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This thesis brings to the forefront the traditional stories Marshallese poet, performer, and climate change activist Kathy Jetñil-Kijiner shares in her published poetry. Indigenous studies scholars agree that Indigenous stories have power--power to change, power to inform, and power to heal. The traditional stories in Jetñil-Kijiner's poetry reveal the power of the environment and the potential relationships that can exist between humans and natural beings. While these traditional stories work to disrupt the narrative that Indigenous perspectives, knowledges, and cultures are somehow inferior to their colonial neighbors', they also assert the need for a return to environmental reciprocit--or the establishment of mutually beneficial relationships between humans and the environment. Jetñil-Kijiner invites her audience to develop these relationships with natural beings as a way to combat the destructive effects of climate change. Seeing the environment as more than an inanimate resource to be exploited involves mindful interactions with natural beings--including plant, animal, water, and geologic life--through respecting their power and learning from their wisdom. Ultimately, Jetñil-Kijiner's invitation to adopt environmental reciprocity encourages global environmental healing by allowing traditional stories to transform the practice of human and natural interactions to allow for mutually restorative and enlightened relationships.

Background: There has been tremendous progress in the use of genomics1 in biomedical research and medical care since the launch of the Human Genome Project in 1990. However, it has also introduced new ethical challenges regarding the feedback of findings generated in genomic sequencing. While some would argue in support of the return of individual findings generated from genomics research, participants' preferences regarding which findings should be fed back differs. Most literature discusses feedback of findings in high income countries and very few address this issue in lower and middle-income countries (LMICs). As a result, it remains unclear whether and how individual findings from genomic studies in Africa should be fed back, who should provide these results and when. Methods: In order to contribute to addressing this gap, an empirical study was conducted to explore expectations and preferences for feedback of individual genetic findings in an HIV-TB genomics research project in Botswana. A qualitative study methodology involving deliberative focus group discussions (dFGDs) and in-depth interviews (IDIs) was used. Participants for this study were adolescents involved in an HIV-TB genomics study being conducted at the Botswana-Baylor Children's Clinical Centre of Excellence (BBCCCE). Parents and caregivers of children enrolled in that same genomic study were also enrolled in this study. A total of 93 participants (44 adolescents and 49 parents and caregivers) were enrolled in 12 dFGDs (6 groups of adolescents and 6 groups of parents and caregivers). Each group of participants met twice within a week, resulting in a total of 24 dFGD meetings. Participants of the dFGDs and in-depth interviews were selected purposively. Additionally, indepth interviews were conducted with 12 dFGD participants (6 adolescents and 6 parents or caregivers). The dFGDs and IDIs were conducted in Setswana, audio-recorded, transcribed and translated into English. Data were imported into NVivo 12 and analysed using the framework approach for qualitative data analysis. Results: The study findings revealed that participants' desire to receive individual genetic results is underpinned by their cultural values, mainly solidarity and reciprocity. Participants viewed research participation as a mutual relationship and considered the return of research results to be one way of reciprocating their efforts. This seems to be underpinned by the principle of Ubuntu which advocates for solidarity and reciprocity within communities. Participants noted that when reciprocity obligations are respected, participants feel valued and expressed that not respecting reciprocity expectations could undermine participants' trust and participation in future studies. Almost all participants wanted to receive individual genetic results. While parents and caregivers wanted to receive individual genetic results regardless of their severity, preventability or actionability, adolescents were reluctant to receive results for genetic conditions that are severe and non-preventable, especially if they are also unactionable. Participants advanced different reasons for feedback of results including for awareness, improving lifestyle, accepting one's' situation, and preparing for the future. The findings also reveal the importance of taking into account participants' context, relations and empowerment when making decisions about whether and which results ought to be fed back. When asked about practical considerations for feedback of results, both adolescents and parents expressed that they would prefer to receive individual genetic results in person, with adolescents preferring researchers to provide feedback, while parents preferred feedback from doctors associated with the study. Adolescents and parents both expressed that feedback should be supported by counselling, but they differed on the timing of feedback. Most participants shared that they would like to be informed about the possibility of discovering individual genetic results during the consent process and that consent be obtained for feedback during the enrolment process. They further expressed that in cases where prior consent to feedback was not obtained, then participants should be re-contacted where lifesaving genetic information is discovered. Participants emphasized the need for researchers to ensure that participants' decisions regarding feedback of results are well-informed. Autonomy, transparency, and communication were identified as key values to uphold during the consent process. Conclusion: In conclusion, expectations of solidarity and reciprocity could translate into an obligation to feedback selected individual genetic results in African genomics research. Decisions on practicalities for feedback of results should take into account participants' context and considerations of participants' preferences. For example, in settings like BBCCCE it might be feasible for the study team to relay participants' results to treating doctors in the same centre, while also organising counselling services if necessary. However, in cases where a study is done in a public facility with limited resources, that could be difficult to implement. Consequently, researchers may have to take up the responsibility of feeding back individual results as well as providing genetic counselling in such settings. To make these decisions, researchers should engage with relevant stakeholders including policymakers and local Institutional Review Boards (IRBs) so as to make informed decisions regarding the feasibility and acceptability of their approach to feedback of results. Obtaining participants' consent for feedback of results is important to ensure that their rights and wellbeing are protected in research. This is critical in building trust relationships between participants and researchers. Lastly, although this study is focused in Botswana, these findings could also be generalised to similar contexts in Africa and provide an authoritative voice to H3Africa to be able to mandate projects with potential to generate individual genetic results to make provisions to feedback these results to study participants.

Urban landscape, especially parks, mainly provide a wide range of disciplines, such as physical recreation, social interaction to urban residents. It has been associated with physical features of environments and nature. Today, urban parks are perceived as far more than just recreation or scenery. Urban park also constitutes social and cultural value at city level. This study seeks to investigate and challenge how to understand landscape perception and dialog between urban park and community through the interpretation of photographic social media (Instagram). The study also draws further discussion on reciprocity between urban landscape and photography as well as environmental psychology, focusing on cognitive map and environmental meaning. It also suggests possible strategies of future urban intervention and policy, in particular, promoting well being and pro-environmental behavior.

With the emphasis on children’s responsibility for the care of ageing parents, this study examined how Chinese adult children’s support provided to parents was associated with filial piety, support from parents and parent-child contact frequency. With the 2006 Chinese General Social Survey, we used structural equation modelling with 1,452 adults with two living parents and tested the model for sons and daughters separately. For both groups, the results showed that (1) filial piety was positively associated with emotional support provided to parents; (2) support received from parents was positively related to instrumental and emotional support to parents; and (3) parent-child contact frequency was linked to instrumental support. For adult daughters, financial support was positively associated with the support received from parents and negatively related to parent-child contact frequency. This study suggests that the traditional norm of filial piety may be less influential than other factors for adult children’s support behaviour.

The statement and the title of the thesis "Towards an intercultural mission" is the starting point for the essay's purpose and examination. Interculturalism is an ideal in which equality and re-ciprocity are characterized by cross-cultural relationships, which is also an objective of international mission. For an intercultural mission, it is therefore necessary to examine which factors may hinder an intercultural approach, which, for this study, justifies searching for underlying unequal structures. The theoretical frame of reference for the analysis is postcolonial theory and feminist theology, which makes it possible to visualize such structures. The purpose of the thesis is therefore to analyze the intention of the international mission work in the Uniting Church in Sweden based on postcolonial feminist theology, and to propose criteria that need to be found for the mission work to be characterized by an intercultural approach. In order to achieve the purpose, it is necessary to answer the following general questions: 1. Is there an awareness of unequal power structures in the culture-crossing relationships in the intentional discourse on mission in the Uniting Church in Sweden? 2. How does interculturalism appear in the international mission in the Uniting Church in Sweden?And; 3. What criteria need to be found for the mission work to be characterized by an intercultural approach?With the help of qualitative content analysis of the Church's public text material, which constitutes the study object; six thematic areas have emerged; gender equality, woman's vulnerability, patriarchal structures, mission and worldview, postcolonial structures, and cooperation and reciprocity. The result has been analyzed on the basis of the concept of interculturality and a proposal for criteria for an intercultural approach has been prepared, among other things, with proposals for clarification of unequal power structures and a critical self-awareness about their own history and cultural values.

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In this paper, we present the design guidelines for a tunable optical isolator in an SOI-based ring resonator with two small time-modulated regions. By considering a physical model, the proper geometrical and modulation parameters are designed, based on a standard CMOS foundry process. The effect of the variation of the key parameters on the performance of the isolator is explained by two counter-acting mechanisms, namely the separation between the resonance frequencies of counter-rotating modes and energy transfer to the side harmonic. We show that there is a trade-off between these parameters to obtain maximum isolation. Consequently, by applying the quadrature phase difference one can obtain the maximum separation between the resonance frequencies and hence the minimum insertion loss, while the maximum isolation is obtained at the modulation phase difference of −0.78π , which leads to a higher insertion loss. Robustness of the design is investigated through a sensitivity analysis for the fabrication variations in the distance and width of the modulated regions. We demonstrate that there is a trade-off between isolation and insertion loss, and by varying the modulation parameters, we can achieve isolation of 18 (5) dB with 7 (1.8) dB insertion loss.

This thesis examines Robert Nozick’s critique of John Rawls’s theory of justice, focusing on the Chamberlain Argument as a challenging example in their debate. The Chamberlain Argument illustrates the tension between Rawls’s theory, which aims to distribute resources according to a certain pattern for social benefit, and its implications on individual freedom. Nozick argues that such patterned theories infringe upon individual liberty by coercively redistributing resources. Through analysis of patterned theory, it becomes evident, Nozick claims, that such frameworks prioritize specific distributions over individual liberty. I find that Nozick made a valid point in his objection to Rawls. However, I consider that the problem of patterned theories represented by Nozick in his critique of Rawls, is rooted in the first principle, not in the second. I assert that there is much more literature on Rawls’s second principle, but much less on his first principle. To address Nozick’s critique, this thesis proposes a modification to Rawls’s first principle, emphasizing self-respect as a foundational value. By reconceptualizing liberty within the Rawlsian framework, this thesis aims to fortify it against objections like the Chamberlain Argument, ultimately enhancing its coherence and theoretical robustness. For this reason, the research question is as follows: How can the Rawlsian theory overcome the Chamberlain argument? The one thesis I will pursue is that Rawls’s two principles can be immune to Nozick’s Chamberlain Argument, when the first principle is modified according to the priority of rights over liberty. To do so, the goal is to defend a Rawlsian pattern theory of justice. Firstly, I show that the first principle should be grounded on the priority of the rights instead of the good of the person. By reconceptualizing the concept of self-respect, I show that Rawls’s first principle is mainly focused on a negative concept of liberty, which I modify to a positive concept through what I call reciprocal self-respect. Secondly, I formulate responses to Nozick’s Chamberlain Argument and argue that social justice requires a holistic view of the society, not only as individuals, but also as collective and common. This view emphasizes the interdependency of individuals in a society, which presupposes duties of reciprocal self-respect, chosen rationally in the original position behind the veil of ignorance. Thus, Chamberlain would never have been able to make profits and succeed without society, infrastructure, opportunities and hotbed for success and self-determination.

"Mémoire présenté à la Faculté des Études supérieures En vue de l'obtention du grade de Maîtrise en droit des affaires (LL.M.)" / La création du GATT en 1947 par les pays occidentaux a consacré un nouvel ordre commercial international. Son but consistait à faciliter les échanges commerciaux et poursuivre le développement économique. Pour cela, la réglementation du GATT visait surtout à l'application d'une politique commerciale qui consiste à démanteler les obstacles aux échanges, proscrire toute discrimination commerciale entre les pays membres et entre les marchandises importées et les marchandises locales. En ce sens l'article 1er du GATT de 1947 (devenu OMC en 1995) pose le principe cardinal du traitement de la nation la plus favorisée, c'est-à-dire un traitement égal à tous les pays participant au GATT. Mais l'arrivée des nouveaux pays indépendants dans les années 1960 a changé la nature juridique du GATT parce qu'au point de vue économique il y avait trop de disparités entre les pays. Il y a eu donc la nécessité de tenir compte de la réalité économique de ces pays, de faire en sorte qu'ils puissent rattraper le retard dans le processus de développement, et de pouvoir aussi équilibrer les échanges commerciaux. L'adoption en 1964 de la Partie IV du GATT, intitulée commerce et développement, consacre la non réciprocité commerciale en faveur des pays en développement, et officialise par la même occasion une dualité des normes parce que les deux catégories de parties contractantes appliquent différemment les principes du Gatt. Il devient alors pertinent d'étudier cette asymétrie juridique qui devait compenser l'inégalité de développement des pays insuffisamment développés. Selon le credo des libéraux de l'époque, les PED peuvent se développer économiquement par des échanges commerciaux. Mais, en dépit des traitements préférentiels qui sont accordés aux pays en développement, ils n'arrivent pas à se développer, leur balance commerciale est déficitaire, leur productivité est faible. En faisant une étude globale sur la situation des pays en développement, nous traiterons en particulier le cas du Niger et du Bénin. Cette recherche sert: d'abord à voir les effets du libéralisme économique sur les pays économiquement faibles, ensuite susciter l'intérêt à étudier le développement économique des pays en dehors d'une dualité des normes qui n'apporte pas de résultats escomptés. / The creation of GATT in 1947 by western countries has set a new international order trade that would facilitate trade exchanges and moves forward economic development around the world. For that reasbn GATT regulations aimed above aIl at the application of a trade policy that consists of getting rid of the hindrances to the exchanges, and proscribe discriminatory trade exchanges between countries and imported and exported local merchandizes. Indeed article 1 in GATT regulations in 1947 (became WTO in 1995) poses the cardinal mIe of treatment of the nation which is more privileged, that is an equal treatment for aIl countries that are members of GATT. But the arrivaI of the new independent countries III 1960 has changed the juridical nature of GATT because economically the gap was too huge between the countries. So it is important to take into account the economic reality of the poor countries to set a strategic policy that will help them out. With that policy they will be able to catch up with the new era of development and trade exchanges around the world will be fair. The adoption in 1964 of the Part 4 of GATT regulations entitled trade and development favours the non-reciprocity trade to developing countriesand makes official at the same occasion a duality of norms because the two categories of members put into the application the mIes ofGATT differently. This research aims at studying this asymmetrical politic that would compensate the inequality of the development of poor countries, and would also provide them an economic development by the means of trade exchanges. ln spite of the preferential treatments given to the developing countries, theyare not yet making any progress because their trade balance is deficient, and their productivity is worthless. In doing a broader research on the situation of developing countries, we will focus particularly on the situations of Niger and Benin. This research would serve first to analyse the effects of the economic liberalism on the poor countries; secondly create the interest to study the economic development of the countries out of the asymmetrical politic that do not bring any attempted results.