Submitted by Franciele Moreira (francielemoreyra@gmail.com) on 2018-10-01T14:43:00Z No. of bitstreams: 2 Dissertação - Karoline Pinto Milhomem - 2018.pdf: 3762399 bytes, checksum: 323a59058796b02380d7ea8d2ad486c4 (MD5) license_rdf: 0 bytes, checksum: d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Luciana Ferreira (lucgeral@gmail.com) on 2018-10-01T14:55:53Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 2 Dissertação - Karoline Pinto Milhomem - 2018.pdf: 3762399 bytes, checksum: 323a59058796b02380d7ea8d2ad486c4 (MD5) license_rdf: 0 bytes, checksum: d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2018-10-01T14:55:54Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 Dissertação - Karoline Pinto Milhomem - 2018.pdf: 3762399 bytes, checksum: 323a59058796b02380d7ea8d2ad486c4 (MD5) license_rdf: 0 bytes, checksum: d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e (MD5) Previous issue date: 2018-08-17 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior - CAPES / In this dissertation, the materials corn straw and barley bagasse were investigated as alternative adsorbents for removal of the carbaryl pesticide from aqueous medium. For this, both materials were ground to obtain uniform particles (granulometry between 20 and 48 mesh) and treated with hydrated ethyl alcohol. The quantification of the carbaryl pesticide was made by High Efficiency Liquid Chromatography with UV-vis detector. The values of LD and LQ for the determination of the carbaryl pesticide by liquid chromatography using the method used were 0.01 mg L-1 and 0.10 mg L-1, respectively. The characterization of the adsorbent materials by FTIR showed the presence of the functional groups: hydroxyl, carbonyl and methyl, very common in lignocellulosic materials. The pH at the zero loading point (pHPCZ) was 7.08 for barley bagasse and 6.44 for corn straw. The adsorption capacity of the investigated materials was evaluated under different parameters such as material dose (g L-1), contact time between the pesticide solution and the adsorbent material (min) and the concentration of the pesticide in the solution (mg L-1). An alternative adsorption procedure was also proposed with the adsorbents packaged in a column where different doses of the adsorbents were evaluated and finally the adsorption process was evaluated using natural water samples. From the study of the dose of the materials the dose of 20 g L-1, equivalent to 200 mg of the adsorbent material in 10 mL of solution was selected, where 45.1% of the carbaryl was obtained when the barley bagasse was used and 49.2% when corn straw was used. For both adsorbents the kinetic study showed that the adsorption of the carbaryl agrochemical is best represented by the Avrami kinetic model, indicating that the adsorption of the carbaryl is not constant, but follows multiple orders. The maximum adsorption capacity (Qmax) was obtained by the construction of adsorption isotherms, where it was verified that the experimental data of the process of adsorption of the carbaryl by the barley bagasse is better represented by the Langmuir model providing a value of Qmax of 6, 5244 mg g-1. For corn straw, the Sips model was the most adequate with a Qmax value of 1.2625 mg g -1. In the column adsorption procedure the barley bagasse was efficient in all the doses evaluated, obtaining practically the same rate of removal as the procedure performed in batch mode, however in a much shorter time. As for the adsorbent corn straw, the removal through the column procedure was much less effective, suggesting that for this material the batch procedure is more adequate. In the adsorption study using natural water samples as an aqueous matrix, it was verified that the adsorption process of the carbaryl by both adsorbents can be affected by the pH of the medium and also by the presence of other compounds present in the aqueous matrix. In general, the results indicate that the barleybagasse and corn straw materials can be used as adsorbent materials in the treatment of aqueous medium contaminated with the carbaryl pesticide. / Nesta dissertação, os materiais palha de milho e bagaço de cevada foram investigados como adsorventes alternativos para remoção do agrotóxico carbaril de meio aquoso. Para isso, ambos materiais foram triturados para obtenção de partículas uniformes (granulometria entre 20 e 48 mesh) e tratados com álcool etílico hidratado. A quantificação do agrotóxico carbaril foi feita por Cromatografia Líquida de Alta Eficiência com detector UV-vis. Os valores de LD e LQ para a determinação do agrotóxico carbaril por cromatografia líquida, através do método empregado, foram 0,01 mg L-1 e 0,10 mg L-1, respectivamente. A caracterização dos materiais adsorventes por FTIR mostrou a presença dos grupos funcionais: hidroxila, carbonila e metila, bastante comuns em materiais lignocelulósicos. O pH no ponto de carga zero (pHPCZ) foi 7,08 para o bagaço de cevada e 6,44 para a palha de milho. A capacidade de adsorção dos materiais investigados foi avaliada sob diferentes parâmetros como dose do material (g L-1), tempo de contato entre a solução do agrotóxico e o material adsorvente (min) e a concentração do agrotóxico na solução (mg L-1). Foi proposto também um procedimento alternativo de adsorção com os adsorventes empacotados em uma coluna onde avaliou-se diferentes doses dos adsorventes e por fim avaliou-se o processo de adsorção utilizando amostras de água natural. A partir do estudo da dose dos materiais foi selecionada a dose de 20 g L-1, equivalente a 200 mg do material adsorvente em 10 mL de solução, onde foi obtida remoção de 45,1% do carbaril quando foi utilizado o bagaço de cevada e 49,2% quando foi usada a palha de milho. Para ambos os adsorventes o estudo cinético mostrou que a adsorção do agrotóxico carbaril é melhor representada pelo modelo cinético de Avrami, indicando que a adsorção do carbaril não é constante, mas segue múltiplas ordens. A capacidade máxima de adsorção (Qmáx) foi obtida pela construção de isotermas de adsorção, onde verificou-se que os dados experimentais do processo de adsorção do carbaril pelo bagaço de cevada é mais bem representado pelo modelo de Langmuir fornecendo um valor de Qmáx de 6,5244 mg g-1. Já para a palha de milho o modelo de Sips mostrou-se o mais adequado com um valor Qmáx de 1,2625 mg g-1. No procedimento de adsorção em coluna o bagaço de cevada mostrou-se eficiente em todas as doses avaliadas, obtendo praticamente a mesma taxa de remoção que o procedimento realizado em modo batelada, no entanto em um tempo bem menor. Já para o adsorvente palha de milho, a remoção através do procedimento em coluna foi bem menos efetiva, sugerindo que para este material o procedimento em batelada é mais adequado. No estudo de adsorção utilizando amostras de água natural como matriz aquosa, verificou-se que o processo de adsorção do carbaril por ambos os adsorventes pode ser afetado pelo pH do meio e também pela presença de outros compostos presentes na matriz aquosa. De um modo geral os resultados obtidos indicam que os materiais bagaço de cevada e palha de milho podem ser utilizados como materiais adsorventes no tratamento de meio aquoso contaminado com o agrotóxico carbaril.

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior - CAPES / In this work, we will present vectors from its relation with a oriented segment, its main operations, linear combination, linear dependence and base, up to the alternating product part. We relate the alternating product of two vectors with the area of the parallelogram formed by them, as well as the alternating product of three vectors with the volume of the parallelepiped. We also show that the vector product and the mixed product are special cases of alternating product. / Neste trabalho, apresentaremos vetores desde a sua relação com um segmento orientado, suas principais operações, combinação linear, dependência linear e base, até a parte de produto alternado. Relacionamos o produto alternado de dois vetores com área do paralelogramo formado por eles, assim como, o produto alternado de três vetores com o volume do paralelepípedo. Mostramos ainda que o produto vetorial e o produto misto são casos especiais de produto alternado. / São Cristóvão, SE

Rice (Oryza sativa L.) crop has an important role to attend the food demand of a growing world population, and the production increment will come not just from increasing efficiency in the current cropland, but also from expansion to new areas. The tropical lowland plains of northern Brazil are already being converted to rice production, although the lack of scientific knowledge and agricultural practices suited local conditions. This region presents soils with weathered clays with distinct properties from those grown in traditional rice regions, and deploying agricultural practices developed to others agroecosystem lead to instable crop yield inadequate uses of agricultural inputs. Water is the greatest resource that rice crop relies on, and worldwide continuous flooding is broadly used. Alternative irrigations regimes with purpose to save water have been proposed due the threatens of water scarcity, and promising results stimulate this approach, despite grain yield penalties due drought stress and/or decrease of soil N availability. The soil moisture and oxygen amount interfere on nitrogen dynamics, thus can enhance loss process and change crop response to N fertilizer. In tropical lowland region of Brazil water and nitrogen are limited and continuous flooding irrigation is not sustainable due huge water amount used associated to low grain yields. Therefore, this research was performed aiming an integrated assessment of irrigation regimes, nitrogen use and crop performance in rice crop in Brazilian tropical lowland. The field experiment was done during three years in a Plinthaquults soil at Tocantins. The first stage was aimed to identify the irrigation regime which provides the best water use efficiency (WUE), nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) and crop performance with indigenous N soil supply and nitrogen fertilizer. The second stage compared the best observed irrigation regime to continuous flooding, and the nitrogen relationship to crop components along their development and harvest. The first experiment was a split-plot design with 5 irrigation regime (IR) in main plot: alternate wet and dry in short cycle (AWDS); alternate wet and dry in long cycle (AWDL); Continuous flooding (CF); Non-flooding aerobic (NF); saturated soil without ponding water (SS). And subplot was N fertilizer rate: 0 and 150 kg ha-1 of N. Crop performance was affected by IR and N level. In the average of three years nitrogen uptake (NU) was 32% higher in NF than any other irrigation regime. Grain yield across N level was 7.2, 8.8 and 7.5 Mg ha-1 in NF and in CF were 5.6, 8.2 and 6.9 Mg ha-1, respectively in 2014, 2015 and 2016. The isotopic NUE showed total recovery of 81.5 % of 15N in NF and 62, 61, 56, 56% in SS, AWDS, AWDL, CF respectively. The average WUE of delivered water was 0.7 kg grain m-3 in NF, and 0.47, 0.40, 0.35, 0.32 kg grain m-3 water in SS, AWDS, AWDL and CF, respectively. The second experiment was a split-plot design with: continuous flooding (CF) and non- flooding aerobic (NF) in the main plot and fertilizer nitrogen (0, 50, 150 and 250 kg ha-1) in the subplot during the 2014, 2015 and 2016. Biomass (AGB) nitrogen uptake (NU) and leaf area index (LAI) were observed along crop development in the 0 and 150 subplots in 2015 and 2016 growing seasons. As was the relationship between AGB, NU, panicle density (PD), spikelet number (NS) and grain yield (GY) at physiological maturity. The aerobic rice provided higher NU throughout rice development and LAI equal or superior to CF. At harvesting, NU and PD had different relationships to N rates among CF and NF, with NF showing 18% higher NU as 27% PD higher than CF across years and N rate. The grain GY relationship to N rates was also distinct in 2014 and 2015, and GY across N rates in NF was 20% and 12% higher than CF for 2014 and 2015, respectively. This research concludes for such agroecosystem, as long there is no drought stress, rice crop in non-flooding aerobic irrigation regime performs higher efficiency of water and N use, and moreover presents better overall crop performance with less need to nitrogen fertilizer than traditional continuous flooding or any other water saving irrigation regime. / A cultura do arroz (Oryza sativa L.) tem importante papel em fornecer alimento à crescente população mundial, e o incremento da produção virá não só do ganho de eficiência de áreas em uso, mas também da incorporação de novas áreas. As planícies tropicais do norte do Brasil já estão sendo convertidas para cultivo de arroz, apesar da falta de conhecimento científico e práticas agrícolas apropriadas às condições locais. Essa região apresenta solos com minerais de argila intemperizados e propriedades distintas daqueles de regiões tradicionais de cultivo, e a transferência das práticas agrícolas desenvolvidas para outros agroecossistemas têm resultado em produtividades variáveis e uso inadequado de insumos. A água é principal recurso no cultivo do arroz, e a irrigação com inundação constante é largamente disseminada pelo mundo. Regimes alternativos de irrigação a fim de economizar agua tem sido propostos em razão da ameaça de escassez de água, e resultados promissores estimulam a disseminação dessa técnica, apesar de prejuízos à produtividade em razão do estresse por seca e/ou menor disponibilidade de nitrogênio (N) do solo. A umidade do solo e a quantidade de oxigênio interferem na dinâmica de N e podem favorecer processos de perdas e alterar a resposta do cultivo à adubação nitrogenada. Nas planícies tropicais do Brasil a disponibilidade de água e N são limitadas, e a inundação contínua não é sustentável em razão da quantidade de agua requerida associada a baixa produtividade da cultura. Portanto, esta pesquisa foi realizada com o objetivo de estudar de forma integrada o regime de irrigação e o uso de N, e performance da cultura em várzea tropical. O experimento foi realizado durante três anos em Plintossolo no estado do Tocantins. Na primeira etapa da pesquisa procurou-se identificar o regime de irrigação que proporciona maior eficiência de uso da água (WUE), eficiência de uso de nitrogênio (NUE) e performance de cultivo com N nativo do solo e quando aplicado N fertilizante. Na segunda fase comparou-se o regime de irrigação que proporcionou melhores índices de eficiência de água e N ao regime de lâmina contínua com a hipótese que a relação entre aplicação de fertilizante N e componentes de produção seriam diferentes entre os regimes. Na primeira fase adotou-se delineamento de parcela subdividida com 5 regimes de irrigação (IR): lâmina alternada de inundação e drenagem em ciclo curto (AWDS); lâmina alternada de inundação e drenagem em ciclo longo (AWDL); lâmina contínua (CF); sem formação de lâmina e solo aeróbico (NF); e sem formação de lâmina e solo saturado (SS). Nas subparcelas avaliou-se as doses de N fertilizante: 0 e 150 kg ha-1. A performance de cultivo foi afetada pelo IR e dose de N. Na média dos 3 anos, o acúmulo de nitrogênio na parte aérea (NU) foi 32% maior em NF do que em todos os outros regimes de irrigação. A produtividade de grãos média entre as duas doses de N foi 7,2, 8,8 e 7,5 Mg ha-1 em NF e 5,6, 8,2, 6,9 Mg ha-1 in CF, respectivamente em 2014, 2015 e 2016. A NUE foi de 81,5% de recuperação de 15N em NF e 62, 61, 56 e 26% em SS, AWDS, AWDL e CF, respectivamente. A média de WUE em relação a água aplicada foi 0,7 kg grão m-3 em NF e 0,47, 0,40, 0,35, 0,32 kg grão m-3 água em SS, AWDS, AWDL e CF, respectivamente. Na segunda fase adotou-se o delineamento experimental de parcelas subdivididas com inundação contínua (CF) e sem formação de lâmina e solo aeróbico (NF) na parcela principal e aplicação de N fertilizante (0, 50, 150, 250 kg ha-1) nas safras 2014, 2015, 2016. Biomassa (AGB) acúmulo de nitrogênio (NU) e índice de área foliar (LAI) foram avaliados ao longo do desenvolvimento da cultura nas doses de 0 e 150 kg ha-1 nas safras de 2015 e 2016. Assim como a relação entre AGB, NU densidade de panícula (PD), número de espiguetas (NS) e produtividade de grãos (GY) na maturidade fisiológica A condição aeróbica proporcionou maior NU ao longo do desenvolvimento e LAI maior ou igual a CF. Na colheita, NU e PD tiveram diferentes repostas ao nitrogênio fertilizante quando em NF ou CF, mostrando NU 18% maior em NF assim como PD 27%maior em NF do que em CF na média de anos e dose de N. A resposta da GY ao nitrogênio fertilizante também foi diferente quando em NF ou CF, e na médias de dose de N fertilizante, NF proporcionou produtividade 20% e 12% maior do que CF em 2014 e 2015, respectivamente. Conclui-se nessa pesquisa que nesse agroecossistema, desde de que que não ocorra estresse por seca, o arroz cultivado em sistema de irrigação sem formação de lâmina e solo aeróbico é mais eficiente no uso de água e nitrogênio. E ainda, com melhor desempenho de produtividade e menor dependência de N fertilizante em comparação ao cultivado em lâmina contínua ou qualquer outro regime alternativo que economize água.

Dans cette thèse, nous nous intéressons à des singularités particulières dans les variétés de caractères. Dans le premier chapitre, on justifie que les caractères de représentations irréductibles d'un groupe fuchsien vers un groupe de Lie complexe semi-simple forment une orbifolde. Le lieu orbifold (i.e. l'ensemble des points dont l'isotropie n'est pas triviale) est constitué des caractères de représentations exceptionnelles. Dans le second chapitre, nous décrivons précisément le lieu orbifold quand le groupe de Lie est le groupe projectif linéaire sur un espace vectoriel complexe dont la dimension est un nombre premier. Dans le troisième et le quatrième chapitre nous cherchons à classifier les groupes d'isotropies possibles à conjugaison près apparaissant quand le groupe de Lie est respectivement un quotient du groupe spécial linéaire pour un espace vectoriel complexe de dimension finie quelconque dans le troisième chapitre et un quotient du groupe de spin complexe dans le quatrième chapitre. / Ln this thesis, we want to understand some singularities in the character variety. ln a first chapter, we justify that the characters of irreducible representations from a Fuchsian group to a complex semi-simple Lie group is an orbifold. The orbifold locus is, then, the characters of bad representations. ln the second chapter, we focus on the case where the Lie group is the projectif linear group over a complex vector space whose dimension is a prime number. ln particular we give an explicit description of this locus. ln the third and fourth chapter, we describe the isotropy groups (i.e. the centralizers of bad subgroups) arising in the cases when the Lie group is a quotient of the special linear group of a complex vector space of finite dimension (third chapter) and when the Lie group is a quotient of a complex spin group in the fourth chapter.

Afin de répondre à l’augmentation des besoins au niveau des ressources hospitalières causées par pandémie de la maladie à coronavirus de 2019 (COVID-19), différents sites non traditionnels (SNT) ont été déployés au Québec et mondialement. Le SNT de la Place Bell a été déployé à Laval durant la première vague de la pandémie et avait comme fonctions de libérer des lits en milieu hospitalier en accueillant des usagers atteints de la COVID-19. Le but de cette étude de cas était d’examiner la capacité du SNT de la Place Bell à remplir ces fonctions. Un devis mixte convergent a été utilisé, incluant une analyse descriptive des données quantitatives ainsi que des entrevues semi-dirigées auprès de sept participants, incluant des professionnels, des non professionnels et un gestionnaire. Malgré un faible taux d’occupation et une ouverture tardive, le SNT a permis de libérer 29% des lits occupés par des usagers atteints de la COVID-19 à l’hôpital. Le cout par nuit au site était plus élevé qu’en centre d’hébergement et de soins de longue durée et que pour un autre SNT dans la province, mais moins élevé qu’en milieu hospitalier. En considérant le risque de transmission de la maladie dans les milieux de vie et qu’une des options alternatives était de garder les usagers en milieu hospitalier, le SNT semble avoir été un choix financier efficient. Le SNT a été un environnement favorable au déploiement d’une plus grande étendue de pratique infirmière, en raison du haut ratio de personnel-patient, l’absence de médecin sur place et l’autoorganisation du travail au site. En conclusion, plusieurs éléments contribuent à l’efficience d’un SNT, dont son déploiement rapide, la composition des équipes, le soutien offert aux employés et l’autonomie et l’indépendance du site. / In order to respond to the rapidly increasing needs in hospital resources caused by the coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, different alternate care sites (ACS) were deployed in Quebec and worldwide. The Place Bell ACS was deployed in Laval during the first wave of the pandemic with the aim of offloading the volume of patients in the hospital by admitting patients with COVID-19. The aim of this case study was to examine the capacity of the Place Bell ACS in achieving these functions. A mixed convergent design was used, including a descriptive analysis of the quantitative data and semi-structured interviews with seven participants including professionals, non-professionals and a manager. Despite the low occupancy rate and the late opening, the ACS was able to free up 29% of the beds occupied by COVID-19 patients at the hospital. The cost per night at the site was greater than that of a residential and long-term care center and of another ACS in the province, but lower than the cost per night in the affiliated hospital. In considering the risk of propagating the virus in certain home environments and an alternative option of keeping the patients in the hospital, the ACS seems to have been an efficient financial option. The high staff-to-patient ratios, the absence of doctors on site and the self-organization of the team’s work contributed to making the ACS a favorable environment to a larger scope of practice for nurses. In conclusion, several elements contribute to the efficiency of an ACS, including its rapid deployment, the team compositions, the support offered to the employees as well as the site’s autonomy and independence.

Playable cases are a new type of mixed-reality serious game (SG), combining elements of alternative reality games (ARGs) and education simulations to offer an immersive, transmedia story. Participants advance the plot through interactive gameplay and characters with the goal of creating products and experiencing real-world business situations. This study investigates the effectiveness of the playable case Microcore as a tool specifically for online writing instruction (OWI). Fifty students in online sections of a technical communication course participated in Microcore, in which they responded to pre- and post-survey questions and prompts directed at their perceptions about writing, understanding of workplace communication, and levels of engagement. Responses to the survey were collected, coded for thematic trends, and analyzed. Results from this survey study suggest that playable cases like Microcore may be effective at countering primary OWI difficulties, including disengagement, lack of social presence and humanity, faltering self-efficacy, and unclear, unproductive perceptions about writing assignments. Students responded positively to the playable case and appeared to develop more nuanced views about workplace communication and writing through this immersive narrative and interface.

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Today, 3D modelling and structural analysis of buildings are performed in various software. Collaboration between various software is common today but breaks the flow in the construction design phase. To achieve an uninterrupted flow in the construction design phase, a constellation of modelling and structural analysis is needed in a single software. To enable a constellation, there are today many developed digital methods for this.Parametric design is a digital method that is mostly used to handle complex shapes. In recent years, the parametric design has evolved even more and the algorithmic thinking in parametric design provides opportunities for performing structural analyses. The development includes various plug-in programs that have structural analysis capabilities. However, this degree project emphasizes that this can be achieved without a plug-in program that has structural analysis capabilities. With only one visualization program and a plug-in that handles visual programming, the ability to produce what is to be visualized with a script arises.The structural analysis in this thesis includes robustness analysis that is important in the context of progressive collapse, and only the alternative load path method is considered. Progressive collapse is an important analysis for buildings that arise due to known or unknown accident loads. To increase the redundancy of the bearing structure, the alternative load path method can be used, which is a branch under unknown accident loads.Robustness analysis is a time-consuming process and automation can make this more efficient. With parameter-driven modelling and robustness analysis, the constructor can indicate at an early stage possible structure failure before the building is completed. Early action also leads to a reduction in waste of material resources.The alternative load path method provides the possibility to analyze whether the building receives alternate load path in the event of loss of load-bearing elements. This research report analyses column loss. Automated visualization of alternate load path enables to be able to analyze the load redistribution after the loss of column.Today some buildings are at risk against the progressive collapse, people's lives and health are therefore at risk when all or part of the building collapses. That is why efficiency is needed. The research report showed that the script automated the modelling and robustness analysis of buildings. Two different loss scenarios were analyzed and the authors found different updated loading areas and load redistribution.

Utopia, as a concept, has experienced a resurgence within literature of various genres, ranging from scholarly work inside the 'academy' to diverse accounts of utopian and/or dystopian imaginaries within diverse fictional stories. Identifying what utopia picks out conceptually, however, is challenging, not least due to the limitations inherent in the ways we perceive the world could be. In this dissertation, I first defend a 'processual' account of utopia, contrasting this way of thinking about the idea against any fixed or granular description of some candidate, concrete state of affairs. I then look at the primary methodology leveraged by most processual utopian theorists, namely: utopian hope. After considering this affective, performative stance against what I call 'merely-political' combat, I demonstrate how utopian hope, within processual accounts, turns out to be equivalent to religious faith. As such, processual utopian projects require a return to a mystical, transcendent field of play for both their theoretical and methodological constituents. The second half of my project attempts to outline a fledgling, practical methodology for processual utopia, first identifying a very counter-intuitive directional focus on the part of the privileged when pursuing utopian ends. This focus requires the privileged to consider alternate imaginaries for possible futures while additionally requesting assistance from the marginalized to appropriately parse them. I conclude by examining several instances of liminal 'utopias' that have occurred in the wake of tragic events. These are placed in conversation with fictional accounts of utopian effort in order to highlight why utopian performativity must begin from a space of mutual vulnerability. / Doctor of Philosophy / In this dissertation I aim to do two things. In the first half, I defend the concept of "processual utopia" as a more fruitful way to think about striving for societies that feature less stratification in the way they distribute opportunity and privilege. I contrast this idea with those theories that try to describe, using present-day imaginaries, concretely-imaginable utopias in the here and now. I argue that the latter effort is a fool's errand, a process that incurs insurmountable difficulties in that opposing visions are immediately juxtaposed against any solidified description of what utopia might look like. I then examine the primary constituent of processual utopia's process, namely: utopian hope. I contrast this with the kind of affective performativity normally found within politics and political struggle, concluding that these efforts do not result in utopian ends. This is because what I call the 'merely-political' is bent on a kind of binary striving for power, focused on proving the 'other' side to be subhuman and irrational. Utopian hope counters political maneuvering for a particular vision of 'better' societies on a more transcendental foundation. It looks for a reality that humankind cannot yet understand or describe – something that remains on the horizon as a target for our dreams and efforts. This affective viewpoint should motivate our actions to make currently unimaginable realities possible in a distant, not-seen-by-us, future. I also suggest that utopian hope, although talked about a great deal over the past century by writers such as Ernst Bloch and Ruth Levitas, has its conceptual genesis in religious faith. I argue that the two are equivalent in the case of utopian affect and desire. My foils in this effort are Kierkegaard and St. Augustine and examining their accounts of faith reveals the parallel nature this mystical logic shares with contemporary ideas about utopian hope. In the second half of the dissertation, I connect processual utopian theory to potential practice. The investigative point-of-view throughout is that of the currently privileged. I argue that those who possess the highest levels of opportunity within realms of social and political power tend to defend the status quo, even when suggesting or devising initiatives to supposedly level the playing field more fairly. Privileged actors, it seems, are culturally programmed to reinforce the same logics that prevent substantive change. This also means that our targets for 'better societies' tend to simply reinforce the same stratifications of opportunity that exist currently. Privileged actors not only need help understanding the ideas of the marginalized concerning more just societies, they also need to engage in what might seem like 'dystopian' effort (from our perspective) in order to actually strive for something more 'utopian' in the future. To help orient those wishing to be allies to the marginalized, I examine various accounts of alternate futures, explaining how those challenge our default ways of understanding the world. These, in turn, should motivate the privilege to ask for help (from the marginalized) in order to understand them, a request the latter must answer if processual utopia is the goal of all concerned. This highlights what I call an 'ethical minefield' that highlights divisive issues we can observe in our current socio-cultural moment. I end with an analysis of both tragedy and dystopian fiction, arguing that a sense of mutual vulnerability is needed for an actor to pursue processual utopia.