Joaquín de Arredondo was the most powerful and influential person in northeastern New Spain from 1811 to 1821. His rise to prominence began in 1811 when the Spanish military officer and a small royalist army suppressed Miguel Hidalgo’s revolution in the province of Nuevo Santander. This prompted the Spanish government to promote Arredondo to Commandant General of the Eastern Internal Provinces, making him the foremost civil and military authority in northeastern New Spain. Arredondo’s tenure as commandant general proved difficult, as he had to deal with insurgents, invaders from the United States, hostile Indians, pirates, and smugglers. Because warfare in Europe siphoned much needed military and financial support, and disagreements with New Spain’s leadership resulted in reductions of the commandant general’s authority, Arredondo confronted these threats with little assistance from the Spanish government. In spite of these obstacles, he maintained royalist control of New Spain from 1811 to 1821, and, in doing so, changed the course of Texas, Mexican, and United States history. In 1813, he defeated insurgents and American invaders at the Battle of Medina, and from 1817 to 1820, his forces stopped Xavier Mina’s attempt to bring independence to New Spain, prevented French exiles from establishing a colony in Texas, and defeated James Long’s filibustering expedition from the United States. Although unable to sustain Spanish rule in 1821, Arredondo’s approval of Moses Austin’s petition to settle families from the United States in Texas in 1820 and his role in the development of Antonio López de Santa Anna, meant the officer continued to influence Mexico. Perhaps Arredondo’s greatest importance is that the study of his life provides a means to learn about an internationally contested region during one of the most turbulent eras in North American history.

中共於2013年11月召開十八屆三中全會，並發佈《中共中央關於全面深化改革若干重大問題的決定》這份16個改革方向和60個改革要點的決議中，有關司法改革部分以「法院去地方化、去行政化」受到高度關注。2014年10月中共的十八屆四中全會以依法治國作為主軸，並具體化「法院去地方化、去行政化」的改革路徑，提出「推動省以下地方法院人財物統一管理；探索建立與行政區劃適當分離的司法管轄制度。」此次司法改革議題是針對中國法院體制提出結構性的變革，改變了以往程序技術性的改革。目前，綜觀臺灣學界，以「現行中國法院體制之沿革與弊端；中國歷次司法改革之改革核心要點」兩大互動關係作為分析，較為罕見。本研究旨在廓清「中國推動依法治國下之法院體制改革核心」，內容以「憲法－法律－司法政策」作為分析架構，研究中國法院的人事與財政制度，透過法條解析與最高人民法院歷屆的《五年改革綱要》，了解中國法院的結構性弊端成因與進入高度成熟市場經濟的司法改革關注重點。以透析中國司法制度在現行法律規範的框架下，法院人財物與法官管理體制所呈現出嚴格屬地化原則的運行模式，進一步檢視中共十八大三中與四中全會所提出的法院去地方化、去行政化之改革路徑與核心。主要研究成果，發現以下訊息：以省級高等法院作為跨行政區劃管轄制度的基礎才是法院去地方化的改革關鍵。然而，中國所選擇的北京市與上海市的跨行政區劃的法院管轄之試點改革，仍然局限在一個省級框架內部，新設置在直轄市的中級法院仍舊是「同級黨政機關決定法院的財政人事」制度模式。若能作到省級高等法院切斷與省級人大人財物的供給，將觸及到中共十八大三中與四中全會所提出結構性司法改革之真正核心。 / The Third and Fourth Plenum of 18th CPC Central Committee passed the Decision on Major Issues of comprehensively Deepening Reform and Decision on Major Issues of comprehensively promoting the Rule of Law. The most important proposals concerning China’s judicial system reform is centered on the Court independence from localized political authority and bureaucratized. The current situations that Court’s independence and judge’s independence seem difficult in China is partly due to administration and localization. Up to now, it’s one very pressing issue in judicial reform is to properly deal with the multiple relations related with judicial system, under the Constitution of PROC. The relations include the external relations with CPC , power authority , administrative authority and citizen. The internal relations contain power allocation , supervision and restriction and personnel administration with the Court. This study aims to clarify the orientation of judicial system reform under China’s deepening the Rule of Law and it will focus on how the China’s Court to be apart from localized political authority and bureaucratized.

This study pursues the quest and struggle for total liberation in post-independence Shona poetry. The study also relies on views of key respondents obtained through interviews and questionnaires. Couched and guided by Afrocentricity and Africana womanism, the study elucidates the politico-economic and socio-cultural factors that militate against Africa’s total liberation in general as well as women’s liberation, respectively. Simultaneously, critical judgments are passed on the extent to which poets immerse their art in African existential philosophy. The study is energized by the idea that pursuing the quest for authentic liberation provides a lens through which one can understand threats to Africa’s true liberation. It observes that poets and key informants largely attribute ersartz independence to internal problems. The researcher holds that it is problematic to hold a domesticated vision of the African condition to the extent that poets and other literary workers need to widen their canvas beyond fighting internal oppression and internationalise the struggle. The researcher argues that it is myopic and self-defeating to protest against Africa itself without giving adequate attention to the incapacitating hegemonic world system. Therefore, the poetry is lacking on its critique on domination. The centerpiece of the thesis is that in order to be purposeful and functional, poets need to grapple with both endogenous and exogenous factors that obstruct the march towards genuine liberation. The study also observes that in some instances poets produce cheap literature which is marked by a narrow and moralistic approach and this is attributable to the fact that poets lack a scientific vision in understanding reality. Concerning women’s authentic liberation, the commonly identified obstacles to women’s freedom are the male counterpart, self-depreciation, lack of education and culture. The study observes that women poets in Ngatisimuke (1994) and key respondents seem to approach gender relations from a feminist perspective and hence fail to situate women’s condition in the context of the history and culture that shape African gender relations. Women poets in Ngatisimuke fall short of internationalising their struggle in concert with the male counterpart such that their poetry degenerates into sponsored and misguided activism. / African Languages / D. Litt. et Phil. (African Languages)

This short dissertation briefly examines the English law statutory provisions and the English judicial approach relating to the clean break principle. A comparison between English law and South African law (in particular s 7 of the Divorce Act 70 of 1979) shows the latter to allow the application of the clean break principle, but rigidity in the legislative wording and further rigidity in the wording by the courts result in the clean break principle not being a dominant feature of South African divorce law. A detailed analysis of South African case law follows in which the fundamental issues relative to the clean break principle are examined, namely the one third rule, universal partnership, misconduct and its effect on court orders, the nature of a contribution and what property is distributed on divorce. Trends in maintenance orders are looked at and how these affect the clean break principle, in particular rehabilitative maintenance and token maintenance wards. / Law / LL.M.

Text in Afrikaans / Die ekologiese faktore wat bydra tot die onafhanklikheid van twintig Suid-Afrikaanse kwadruplee is vanuit 'n sistemiese perspektief beskou. ('n Selfontwerpte vraelys en onderhoud is benut). Die kriteria was dat: Hulle 'n betrekking beklee; finansieel selfonderhoudend is; tuis gaan in 'n eie woonplek; 'n voertuig besit wat aan hulle mobiliteitsvereistes voldoen; en van 'n rolstoel gebruik maak. Sekere demografiese faktore staan in 'n positewe vehouding tot onafhanklikheid. F aktore rakende die indiwidu het die meeste waarde vir die instandhouding en ontwikkeling van 'n onafhanklike lewenstyl. Faktore wat verband hou met die sosiale ondersteuningstelsel is van ietwat minder belang. Alhoewel die faktore wat verband hou met die gemeenskap nie heeltemal onbelangrik is nie, het dit deurgaans die minste waarde. Faktore wat verband hou met funksionele aanpassings (versorging; mobiliteit; loopbaanaangeleenthede en finansies; en dermkanaal- en blaasbeheer) was deurgaans van besondere belang. Die belangrikheid van tersiere opleiding; die hoeveelheid hulpmiddels in gebruik; en sport, oefening en ontspanning was minder as wat verwag is. / The ecological factors contributing to the independence of twenty South African quadriplegics were investigated from an systemic perspective. (A self compiled questionnaire and semi-structured interview were used). The criteria for inclusion is: Employment; financial self-support; living in a residences of their own; having a motor vehicle that satisfy their mobility requirements; and reliance on a wheelchair. Certain demographic factors are linked, positively to independence. The factors related to the individual appeared to be the most important factor in developing and maintaining an independent lifestyle. The social support system received a slightly lower value rating. Community factors, while not entirely unimportant, received the lowest ratings throughout the study. The factors regarding functional adaptations ( care; mobility; career issues and finances; and control over bowels and bladder) were in general of great significance. The value of tertiary education; the amount of special aids in use; and sport, exercise and recreation have been less than expected. / Social Work / M.A. (Sosiale Wetenskappe (Geestesgesondheid))

This thesis presents a foreign policy decision-making analysis of Kazakhstan's foreign relations in the initial post-independence period. The study applies a neoclassical realist theoretical framework in order to provide the understanding of Kazakhstan's external behaviour. The thesis conceptually assumes that the integration of the presidential decision-making element in the analysis of the republic's foreign policy is essential to account for Kazakhstan's foreign strategies, which would otherwise appear to be anomalous from the deterministic perspective of the structural theories of international relations. The set objective of the work is to produce a theoretically informed historical narratives of Almaty's policymaking during three episodes in the republic's diplomatic history – the elaboration of a distinct balancing strategy; the relinquishment of the nuclear arsenal; and the Nagorno-Karabakh peace mission. The reconstruction of events behind the decisions made by president Nursultan Nazarbayev and his key advisors through the assessment of primary materials sourced from the archives of Kazakhstani foreign policy demonstrates that foreign decision-making process played a crucial role in the identification of national interests and development of appropriate policy responses in each of the episodes under examination. Chapter IV illustrates how the nation's policymakers developed a unique balancing strategy to ascertain the country's sovereignty and eliminate security risks under overwhelming geopolitical pressures that emanated from Russia and China. Chapter V discusses the episode when Nazarbayev was subjected to direct international pressure to surrender the inherited Soviet nuclear arsenal on the terms imposed by the USA, in response to which Nazarbayev devised a deliberately ambivalent and protracted strategy in regard to the republic's nuclear status. Chapter VI reveals the adaptability of the republic's policymaking to the changing international context as the regression of the Nagorno-Karabakh peace initiative demonstrates. The exposition of intricate policy planning and profound diplomatic endeavours reflected in archival documents reinforces the thesis's premise about the non-deterministic nature of Kazakhstan's foreign policy.

Thesis (LLM)--Stellenbosch University, 2002. / Some digitised pages may appear illegible due to the condition of the original hard copy / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This thesis is a response to the judgment of the Constitutional Court in South African Personal Injury Lawyers v Heath, in which certain provisions of the Special Investigating Units and Special Tribunals Act were subjected to constitutional review. The outcome of the case was the striking down of certain provisions of the Act as unconstitutional, and the removal of Judge Willem Heath from his position as head of the Unit. The provisions were said to infringe upon the principle of separation of powers, an implicit term of the Constitution of South Africa. This principle affects the extent of the judicial power because of its influence on determining the acceptability of extra-judicial functions. The doctrine of separation of powers is therefore considered in its historical and theoretical context, with particular reference to the way in which it tends to limit or define the role of judges. Following this analysis, the status of institutions supporting constitutional democracy is examined, and the legislation governing Special Investigating Units is compared with that which regulates the office of the Public Protector. As a result, some alternative legislative means of achieving the ends of the Units, namely the combating of state corruption and maladministration, are suggested. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie tesis volg op die uitspraak van die Grondwetlike Hof in South African Personal Injury Lawyers v Heath, waarin sekere bepalings van die Wet op Spesiale Ondersoekeenhede en Spesiale Tribunale aan grondwetlike hersiening onderwerp is. Die uitkoms van die saak was dat sekere ongrondwetlike bepalings van die Wet ongeldig verklaar is, en dat Regter Willem Heath van sy posisie as hoof van die Eenheid onthef is. Dit is bevind dat die bepalings die beginsel van skeiding van magte, 'n implisiete term van die Suid-Afrikaanse Grondwet, geskend het. As gevolg van sy invloed op die bepaling van aanvaarbaarheid van buite-juridiese funksies, beïnvloed dié beginsel die omvang van die juridiese mag. Die skeiding van magte leerstuk word dus in sy historiese en teoretiese konteks oorweeg, met spesifieke verwysing na die manier waarop dit neig om die rol van regters te beperk of te omskryf. Na hierdie analise word die status ondersoek van instellings wat grondwetlike demokrasie ondersteun, en die wetgewing wat die Spesiale Ondersoekeenhede beheer, vergelyk met dié wat die Openbare Beskermer reguleer. Op grond hiervan word sekere alternatiewe wetgewende metodes voorgestelom die doeleindes van die Eenhede, naamlik die bekamping van staatskorrupsie en wanadministrasie, te bereik.

Thesis (MBA)--University of Stellenbosch, 2011. / This study investigates the independence of non-executive directors serving on the boards of the Top 40 companies listed on the JSE based on information collected from the companies‘ annual reports. It examines the definition of an independent non-executive director and analyses whether the directors of the Top 40 companies comply with the definition of the independent non-executive directors as set out in the King III Report. The third King Report on Governance for South Africa also known as King III Report was developed in response to the Companies Act of 2008 and the global financial crisis where the boards of directors were accused of not providing the required oversight in companies. Governments and regulatory bodies around the world were calling for the reform of laws and corporate governance codes to prevent occurrences such as the financial crisis and other corporate governance scandals. The new Companies Act mainly focuses on the duties and responsibilities of directors and their performance obligation. The King III report incorporated the amendments to the new Companies Act to ensure that companies are in line with best practice in corporate governance and that they comply with the law in terms of the Companies Act. The King code focuses on the role of non-executive directors with emphasis on the independence of directors because the role of directors is seen to be pivotal to good corporate governance. The findings of the study show that the majority of the companies analysed comply with the definition of an independent director as outlined in the King III Report. However, there is evidence that some companies are not yet compliant in terms of the disclosure of information concerning the tenure of directors as well as the number of directorships. The non-disclosure of information pertaining to the tenure and number of directorships held by some directors makes it difficult to assess whether the directors are fully compliant or not. There is also evidence that suggests that the majority of the boards do not assess directors‘ independence for those directors who have served on the board for more than nine years. Therefore, the majority of companies do not include a review of the independence of directors. Best practice stipulates that there be an assessment of the directors‘ independence when extending the directors‘ tenure beyond the given nine-year period. The study recommends that the King Report should be decisive on issues such as the number of directorships and that it should provide guidelines for the number of directorships that directors can hold. The study shows that some of the directors in the Top 40 companies listed on the JSE currently hold too many directorships and that there is a need for more clarity in this regard. 62 Pages. .

Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2000. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The end of the Cold War had a profound impact on the qualitative and quantitative nature of the UN's peace and security agenda, representing a shift from traditional peacekeeping to a broader, more ambitious and intrusive notion of peacekeeping. This evolution was marked by an expanded UN engagement in a broad range of intra-state conflicts and characterised by UN undertakings towards aspects of national political and socio-economic reconstruction including the evolution of humanitarian action. Responding to the expanded United Nations agenda for international peace and security and at the request of the UN Security Council (UNSC) Boutros Boutros-Ghali prepared the conceptual foundations of the UN's role in global peace and security in his seminal report, An Agenda for Peace (July, 1992). The Secretary General outlined five inter-connected roles that he projected the UN would play in the fast changing context of post-Cold War international politics, namely: preventive diplomacy, peace enforcement, peacemaking, peacekeeping and post-conflict peacebuilding. The UNSG described the newly defined concept of post-conflict peacebuilding as action organised "(to) foster economic and social co-operation with the purpose of developing the social, political and economic infrastructure to prevent future violence, and laying the foundations for a durable peace." With specific reference to landmines in An Agenda for Peace the UNSG stressed that peacebuilding following civil war and internal strife must address the serious problem of landmines, which remained scattered in present or former combat zones. The UNSG underscored that mine action (demining) should be emphasised in terms of reference of peacekeeping operations which is crucially important in the restoration of activity when peacebuilding is under way. The United Nations involvement in the Mozambican peace process (1992-1995) has been interpreted as the culmination of a major success story in wider peacekeeping in Africa under UN auspices - a category of peace operation, which included peacemaking, peacekeeping, humanitarian assistance, peacebuilding and electoral assistance. Mozambique's peace process has subsequently been cited as a model UN peacekeeping operation which could be adapted to post-conflict situation elsewhere. Within the context of landmines as a threat to post-conflict peacebuilding as articulated by the UNSG in An Agenda for Peace, the study focuses on how the United Nations implemented mine action initiatives in operationalising the concept of peacebuilding in Mozambique. In this context, the study reviews the UN operation in Mozambique (ONUMOZ) and its capacity, responsiveness and vision in implementing mine action initiatives, both in terms of the operational requirements of the ONUMOZ peacekeeping mission and the development oflonger-term humanitarian mine action programmes in Mozambique. To this end, the study views the establishment of a sustainable indigenous mine action capacity as a sine que non for post -conflict peacebuilding. From this perspective, the study interprets the 1999 Mine Ban Treaty Prohibiting the Use, Stockpile, Production and Transfer of Anti-Personnel Mines and on their Destruction and the rights and obligations of Mozambique as a State Party to the Treaty as the most appropriate instrument towards the creation of an indigenous Mozambican mine action capacity to address the long-term effects oflandmines on post-conflict peacebuilding. In terms of methodology the approach was historical-analytical and in essence a deductive method of research was followed. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die einde van die Koue Oorlog het diepgaande verandering teweeggebring ten opsigte van die Verenigde Nasies se vredes en sekuriteits regime ter handhawing van internasionale vrede en sekuriteit. Hierdie periode is gekenmerk deur 'n skerp toename in intra-staatlike konflikte en gevolglik in die kwalitatiewe en kwantitatiewe aard en omvang van Verenigde Nasies vredesoperasies in terme van die VN Handves. Ten einde die verantwoordelikhede van die Verenigde Nasies met betrekking tot die handhawing van vrede en sekuriteit in die snel - veranderende konteks van die post - Koue Oorlog periode aan te spreek, het die Sekretaris - Generaal van die Verenigde Nasies, Boutros Boutros - Gali, in opdrag van die Veiligheidsraad die konseptuele fundering van die VN se rol verwoord in sy pioniersverslag - Agenda vir Vrede (1992). In sy verslag van Julie 1992 identifiseer en omskryf die Sekretaris-Generaal vyf verbandhoudende konsepte wat sou dien as meganismes ter beslegting van internasionale konflik, naamlik voorkomende diplomasie (preventive diplomacy), vredesingryping (peace enforcement), maak van vrede (peacemaking), vredesoperasies (peacekeeping) en post-konflik vredeskonsolidasie (post-conflict peacebuilding). Die Sekretaris-Generaal het post-konflik vredeskonsolidasie omskryf as die "vestiging van sosio-ekonomiese samewerking met die oogmerk om die sosiale, politieke en ekonomiese infrastruktuur te ontwikkel ten einde hernude konflik te voorkom en ter grondlegging van langdurige vrede". Met spesifieke verwysing na die korrelasie tussen landmyne en post-konflik vredeskonsolidasie het die Sekretaris-Generaal benadruk dat landmyne 'n bedreiging inhou vir die konsolidasie van vrede na burgeroorlog en interne konflik, en veral binne die raamwerk van 'n VN vredesoperasie in terme van 'n VN Veiligheidsraad mandaat. Die VN se vredesrol in Mosambiek word allerweë beskou as een van die mees suksesvolle VN vredesoperasies ooit. Die doel van die studie is gevolglik om ondersoek in te stel na die toepassing van die konsep van post-konflik vredeskonsolidasie met spesifieke verwysing na die Mosambiekse vredesproses en die rol van die Verenigde Nasies se Operasie in Mosambiek (ONUMOZ). In die opsig fokus die studie spesifiek op die rol van ONUMOZ (1992-1995) en suksesse en tekortkomings in sy vredesmandaat ten opsigte van die implementering van aksies om die kort-en-langtermyn impak van landmyne in terme van post-konflik vredeskonsolidasie in Mosambiek aan te spreek. Vanuit hierdie konteks, vertolk die studie die Landmyn Verdrag (1999) en die totale verbod op die aanwending, opgaar, produksie en oordrag van landmyne en die vernietiging daarvan as die mees geskikte raamwerk waarbinne Mosambiek 'n inheemse vermoë tot stand kan bring ten einde die langtermyn impak van landmyne op post-konflik vredeskonsolidasie effektief aan te spreek. Vanuit 'n metodologiese oogpunt word in hierdie studie histories analities te werk gegaan en die benadering is beskrywend - verklarend van aard. Verder is die metode van ondersoek in wese deduktief van aard.

This thesis proposes two distinct but connected ideas: that John Keats’s idiom of friendship was haunted by “sequestered” longings and that he ultimately valued specific, one-on-one partnerships as a basis for his poetical character. The Introduction places the thesis within its critical context and outlines “paradoxical solitude,” a concept the poet expressed by joining a “kindred spirit” in a wilderness retreat in “O, Solitude.” I begin by examining the evolving role of solitude in Keats’s literary predecessors (Chapter I). I then trace the development of ideas of creativity and solitude from his 1814-1815 verse, including his first association with a coterie and the influence of Wordsworth (Chapter II). Building on these findings, I explore the poet’s introduction to the Hunt circle in 1816, assessing his relationships with its members and their overstated roles in the production of Poems (Chapter III). I then discuss how Keats regarded the composition of Endymion in 1817 as a poetic “test,” specifically tailored to reinforce his identity as a solitary poet (Chapter IV). I contend that Keats engaged in a dialogue of independence with Reynolds, adapted the theories of Hazlitt, and restlessly travelled throughout England as a means of rejecting the highly social periods of 1818 (Chapter V). I then consider the creative gains of his northern expedition with Brown in the summer of 1818. I argue that Keats exaggerated his development into a “post-Wordsworthian” poet, positioning himself outside both the coterie’s sphere and the reach of Blackwood’s criticism, and inspiring the theme of Hyperion (Chapter VI). In closing, I analyze Keats’s advice to Shelley to be a selfish creator of his poetic identity. Only through paradoxical solitude, I argue, was Keats able to construct the poetic identity that led him to compose the poems on which his fame rests in the 1820 volume.