The thesis inquires into the role of the Christian Churches in the ethnic and communal conflicts of the Third World. Often times summoned to intervene, churches can instigate, ignore, or seek to reconcile the inter-communal tensions and strife which wreak havoc on the development of these societies. Church response to reconcile the rival claims of divergent ethnic communities is, however, not necessarily impelled purely by doctrinal directives. The institutional interests of the church as well as other priorities often qualify the role of the churches as peace-makers. Using empirical evidence from Fiji, Guyana, and Trinidad, the thesis focuses mainly on the conciliatory role of the churches in these conflicts. It seeks to ascertain whether the churches, over the years and in different cultural milieux, have evolved a body of experiential resources in resolving or assuaging these conflicts. In the end, the thesis attempts to answer the question whether there is or can be a Christian mode of ethnic conflict resolution.

Recent years have seen a plethora of research accomplished with respect to OT poetic prayers, predominantly in relation to the Psalter, with a least one ramification being a lack of engagement with the full spectrum of expressions especially within OT prosaic prayers. In addition to this, contemporary pastoral literature continues to exhibit an underdevelopment with respect to the full anthropological spectrum of expressions amidst grief especially within intercultural contexts. Observing both lacunas in scholarship, this dissertation operationalizes a Revisionist Method of Mutual Critical Correlation as its metamethod while incorporating Renewed Form Criticism, Hermeneutical Phenomenology, annd a Liberative Intercultural Praxis as it pursues a twofold objective: 1) an examination of the multivalent expressions (i.e., verbal, physical, and emotional) that leading Israelites pray-ers within the ancient context of OT prosaic prayers communicated to/before God while in the crux of disorientation, and 2) an investigation into the multivalent expressions (i.e., verbal, physical, and emotional) that leading Christian pray-ers wtihin an intercultural context (i.e., among Canadian immigrants from Guyana and Vietnam) communicated to/before God amidst the phenomenon of grief. At the heart of attending to this twofold mission is the configuration of an expressive domain of anthropological expressive modalities of disorientation communicated to/before God, along with their essence or meaning. Sensitized to such an expressive domain with its multivalent significance, contemporary pastoral caregivers would thus be better equipped to foster compassionate, liberative intercultural pastoral care for intercultural Christian communities coping with grief.

No description available.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Chicago, Dept. of Anthropology, 2001. / Includes bibliographical references. Also available on the Internet.

Water quality and availability are important issues in many developing countries where portions of populations still lack access to potable water. Throughout the English-speaking Caribbean and parts of Latin America, households and businesses invest in water supply systems even when they are connected to and pay for water services from a private or state owned provider. Inconsistent supplies of water from the water companies have led many people to invest in storage tanks which, if operated correctly, can provide water throughout the day even when the supply from the main is low or zero. While these individual systems help to guarantee a more constant supply of water, they may impact water quality when it does reach the household tap. The tanks could become breeding grounds for vectors of human disease and may also affect the concentrations of bacteria, heavy metals and organics in the water. The goal of this research was to understand how households use water storage tanks and determine the effect of these tanks and the individual practices on water quality. Target plots were used to visualize linkages between water quality parameters and household surveys of localized water practices and perception on water quality. The study focused on three field sites: Siparia, Trinidad and Tobago, Region 4 Subset in Guyana, and Villa Litoral, Bolivia. Convenience sampling was used to administer surveys to households in the rural areas of Siparia (39), Region 4 Subset (40), and Villa Litoral (57). The Region 4 Subset is comprised of two rural areas, Mon Repos and Mocha, and Georgetown, the country's capital. Black, high-density polyethylene (HDPE) tanks and water storage drums are predominantly used in the field sites within Siparia and Region 4 Subset, while cement tanks, drums, and jerry cans are used in Villa Litoral. The average age of household water storage devices was 4-10 years in Siparia and Region 4 Subset, and 0- 3 years in Villa Litoral. These devices were found on various elevations to accommodate piped connection, indoor pumping, and rainwater catchment. Cleaning frequency of tanks in Siparia was every few months, while in Region 4 Subset it varied from weekly to every few months. In Villa Litoral 26.3% of the population surveyed cleaned weekly and 38.6% cleaned annually. Disinfection of water sources was practiced by 30% of residents in Siparia and 60% of residents in the Region 4 Subset. While disinfection was practiced, issues with frequency and correct dosage led to inadequate disinfection. Eighty-four percent of households in Siparia and 50% of households in Region 4 Subset disinfected on a monthly or quarterly basis. Of the households that did disinfect, the bleach and/or disinfectant used was allowed to mix for at least 30 minutes in 50% of households in Siparia and 91.6% of households in the Region 4 Subset. Disinfection was not practiced by the majority of households in Villa Litoral. With regards to health, 15% of households in Region 4 Subset and 40.4% in Villa Litoral reported recent waterborne illnesses among house members. Water samples were taken from households in Siparia (24), Region 4 Subset (40), and Villa Litoral (26). The majority of households in all three communities relied on piped water from their respective main pump. Those who were not connected to piped water relied on rain water. In the Region 4 Subset, 18% of samples tested positive for fecal coliform and 45% for total coliform. In Villa Litoral, 85% of samples tested positive for fecal coliform and 100% for total coliform. The majority of samples from all three communities exceeded the WHO guideline values for lead (0.01 mg/L) and iron (0.3 mg/L). This was most likely due to the material used in the household plumbing and distribution pipe infrastructure as these could leach. Five indicators (chemical and biological water quality, reach of risk, storage device, female involvement, and household belief) were conveniently projected on target plots to link the results from water quality assessments with reported household practices and beliefs. The greatest risk factors seen were poor water quality and household beliefs like the security of water storage containers and safety of stored water, perceived water description and pressure, and access to water safety media.

Ecotourism from its genesis and founding theories has been set out to conserve and preserve the environment through sustainable operation that includes surrounding communities in efforts to reduce their poverty levels. Over the years ecotourism has been hypothesized to have departed from this ideal with several researchers, through social, qualitative analyses, have said that these non-sustainable ecotourism operations are simply due to poor management. This work sought to test this central hypothesis as a first approach to quantitatively linking ecotourism activities to management with surface water quality as the key indicator of sustainable ecotourism as a complex system through systems thinking. This pilot work was done by the use of two study sites in the Caribbean: Iwokrama, Guyana and Greencastle, Jamaica. From General Systems Theory, before systems dynamics can be applied there is a need to first observe components of the system in a reductionist view. This approach had to be taken also since the required data inputs for the systems approach were not available, as is the norm throughout the Caribbean. Thus by creating simple, easy-touse and transferrable sustainability indicator based reductionist-type assessment tools relevant data on ecotourism activities, management and water quality can be obtained in the future and acts as a start to understanding the true systems dynamics among these three entities. The creation of these quantitative reductionist tools utilized social surveying onsite, target plots, sustainability indicators and Social Network Analysis. Tools created were tested through what-if scenarios, with sensitivity analyses, and determined to be able to respond to societal, environmental and economic changes. The basic findings of these reductionist tools were used to establish and initial pathway for quantification inclusive of a framework in STELLA® for the numerical linking of ecotourism management, water quality and sustainability indicators in the Caribbean. This work also established water quality baselines for both study sites through in situ water sampling and testing and further ex situ analysis. As an indirect systems approach to linking sustainable development and the Caribbean, an audit of the Caribbean’s primary and secondary school’s system was conducted and recommendations suggested for the infusion of sustainability into formal education both during and after the United Nations Decade for Education for Sustainable Development (2005-2014).

During the past four decades researchers note that educational institutions fail to “connect” with minority students (e.g. Clark, 1983; Coelho, 1998; Dei, 1994; Duffy, 2003; Ogbu, 1978, 1991). Carr and Klassen (1996) define this lack of “connection” primarily as teachers’ disregard for each student’s culture as it relates to race, and thus, his or her achievement potential. Hence, this disregard encourages minority students to question their ability to be successful. Dei (1994), furthermore, shows a tremendous disconnectedness from schools and education systems being felt by Black students. Few studies give voice to specific groups of Black female high school graduates who opt out of pursuing higher education. I interviewed four Black Guyanese immigrant women to: (a) investigate their reasons and expectations when immigrating to Canada, (b) identify what influenced their decision not to pursue postsecondary education, (c) explore their definitions of success, and (d) investigate how/if their notions of success relate to obtaining postsecondary education in Canada. Critical Race Theory (CRT) was employed in this study to: (a) provide a better understanding of the participants’ classroom dynamics governed by relationships with their teachers, guidance counsellors and school administrators, (b) examine educational outcomes governed by personal and educational relationships and experiences, and (c) provide conceptual tools in the investigation of colour-blindness (Parker & Roberts, 2005) that is disguised in Canadian education, immigration, and other government policies. To support my investigation, I used CRT to guide the research design, modes of documentation, and the process of analysis. It is hoped that my findings and analysis enriches the academy and society by communicating why there is a scarcity of Black Guyanese immigrant women in Canadian postsecondary institutions, making recommendations, to increase their participation in higher education. This study communicates the experiences of four Black Guyanese immigrant women in Canada. It does not intend to make generalizations about the experiences of all Black Guyanese immigrant women in Canada. / Thesis (Master, Education) -- Queen's University, 2009-04-27 11:29:04.43

Le Plateau des Guyanes a été géologiquement stable au cours de l'ère Cénozoïque, exempt de l'influence de l'orogénèse des Andes et de la mise en place du bassin de l'Amazone. Cette région est-elle biogéographiquement homogène au sein de l'Amazonie ? Quelles sont les modalités spatio-temporelles de diversification au sein de cette région ? Afin de répondre à ces questions, j'ai exploré sa biorégionalisation sur la base de la distribution des amphibiens anoures. Cette approche a permis de définir trois biorégions dans l'est du Plateau des Guyanes, et de révéler une forte sous-estimation de l'endémisme. Ensuite, j'ai étudié les patrons de diversification au sein du genre endémique Anomaloglossus. Ce volet a permis de dévoiler l'existence de spéciation cryptique au sein du genre, avec un patron biogéographique composé de quatre zones de diversification au sein du Plateau des Guyanes et une origine du genre dans les tepuis. / The Guiana Shield has been geologically stable during the Cenozoic era, exempt of the influence of the uplift of the Andes and the setting up of the Amazon basin. Is this region biogeographically homogeneous within Amazonia? What are the spatio-temporal diversification modalities within this region? To answer these questions, I explored bioregionalisation within Amazonia and the Guiana Shield based on the dis- tribution of anuran amphibians. This approach enabled to define three bioregions in the eastern Guiana Shield and to reveal a high underestimation of endemism. Then, I studied the diversification patterns within the endemic frog genus Anomaloglossus. This part en- abled to reveal cryptic speciation within the genus, and a biogeographic pattern composed of four areas of diversification in the Guiana Shield, with an origin of the genus in the western highlands (tepuis).

Submitted by Claudinei Pracidelli (cpracide@ipen.br) on 2015-01-07T16:15:17Z No. of bitstreams: 0 / Made available in DSpace on 2015-01-07T16:15:17Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 / Tese (Doutorado em Tecnologia Nuclear) / IPEN/T / Instituto de Pesquisas Energeticas e Nucleares - IPEN-CNEN/SP

Submitted by Claudinei Pracidelli (cpracide@ipen.br) on 2015-01-07T16:15:17Z No. of bitstreams: 0 / Made available in DSpace on 2015-01-07T16:15:17Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 / A atmosfera terrestre contém nitrogênio e oxigênio, sendo este último, um composto altamente reativo e fundamental ao desenvolvimento e manutenção da vida. Além desses gases, diversos outros compostos em pequenas concentrações, os quais podem atuar como reagentes e/ou catalisadores também a compõe. Os compostos gasosos variados e material particulado (orgânico e inorgânico) de diferentes dimensões lançados constantemente à atmosfera são provenientes de fontes diversas. Tais fontes podem ser de origem natural ou antrópica e ainda, podem ser pontuais, difusas, primárias, secundárias, móveis e/ou estacionárias. Os processos envolvendo transformações químicas na atmosfera são extremamente importantes porque tendem a manter a sua composição em estado estacionário. A vegetação, que constitui uma fonte natural, é responsável pela emissão de grandes quantidades de compostos carbonados para a atmosfera. Dentre os vários compostos orgânicos emitidos da superfície do planeta, destacam-se em particular, alguns gases traços, denominados compostos orgânicos voláteis (COVs). A emissão dos compostos orgânicos voláteis pela vegetação ocorre, em escala global, predominantemente nos trópicos ou nos meses de verão em outras regiões. As reações fotoquímicas dos compostos orgânicos voláteis desempenham um papel diferenciado e importante na química da troposfera, podendo alterar de forma significativa a concentração de ozônio em áreas tanto urbanas quanto rurais. O presente projeto contempla o estudo de alguns dos inúmeros compostos orgânicos voláteis de origem biogênica (COVBs) emitidos pela vegetação constituinte, das regiões da Floresta Amazônica, da Mata Atlântica e da floresta Tropical da Guiana Francesa, comparando-se os dados de saída gerados pelos Modelos MOZART-4 e CAM-Chem. A escolha dos sítios experimentais para realização deste estudo se deu em parte em função da importância dos locais em termos de biodiversidade, extensão territorial, influência na climatologia (local e/ou regional), bem como também em função da acessibilidade, proximidade a centros urbanos e alterações devido à influência humana. O procedimento metodológico adotado para coleta das amostras de COVBs se deu por meio da técnica conhecida como acumulação de vórtices turbulentos (Relaxed Eddy Accumulation - REA), a qual faz uso de um dispositivo coletor denominado acumulador compacto de vórtices turbulentos (Compact Relaxed Eddy Accumulator - CREA). As amostras gasosas de COVBs foram coletadas por meio de cartuchos comerciais apropriados, compostos por diferentes materiais adsorvedores que apresentavam afinidade química também diferenciada para os variados compostos aos quais foram expostos. Estudos primários para determinação da natureza dos cartuchos que foram utilizados neste projeto foram realizados, a fim de se obter dispositivos adequados a este propósito. Os resultados evidenciam, como esperado, que a presença de isopreno é predominante em todos os sítios experimentais, sendo sua concentração média diária máxima de 5,0 ± 0,3 μg/cm3 registrada na Amazônia e de 8,0 ± 0,4 μg/cm3 (concentração diária) na floresta da Guiana Francesa, seguido pelo alfa-pineno cuja concentração máxima obtida foi de aproximadamente 1,6 ± 0,08 μg/cm3 no último sítio experimental, ambos detectados na estação seca. A emissão de isopreno e dos monoterpenos ocorreu de forma mais acentuada na época seca em comparação ao período úmido. Contudo, observou-se em algumas situações uma pequena discrepância. De maneira geral os resultados gerados pelos modelos estão subestimados, como exceção do parâmetro de radiação fotossinteticamente ativa (PAR), o que indica que a defasagem entre os resultados observados e os simulados pode estar relacionada parâmetros de OH-, NOx e em algumas reações químicas fotoquímicas envolvendo o ozônio. / Tese (Doutorado em Tecnologia Nuclear) / IPEN/T / Instituto de Pesquisas Energeticas e Nucleares - IPEN-CNEN/SP