This dissertation examines civilian mobilization amidst the Donbas war in Ukraine and the identity formation processes that it engendered. It focuses on ordinary residents of the frontline regions who voluntarily got together to address the humanitarian and military consequences of war in the absence of state support. It explores the micro-level dynamics of mobilization, particularly the demographic profile of volunteers, their motivations to join and their pathways to engagement. In so doing, it provides an account of how ordinary residents of seemingly passive regions became active in times of crisis. I use the concept of “identity formation” to analyze how war and war engagement have impacted citizen, gender, national and language identities of those active at the rear. The outbreak of war shattered habitual ways of thinking and acting and brought about new modes of belonging and meaning making for war volunteers. My findings suggest that successful volunteer efforts in wartime allowed volunteers to position themselves differently with respect to community, nation, and the state and to articulate new understandings of “good citizenship.” The shifting positioning of volunteers, as the research demonstrates, is inherently linked to the changing citizen regimes in Ukraine and the gendered conceptions of who counts as a legitimate member of the community. By employing ethnographic tools of inquiry, the dissertation provides an ethnographic account of wartime social change “from below” and speaks to larger social and political transformations in wartime using Ukraine as a case study. It does so with attention to the social-political environment within which collective action occurs and in relation to the new types of mobility, socializing and bonding it engenders.

No description available.

Changing the approach to communication and engagement with the local people in Liberia during the Ebola response turned out to be a key strategy in the Red Cross’ work. The Liberian Red Cross’ communication with the crisis-affected people changed significantly during the fight against the Ebola virus, from top-down information to a more dialogical communication approach. The Ebola epidemic in West Africa has caused more than 11 000 deaths since the outbreak in March 2014. The task of defeating the virus seemed overwhelming at times, but the outbreak finally stopped and all the three worst hit countries: Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia were declared Ebola-free by the World Health Organization. Communication with and participation of the people the aid organizations target have been a central issue for discussion within the international community and development agencies for a long time. During the Ebola response it was clearly stated that communicating and engaging with the people living in the affected area was a core approach during and after the response. This thesis explores how one of the responding humanitarian organizations, The Red Cross, used communication with the crisis affected people in Liberia as a tool in their response to help stop and prevent the virus from spreading. The study is done as a case study. Main components of the case, and focus for the analysis, are semi-structured interviews with staff and volunteers from the Liberian Red Cross that worked with communication and operational activities during the Ebola response. Red Cross documents from the Ebola response, policy, planning, evaluation and training-documents, are also important part of the case.

I detaljplaneprocessen som regleras enligt plan- och bygglagen, PBL ställs kvar på samråd. Syftet med samrådet är att samla information, önskemål och synpunkter som berör planförslaget och överväga dessa i ett tidigt skede av detaljplanearbetet. Kommunen ska samråda om ett förslag till detaljplan med bland andra länsstyrelsen, lantmäterimyndigheten, kända sakägare och boende som berörs. Kritik riktas mot att gällande lagstiftning medför att samrådet ofta kommer in alltför sent i detaljplaneprocessen, när möjligheten att påverka har begränsats. En tidig dialog i samband med detaljplanering är inte reglerad i PBL. Den genomförs i vissa kommuner som ett verktyg i detaljplaneprocessen. Syftet med examensarbetet är att ur en fastighetsrättslig utgångspunkt undersöka varför, hur och i vilken omfattning som svenska kommuner använder sig av någon form av dialog med medborgare före det lagstadgade samrådet i detaljplaneprocessen. För att besvara den frågan genomförs litteraturstudier av plan- och bygglagstiftningen, med fokus på detaljplaneprocessen, dialog och samråd, tidigare forskning och undersökningar kopplad till dialog och samråd samt deltagar- och delaktighetsmodeller. Efter det följer empiriska studier i form av intervjuer med planchefer och planarkitekter i sju kommuner i Stockholms län och sex kommuner i Västra Götalands län. Utifrån 13 genomförda intervjuer är det tolv av de som intervjuats som företräder kommuner som använder sig av någon form av dialog tidigt i detaljplaneprocessen. • I några få kommuner har medborgarna ett visst inflytande utifrån dialogen. • I flera av kommunerna har medborgarna ett deltagande utifrån dialogen. • I några få kommuner medför inte dialogen att medborgarna får ett deltagande utan mera att de är informerade. • För många kommuner är den tidiga dialogen ett sätt att hämta kunskap och information från de som bor och verkar i ett område inför en detaljplanering. • Flera kommuner har rutiner för att utvärdera en dialog. • Flera kommuner saknar en strategi för dialogen. / In the process with the detailed development plans that is regulated in accordance with the Planning and Building Act, there is a requirement for consultation. The purpose of the consultation is to gather information, wishes and views that concern the plan proposal and consider these at an early stage of the detailed development plans work. The municipality shall consult on a proposal for a detailed development plan with, among others, the county administrative board, affected parties and residents who are affected. Criticism is directed at the fact that current legislation means that the consultation often comes in too late in the detailed development plan process, where the opportunity to influence has been limited. An early dialogue in connection with detailed development plans is not regulated in the Act. It is implemented in some municipalities as a tool in the detailed development plan process. The purpose of the Master thesis is to investigate from a property law point of view why, how and to what extent Swedish municipalities use some form of dialogue with citizens before the statutory consultation in the detailed development plan process. To answer that questions, literature studies of the planning and building legislation are carried out, with a focus on the detailed development plans process, dialogue and consultation, previous research and surveys linked to dialogue and consultation, and participation models. This is followed by empirical studies in the form of interviews with planning managers and planning architects in seven municipalities in Stockholm County and six municipalities in Västra Götaland County. Based on 13 interviews conducted, twelve of those interviewed represent municipalities that use some form of dialogue early in the detailed development plans process. • In a few municipalities, citizens have a certain influence based on dialogue. • In several of the municipalities, citizens have a participation based on dialogue. • In a few municipalities, the dialogue does not mean that the citizens get a participation, but rather that they are informed. • For many municipalities, the early dialogue is a way to gather knowledge and information from those who live and work in an area prior to detailed planning. • Several municipalities have routines for evaluating a dialogue. • Several municipalities lack a strategy for dialogue.

Die Wurzelwasseraufnahme aus dem Boden wird durch die Rhizosphäre beeinflusst. Die Rhizosphäre ist eine dünne Bodenschicht, die sich um Wurzeln herum bildet. Die Rhizosphäre wird durch Mucilage beeinflusst. Mucilage ist ein polymeres Gel, was von Wurzeln abgesondert wird und vor allem die hydraulischen Eigenschaften der Rhizosphäre verändert. Wenn es im Kontakt mit Wasser ist, kann Mucilage große Mengen an Wasser aufnehmen, aber wenn es trocken ist, wird seine Oberfläche hydrophob. Hier konzentrieren wir uns auf den Effekt von Mucilage auf die hydraulischen Eigenschaften des Bodens. Zunächst präsentieren wir experimentelle und numerische Studien, die die hydraulischen Prozesse in der Rhizosphäre nach der Bewässerung von trockenem Boden beschreiben. Bei Mucilagekonzentrationen, die niedriger als ein gewisser Schwellwert waren, konnte Wasser durch die Rhizosphärenschicht fließen, über dieser Konzentration wurde die Schicht wasserundurchlässig während der ersten Minuten bis zu Stunden nach Bewässerung. Wir präsentieren eine analytische Abschätzung der Mucilagekonzentration an der Perkolationsschwelle als Funktion von mittlerer Teilchengröße und Bodenwasserpotential nach Bewässerung. Die Abschätzung wurde an Hand von Experimenten des kapillaren Aufstiegs in Bodensäulen validiert. Wir entwickelten ein effektives Model um zu beschreiben, wir Mucilage die hydraulischen Funktionen des Bodens verändert: (a) Quell- und Trocknungsprozesse von Mucilage resultieren in Nicht-Gleichgewichtsdynamiken zwischen Wassergehalt und Wasserpotential, (b) die Präsenz von Mucilage im Boden reduziert das Wasserpotential bei einem gegebenen Wassergehalt und (c) Mucilage ist viskos und reduziert dadurch die hydraulische Leitfähigkeit des Bodens bei einem gegebenen Wassergehalt. In Experimenten mit Boden-Mucilage-Mischungen testeten wir das Model und wandten es an, um Beobachtungen von früheren Experimenten mit echten Pflanzen zu simulieren, die veränderte hydraulische Dynamiken in der Rhizophäre zeigen. Im Anhang dieser Arbeit sind zwei Studien zur Wärmeausbreitung von Erdkabeln. Hier können hydraulische Dynamiken autreten, die dem radialen Wasserfluss zu einer einzelnen Wurzel ähneln.

The Aurora Soil Capping study, located in northern Alberta, was constructed to evaluate reclamation practices on lean oil sands dumps. The challenges relating to its success includes determining the appropriate soil cover design(s) for the coarse textured reclamation soil, while utilizing available salvaged natural soils, some of which contain residual bitumen in the form of aggregate oil sand material (AOSM). Limited research on this material raises key questions as to the impact it will play on transport and retention processes, along with potential contamination from hydrocarbon leaching. The research conducted sought to answer these questions. This thesis describes laboratory studies conducted on four soils; the upper organic LFH layer, Bm, BC and subsoil material while varying the amount of AOSM and implementing layering schemes. Material characterization through organic carbon and particle size analysis as well as hydrophobicity studies on AOSM through contact angle analysis were performed. A tension table and pressure plates, along with columns equipped with Time Domain Reflectometry probes, were used for water retention studies. Hydraulic conductivity was measured through constant head methods. To address hydrocarbon leaching concerns, chloride tracer studies were performed and the column outflow was analyzed using Gas Chromatography to detect the hydrocarbon type and concentration. Results from water retention and hydraulic conductivity studies indicated that although the AOSM was hydrophobic, its placement at varying concentrations and forms did not create consistent significant differences in the amount of moisture retained or transported. Results from the column studies showed that under steady state and transient conditions AOSM could result in decreasing infiltration rates and increasing chloride retention. The integration of soil layers further slowed the infiltration rate and delayed chloride transport. Under saturated conditions the presence of higher concentrations of AOSM appeared to increase the rate of water movement. Although these differences were minimal, further studies are required to explore this behavior. Overall, it can be concluded that with appropriate material placement, the addition of layering schemes and hydrocarbon material, the potential exists to increase soil water content in the upper layers of the soil, thereby increasing soil water storage for plant use.

Approved for public release, distribution is unlimited / The effect of friction-stir processing (FSP) on the microstructure of a cast nickel-aluminum bronze (NAB) material has been characterized by various micro-analytical methods including orientation imaging microscopy (OIM). Cast NAB is widely utilized in the production of propellers for the surface ships and submarines of the U.S. Navy due to excellent corrosion-resistance. New applications require improved mechanical properties that may be attainable using FSP to achieve localized microstructure modification. Friction between a rotating tool and the surface of the material results in a *stirring* action that, in turn, produces adiabatic heating and local softening of the material. The tool rotation results in very large shear deformations in the softened regions and thus microstructure refinement and homogenization; in effect FSP may convert an as-cast microstructure to a wrought condition in the absence of macroscopic shape change. In as-cast material, results of optical and scanning electron microscopy (using energy dispersive analysis) show an ` (FCC) matrix containing globular and particulate dispersions that correspond to the *I, *II and *IV second phases; these represent various morphologies of the Fe3Al intermetallic compound, which has a D03 structure. Also present are lamellar particles of *III, which is NiAl and has a B2 structure. The grain size in the ` matrix is ~ 1 mm. In OIM, the microtexture and microstructure in the ` (FCC) matrix may be readily obtained and analyzed. However, interatom distances in the Fe3Al and NiAl phases differ by only about one percent and so these phases are not distinguishable from one another during OIM. Altogether, microstructure and microtexture analysis showed that there are several regions in the thermomechanically affected zone (TMAZ) of a material subjected to FSP. From base material inward toward the TMAZ, these include: annealing effects in undeformed base material; a region just inside the TMAZ in which grain deformation and C-type shear deformation textures are observed; regions of highly refined and recrystallized grains further inside the TMAZ, wherein the grain size is < 5æm; and, finally, regions of elongated, banded and twinned grain structures that suggest grain growth following recrystalliztion. / Lieutenant, United States Navy

Approved for public release, distribution is unlimited / The extreme strain, strain rate and temperature gradients during Friction Stir Processing (FSP) render measurement of key parameters in the stir zone infeasible with common methods. The objective of this research was to separate the effects that temperature and deformation in an experimental study of the microstructure and mechanical properties of Ni-AL bronze (NAB). This was accomplished by subjecting as-cast NAB material to several isothermal annealing and quenching treatments as well as isothermal hot rolling processes. Sufficient material was generated to provide results and data for subsequent optical microscopy, tensile, & hardness tests. All results were then compared to similar data collected from previous works completed here at Naval Postgraduate School and with other DARPA FSP program participants. During the course of this work correlations were drawn between FSP material and the material subjected to isothermal hotworking, which may enhance our understanding of the roles that various FSP process parameters have on the microstructural transformation sequence within this material. The hot-rolling study conducted here suggests that FSP process parameters leading to severe deformation at temperatures between 950-1000 C in the NAB material provides high ductility (elongation approximately 28%) with moderate strengths. / Lieutenant, United States Coast Guard

[pt] Foram utilizados dois sistemas de aço API 5L X80, Nb-Cr e Nb-Cr-Mo, para obter as diferentes regiões da ZTA pertencentes a uma soldagem multipasse. Estas regiões são denominadas de: região de grãos grosseiros inalterados (RGGI), região de grãos refinados reaquecidos supercriticamente (RGRRS), região de grãos grosseiros reaquecidos intercriticamente (RGGRI), região de grãos grosseiros reaquecidos subcriticamente (RGGRS). Estas regiões foram obtidas para dois aportes de calor (1,2 e 2,5 kJ/mm) e a RGGRI por ser considerada a região onde poderiam ser formadas zonas frágeis localizadas (ZFL) foram utilizados também aportes de calor de 3,0 e 4,0 kJ/mm. Cada uma das regiões obtidas pela simulação física foi submetida a ensaios mecânicos de impacto Charpy e dureza, assim como a análises metalográficos por microscopia ótica (MO) e microscopia eletrônica de varredura (MEV). Foi possível observar que as microestruturas pertencentes a uma ZTA simulada obtidas com o equipamento (GleebleR3800) se mostram compatíveis com aquelas pertencentes a uma soldagem real. Este resultado comprova que as velocidades de resfriamento obtidas pela simulação foram similares àquelas da soldagem real. A adição de Mo ao sistema Nb-Cr-Mo não promoveu mudanças significativas tanto a nível microestrutural, observado por MO e MEV, como em termos de propriedades mecânicas. / [en] Two API 5L steels grade X80 of the systems Nb-Cr and Nb-Cr-Mo, were submitted to physical simulation in order to obtain different regions of the HAZ similar to those of a multipass welding, the coarse grained heat affected zone (CGHAZ), supercritically coarse grained heat affected zone (SCCGHAZ), intercritically coarse grained heat affected zone (ICCGHAZ), subcritically coarse grained heat affected zone (SCGHAZ). The welding simulation was carried out on a Gleeble R 3800 considering two thermal cycles and different heat inputs 1.2, 2.5, 3.0 and 4,0 kJ/mm, typical of a girth weld. All HAZ zones were simulated only for 1.2 and 2.5kJ/mm. Since the ICCGHAZ is the probable weak link where a local brittle zone (LBZ) can occur, this region was simulated for all heat inputs studied. All simulated regions were subjected to traditional mechanical tests such as impact Charpy-V at -40 and -60C and microhardness Hv1kg. Metallographic analysis by optical microscopy (OM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and fractography were also performed. The microstructures obtained for the different regions of the HAZ, by simulation were close to those of a real welding, however, the cooling rates obtained by simulation were slower than that obtained in a real welding. The mechanical properties and microstructure of the different regions of the HAZ for the systems NbCr and NbCrMo indicate that the microstructural and mechanical behavior of the intercritical region (ICCGHAZ) was considered to be similar to a local brittle zone (LBZ) for all conditions studied.

Dissertation thesis called "Czech and French Law of Corporate Groups" analyzes French law of corporate groups and judicial decisions of the French courts, the so called Rozenblum concept - a set of conditions fulfillment of which might lead to exoneration of the company's directors acting in detriment of the company if such act is beneficiary to the group as a whole. The dissertation then analyzes relevant provisions of the new Czech business companies and cooperatives bill, partly inspired by the French law and by the Rozenblum concept. Under the conditions given by the Czech bill, dominant company shall not be obliged to compensate damages caused to the dominated company if such damages were caused to the benefit of the group as a whole and were or will be counterbalanced within the group. Moreover, the dissertation thesis at hand analyzes other provisions of the new Czech bill, assesses them and compares them with the provisions of the French law.