The breakthrough of the concept of economic growth in economics marks a paradigm shift in thinking about the economy and its place in 'reality.' This thesis analyzes the 20th century discourse of economic growth, focusing its unlimited connotations. The thesis consists of four case studies, two introductory parts and a concluding dis­cussion. Part II first gives an etymological outline of how the concept 'growth' transformed: from signifying natural processes, to become crucial within economics. The main focus is on the historiography around Adam Smith and the classical economists as 'fathers of growth.' It is argued that though Smith introduced new ideas on eco­nomic prosperity, it is anachronistic to view him as 'father of growth' in terms of modern economic discourse. The difference between conception of economic progress in classical economics - with a 'stationary state' - and the post-war concept of economic growth - without absolute limits - is interpreted by sketching four periods in economics regarding the issue of limits. Finally the label 'dismal,' often used for classical economics, is reinter­preted. The neoclassical 'Self and classical 'Other' is seen as a useful construction for legitimizing the growth discourse. Part III deals with economic thought at the turn of the century 1900. There were different ideas on what relative priority to address to individuals and communities as the basis of economy, as well as disagreements over how to organize economic policy to solve the 'social issue.' However, these differences did not result in different views on economic expansion per se. Neither to left- nor right-wing advocates was economic expansion an objective. Rather, economic expansion was a means to construct and manage a welfare state, and thus solve the social issue. If welfare could be distributed by expanding the total, there would be no sacrifices. The way economic growth was perceived in the early development discourse is studied in Part IV. The idea of unlimited growth is framed within a Western understanding of development and progress, and it is shown that hegemony on economic growth formed. Development economics made use of new and fashionable growth models, and thereby gained influence in policy. Development was reduced to economic development, which was reduced to economic growth. With a few modifications, this version of development and progress was to be implemented globally - 'no limits' became a master narrative. Part V analyzes the debate on economic growth in the 1960s and 70s. The environmental issue gave rise to thoughts on ecological limits, and thus had a key role in designating economic growth and growth ideology as a scapegoat within a longer tradition of civilization critique. As a response, professional economists put up a uni­ted defense for growth, and a polarized debate followed. Different basic assumptions underlying the polarized positions are analyzed, and the concept modernist economic ethos is introduced to explain the polarization at a fundamental level. In the dominant discourse, critics were called pessimists, and advocates were optimists. It is argued that these value-laden labels reveal the power of language and point at a trap of discourse. Economic growth and ecological sustainable development is analyzed in Part VI, and the focus is on crisis responsive economists. Two different conceptions of the economic system are found among these. The first is the economy as free-floating, which by technical inventions is minimally restricted by ecological boundaries. The second is the economy as a dependent subsystem restricted by fundamental ecological limits. Conception of the system is conclusive for understanding economic growth and its environmental effects. The free-floating approach allows the concept of 'sustainable growth,' while the subsystem approach makes it contradictory. Part VI includes a continued discussion on the power of language, and the dichotomy of pessimism and optimism. 'Optimism' is a eulogy, and works normatively. The pessimist label has functioned, at best, as a 'discourse trap;' at worst, as a means of exclusion. In Part VII results from the case studies are summarized, and general results with implications are presented. The post-war discourse on economic growth is connected to 'ecomodernism.' Three explanations for the intro­duction and strong appeal of the discourse of unlimited economic growth are introduced: the internal cause (economic theory), the external cause (context), and the professionalization cause (connecting the internal and external). The thesis ends in a discussion on growth, language and power in the context of modernism and progress. / digitalisering@umu

當前臺灣人口結構朝少子化及人口老化發展，已對國內社會結構、經濟發展等各方面產生重大影響，同樣也直接衝擊高等教育，近十年來高等教育迅速的擴張，大專校院數量過度膨脹且面臨生源減少，導致校系招生不足甚至可能倒閉，我國自2011年開放大陸學生來臺就讀大學學位，政策當初被期待成提昇臺灣高教水平、促進兩岸交流、甚而挽救私校的多重功能政策，惟因現行法令採取所謂的「三限六不」原則，影響陸生來臺意願，在歷經了4年的執行後，來臺陸生素質及招生人數均不如預期。 新加坡與臺灣有許多相似之處，同樣都是屬於海島型國家，國土狹小且缺乏自然資源，並且都以對外貿易做為主要經濟活動，政府非常重視教育和人力資源的開發，把發展教育和開發人力資源作為國家經濟發展戰略的一個重要組成部分，以提高勞動力的素質，維持經濟增長，保持國際競爭力，經研究發現，星國能運用便利完整留學資訊、以學費補助、提供獎學金及生活費等誘因吸引陸生，除了招攬人才條件清楚、政策明確等原因，堅強的國防實力及穩定的政治體制更提供政策執行力度及強度，讓新加坡近年來已成為陸生出國留學最佳選擇之一。 目前我國政府招收陸生政策，仍著眼於吸引優秀陸生來臺就學、提昇臺灣教育競爭力，而非在解決教育產業問題，故「限校、限量、限域」的「三限」原則在政策方向未改變之前仍有保留必要，而「六不」原則中，相關內容因有違吸引優秀陸生來臺的核心價值、嚴重影響招生成效、造成歧視感受、現實運作上的不切實際及淪為政策宣示等，應予以檢討修訂。陸生政策涉及複雜且敏感的兩岸關係，國家安全成為檢討政策開放或緊縮的關鍵因素，另我國政局紛亂動盪亦造成陸生隱憂，影響陸生來臺就學意願。 關鍵詞：陸生政策、三限六不、新加坡、臺灣 / Currently the population structure of Taiwan leads to the low birthrate and aging population. It made major impacts on all aspects of domestic social structure, economic development. It is also a direct impact on higher education. The rapid expansion of higher education over the past decades, the number of universities and colleges overinflated but the student pool reduced. It causes inadequate enrollment or even bankrupt of school. The policy that Mainland China Students Allowed to Study a university degree has begun in Taiwan since 2011. The policy is expected to enhance higher education levels in Taiwan, and promote cross-strait exchanges, even to save the multi-functional policies of private schools. However, the current law, so-called “three limits and six noes” principles detract mainland students coming to Taiwan. After four years of operation, the quality and number of students coming to Taiwan were un-assured. There are many similarities between Singapore and Taiwan. They are both island nations, small and lacking natural resources. The main economic basis is foreign trade. Their governments respect education and human resources.The development of education and human resources emphasize an important parts of the national economic development strategy.It improves the quality of the labor force, sustains economic growth and maintains international competitiveness. From the research, it offers a complete study information, tuition subsidy, scholarship and living allowance to attract Mainland China students in Singapore. In addition to clear recruitment and policy, a strong national defense and stable political system provide the enforcement and strength of the policy. It has become one of the best option to study abroad for Singapore in recent years. The policy of “Mainland China Students Allowed to Study in Taiwan” focuses on attracting outstanding mainland students to enhance the competitiveness of the education in Taiwan. It doesn’t solve the problem of the education industry.To limit school, number and domain is the "three limits" principle. It must keep before the policy change. The "six noes" principle should be revised because it couldn’t attract outstanding mainland students coming to Taiwan. It has seriously impacted the enrollment effective, resulted in discrimination, caused unreality and the declaration of a policy. The policy of Mainland China Students involves complicated and sensitive cross-strait relations. The national security has become a key factor in reviewing the policy of opening or tightening. The chaotic political situation has also caused mainland Chinese students’ worries and affected their motivation of studying. Keywords：Policy of mainland students、Three limits and six noes、Singapore、Taiwan

The discipline of Sociology has been quiet regarding the production of food by industrial agriculture. However, there are issues that potentially undermine the ability of industrial agriculture to continue to produce food at the same rate. These issues include: global climate change, aquifer depletion, soil erosion and exhaustion, the increase in global production of meat, the ever expanding global population and peak oil. This thesis considers how these issues will affect Manitoba’s agriculture, Manitoba’s ability to adapt to a period of change and its ability to continue to feed its population. Unstructured interviews with expert informants allowed for the collection of data that are not readily available. These data are combined with pre-existing data to assemble an agricultural profile. There are two competing theories within the current dialogue: limits-to-growth and ecological modernization. Ultimately, the food procurement practices will be assessed with reference to the limits-to-growth theory and recommendations will be made.

The discipline of Sociology has been quiet regarding the production of food by industrial agriculture. However, there are issues that potentially undermine the ability of industrial agriculture to continue to produce food at the same rate. These issues include: global climate change, aquifer depletion, soil erosion and exhaustion, the increase in global production of meat, the ever expanding global population and peak oil. This thesis considers how these issues will affect Manitoba’s agriculture, Manitoba’s ability to adapt to a period of change and its ability to continue to feed its population. Unstructured interviews with expert informants allowed for the collection of data that are not readily available. These data are combined with pre-existing data to assemble an agricultural profile. There are two competing theories within the current dialogue: limits-to-growth and ecological modernization. Ultimately, the food procurement practices will be assessed with reference to the limits-to-growth theory and recommendations will be made.

In this thesis, I explore how the logic and mobilization of critique as an emancipatory practice, situated within various historical inheritances of the Enlightenment project, enable/delimit ‘Western’ political imaginations. I therefore question how discourses and practices of critique not only reproduce but become functional to that which they seek to transform. That is, through its conventional fault-finding role, how does critique regulate (un)acceptable ways of thinking? By resituating critique as integrally constitutive of our inheritances, rather than an exceptional instrument of correction or virtue, this methodological reorientation has the potential to foster explorations that are grounded within, as opposed to transcendentally outside, our complex sites of inheritances. In this way, it is an inquiry into the histories and politics of Western projects of emancipation and progress as captured by practices, methods, and subjects of critique within various influential traditions.

The aim of this master paper is to reveal the role of a judge. In the first part of the paper the ideas of social civil procedure school (that is essential in the Lithuanian Republic Civil procedure code) defining an active role in civil procedure and the model of civil procedure of Lithuanian Republic are discussed. The second part of the paper deals with analysis of stages of the civil procedure. By analyzing these stages the author of the paper tries to disclose by which means provided in law the judge realizes his (hers) performing role in the procedure. Also the intensity of the judge role depending on the stage of the civil procedure is shown. Attention is paid to certain categories of cases that influence the extension of the judge’s activity and the difference of performing intensity depending on contentious proceedings as well. In the third part of the paper the possibilities of making default judgment and judicial penalties assigning as means helping to control parties that overindulge processing right or do not care about the progress of proceedings are discussed.

Common monetary policy, according to its nature and established principles of formation and implementation, is unique policy of the Community. Its importance for the EU existence requires clearly divided competence in its sphere. Regardless exclusive monetary policy competence of the Community, euro-zone members obtained a wide range of opportunities for active participation in creation, formation and implementation of monetary policy, both through the institutional system and through the political interest influence.

Development of the advanced, real-time methods for monitoring of bioaerosols is becoming increasingly important. At present, the Ultraviolet Aerodynamic Particle Sizer (UVAPS, Model 3312, TSI, St. Paul., MN) is the only commercially available method for in-situ, continuous measurements of viable airborne microorganisms. Research included in this thesis aimed towards comprehensive evaluation of the method over a wide range of operating conditions, linking the experimental results to the theoretical basis of its design and operation, and to developing a scientific basis for its application to real-time monitoring of bioaerosols. Specifically, due to a growing concern in the general community about the environmental and health aspects of biological aerosols originated from various types of agricultural operations including animal farming, this research was focussed on developing a research methodology/strategy for applying the method to the investigation of bioaerosols in the swine confinement buildings (SCB). Investigations under controlled laboratory conditions were primarily concerned with selectivity, sensitivity, counting efficiency, and detection limits of the spectrometer. This study also examined the effect of physiological state (metabolic activity) of bacteria on the performance characteristics of the method. The practical implications of the research findings are discussed in this thesis. Further field investigations undertaken on a pig farm advanced understanding of the UVAPS performance in the real-life environmental settings. The research also provided a new insight on the particle size distribution and the effect of on-farm-activities on aerosol load inside the SCBs, for both biological and non-biological aerosols. This study has proved that the UVAPS is a powerful tool for investigation of viable bioaerosols in the environment. However, this method is limited to detection of active metabolising bacteria that excludes dormant bacterial spores. In addition, the method is very sensitive to physiological state of bacteria and to the effect of adverse environmental conditions on metabolic activity of airborne bacteria, which may decrease the amount of the intrinsic fluorophores in the cells below sensitivity level iv of the monitor. Possible limitations of this technology include also the lack of selectivity and thus interferences from the non-microbial organic components of airborne particles. In addition, the sensitivity of the method is insufficient for monitoring viable bacteria in the environments with relatively low concentrations of bioaerosols. In order to increase sensitivity of the method, it would be desirable to concentrate the bioaerosols into a smaller volume with the aim of high-volume virtual impactors (aerosol concentrators) prior to the monitoring. Therefore, in the indoor environments where an application of the concentrator is not feasible, the utilisation of the UVAPS may be problematic. Due to the intrinsic limitations, the method is not recommended for the direct measurements of viable bioaerosols and should be used in conjunction with the conventional biosamplers for obtaining more realistic insights into the microbial air quality. Nevertheless, the UVAPS has been found to be an adequate method for the investigation of the dynamics of biological aerosols in real-time. Overall, this thesis contributes to the advancing of the understanding of the method and may assist in developing new, more advanced technologies for the real-time monitoring of viable bioaerosols, as well as in developing sampling strategies for the application of the method to various bioaerosol studies.

This work undertakes the first comprehensive theoretical assessment of syndicated loans. It is shown that syndicated and bilateral (single lender) loans should be good substitutes in meeting a borrower's financing requirements, but that syndicated loans are more complex and impose additional risks to the parties in the way they are arranged. The existing explantions of loan syndication - that they are hybrids of private bank loans and public debt instruments, that syndication is a portfolio management tool, and that loans are syndicated where they are too large to be provided bilaterally - are unable to substantially explain both the nature of syndicated loans and practice in the loan markets. A rigorous new explanation is developed, which shows that syndication reduces the rate of lending costs, so that the return to the loan originator is greater, and the borrower's cost of financing is lower, where a loan is syndicated rather than provided bilaterally. This explanation is shown to hold in competitive loan markets and to be consistent with the observation that syndicated loans are generally larger than other loans. Incidental to this new explanation, new expressions of the return to a bank from providing a loan on a bilateral basis and from originating a syndicated loan are also developed. New algorithms are also developed for determining the distribution of the commitments from syndicate participants and thus the originator's final hold, the amount it must lend itself, where the loan is underwritten. This provides, for the first time, a rigorous basis for assessing the expected return, and the risk, for the originator of a given syndicated loan. Finally, empirical testing finds that a bank's observed lending history is significant to its decision to participate in a new syndicated loan but that predictions of participation, which are fundamental inputs into the final hold algorithms, based on this information have relatively little power. It follows that there is competitive advantage to loan originators that have access to other, private information on potential participants' lending intentions.

Growing concerns about interruption to oil supply and oil shortages have led to escalating global oil prices. In addition, increased public acceptance of the global warming problem has prompted car manufacturers to agree to carbon emission targets in many regions including most recently, the Californian standards. Other legislating bodies are sure to follow this lead with increasingly stringent targets. As a result of these issues, spark ignition engines in their current form will need significant improvements to meet future requirements. One technically feasible option is smaller capacity downsized engines with enhanced power that could be used in the near term to reduce both carbon emissions and fuel consumption in passenger vehicles.This research focuses on exploring the performance limits of a 0.43 liter spark ignited engine and defining its operating boundaries. Limiting factors such as combustion, gas exchange and component design are investigated to determine if they restrict small engine performance. The research gives direction to the development of smaller gasoline engines and establishes the extent to which they can contribute to future powertrain fuel consumption reduction whilst maintaining engine power at European intermediate class requirements.