Disasters are an ever increasing phenomena in our society, resulting in many people being adversely affected. the social vulnerability paradigm explores the social, economic and political factors which contribute to certain populations being disproportionately affected by disasters. However, the paradigm has not yet begun to investigate the cultural or religious ideologies which may affect a population's behavior in disaster. This study is an exploratory investigation into whether religious ideologies may impact a person's decision to prepare, or not, in the event of a disaster. Specifically, it seeks to investigate whether a person who holds a belief that natural disasters are under God's control will prepare for the hazard? the study undertaken five years after Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans show that religious ideology is closely linked with one's capacity to prepare for the hazard which is closely tied in with social structure. It may appear that a person's 'fatalistic' attitude is tied to economic inability to prepare for a hazard. This does not mean that they will not prepare but that preparation may include prayer as their initial attempt to mitigate.

Over the last two decades social vulnerability has emerged as a major area of study, with increasing attention to the study of vulnerable populations. Generally, the elderly are among the most vulnerable members of any society, and widespread population aging has led to greater focus on elderly vulnerability. However, the absence of a valid and practical measure constrains the ability of policy-makers to address this issue in a comprehensive way. This study developed a composite indicator, The Elderly Social Vulnerability Index (ESVI), and used it to undertake a comparative analysis of the availability of support for elderly Jamaicans based on their access to human, material and social resources. The results of the ESVI indicated that while the elderly are more vulnerable overall, certain segments of the population appear to be at greater risk. Females had consistently lower scores than males, and the oldest-old had the highest scores of all groups of older persons. Vulnerability scores also varied according to place of residence, with more rural parishes having higher scores than their urban counterparts. These findings support the political economy framework which locates disadvantage in old age within political and ideological structures. The findings also point to the pervasiveness and persistence of gender inequality as argued by feminist theories of aging. Based on the results of the study it is clear that there is a need for policies that target specific population segments, in addition to universal policies that could make the experience of old age less challenging for the majority of older persons. Overall, the ESVI has displayed usefulness as a tool for theoretical analysis and demonstrated its potential as a policy instrument to assist decision-makers in determining where to target their efforts as they seek to address the issue of social vulnerability in old age. Data for this study came from the 2001 population and housing census of Jamaica, with multiple imputation for missing data. The index was derived from the linear aggregation of three equally weighted domains, comprised of eleven unweighted indicators which were normalized using z-scores. Indicators were selected based on theoretical relevance and data availability.

abstract: The Gulf of Mexico (or “Gulf”) is of critical significance to the oil and gas industries’ offshore production, but the potential for accidental petrochemical influx into the Gulf due to such processes is high; two of the largest marine oil spills in history, Pemex's Ixtoc I spill (1979) and British Petroleum's (BP) Deepwater Horizon (2010), have occurred in the region. However, the Gulf is also of critical significance to thousands of unique species, many of which may be irreparably harmed by accidental petrochemical exposure. To better manage the conservation and recovery of marine species in the Gulf ecosystem, a Petrochemical Vulnerability Index was developed to determine the potential impact of a petrochemical influx on Gulf marine fishes, therein providing an objective framework with which to determine the best immediate and long term management strategies for resource managers and decision-makers. The resulting Petrochemical Vulnerability Index (PVI) was developed and applied to all bony fishes and shark/ray species in the Gulf of Mexico (1,670 spp), based on a theoretical petrochemical vulnerability framework developed by peer review. The PVI for fishes embodies three key facets of species vulnerability: likelihood of exposure, individual sensitivity, and population resilience, and comprised of 11 total metrics (Distribution, Longevity, Mobility, Habitat, Pre-Adult Stage Length, Pre-Adult Exposure; Increased Adult Sensitivity Due to UV Light, Increased Pre-Adult Sensitivity Due to UV Light; and Abundance, Reproductive Turnover Rate, Diet/Habitat Specialization). The resulting PVI can be used to guide attention to the species potentially most in need of immediate attention in the event of an oil spill or other petrochemical influx, as well as those species that may require intensive long-term recovery. The scored relative vulnerability rankings can also provide information on species that ought to be the focus of future toxicological research, by indicating which species lack toxicological data, and may potentially experience significant impacts. / Dissertation/Thesis / Masters Thesis Applied Biological Sciences 2020

My name is Greg Delany Walker. I’m an MFA candidate in Theatre Arts with a specialization in Acting at the University of Iowa. The following is my thesis that addresses my artistic process as an actor. My main focus in this thesis is to unpack my beliefs about what makes good acting and how I personally achieve that. I detail many schools of thought that pair well together to seek out vulnerability in actors. Vulnerability is my chief struggle as an actor given that I have a tendency to overthink things and rely more on intellect than on passionate expression in my daily life and in my work. That tendency leads me to be polite as an actor, which has gotten in the way of my being able to reach my full potential. I discovered time and time again how important it is to understand and embody acting techniques so deeply that I can let them go. All the different techniques of analysis, physical and voice work are essential, but they need to transition to being second nature. The techniques outlined in this thesis, learned in my life and through the program at the University of Iowa, have to be so ingrained that I don’t need to think of them in the moment on stage. The key to being present on stage seems so simple in a way, but it has been a great challenge for me to fully let go of control to allow for my potential public failure and humiliation. The times that I’ve embraced failure have been the strongest moments for me as an actor because of the power of risk. My hope is that by detailing my own process and experiences, with that idea of building technique and releasing into the present moment, that others could be further empowered to do the same in acting or in life.

This research is a qualitative, autoethnographic study of antifragility in fragile spaces. It was written using data from Applied Theatre workshops, rehearsals and exercises; as well as questionnaires, semi-structured interviews and open discussions in focus groups with at-risk learners from Quintile 1-3 high schools, their educators, senior management staff, parents, caregivers and peers. Methodologically, social constructionism functioned as the schematic map that positioned the writing/writer between the self and others, and provided the philosophical scaffolding necessary to elucidate data analysis and interpretation. Institutional theory and organisational culture centered the analytical framework once thematic analysis had been conducted across the data sets. This reflexive, feminist paper exhumes and explores fragile spaces in Western Cape Quintile 1-3 schools, using drama and conscious, performed acts of vulnerability (on and off stage) as a means of activating antifragility in the performer and the observer. The data collection took place in the Western Cape in South Africa, and specifically refers to learners and their networks and blended learning ecosystems in that context. Noted conversants include Brown, Taleb and Butler. The findings of this study include a shift in how we define “success” in a fragile environment and an acknowledgment of antifragility as a strategy that is always in motion. Static achievement and a singular definition of learner excellence are shown to be the undesirable opposite of iterative antifragility and adaptive, holistic executive function and socio-cultural competence; and learner wholeness (as experienced and embodied by the learner themselves) is referred to as “flourishing”.

<p>The potential for damaging earthquakes in Indiana from the New Madrid Seismic Zone (NMSZ) has been known for 200 years. However, the identification of the Wabash Valley Seismic Zone (WVSZ) has increased the awareness of the seismic risk in Indiana. The Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) has been preparing for the occurrence of a large event by reducing the vulnerability of its bridge network, specifically in the Vincennes district. To facilitate the work of the State of Indiana, in this thesis the development of a simplified assessment procedure for the bridges typical in Indiana is presented. The thesis also includes a proposed simplified assessment tool, Indiana Seismic Assessment Tool (INSAT) to rapidly assess the vulnerability of INDOT’s bridges. To understand the behavior and vulnerabilities typical to bridges in Indiana, a set of 100 representative bridges was chosen for a detailed seismic assessment. The assessment is completed using information from the bridge drawings and 100 synthetic ground motion time-histories. The results of the detailed assessment, found in the SPR 4222 final report, are used to develop trends in mass and stiffness across bridge types, to identify vulnerability thresholds for application in the simplified assessment, and to validate the simplified assessment procedure.</p><p> </p><p>The simplified seismic assessment procedure presented in this thesis and INSAT leverage information found in BIAS. However, in its current state, BIAS does not contain enough information to perform a robust seismic assessment. Eight data items are recommended for implementation into BIAS in order to carry out a simplified assessment. These eight data items are the substructure type, the abutment type, the number of elements, the element height, length, and width, the deck thickness, and a height ratio flag. While some of these items can be estimated, the best version of the simplified assessment utilizes all of the recommended data items and leads to an 87% agreement between the vulnerability classifications of the simplified assessment and the detailed assessment.</p>

Magister Artium (Development Studies) - MA(DVS) / The informal economy has continued to increase in developing countries, giving jobs and income to marginalised groups, the majority being women. The rise of the informal sector is perpetuated by exclusionary social policies and the continued increase in unemployment. In Botswana, street food vending, the most visible form of the informal sector trading, has evolved to be a survivalist activity that women populate. Increasing poverty levels, gender inequalities, and high unemployment rates have resulted in poor urban women being vulnerable to the stresses and shocks caused by these factors. Street food vending is therefore pursued by women to mitigate their vulnerability. Additionally, street food vending allows for more flexible working hours, thus accommodating women’s community, household, and productive roles. Despite women’s substantial contribution to Botswana’s informal economy, the government has not done much to support them.

京都大学 / 0048 / 新制・課程博士 / 博士(エネルギー科学) / 甲第22793号 / エネ博第407号 / 新制||エネ||78(附属図書館) / 京都大学大学院エネルギー科学研究科エネルギー社会・環境科学専攻 / (主査)教授 宇根﨑 博信, 教授 石原 慶一, 教授 黒崎 健 / 学位規則第4条第1項該当 / Doctor of Energy Science / Kyoto University / DFAM

The aim of this study is to determine the use of the parables of the historical Jesus as transformative interpretive instruments of food shortage in urban townships. We will give much attention on the 12 theses critical reading of the parables espoused by Van Eck. In order to reach stated objectives, a sample of 360 township residents across the South Western Townships (Soweto) and Pretoria, comprising of teenagers, youth and adults were invited to participate in the study. Van Eck's methodology of the twelve theses as interpretative frameworks of the parables will be applied. In that regard the reading of ten parables by Van Eck will be undertaken. The ten parables to be covered will be the following: the parable of the Minas (Lk 19:12b-24, 27), the parable of the Sower (Mk 4:3b-8); the parable of Unmerciful Servant (Mt 18:23-33); the parable of the Mustard Seed (Lk 13:18-19); the parable of the Great Banquet (Lk 14:1b-23); parable of the Lost Sheep (Lk 15:4-6); the parable of the Richman and Lazarus (Lk 16:19-26); the parable of the Merchant (Mt 13:45-46); the parable of the Friend at Midnight (Lk 11:5-8) and the parable of the Tenants in the vineyard (Gospel of Thomas 65). We will apply specific parables in interpreting four major indicators that emerged in the study. The indicators covered the following issues: the impact of food shortage on self-respect, one's dignity, openness and good relations with others. To achieve the desired end we will use the following parables: the parable of the minas (Lk 19:12b-24, 27), the parable of the sower (Mk 4:3b-8); the parable of the merchant (Mt 13:45-46); and the parable of the rich man and Lazarus (Lk 16:19-26). Each selected indicator will be interrogated by a singular parable. The remaining aspects of the results of food study will be interpreted by eight parables namely: the parable of unmerciful servant (Mt 18:23-33); the parable of the mustard seed (Lk 13:18-19); the parable of the great banquet (Lk 14:1b-23); parable of the lost sheep (Lk 15:4-6); the parable of the rich man and Lazarus (Lk 16:19-26); the parable of the merchant (Mt 13:45-46); the parable of the friend at midnight (Lk 11:5-8) and the parable of the tenants in the vineyard (Gos. Thom. 65). We want to show that the given parables can serve as catalyst of transformation in the interpretation of the entire study of food insecurity in the townships. / Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2016. / New Testament Studies / PhD / Unrestricted

Master of Science