This research is an exploration of ethnic narratives of the Circassian community in Jordan, in addition to the nationalist narratives promoted by the state of Jordan, and their reconstruction by the research participants. This research aims to understand how the research participants, as non-Arabs, understand and makes sense of the Pan-Arab ethnonational narratives promoted by the state through the ‘Jordan First’ nationalist campaign and textbooks of national and civic education. It also seeks to understand the ethnic narratives of the Circassian community. It highlights the fact that ethnic narratives are often contextualised, and come to light always in comparison to the other. It also shows how ethnic narratives are gendered, can include or exclude women, and gender relations are ethnicised, or in other words used as markers for group boundaries. The main aim of this research is to unpack the research participants’ conceptualisations of Jordan and the Pan-Arabism, and to understand the strategies they use to include themselves within these narratives. It intends to evaluate whether research participants see themselves as integrated into the Jordanian society or not. Whereas the community itself is often portrayed as integrated into the society, because many of them are in high governmental positions, and the ceremonial guards of the Royal Family are the Circassians, it is also important to examine whether they believe that they are, and how. This thesis contributes to the literature on ethnicity and nationalism based on a minority with unique profile, and also contributes to the overall body of literature on state nationalism in the Middle East. The research has been approached through the use of both qualitative and quantitative data collection methods. It is based on the analysis of textbooks of national and civic education, and the ‘Jordan First’ campaign, in addition to 13 interviews and 62 questionnaires.

Convention Theory sees government, market, community and general public work with each other by coordination. Over time, this coordination yields faith and trust, i.e. public good for all. This research employs Convention Theory as an aid to understanding the public disputes brought by two new urban renewal policies in Hong Kong before and after the 1997 handover. It compares two major cases representing the two new policies. Through an examination of the processes of these social disputes and each patty's justifications in the different, case studies, this thesis explores the differentiation between them in terms of people's and specific communities' expectation, faith and trust in public policies under the British administration and the new Hong Kong SAR administration. It brings in historical and political contexts to illustrate how and why people frame a new public policy with established social conventions so as to judge its impacts on self, community and public interests. A new public policy that becomes a cause for public dispute inevitably jeopardises this coordination. A change in suzerainty, then, sharply exposes work of this underlying coordination and its jeopardy. This explains the very different evaluations and actions by groups facing the same policy concurrently. Further, the thesis attempts to ascertain the reasons for such difference. Time plays a crucial role in this framework, one that supplements the critical ambit of Convention Theory. The time frame for the two case studies (1988-2008) allows for a comprehensive and continuous comparison of co-ordination, confidence and tmst between communities, society and government before and after Hong Kong's suzerainty changed from Britain to China in 1997. By contextualising two cases; the first evolving over the years 1988-2004 and the second, 2002-2008, this thesis assesses the impact of this change, both in terms of the evolution of governmental and administrative bodies and their affect on perceptions of justice, faith and trust, and on people's perceptions of how this change affected both their own self-interest as well as the interest of Hong Kong per se. Hence this study applies Convention Theory and extends it through its analysis of the role and impact of contextual socio-political change during this time. The in-depth comparative analysis reveals how the pursuit of collective private interests at the community level later evolves into a pursuit for democracy, which links the community to a wider public-whose support it both solicits and wins-as a counterweight to widespread morally and politically iniquitous, unjust and indefensible outcomes. Thus, the evidence furthers Convention Theory's dynamic view of a community's collective cognition and critical capacity that transmutes from the private and familiar to incorporate the public in the transformation from a private dispute made public. This thesis argues that the social values

This thesis uses subjective well-being data to understand the impact that an individual’s economic circumstances have on their well-being. Chapters 2, 3, 4 and 5 look specifically at the role of income on well-being; whilst Chapters 6 and 7 focus on the effect of employment status. This thesis draws heavily on psychological concepts and ideas; highlighting that an interdisciplinary approach to subjective well-being data can have substantial benefits to the study of well-being. Chapter 2 seeks to understand how people compare their incomes with one another. Relative judgment models from psychology are explored and the evidence suggests that individuals may be concerned with their rank position rather than their absolute position or how they compare relative to a mean level. Applying this idea to relative income studies it is shown that an individual’s rank income provides a better explanation of life satisfaction than either absolute income or their income relative to the mean income of those around them. Chapter 3 highlights that although more money may reduce psychological distress it is a relatively inefficient way to do so. This chapter provides medical evidence to suggest that psychological therapy is a more efficient way to reduce psychological distress. Income growth does not appear to increase national well-being in developed countries so this chapter suggests that increasing access to mental health care could be a better way to raise national well-being. Personality, although appropriately controlled for, is mostly ignored by economists researching subjective well-being data. Chapters 4, 5 and 6 therefore explore the use of personality measures in economic subjective well-being research. Chapter 4 proposes a new methodological technique that incorporates personality measures. Chapters 5 and 6 then show that personality interacts with important economic variables. These chapters show that personality is an important aspect to be understood by economists. Chapter 7 demonstrates the importance of using longitudinal data to understand causal effects on well-being. Improvements to occupational status have been argued to lead directly to improvements to health. This argument has been based solely on the cross-sectional association that individuals with high occupational status tend to have better health. Chapter 7 shows that improvements to occupational status actually tend to increase mental strain. Taken altogether these studies suggest that subjective well-being data provides a useful arena in which interdisciplinary research can be conducted.

This thesis examines how black masculinity is constructed, drawing on the accounts of black British men. It is based on field research in London, which consisted of a survey, participant observation, as well as interviews with 'representatives' of 'the black community' and black 'individuals', conducted in late 2007 and 2008. The research took place against the backdrop of on-going violence where black males were portrayed as the main victims and perpetrators of knife and gun crime, as well as the main participants in 'gang' related violence and crime. This thesis first maps the ways in which black men have been constructed within British society, with a focus on the present day. It then goes on to investigate the ways in which black British men as well as sections of 'the black community' respond to dominant constructions of black males in policy and media discourse. It finally considers the alternative ways in which black masculinities are constructed according to black men, namely a group of 20 men of Caribbean descent aged between 18 and 45. This study relies on both qualitative and quantitative methods to explore how black men respond to and negotiate negative representations of black masculinity. In particular, the study relies on the use of visual methods, namely photographs along with in-depth interviewing to generate accounts from black men of the alternative ways in which black masculinity is constructed and how such constructions are arrived at in contemporary Britain. The use of photographs allows for the exploration of not only how individuals see things but also how they see things differently, which can in turn invite new ways of seeing. This thesis argues that stereotypical representations of negative, atavistic, and violent black masculinities as routinely portrayed by the British media continue to form a common theme in the construction of 'the black British community' and the Government responses to these representations. I identify that sections of 'the black community' play an active part in responding to these constructions and highlight how this can considerably affect the ways in which black males are represented. While institutions like the mainstream media, parts of the criminal justice system and senior politicians continue to represent black men primarily as victims and perpetrators of violence, this thesis highlights how black men engage in acts of resistance which invite us to think about the roles of resilience amid ambivalence in the construction of identities.

This thesis is an ethnographic exploration of the way in which local actors who engage in Ambedkarite discourses in rural Chhattisgarh are disconnected from the larger pan-Indian social movement. It goes beyond the literature that looks at Dalits in the urban context by focusing on Dalits in rural India. The aspects under investigation are caste, social and sectarian movements, youth, rights, intergenerational difference and education. The Satnami community examined here is located in a village where they are in more or less the same economic position to other castes. These other castes, however, practice ‘distancing’ from them to avoid ‘pollution’, which is a cause for smouldering resentment. Satnamis have been historically militant. They acquired additional land and assert themselves through a sectarian movement. They have their own functionaries and pilgrimage site. Their sectarian ideology advances the claim that they are independent (swatantra) from other castes and have mitigated exchange (len-den) with them. Nevertheless, they remain at the bottom of the village caste hierarchy and face everyday forms of caste oppression. Educated Satnamis in the younger generation claim that they know more (jaankar) about their rights (adhikaar) and aspire to change by becoming “key social animators”. These young men are organised in an association (samiti/samuh) that draws on Ambedkar’s ideas about overcoming caste oppression. They also appropriate mainstream spaces in the village by organising Hindu festivals, and defy ‘clean’ caste ostracism at a ritual level. But they do not have any functional power in the village or in the panchayat. When urban Dalit activists, with their headquarters in Raipur, visit rural areas, they ignore this group of young men in the village. Their main activity is fact-finding and the dissemination of reports of caste-motivated atrocities on the Internet with the intention of forging links to NGOs nationally and internationally. They do not focus their attention on mundane forms of caste oppression in everyday village life, and the young men in the village remain hidden from view. The present study examines how the Dalit movement is functioning at the grass roots level, focusing on those actors in rural India who remain hidden from mainstream channels of activism in the Dalit movement.

This research examines the concept of identity of place using the town centre of Kuantan, Malaysia as a case study. Identity in this research is defined as the qualities of a place that are recognised or recalled as being distinct from other places by the people. The aim is to investigate the elements and qualities associated with the identity of the town centre as perceived by its residents. The objectives of the research is to identify the elements associated with identity of the town centre as perceived by the residents. Secondly is to establish the qualities that are associated with identity of the town centre. The third objective is to examine the variation in residents' perception of elements and the qualities associated with identity according to their socio-cultural background. Finally, is to examine the variation in residents' perception of elements and qualities associated with identity between different parts of the town centre. The research adopted a mixed methodology using both the quantitative and qualitative method in data collection and analysis. The quantitative approach adopted a survey using a questionnaire on a sample of the town centre's residents. A total of 330 residents from the residential areas located within the town centre boundaries were involved in the sample survey. The data collected by the survey are the resident's perception of the town centre's environment and the profile of its residents. The survey data was processed using the SPSS Pc+ and analysed using descriptive statistics, namely frequencies and percentages. A cross-tabulation table was also used to identify the elements perceived by the different ethnic groups, gender and age groups that make up the composition of the respondents. The qualitative approach adopted four techniques that is focused interview, sketch map task, photo recognition interview and visual survey (field observations and recording). A total of thirty residents were involved in the interview. The data collected from this second phase was analysed qualitatively. The focused interview and photo recognition interview were taped recorded and transcribed. Analysis of the interview were based on the recurrent themes and categories that appeared in the transcripts. The findings of the research is a culmination of the cross analysis between the two different approaches. There are four main findings of the research. Firstly, there are three types of physical elements that are distinctive to the residents, that is physical structures (namely buildings, urban spaces (such as streets) and landscape features. Secondly, the characteristics of distinctive physical elements are influenced by the physical appearance, activities and the meanings and associations attached to the elements. The third finding is that there is no significant variation between the socio cultural groups in terms of elements perceived to be distinctive and that the slight variation is on the level of details observed. Of the three socio cultural factors observed, it is found that age group have more variation in perception of distinctive elements than the other two factors, especially between the youngest and the oldest group of residents. Finally, there is some variation in residents' perception of identity between different parts of the town centre. The variation observed is that residents perceived the older town centre as having a stronger identity than the newer town centre. From the research findings, several urban design and planning implications were suggested that influenced the distinctiveness of the town centre. The implications are with regards to decisions on the enhancement of path networks, development of landmarks, enhancement of nodes and entrances and conservation of the old town centre. Suggestions for further research and the implications for existing theories were also discussed. It is implied from this research that such guidelines would increased the distinctiveness of elements and places in the town centre. This consequently enhances the identity of the town centre to its residents.

This thesis describes the social organisation of Kurdish refugee communities and is a contribution to the theoretical discussion of the concept of diaspora. Field research methods were used in this comparative sociological study among Kurdish refugees from Turkey, Iraq and Iran, who live in exile in Finland and England. The writer uses rich ethnographic material to describe the social organisation of the Kurdish refugee communities. The thesis introduces new arguments about, and suggests a rethinking of, the process of integration among refugees. In many different ways refugees living in exile have a continuous relation to their societies of origin. The thesis describes various transnational social relations and networks among the Kurdish refugees. It is argued that the Kurds in exile can be regarded as a diaspora. The concept of diaspora highlights the refugees' continuous relation to their countries of origin. However, the transnational social networks and associations can also be important resources for the refugees in their new country of settlement. There is also reason to remember the importance of social structures and exclusionary policies in the country of settlement. The comparison of the two different countries of settlement shows that these structures and policies have a great impact on how the refugees will be integrated into the receiving society. It is argued that a study of refugee communities needs to take into account refugees' relations to both the society of origin and the society of settlement. The writer emphasises that a diaspora can be understood as a transnational social organisation relating both to the country of origin and the country of settlement. Thus, it is argued that the concept of diaspora is a useful analytical tool for an understanding of the transnational social reality in which refugees live.

Working-class politics in Birmingham and Sheffield contrasted sharply in the 1920s - Birmingham was a bastion of working-class Conservatism, Sheffield, a Labour stronghold. In the first half of the thesis, we explored this contrast by an examination of the economic, social and political conditions which underlay it. Sheffield's large-scale industry was found to reinforce working-class values and trades union traditions which facilitated Labour's political rise. Birmingham's diversified, often small-scale, economy impeded the development of working-class consciousness and eased inter-class relations. These differences were reflected in the towns' working-class cormtinities. The forms of Sheffield society consolidated the working-class loyalties of which Labour affiliations became one aspect. Birmingham society was more penetrable and possessed a powerful civic tradition of cross-class cooperation. In local government, Birmingham retained a confident, reforming middle-class leadership fulfilling the heritage of Joseph Chamberlain. Sheffield's middle-class politicians retreated into reactionary oppositionism which hastened Labour's advance. Contemporary events in the national economy and politics strengthened Labour's claim to be the real party of the working class. In the second half, we studied the content of working-class politics; examining, firstly, Labour's principles and practice. Ethical and constitutional values, combined with a corrrnitment to practical reform, were found dominant. A genuine party life of extra-political activities existed but its scope and ambitions were modest. Cooperation shared similar values, allied with an ambiguous attitude towards political action which strained relations with the wider Labour movement. The revolutionary Left was active but its aggressive style and far-reaching demands distanced it from the broader working class. In conclusion, we looked at working-class Conservatism - still influential and with several ideological and structural strains in workingclass culture perpetuating its appeal. We viewed it, particularly among the poorer strata, as one method of getting by in a life deemed fundamentally unalterable.

The thesis is divided into three parts. Part I traces the history of Council housing from the nineteenth century to the present day, showing the influences in building and management that have produced poor, run-down publicly owned housing estates. Octavia Hill, the ardent reformer, developed a system of intensive, localised management, coupling slow renovation of the worst slum housing with social support for the most disadvantaged households. Local authorities failed to copy her approach while wanting to combat slums. They built for secure, working families and built large, dense blocks of flats, often displacing the very poor. General housing subsidies were introduced in a big building spurt after World War I, and in 1930 these subsidies were targetted at slum clearance, relief of overcrowding and the construction of flats in inner cities. Local authorities were expanding rapidly and private landlords declined. After World War 11 the mass housing era began and about four million homes were built by Councils over 30 years. Half were industrially built or in the form of flats, both unpopular styles. Most were in cities on large estates. Management problems developed apace, with poor staff training and little political will to provide meticulous landlord services. Lettings policies concentrated the poorest families on the least popular estates. Homelessness increased in spite of evidence of a crude housing surplus. The gap between the Council sector and the owner-occupied sector grew in socio-economic terms. Part 11 examines the detailed evidence of the Government and local authorities illustrating the emergence of difficult to let estates as a major housing problen. Councils were already seriously concerned in the late 1960's. Difficult-to-let estates were first recognised officially in 1974 by the Government. The overwhelming evidence provoked the Government into a major new housing initiative in 1979, the Priority Estates Project. Part III present the conditions on 20 unpopular estates around the country, and the efforts of the local authorities concerned to tackle the problems through local estate-based initiatives. Overall; the conclusion is that major advances can be made through an integrated localised approach, although the future role of elected political bodies as major landlords of predominantly poor communities must be questioned. Autonomous local management organisations, better training and more socially mixed estate communitites are found to be ways forward.

Polyolefins are the most important commodity polymers today. Their end use properties polymers depend primarily on their molecular weight (MWD) and chemical composition (CCD) distributions. Several characterization techniques are used to analyze the microstructures of the polyolefins. High-temperature gel permeation chromatography (GPC) is the most widely used technique for MWD determination. Temperature rising elution fractionation (TREF) and crystallization analysis fractionation (CRYSTAF) are routinely used for CCD measurement. There have been significant improvements over the last few years on CCD characterization techniques for polyolefins with the introduction of crystallization elution fractionation (CEF) and high-temperature thermal gradient interaction chromatography (HT-TGIC). The main objective of this thesis was to conduct systematic studies on HT-TGIC and CEF to provide a better understanding on the separation mechanism of these new techniques and to find out operational conditions that enhance the resolution of the measured CCDs. The effects of cooling rate, adsorption/desorption temperature range, heating rate and sample size on HT-TGIC fractionation were investigated using polyethylene and ethylene/1-octene copolymers made with metallocene catalyst. It was found out that HT-TGIC was relatively insensitive to the cooling rate within the range investigated in this study. However, the obtained profiles depended strongly on the heating rate applied during the desorption cycle. Chromatograms measured under faster heating rates were broader and had lower resolutions, supposedly due to co-desorption effects. Analysis of polyolefin blends by HT-TGIC showed that sample volume was a very important parameter affecting peak separation of the blend components; reducing the volume of the injected sample can be used to minimize the degree of co-adsorption and co-desorption effects. The effect of solvent type on HT-TGIC analysis was investigated using o-dichlorobenzene (ODCB), 1,2,4-trichlorobenzene (TCB), and chloronaphthalene (CN). Polyolefin blends were analyzed using these solvents and the best resolution was obtained iv when ODCB was used as the mobile phase. The profiles obtained using TCB and CN were similar and both were strongly affected by the co-adsorption and co-desorption phenomena. HT-TGIC profiles of ethylene homopolymers and ethylene/1-octene copolymers were also compared with the equivalent CEF profiles. Interestingly, it was found out that the differences between the profiles measured by these techniques decreased as the comonomer content increased, with CEF systematically measuring sharper profiles for samples with low 1-olefin comonomer content. A new method was also developed to quantify the degree of co-crystallization of polyolefin blends analyzed by CEF and was used to quantify operating conditions that influenced co-crystallization. The results showed that co-crystallization can be minimized using slower cooling rates, but heating rates play a less important role. A detailed study on the effect of CEF operating conditions on CCD resolution was also conducted using industrial LLDPE resins that have broad MWDs and CCDs. Cooling rate and solvent flow rate during the cooling cycle significantly affect the degree of co-crystallization of CEF profiles. However, varying the heating rate does not have a marked impact on these separations. The CEF profiles of these resins were compared with the equivalent HT-TGIC profiles, showing that CEF provided better peak separation than HT-TGIC. Finally, a new mathematical model was developed to simultaneously deconvolute the MWD and CCD of polyolefins made with multiple site-type catalysts such as Ziegler-Natta catalysts. The model was applied to several industrial linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE) resins to estimate the minimum number of active site types, the number average molecular weight, the average comonomer mole fraction, and the mass fraction of soluble and non-soluble polymer made on each site type.