This thesis examines an exile community’s relation to media. In particular, it focuses on the case of the Cuban-American community and English- as well as Spanish-language media based in Miami, FL. Following the revolution under Fidel Castro in 1959, Miami developed into the capital of the Cuban exile. Over the past decades, the Cuban-American community formed a nucleus which attracted further migration from South America and the Caribbean. The incoming migrants contributed to turning Miami into a flourishing economic urban space. Furthermore, the Cuban-American community was a vital player in creating a vibrant media scene. This thesis is situated in the context of ongoing debates on diasporic communities, notions of exile and liminality and theories addressing the tensions between the local, the national and the transnational. Empirical data for this project has been gathered in three periods of field work in 2006, 2007 and 2008. Journalists, media executives and active members of the Cuban-American community were targeted as key informants in the field. This thesis argues that the locale of a migrant community is of as much significance as national and transnational ambitions. The tensions between and imbrications of the local, national and transnational are evident in the media’s content, aim and scope. By mapping Miami as a place and social space, relations between the Cuban-American and other communities are discussed in detail. The heart of the thesis contains an in-depth analysis of the different media, i.e. the press, radio, television, and the internet. The chapters explore how these media have interacted with early Cuban migrants as well as their relationship to the Cuban-American community today. The findings point towards diverse and complex patterns. Time of migration, cultural background and age are significant factors on an individual’s approach to certain media. In turn, some media outlets clearly cater for specific segments of the community. A key point is that the media’s role in relation to the Cuban-American community is a balance act of local, national and transnational remits. The research contributes to debates on media, migration and communication research. It is the first comprehensive study of the Cuban-American community and their relationship to Miami-based media. Secondly, it takes a holistic view of the broader media ecology. The analysis is informed by the wider historical context. It encompasses detailed analysis of a variety of media and how these are interlinked. Moreover, this thesis employs an innovative research methodology in that it takes an etic, non-mediacentric approach to researching the media of a diasporic group.

This thesis explores various factors that may influence the production of value for charities on social media websites. A mixed methods triangulation-based approach is used in order to improve understanding around why charities use social media and what they want to achieve by doing so, why supporters interact with charities on social media, and how this behaviour actually occurs on two popular social media sites: Facebook and Twitter. Qualitative sources of data are utilised in order to establish the reasons behind why social media are used, while quantitative sources provide evidence of interaction on these sites to establish whether or not the motivations of the charities are portrayed through their actual behaviour. An argument is made that because there are so many influencing factors on the resulting value, it is extremely difficult to measure this—and to distinguish success on these sites—through the use of automated tools that do not take into account the context of the organisation involved and what they are actually trying to achieve in the first place. Furthermore, this thesis suggests that analysing what the charity does in relation to their strategy can help to indicate whether or not a social media strategy has the potential to create the desired levels of value, and a classification system of communication styles is presented in order to assist with this process. This thesis therefore provides contributions that help to understand the value of social media for charities, and as such has implications for future social media research, charitable strategy planning and Web Science as a wider discipline.

This is a thesis about the middle classes. Using Bourdieu's trilogy of habitus, capital and field, the thesis attempts to capture the logic of practice embedded in middle-class decision-making. Drawing on longitudinal, qualitative research across two sixth-form institutions, I explore how young people's and parents' narratives disrupt dominant accounts of the middle class as homogenously privileged and strategic players in the field of education. The thesis therefore proposes a more nuanced representation of middle class practice. Furthermore, with a fee-paying sixth-form the primary research site, the thesis addresses a neglected and often demonised 'other'. The research explores the problems and gaps in the way that Bourdieu has been used so far to understand educational decision-making as a classed practice. I argue there has been a tendency to focus on the successful and straightforward educational outcomes of middle-class young people. The literature says very little about their practices, and there is a tendency to represent them as symbols of their parents' success. In many ways, middle-class young people are offered as a privileged, homogenous 'other' to working-class disadvantage. When the lens is directed to their parents, the literature emphasises how capital accumulations are strategically deployed to secure advantage for their children. The particular and practical logic generated by habitus is replaced by deliberate strategy. Although using a Bourdieuian vocabulary, when representing the middle classes, the workings of the habitus are largely absent.

The aim of this thesis is to investigate the Colombian-Lebanese community in Bogota, and specifically the identities of a particular group of Colombian-Lebanese. I explore the role of ethnicity in the construction of their identities, through the concepts of space, performance and community. The Colombian-Lebanese community has a particular position within Bogota society as part of Bogota’s elite. This privileged position means the Colombian-Lebanese community is a confident group that does not have to endure the negative aspects of ethnic labelling that other less privileged communities may have to sustain. Most of the Colombian-Lebanese participants in this study have been successfully upwardly socially mobile whilst keeping a connection with their ethnic community. At the same time, less upwardly mobile descendants of Lebanese immigrants are more likely to completely assimilate into Colombian society, or if they are recent Muslim immigrants, maintain their religious identity but their ethnic identity is likely to gradually dilute. By adopting an ethnographic approach, with an emphasis on interviews and participant observation, I focus on the Colombian-Lebanese organisations that work within this ethnic community, including a social club, a Maronite parish, a charitable organisation, and a cultural association. I analyse a number of activities and events organised by the Colombian-Lebanese, observing the locations where these take place, their participation in the events, as well as how identity is performed within them. There have been few studies of the Colombian-Lebanese in Colombia, most of those focussing on the history of migration and settlement. This thesis aims to address this by adding a contemporary view of the Colombian-Lebanese in Bogota. Moreover, it contributes to the growing literature on migrant communities investigating whether upward mobility is compatible with ethnic identification. I argue that social status is as important to Colombian-Lebanese identity as ethnicity, and that the two combine in order to belong to the organisations that work within the community. The social positioning of the Colombian-Lebanese in Bogota’s society positively influences their relationship with their ethnic identity, which they can choose deliberately when and where to perform.

Islamic Financial Institutions (IFIs) have recently witnessed remarkable growth triggered by an increasing Islamic awareness, rising oil revenues in the Gulf and IFIs’ holistic business model. The key selling factor, however, is their Shari’a-based business proposition which often requires some financial sacrifices e.g. being ethical, responsible and philanthropic. It also requires them to refrain from investments in tobacco, alcohol, pornography or earning interest. On the other hand, for IFIs’ sponsors and managers, the key motivational factor of entrance into the Islamic financial market is not their desire for achieving Shari’a objectives through the holistic business model but rather the desire to tap this highly profitable market where customers are inclined to pay a premium for Shari’a compliance. In order for IFIs to be accepted by the market, they need to be certified by Shari’a scholars, known for their integrity and expertise in Shari’a. One can, therefore, expect potential tensions between IFIs’ managers and Shari’a scholars. The purpose of this research is, thus, to probe the struggle for achieving a high level of Shari’a compliance in the presence of a desire for business objectives within Islamic banking. The research explores the following questions. Firstly, who determines and defines Shari'a compliance? In other words, is it the Shari’a scholars who dictate Shari’a compliance or managers or an alliance between the two? Secondly, what are the various levels of Shari’a compliance within IFIs? Thirdly, what causal and intervening factors determine the level of Shari’a compliance within IFIs? Fourthly, what strategies are adopted by Shari’a scholars and managers to tackle this phenomenon? Lastly, what is the prevailing level of Shari’a compliance in IFIs in the present scenario? The study explores these questions using Grounded Theory (GT) as a methodological framework. The choice of GT for this research was triggered by two factors; i) non-availability of sufficient literature in this area and ii) the entwinement of the related hidden phenomena with deep social intricacies. Data, which was steered by theoretical sampling, consists mainly of in-depth interviews with a number of key stakeholders from three significant cases and a regulatory body. The findings reveal that Shari’a compliance is a complex process and is determined by a combination of religious, social, ideological, structural, regulatory and self-interest forces. Though Shari’a scholars can apparently be seen as the supreme authority in defining, dictating and implementing Shari’a compliance, the practical phenomenon is opaque because of the managers’ substantial ‘invisible hand’ in the whole process. While many Shari’a scholars employ considerable efforts in making their respective institutions genuinely Shari’a-compliant, managers, on the other hand, try to tap the market with the tag of Shari’a certification obtained from Shari’a scholars. This involves the exercise of a number of strategies e.g. avoidance, controlling, coercion, compromising, confrontation and separation on the part of the two parties. As a result, the study illustrates that Shari’a compliance is not an absolute term. Rather it is constantly being positioned and repositioned- termed as fatwa repositioning in this study- by the combination and intensity of the above-mentioned forces and strategies. It varies from ‘superficial’ to ‘reasonable’ levels on a continuum with two extremes; ‘deep’ and ‘no’ Shari’a compliance. The research has three main implications: theoretical, methodological and practical. On the theoretical side, the research contributes to the Islamic finance literature in particular and organizational control literature in general. The study claims that organizational control is much more complex in IFIs because of the struggle for achieving divergent objectives (pursued by different authorities) through the same institution. There is a latent struggle between the two parties to control each other. Interestingly, Shari’a scholars are generally not in control of what they are supposed to be controlling i.e. Shari’a compliance. On the methodological front, the study suggests some new analytical techniques e.g. a snapshot view of the coding framework and a combination of manual and computer-assisted analysis. From a practical standpoint, the study suggests that Islamic banking is currently in a critical stage. It can either become a viable alternative to the conventional banking system by genuinely incorporating Shari’a objectives into its business model or pave its way to collapse by its existing struggle to achieve business objectives through Shari’a certification from Shari’a scholars.

Background: Studies of cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) for psychosis 'a debilitating illness of the mind, often characterised by symptoms such as hallucinations, delusional beliefs, thought disorder and bizarre behaviours' demonstrate that African Caribbean and Black African patients have higher drop-out rates and poor outcomes from treatment. Aims: a). To produce a culturally sensitive adaption of an existing CBT manual for therapists working with patients with psychosis from African-Caribbean, Black- African/Black British, and South Asian Muslim communities. b). To assess the effectiveness of culturally adapted CBT for psychosis in this population. Method: Part 1: A two centre qualitative study consisting of individual semi-structured interviews with patients with a diagnosis of schizophrenia, schizo-affective, delusional disorders or psychosis (n=15); focus groups with lay members (n=52); CBT therapists (n=22) and mental health practitioners (n=25). Data was analysed thematically using evolving themes and content analysis. NVivo 8 was used to manage and explore data. Part 2: The recommendations were used to inform adaptation of CBTp. A randomised controlled trial was conducted in three centres in the UK. A total of 35 participants were recruited. Assessors blind to randomisation and treatment allocation administered outcome measures at three-time points; baseline, post-therapy and at 6 months follow-up using the Comprehensive Psychopathological Rating Scale (CPRS) and Insight in Psychosis Scale. Participants in the CaCBTp arm (n=16) were offered 16 sessions of therapy and completed Patient Experience Questionnaire (PEQ) post-treatment. Treatment as usual (TAU: n=17) arm continued with standard their treatment. Results: Analysis was based on the principles of intention to treat (ITT). This was further supplemented with secondary sensitivity analysis. Post-treatment the intervention group showed statistically significant reductions in symptomatology on overall CPRS scores, CaCBTp group, Mean (SD) = 16.23 (10.77), TAU = 18.60(14.84); p = 0.047, with a difference in change of 11.31 (95% CI: 0.14 to 22.49; CPRS subscales showed significant effect in CaCBTp over TAU. Adjustment was made for age, gender and medication. Overall satisfaction on the PEQ was significantly correlated with the number of sessions attended (r= .563; p = 0.003). Conclusion: Participants in the CaCBTp group achieved statistically significant improvement post-treatment compared to the TAU. Attrition rates were low and therapy experience and satisfaction were highly rated. The findings will have implications for a definitively powered phase III RCT. A CaCBTp training manual in is preparation.

In order to present an urban design perspective on recycled railway corridors this research considers the importance of place qualities to selected regional and neighbourhood transit contexts, also the spatial implications of a variety of certain differing transit modes are reviewed. This examination considers normative urban design criteria in relation to concepts of sustainable, transit-supportive built environments. This notion required a conceptual framework which accommodates the sophisticated and subjective aspects of regional design. Further, a visual methodology capable of accumulating significant quantities of data relevant to urban design was requisite. A qualitative case study strategy of inquiry was therefore adopted. Three UK recycled railway corridors were selected as case studies and considered independently and interdependently. This comparative analysis was predicated upon a variety of sources; archival, documentary and observational. This research uncovered urban design truths in the empirical context of recycled railway corridors. A high proportion of the instances examined in this research illustrate perfunctory urban design responses to public transit spaces, both in the regional and neighbourhood contexts. These instances were evocative of influences that prompt homogenisation in the anatomy of the built environment, with the automobile-dominated landscape showing prevalence. In these instances, normative urban design qualities were largely absent from the public realm. In lieu of these qualities ‘anywhere’ design responses, that failed to address issues of authenticity and place specificity, occupied those important spaces that relate to the public transit systems. However, this condition was not ubiquitous. This research examined instances where careful interdisciplinary ‘joined-up thinking’ has led to a set of place specific, transit supportive urban designs. Here, the opportunities inherent at the convergence of public transit systems and the human scale public realm have been taken advantage of. This has been achieved through the consideration of issues such as palimpsest, rootedness and place specificity, which have resulted in exemplars of bespoke, transit supportive urban designs.

This study sits within the socio-political and legislative context of a transition time worldwide, when globalisation, a communication revolution, mass migration, climate change and economic rebalancing are changing the face of the world. This work aimed to resolve some of the challenges urban practice is facing to adopt complex, systemic and multidisciplinary appraisal processes that could help deliver more sustainable neighbourhoods, looking at public life in the public realm in British neighbourhoods. The study adopted the concept of neighbourhood coined by Barton (2000): the physical environment; the community; and human perceptions of their area. All encapsulated within six core dimensions of place proposed by Carmona et.al (2010): ‘morphological’, ‘social’, ‘perceptual’, ‘visual’, ‘functional’ and ‘temporal’ dimensions. This research concerns the first three dimensions. Traditionally, urban studies, design guidance and planning policy in Britain have been largely dominated by morphology literature. More recently, methods for appraising the quality of the public realm were developed. However, these approaches focus on the physical aspects of place neglecting other dimensions. The core element of this research involved the adaptation of social sciences’ tools and their application to appraise two urban neighbourhoods in Nottingham, and two semi-rural towns in North East Derbyshire. The empirical study applied a variety of methods including quantitative analysis and phenomenological interpretation. The adopted social tools were tested in professionally-led, community-led and authority-led engagement processes to inform planning policy. The correlated findings demonstrated that all three dimensions are strongly interconnected: road hierarchy, social spheres and enclave-belonging behaviours correlated; informal contact at a street level was strongly related to street patterns; public building provision was associated with the creation and development of social networks; and the value that neighbours gave to public places had correlation with certain urban characteristics of place but not with professional evaluations of urban quality. This new knowledge made two main contributions to urban practice: methodological, with the introduction of feasible ways to appraise the social and perceptual dimensions of place in neighbourhoods; and empirical, with evidence based validation of existing synergies between three dimensions of place in neighbourhoods. It also contributed to urban literature and opened channels for further research. This thesis demonstrated that studies that neglect social and perceptual dimensions, emphasising on morphology, might result in incomprehensive or incomplete interpretations of place. An assumption can be made on the basis of these empirical findings that other dimensions of place that escaped the scope of this research are equally important. Following this work, field practitioners and authorities are urged to note the relevance of multi-dimensional approaches to urbanism, an urgent reform that needs to be catalysed in urban policy and practice.

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Numerous studies have been undertaken on a wide range of issues affecting racialised minorities and small businesses. This thesis has chosen to focus on a number of issues pertinent to the nature of ethnic minority owned small firms. Whilst the topic of finance has been researched in tandem with other factors, it has rarely received the attention devoted to it in this thesis. The thesis critically evaluates finance availability for black small enterprises owned by persons of South Asian and African-Caribbean origins. Semi-structured interviews have been conducted with business owners in fifteen locations in England. These interviews have been enriched by a smaller number of in-depth unstructured conversations. Apart from finance, other relatively under-researched aspects of black enterprise are also discussed in this investigation. The interplay of gender, ethnicity and small enterprise is explored in chapter four whilst chapter seven examines the nature of both African-Caribbean and South Asian businesses situated in contrasting market areas. Parallels are drawn between the experiences of allegedly entrepreneurial-minded groups such as the Koreans and African-Americans in the USA who are distinctly under-represented among the small business owning classes. The outcome of this investigation of African-Caribbean and South Asian small enterprises is an image of a group of owners who have a strong determination to succeed in their ventures, exemplified through such factors as their motivation and attendant vocational qualifications, whilst simultaneously attempting to overcome numerous obstacles. Some of these barriers are generic to small businesses per se, whilst others are more exclusively 'ethnic'. The whole thesis is encapsulated within socio-political debates around the plight of severely disadvantaged visible minorities and proposed self-help strategies mediated by the persistence of covert and blatant racism.