Quasars are among the most luminous and the most distant objects in the Universe. Consequently they are particularly interesting to probe its origin and to understand its evolution. However, the huge distances at which these objects are generally found prevent us from resolving their central regions so that we cannot directly check the validity of the geometrical as well as the dynamical models accounting for their observational properties (spectral energy distribution, line profiles, presence or absence of radio jets etc). In our thesis, we use two indirect observational techniques in order to constrain the existing models. These techniques which are particularly sensitive to the geometrical structure of the quasar emission regions are polarimetry and gravitational microlensing. In the first part of our thesis we study the correlation between the direction of the linear polarization and the orientation of the host galaxy/ extended emission that we determined on the basis of high resolution HST images. We show how this study enables us to bring new clues favoring the existence of a unification model for the Type 1 and Type 2 quasars. In the second part, we show how gravitational microlensing allows to constrain the geometry and size of the regions at the origin of the broad absorption lines observed in the spectrum of 10 to 20 % of quasars. For this purpose we build a radiative transfer code allowing to simulate the line profiles produced in a variety of realistic wind models. These models are then used to study the variations of line profiles induced by the transit of a gravitational microlens. This technique is finally applied to the case of the quasar H1413+117 in order to determine the geometry of the regions which produce the broad absorption lines.

The derivation of the standard model from a higher-dimensional action suggests a further study of the fibre bundle formulation of gauge theories to determine the variations in the choice of structure group that are allowed in this geometrical setting. The action of transformations on the projection of fibres to their submanifolds are characteristic of theories with fewer gauge vector bosons, and specific examples are given, which may have phenomenological relevance. The spinor space for the three generations of fermions in the standard model is described algebraically.

Many artist-teachers struggle to nurture and pursue their ambitions in their dual roles. The purpose of this research is to explore the nature of the professional practices of artist-teachers. While there is a substantial amount of research that provides models of artist-teachers, who teach at the post secondary levels, there are not many models for artist-teachers who teach primary and secondary age groups. Four artist-teachers, whose practices are currently contributing to the art world, as well as the educational world, were interviewed for a multiple case study. The roles represented in the study include painters, sculptors, a ceramist, a musician, a performance artist, art teachers, a music teacher, and a performance-art educator. This multiple case study provides four models of artist-teachers whose professional practices contribute to their identity and fulfillment in their dual roles. The study reveals the artist-teacher’s practice as an artist, practice as a teacher and relationship between the dual roles.

Motivated by recent successes in linking the kinetic power of relativistic jets in active galactic nuclei (AGN) to the low-frequency, isotropic lobe emission, I have re-examined the blazar and radio-loud AGN unification scheme through careful analysis of the four parameters we believe to be fundamental in producing a particular jet spectral energy distribution (SED): the kinetic power, accretion power, accretion mode, and orientation. In particular, I have compiled a multi-wavelength database for hundreds of jet SEDs in order to characterize the jet spectrum by the synchrotron peak output, and have conducted an analysis of the steep lobe emission in blazars in order to determine the intrinsic jet power. This study of the link between power and isotropic emission is likely to have a wider applicability to other types or relativistic jet phenomena, such as microquasars. Based on a well-characterized sample of over 200 sources, I suggest a new unification scheme for radio-loud AGN (Meyer et al. 2011) which compliments evidence that a transition in jet power at a few percent of the Eddington luminosity produces two types of relativistic jet (Ghisellini, et al., 2009). The `broken power sequence' addresses a series of recent findings severely at odds with the previous unification scheme. This scheme makes many testable predictions which will can be addressed with a larger body of data, including a way to determine whether the coupling between accretion and jet power is the currently presumed one-to-one correspondence, or whether accretion power forms an upper bound, as very recent observations suggest (Fernandes et al. 2011). This work is a first step toward a unified understanding of the relativistic jets found in radio-loud active galactic nuclei (AGN) and their connection to accretion onto the super-massive black holes from which they emanate.

This study focuses on the peculiar success that a number of Middle English romances achieved in fourteenth-century England. The romances, Otuel a Knight, Otuel and Roland, Duke Rowland and Sir Otuell of Spayne, Sir Ferumbras, Firumbras, and The Sowdone of Babylone, are narratives about the Saracen knight Otuel or Ferumbras who convert to and fight for Christianity. Given the particular cultural preoccupation with the crusades in Europe and the common vilification of Islam throughout European literature, the popularity of a Saracen hero for the English is unexpected. In accounting for the popularity of these figures and their tales in medieval England, I analyse through a socio-historic approach the concepts of Islam and views of conversion in medieval Europe and England, the particular resonances between English concerns and these narratives, and the converts and conversions in these romances. I approach this subject with an eye to source material from historical documents, comparing the subject matter of the romances to the preoccupations of medieval Christians demonstrated in the historical material. Through this discussion, it becomes clear that the popularity of these romances was assured because of the unwavering promotion and idealizing of the project of Christian reclamation and unification exemplified through the tales. Differently from much scholarship on romances that extensively use Saracen characters, this study demonstrates that the Saracens in these romances become less of an Other and more of a misled aspect of Christianity that must be led back to the church for the complete unification of Christendom to take place.

State identification has been a more and more important issue in Taiwan since 1990.¡@This study applies focus group interview for the analysis of state identification.¡@Interviewers will progressive interpret the state identification of themselves through interaction in a small group by focus group interview. Accordingly, the facts on affecting Taiwanese in state identification can be exposed, and outwards of state identification of Taiwanese can be further explored. ¡@¡@According to the findings of the study, party identification can drive state identification for Taiwanese, especially for those who have strong emotion in party identification. And their position of state identification is usually consistent with that of their identified party. Meanwhile, as for a Taiwanese who has weak emotion in party identification, age, provincial, background, and growing experience are the main factors that affect state identification. Moreover, concerning the symbol of the state, Taiwanese have different preferences and selections in parties and the name of the state. However, once the symbol of the state appears in an international occasion, national identification can drive a Taiwanese to generate a certain degree of emotion that connects with the symbol of the state. ¡@¡@Finally, this study further discovers that Taiwanese confuse the concept of national identification with that of state identification. The concept of national identification has always been used to discuss issues about Taiwan, and therefore Taiwanese are unaware of using national identification to discuss state identification.

This thesis re-evaluates the exhibition space as a site of &ldquo / indeterminacy&rdquo / defined by the dialectical interaction of architectural space and art object. The ways in which different forms of space-object interactions are constructed, and the architectural tools used to accommodate the exhibition event will be the departure points of this investigation. In this respect, the cases of Dia Beacon, Tate Modern and Stazione Leopolda will be analyzed and the means of &ldquo / indeterminacy&rdquo / will be elucidated by using the conceptual tools of &ldquo / isolation&rdquo / , &ldquo / unification&rdquo / and &ldquo / transformation&rdquo / . With the aid of these three cases, the aim of this study is to comprehend the architectural potentials in exhibition practice, which functions in extreme conditions of constantly altering states, environments and relations.

The purpose of this thesis is to give an account of the significance of time in Kant&rsquo / s Critique of Pure Reason by discussing its role in the unification of sensibility and understanding. I primarily investigate the role that time plays in the constitution of objective knowledge. I discuss that since time is the necessary condition for objects to be given to our sensibility, without it any representation would be without a temporal order and perhaps would not make any sense at all. Kant claims that it is imagination that enables the connection between sensibility and understanding possible. After investigating the relation between imagination and time, I argue for the following thesis: what lies at the very heart of the possibility of the connection between sensibility and understanding must be time itself. Finally, I focus on the kinship between time and the self. I argue that when it comes to knowledge of the phenomenal world, time together with transcendental self stands as the condition of all human knowledge.

Election is the fundamental system to maintain one¡¦s political leadership a democratic country.Election will decide the development of political system and fulfill the spirit of democracy.This is a study about Kaohsiung City mayor voter votes factor of the choice in the 2002 and 2006 Election. The results of the research are as follows:-- 1. In 2002, there are three causes that make a voter to change his decision in choosing a candidate. They are the age of a voter, the education level of the voter, and his personal racial group in the society. These three causes influence a voter¡¦s recognition of another racial group in the society, his stand on the problem of Taiwan being united or divided from one China, his point of view on how much support a candidate will get from his party and other parties, a voter¡¦s evaluation of a candidate¡¦s behavior and conduct. We found that the difference between a voter and another voter shows very distinct or extremely distinct in making a decision.In 2006, there are two causes that make a voter to change his mind in choosing a candidate. They are the education level of the voter, and his personal racial group in the society. These two causes influence a voter¡¦s recognition of another racial group, his stand on the problem of Taiwan being united or divided from China, his point of view on how much support a candidate will get from his party and other parties, a voter¡¦s evaluation of a candidate¡¦s behavior and conduct. We found that the difference between voters and voters showed very distinct different or extremely distinct different in making a decision.Briefly speaking, a voter¡¦s individual personality and his living social background, are the reasons that really related to his stand on the problem of Taiwan being separated from China or not. And we found that a voter¡¦s personality related to his stand point on the problem of Taiwan being separated or not from one China, apparently influence a voter¡¦s decision more in the election of 2002 than in that of 2006. 2. Both in the study of the election in 2002 and 2006, we found it made no difference in making a choice of a candidate if the voter is female or male. The result does not achieve the standard of difference level(P¡Ö00.5). . Besides the voters¡¦ age related to the choice of a candidate appeared ¡§rather difference¡¨, the voters¡¦ personal education level, their racial group, and their income, with their individual social background were the reasons that influenced a voter¡¦s decision when making a choice of a candidate. These reasons related to a voter¡¦s decision ¡§appear apparently different and extremely different.¡¨ 3. In the research of both the election in 2002 and in 2006, except that people¡¦s evaluation of Huang Tian-Shang related to the voters¡¦ decision of making a choice, did not apparently achieve the standard of difference level (P¡Ö00.5), that is, except that the variety factors related to the voters¡¦ decision , did not appear apparently difference level , other variety factors related to the voters¡¦ decision in making a choice, ¡§apparently appeared difference level .¡¨

This thesis analyses three issues raised by the application of the general principles of law to commercial arbitration. First, it is essential to assess the core and the substance of the general principles of law. Our first hypothesis purports that the UPICC reduces considerably the uncertainty of the general principles of law in international trade. Secondly, an analysis of the nature of the UPICC is needed, in order to determine whether they have the essential features of a transnational norm and can thus escape the application of national legal norms. We will thus analyse the existing mechanisms to assure the autonomy, of PUCCI, from national law. Thirdly, we will analyse the legitimacy of the UPICC. In doing so, we shall refer to the concept of reflexive legimitacy, a legitimacy obtained through the consensus of the merchant community. This reflexive legitimacy over the UPICC is generally admitted. Two rules within the UPICC, however, raise doubts and concerns over their acceptability in the merchants' community: the hardship and the gross disparity provisions. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)