The thesis explores the space attributes of Orkanen library in relation to the students’ preferences when choosing a place to study and their effect on study and non-study activities. Based on their perceived importance the following space attributes were identified to be of high value: privacy, noise level, window view, natural light and comfort of furnishing. The quiet zone of Orkanen library had successfully accumulated all of the above mentioned attributes. There, students could study without being disturbed or disturbing others. The sound privacy and the collective concentration were particularly motivating for the students. Despite the positive qualities that the quiet zone possessed specific internal and external disturbances were identified. The low noise level amplified intermittent sounds and had the potential to disturb students. Furthermore, due to its open, unconfined environment, the quiet zone was vulnerable to noises penetrating from outside the area. Certain space attributes such as crowdedness and noise level diminished or changed in quality towards the end of the day. Nevertheless the quiet zone was the preferred place for studies compared to other spaces in the library which possessed some but not all of the space attributes required by the students. Restricted Access/Limited Control theory and the concept of exoinformation helped to identify that the students acknowledged the library as a public place to study while having some degree of control over their privacy. Natural barriers in the library were used to increase concentration and motivation during studying and in the few cases when privacy was required during non-study activities. In general, the leaked exoinformation was not considered to be sensitive or useful for the observer or the person being observed.

In this thesis, I enquire into how the USA – our world’s wealthiest and most powerful nation –  and its federal government has dealt with two of its most severe natural disasters: the drought and dust storms that plagued the Great Plains during the 1930’s, i.e. the Dust Bowl, and Hurricane Katrina, which made landfall in late August 2005.  I attempt to identify differences and similarities and analyze if and, in that case, how the hegemonic politico-economic paradigm affected the federal management of these crises. This comparison is made relevant by the fact that two differing paradigms were at play during these events. In the thirties, President Franklin D. Roosevelt launched his “New Deal”, a series of counter cyclical measures in line with the Keynesian school of economics, as a response to the overwhelming economic depression as well as the raging drought. In sharp contrast, Hurricane Katrina swept over a country ridden by decades of neoliberal governance. I show that political economy plays an important role in the success and/or failure of, in this case, the United States’ management of natural disasters. Finally, I argue for the return (or, rather, the creation) of an expanded and more socially and environmentally conscious public sector, which, in times of crisis, is able to represent all of its citizens – regardless of class or race.