This research examined the lived experiences of an Afghan Muslim male participant group. This study explored their immigration from a Southwest-Asian, highly non-secular society to a Western-style, liberal, secular nation-state. Further, this research was an examination of Muslim male identity as an attribute that is closely related to lived experiences, environment and cultural assimilation. Also, this study looked closely at the meanings that this Afghan Muslim male immigrant group attached to identity, as well as exploring their unique narratives during pre-immigration and post-immigration periods. This qualitative research study used narrative methods to unearth the lived experiences of five Afghan Muslim male citizens. These participants immigrated to the U.S. while serving as interpreters and translators for the coalition forces during the Afghanistan War between 2003 and 2012. Several researchers have examined Muslim immigration from Eastern to Western nations, focusing on their adaptation, assimilation, and developmental patterns. The research objective of this study was slightly different and important to social science in that it focused on how a select group of Afghan Muslim males conceptualized their own sense of identity and how their notion of identity was shaped and influenced by their own pre- and post-migration experiences. To this end, the discoveries in this study revealed that the nature of the identities for many in this study may be deemed more blended and in some instances renegotiated, holding onto parts of their core native identities while embracing aspects of the cultural, ethnic, and social elements of their new host land that fit within their own individual frame of reference.

The aim of this study is to examine the possibility of calculating the total weight of coins in poorly documented Viking Age silver hoards found on Gotland. A method for calculating the total weight of the silver coins in the hoards, and thus the weight relationship between minted and un-minted silver, would facilitate further and deeper studies using the hoards from Gotland. The method will be based on the average coin weights obtained from numismatic sources. Two calculations, one of Arabic coins and another with mixed coin, is attempted. Apart from the calculations of the Viking Age coins, earlier studies of the relation between silver coins and silver object will be discussed in the earlier research. The different Viking Age coins in the calculation and the development of the Viking age minting will also be discussed in earlier research. The result of the study demonstrate that an estimated total weight could be calculated for the Arabic silver coins. Unfortunately the mixed coin hoards could not achieve a calculation that could estimate an equivalent total weight of the silver coins

Thesis (MA (Political Science))--Stellenbosch University, 2008. / Private Military and Security Companies (PMSCs) have become increasingly important actors since the end of the Cold War. They provide a wide range of services and are therefore difficult to classify. Many view them as new front companies for mercenaries, which this thesis argues is not the case. Few states have put in place legislation to deal with the problems caused by these companies, and they are therefore generally not accountable to states. This is problematic because their services are within an area where states have traditionally had monopoly. This thesis studies the new South African legislation, the Prohibition of Mercenary Activities and Regulation of Certain Activities in Country of Armed Conflict Act of 2006, which was put in place in order to ban mercenaries and regulate the services offered by the private military and security companies based in the country. By comparing it to the older South African legislation, the thesis evaluates the extent to which the new legislation has been able to close loopholes inherent in the old legislation. The new South African legislation is also compared to the international conventions which bans mercenaries. By banning these actors, South Africa is very much in line with the international community when it designed the conventions. However, PNSCs are not mercenaries. The thesis then compares the new South African legislation to the domestic regulation in place in the United States of America. It finds that despite having many of the same weaknesses as the South African legislation, it is more likely that the American regulation will be abided by than the South African. This is due to the positive relationship between the US government and American PMSCs, and the fact that the government is a major client of the companies. South Africa does not enjoy the same positive relationship with its companies. Finally, the new South African legislation is compared to the UK Green Paper of 2002, which presented options of how to deal with the companies. The ban on mercenaries put in place by the new South African legislation was discouraged in the Green Paper. The licensing regime (as in the USA) that was proposed by the Green Paper, however, is similar to the authorisation scheme established in South Africa.

Thesis (MDF (Development Finance))--University of Stellenbosch, 2007. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: It is a fact that development aid represents the single most important source of external finance for most developing countries. This study sought to answer an important question relating to whether aid has a positive impact on economic growth or not. There is much literature on the subject and the views are quite diverse. Using the World Development Indicators (WDI) data, a cross-section regression analysis was performed over a period of 16 years and existing literature on the subject was re-examined. Of importance, this study tries to understand what the determinants or triggers of economic growth are, especially in developing economies. The results show that, although no significant relationship could be found between economic growth and development aid, there is strong evidence that there is a significant positive relationship between economic growth and the important triggers of economic growth used in the study, namely exports and investments. These are important components for the growth of any economy. The implicit conclusion is that since these two components are being impacted positively by aid, it follows then that the link between economic growth and aid can be considered to be a positive one. These findings go against the critics of development aid who maintain that aid that is being pumped into developing economies, especially the African continent, is actually just going into a big black hole and could be used more effectively somewhere else. This study proves that this is not the case and donor countries need to intensify their efforts of providing aid to poor countries because they need it and it is actually making a difference. AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Dit is ‘n algemeen aanvaarde feit dat ontwikkelingsteun die enkel belangrikste bron van eksterne finansiering is vir die meeste ontwikkelende lande. Hierdie studie poog om antwoorde te vind vir die belangrike vraag of steun ‘n positiewe impak op ekonomiese groei het of nie. Daar is volop literatuur oor die onderwerp beskikbaar en die opvattings is uiters uiteenlopend. Deur die World Development Indicators data te gebruik, is ‘n deursnit regressie analise gedoen oor ‘n periode van 16 jaar en bestaande literatuur oor die onderwerp is weer ondersoek. Die belangrikste oogmerk van die studie is om te probeer verstaan wat die bepalers of snellers van ekonomiese groei is, veral in ontwikkelende ekonomië. Die uitslae toon dat, alhoewel daar geen beduidende verhouding gevind kon word tussen ekonomiese groei en ontwikkelingsteun nie, daar wel sterk bewyse is vir ‘n beduidende positiewe verhouding tussen ekonomiese groei en die belangrike snellers van ekonomiese groei soos gebruik in die studie, naamlik uitvoere en beleggings. Hierdie is belangrike komponente vir die groei van enige ekonomie. Die implisiete afleiding is dus dat, aangesien hierdie twee komponente positief beïnvloed word deur ontwikkelingsteun, dit volg dat die skakel tussen ekonomiese groei en steun ook as ‘n positiewe een beskou kan word. Hierdie bevindings is lynreg in teenstelling met die kritici van ontwikkelingsteun wat handhaaf dat steun wat aan ontwikkelende lande, veral in Afrika, gegee word, eintlik net in ‘n groot swart gat verdwyn en meer effektief elders aangewend kan word. Hierdie studie bewys dat dit nie die geval is nie en dat skenker lande eerder hulle pogings om steun aan arm lande te bied moet verskerp omdat hulle dit nodig het en omdat dit regtig ‘n verskil maak.

Thesis (PhD)-- Stellenbosch University, 2013. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The emergence and re-emergence of viral human pathogens from wildlife sources in the recent past has led to increased studies and surveillance of wildlife for potentially zoonotic agents in order to gain a better understanding of the pathogens, their sources as well as events that may lead to viral emergence. Of the >1407 known human pathogens, 13% are classified as emerging or re-emerging, and 58% as zoonotic; 37% of the (re-)emerging and 19% of the zoonotic pathogens are RNA viruses, accounting for the majority of recently emerged infectious diseases with a zoonotic origin, such as HIV, Ebola, Hendra, Nipah, Influenza and SARS. This study focusses on potentially zoonotic viruses hosted by rodents (Muridae family), shrews (order previously known as Insectivora/Soricomorpha, now reclassified as Eulipotyphla) and bats (order Chiroptera). Rodents and bats represent the largest (~40%) and second largest (~25%) mammalian orders and both occur on every continent except Antarctica. Together, the three mammalian orders investigated represent the most relevant potential sources of new zoonoses. In this study I investigated the occurrence of astroviruses, arenaviruses, coronaviruses and hantaviruses in South African small mammal species belonging to the orders mentioned above. These viruses have either been implicated in recent emerging zoonotic events or are considered to have the potential to cause cross-species transmissions resulting in a zoonotic event. In the first part of the study specimens collected from various bat, rodent and shrew species were screened for viral sequences by broadly reactive PCRs; positive samples were characterised by sequencing and sequence analysis. A separate part of the study focussed on hantavirus disease in humans: a seroprevalance survey was conducted to determine the presence of hantavirus antibodies in the local population. Additionally, acutely ill patients with potential hantavirus disease were tested in an attempt to identify possible acute infections and define clinical hantavirus disease in South Africa. Screening of rodent and shrew specimens resulted in the identification of eight novel arenavirus sequences. Seven of the sequences are related to Merino Walk virus, a recently identified South African arenavirus, and the eighth sequence represents a novel lineage of Old World arenaviruses. Screening of bat specimens resulted in the identification of highly diverse novel astrovirus and coronavirus sequences in various South African bat species, including the identification of a viral sequence closely related to the recently emerged Middle East Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus. While the study did not identify hantavirus infections in any of the acutely ill patients, it found seroprevalences similar to those observed in Europe and West Africa. The results obtained highlight the importance of small mammals in the emergence of potential zoonoses and further reinforce the importance of viral surveillance of relevant wildlife species. Further in-depth studies of naturally infected reservoir host populations are required in order to gain a better understanding of virus-host dynamics and the events that lead to virus emergence. / German Research Foundation (DFG) (project number: KR1293/9-1/13-1) / The Polio Research Foundation and the NHLS Research / Harry Crossley Foundation, the Polio Research Foundation and Stellenbosch University for granting scholarships and bursaries for PhD.

日本自古以來便自外於中華朝貢制度，為東亞之異例。至明治維新後，中日兩國外交糾紛不斷。近代中日間最初之外交衝突為台灣事件。中國因此事件察覺到日本之野心，開始提防日本。其結果，反刺激日本國內之強硬論者，兩國開始步向衝突。日本面對中國此一大國，不論是作為競爭對手，或是侵略對象，開始積極關注中國政治發展之動向。特別在引發中日甲午戰爭的朝鮮問題上，日本著力最多。本論文想一探甲午開戰前日本人對中國觀點的變化。 當時日本發行多份報紙。各家報社有其不同政治立場，其社論亦各有趣旨。筆者認為由報紙研究日本的對中國觀點，確有其價值。因此，本論文主要使用之史料為明治時期之報紙，以學界先進之研究為基礎，想由新聞報導中找出當時日本之對中國觀，再將報導中的對中國觀與當時日本政府之對中國政策比較分析，藉以探究日本政府之對中國觀。 本論文之研究範圍由1873年起，至1894年甲午戰爭爆發為止前後共21年。清日修好條規並未為中日雙方帶來長久的和平，隨即兩國外交關係日漸惡化，到甲午戰爭之時互相敵視終至無法挽回。本論文之目的是想探討日本輿論、政府與知識份子從清日修好條規到甲午戰爭這段期間，他們對中國觀點之轉化，究竟對兩國關係起了什麼樣的影響；關鍵何在？ / Japan was a unique state in East Asia because it kept away from the Chinese tributary system. Therefore, Japan had diplomatic issue with China after the Meiji Restoration. The first diplomatic issue was the Taiwan problem. After this affair, China noticed Japan’s ambition of oversea expansion and began to take keen interests in Japan’s ambitions. On the contrary, this result leads to conflict between both countries by the motivation of the Japanese domestic debaters. Consequently, Japan also viewing China as such a powerful country begun to observe it as a competitor or a target for invasion. Especially due to the Korea problem, which caused the first Sino-Japanese war, lasted for a period of over 20 years. And it is this situation and period that I want to conduct my research on by viewing the Japanese view of China during that period. A lot of newspapers were published in Japan at that period. And each one had different political positions and editorial intent. And I think Japan’s view of China as portrayed as in the newspapers of that time has its own value. So I intend to use the newspapers of the Meiji era as the primary source of historical material. And use the senior researcher’s study as background. I hope therefore, that I can find out Japanese view on China in the newspapers. In this case, I want to compare the newspaper’s view of China and the Japanese government’s view to analyze the whole Japan’s view of China. This thesis looks at the period from 1873 to 1894, which is from the treaty of amity between Qing Empire and Japan Empire to first Sino-Japanese war. Though a treaty has been signed, peace was still limited between the two countries. The two countries’ emotions to each other were getting worse and worse. Finally the two countries antagonized to a situation that could not be repaired. The purpose of this thesis is how the Japanese newspapers, the government and the highbrow’s view of China changed in those 21 years between the treaty of amity between Qing Empire and Japan Empire and the First Sino-Japanese war.

While retail business development in Taiwan has reached mature stage for many retail formats, it is still in the rapid growth stage in China. Consumer shopping behavior in Taiwan and China might be different given different economic and retail development progress. The findings of this research support two hypotheses. First the retail format development is different in Taiwan and China. Second the consumer shopping behavior is different in Taiwan and China. All retail formats were developed ahead in Taiwan by around 15-20 years. It took around 35 years in Taiwan to develop up to current status. However, it took a much shorter time for China to catch up. The development was much more concentrated and intensive. The development order is also different. In Taiwan, the order is department store, supermarket, convenience store then hypermarket. In China, however, hypermarket development advances convenience store. Convenience store is still in an early development stage. Shopping behavior in different channel is also different. Taiwan shoppers visit convenience store most often while China shoppers patronize supermarket and hypermarket most frequent. In Taiwan, except household products, most packaged food or beverage are purchased most often from convenience store. In China, most are from supermarket and hypermarket. Moreover, Taiwan consumers are more particular, demanding and sophisticated. If any manufactures would like to enter China market, modern trade is suggested to the most important channel. It is easier for quick distribution, lower risk and more similar practice to Taiwan retail environment. If any retailers would like to enter China market, it is wiser to have international alliances. The retail business now in China plays with big economic scale. Without advanced knowledge, technology as well as rich working capital, it is very challenging to compete in China market. For research in the future, it is recommended to include village information. Under China government policy, village should be upgraded with strong government support. It will provide a more comprehensive pictures if village is included.

「社會行銷」概念與技術於1971年由學者Kotler & Zaltman提出，為首次行銷概念技術擴大應用至非營利部門在社會公益上的研究。行銷學者Kotler認為，社會行銷可擴大應用至社會各領域的公益推廣，包含公部門。由是，本研究基於擴大化應用的精神，以我國環保機關推動之「不燒紙錢宣導政策」為個案，探究行銷概念擴大化後，公部門在行銷理論基礎上，即交換理論在公私部門差異上導致社會行銷分析公部門個案時產生哪些差異？以及社會行銷擴大應用至公部門，在理論基礎上有哪些問題？同時以社會行銷概念及技術對個案進行分析。 因此，本研究在研究方法上，以個案研究的方式，先進行社會行銷及交換理論在公私部門差異的文獻基礎進行一回顧與整理，再依研究目的與問題針對理論基礎設計深度訪談的問題，依目的性抽樣原則尋找最能符合本研究目的之訪談者進行深度訪談，共十一位。訪談完成即整理逐字稿以進行後續分析。 經本研究分析，在理論面及實務面均提出研究貢獻與建議： 一、理論面： （一）社會行銷因為公私部門在本質上存有差異，導致源自於私部門的行銷理論基礎─交換理論，用於分析公部門社會行銷政策時，在各社會行銷步驟中均產生差異。 （二）交換理論自利假定在公私部門中產生差異，因此有關法律強制力、公民及消費者、自願交換關係及通路概念在未來社會行銷擴大應用至公部門時，有理論適用上的問題。 二、實務面： （一）「不燒紙錢宣導政策」經社會行銷八步驟分析，屬於同社會行銷概念及技術的行銷個案，但因其為公部門推動者，故在細部特徵上有公私部門假定上、本質上的差異。 （二）「不燒紙錢宣導政策」的推動，雖滿足公共利益的需求，但執行過程中直接法源不明確、推動組織鬆散、忽略利害關係人權益為實務需加強之處。 / The very concept of “Social Marketing”, first introduced by Philip Kotler and Gerald Zaltman, is used to apply marketing techniques to the area of nonprofit organizations to promote public interest. In Kotler’s mind, marketing techniques can be applied to both public and private sectors. However, whether this application adequate is needed to be answered. In this thesis, author uses a case named “campaigning the policy against burning golden papers in worship” implemented by the R.O.C government as an example to examine the adequacy of the “Exchange Theory” behind the concept of social marketing to understand marketing cases in the public sector. In order to find the conceptual problems through case study, author first adopts the eight stages of social marketing to describe the case throughout. Then, author design several interview problems to ask various actors who related to the case. Finally, author combines theoretical arguments, case details, and qualitative data from in-depth interview to analyze the adequacy of applying exchange theory in public sector through social marketing. Several findings are presented as follows. First, many differences were found in all the eight stage of social marketing. These differences illustrate many possible inadequacies of applying marketing techniques, supported by exchange theory, to public sector. Second, based on the above differences founded, the intention of broadening the concept of marketing to non-profit organizations should take them into considerations. Especially, the strategic marketing scheme, such as 4Ps, should be reevaluated according to the findings. Thirdly, practically speaking, there are supporting factors to make a marketing campaign successful in public sector: ambiguities in regulation, lack of solid implementation organization, and the missing of stakeholders opinion collection and interest-protection activities in the process.

世界上有一條路，最筆直也最曲折、最簡單也最艱難，叫做「回家」。這是一個關於渴望被愛、找尋與放下的故事。本劇希冀探討所謂的「你認為的好，不一定適合我」的概念。主角是一名患有氣喘的小女生，被雙親送到鄉下讓阿嬤照顧。她為了回家想盡各種方法，並在嘗試的過程中結識了一頭小鹿和孤僻的鄰居阿公。透過主角、小鹿及鄰居阿公三者間的互動，揭示了孩童的不安全感、動物的靈性及喪偶老人的孤獨等生命課題。 本文共分《回家的路》劇本、創作論述及附錄等三部分。創作論述中先說明故事發想歷程與創作背景，並回顧此劇探討面向的相關資料，包含兒童的安全感、老人的孤獨感及其與動物互動等；其次為劇本結構與人物研究，最後是創作心得與檢討。附錄則為相關電影介紹及分場大綱。 / There is one road in this world. It is the most straight and tortuous, the simplest and most difficult road – the road that takes us “home.” This story is about the desire to be loved, to search and to let go. The film script is hoping to explore the so-called “what is good to you may not mean the same to me” concept. It is about a little girl who suffers from asthma that her parents once took her to the countryside, and asked her grandma to take care of her. The little girl tried various ways to go home, and during the time she met a cute little deer and a solitary old neighbor. Through interaction among the little girl, the deer and the neighbor, the story reveals some life issues such as insecurity of children, spirituality of animals and loneliness among widowed elders. The thesis consists of three parts: the film script, literature review and appendixes. In the first part, the creative process and background of the story is mentioned, then to review on documents of children’s sense of security, loneliness of elders and the interaction between human and animal. Following with script organization and studies on characters, this thesis lastly presents the personal creation review and an overview of the script writing. Attached in the appendix is the introduction of related movies and outline plot.

本論文主要目的係探討政府持股與企業避稅間之關係。本文以2005年至2014年台灣公開發行以上公司為樣本，分析政府持股比例、代表政府董監事席次比例對租稅規避的影響，並檢視公股主導企業之避稅程度。 實證結果顯示，政府持股比例對企業避稅無顯著影響，然而，當代表政府的董監事席次比例愈高，企業會減少避稅行為。此外，研究結果亦指出公股主導之企業相對於家族企業，其避稅程度較低。進一步分析公股主導之企業和雙權偏離互動對企業避稅之影響。實證分析發現，當股份盈餘偏離程度愈大，公股主導之企業相對於家族企業，其避稅程度較高，隱含公股主導之企業會透過避稅行為將財富移轉至企業本身；反之，當席次盈餘偏離程度愈大，公股主導之企業相對於家族企業，其避稅程度較低，表示政府掌握董事會席次時，能有效監督企業遵循稅法規定，採用較保守的租稅政策。 / The purpose of this study is to examine the association between government shareholding and tax avoidance. This study uses the data of Taiwan public companies from 2005 to 2014 to analyze whether government shareholding percentage and the ratio of directors held by the government have impact on tax avoidance, and investigate the level of tax avoidance of government-controlled companies. The empirical results reveal that government shareholding does not significantly affect corporate tax avoidance. However, when the ratio of directors held by the government increases, companies would reduce the level of tax avoidance. In addition, the results also indicate that government-controlled companies are less tax avoidance compared with family-controlled companies. This study conducts further analysis on the influence of the interaction of government-controlled companies and the deviation between control rights and cash flow rights on tax avoidance. The results show that the higher the level of the deviation between voting rights and cash flow rights, the higher the level of tax avoidance of government-controlled companies than family-controlled companies. It implies that government-controlled companies might transfer fund to themselves through tax avoidance. On the contrary, when the deviation between the ratio of controlled board seats and cash flow rights increases, the government-controlled companies engage in less tax avoidance than family-controlled companies. It represents that when the board of directors is controlled by the government, it could effectively supervise the company to comply with tax regulations, and the company would adopt conservative tax strategies.