Statistics show high figures of poverty amongst farm dwellers in South Africa. Poverty is also associated with illiteracy, low life expectancy and high figures of malnutrition. One third of farm workers have no formal education. Very few farm dwellers have access to adequate housing and sanitation. A shortage in food, shelter and clothing leads to constant stress. In spite of extreme poverty, most households possess at least some human- and material resources. Through the effective management of these resources, the quality of life of people can be improved. Poor adults can be guided to better management through education. This study was part of the FLAGH-project where an educational intervention programme was developed, implemented and evaluated. The general goal of this study was to improve the sewing skills of female farm dwellers, in order to use existing resources of time, clothing and other textile articles optimally. Through the optimal use of these resources, less money needs to be spent on items such as clothes. More money can then be available for other basic needs, such as food. The intervention model as described by Fawcett et al. was used for this study. An intervention programme was developed, implemented and evaluated. Women on two farms were taught basic sewing skills to repair and recycle old clothes and other textile goods. Data to determine the success of the programme was gathered by means of practical pre- and post-tests. Paired sample t-tests were used to determine the effect size of the results, in order to determine if there was a practical significant difference in the skills of the women before and after the programme. Independent t-tests were used to determine the average and standard deviation in the evaluations of the two evaluators. Participants completed questionnaires regarding the presenting and compilation of the programme, to determine the success of the programme and to identify problems for possible future implementation of the programme. Results showed an improvement in the sewing skills of participants. Results from the programme evaluation showed that participants experienced the programme positively. The most important advantage of this programme was that participants can continue to apply the skills acquired during the programme, without any extra financial costs. / Thesis (M. Consumer Science)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2006.

The intramolecular Friedel-Crafts acylation of aromatics with Meldrum?s acid derivatives catalyzed by metal trifluoromethanesulfonates and other Lewis acids is reported. Meldrum?s acids are easily prepared, functionalized, handled, and purified. The synthesis of polysubstituted 1-indanones from benzyl Meldrum's acids was investigated thoroughly, and it was shown that a variety of catalysts were effective, whilst accommodating a diversity of functional groups under mild conditions. The scope, limitations, and functional group tolerance (terminal alkene and alkyne, ketal, dialkyl ether, dialkyl thioether, aryl methyl ether, aryl TIPS and TBDPS ethers, nitrile- and nitro-substituted aryls, alkyl and aryl halides) for a variety of 5-benzyl (enolizable Meldrum?s acids) and 5-benzyl-5-substituted Meldrum?s acids (quaternarized Meldrum?s acids), forming 1-indanones and 2-substituted-1-indanones respectively, are delineated. <br ><br /> This method was further applied to the synthesis of 1-tetralones, 1-benzosuberones, and the potent acetylcholinesterase inhibitor donepezil. <br ><br /> Mechanistic investigations were undertaken to determine the rate-determining step in the acylation sequence using Meldrum?s acid, as well as to examine the role of the Lewis acid catalyst. Enolizable Meldrum?s acid derivatives can react via an acyl ketene intermediate under thermal conditions, while quaternarized Meldrum?s acid derivatives are thermally stable and only act as effective Friedel-Crafts acylating agents in the presence of a Lewis acid catalyst. <br ><br /> The total synthesis of (??)-Taiwaniaquinol B was completed. This natural product was the first ever isolated containing an unusual 6-5-6 fused ring system, and it also contains a hexasubstituted aromatic ring, and two all-carbon quaternary centers. This synthesis was accomplished via an intramolecular Friedel-Crafts acylation/carbonyl a-<em>tert</em>-alkylation reaction that exploits the unique chemistry of Meldrum?s acid. This novel methodology can be used to access a variety of highly substituted fused ring systems of various sizes.

This dissertation is "A Collective Case Study of Veterans Inside an Arts and Crafts Room and Their Perceptions Regarding Empowerment." This research examined to what degree art making, and in what ways a community of learning contributed to veterans' self-worth and empowerment through their creative activities and interactions inside an arts and crafts room at the VA hospital in Dallas, Texas. Furthermore, an essential reason for this study is to examine veterans in the arts and crafts environment to explore whether their experiences were important, meaningful, and empowering, and especially important in this regard are the interactions among veterans. Empowerment in this context is defined as gaining self-esteem and motivation within oneself. This includes becoming more confident and positive, as well as gaining the ability to learn about one's own identity. It also described how the interactions between the participants are shaped by the social contexts within which they come together. Using post-modern feminist theory, narrative inquiry and care theory, this dissertation describes the ways that the processes and products of creative activity bring empowerment through dialogue and personal stories while using the component of caring during teaching and learning.

Textbooks teach architecture as conveniently divided into styles and periods, but in reality styles overlap. At the turn-of-the-twentieth century there were three major architectural and decorative movements in the United States: the Aesthetic Movement, the Arts and Crafts Movement, and the American Renaissance Movement. This thesis shows how superficial stylistic labels can be by comparing two very different-seeming houses of the early twentieth century: The Hapke-Geiger House of ca. 1912 in Chesterfield, Virginia, based on a Gustav Stickley Arts and Crafts design, and the Hunton House of 19 14 in Richmond, Virginia, designed in the American Renaissance style by Noland and Baskervill. These homes are very different from one another, but they have three major similarities: They each use an established plan with no essential connection to the building's supposed style, they mix styles, and they have similar kinds of porches. This thesis will pursue these issues to go beyond the superficial stylistic labels and examine how the three major movements of the time are interrelated.

The notion of “you are what you buy” is an updated adage from “you are what you eat”. It makes a connection between our everyday objects and their effect on our lived experience. Looking at our relationships with our things as a type of contract, we must be intentional to shape these object contracts for our own good and health. Instead of our society’s design talents being put toward a consumerist agenda, designers must direct research and development which addresses the effects of our products holistically. Various concepts have emerged in my creative practice which demand a deeper research and development. These are concepts of little interest to the corporate product developer, as they appeal to agendas beyond profit. Just as the slow food movement responds to fast food and “Big Ag”, the concepts of time, gifts, ritual emerge as virtues which demand development in our products. These concepts are not an answer to consumerism. However, they are tastes that have fallen off of our product diet. I point to various works works of art and design, of my own and others, which seek to renew the vastness of our potential experience with everyday objects. Instead of choosing from the corporate offering, we may take a more critical view of design which looks at our holistic experience with our products.

In den letzten Jahren geriet die sogenannte fehlende Zahlungsmoral von Unternehmen und deren negative Auswirkungen immer wieder in die Schlagzeilen der Tagespresse. Obwohl derartige Klagen immer wieder laut werden, existieren bisher kaum systematische Untersuchungen, die sich mit den Ursachen fehlender Zahlungsmoral und den Vermeidungsmöglichkeiten beschäftigen. Vor diesem Hintergrund soll mit der vorliegenden Studie das Problem der "Zahlungsmoral" für das Handwerk im Raum Leipzig näher untersucht werden. Die Ziele der Studie können insbesondere durch die folgenden drei Fragestellungen umrissen werden: Welchen Umfang haben Unregelmässigkeiten tatsächlich? Wie sehen die betroffenen Handwerksbetriebe die Situation? Welche Faktoren führen zu einem unregelmäßigen Zahlungsverhalten von Kunden?

Azetidine is a four-membered nitrogen-containing heterocyclic ring that has recently received a great deal of attention as a molecular scaffold for the design and preparation of biologically active compounds. Structure-activity studies employing functionalized azetidines have led to the development of variety of drug molecules and clinical candidates encompassing a broad spectrum of biological activities. Herein, the synthesis a novel series of 3-aryl-3-arylmethoxyazetidines is described. Selected 3-aryl-3-arylmethoxyazetidines were evaluated for their binding affinity to multiple monoaminergic transporters for the potential treatment of methamphetamine addiction. It was discovered that this scaffold exhibits high binding affinity (nM) for both the serotonin and dopamine transporters. In addition, a new method was developed for the synthesis of 3,3-diarylazetidines. This new approach provides a facile and efficient method to synthesize a variety of diaryl heterocycles including 3,3-diarylazetidines, 3,3-diarylpyrrolidines, and 4,4-diarylpiperidines in moderate to good yields.

Background: The production of textile crafts requires resources and skilled artisans. In modern times, textile crafts sold in the global market are often made through collaboration involving artisans and profit, social and non-profit enterprises with aim to globalize the aesthetic or styling, structural aspects, and marketability of the crafted product. Collaboration is understood here as two or more enterprises working together towards common profit ideologies, values or goals. Textile craft producer Jordan River Foundation’s (JRF) and IKEA’s Social Entrepreneurship Initiative; collaboration creates home furnishing collections through design and product development, that aim to promote and develop so called local crafts-based economy. Need: In a collaboration, the textile craft producer plays the role of leveraging its resources, and keeps the capability to test its making in the design development and implementation process of craft products. It is thus this need to know of how these collaborative relationships function from a producer’s perspective, emphasizing on the most value adding factor of the design development process. Purpose: The purpose of the study was to investigate and understand primarily from the craft producer Jordan River Foundation’s point of view, the collaborative design development and implementation process with IKEA. Method: The study is a qualitative, narrative, analysing the data and experience from a two-week participatory field study at Jordan River Foundation. Conclusion: As exposed through the collaboration, with IKEA, JRF is challenged with working with cost efficient process of the usage of materials and techniques in design development and methods of craft production, and at the same time maintains its niche as a craft producer. The study concludes that collaborative design efforts in textile crafts, uplifts and enhances, tangible and intangible values. Within the perspective of textile management, the knowledge of collaborative design development in textile crafts interconnects new spaces and turns skill knowledge into a force of competitive advantage for the participating organisations.

[pt] Essa pesquisa parte da premissa de que não é cabível questionar de se o designer deve ou não atuar junto ao segmento artesanal, mas sim, como deve se dar essa ação. A crescente participação do designer junto à cadeia produtiva do artesanato estabelece a presença deste profissional neste segmento e, configura um crescente campo para a atuação conjunta de designers e artesãos. Essa parceria busca através da comercialização dos produtos artesanais, a autosuficiência dos artesãos e das comunidades artesanais em nosso país. Nesta pesquisa é apontada a intermediação e a participação de designers no decorrer da trajetória de reconhecimento do artesanato na sociedade brasileira. O estudo apresenta as categorias artesanais, e suas particularidades, definindo parâmetros para a atuação dos designers neste segmento. A pesquisa apresenta diretrizes básicas para a atuação do designer, a partir do respeito e valorização das referências culturais de artesãos e comunidades. E determina que a atuação conjunta de designers e artesãos deve dispor como objetivo comum, agregar valor comercial aos produtos artesanais, otimizando seus processos de produção, comercialização, divulgação e manutenção, visando a auto-sustentabilidade do segmento artesanal. / [en] This research departs from the assumption that is not appropriate to argue if the designer must or not to act attached to the handicraft segment but, indeed, how his action must take place. The increasing partnership of the designer attached to the productive chain of the handicraft establishes the presence of this professional in this segment and shapes a crescent field towards the joined operation of designers and craftsmen. This partnership aims, though the commercialization of the handicraft products, the self- sufficiency of the craftsmen and the handicraft communities in our country. In this research is pointed out the intermediation and the participation of designers in the process of recognition of the handicraft in the Brazilian society. The study presents the handicraft categories and their particularities, defining parameters for the performance of the designers in this segment. The research proposes basic directives for the performance of the designer, beginning with the respect and valorization of cultural references of craftsmen and communities. And, the research establishes that the joint performance of designers and craftsmen must envisage, as common objective, to aggregate commercial value to the handicraft products, maximizing their processes of production, commercialization, divulgation and maintenance, aiming to the self-sustaining handicraft segment.

[pt] O brinquedo como objeto de estudo tem suscitado o interesse de educadores, psicólogos, designers, sociólogos, antropólogos, filósofos e historiadores, em função da diversidade de perspectivas que abre sobre as realidades econômicas, políticas e culturais definidoras do mundo contemporâneo. A história do brinquedo e do brincar está imbricada no projeto de modernidade instalado a partir do Iluminismo. No caso da presente pesquisa, o brinquedo é compreendido como um artefato, fruto do trabalho humano e, portanto, objeto passível de análise sob a ótica dos estudos da cultura material e do design. Partindo dessa perspectiva, foi realizada uma coleta ampla de informações sobre o projeto de brinquedos no Brasil nas suas mais diversas manifestações, enfocando os seguintes pontos: 1. o surgimento da noção de infância no século XIX e as diversas concepções da importância do brinquedo para a criança; 2. a tradição do brinquedo popular no Brasil, relacionando seu caráter artesanal com as condições socioeconômicas da infância brasileira; 3. as transformações tecnológicas que propiciaram a industrialização do brinquedo brasileiro, destacando a história da Manufatura de Brinquedos Estrela; 4. a atividade de projetar brinquedos no Brasil vista a partir de entrevistas com designers e outros profissionais. O objetivo geral do trabalho é gerar uma base de conhecimento sobre as condições em que se dá o processo de criação de brinquedos no Brasil. Dada a fragmentação de informações sobre esse tema em diversos campos de estudo, a pesquisa realizada adquiriu um caráter arqueológico, reunindo e organizando os vestígios encontrados em uma teia que abrange desde a história das técnicas e tecnologias até os estudos e pesquisas de cultura popular. / [en] The toy as object of study has interested educators, psychologists, designers, sociologists, philosophers and historians, principally due to the wide diversity of insights that the study of toys provides onto the economics, politics and cultural realities that define the contemporary world. The histories of toys and their use are embedded in the project of modernity originating in the Enlightenment. The current study treats the toy as an artifact, a product of human labor and an object suitable for analysis within the precepts of material culture and design. studies From this premise, a range of data about the toy`s design in Brazil, in its multiple manifestations, have been undertaken, with focus on the following aspects: 1. the emerging notion of childhood in the nineteenth century, and the different conceptions of the importance of the toy for the child; 2. the popular toy tradition in Brazil, demonstrating the relationship between the craft characteristics of toymaking and the socio-economic conditions of the Brazilian childhood; 3. the technological transformations that contributed to the industrialization of the Brazilian toy, with special emphasis on the history of Manufatura de Brinquedos Estrela; 4. the process of producing toys in Brazil, as understood through interviews with toy designers and other professionals. The main goal of this research is to generate a base of knowledge about the process of toy creation in Brazil. The data related to this theme is fragmented across several fields of study, thus the research acquired an archeological character, assembling and organizing fragments and vestiges with methodologies that range from the history of workmanship and technology to the study of popular culture.