railway locations in relation to the direction of Indianapolis suburb growth, an effort to conduct quantifiable research was applied. First, population growth in Marion County, Indiana and its surrounding eight counties was studied. Evidence of significant growth in areas served by streetcar and interurban systems in comparison to areas that were served only by steam railroad or no service were highlighted. Second, historical land use change research was conducted to determine how land along Indianapolis corridors served by the streetcar railway system was affected by the introduction of such service. Finally, a review of popular response to the systems was undertaken to better understand the effects of the railways on the population. / Department of Architecture

M.Sc. (Environmental Management) / This study explores the school-commuting phenomenon that occurs across the city of Johannesburg, with specific reference to inner city private schools. It was hypothesized that the school commute, much of which has its origins in spatial apartheid, is financially and socially unsustainable. As spatial apartheid continues to dominate the urban landscape in Johannesburg, it is posited that overall, the school commute hinders the City of Johannesburg’s progress towards becoming a sustainable city. In particular, a sustainable city has both sustainable social systems and a sustainable transport system, amongst other things. It is argued here that in Johannesburg, the existence of nonsustainable social systems in formerly designated ‘black only’ residential areas, such as dysfunctional and poorly resourced public schools, is driving a school commute to inner city private schools. In particular, historically disadvantaged individuals, who were forced under apartheid to reside on the urban periphery, are the ones who do the longest and most expensive commute to school. For the learners and parents, this decision to enroll in inner city schools comes at a financial cost, for transport, and in time spent commuting, which is lowering the overall quality of life for these families. The study is limited to inner city, low cost private schools within the City of Johannesburg (CoJ). The respondents were parents or guardians of learners enrolled in these schools. The study found that the majority of learners enrolled in these schools resided outside of the inner city itself, mostly in former designated ‘black-only’ space. The overwhelming majority of learners were black and identified with various tribal groups, although Zulu was the most dominant. They hailed from lower middle class to upper working class homes. Parents had elected to enroll their children in these inner city private schools, rather than in geographically close-to-home schools for reasons associated with academic performance, discipline and the perceived quality of the teaching. It was clear that local township schools were shunned by these parents who were prepared to spend significant amounts of money on the school commute and have their children spend more than 30 minutes getting to school each day instead of enrolling them in no-fee township schools within walking distance from home.

published_or_final_version / Geography / Doctoral / Doctor of Philosophy

L’étude de la mobilité domicile-travail fait l’objet de nombreuses recherches visant à décrire et analyser les caractéristiques des actifs et de leurs déplacements. En France, ces études se concentrent principalement sur les individus vivant dans les espaces fonctionnels construits autour des agglomérations, les aires urbaines. Cette thèse vise à fournir une lecture complémentaire de ces travaux en étudiant les personnes qui se déplacent entre aires urbaines : les actifs interurbains.À partir d’une approche quantitative à l’échelle de la France continentale, menée principalement grâce aux bases de données du recensement de la population, une qualification des actifs interurbains est proposée. Nos résultats montrent une diversité des profils d’actifs en matière de caractéristiques sociodémographiques, ainsi qu’une pluralité de types de liaisons réalisées entre les différents espaces des aires urbaines. Nos travaux mettent également en évidence l’importance de l’usage de la voiture, principal mode de transport utilisé par les actifs interurbains. Aussi, malgré leur poids relativement faible dans la population des aires urbaines grandes et moyennes en France, ces actifs qui se déplacent sur de grandes distances en voiture sont alors responsables d’un volume important d’émissions de CO2.Ce dernier résultat a conduit à quantifier des potentiels de report modal des déplacements des interurbains de la voiture vers le réseau ferroviaire afin de réduire le volume de ces émissions. Nos résultats démontrent l’existence de leviers permettant de réduire théoriquement ces émissions liées à l’usage de l’automobile. Le facteur spatial, à différentes échelles, joue un rôle important dans les différences entre potentiels. Enfin, nous avons également montré que ces mesures ont des conséquences sociales distinctes, en matière de coût, en fonction des professions et catégories socioprofessionnelles / Commuter mobility is the subject of numerous studies meaning to describe and analyze the characteristics of commuters and their movements. In France, these studies focus primarily on people living in the functional area built around cities, called French urban areas. This thesis aims to provide supplementary insight on this topic by studying people moving between those French urban areas: intercity commuters.Analysing the French mainland population thought a quantitative approach conducted using census databases, measurement and qualification of long-distance commuters are proposed. Our results show a diversity of commuters in terms of demographic profile and spatial connections. The important use of the car as the primary mode of transport is emphasized. Despite their relatively low weight in the population of large and medium-sized urban areas in France, those commuters, who travel over long distances by car, are responsible for significant volumes of CO2 emissions.This result led to quantify the potential modal shift from car to rail. Our results demonstrate the existence of levers to theoretically reduce car use and thus the importance of its emissions. The influence of the spatial factor, at different scales, is attested. Furthermore such policies would have different consequences in terms of cost for the various professions and socio-professional categories

This diploma thesis focuses on accessibility and serviceability second homes in the inner periphery, respectively, in the model region "Hranice krajů-Středozápad" as well as analysis and assessment of the second homes with the possibility of a future transformation to permanent housing. The theoretical part of the thesis deals with the characteristics of the second homes, transport accessibility and public transport not only in the Czech Republic. Analyzes commuting to recreation in various fields and further acquainted with the problems of peripheral areas. The empirical part is based on the data obtained from the analysis of public transport, statistical yearbooks and survey, which took place in the model region "Hranice krajů- Středozápad". The area is monitored to determine what kinds of vehicles are used by second homes owners for leisure travel and the transport infrastructure facilities. Also is detecting the demand for public transport and its offer for owners of second homes. In this paper, public transport is studied in the long-term viewpoint since the mid-70th the 20th century and the observation are directed to the needs of second homes users on Friday, Sunday and "recreational" link. Next part of this work is to analyze second homes objects and their owners in the model area using the...

The benefits of converting single-person drivers to alternative transit options are well-established. One option to accomplish this is for employers to provide alternative commute incentive programs. However, the research on the implementation of such programs is lacking. To provide a test, this research analyzes data obtained from a field experiment on daily alternative transit commute choices for a seven-month period. Participants are divided into four treatment groups in a two-by-two design for the first three-month period: incentives with either loss or gain framing, and messaging nudges with either the private or public benefits of alternative transit commute choices. The participants then continue in the field experiment for the remaining four-month period with all groups receiving only gain framing incentives and messaging nudges are discontinued. The results from the two time periods are compared. Loss framing and private messaging have the most significant effect on participants’ decisions to revert back to single-person driving when nudges are discontinued, and thus nudges are not persistent. The incentive program did not provide enduring conversion to alternative transit options, but the results suggest employers who want to optimize their alternative transit incentive programs should utilize loss framing incentives and combine both private and public messaging into continuous nudges.