In this thesis, we study the relationship between the generalized eigenvalue problem (GEP) $Ax=\lambda Bx$, and systems of differential equations. We examine both the Jordan canonical form and Kronecker's canonical form (KCF). The first part of this work provides an introduction to the fundamentals of generalized eigenvalue problems and methods for solving this problem. We discuss the QZ algorithm, which can be used to determine the generalized eigenvalues and also how it can be implemented on MATLAB with the built in function 'eig'.  One essential facet of this work is the exploration of symmetric matrix pencils, which arise when A and B are both symmetric matrices. Furthermore we discuss discrete velocity models (DVMs) focusing specifically on a 12-velocity model on the plane. The results obtained are then applied to half-space problems for discrete velocity models, with a focus on planar stationary systems.

No description available.

This thesis examines the implementation, enforcement and evolution of IP laws and regulations in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. The period of interest includes the last decade of the twentieth century and the first decade of the twenty first century, with emphasis on the role played by Free Trade Agreements struck between Jordan and the United States, the European Union, and Jordan’s accession to the World Trade Organization. This thesis also examines the enforcement of the current set of IP laws in Jordan, and looks at their social and economic compatibility with the Jordanian societal norms and economic realities. This thesis argues that Jordanian IP laws lack a meaningful social and economic texture, and have failed to be evenly enforced in Jordan, essentially because they do not fit the Jordanian culture and are not compatible with Jordan’s economic stage of development. Additionally, the thesis argues that IP laws have had insignificant economic impact on the Jordanian economy as the majority of technologies used in Jordan, and the majority of foreign direct investments attracted to Jordan, are not IP related. Finally, the thesis argues that the current Jordanian enforcement model, which is built on coercion by donor countries, is serving the interests of foreign companies to the exclusion of the local citizens, and will not, in the long run, produce an enforcement model based on self-regulation by Jordanians, themselves. The laws, therefore, are unable to produce tangible results for the Jordanian people, or help meet their economic interests. The last part of the thesis deals with recommendations and suggestions aimed at creating an integrated approach to the adoption of IP policies.

Since the start of the Syrian war, Jordan has received many Syrian refugees with around 650,000 Syrians now residing in the country. As the state has received a lot of help from the international community, funding refugee camps and providing basic necessities, a lot of international humanitarian practitioners have come to Jordan to work alongside Jordanian and Middle Eastern practitioners. The situation therefore has brought practitioners from different academic, professional and geographical backgrounds together to work with people of a different cultural background than their own. Syrians represent a vast diversity in terms of ethnic, religious, linguistic and socio-economic backgrounds. Research have addressed that practitioners’ sensitivity to how cultural complexities may influence social problems can facilitate a better understanding of the client’s path to recovery. The purpose of our study was to increase the knowledge of mental health and psychosocial support practitioners’ understanding and experience of a culturally sensitive social work in Amman, Jordan and discuss how this affects their practice with Syrian refugees. Through qualitative interviews we found that the practitioners’ perception of Arab culture as one and the same makes culture a non-issue in terms of cultural diversity, and that this perception influence the practice with Syrian refugees in a number of ways.

This work explores the role of the watermill in the history and society of Jordan, Syria and Cyprus from the 12th to the 19th century. Previous studies in this area have been limited, and have usually assumed the watermills in the Levant to date from the Ottoman period. This work aims to suggest that many of the mills still extant today in fact date from an earlier period. A review of the historical documentation and archaeological material is the main background of this study, while an examination of the watermills themselves aims to provide a permanent record of these before they disappear due to rural and urban development. A review of available reference material regarding the role of the mill in Levantine economy and society from the medieval to late Ottoman periods emphasises the importance of the watermill in rural and urban areas of the Levant in a historical period of fluctuating economic stability. The reference material consists mainly of historical accounts by travellers and chroniclers, legal documents such as treaties, charters and waqf documents, as well as archaeological, environmental and socioeconomic studies of the Levant from the medieval to the early modem period. The broad nature of this study aims to form a basis for future research with a more detailed focus in these disciplines.

Text in Xhosa. / Thesis (MA)--University of Stellenbosch, 2002. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study explores the cultural conflict between the Western and African cultures in two Xhosa novels. The two novels investigated in this study are Ingqumbo yeminyanya by A.C. Jordan and Ukuba ndandazile by W.K. Tamsanqa. We concentrate on the two older Xhosa novels with the aim to find out how they deal with the cultural conflict arising from western and traditional Xhosa life systems. Chapter 1 of the study presents the aims of the study. Chapter 2 presents theoretical underpinnings of literature and culture as the theoretical framework of the study. In Chapters 3 and 4, two Xhosa novels are analysed, one in each chapter. It is found that conflict in Ingqumbo yeminyanya and Ukuba ndandazile, results from western and traditional Xhosa value systems that co-exist. The characters in the novels belong to each camp and have strong views about the other's value system. The protagonists of both novels adhere to the western culture, and they live in their community with antagonists who cherish their traditional Xhosa lifestyle. The traditional people are content with their style of life, they are dissatisfied by the westernised life of their offspring who have become alien and who despise and look down upon their own Xhosa tradition and custom. A major problem in the novels is that the westernised protagonists are a few educated royal leaders who have to lead the traditional people they despise. Yet because of the majority of the traditionalists, the traditional Xhosa life exerts so much force on the lives of the few educated protagonists such that they reach tragic ends. The conclusion that can be made about the tragic end of the characters in both novels is that it results from the failure of the intolerance of the western and traditional value systems. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie studie ondersoek die kulturele konflik tussen die Westerse en Afrika-kulture in twee novelles. Die twee novelles wat ondersoek word is Ingqumbo yeminyanya van A.C. Jordan en Ukuba ndandazile van W.K. Tamsanqa. Daar word gekonsentreer op hierdie twee ouer novelles met die doelom te bepaal hoe kulturele konflik hanteer word wat veroorsaak word deur die verskille tussen westerse en tradisionele Xhosa leefwyses. Hoofstuk 1 van die studie bied die doelstellings en afbakening van die navorsingsonderwerp. Hoofstuk 2 bied die teoretiese grondslae van die interaksie tussen letterkunde en kultuurondersoek wat die teoretiese raamwerk vorm van die studie. In hoofstukke 3 en 4 word die Xhosa novelles ontleed. Daar word bevind dat konflik in Ingqumbo yeminyanya en Ukuba ndandazile veroorsaak word deur westerse en tradisionele Xhosa waardesisteme wat naas mekaar bestaan. Die karakters in die novelles verteenwoordig elk van hierdie kante, en het sterk sieninge oor die ander se waardesisteem. Die protagoniste in beide novelles volg die westerse kultuur, en hulle leef in hulle gemeenskap met antagoniste wat die tradisionele Xhosa lewenswyse volg. Dié tradisionele mense is tevrede met hulle leefwyse, en is ontevrede oor die verwesterse lewe van hulle kinders wat vervreemd geraak het, en wat neerkyk op die Xhosa tradisies en gewoontes. 'n Groot probleem in die novelles is dat die verwesterse protagoniste in paar opgevoede koninklike leiers is, wat die tradisionele mense moet lei vir wie hulle verag. Vanweë die meerderheid tradisionele mense, oefen aspekte van die tradisie te veel druk uit op die enkele opgevoede protagoniste en laasgenoemde het 'n tragiese dood. Die gevolgtrekking kan gemaak word uit die tragiese dood van die protagonis karakters in beide novelles dat dit die resultaat is van onverdraagsaamheid van westerse en tradisionele waardesisteme. / XHOSA: Olu phando lumalunga ngokungquzulana kwenkcubeko yaseNtshona neyemveli kwiinoveli ezimbini ezibhalwe ngababhali abadumileyo ekubhaleni iincwadi zamabali esiXhosa. Ezi noveli zolu phando nababhali bazo yi - Ingqumbo yeminyanya ngokubhalwa A. C. Jordan. Eyesibini ngu - Ukuba ndandazile ngokubhalwa ngokuka W. K. Tamsanqa. Olu phando luqwalasela kwezi noveli zindala ukuze lubone ukuba ziwuxukushe njani umbandela wongquzulwano Iwenkcubeko yaseNtshona neyemveli yamaXhosa. Isahluko 3 sithetha ngokuza kuqhubeka kolu phando. Isahluko 2 sidandalazisa amabakakala engcingane oluncwadi., nenkcubeko, nto leyo ebonanakalisa ubume. bolu - phando. Kwisahluko 3 kunye no 4, kuhlalutywa iinoveli ezimbini zesiXhosa. Ingqumbo yeminyanya kunye no - Ukuba ndandazile kwisahluko 4. Kuyafumaniseka ukuba ungquzulwano kwi - Ingqumbo yeminyanya no - Ukuba ndandazile Iwenziwe kukudibana kwenkcubeko yaseNtshona neyemveli. Abalinganiswa bamacala omabini baye banezinye iingqondo ezingahambelaniyo nelinye icala. Abalinganiswa abazintloko bezi noveli bakholelwe kwinkcubeko yaseNtshona, noxa bekhokela isizwe sabo sabantu benkcubeko yemveli. Noxa abantu benkcubeko yemveli babeqhubeka nenkcubeko yabo yemveli, babengayithandi inkcubeko yaseNtshona eyamkelwe ngabantwana baseNtshona, ebenza ukuba bayijongele phantsi inkcubeko yabo yemveli. Unobangela owenze ungquzulwano kukuthi bona abantu abakholelwa kwinkcubeko yaseNtshona bebancinci ngokwenani, bafune ukuqweqwedisa abantu benkcubeko yemveli abasisininzi. Ngenxa yobuninzi babantu abakholelwa kwinkcubeko yaseNtshona, nto leyo edale isiphelo esingekho sihle nokuphalala kwegazi kwezi noveli. Ukuqukumbela, isiphelo esibi sabalinganiswa senziwe kukunganyamezelani kwabanbezinkcubeko zombini.

Journalists use the term Arab Street to describe what they often imply is a volatile Arabic public opinion. This photo story travels through four Arab areas or Jordan, Qatar, Israel/Palestine and Egypt in order to show the diversity and complexity of each. The media’s tendency to lump all Arabs into one political block is detrimental to a true sense of cultural understanding that is required for peace. / text

St.Louis model 於1970年由Andersen與Carlson提出，該模型由八條方程式構成。其中四條估計式分別為：總支出方程式(Andersen-Jordan equation)、物價方程式、長期利率方程式、及失業方程式；其他四條為定義式。該模型以一簡單縮減式(reduced-form)估計財政政策與貨幣政策對名目產出的影響，透過係數的比較、估計係數t值的大小、以及落後期結構的差異，發現貨幣政策較財政政策有較大、較快、較易預測的效果。在原始的St. Louis model中，並未考慮共整合(cointegration) 與誤差調整模型(error-correction model)的概念，變數間若能通過共整合檢定則隱含存在一長期均衡關係。過去St. Louis model採用backward-looking的方式，以前期物價變動來估計本期的物價成長率；而貨幣政策變數僅以準備貨幣、M2成長率直接對產出估計，並未考慮貨幣政策回饋法則。在財政政策變數的選擇上，本文嘗試以不同潛在產出估計法計算充分就業下的政府支出；貨幣政策變數方面，仍選擇準備貨幣作為政策工具，並以貨幣數量回饋法則的方式內生化於模型中。 原始的St. Louis model以最小平方法(ordinary least square，OLS)對個別方程式估計，為避免對單一方程式估計而忽略其他變數間的交互影響，本文將三條估計式視為一整個系統(system)，對模型作完全資訊最大概似法(full information maximum likelihood, FIML)聯立估計，藉此比較單一方程式與模型聯立估計的結果，以判定模型是否產生誤置。總體經濟計量模型除了說明總體經濟現象外，尚能透過模擬分析得出各種政策效果。本文在估計出實證結果後，將配合Gauss-Seidel方法逐步收斂求解，比較開放性經濟下財政政策與貨幣政策的相對有效性。 無論是在共整合分析或是完全資訊最大概似估計法下，利用台灣資料估計皆顯示貨幣政策與經濟活動關係密切，貨幣政策確實較財政政策在穩定經濟過程中扮演重要角色，結果均支持St. Louis model的結論；而經由Gauss-Seidel收斂法求解發現，靜態模擬較動態模擬準確。主要是因為靜態模擬是以前期的實際值代入，故預測誤差較小；而聯立模型的模擬誤差大於單一方程式的模擬誤差是因前者包括聯立估計時產生的結構誤差，以及單一方程式本身的個別誤差。除了物價方程式的Theil係數偏高外，經濟成長率與準備貨幣成長率的趨勢皆能準確被預測。 本研究同時驗證了Mundell- Flemming之命題，在國際資本不完全移動的浮動匯率制度下，貨幣政策較財政政策有效影響國民所得。由於本文容許中央銀行在外匯市場干預匯率，因此是在管理式浮動匯率制度下考慮政策有效性；且依台灣現況，國際資本並未全部管制，亦未完全開放自由移動，因此財政政策對國民所得仍有正面的影響效果。

Over the years the Madrid Peace Conference has been relegated to paragraphs within history books and the importance of the conference seems to have been all but forgotten. While this may be due to the perceived failure of the talks to produce tangible peace negotiations, what one must take into consideration is the fact that neither the Oslo Accords nor the more recent “Road Map” to peace would have been possible if it were not for that first steps taken in Madrid. One must also not forget the diplomacy and countless man hours that were put forth with tireless effort to achieve the goal of a peace conference that would be attended by all desired participants. When studying the Madrid Conference, one must look not only at the conference itself and the rhetoric conveyed by the delegates but also at their personalities and relationships with each other.

Cette thèse a pour objet la relation entre les Britanniques et les Hachémites depuis la Première Guerre mondiale, lorsque par la Révolte arabe, la famille du Chérif de La Mecque scelle son alliance avec la Grande-Bretagne, jusqu'à la révolution irakienne de 1958 qui renverse la monarchie hachémite dans ce pays. La relation anglo-hachémite est la coopération d'une puissance impériale avec une dynastie locale dont les membres sont cooptés par les Britanniques pour créer des régimes arabes favorables aux intérêts britanniques. Nous en proposons cependant une lecture originale en analysant l'influence des représentations culturelles sur la manière dont les Britanniques choisissent les Hachémites comme alliés puis coopèrent avec eux pendant plusieurs décennies. Les Hachémites correspondent aux critères raciaux et culturels qui fondent la vision britannique de ce qu'est l'identité arabe, en plus de jouir d'une légitimité religieuse grâce à leur ascendance et leur statut. En nous appuyant aussi bien sur les archives privées des responsables britanniques en poste auprès des Hachémites que sur les archives du gouvernement britannique, nous rendons compte de l'évolution du discours culturel des Britanniques sur les Hachémites en fonction du contexte politique. Les Britanniques jugent en effet la capacité de leurs alliés à incarner l'identité des pays qu'ils gouvernent tout en préservant les intérêts britanniques, et ce jusqu'au milieu des années 1950. Cette thèse entend ainsi illustrer le poids des représentations culturelles sur la manière dont les Britanniques choisissent et coopèrent avec les élites locales au sein de l'empire. / The object of this thesis is the relationship between the British and the Hashemites from the First World War, when the Arab revolt signaled the alliance between the sharif of Mecca's family and Great-Britain, to the 1958 Iraqi revolution which toppled the country's Hashemite monarchy. The relationship between Britain and the Hashemites was a cooperation between an imperial power and a local dynasty whose members were coopted by Britain to create Arab regimes friendly to British interests. However, the purpose of this thesis is to shed new light on this relationship by analysing the influence of cultural representations on the way the British chose the Hashemites as allies and cooperated with them for several decades afterwards. The Hashemites matched the racial and cultural criteria which formed the basis of the British vision of Arab identity, while this family also enjoyed a religious legitimacy derived from its ancestry and status. Through the use of both the private papers of the British officials who worked closely with the Hashemites and the archives of the British government, this thesis explores how the British cultural discourse on the Hashemites evolved according to the political context. The British judged their allies' capacity to embody the identity of the countries they ruled over while preserving British interests, all the way to the mid 1950's. This thesis thus intends to illustrate the influence of cultural representations on the way the British chose and cooperated with local elites in the empire.