Thesis (M. Arch.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Architecture, 1995. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 89-92). / With the much-commented upon shifts in the global economy and the problematizing of traditional social, economic, cultural, and political relationships, the role of architecture as a "public" practice has fallen under scrutiny. The "privatization of public space", resulting from the overt merging of "public" concerns (typically represented through the State) and "private" interests (in our society, usually defined by groups with significant power over investment decisions) is often taken as symptomatic of a general trend towards the breakdown of democracy itself. Here, however, it is important to differentiate between what can be termed the "public sphere", or the abstract discursive arena where thought is (re)produced and debated, and "public space", or the actual built spaces of personal encounter among strangers. Certainly, since the Enlightenment when the terms first acquired widespread currency, the latter has depended upon some conception of the former. / Eric Chia-Kong Mar. / M.Arch.

“soft power is the ability to get what a country wants through attraction rather than coercion or payment.” - Joseph S. Nye Jr. From Nye’s original soft power idea, the term now has been increasingly attached to China’s conduct of its diplomacy in various parts of the globe from Southeast Asia to Africa and South America. This research examines China’s soft power in Southeast Asia and its effectiveness relative to the pursuit and advancement of the country’s regional objectives and aspirations. The primary consideration here would be the US approach towards the region and how, if any, this has affected Southeast Asian governments’ reception and perception of China’s drive for increased influence and potential domination of regional affairs. Striking a comparison between Beijing’s standing in Southeast Asia before and after its soft power application would likely provide a logical explanation on the effectiveness of its intensified diplomacy in attracting regional countries. Also of particular importance to this research would be the US policy towards the region and the underlying rationale behind its stance, as well as Southeast Asia’s attitude regarding Washington’s regional approach. Undoubtedly, America’s image in the region has been tainted by the previous governments’ missteps and unpopular actions, but there is no denying that Southeast Asian governments still rely on the US military apparatus for regional stability and security. This has been made more complex by China’s growing penetration in Southeast Asia, but might as well provide enough reason for the US to engage Southeast Asia a lot more. Knowing the political, economic and historical correlation of individual regional countries vis-à-vis the US and China might shed some light as to their mindset relative to the competition of these two external powers for increased influence in Southeast Asia. Being the US’ most reliable ally in Southeast Asia, the Philippines offers the most compelling case for this study. How the Philippines react, and what other factors influence its behavior, as far its relations with both the US and China provides some relevant information in the overall calculation of Beijing’s attractiveness among regional countries. Particularly relevant to this estimation is determining China’s rationale behind its goal of attaining unparalleled relations with the Philippines as well as Manila’s motivation in reciprocating Beijing’s offer of friendship. Equally important is the evolution of the Philippine-US relations and what drives these two countries to reinvigorate their security partnership, previously the cornerstone of American military supremacy in Southeast Asia, amid China’s charm offensive. In the end, this study finds that it appears that the Philippines’ strategy vis-à-vis its relations with both the US and China has been to secure the best possible concessions from both countries while playing a delicate balancing game to accommodate their intensified competition for influence in the country. Although there have been remarkable improvement in relations between the Philippines and China, privately Manila is still uneasy with the potential security repercussions that Beijing’s rise might engender in the long run, especially with regards to their conflicting claims over the SCS. As it seems, the Philippines’ increased confidence in dealing with China can be rooted on its ability to keep the American military deeply engaged in the country. As has been notable in the Philippine experience, Southeast Asia appeared determined to sustain the power equilibrium with regards to external powers, and all indications point to China as the concentration of this strategy. The ASEAN recognized that Beijing’s soft power has already put it in a position to compete with Washington for increased influence in the region. Southeast Asia wants to accommodate this, but judged that it would be safer to include other powers in the equation to ensure that the ASEAN still has control in managing these powers’ engagement. Having said this, while there is no doubt that China’s soft power has served its regional purpose well, Southeast Asia’s desire to sustain the regional balance of power, apparently with the US still at the top, would continue to put some limits to Beijing’s charm offensive in the region.

The thesis is concerned with the large spectacle plays produced by Imre Kiralfy between 1887 and 1903, and the international exhibitions which he created and staged between 1895 and 1914. The purpose of the study is four-fold; to show the origins of mire Kiralfy's development of the spectacle theatre form to describe the, spectacle plays which he produced in the United States and in England; to examine the combined spectacle plays and exhibitions which he Staged at Olympia and Earl's .Court in London; and finally to characterize the way in which Kiralfy subsumed spectacle theatre into the large International exhibitions which he staged at the White City in London. In the Introduction I set out the structure of the thesis, and make some observations on the problem of genre in the study of nineteenth century spectacle plays and exhibitions, Chapter 1 serves as a background to the later chapters, and outlines Kiralfy's early life as a Variety dancer and then as a theatre manager in New York. Chapter 2 is concerned with the pageant plays produced in Cincinnatti in r the 1880s, and the ways in which they were appropriated by Kiralfy and subsequently staged by him at St. George, Staten Island in 1887 and 1888. Chapter 3 deals with the spectacle plays presented by Kiralfy at Olympia in London between 1889 and 1893. Chapter 4 describes the two spectacle plays produced by Kiralfy in the United States in association with the Columbus Celebrations of 1892-3. Chapter 5 details the nine exhibitions and their accompanying spectacle entertainments which Kitalfy staged at Earl's Court between 1895 and 1903. Chapter 46 describes the political financial and 'architectural background to the construction of the White City exhibition grounds, the international exhibitions presented there between 1908 and 1914, and the staging of the Olympic Games in 1908.

Master-Arbeit Univ. St. Gallen, 2006.

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In the last 20 years, IASB IFRS has been promoted as the IFRS has been adopted by many major economies as for financial reporting and is poised to become even more widely accepted and used in the near future, with the main objective of unifying world financial reporting by making statements more comparable. The second key player in the field of financial reporting is US GAAP, used by American publicly traded companies, accounting roughly for approximately one-third of the world's capitalization. Although many countries, in concluding members of the EU, have accepted IFRS without significant changes to their existing financial reporting standards or their infrastructure, SEC in the USA has lead a long process of convergence with IFRS from the technical side and also the regulators and general environment has been preparing for the change, with the aim of ensuring smooth and successful transition, resulting in a higher quality of IFRS adoption. The main problem, which leads to the research presented in this dissertation is whether to approach international accounting harmonization from the top-down or bottom-up. The main objective of the dissertation is was to contribute to the analysis of the significance of the impact of non-accounting (environmental) factors on financial reporting quality, specifically the adoption of IFRS. The dissertation accomplishes the main goal by utilizing the survey method of analysis to accumulate research to date, analyze available evaluation methods and to describe the control environment, USA. The second stage of the analysis involves constructing a comprehensive evaluation model, which enables a comprehensive analysis of the relationship between environment and financial reporting. The model developed in the dissertation is intended for use by researchers for a comprehensive, inter-disciplinary, empirical study of the environmental effects on financial reporting.

Kevin McGrath Abstract This thesis looks to assess the role of public-private partnerships (PPPs) in building critical energy infrastructure, and its implications for energy and national security. The clear majority of academic literature in energy security focuses exclusively on energy supply, and demand, but there is little written on the security issues facing countries when financing critical energy infrastructure projects. Through assessing the (1) recent history of privatization, (2) the development of the domestic PPP model, and (3) current relationships with PPPs in Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, and France this thesis will look to identify the underlying domestic cultural normative debate which is driving policy making decisions. By understanding the general historical trends of privatization, and economic ideologies in governments over the past 40+ years, we can see the current and future trends in building critical energy infrastructure. By understanding the constantly evolving factors, and interdependencies at play, this thesis highlights the role of public-private partnerships in critical energy infrastructure, and energy security in general.

Evaluation des mutations de la stratégie politico-militaire américaine depuis l'occurrence de la Revolution in Military Affairs jusqu'au processus actuel de "Transformation". L'analyse des évolutions vues - y compris à l'aune des opérations menées en Afghanistan et en Irak - montre, au delà du phénomène de technicisation (i.e. le processus d'intégration de nouvelles technologies aux armées) un phénomène de "technologisation". Dans ce cadre, le discours stratégique américain, examiné au travers des débats stratégiques et des contributions doctrinales, tendrait à être sur-déterminé par la technologie, du niveau tactique au niveau politique, de sorte que ledit discours tendrait à devenir en soi une technologie.

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The emergence and spread of electricity profoundly shaped the “long New South.” This dissertation traces the electrification of the US South from the 1880s to the 1970s. Focusing primarily on the Atlanta-based Georgia Power Company, it emphasizes that electricity’s rise was not simply the result of technological innovation. It was a multifaceted process that deeply influenced, and was influenced by, environmental alterations, political machinations, business practices, and social and cultural matters. Although it hewed to national and global patterns in many respects, southern electrification charted a distinctive and instructive path. Its story speaks to the ways the South’s experiences with electrification shaped larger American models of energy transitions and economic development, but also the ways it wrought dramatic changes in the fabric of everyday life.