I argue that Xing hun (Contract marriage)” and “Coming out with Chinese characteristics” are creative and feasible approaches for Chinese Tongzhi (queer) from the perspective of vertical historical development. My study is a critical intercultural examination of the western-centric in dominant queer discourse. I discussed the non-confrontational communication practices which are different from the western confrontational practices (visibility & sexuality identity). / Transnational forces in the processes of globalization have determined the identities of the Chinese queer population. This thesis aims to explore how global capitalism, information and communication technology, and international collaboration in dealing with HIV and AIDS have facilitated the spread of western queer discourses and ideologies to China, and how these forces have influenced the construction of Chinese Tongzhi/queer identities. I use the discourse analysis to argue that the western norms of queer “coming out” and “declaring identity” can be an action accompanied by risk in the Chinese social, cultural, and political contexts, given that homosexual desires have challenged the institutions--not just sexuality but also marriage and family-- of heteronormativity. Chinese Tongzhi have to deal with the tension between Chinese traditional norms and western queer culture by negotiating some complex and dynamic strategies for defining their sexual identities. These strategies include “keeping silent about one’s sexual identity, or not coming out” and “having xinghun (contract and fake marriages with opposite-sex individuals.)” as a compromise between their traditional family obligations and homosexual desires in order to be able to live a “tolerable” queer life. I conclude that the strategies of the Chinese Tongzhi illustrate the agency of Chinese queers in creating a feasible space in which to live with their sexual identities and the process of globalized queer culture in a specifically Chinese context. / Thesis / Master of Social Work (MSW) / This thesis aims to explore how global capitalism, information and communication technology, and international collaboration in dealing with HIV and AIDS have facilitated the spread of western queer discourses and ideologies to China, and how these forces have influenced the construction of Chinese Tongzhi/queer identities.Chinese Tongzhi has to deal with the tension between traditional Chinese norms and western queer culture by negotiating some complex and dynamic strategies for defining their sexual identities.

[pt] A crescente demanda pela explotação de óleo em águas cada vez mais profundas representa um desafio para o projeto seguro e eficiente de risers. Tipicamente, o projeto deste elemento estrutural exige um elevado número de análises numéricas e, muitas vezes, se baseia na experiência do projetista, especificamente no que diz respeito à obtenção de uma configuração inicial estruturalmente viável. A automação de tarefas nas fases preliminares de projeto pode proporcionar uma maior eficiência e segurança na seleção de configurações viáveis, além de reduzir o tempo necessário para a realização desta tarefa. Este trabalho propõe uma ferramenta computacional para a otimização de configurações iniciais de risers, satisfazendo requisitos estruturais, operacionais e econômicos. A ferramenta se baseia no método Globalized Bounded Nelder-Mead (GBNM), que não requer o cálculo de gradientes, demanda poucas avaliações da função objetivo por iteração, ou seja, reduz o número de análises dinâmicas realizadas usando o Método dos Elementos Finitos, e permite a implementação de uma estratégia eficiente de paralelização do problema. Para validar e demonstrar a eficiência da ferramenta proposta, são apresentados estudos de caso que reproduzem as condições encontradas em fases iniciais de projetos de risers, bem como uma comparação dos resultados com os obtidos utilizando outros métodos de otimização conhecidos na literatura. / [en] The increasing demand for oil exploitation in deeper water represents a challenge for the safe and efficient design of risers. Typically, the design of this structural member requires a large number of numerical analyses and is often based on the designer’s experience, specifically with respect to obtaining a structurally feasible initial configuration. The automation of tasks in the preliminary stages of design can provide greater efficiency and safety in the selection of feasible configurations, in addition to reducing the time required to perform this task. This work proposes a computational tool to optimize initial riser configurations, satisfying structural, operational and economic requirements. The tool is based on the Globalized Bounded Nelder-Mead method (GBNM), which does not require the computation of gradients, it requires few evaluations of the objective function per iteration, i.e., it reduces the number of dynamic analyses performed using the Finite Element Method, and allows the implementation of an efficient strategy to parallelize the problem. In order to validate and demonstrate the efficiency of the proposed tool, case studies that reproduce the conditions found during the initial stages of the design of risers are presented, as well as a comparison of the results with those obtained using other optimization methods established in the literature.

Superdiversity has reached the EFL classroom and consequently language acquisition’s starting point has changed from one to various native languages. EFL teachers in Sweden meet a broad spectrum of students, varying from nearly bilingual when it comes to English, to students, who have to learn both English and Swedish from scratch. Meanwhile, the Swedish school system aspires to provide all students with an equal education. In addition to the increasingly diverse student body, EFL teachers also face the dilemma of steering documents that can be perceived as favouring the traditional monolingual principle of language teaching, while at the same time EFL teachers are asked to support students’ development into plurilingualists that embrace linguistic and cultural diversity. This thesis seeks to investigate EFL teachers’ reasoning concerning linguistic diversity and inclusion methods in the EFL classroom, as a part of school practice. Furthermore, this thesis aims to give a picture of the current situation in Swedish schools and seeks to find indications of whether further training is required in order to embrace the diversity of the globalized classroom. Mixed methods are used to examine the current situation and the results are based on the answers of 35 EFL teachers in Sweden. The findings indicate that most EFL teachers rarely include students’ L1 in the EFL classroom and that the inclusion of students’ L1 is for many participants related with weaker proficiency in English. Additionally, the necessity of enhancing the benefits of translanguaging pedagogy for all students, and consequently further education for EFL teachers can be identified, because the very important aspect of identity that matters when it comes to school success has hardly been considered.

Newton's method is at the core of many algorithms used for solving nonlinear equations. A globalized Newton method is an implementation of Newton's method augmented with ``globalization procedures' intended to enhance the likelihood of convergence to a solution from an arbitrary initial guess. A Newton-GMRES method is an implementation of Newton's method in which the iterative linear algebra method GMRES is used to solve approximately the linear system that characterizes the Newton step. A globalized Newton-GMRES method combines both globalization procedures and the GMRES scheme to develop robust and efficient algorithms for solving nonlinear equations. The aim of this project is to describe the development of some globalized Newton-GMRES methods and to compare their performances on a few benchmark fluid flow problems.

Dans ce travail, une méthode d'optimisation à coût fini, essentiellement locale,mais qui devient globale lorsque le nombre d'analyses croît est développée. La ± globalisation α vient de ré-initialisations probabilisées de recherches locales prenant en compte les points de départ et de convergence passés. L'optimiseur local est une version améliorée de la méthode de Nelder-Mead, où les variables sont bornées, où les contraintes d'inégalité sont prises en compte par pénalisation adaptative, et où les dégénérescences du simplexe sont traitées par ré-initialisation. Cette méthode, appelée ± Globalized and Bounded Nelder-Mead α (GBNM), est testée sur des fonctions multimodales et des problèmes de conception de stratifiés composites. Puis, des applications plus complexes sont traitées avec GBNM : l'optimisation de la raideur de flexion et l'identification des positions des sauts de plis de monopalmes de nage.

Submitted by Bruna Rodrigues (bruna92rodrigues@yahoo.com.br) on 2016-09-26T14:38:35Z No. of bitstreams: 1 TeseCCS.pdf: 3739905 bytes, checksum: 0957b73af5bfea7001c4da77dc49b77a (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Marina Freitas (marinapf@ufscar.br) on 2016-09-26T18:46:32Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 TeseCCS.pdf: 3739905 bytes, checksum: 0957b73af5bfea7001c4da77dc49b77a (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Marina Freitas (marinapf@ufscar.br) on 2016-09-26T18:46:39Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 TeseCCS.pdf: 3739905 bytes, checksum: 0957b73af5bfea7001c4da77dc49b77a (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-09-26T18:46:48Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 TeseCCS.pdf: 3739905 bytes, checksum: 0957b73af5bfea7001c4da77dc49b77a (MD5) Previous issue date: 2015-03-05 / Não recebi financiamento / Today, there are fabulous discourses, which try to monologize the forms of economic, political and social organization in planetary level, and which present the Globalization as a homogeneous process, fruit of the “natural” course of human history, in their different stages of development. In this context, the discourse of competitiveness as a form of exercise of the universal gain, engine of the current globalization, constitutes a powerful vehicle of global hegemonic ideological production – via discourses of global agents, materializing the neoliberal competitive spirit and shaping the way we see the world and its relations in a globalized age. The repetition of discursive patterns which constitute themselves as hegemonic, constituting discourses of different spheres of human activity, has been studied here based on the thinking of Mikhail Bakhtin and his Circle, especially in regard to semioticideological materiality in relations between infrastructure and superstructures and to the dialogical and responsive feature of language. Thus, I analyze the repetition of discursive patterns by the global hegemonic agents constituting the ideology of neoliberal competitiveness, which borns-already-walking and reachs, in the word concreteness, the discourses of many spheres of human activity. I take, for this, official discourses from the Brazilian agricultural sphere and discourses from de competitive regions of agribusiness to, in them, listen to the voices of the neoliberal competitive hegemony in the globalized Brazilian agriculture. However, studying the discourses of disagreement with this hegemony, it is possible to understand that the process of hegemonization and monologization presents itself only as an attempt, since where is the discourse of the single thought right there are the plural voices and the contradictions. The comprehension of the global competitiveness spirit, in the word concreteness, occurs, therefore, in the relation of this dominant spirit with the words and acts of resistance and rupture to break the global hegemonic order. / Na atualidade, há discursos fabulosos, que tentam monologizar as formas de organização econômica, política e social em nível planetário, que apresentam a Globalização como um processo homogêneo e fruto do curso “natural” da história da humanidade, em suas diferentes fases de desenvolvimento. Nesse contexto, o discurso da competitividade como forma de exercício da mais-valia universal, motor da globalização atual, constitui-se num poderoso veículo da produção ideológica mundial hegemônica – via discursos de agentes globais, materializando o espírito competitivo neoliberal e moldando o modo como vemos o mundo e as relações nessa época globalizada. A repetição de padrões discursivos que se constituem como hegemônicos, passando a constituir discursos de diferentes esferas de atividade humana, é estudada aqui com base no pensamento de Mikhail Bakhtin e seu Círculo, especialmente no que diz respeito à materialidade sígnica-ideológica nas relações entre infraestrutura e superestruturas e ao caráter dialógico e responsivo da linguagem. Desse modo, analiso a repetição de padrões discursivos por parte de agentes hegemônicos globais constituindo a ideologia da competitividade neoliberal, que nasce-já-caminhando e alcança, na concretude da palavra, os discursos de várias esferas de atividade humana. Tomo, para tanto, discursos oficiais da esfera agrícola brasileira e discursos das regiões competitivas do agronegócio para, neles, auscultar as vozes da hegemonia competitiva neoliberal na agricultura brasileira globalizada. Contudo, ao estudar discursos de enfretamento dessa hegemonia, é possível compreender que o processo de hegemonização e monologização apresenta-se somente como tentativa, uma vez que onde está o discurso do pensamento único aí mesmo estão as plurivocidades e as contradições. A compreensão do espírito da competitividade global, na concretude das palavras, se dá, portanto, na relação desse espírito dominante com as palavras e atos de resistência e de ruptura da ordem hegemônica global.

The thesis deals with the role of nation-state in globalization. In the beginning, the nation-state and state are defined. Afterwards, the interaction of the state with market and non-profit sector is analyzed. The third chapter talks about globalization, so that the gained knowledge can be used in the chapter four as the main characteristics of state are here analyzed with the emphasis on the economic aspects of globalization.

Life-Cycle Assessment (LCA) covers a set of tools and techniques that aim to estimate the environmental impacts generated by a product or service all along its life-cycle including: rawmaterial extraction, production steps, transportation, use phase and end-of-life scenarios.The Life-Cycle Inventory (LCI) is a key step in LCA. It focuses on quantifying all physicaland/or monetary flows involved in the life-cycle of the product/service considered. Theseflows are named as ‘elementary flows’ in ISO terms. After having dealt with the main issuesof the ‘Goal and Scope definition’ step, that is giving a clear definition of the ‘functional unit’to consider, setting clear boundaries between elements to count in and those to disregard,practitioners need a coherent framework to quantify elementary flows and estimate missingelements. Several methodologies have been developed, each of them with both clearadvantages but also distinct disadvantages, depending on the purpose of the study: processbasedmethods, Input-Output based methods (IO-based methods), and also hybrid methods.In 2004, Suh suggested a method known as IHA (Integrated Hybrid Analysis) that appears towipe out the strict boundary between process-based and IO-based methods, taking advantagesof both methods as complementarities. Previous hybrid models were found incompleteregarding end-of-life scenario, especially with open-loop recycling.However, Suh admits that there remain several drawbacks in the IHA model, such as thetreatment of international trade and flows of products and services. They are usuallyconsidered as a single, homogeneous commodity despite their huge variety. This is apersistent limitation, already known by process-based and IO-based LCA practitioners. In aglobalized economy, where most products are manufactured in one place and consumed onthe other side of the world, this serious limitation cannot hold any longer.In this thesis, a review of both process-based, IO-based and hybrid methods for LCI ispresented, in terms of principles, advantages and limitations. It is followed by an explanationand demonstration of the mathematics underpinning the IHA model. Then, a model isproposed that would enable the model to take international trade into account. This is enabledthanks to the inspiration provided by a multi-regional framework proposed for ecologicalfootprint calculation. A numerical example supports this suggestion.The outcomes of this improved model are thought to go beyond its initial aims: the multiregionalIHA model could act as a variable geometry model where strongly affected regionsare efficiently focused on, without disregarding the others. This could prove efficient inavoiding side-effects of policy-making. Also, it would enable the development of moreregion-specific environmental impact coefficients, thus putting less pressure on fragileecosystems. The IHA model is a robust model: it is simple to handle – provided a userfriendlyinterface exists – but with a complex and evolutionary engine. It is compatible withan iterative progress in data collection. User-friendly software development could proveefficient to spread LCA practice and increase information exchange among industries,database builders and researchers. Using a multi-region framework would help industriescustomize impact assessment according to both the regional environmental condition andspecific geographic distribution of the supply chain, thus enriching their toolbox for strategicplanning.

In the years following the financial crisis, Greece experienced a severe loss in real per capita income and accumulated a public debt much higher than GDP and that of any other EU country. The article briefly analyses the causes of this development, including the policy failures of Greece and the EU. It develops a game-changing strategy, which could return the country to a growth path. This starts with the vision that Greece can make use of its unique location between Europe, Asia and Africa to build a bridge connecting these regions with fascinating and productive complementarities. Given this new strategy, including regional leadership in decarbonisation, youth reform boards, and the Greek diaspora as a manager of reforming and financing new activities, Europe should cut a substantial part of the debt. This would be in the interest of Greece, the EU and Europe's neighbours. / Series: Department of Economics Working Paper Series

Submitted by Morgana Silva (morgana_linhares@yahoo.com.br) on 2016-07-07T19:22:15Z No. of bitstreams: 1 arquivototal.pdf: 1760311 bytes, checksum: 2989c19e2a8125dafab059065b8903d7 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-07-07T19:22:15Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 arquivototal.pdf: 1760311 bytes, checksum: 2989c19e2a8125dafab059065b8903d7 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2016-02-29 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior - CAPES / Our goal is to reflect upon the images of Brazilian Northeast on contemporary regional Cinema. We will observe the representation of this space in a specific time frame. In the repertoire of the national culture, the Northeast is one of the most recurrent spaces, but over the years there were various images formulated to represent it. Thus, the very construction of a regional identity permeates these representations. In the context of Brazilian Cinema, the Northeastern representation reached its apogee in the Cinema Novo movement, with the called “sertão trilogy” (SYLVIE DEBS, 2007): Deus e o Diabo na Terra do Sol (Glauber Rocha, 1964. “Black God, White Devil”), Os Fuzis (Ruy Guerra, 1964) e Vidas Secas (Nelson Pereira dos Santos, 1963. “Barren Lives”). However, as Dídimo (2012), we understand that film Brazilian Northeast is an approach that is not dissociated from a political and historical context. The contemporary Cinema view on this region address issues relevant to the globalized world, making a reinterpretation and reconstruction of the space: it discusses multiculturalism and the local x global relationship, without, however, leaving aside the symbolic structures that permeates the Northeastern imaginary. Thus, our goal is to construct a study on the representation of Brazil’s Northeast on the national contemporary Cinema. Thereunto, we will prioritize productions – in an “auteur theory” (AUMONT, 2008; BORDWELL, 2008) perspective – from this own region: O Som ao Redor (Kleber Mendonça Filho, 2012. “Neighboring Sounds”), Árido Movie (Lírio Ferreira, 2005) and A História da Eternidade (Camilo Cavalcante, 2014). By understanding that in the national contemporary Cinema there is a reinterpretation in the representation of Brazilian Northeast space, we selected these movies with the aim of investigate how this region is approached in a globalized context. Therefore, we began a foray that seeks to stablish a dialogue between the “new” Third Cinema/Peripheral Contemporary Cinema (PRYSTHON, 2010) and the contemporary regional movies, but not leaving aside aesthetic issues concerning the Third Cinema and its process of transformation. / Nossa proposta é refletir sobre as imagens do Nordeste brasileiro na cinematografia regional contemporânea, observando o processo de representação do espaço nordestino a partir de um recorte temporal. No repertório da cultura brasileira, o Nordeste é um dos ambientes mais recorrentes, porém, ao longo dos anos, várias foram as imagens formuladas. E, desta forma, a própria construção da identidade regional perpassa por tais representações. No contexto do cinema brasileiro, a representação nordestina conheceu seu apogeu no movimento Cinema Novo, por meio da chamada trilogia do sertão (SYLVIE DEBS, 2007): Deus e o Diabo na Terra do Sol (Glauber Rocha, 1964), Os Fuzis (Ruy Guerra, 1964) e Vidas Secas (Nelson Pereira dos Santos, 1963). Todavia, assim como coloca Marcelo Dídimo (2012), também entendemos que filmar o Nordeste brasileiro é uma postura que não está abstraída do conjunto histórico e político de uma época. Os olhares do cinema contemporâneo para a região abordam problemáticas emergentes no mundo globalizado, e fazem releituras e reconstruções do espaço: discutem o multiculturalismo, a relação local versus global, mas, muitas vezes, sem deixar de lado as estruturas simbólicas que permeiam o imaginário nordestino. Desta forma, o nosso objetivo é construir um estudo sobre a representação do Nordeste no cinema brasileiro contemporâneo e, para tanto, priorizaremos produções – dentro da perspectiva de um “cinema de autor” (AUMONT, 2008; BORDWELL, 2008) – oriundas da própria região nordestina: O Som ao Redor (Kleber Mendonça Filho, 2012), Árido Movie (Lírio Ferreira, 2005) e A História da Eternidade (Camilo Cavalcante, 2014). Por entender que existe uma releitura na representação do espaço nordestino, no cinema regional contemporâneo, fizemos o nosso recorte com o intuito de observar as abordagens referentes ao Nordeste em meio a um contexto globalizado. Partimos de uma investida que busca estabelecer um diálogo entre a estética do “novo” Terceiro Cinema/Cinema Periférico Contemporâneo (PRYSTHON, 2010) e os filmes nordestinos da contemporaneidade, porém, sem deixar de discutir as questões estéticas referentes ao Terceiro Cinema e o seu processo de atualização.