The objective of this thesis is to examine the political modernization experience of the Uzbeks. In order to do that, first, this dissertation critically analyze the modernization theory, and second, the identity- and socio-political transformation of Uzbeks in the pre-modern and modern eras. The political modernization of Uzbeks and its relation with the peculiar social-political structures, as well as the impact of Tsarist and the Soviet rule on those structures are examined. Moreover, the dissertation analyzes the emergence of an Uzbek political identity and its influence on the post-Soviet independent Uzbekistan. The main argument of this dissertation is that the Uzbek experience under the Tsarist and Soviet rule has inevitably transformed the Uzbek society and achieved relative success in changing the traditional forms into ostensibly modern ones. However, despite the successful political modernization during the Soviet era, the specific socio-political organization, clans and kinship structures inherent in the Uzbek society succeeded adapting and even transforming modern institutions and structures externally imposed by the Soviet. These informal traditional structures emerged as strong institutions in the post-independence era. Moreover, the dissertation claims that the transition and modernization approaches to Post-Soviet Uzbekistan failed in understanding the peculiar socio-political structures and their impact on informal politics in independent Uzbekistan.

The main objective of this thesis is to study the fundamental behaviour of multi-component gas mixture flows in micro/nano-channels undergoing catalytic chemical reactions on the walls. This work is primarily focused on nano-scale reacting flows seen in related applications; especially, miniaturized energy sources such as micro-fuel cells and batteries. At these geometries, the order of the characteristic length is close to the mean free path of the flowing gas, making the flow highly rarefied. As a result, non-equilibrium conditions prevail even the bulk flow and therefore, continuum assumptions are not held anymore. Hence, discrete methods should be adopted to simulate molecular movements and interactions described by the Boltzmann equation. The Direct Simulation Monte Carlo (DSMC) method was employed for the present research due to its natural ability for simulating a broad range of rarefied gas flows, and its flexibility to incorporate surface chemical reactions. In the first step, fluid dynamics and the heat transfer of H₂/N₂ and H₂/N₂/CO₂ gas mixture slip flows in a plain micro-channel are simulated. The obtained results are compared to the corresponding data achieved from Navier-Stokes equations with slip/jump boundary conditions. Generally, very good agreements are observed between the two methods. It proves the ability of DSMC in replicating the fluid properties of multi-component gas mixtures even when high mass discrepancies exist among the species. Based on this comparison, the proper parameters are set for the prepared DSMC code, and the appropriate intermolecular collision model is identified. It is also found that stream variables should be calculated more accurately at flow boundaries in order to simulate the intense upstream diffusion emerging at low velocity flows frequently seen in micro/nano-applications. Therefore, in the second step, a novel pressure boundary condition is introduced for gas mixture flows by substituting the commonly used Maxwell velocity distribution with the Chapman-Enskog distribution function. It is shown that this new method yields better results for lower velocity and higher rarefaction level cases. In the last step, a new method is proposed for coupling the flow field simulated by DSMC and surface reactions modelled by the species conservation ODE system derived from the reaction mechanism. First, a lean H₂/air slip flow subjected to oxidation on platinum coated walls in a flat micro-channel 4μm in height is simulated as a verification test case. The results obtained are validated against the solutions of the Navier-Stokes equations with slip/jump boundary conditions and very good conformity is achieved. Next, several cases undergoing the same reaction with Reynolds numbers ranging from 0.2 to 3.6 and Knudsen numbers ranging from 0.025 to 0.375, are simulated using the verified code to investigate the effects of the channel height ranging from 0.5μm to 2μm , the inlet mass flow rate ranging from 5 kg/m².s to 25 kg/m².s, the inlet temperature ranging from 300K to 700K, the wall temperature ranging from 300K to 1000K, and the fuel/air equivalence ratio ranging from 0.28 to 1.5. Some of the findings are as follows: (1) increasing the surface temperature from 600K to 1000K and/or the inlet temperature from 300K to 700K results in negligible enhancement of the conversion rate, (2) the optimum value of the equivalence ratio is on the fuel lean side (around 0.5), (3) the efficiency of the reactor is higher for smaller channel heights, and (4) increasing the inlet mass flux elevates the reaction rate especially for the smaller channels; this effect is not linear and is more magnified for lower mass fluxes.

Diploma thesis "Perspectives of the Cuban Transition to Democracy" tries to analyze the current situation in Cuba and answer a question if the transition to democracy is possible and if so, in which period of time. It also tries to confirm or disprove two hypotheses set ahead: 'the transition to democracy is possible but only in a long period of time' and 'there will not be any changes during Fidel Castro's life'. This paper also tries to depict some theoretical models of the transition to democracy, brief history of Cuba which is indispensable for understanding of the current situation in Cuba and the perspectives of the future transition as well. The thesis also comprehensively deals with characterization of the current Cuban regime and its main representatives, analysis of the civil society and the inner opposition in Cuba and also with the international situation and its main actors which are able to to influence the current situation in Cuba and its future transition as well. There are also depicted some scenarios and factors of the future transition and briefly described some essential subsequent reforms though the application of some theoretical approaches on the analysis of the particular situation in Cuba.

A presente dissertação tem como objetivo fundamental o estudo da relação do PCB e do PCdoB com o MDB-PMDB no processo de distensão política da ditadura militar. Entre as questões estudadas destacam-se o processo de aproximação das agremiações comunistas ao MDB, enfatizando que este processo era reflexo dos limites impostos pelo regime autoritário, dando origem à dupla militância, por parte dos comunistas: legal (MDB-PMDB) e ilegal (PCB e PCdoB). Examinam-se as eleições no RS desde a instauração do bipartidarismo, com especial ênfase às eleições de 1982, que foi a última eleição em que essas três agremiações funcionaram como uma "unidade" partidária. Para tanto, analisa-se a linha tático-estratégica dos comunistas em consonância com o PMDB e as suas aspirações com respeito ao fim do regime, assim como o próprio cotidiano da vida partidária e os reflexos advindos desta dupla militância na dinâmica infrapartidária. Trata-se de um trabalho de reconstituição histórica em que, além das fontes bibliográficas e dos resultados eleitorais, faz-se uso da documentação partidária do período e de entrevistas com militantes partidários sobre as eleições de 1982. / This dissertation aims to study the fundamental relationship between the PCB and the PCdoB with the MDB-PMDB distension in the policy of the military dictatorship. Among the issues examined included the process of approximation of the MDB communist associations, emphasizing that this process was reflective of the limits imposed by the authoritarian regime, leading to double militancy on the part of communists: legal (MDB-PMDB) and illegal (PCB and PCdoB). It examines the elections in RS since to begin the bipartisan system, with special emphasis for election of 1982, which was the last election in that the three associations functioned as a "unity" party. Thus, it examines the strategic-tactical line of the communists in line with the PMDB and aspirations with respect to the end of the procedure, so as the daily life of the party and reflexes arising in the dynamics of double militancy into partisan. This paper is about a historical reconstitution where, besides the bibliographical sources and the electoral results, use the partisan documentation of the period and interviews with militant partisans the 1982 elections.

A presente dissertação tem como objetivo fundamental o estudo da relação do PCB e do PCdoB com o MDB-PMDB no processo de distensão política da ditadura militar. Entre as questões estudadas destacam-se o processo de aproximação das agremiações comunistas ao MDB, enfatizando que este processo era reflexo dos limites impostos pelo regime autoritário, dando origem à dupla militância, por parte dos comunistas: legal (MDB-PMDB) e ilegal (PCB e PCdoB). Examinam-se as eleições no RS desde a instauração do bipartidarismo, com especial ênfase às eleições de 1982, que foi a última eleição em que essas três agremiações funcionaram como uma "unidade" partidária. Para tanto, analisa-se a linha tático-estratégica dos comunistas em consonância com o PMDB e as suas aspirações com respeito ao fim do regime, assim como o próprio cotidiano da vida partidária e os reflexos advindos desta dupla militância na dinâmica infrapartidária. Trata-se de um trabalho de reconstituição histórica em que, além das fontes bibliográficas e dos resultados eleitorais, faz-se uso da documentação partidária do período e de entrevistas com militantes partidários sobre as eleições de 1982. / This dissertation aims to study the fundamental relationship between the PCB and the PCdoB with the MDB-PMDB distension in the policy of the military dictatorship. Among the issues examined included the process of approximation of the MDB communist associations, emphasizing that this process was reflective of the limits imposed by the authoritarian regime, leading to double militancy on the part of communists: legal (MDB-PMDB) and illegal (PCB and PCdoB). It examines the elections in RS since to begin the bipartisan system, with special emphasis for election of 1982, which was the last election in that the three associations functioned as a "unity" party. Thus, it examines the strategic-tactical line of the communists in line with the PMDB and aspirations with respect to the end of the procedure, so as the daily life of the party and reflexes arising in the dynamics of double militancy into partisan. This paper is about a historical reconstitution where, besides the bibliographical sources and the electoral results, use the partisan documentation of the period and interviews with militant partisans the 1982 elections.

A presente dissertação tem como objetivo fundamental o estudo da relação do PCB e do PCdoB com o MDB-PMDB no processo de distensão política da ditadura militar. Entre as questões estudadas destacam-se o processo de aproximação das agremiações comunistas ao MDB, enfatizando que este processo era reflexo dos limites impostos pelo regime autoritário, dando origem à dupla militância, por parte dos comunistas: legal (MDB-PMDB) e ilegal (PCB e PCdoB). Examinam-se as eleições no RS desde a instauração do bipartidarismo, com especial ênfase às eleições de 1982, que foi a última eleição em que essas três agremiações funcionaram como uma "unidade" partidária. Para tanto, analisa-se a linha tático-estratégica dos comunistas em consonância com o PMDB e as suas aspirações com respeito ao fim do regime, assim como o próprio cotidiano da vida partidária e os reflexos advindos desta dupla militância na dinâmica infrapartidária. Trata-se de um trabalho de reconstituição histórica em que, além das fontes bibliográficas e dos resultados eleitorais, faz-se uso da documentação partidária do período e de entrevistas com militantes partidários sobre as eleições de 1982. / This dissertation aims to study the fundamental relationship between the PCB and the PCdoB with the MDB-PMDB distension in the policy of the military dictatorship. Among the issues examined included the process of approximation of the MDB communist associations, emphasizing that this process was reflective of the limits imposed by the authoritarian regime, leading to double militancy on the part of communists: legal (MDB-PMDB) and illegal (PCB and PCdoB). It examines the elections in RS since to begin the bipartisan system, with special emphasis for election of 1982, which was the last election in that the three associations functioned as a "unity" party. Thus, it examines the strategic-tactical line of the communists in line with the PMDB and aspirations with respect to the end of the procedure, so as the daily life of the party and reflexes arising in the dynamics of double militancy into partisan. This paper is about a historical reconstitution where, besides the bibliographical sources and the electoral results, use the partisan documentation of the period and interviews with militant partisans the 1982 elections.