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Thesis--University of Wisconsin--Madison. / Typescript. Vita. eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 175-188).

Thesis (doctoral)--Universität Breslau.

Despite their critical role in consolidating Malawi’s democracy and human rights culture, the operating environment for HRDs remains hostile and ‘obstructed’. HRDs have constantly been a target of violent attacks by state and political agents. The state has also often times used criminal laws to subject HRDs to judicial harassment including arbitrary arrests, and prosecution on trumped-up charges. Since independence, there has been constant crackdown on fundamental rights including the rights to freedom of association, assembly, and expression as well as right to personal safety and security, privacy and dignity. Despite a constitutional bill of rights, it can be dangerous to be an HRD in Malawi. In response to growing hostility and the risks faced by HRDs across the globe, the United Nations (UN) General Assembly in 1999 adopted the ‘Declaration on the Right and Responsibility of Individuals, Groups and Organs of Society to Promote and Protect Universally Recognised Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms’ (UN Declaration on HRDs). This Declaration guarantees fundamental rights for HRDs including rights to freedom of expression, security, association and assembly. These rights are critical enablers for the effective operations of HRDs. Furthermore, the UN Declaration on HRDs reinforces the duty of the states to protect HRDs. Since its adoption, various national, regional and global instruments and mechanisms have emerged to guarantee protection of HRDs. At the national level, Malawi has different mechanisms and instruments that deal with various aspects of human rights, including the legislation and state organs such as the Malawi Human Rights Commission (MHRC), Office of the Ombudsman, Courts, Malawi Police Service, and Legal Aid Bureau. However, little is known about the extent to which the national human rights protection frameworks guarantee the rights of HRDs in Malawi. There is a dearth of academic literature, documentation and recent data at national level about Malawi’s protection mechanisms for HRDs. Thus, this study seeks to contribute to the scholarly work about the protection of HRDs in Malawi. The study investigates the situational analysis of HRDs in Malawi drawing the challenges faced by HRDs and their potential impact on their work. Secondly, it examines the regional and global human rights legal framework on protection of HRDs. Furthermore, the study analyses the national mechanisms for protection of HRDs in Malawi, drawing attention to legal, policy and institutional frameworks. Finally, the study presents the conclusion and recommendations. / Mini Dissertation (LLM (Human Rights and Democratisation in Africa))--University of Pretoria, 2021. / Centre for Human Rights / LLM (Human Rights and Democratisation in Africa) / Unrestricted

Bullying is a persistent and common problem in schools nationwide. The experience of bullying can affect the social, psychological, academic, and emotional development of children. Youth can be involved in bullying in various ways, including as a victim, perpetrator, witness, or bystander. Upstanders play a significant role in the prevention of bullying, and the presence of upstanders in the student body is related to positive school climate. Minimal research on upstander behavior currently exists in the literature. The purpose of this study was to evaluate specific predictors of witness roles utilizing demographic and other variables. The data from 3438 student surveys analyzed in the present study were collected from a prior study on school climate across 35 schools in Southern Illinois. Results indicated that gender, grade, and minority status were predictors of upstander behavior. However, no demographic variables predicted either bystander or reinforcer behaviors As expected, indirect upstander behaviors occurring after an incident were reported less frequently than behaviors occurring directly with the victim, or in the moment. Upstander behaviors occurring in the moment were significantly and positively correlated with other upstander behaviors, and negatively correlated with perpetrator behaviors, whereas reinforcer behaviors were significantly and positively correlated. The results of this study and implications for future interventions are discussed.

This study has aimed at examining the nature and function of the support and protection that is offered and provided to human rights defenders trough a selected few international as well as regional human rights instruments and mechanisms, among them the Declaration on Human Rights Defenders, the EU Guidelines on Human Rights Defenders as well as the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights and the Inter-American Court on Human Rights. In order to conduct such a study in a fairly limited and concrete way a number of cases were selected of human rights defenders who have undergone or are currently undergoing criminal prosecution and are incarcerated in Guatemala. The selection was based on the notion that apart from murder, criminal prosecution and incarceration of human rights defenders constitutes one of the most harmful and effective ways to actively hinder the continuance of valuable human rights work. Consequently, it impedes the promotion, implementation and protection of human rights on a general level. In regards to this States such as Guatemala have found ways to circumvent their international human rights duties by allowing others or themselves to label human rights defenders as criminal and violent actors, thus taking away the legitimate aspect of their roles and functions when it comes to promoting and safeguarding the enjoyment and exercise of human rights. The examined cases were meant to shed light on the situation for defenders in Guatemala but most importantly they were meant to illustrate a context in which one can examine the role and function that international human rights instruments and mechanisms have to combat such types of situations. The study found that although the concerned instruments and mechanisms such as the Declaration on Human Rights Defenders, the EU-guidelines on Human Rights Defenders, the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights and the Inter-American Court on Human Rights have a positive, important and impacting role in providing support to human rights defenders they have not yet reached/obtained the function of preventing persecution of human rights defenders, most notably of the legal kind. Since these mechanisms can only recommend but not force States to recognize and treat advocates of rights as “human rights defenders” their role and function for this specific purpose becomes less effective. All is not negative however, and the instruments and mechanisms that exist today are an illustration of the ambitions of States to follow international human rights principles and standards, at least to some extent.

Psychological research into bullying has highlighted the importance of considering the role of bystanders within this complex social interaction (see literature review). The aim of this paper was to apply this research to develop an anti-bullying intervention programme that increases pro-defending attitudes and behaviour, and consequently reduces bullying. The methodology was a design experiment; in this first iteration, the intervention programme was designed, implemented, and evaluated in collaboration with staff and students at a secondary school. Data were collected using a mixed methods approach via questionnaires, focus groups, an interview, and observation. The results showed that there was no significant difference in prevalence estimates of defending or bullying pre and post intervention. However, two thirds of participants reported that their attitudes and behaviour had become more supportive of defending victims since the intervention. Qualitative data revealed a diversity of perspectives regarding the effects and value of the programme. A model outlining factors that influence decisions to defend a victim of bullying was developed from the results and previous literature. The findings from this paper were used to inform modifications to the design of the intervention programme for implementation in the second iteration in paper 2.

Noise levels in areas adjacent to high performance jets have increased monotonically in the past few years. When personnel are exposed to such high noise fields, the need for better hearing protection is inevitable. Adequate hearing protection may be achieved through the use of circumaural ear defenders, earplugs or both. This thesis focuses on identifying the dominant physical phenomena, responsible for the low frequency (0 – 300 Hz) acoustic response inside the earmuffs. A large volume earcup is used with the undercut seal for the study. The significance of this research is the use of finite element methods in the area of hearing protection design. The objectives of this research are to identify the dominant physical phenomena responsible for the loss of hearing protection in the lower frequency range, and develop FE models to analyze the effects of structural and acoustic modes on the acoustic pressure response inside the earcup. It is found that there are two phenomena, which are primarily responsible for the lower frequency acoustic response inside the earmuffs. These modes are recognized in this thesis as the piston mode and the Helmholtz mode. The piston mode occurs due to the dynamics of the earcup and seal at 150 Hz, which results in loss of hearing protection. The Helmholtz mode occurs due to the presence of leaks. The resonant frequency of the Helmholtz mode and the pressure response depends on the leak size. / Master of Science

The purpose of this thesis is to chronicle the actions of the soldiers of Florida during the Civil War, both within and without Florida. As there has not been a great deal written on this topic, it is hoped that this thesis will contribute to the discussion and perhaps lead others to study this field.The soldiers of Florida during the Civil War deserve the same attention given to the soldiers from more prominent states. Those who fought for the Confederacy and stayed to defend their state often had to fight against overwhelming odds. Abandoned for a time by the Confederacy, those left behind had to do their best with what they had. Those who fought for the Union and returned to liberate their state often had to contend with the hatred of their fellow Floridians. They had better support and arms than their Confederate brethren, but fought for a state that branded them "traitors" and "deserters." The fight within Florida was not the whole story. Most of the soldiers from Florida who fought in the Civil War did so in other states. Often unhappy about being taken from the state they volunteered to fight for, most of them still proudly represented their state. This is not to say there were no problems. On the contrary, desertion and acts of cowardice were issues that needed to be addressed. This should not; however, take away from the contributions of the brave individuals and the groups they represented.Chapter 1 gives a brief overview of the state of affairs in Florida at the time of the Civil War. Chapters 2 through 6 detail events in Florida for each year of the war. The actions of both Union and Confederate sympathizers are described in as much detail as possible. From Fort Pickens to Cedar Key to Tampa to Jacksonville, and back again, the soldiers of Florida fought many battles throughout the state of Florida. Several times---at Tampa and Natural Bridge most notably---it came down to Floridians in the Confederacy vs. Floridians in the Union. Chapters 7 through 11 describe the actions of the Florida troops who fought in the larger war at places such as Chancellorsville and Antietam. These chapters are also divided by year. The majority of the soldiers of Florida were called upon to leave their state and go to other states to fight on behalf of the Confederacy. They did so, in many cases, very reluctantly. However, they distinguished themselves at places such as Chickamauga, Chattanooga, Cold Harbor, the Wilderness, and Gettysburg. When the Confederacy gave its last gasp at Petersburg and Appomattox Courthouse, soldiers of Florida were there. Chapter 12 speaks of individuals and smaller groups and the contributions---both large and small---they made. Chapter 13 sums up the information presented in the previous chapters, attempts to answer all of the questions raised within the text, and provides a conclusion to the work.

In an effort to ensure that poor defendants receive the effective assistance of counsel, many states have adopted indigent defense standards for public defender offices. The present study focuses on Indiana public defender offices that participate in the Indiana Public Defender Commission’s (IPDC) standards and reimbursement program. This study assesses the extent to which resource needs and workload demands influence participation in the IPDC reimbursement program. Analysis of public defender data from counties across the state shows that counties that opt into the state’s reimbursement program have, in general, greater resource needs than those counties that do not pursue state reimbursement. In addition to the comparison of counties that participate in the state’s reimbursement program with those that do not, this study also takes a closer look at the attorneys who serve as public defenders in participating counties, assessing the effect that standards seem to have on attorney qualifications, compensation, and workload. This research points the way for future avenues of research that might further evaluate the differences between counties that participate in the IPDC standards and reimbursement program and those that do not. / The right to counsel for indigent defendants -- Indigent defense in the United States -- Public defender offices in Indiana -- Theory and hypothesis -- Data sources and methodology -- Results -- Analysis -- Commentary. / Department of Political Science