ABSTRACT Over the last few decades, the number of elderly has increased in Sweden and many other countries in the world. Swedish society has struggled to provide support to meet the needs of this group of elderly. Many older people wish to move from their present homes into homes for the elderly where they can receive full support and services. Numerous older people report a lack of ability to cope with all of their household needs and daily activities. As people get older, there are different dimensions of changes, including becoming frail and unwell. This study includes 10 interviews with older people. Participants were informed of the ethical issues related to this study and then gave their consent. The interviews examined older peoples understanding and experiences of security and vulnerability when living at home. The work reflects on themes such as security, insecurity, health and social capital. The study aims to contribute increased knowledge to the field about this group of elderly and to broaden our knowledge of how the field of social work can better relate to this group based on these findings. The study participants were able to describe their perceptions of dimensions of safety in the home and the impact of vulnerability due to health difficulties. Results showed gender differences with women being more fearful than the men as well as a strong connection with impaired health. The women also had different feelings of vulnerability and a lack of social capital. All of the male participants claimed to be secure in their own homes. At the same time, they were very concerned about problems on the horizon related to changes in the welfare system. Several of the women had concrete strategies to protect themselves.  These strategies included: door chains, security alarms, visible deterrents such as a police hat placed out in the house and visible from the outside. Participants also completed safety steps such as checking their doors multiple times. Finally, this study reminds us that the needs and concerns of older people are an area of importance in the broader social arena.

Flooding has become a problem of national proportion and many scholars have started to take note of the human impacts in this area. This study will focus on the social vulnerability framework in tandem with the environmental justice theoretical frameworks being applied to Polk County Iowa so that information can be added to the body of works within a Midwestern U.S. context. This research will contribute to the current geographical knowledge in natural hazards, environmental justice, and vulnerability to flood hazards. Taking into consideration the scarcity of county or sub-county studies in the Midwest U.S. measuring spatial tendencies in hazards vulnerability, this thesis is fitting. This study examines Polk County Iowa for social vulnerability factors present today to the natural disaster of flooding and then looks longitudinally back to 1990 to see if similar individual variables were also prominent historically. This study utilizes block group census level data and creates from it a social vulnerability index (SoVI) following Cutter et al. (2003). The study then used FEMA flood risk level boundaries and the 100-year floodplain to create a comparison of vulnerability of higher flood risk areas and lower risk areas to see if exposure to flood prone areas coincides with an increase or decrease in social vulnerability. Findings of statistical tests and the bivariate choropleth map of the study area suggest that Polk County exhibits a spatial vulnerability paradox, where the persons most socially vulnerable do not necessarily always preside in the source area for flooding. Interestingly enough the study suggests that risk capable and risk resilient populations live in some of the most physically risky places. An examination of specific individual vulnerability factors from the present and historically in 1990 give the same picture of spatial paradoxical vulnerability, leading many variables to be inconclusive. However, four variables (QFAM, QMOBILE, QEXTRACT, and AVGTRVL) did show correlation to prolonged historical disenfranchisement within the flood boundaries. It is crucial to take this information and widen the spatial location of risk from the present immobile boundary set forth and perpetuated by government entities, to a realistic flexible range of spatial locations that consider historical cultural forces and formulate new mitigation policies from these understandings. This thesis further highlights the need to use multiple interdisciplinary methods to understand what is happening within our space, place, and time. This thesis adds to the ever-growing literature in social vulnerability, and environmental justice but in a U.S. Midwestern context instead of a U.S. coastal context to a flood hazard situation.

In this dissertation, I study the way couples improvise relationships together. I define improvisation as a kind of performance that leads to an interpretive practice where people develop the meanings of their relationships as they perform. Participating in a performance ethnography, my romantic partner, myself, and three other couples reflect on the way we perform together on stage. Adapting the popular improv performance format “Armando” and utilizing post-performance focus groups, I observe how the couples strive to make meaning together and negotiate a joint-perspective about how they played. Ultimately, I argue that attending to the way a couple improvises their relationship off stage can provide key insights into the communication patterns that allow them to share vulnerable experiences and grow close. In the end, I discuss ways that improv techniques and philosophies have informed and guided my own romantic relationship.

In this dissertation, I study the way couples improvise relationships together. I define improvisation as a kind of performance that leads to an interpretive practice where people develop the meanings of their relationships as they perform. Participating in a performance ethnography, my romantic partner, myself, and three other couples reflect on the way we perform together on stage. Adapting the popular improv performance format “Armando” and utilizing post-performance focus groups, I observe how the couples strive to make meaning together and negotiate a joint-perspective about how they played. Ultimately, I argue that attending to the way a couple improvises their relationship off stage can provide key insights into the communication patterns that allow them to share vulnerable experiences and grow close. In the end, I discuss ways that improv techniques and philosophies have informed and guided my own romantic relationship.

Magister Artium (Development Studies) - MA(DVS) / Over the last decade, there has been a marked convergence in thinking regarding the importance of social cash transfers in poverty alleviation. As such, most governments especially in the developing world have began embracing the idea of rolling out various social cash transfers programmes in a bid to address poverty, social exclusion and vulnerability. This study which is predominantly centred on the LEAP social grant programme in Ghana aims at assessing the impact of the programme in alleviating household poverty in rural Ghana, specifically in the Tolon-Kumbungu district of the Northern region. Through a combination of both qualitative and quantitative strategies, the study focuses on unravelling in how far the programme has contributed to improving the livelihoods and general welfare of beneficiary households in the case study area. Using data from structured household questionnaires, focus group discussions and in-depth interviews conducted in two rural communities (Dingoni and Woribogu), the study establishes that the LEAP social grant has a significant positive impact on food consumption, frequency of utilization of healthcare facilities and the school enrolment rate for children aged 6-13 years in beneficiary households. However, although hypothesised, no significant impact is observed in relation to the incidence of child labour in the household. Thus, in line with Rawls’ theory of justice, the researcher argues that the LEAP social grant programme is a very useful mechanism for promoting social justice in the Ghanaian society. Despite its successes, the study also uncovers that, the insufficient nature of the cash transfer, irregular payment periods, lack of access to complimentary services and lack of transparency and accountability on the part of payment officials are some key challenges confronting the programme from the perspective of beneficiaries, whilst limited staff capacity, the non availability of training opportunities for staff, inadequate logistical support and no motivation for programme staff and voluntary structures also constitute some key challenges from the institutional perspective. In all, the study recommends that government increases the cash amount and pay transfers regularly, link beneficiaries to existing complimentary services in the district, recruit more staff and provide in-service training opportunities for them, strictly monitor compliance to LEAP conditionalities and ensure transparency and accountability in the payment of transfers to beneficiaries.

Magister Artium - MA / The extent of a community experiencing social vulnerability depends on the community’s ability to access resources that may contribute to coping mechanisms (either within the household or provided externally by a responsible authority) that decrease the impacts and effects of a disaster. Therefore, the purpose of this research was to identify the existence of social and institutional mechanisms that aim to reduce experiences of water inaccessibility and the causes of social vulnerability, and increase coping mechanisms within Kayamandi. Kayamandi is a low income residential community on the north-westerly periphery of the greater Stellenbosch town in the Western Cape. The research attained responses through questionnaires and surveys from residents,community organisations and responsible personnel. These surveys allowed the researcher to produce raw attribute data for each household that assisted in spatially representing vulnerable households and informing the five priority areas of the Hyogo Framework for Action. Contributing to this method of attaining information, secondary geographic data collection was obtained through the Stellenbosch Local Municipality, the National Geospatial Information Directorate and the National Demarcation Board. The findings of this thesis established that household and public water infrastructure contribute to the risk of experiencing social vulnerability that affects economic standings and quality of health within the community. Contributing to this and due to Kayamandi’s politically sensitive and historically fractioned community, social cohesion has also been noted as an area of vulnerability. Although these vulnerabilities are experienced, residents are able to implement technical, social and municipal reliant coping mechanisms. However, although efforts from Stellenbosch Local Municipality do respond to most of the key indicators within the Hyogo Framework for Action, the study found no concrete efforts within the Stellenbosch Local Municipality that illustrate integrated mechanisms to reduce the impacts of disasters and compound effects.

According to the IPCC (2007) fourth assessment report, small islands and coastal communities have a set of characteristics that makes them very vulnerable to climate change impacts, mainly sea-level rise and storm surges. Coastal hazards including inundation, salinisation of the water supply, and erosion threaten vital infrastructure that support coastal communities. Although Canada has the longest coastline in the world, little work has been done on impacts of climate change and adaptation to these impacts in the Canadian coastal zones. This research is part of an International Community-University Research Alliance (ICURA) C-Change, project to develop a multicriteria decision evaluation and support for the systems analysis of adaptation options for coastal communities toward adapting to environmental changes. This study estimates the vulnerability of coastal communities with respect to their environmental, economic, social, and cultural dimensions. It also applies a group version of the Analytical Hierarchy Process for identifying decisions that various stakeholders make on suggested adaptation strategies. This study develops a methodological framework that is applicable to various coastal and small island contexts. The application of the proposed framework is further discussed in a case study conducted on the communities of Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island (PEI), and Little Anse on Isle Madame, Nova Scotia. Specifically, the state of the Little Anse breakwater is analyzed and new adaptation options are presented and evaluated. This research has illustrated and applied a process of decision evaluation and support that explicitly engages multiple participants and critieria in complex problems situations involving environmental change in coastal communities.

The North American Pacific coast, located within the Ring of Fire, is at risk of severe subduction tsunamis. This danger has pushed the United States to make a strong push in tsunami research. Recent advancement has resulted in the implementation of a new chapter in the ASCE 7-16 standards focusing on tsunami structural loads and effects. Within the scope of this new standard, the tsunami inundation hazard of the US West coast has been mapped. However, no such work has been completed in Canada, leaving the tsunami hazard and vulnerability for most of the Canadian West coast uncertain. The life safety vulnerability from the most hazardous source, the Cascadia Subduction Zone, is evaluated in terms of pedestrian evacuation capabilities. Using a static distance-only model, the ability of individuals to evacuate to safety in natural high grounds is computed for all communities in British Columbia and compared by Tsunami Notification Zone. A new variable – the available time – for tsunamis life safety vulnerability assessment is proposed. This variable considers both tsunami arrival time and time to safety, resulting in a life safety threshold value of 0. Zone E has the largest surface area and population within the hazard zone, even though it has the smallest probable run-up range because of the large number of communities in this zone and the low-laying areas of the Lower Mainland. All communities within Zones A, B, D, and E have low life safety vulnerability at the maximum probable run-up of their respective zone, suggesting that pedestrian evacuation should be possible. Zone C has the highest vulnerability of all zones, as it has the lowest available times. With a 9 m run-up and over 25% of its communities lying within the moderate- or high-vulnerability categories, it has an available time of below 30 min and 15 min, respectively. Zone C also has the highest percentage of its surface area inundated at its maximum probable run-up (39.7%). The most vulnerable communities are identified, including 45 First Nation and 5 non-indigenous communities: Tofino, Winter Harbour, Ucluelet, Port Renfrew, and Bamfield. The life-safety threshold is surpassed in Barlett Island 32, Grassy Island 17, Hesquiat 1, and Tofino. Delta and Richmond, in Zone E, also have a minimum available time below the life safety threshold at run-ups between 5 and 7 m, at or above the probable run-up of their zone, as they have large low-lying areas. As the tsunami arrival time is very large here, the merits of vehicle evacuation should be evaluated. Additionally, they are likely to be more vulnerable to landslide tsunamis, as the tsunami arrival time would be much shorter than one from a Cascadia tsunami. A more detailed vulnerability study using anisotropic path-distance modeling was performed in Tofino. This more complex model found lower available times than the distance-only model. Maximum differences ranging between 14.4 to 29.9 minutes were found for three pedestrian velocities. The minimum available time was found to be -29.0 minutes within the official municipality boundary and -40.1 minutes within one of the beaches. Two vertical evacuation structures are required to reduce the time to safety below the tsunami arrival time of 28.1 minutes for run-ups between 13 and 19 m. Run-ups above 19 m required three vertical evacuation structures. No configuration could be found to sufficiently reduce the time to safety on Frank Island.

Les conduites suicidaires (CS) sont considérées comme des entités pathologiques à part entière avec une neurobiologie propre, abordées selon un modèle stress-vulnérabilité et pouvant bénéficier de la recherche de biomarqueurs. Nous proposons l'ébauche d'un modèle clinico-biologique de la vulnérabilité aux CS en considérant la douleur au coeur du processus suicidaire. Les stress psychosociaux sont sources de douleur psychologique. Leur maintien ou leur émergence perpétuerait ou majorerait la douleur psychologique via un dysfonctionnement du système vasopressinergique et des régions cérébrales impliqués dans les cognitions sociales. Nos données suggèrent une modification du seuil douloureux chez les sujets vulnérables pour le suicide qui percevraient une douleur psychologique accrue, associée aux idées suicidaires. Aussi les difficultés interpersonnelles sont associées une altération de prise de décision sous tendue par un dysfonctionnement du cortex préfrontal, associé à la vulnérabilité suicidaire. Ceci entrainerait le sujet à favoriser un choix (suicide) associé à une récompense immédiate (sédation de la douleur), même s'il est associé à les conséquences délétères (mort). Ainsi la douleur psychologique serait centrale dans les CS en tant que conséquence immédiate des stress psychosociaux, et en influençant les facteurs de vulnérabilité, qui favorisent sa perception et augmentent la sensibilité à certains événements sociaux via des processus neuroanatomiques et biochimiques. Nos travaux ouvrent de nouvelles voies de compréhension physiopathologiques et permettent d'envisager la douleur psychologique comme une potentielle cible thérapeutique de prévention suicidaire. / Current knowledge suggests that suicidal behavior: 1) are pathological entities per se, with a specific neurobiology, 2) may be studied according to a stress-diathesis model, 3) may be better characterized by identifying biomarkers. Emphasizing that pain is the core of the suicidal process, we propose an outline of a model of suicide based on clinical neuropsychological and neuroimaging data. Psychosocial stressors cause psychological pain. Through dysfunctional vasopressinergic system and cerebral regions involved in social cognitions, psychosocial stress would be maintained or give rise to new stresses, perpetuating or increasing psychache. We suggest a modification of pain thresholds in vulnerable subjects for suicide leading to an increased perception of psychache, which is associated with suicidal ideation. Then, interpersonal difficulties are associated with impaired decision-making underpinned by prefrontal dysfunction that has been associated with suicidal vulnerability. This would cause the subject to promote a choice (suicide) associated with immediate reward (pain relief), although it is associated with deleterious consequences (death). Thus, psychological pain is central to suicidal behavior as an immediate consequence of psychosocial stressors, and influencing the suicidal vulnerability favoring pain perception and increasing susceptibility to social events, based on neuroanatomical and biochemical bases. Finally the hypothesis that a change of pain perception is involved in the suicidal process would open new avenues for understanding suicidal pathophysiology. It allows considering the psychological pain as a potential therapeutic target to prevent suicide

Climate change poses one of the biggest challenges that most countries have to face over the coming decades. The transformations in our global weather patterns are expected to bring some very adverse effects for most of the island nations that comprise the Caribbean region. These nations have been continuously identified as one of the territorial groups that are most vulnerable to climate change, while the region barely contributes to the main triggers of these changes. Caribbean island nations have many elements that hinder their individual and regional development. Climate change will aggravate those conditions while bringing new challenges to these territories, particularly in the capital cities, as these urban areas serve are the main economic, social, political and cultural centres of these nations. A good understanding of the vulnerabilities of these cities will become a critical factor for developing good adaptation measures for their respective nations. Planning can prove useful for implementing climate change adaptation strategies, particularly for cities. This research provides three main contributions to the literature on climate change and on urban planning studies. First, it expands the discussion upon the linkages between disaster risk reduction experiences and climate change adaptation practices. Second, it highlights the relevance of capital cities for evaluating climate change impacts and adaptation actions for small island territories. The third contribution is the creation of a planning tool to assess climate change vulnerabilities of Caribbean cities. These three elements will further expand the existing knowledge base related to climate change adaptation and urban planning disciplines, particularly pertaining to the Caribbean region. Caribbean cities will greatly benefit from a planning perspective that can guide their development processes in the face of climate impacts. By means of vulnerability assessments it is possible to facilitate the analysis of climate change impacts and outcomes on vulnerable areas and planners can contribute to this aspect. A planning support tool was created to aid in the development of a vulnerability assessment for small island cities in the region - the Caribbean Climate change Urban Vulnerability Index (CCUVI). Using the CCUVI, a vulnerability assessment methodology was developed, using the city of San Juan (Puerto Rico) as a case study. The results of the vulnerability assessment helped identify five different areas within the case study city that are prone to be more affected by climate change impacts. The assessment also analysed how the vulnerability conditions in these areas and in the city changed through time, exploring two distinct scenario storylines for San Juan towards 2050. A series of normative and operational recommendations emerged from the assessment process that will help planners and policymakers engage in adaptation actions to reduce the climate vulnerabilities of Caribbean small island capital cities.