M.A.Sc. Thesis / Most conventional seismic design intends for key structural members to yield in order to limit seismic forces, leading to structural damage after a major earthquake. To minimize this structural damage, self-centering systems are being developed. But how to estimate the peak seismic displacement of a self-centering system remains a problem for practical design. This thesis addresses this need by presenting a parametric study on the seismic displacement demands of single-degree-of-freedom (SDOF) systems with flag-shaped hysteresis considering 13,440,000 nonlinear time history analyses. Ground motion records that represent seismic hazards in active seismic regions with stiff soil and rock site conditions are used. The influences of the four independent parameters that define a flag-shaped hysteresis are presented in terms of median displacement ratios, facilitating the design-level estimation of nonlinear displacement demands on self-centering systems from the spectra displacements of elastic systems. The influence of initial period on self-centering systems is similar to its influence on traditional systems with elastoplastic hysteresis, but a much lower linear limit can be adopted for self-centering systems while achieving acceptable peak displacements. Supplemental energy dissipation suppresses the peak displacement but additional energy dissipation becomes less effective as more is added. The effect of nonlinear stiffness is small as long as it is positive and close to zero, but a negative nonlinear stiffness can lead to unstable response. Self-centering systems located on rock sites usually have smaller displacement demands than those on stiff soil sites. When the damping ratio is increased or decreased, the displacement ratios do not necessarily decrease or increase consistently. A tangent stiffness proportional damping model is considered, leading to a significant increase in displacement demands but similar overall trends. Based on the observations, regression analysis is used to develop a simplified equation that approximates the median inelastic displacement ratios of self-centering systems for design. / Thesis / Master of Applied Science (MASc)

<p> Jürgen Moltmann's trilogy-Theology of Hope, The Crucified God, and The Church in the Power of the Spirit-is pervaded by the concept of "contradiction." Secondary literature commonly alludes to his theology of contradiction, describing his theology as "dialectical," but the literature rarely analyzes it comprehensively. This thesis seeks to fill this lack. It argues that in Moltmann's trilogy God creates and fosters in the world three different types of contradiction (objective, subjective and active) through three different means (God's promises, his crucifixion, and the work of his Spirit in and through the Church) in order to accomplish his purposes. The inductive sections of the thesis show that contradiction exists in nearly every chapter of each book. The systematic sections show contradiction is central to the main systematic theological topics of the trilogy. Understanding Moltmann's theology of contradiction this way allows for clearer interpretation of his theology as a whole.</p> / Thesis / Master of Arts (MA)

Many microwave (RF) circuit designs require passive distributed sub-components with prescribed scattering parameters. These sub-components have typically been realised by cascading building-block configurations (eg. transmission lines of specific lengths, bends in transmission lines, coupled lines, and so on) of standard shape, and then adjusting the dimensions of selected prescribed features of these building-blocks. The problem with this approach is that the resulting sub-component may take up more "real-estate" on the overall circuit board than can be tolerated, may require tolerances that are too tight and hence be more costly than product developers can allow, can lead to less-than-best performance because we select the building-blocks (that we think are needed) ahead of time, and so on. The research in this thesis contributes to the shape synthesis approach of physical microstrip circuit design. The shape synthesis process is usually contrasted to traditional design by recognizing that it does not merely adjust the dimensions of a set of prescribed geometrical features on pre-selected shapes, but allows the electromagnetic physics to tell us what the sub-component layout needs to be (and it can be unconventional) in order to obtain the required performance. Existing shape synthesis techniques are based on the discrete- or continuous-pixelation method. Each of these approaches, however, have disadvantages (eg. too many degrees of freedom required to achieve the geometrical resolution necessary; the need for arbitrary decisions to fix material properties) that have prevented shape synthesis from being accepted for widespread use in design practice. In this thesis we develop, implement and apply a completely new shape synthesis approach, called the subtractive approach, that overcomes many of the above-mentioned disadvantages of pixelation-based methods It reduces the number of variables (degrees of freedom) needed in spite of the fact that the "design space" is significantly broadened by this approach. The latter is confirmed by the fact that it produces physical circuit geometries that we would not have come up with using traditional design methods. Examples are provided of the application of the new subtractive shape synthesis method. This new method involves continuous variables directly related to the physical circuit geometry, and thus could be used with surrogate modelling, unlike some existing shape synthesis procedures.

The attempt is made in the following study to present an interpretation of the novel Stiller by the Swiss author, Max Frisch, by tracing through the novel the dominant themes of the graven-image or 'Bildnis' and that of the problem of freedom with reference to the novel's main character. / Thesis / Master of Arts (MA)

From Far Gone, Back is a short story collection that explores multigenerational families living in and around the changing landscape of Atlanta, GA. It asks what comes of the decisions we are forced to make for those around us and ourselves while surviving the best way we know how.

This thesis investigates the political discourse surrounding the controversial act of Quran burnings in Sweden, focusing on the positions of leaders from the three largest political parties between April 2022 and October 2023. Utilizing a theoretical framework that differentiates between consequentialist and non-consequentialist perspectives, it examines the politicians’ arguments for justifying and limiting freedom of expression in this context. Initially, both the Social Democratic Party and the Moderate Party predominantly adopted a non-consequentialist stance, underscoring freedom of expression as a fundamental democratic right, irrespective of its consequences. However, as challenges related to national security and international relations emerged, their positions evolved, revealing internal inconsistencies and a shift toward a consequentialist approach. By August 2023, the Moderates proposed a review of the Public Order Act, incorporating national security considerations, while the Social Democrats suggested amendments to laws against racial hatred to include religious desecrations. In contrast, the Sweden Democrats consistently maintained a non-consequentialist stance, emphasizing the democratic principle of upholding free expression. This study’s findings highlight the complexities and challenges of maintaining consistent political principles amidst changing societal and international landscapes. It underscores the importance of clear foundational principles in the discourse on freedom of expression, contributing to the broader understanding of democratic values in contemporary Sweden.

The thesis explores how some undocumented Latinx immigrants thrive and understand their personhood and security in the current “immigration crisis” in the U.S. Using ethnographic tools such as interviews and participant observation, I gathered undocumented Latinx immigrants’ narratives about living in Orlando, Florida. I concluded that American immigration policies use lack-of-freedom strategies to limit their experiences and rights as human beings, also as a means to deter future immigrants. Through the lens of undocumented Latinx immigrants’ stories, I analyze the relationship between freedom, power, and identity in the social hierarchy of privileges in the United States to understand how their experiences are negatively affected by intersectional issues. The COVID-19 pandemic was a breaking point that made more visible the structural inequality and vulnerability of undocumented migrants alongside other marginal populations. In this research, I expand an anthropological discussion to think through more just alternatives of life and humanizing immigration policies in the United States. I raise both anthropological and philosophical questions for addressing these social justice matters.

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