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ABSTRACT TRADITION AND RUPTURE IN THE POETRY OF CARLOS DE LA OSSA FEBRUARY 2009 GUSTAVO ADOLFO CHAVES B.A., UNIVERSITY OF COSTA RICA M.A. UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS-AMHERST Directed by: Professor Márgara Russotto, Ph.D. The present thesis examines the seven poetry books by Costa Rican poet Carlos de la Ossa (San José, 1946) entitled Imprimatur. This author is of one of Costa Rica’s post avant-garde poets who most clearly expresses the coexistence of a traditional lyric style (centered around the themes of love, God and loneliness, for instance) and everyday language (through records of political facts and personal experience) in his poetry. The purpose of this work is to analyze the distinctive features of Carlos de la Ossa’s poetics considering his formal particularities, his aesthetic and ideological sources, and his historical context. We attempt to explain how his poetry presents a mixture of traditional and innovative poetic languages, as well as the importance of this mixture in his poetry. Furthermore, we discuss the relationship of these characteristics with similar literary processes within both the Costa Rican and Latin American poetries. The central hypothesis of this study is that, in the poetry of Carlos de la Ossa, it is possible to identify an organic coexistence of traditional poetic registers with constant appearances of rupture elements. The study identifies a connection between Carlos de la Ossa’s poetry, romantic and existentialist ideas, and modernista aesthetics. In order to meet these objectives, this thesis revisits the literary criticism on the poetry of Carlos de la Ossa, especially the labels applied to his work (such as metaphysical, mystical, difficult and existentialist), and connects it to other studies of the historical context in both Costa Rican and Latin American literature. Methodologically speaking, this thesis presents a theoretical and critical approach based on non-linear categories, and it studies the specific characteristics of the author’s poetry. The methodology consists mainly of a close reading of the poems of Carlos de la Ossa, and a theorization of the sequential character of the Imprimatur books, intended to underline both the traditional and the innovative elements in his poetry and its general significance in contemporary poetics.

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Variation in somatic growth rates has interested biologists for decades because of the relationship between growth and other fitness-determining traits (i.e. fecundity, survival, and body size), and the corresponding effect of somatic growth on production of organisms humans use for food. The interaction between genetic variation in growth rates and environmentally induced variation in growth rates shows the pattern of growth across multiple environments (i.e. the reaction norm) that clarifies the history and potential future of evolutionary change in growth rates among populations. Theoretical predictions suggest variation in predator-induced mortality rates can influence mean growth rates and the shape of the reaction norm for growth. The adaptive growth hypothesis predicts that mean growth rates would evolve in response to environmental pressures, such as mortality rates, at different body sizes. Few studies, however, have focused on variation in reaction norms for growth in response to resource availability between high-predation and low-predation environments. We used juvenile Brachyrhaphis rhabdophora from high-predation and low-predation environments to test for variation in mean growth rates and for variation in reaction norms for growth at two levels of food availability in a common-environment experiment, and we compared field somatic growth rates in juveniles from the same two environments (high-predation and low-predation). In the common-environment experiment, mean growth rates did not differ between predation environments, but the interaction between predation environment and food level took the form of a crossing reaction norm for both growth in length and growth in mass. Fish from low-predation environments exhibited no significant variation in growth rate between high and low food amount treatments. In contrast, fish from high-predation environments exhibited wide variation in growth rates between low and high food treatments, with higher food availability resulting in higher growth rates. In the field, individuals in the high-predation environment grow at a faster rate than those in a low-predation environment at the smallest sizes (comparable to sizes in the common-environment experiment). These data provide no evidence for evolved differences in mean growth rates between predation environments. However, fish from high-predation environments exhibited greater plasticity in growth rates in response to resource availability suggesting that increased risk of predation could drive variation in food availability for prey and consequent selection for plasticity.

The purpose of this study is to fill the gap identified in how women perceive their opportunities to advance in their careers as auditors in San José, Costa Rica. This study also seeks to get answers to what it is like to work as a woman in a male-dominated industry in the chosen country. Design/methodology/approach: This essay has been carried out using an abductive research approach. Three research questions have thereby been answered with the support of 11 semi- structured interviews with women in roles as auditors at various independent audit firms in San José, Costa Rica. 10 of the interviews were held at the respondent’s respective office and one of the interviews were held digitally. Findings: The study has resulted in women working as auditors in San José, Costa Rica, experiencing discrimination in the workplace. Various factors that underlie discrimination have been identified and these factors include culture and how the men see themselves in their professional role. A factor that has also been shown to have a large and almost decisive influence on the degree of discrimination and the opportunities for women to climb in their careers is the size of the audit firm. The bigger the audit firm, the more discrimination the women experience and the worse opportunities to climb in their career. Research implications: The leading implications are that women's opportunities to advance in their careers and be able to feel secure in their work as auditors in San José, Costa Rica, must be given further attention and be investigated further. This is because the situation that exists today is not sustainable and in order to develop the industry and to even out the skewness that exists between the genders in the country, this problem must be taken care of. This study can contribute as a basis for future research in the field to further investigate the factors that are causal factors for the reality for women in the industry that the study identified. Originality/value: This essay studies the topic of women's opportunities in the audit industry in Costa Rica, which has not been previously explored. Through unfiltered collected data from first-hand sources, the results generated are of high value and could be a good basis for future research within the area.

The crisis of Covid-19 put the world on hold. In many countries, borders were closed and businesses were shut for a long period of time. Countries depending on tourism were hit hard when tourists were no longer allowed to enter, leading to serious consequences worldwide. Costa Rica, being a famous ecotourism destination, was one of few countries to reopen the border after only 9 months, giving businesses a headstart in recovery. This brought both opportunities and challenges to managers dealing with the crisis. The relevance of examining crisis management within the ecotourism industry during Covid-19 is therefore tangible. This study aims to provide a deeper understanding of how managers in ecotourism businesses were affected in terms of ontological security and social networks while managing the Covid-19 crisis. A qualitative study has been performed, based on six semi-structured interviews. The interviewees were managers from different areas in tourism: four hotels, one restaurant and one tourist company. Chosen theories are the concept of ontological security, Steve Matthewman’s perspective on Covid-19 and the social network concept. The results show that social networks can influence the feeling of ontological security, which in turn may affect the crisis management during the Covid-19 crises. Uncertainty was a significant aspect when looking at the results.

Measures of human development, no matter their specific methodology, have always placed Costa Rica substantially higher than its neighbor, Nicaragua, but no apparent governmental, resource, or historical discrepancy can account for this gap. This thesis uses two case studies to examine this phenomenon from three different theoretical perspectives, and conclude which has the greatest explanatory power to account for the disparity between these two particular governments. Political scientists have noted that parliamentary systems lend themselves to better governance when compared with their presidential countersystems. Shugart and Carey (1992) cite peculiarities within some presidential models which may account for lower rates of human development. Another approach, offered by Tsebelis (2002) produces a more generalized explanation of this phenomenon, while Lawrence Harrison (1985) offers an entirely different, culture-based explanation. This thesis seeks to examine the validity of these claims, using Costa Rica and Nicaragua as case studies. Limiting the thesis to these two presidential governments will highlight the variation that exists within the presidential model, and possibly shed light on the most significant variables.

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