The purpose of this study is to analyse the relations of Rome with the Greek cities of Southern Italy during the Republic and the Early Empire, in order to create a "case study" of the processes of political expansion and Romanisation. The first part of this project utilises the historical sources, while the second is an analysis of the epigraphic evidence. No detailed consideration of archaeological material has been included since there has been extensive recent excavation of the area in question, and it is not possible to produce a complete synthesis of available material within the scope of a doctoral thesis. The first section of this project is a reassessment of the historical evidence for the contacts between Rome and the Italiote Greeks in the 4th and 3rd centuries B. C., together with a study of the behaviour of the Greek cities during the Punic Wars and the post-war period. The legal and diplomatic aspects of the relationship built up by Rome with the Greek communities are also reassessed. This seems to indicate that Roman control of Southern Italy developed relatively slowly, with little contact before 200 B. C., and seems to follow a pattern similar to that of Roman expansion in the East. The second section is a survey of the epigraphic evidence for the Greek cities of Southern Italy, undertaken to clarify the social, linguistic and administrative changes occurring as a result of the Roman conquest. It is used to build up a profile of each of the cities studied, including a prosopography of named individuals and studies of changes in language, religious cults, municipal administration, and social composition. This allows some evaluation of the differences in their response to Roman influence. The evidence indicates that Roman influence took root in the South by the 1st century A. D., but that awareness of Greek culture remained strong, and was actively cultivated. The diverse epigraphic habits of the area indicate the extent to which the differences between cities may reflect their differing responses to Romanisation.

In the literature on doxastic evidence, the phenomenon is regarded as either internal (Plantinga 1993, Feldman and Conee 2001, Turri 2009) or external (Armstrong 1973, Collins 1997, BonJour 2008). Though the specifics of these views tend to vary, the two main categories are prominent. However, these views face various criticisms. Internalists claim that external evidence ignores relevant mental processes. Externalists claim that internal evidence is weak given its subjective nature. I will propose a remedy for both of these criticisms. I will argue that evidence is internal, external, and social. That is to say, that there are three types of evidence: mental states, states of affairs, and that which has been produced by a rigorous social process. I will extract Helen Longino’s method for establishing social knowledge (2002) and apply it to evidence; I will argue that her method produces social evidence as well. The social component of evidence is aimed towards strengthening internal and external theories of evidence by responding to the worries raised by the internalists and externalists. First, I will argue that a theory that accommodates both internal and external evidence can absolves the worries raised to either theory alone. Moreover, a theory that can accommodate social evidence will be stronger insofar as a rigorous social process will add a further qualification which can only strengthen our evidence. Second, I will argue that social evidence is not reducible to either external or internal evidence. The external view cannot account for the mental processes that are evidently a part of the justification process and is therefore weak. Finally, though the internal view is compelling, it does not account for evidence which supports our usage of automatic, non-conscious mental processes (Bargh and Chartrand 1999; Aarts and Dijksterhuis 2000).

The programme of research described in this dissertation examines the potential prejudicial impact of gruesome evidence on mock juror decision making. The dissertation provides a model of the cognitive and emotional processes by which gruesome evidence can influence mock juror judgments. Five studies will be presented which have examined the influence of gruesome verbal (written) and visual evidence. Four studies utilised mock trial or simulation methodology utilising written trial transcripts and undergraduate students as mock jurors. Results suggest that gruesome evidence can cause emotional reactions in mock jurors and that mock jurors who are exposed to gruesome evidence are more likely to find the defendant culpable (in criminal cases) and liable (in civil cases). The studies evaluated a model which outlines the cognitive and affective processes by which gruesome evidence might influence juror emotion and decision making. Gruesome evidence presented verbally, such as verbal descriptions of the victim??s injuries, may bias juror decisions toward conviction. Increased estimates of the guilt of the defendant may result when gruesome information is present, especially when the inculpatory evidence is weak overall. Photographic evidence, irrespective of whether this evidence is neutral or gruesome, can increase the likelihood of conviction. Admitting gruesome photographic evidence, rather than excluding this evidence, may increase the inculpatory value that jurors ascribe to prosecutorial evidence via the influence of gruesome evidence on the emotional state of jurors. Further, although exposure to any photographs had similar effects on mock juror affect, emotional reactions to gruesome photographic evidence appeared to lead to changes in the assessment of evidence and to an increased likelihood of conviction or liability when compared with neutral and no photographs. The implications of the results for policy, practice and research are discussed.

Since its first use in criminal investigations in 1987, DNA profiling has become the new gold standard for investigations and prosecutions. Academics, politicians and law enforcement officials have presented DNA evidence as a ??scientific hero?? that is capable of solving crimes and preventing miscarriages of justice. However, in spite of this reputation, few studies have explored the impact of this technology on criminal justice practitioners, or on the process of investigating and processing criminal offences. This dissertation provides a comparative study of the use of DNA profiling in two jurisdictions: New South Wales (NSW) in Australia and the Thames Valley in the United Kingdom (UK). Interviews canvassed the perspectives and experiences of police officers, scene of crime officers (SOCOs), forensic scientists, criminal lawyers, and judicial officers from these areas. These interviews were analysed in conjunction with appeal judgments and police statistics to reveal how DNA evidence has been used in the NSW and Thames Valley. The research presented in this dissertation indicates that DNA profiling is having a number of far-reaching effects on both criminal justice systems and is seen as a reliable forensic tool by criminal justice practitioners. Practitioners routinely use DNA evidence throughout the various stages of the criminal justice process and are actively changing their practices to utilise the technology more effectively. One of the main impacts of the introduction of DNA evidence into criminal investigations has been the need to provide substantial resources and infrastructure for the collection, analysis, and storage of samples. Both jurisdictions encountered a number of problems because they provided insufficient resources to effectively use DNA profiling. This study also offers insight into how criminal justice practitioners perceive the dangers of using DNA evidence and how miscarriages of justice can occur. Finally, through an analysis of the combined experiences of criminal justice practitioners, this dissertation challenges the widespread acceptance and routine use of forensic DNA profiling. It further suggests that it is now time to re-consider current practices in relation to how resources are devoted to the technology, and how criminal justice practitioners are using the technology.

Doctor of Philosophy / Aim and significance: The aim of this research was to investigate how evidence-based practice (EBP) in nursing homes is understood in the context of Taiwan, a non-Western country. There is a growing movement towards using research evidence to inform practice in the nursing profession with variable success. To date, factors that promote or inhibit implementation of EBP in health care have been investigated through research conducted in hospital settings in Western countries. Remarkably little is known about nurses’ experience and perceptions of EBP in residential aged care facilities (RACFs), especially in non-Western countries. Method: The study adopted a mixed method approach. Subjects were recruited from six nursing homes in the Hsinchu district of Taiwan. In Stage 1, 89 registered nurses completed a comprehensive questionnaire specifically developed for this project. It was designed to elicit information about (1) their experience of and attitudes towards research and EBP; (2) the barriers they perceive to its implementation; and (3) what strategies they believe would enhance its implementation in the nursing home setting. In Stage 2, six nursing managers participated in semi-structured in-depth interviews that explored the same topic areas as those in the questionnaire but used an open-ended format which allowed for new themes to emerge. Findings: The majority of nurses and nursing managers expressed positive attitudes towards research and EBP but reported relatively little experience in its implementation. Nurses relied most heavily on knowledge derived from past experience and on interactions with nursing colleagues, medical staff and patients to inform their clinical practice. They identified the main barriers to EBP as: insufficient authority to change practice, their own lack of research knowledge and insufficient time to implement new ideas in the workplace. They believed EBP would be facilitated by: improved access to computers and internet facilities in the workplace; more effective research training; collaboration with academics; and dedicated time to search for and read research articles. As anticipated, nurses viewed the issues from a practical stance in relation to their own time, resources and lack of authority to effect change. Nursing managers expressed similar views to the nurses in relation to attitudes towards EBP implementation. However, they identified barriers which related to aspects of the organizational framework. In particular, they expressed concerns about issues such as budgetary constraints, staff quality (notably the reliance on minimally trained assistants in nursing (AINs) for direct resident care), as well as factors that reflected the wider political and economic context of health care in Taiwan. Conclusion: The findings of this study have implications for research, policy and practice in both Western and non-Western countries. Further research on EBP would be beneficial if conducted in settings other than hospitals, such as RACFs. There remains also the need to examine the potential for EBP in different social-cultural contexts, such as those in non-Western countries. Nursing managers have generally been excluded in previous research but, because of their particular role, there is a need to examine their perspectives of EBP and then compare these with those of the nurses. In Taiwan specifically, policy change is needed at both government and institutional levels to encourage and support the development of protocols and procedures for the implementation of EBP. If EBP was a government requirement for accreditation and a standard for protocols in hospitals and RACFs, it would lead to improved standards of care and cost effectiveness. This study supports the findings of a number of investigations conducted in Western countries which indicate that further education and training in research for nurses may lead to higher standards of patient care, greater job satisfaction and higher staff retention rates.

Proefschrift Universiteit van Amsterdam. / Met lit.opg. en een samenvatting in het Nederlands.

Thesis (M. Med. Sc.)--University of Hong Kong, 2005. / Also available in print.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Sydney, 2006. / Title from title screen (viewed Aug. 29, 2007). Submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy to the School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine. Includes tables and questionnaires. Includes bibliography. Also issued in print.

Thèse, Zurich.

Thesis (Ed. D.)--West Virginia University, 2009. / Title from document title page. Document formatted into pages; contains x, 152 p. : ill. Vita. Includes abstract. Includes bibliographical references (p. 94-99).