Ethnicity is a social construct defined not only by socio-cultural variables, but also by the socioeconomic and social structure within which it develops. In this regard, ethnicity is a by-product, and at the same time a contributor to the spatial structure of human communities. The synergistic relationship between ethnicity and socioeconomic variables requires attention to the special environment within which an ethnic community develops, and furthermore, necessitates an awareness of the subgroups of any given ethnic group and their specific spatial and adaptational behavior. Consequently, the superorganic approach taken by most urban/human ecologists and the collective treatment of assimilation studies is questionable. The Iranian community currently residing in the U.S. illustrates that the spatial distribution of post-1965 immigrants and specifically political immigrants is defined by both ethnicity and also socioeconomic factors. The elite characteristics of these groups, including their high educational achievements, occupational status, and self-employment levels, distinguishes them from many of the other ethnic/immigrant groups who migrated in the early part of the century. Additionally, in the case of Los Angeles and Orange Counties, it is demonstrated that Iranians, along with Russians are distinctive based on their high socioeconomic status. The available data indicates the existence of three types of ethnic groups: (a) traditional low socioeconomic groups; (b) elite immigrants with high socioeconomic and educational achievements; and (c) recent immigrants with high educational and medium to high socioeconomic status. Spatially, differences among and within ethnic groups create specific distribution patterns that are explained largely by socioeconomic and ethnicity factors combined. This research illustrates that in studying any ethnic group, two criteria must be considered: (a) socioeconomic and ethnicity factors have a combined effect that differs not only from one group to another, but also varies within each group; and (b) social structure is not an independent variable, and therefore should be identified and analyzed on a case-by-case approach.

This thesis is an account of the lived experience of doing research in the critical paradigm in the context of the discipline of social ecology. It is a story with actors, a plot, and actions over time. The Worldview of social ecology has embedded within its epistemology the scope for the creative act of narrative, therefore this thesis is a critical conversation told in four voices. The research was embedded in critical social science methodology and method, and attempted to understand and transform the problematics concerning the social relations, practice, language and discourse which were uncovered when five novice nurse academics engaged in teaching a problem-orientated curriculum in the practice setting. It was a critical action research project based predominantly on the Kemmis and McTaggart Model (1988). The research also debated the nature of participative, collaborative action research undertaken in the context of gaining an educational qualification. Relevant to this point, two other contexts of the research were uncovered. The lived experience of ?doing? critical action research with colleagues and friends, in the context of gaining an educational qualification revealed both the praxis nature of ethical research and the reclaiming of an authoritative women?s voice in the academy. The ethical nature of research in critical social science, and the nature and role of human identity was explored in an effort to conceptualise both a methodology and a self identity which was embedded in a context of mutual growth. This growth was similar to Bookchin?s (1990) transitory states of ?becoming? what we wished to become in the academy. It was what is known in organisations as professional development. The author named this becoming, ?Finding a Women?s Voice and Being Heard?. Although ?finding voice? is situated in the personal, ?being heard? involves the ?not I? together with structural features of institutions. As a collaborative group, the participants actioned strategies in an attempt to deal with the structural limitations to our ?becoming?. These strategies, together with the consciousness raising nature of this particular action research project, enabled participants to speak of their own empowerment within an academic context in which they were often rendered powerless. / Master of Science (Hons) (Social Ecology)

Typescript. Includes vita and abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 220-233). Also available online in Scholars' Bank; and in ProQuest, free to University of Oregon users.

abstract: The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore the cultural, social, environmental, and gender factors that may influence physical activity (PA) in older Mexican American (MA) men living in Tucson, Arizona. The Mexican origin population is the fastest growing Hispanic subgroup in our nation, increasing from 20.6 million in the year 2000 to 31.8 million in 2010. Arizona has the sixth largest Hispanic population in the United States and the Mexican origin population accounts for 91% of Arizona's Hispanics. Despite the fast growing Mexican population, there are a limited number of studies that examine MAs and PA. There are even fewer interventions created to foster PA among older (≥65 years old) MA men. Fourteen individual interviews were conducted with older MA men living in Tucson, Arizona. Data was collected, organized, and analyzed according to the methodologies of Clark Moustakas and the Social Ecology Model for Health Promotion framework. Six themes emerged which reflected the older MA male's perception of health, masculinity, and physical activity: a) Retirement promotes self-care behaviors, b) Women, health care providers, and the Internet are important in promoting health, c) Aging changes physical activity, d) I take care of myself, e) Physical activity is a personal choice and lifestyle, and f) I learn and make adjustments as needed. Themes were used to create textural and structural descriptions of their experiences. Descriptions were formed into the essence of the phenomenon. The results of this study increase our understanding of health, masculinity, and physical activity in older MA men. This research will inform the development of an evidence-based PA intervention to promote cardiovascular (CV) health in older MA men that may be implemented in a variety of community-based settings. / Dissertation/Thesis / Doctoral Dissertation Nursing 2015

This study assumes, rather than debates, that there is an increasingly global environmental crisis – global warming, loss of ozone layer, biodiversity loss, deforestation and desertification, natural resource depletion, toxic pollution - brought about by western nations’ abuse of the natural environment during nineteenth century industrialization, continuing through the twentieth century, and, many would argue, into the new millennium as well. Greens have been warning of the dangers of human-induced climate change since the 1960s. And yet, their analysis of the reasons for the wide and global range of ecological problems currently being experienced, of which climate change is only one, is not widely known. And even less so, are their solutions to the ecological crisis. This thesis, “Towards the development of a "green" worldview, and criteria to assess the "green-ness" of a text: Namibia Vision 2030 as example”, poses two research questions, and undertakes three tasks. The first question asks: “What does ‘seeing green’ as worldview mean?” “Green” emerges as not only pro-environmental attitudes and behaviours, but a fundamental challenge to western-cultural views on Self, and on the Self/Other relationship, including our human-nature relationship. It represents a total worldview, with its own legitimating narratives, epistemology, ontology, ethics, and viewpoints on real-world political issues as well. The green worldview differs sharply in its ultimate premises from mainstream sustainable development. On the green view, only the radical changes in Self, the Self/Other relationship, and society’s structures, which a green worldview demands, will be sufficient to avert the impending ecological crisis. A green worldview, while containing considerable diversity, is still sufficiently coherent and consistent that it can be reduced to a set of criteria and indicators for “seeing green”. This was the study’s second task. The study’s third task co-incides with its second research question: “How green is Namibia Vision 2030s worldview?” Namibia Vision 2030 is Namibia’s premier policy text designed to guide Namibia through a generation of sustainable development. Using the green criteria and indicators developed during the study, it is argued that particularly as far as this text’s ultimate premises on the human/nature relationship are concerned, its worldview is best described as pale green fading into grey. / Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2008. / Psychology / unrestricted

This thesis is about the graduates from the Social and Cultural Ecology program of College of Humanities, Charles University, Prague. The theoretical part discusses the subject of values and education from two points of view - in first case as content which is transferred in the educational process, in second it analyzes the result and how education is valued in society - both in postmodern and historical contexts. Section discussing graduate research topics, the evolution of tertiary education in the Czech Republic and the Social and Cultural ecology program is the joining idea between the theoretical and empirical parts of the thesis. The empirical part of the thesis contains survey data from graduates of the Social and Cultural Ecology program from Charles University. The survey targets issues associated with typical degree program progression, subsequent employment, retrospective evaluation of their studies and how they have affected their personal lives.

Yes / Community-based case managers in health have been compared to glue which holds the dynamic needs of clients to a disjointed range of health and social services. However, case manager roles are difficult to understand due to poorly defined roles, confusing terminology, and low visibility in New Zealand. This review aims to map the landscape of case management work to advance workforce planning by clarifying the jobs, roles, and relationships of case managers in Aotearoa New Zealand (NZ). Methods: Our scoping and mapping review includes peer-reviewed articles, grey literature sources, and interview data from 15 case managers. Data was charted iteratively until convergent patterns emerged and distinctive roles identified. Results: A rich and diverse body of literature describing and evaluating case management work in NZ (n = 148) is uncovered with at least 38 different job titles recorded. 18 distinctive roles are further analyzed with sufficient data to explore the research question. Social ecology maps highlight diverse interprofessional and intersectoral relationships. Conclusions: Significant innovation and adaptations are evident in this field, particularly in the last five years. Case managers also known as health navigators, play a pivotal but often undervalued role in NZ health care, through their interprofessional and intersectoral relationships. Their work is often unrecognised which impedes workforce development and the promotion of person-centered and integrated health care. / This research was funded by the AUT University, Faculty of Health & Environmental Sciences Summer Student Grant 2021/2022 and the School of Public Health and Interdisciplinary Studies PBRF Funding 2021. The APC charge is covered by the School of Public Health and Interdisciplinary Studies PBRF 2022.

This thesis investigates the design of a model, methods and guidelines that may assist government agencies in South Africa to find a balance between the objective of biodiversity conservation and increased local economic development in cases of land restitution in protected areas. The data collection that was needed for this study took place from 2007 to 2009 and was limited to seven priority protected areas in Mpumalanga Province. The general model design was established via an extensive literature review and analysis of the legal background and formed the theoretical concept of this thesis. The general model design was used to devise the guidelines for co-management to be used by government agencies in South Africa for the possible implementation of the biodiversity conservation and local economic development mandates in cases of land restitution in protected areas, within their financial and institutional limitations. From the results, it is clear that a consolidated government position, agreed upon by all relevant government stakeholders, assists in keeping the land restitution process in protected areas within the legal framework. Through the analysis of the model design in the seven priority protected areas it was identified that additional information is needed to reach the preferred land claim settlement option per protected area such as the actual tourism record, a socio-economic assessment of the environment in which each protected area is embedded, and financial figures to make projections on current and future net profit calculations. Government should support all the land claim settlement options, as elaborated in the model design, which is not the case at the moment, and most alternative options, other than co-management, are currently still unclear and/or not feasible. This might have serious negative implications for the conservation agency, with the risk of compromising its mandate to manage areas of high biodiversity effectively. The methods that were developed to workshop the generic agreement frameworks with the land claimant representatives proved to assist in the land claimants making an informed choice within the legal framework and to tailor the land claim settlement option and agreements to their specific situation. / Development Studies / Ph. D. (Development Studies)

Thesis (MA)--University of Stellenbosch, 2002. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: In this thesis it is argued that the age-old philosophical "Problem of the Self' can benefit by being approached from the perspective of a relatively recent science, namely that of Complexity Theory. With this in mind the conceptual features of this theory is highlighted and summarised. Furthermore, the argument is made that the predominantly dualistic approach to the self that is characteristic of the Western Philosophical tradition serves to hinder, rather than edify, our understanding of the phenomenon. The benefits posed by approaching the self as an emergent property of a complex system is elaborated upon, principally with the help of work done by Sigmund Freud, Richard Dawkins, Daniel Dennett, and Paul Cilliers. The aim is to develop a materialistic conception of the self that is plausible in terms of current empirical information and resists the temptation see the self as one or other metaphysical entity within the brain, without "reducing" the self to a crude materialism. The final chapter attempts to formulate a possible foil against the accusation of crude materialism by emphasising that the self is part of a greater system that includes the mental apparatus and its environment (conceived as culture). In accordance with Dawkins's theory the medium of interaction in this system is conceived of as memes and the self is then conceived of as a meme-complex, with culture as a medium for memetransference. The conclusion drawn from this is that the self should be studied through narrative, which provides an approach to the self that is material without being crudely physicalistic. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: In hierdie tesis word daar aangevoer dat die relatiewe jong wetenskap van Kompleksiteitsteorie 'n nuttige bydra kan lewer tot die eeue-oue filosofiese "Probleem van die Self'. Met die oog hierop word die konseptueie kenmerke van hierdie teorie na vore gebring en opgesom. Die argument word gemaak dat die meerendeels dualistiese benadering van die Westerse filosofiese tradisie tot die self ons verstaan van die fenomeen belemmer eerder as om dit te bemiddel. Die voordele van dié nuwe benadering, wat die self sien as 'n ontluikende (emergent) eienskap van In komplekses sisteem, word bespreek met verwysing na veral die werke van Sigmund Freud, Richard Dawkins, Daniel Dennett en Paul Cilliers. Daar word beoog om In verstaan van die self te ontwikkel wat kontemporêre empiriese insigte in ag neem en wat die versoeking weerstaan om ongeoorloofde metafisiese eienskappe aan die self toe te ken. Terselfdetyd word daar gepoog om geensins die uniekheid van die self te "reduseer" na 'n kru materialisme nie. In die finale hoofstuk word daar gepoog om 'n teenargument vir die voorsiene beswaar van kru materialisme te ontwikkel. Dit word gedoen deur te benadruk dat die self gesien word as deel van 'n groter, komplekse sisteem, wat die masjienerie van denke en die omgewing (wat as kultuur gekonseptualiseer word) insluit. Insgelyks, in die teorie van Dawkins word die medium van interaksie in hierdie sisteem gesien as "memes", waar die self dan n meme-kompleks vorm, en kultuur die medium van meme-oordrag is. Daar word tot die konklusie gekom dat die self op 'n narratiewe manier bestudeer behoort te word, wat dan 'n benadering tot die self voorsien wat materialisties is, sonder om kru fisikalisties te wees.

Les Troubles du Spectre de l’Autisme (TSA) impliquent un pronostic développemental sensiblement différent dépendamment de leur sévérité et des troubles associés. Les difficultés relationnelles, les comportements inadaptés et les besoins spécifiques de l’enfant ont des répercussions sur le fonctionnement familial et affectent le vécu des parents. Cette situation génère un stress conséquent qui peut potentiellement mettre à mal la cohésion dans le couple parental, affecter les interactions parent-enfant, détériorer le sentiment de compétence parentale et entraîner une perception amoindrie de la qualité des relations familiales. L’écologie sociale du milieu familial permet de questionner le lien entre le climat familial perçu par les mères, évalué par l’IRF (LARIPE, 1989), et le stress maternel perçu, mesuré par l’ISP/FB (Bigras, LaFrenière, & Abidin, 1996), en tenant compte de la singularité de l’expression du handicap de leur enfant, soit la sévérité du trouble autistique, déterminée par l’EEAI (Rogé, 1989), et la coexistence d’un trouble du langage et/ou d’une déficience intellectuelle associée définit antérieurement à l’étude par le diagnostic médical.Le niveau langagier a un impact élevé, tant sur l’âge d’alerte pour les parents, que sur l’âge de diagnostic pour les professionnels, et se révèle fortement associé à l’évaluation de la sévérité des troubles autistiques (N=65). Dépendamment du niveau de stress maternel perçu, en recourant à une classification hiérarchique ascendante basée sur les dimensions de l’ISP/FB, la qualité des relations familiales diffère significativement. Les mères les plus stressées perçoivent le climat familial comme étant plus conflictuel. En considérant à six mois d’intervalle le vécu maternel au niveau écosystémique plutôt que dyadique, l’intervention écologique par l’intégration d’un chien d’assistance de la Fondation MIRA (Québec) dans le groupe familial (n=24) permet une diminution concomitante du stress maternel relatif à la gestion des comportements difficiles de l’enfant et de la sévérité des troubles autistiques. En l’absence de différence au premier temps de mesure avec les mères en attente de service (n=26), les mères des familles bénéficiant d’un chien présentent moins de stress, tant globalement, qu’en ce qui concerne les interactions et l’éducation de l’enfant autiste, et perçoivent également un climat relationnel plus favorable. Les résultats obtenus mettent en évidence la contribution de la médiation animale à l’amélioration de la qualité de vie de l’ensemble des membres du microsystème familial, notamment en ce qui concerne la facilitation des interactions intra et extrafamiliales. / Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) involve a significantly different developmental prognosis depending on severity and associated disorders. Relationship difficulties, inadequate behaviours and the specific needs of the child have implications on family functioning and affect parents' experiences. This situation generates significant stress that can potentially undermine parental cohesion, affect parent-child interactions, impair parenting, and lead to lessened perceptions of the quality of family relationships. Considering the social ecology of the family environment allows us to question the relationship between the family climate perceived by mothers, evaluated by the IRF (LARIPE, 1989), and the perceived maternal stress, measured by the ISP/FB (Bigras, LaFrenière and Abidin, 1996), taking into account the singularity of disability, namely autistic disorder severity, determined by the EEAI (Rogé, 1989), and the coexistence of a language disorder and/or an associated intellectual impairment defined by medical diagnosis realized prior to study.Language competence has a high impact, both on the age of parental alert and age of diagnosis by professionals, and is strongly associated with the severity of autistic disorders evaluation (N=65). Depending on the level of perceived maternal stress, using a cluster analysis based on the dimensions of ISP/FB, the quality of family relationships differs significantly. The most stressed mothers perceive the family climate as more confrontational. By considering maternal experience at the eco-systemic level rather than dyadic, an ecological intervention by integrating a MIRA Foundation (Quebec) assistance dog into the family group (n=24) produced a concomitant decrease for maternal stress related to management of child's difficult behaviours and for severity of autistic disorders. In absence of differences in the first measurement time with mothers waiting for service (n=26), mothers in families with a dog are less stressed both overall, than for interactions and for education of the autistic child. They also perceive a more favourable relationship climate. Results obtained highlight the contribution of animal mediation to improving the quality of life of all members in the microsystem, particularly on intra and extra-familial interactions facilitation.