This research deals with the presidential election of 1948 and the questions it raises concerning issues of ethnic identity and the experiences of working-class migrants in the U.S. South. Central to the discussion is the unprecedented success of third-party challenger Henry Wallace and his Progressive campaign in the immigrant enclaves of Tampa, Florida. Stigmatized by controversial foreign and domestic programs which drew disabling connections between Wallace and the Communist Party, the Progressive Party campaign hardly got its proverbial feet off the ground before falling victim to virulent criticism and widespread opposition. Carrying just over two percent of the votes nationwide, Wallace was soon relegated as an afterthought in modern historical memory, a footnote to the “real” battle between Dewey and Truman for the hearts and minds of the American public. This paper reevaluates the Progressive Party campaign in 1948 for the insights it provides into the immigrant experience, ethnic politics, and the continuous reinvention and contestation of “radical” politics and “American” identity. At issue here is not the failure of the campaign itself; nor is this intended to be a measure or judgment of Henry Wallace himself. Rather, it is to his appeal and isolated successes that I look to gain a better appreciation of the constructions and negotiations of ethnic identity and contested claims to the principles of American democracy and the rights of citizenship.

Studies of larger symbiont-bearing foraminifers on reefs have revealed their potential as indicators of environmental stress because of their physiological analogies to corals (dependence on algal symbionts for growth and calcification) and relatively short life cycle (a few months to 2 years or more). The purpose of this study is to report distribution patterns and population densities of larger benthic foraminifers (LBF) of the Florida reef tract, specifically reporting abundance data collected from offshore (1995-2000, 2006, 2007) and patch reefs (1996, 2006, 2007). Six years of quarterly data collected from two offshore reefs, Conch (10, 18 and 30m) and Tennessee (8 and 20m), revealed that LBF assemblages primarily varied with habitat depth, in turn reflecting available light and water motion.These assemblages were dominated by Amphistegina gibbosa d'Orbigny and Laevipeneroplis proteus d'Orbigny, which tended to occur together, making up ~40-50% of the assemblages and up to 80% at the Tennessee 20m site. Both overall abundance and evenness of the LBF assemblage structure exhibited the greatest variability at shallower depths. Evenness was inversely related to densities of A. gibbosa, which were typically higher at depth keeping evenness below 0.5. Across the Keys, region (location along the reef tract), reef type (offshore shallow, deep or patch reefs) and symbiont type strongly influenced LBF assemblage dynamics. Upper Keys sites shared the highest degree of inter-region similarity among assemblages (73%), while Biscayne National Park (BNP) and lower Keys sites had the lowest similarity (~60%). This likely reflects the greater variability of habitats found in the latter areas, mainly patch reefs.Chlorophyte-bearers were typically more abundant in shallower turbid waters, with diatom-bearers more abundant at depth. Additionally, I observed a significant two-fold decrease in the proportion of chlorophyte-bearers in the middle Keys likely due to light-limitation by turbid Florida Bay outflow. Finally, data comparisons revealed an inverse relationship between LBF abundances and percent coral cover. Coral cover (2005) was staggeringly low on offshore reefs (5%), but was significantly higher on nearshore patch reefs (12%). Contrastingly, LBF species showed either no difference in abundance between reef types or a greater abundance on offshore reefs.

Abstract As the environmental consequences of urbanization and climate change become apparent in coastal communities, it has become important to understand how residents of these communities experience and approach their changing environments. This becomes especially significant in places where nature-based livelihoods constitute a major part of the economy. This thesis focuses on the city of Tarpon Springs, located along the Gulf of Mexico in Florida, where sea sponge fishing is an important contributor to the local economy while also being central to place-based tourist and ethnic identities. It seeks to understand how environmental changes in the sea sponge economy will affect the coastal economy of Tarpon Springs. Based on interviews conducted with people closely connected with the sponge fishing economy, including sponge fishers and shops selling sponges, the thesis delves into (i) local perspectives on changing environmental conditions, (ii) how such changes will impact the future of sponge fishing and (iii) the extent to which local governmental support has been sought by sponge fishers and shops. Sponge fishing in Tarpon Springs is connected to its Greek identity so changes in the sponge economy could potentially affect whether tourist experiences which highlight Greek identity linked to sponge fishing continue to be connected to an actual Greek economic presence or reflect nostalgia for a Greek past. The interview responses showed concerns about declining sponge hauls which were connected to more immediate experiences of environmental change and pollution, including red tide events and phosphate runoff. Respondents also reflected on how climate change will exacerbate such environmental issues through rising water temperatures. Respondents viewed Tarpon Springs as a community with a strong Greek identity and sponge shop owners especially seemed to be dependent on links with an active sponge fishing economy to enhance the value of their sponges for tourists. In terms of government support, those involved in the sponge economy had very little interaction with city officials and did not seem keen to enhance such interactions. This thesis thus reveals that the economy of Tarpon Springs continues to be shaped by sponge fishing livelihoods that are directly dependent on nature. However, it seems that concerns related to environmental change remain within the local community and are not being voiced through more public forums, such as through active engagement with local government. The future of Tarpon Springs and its sponge fishing economy therefore remains uncertain, even as local participants in the sponge economy continue to work towards maintaining their unique identity.

Understanding the paleoclimate of a region is important, especially when trying to determine the extent of natural climate variability within the context of anthropogenic impacts. Recent anomalous periods of climate change in the Late Holocene, including the Little Ice Age and Medieval Warm Period, could possibly repeat in the future, having significant worldwide consequences. This holds especially true for tropical and subtropical karst environments, where limited paleoclimate proxies provide minimal data regarding past climate change. An investigation into past climate change in Belize using fulvic acids from cave sediments shows periods of drought during the collapse of the Maya society around 1400 years ago. Comparison of changes in the carbon isotope data from the fulvic acids agree with speleothem records, but more closely reflect changes in the vegetation above the cave, showing Maya population decline through waning agriculture. Further investigation of using fulvic and other organics acids are examined from cave sediments in Florida. The data show fulvic acid carbon isotopes are the most robust recorders of climate change, agreeing with several nearby speleothem d¹8O and d¹³C records from west-central Florida. A more detailed record of climate change in Florida through a calibration study of precipitation and cave dripwater oxygen and hydrogen isotopes revealed that the amount effect dominates rainfall in west-central Florida. Homogenization of epikarst dripwater gives average d¹8O values representative of the annual amount-weighted average of precipitation d¹8O for the area, suggesting speleothem isotope records reflect changes in rainfall amount. Examination of two speleothems from west-central Florida show complex teleconnection and solar forcing mechanisms responsible for past climate changes. A high-resolution stable isotope, trace element, and time series analysis study for the last 1500 years shows variability during the LIA and MWP, pointing to a combined influence of Pacific and Atlantic teleconnection mechanisms, especially the ITCZ, NAO and PDO, being responsible for precipitation variability. Long-term reconstruction of the mid-Holocene and Late Pleistocene from another speleothem reveals differences in temperature and precipitation between glacial and interglacial conditions in Florida. Climate proxies from the tropics and subtropics provide additional clues to global climate change crucial to understanding future water availability.

As the U.S. population gets older, there is an increased need for senior housing. However, elderly housing is currently associated with dependence and isolation. There is a great disconnect from the retired community with its surrounding context. Senior housing and nursing homes are becoming more similar to miniature hospitals rather than a residential type. This negative view of nursing homes is becoming clear to the general population. In fact, most seniors fear the idea of living within an aging complex. Also, people generally avoid these places, even while visiting family. Florida is on the frontline for the effects of the retiring baby boomers. This master’s project is about researching and designing a multi-housing community that strives toward social independence and interaction for the elderly. How does one solve the problem of the increasing need for senior housing when everyone discards the idea of old senior housing facilities and nursing homes? How could one create a place that can handle the needs of an aging community while attracting outsiders? In order to change the perception of elderly housing facilities, there needs to be major fundamental change in the design process. Healthcare and efficiency, even though vitally important, need to become secondary to social independence and multigenerational interaction as the driving force for design and development. These communities need to hold an identity that is appealing for different uses and for people of different ages. By improving the fundamental design process of senior housing, it is possible to introduce a sense of place and home which lack in current senior housing developments.

This comparative study of the corporate public relations strategies of the nuclear industry in the U.S. and Britain, specifically of Florida Power & Light (FP&L) in Florida and Scottish Nuclear Limited (SNL) in Scotland, examines the use of visitor centres and environmental messages as key components of advocational campaigns designed to influence public opinion and shape public policy in favour of a pro-nuclear agenda. The study would seem to confirm other research that draws a direct relationship between the function of public relations in an organisation and the degree of input by public relations into corporate policy-making. Moreover, the data also suggest that, given a prominent role within an organisation, public relations can and does develop strategies and programmes to pro-actively manage emerging strategic public policy issues in direct support of organisational objectives Such programmes, as the study reveals, have been designed specifically around visitor centres as communication vehicles for corporate pronuclear messages, carried directly to key publics without gatekeeping by the mass media. Moreover, it would appear that the nuclear industry has been intentionally 'greening' its corporate messages so as to capitalise upon the public's growing concern about the environment. The study also suggests that the nuclear industry is using such centres, as well as newer, emerging advocational initiatives, in a fully promotional sense to circulate and thereby enhance the reputation of the industry. A comparative analysis of corporate nuclear public relations in the U.S. and Britain suggests a 'cross-national' exchange of intelligence, and in some respects, an outright collusion of efforts. Moreover, it would seem that there exists a further government-industry alliance both within the U.S. and Britain as well as trans-Atlantically. This alliance represents a convergence of government and industry interests in the development of nuclear energy for military and civilian purposes, and further illustrates earlier research of collusion among politicaleconomic elites and the over representation of corporate interests at the expense of unorganised public interests in the government decision-making process. Finally, the study argues that upcoming public policy decisions on the future of nuclear power in each country will be a measure of the effectiveness of pro-nuclear campaigning in achieving its objectives. The public debate on nuclear power will represent a genuine test of the relative health of democracy in both the U.S. and Britain, nation-states in which, military-industry-government interests mostly have had their way as it has concerned nuclear energy.

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Karlstads kommun har en målsättning om att kommunen år 2020 skall vara 100 000 invånare till antalet. För att detta mål skall nås inom en rimlig tid så har kommunen tre hållbarhetsstrategier som skall ligga till grund för kommunens arbete de kommande åren. De tre hållbarhetsstrategierna är folkhälsostrategin, tillväxtstrategin och miljö- och klimatstrategin, som skall se till att kommunen skall kunna växa på ett socialt, ekonomiskt och miljömässigt hållbart sätt.    Den här uppsatsen undersöker Karlstads kommuns tillväxtstrategi och hur bra den och dess mål och delmål passar in på ekonomiprofessorn Richard Floridas teorier om den kreativa klassen och på ekonomiprofessorn Edward Glaesers teorier om humankapital och stadstillväxt. / Karlstad Municipality has a vision that the municipality shall have 100 000 inhabitants by the year 2020. For this goal to be reached within a reasonable time, the municipality has made three sustainability strategies that will be the basis for the municipality’s work for the coming years. The three sustainability strategies are: the public health strategy, the economic growth strategy and the environment and climate strategy. The idea behind these strategies is to ensure that the municipality will grow in a socially, economic and environmentally sustainable manner.    This thesis examines Karlstad Municipality’s economic growth strategy and how well it and its goals and objectives can be applied on the economics professor Richard Florida and his theories about the Creative Class and on the economics professor Edward Glaeser and his theories about human capital and urban economics.

This collection of poetry uses the context of a family environment to explore lack and loss, applying these concepts in their usual negative sense, but also drawing out their positive implications of potential and gain. Each of the collection's three sections is introduced by a traditional Japanese poem translated to emphasize its aspects of emptiness as shown through brevity, structure, and content. The poems contained in each section exemplify events of defeat, debt, and aimlessness that can punctuate the family lifecycle. In each poem, loss is reinterpreted in positive terms: in "Tobacco Manifesto," debt leads to a profit; in "Interviewing Ernest," a defeat color-blinds the narrator, and that damage expands who and how the narrator loves. Recurring content-fire and celestial bodies, father-son relationships, and seven variations on "Lines Cut Out of a Poem on Abortion that I Didn't Want to Finish"-further tie the sections together. The overall approach to the collection's themes, styles, and influences are addressed in the introduction, concluding in a discussion of translation's influence on each aspect. Three conflicts are present in the structure of the poems-narrativity vs. lyricism, formal complexity vs. simplicity, and familiarity vs. unfamiliarity-and those conflicts are addressed in terms of predictability, resulting in a collection that works not only to reshape the reader's definitions of lack and loss through its content, but also to let readers experience for themselves how unpredictable outcomes simultaneously are a failure of expectation and the gain of something new.