This paper applies a modified verison of the ”What’s the problem represented to be” framework developed by Carol Bacchi to analyse the debate currently being had in the USA regarding critical race theory and its supposed dissemination in american K-12 schools. The paper identifies three major differences between the opposing sides in the debate, regarding their presuppositions about the world, what they encapsulate in the term ”crtitical race theory”, and their leanings in regards to party politics.

The novel The Bluest Eye highlights different modes of racism that is relevant to engage with in today’s society. From a pedagogical standpoint, novels of this nature can enable rich and fruitful discussions about the implication of racism and how to counter it. However, its pedagogical potential is juxtaposed against the risks of presenting such explicit material to a classroom, and the consequential effects of migrating an African American novel to a Swedish subtext. A solution to this is applying Critical Race Theory (CRT) as a theoretical framework which from a conceptual perspective can preserve the integrity of the novel and enable students to actively engage with the text. However, the Swedish National Agency for Education (SNAE) lacks pedagogical tools for English teachers that want to address and counter racism in their classrooms which leaves a gap for those interested in working with The Bluest Eye. This paper aims to contribute to this gap by presenting how The Bluest Eye can help English 7 students engage with questions surrounding racism by applying CRT as a pedagogical framework. In order to migrate CRT to a pedagogical context rather than an institutional one, my focus is on the tenets of the theory along with counter narrative and storytelling. Subsequently, the findings of this paper highlight two aspects of the novel that are indicative of its pedagogical potential: the narrative strategies and the thematic elements which stress different modes of racism. The results also show that with CRT as apedagogical framework, students can gain a deeper understanding in the multidimensionality of racism through engaging with this novel. This paper indicates the strengths of applying CRT as a framework when working with this text by showcasing the richness in The Bluest Eye and providing pedagogical guidelines in teaching it.

This exploratory study draws from six semi-structured interviews with multiracial Nikkei women living in Canada to investigate their experiences of mixed race belonging. After establishing belonging as intrinsic to the very nature of how multiraciality and Asianness have been historically constructed and are presently experienced in Canada, three areas relevant to how the interviewees experience mixed race belonging are then considered: multiracial name modification (MRNM), the nation and Canadianness, and Japaneseness in Canada. This study also considers how the recent racial climate of pandemic-related anti-Asian racism has potentially impacted how mixed race belonging is experienced by the interviewees, which reveals two additional areas of interest: the amplified experience of multiracial dysmorphia (MRD) during this time and the emergence of pan-Asianness in Canada as a potential new site of belonging. As captured, issues of mixed race belonging arise in various spheres of the interviewees' lives because of the very ways in which multiraciality and Asianness have been constructed and maintained in the Canadian social landscape. In doing so, this study hopes to drive home how issues of mixed race belonging speak more to the problematic nature of "race" itself than of mixed race people themselves.

The purpose of this qualitative, critical race analysis study is to explore how White faculty conceptualize and apply critical race theory (CRT) and culturally responsive pedagogy (CRP) to curricula within a college of education and how the perceptions of their students’ identities influence specific pedagogical decisions. The researcher sought to extend the research on CRT in education by analyzing specific, detailed cases and incorporating purposeful sampling by selecting participants who match specific study criteria, i.e. graduate-level White faculty located in Tennessee who teach in programs of education. This study was limited to six faculty in a college of education (in educational leadership and teacher education graduate programs) at a college in Tennessee. This study provided a framework for additional studies that may assist with exploring how faculty pedagogical decisions in the classroom could be impacted by incorporating CRT/CRP in courses and across curricula in educational leadership and teacher education graduate programs. A total of four themes emerged following the analysis of findings from this study: 1) CRT and CRP in Curriculum involved participants expressing awareness for the need to address race-related issues, e.g., race, diversity, equity, and inclusion matters, in their course curricula. In addition, this awareness highlighted their concerns for departmentwide consistency across course curricula/programs and not just within their isolated courses. 2) CRT/CRP are Novel with Room to Improve was developed based on over half of the participants discussing aspects related to how CRT and CRP within the realm of teaching are nascent and only beginning to be implemented. 3) Faculty Conceptualization of CRT/CRP involved participants expressing an awareness of CRT/CRP but not a full conceptualization of the matter or how to incorporate it in the classroom to address race-related issues (diversity, equity, and inclusion matters) in their course curricula. Lastly, 4) Student Perspective and Composition was another common theme expressed. With race and diversity being the focus, many participants discussed student composition and student perspectives as being relational.

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Thesis (M.Med. (Radiation Oncology)) -- University of Limpopo, 2022 / Background Hypothyroidism in head and neck cancer patients after radiotherapy is known to occur, yet thyroid function tests are not routinely monitored in all patients post radiation therapy. Routine post radiation therapy thyroid function testing is currently not part of the follow-up protocol in these patients at Pietersburg Hospital. The aim of this study is to evaluate post radiation therapy hypothyroidism among head and neck cancer patients treated with radiotherapy at Pietersburg Hospital Methods A prospective (cohort) observational study was carried out among head and neck cancer patients receiving radiotherapy at the radiation oncology department in Pietersburg Hospital. Sample size of n=37 was calculated using Statistica V13.0. Thyroid function tests were performed at the start of radiation therapy and repeated on the first day of follow up, 6 weeks after completing radiation therapy. During follow up, participants were also interviewed for the presence of symptoms of hypothyroidism such as dry skin, dry hair, fatigue, cold intolerance, or weight gain. Data analysis was done with STATA version 16. Descriptive statistics were used to characterise variables, and summarised in tables, graphs and charts. Changes in thyroid function tests and other variables were analysed. A p-value of 0.05 was deemed statistically significant. Results Thirty-seven patients were enrolled in the study, 26 males and 11 females. The mean age of the patients was 53.1 ±12.3 standard deviation [SD]) with a range of 40.8 to 65.4 years. The most common diagnoses were cancer of the larynx and hypopharynx, forming 29.7% and oral cavity cancer, 29.7%. Only three patients (8%) had an early stage cancer (Stages 1 and 2), 11 patients (29.7%) moderately advanced cancer (Stage 3) while the majority (62%; n =23) had locally advanced cancer (Stage 4). Majority of the patients received 70Gy in 35 daily fractions, five fractions per week via 3-D conformal radiotherapy. Only 29 patients who had complete pre- and post radiotherapy thyroid function tests were included in the final analysis. Of these, none had clinical hypothyroidism at 3 months. Two patients (6.8%) had sub-clinical hypothyroidism, with post radiation therapy TSH values greater than 3.5mIU/ml. The mean post radiation therapy TSH values increased by 8.3% and the mean fT4 values decreased by 2.05% compared to the pre-radiation therapy values. Both changes were not statistically significant (p=0.99 and p=0.82 respectively). There was no statistically significant correlation between changes in TSH and fT4 versus age (p=0.88 and p=0.92 respectively), sex (p=0.55 and p=0.15 respectively), cancer stage (p=0.21 and p=0.78 respectively), and cancer site (p=0.17 and p=0.74 respectively). The most common post radiotherapy symptom was fatigue (62%) followed by cold intolerance (54%), weight gain (43%) and dry skin or dry hair (43% each). Conclusion The results of the study suggest that sub-clinical hypothyroidism is detectable early post radiation therapy presenting as clinical symptoms.

Scarce community mental health resources have led to people in crisis (PIC) overusing the emergency department (ED) and encountering police more frequently. To divert PIC from the ED and criminal justice system, and support them in their community, police services have implemented crisis response teams (CRTs). CRTs refer to police, health and mental health crisis response. Evidence of CRTs’ effectiveness in achieving their desired outcomes is limited, mixed, and/or anecdotal. I completed three studies using various theoretical and methodological approaches, which included: (a) a critical interpretative synthesis (CIS) of the conditions under which CRTs are formed, their features, and their outcomes; (b) a policy analysis using a case study design to examine how and why a CRT model was adopted in Hamilton, Canada; and (c) a what’s the problem represented to be (WPR) critical policy analysis of why police are implicated in crisis response. The CIS presents a conceptual framework depicting how unresolved structural conditions produce system- and individual-level challenges. Second, the case study examines the mobile crisis rapid response team (MCRRT) development in Hamilton. The analysis shows that initiatives that incrementally expand on the boundaries of existing programs are likely to be adopted. Third, drawing on WPR, we excavate problem representations within policy and policy-related texts to understand why police-based CRTs are expanded in Ontario. When mental health is framed in terms of safety and implicated within discourses about risk and danger police intervention is legitimized. Collectively, these studies provide a theoretical framework connecting structural, system, and individual factors most relevant to CRTs; demonstrate that an incremental approach to CRT adoption did not disrupt existing system arrangements; and problematizations within government policies that legitimize police in mental health crisis response. / Thesis / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) / Since deinstitutionalization, during which mental health patients were discharged into the community, this population has had more frequent encounters with police, contributing to criminalization and tragedies. They have also increasingly sought mental health crisis support in emergency departments. Police, health, and mental health crisis response teams (CRTs) have been implemented as an alternative response to people with mental health issues who are in crisis. To date, CRTs have been widely implemented but with little, mixed, and/or anecdotal evidence demonstrating their effectiveness. This dissertation contextualizes information about CRTs by presenting (a) a conceptual framework on CRTs, outlining the structural, system, and individual conditions under which CRTs are formed, their features, and outcomes; (b) a case study that examined under what conditions a CRT was developed and implemented in Hamilton, Canada; and (c) a critical discourse analysis of CRTs.

Examensarbetet har utförts i samarbete med företaget LVI (Low Vision International) som tillverkar elektroniska hjälpmedel för synskadade. LVI utvärderar vid jämna mellanrum nya LCD-bildskärmar för deras produkter. LVI behöver metoder samt utrustning för att mäta bildskärmars responstid och latens. Både responstiden och latensen ger fördröjningar vilket t.ex. leder till att bilden blir oskarp, rörliga föremål får en svans efter sig eller att lju- det kommer före bilden. I detta arbete utförs en grundlig förstudie som behandlar bild- skärmars responstid och latens samt ger ett underlag för att konstruera eller köpa mätut- rustning för responstidsmätningar. I förstudien framkommer den standardiserade mätmeto- den ”grey-to-grey” som LVI kan använda för att mäta responstiden. En mätkrets konstrue- ras för att mäta responstiden samt beställs en dedikerad enhet för latensmätning. För att ut- värdera mätmetoderna utförs ett antal tester med mätkretsen för responstid och den dedike- rade enheten för mätning av latens. Mätningarna visar senare att mätmetoden ”grey-to- grey” är den som LVI ska använda men metoden behöver vidareutvecklas. Den dedikerade enheten för latensmätningar visar sig mäta en del av responstiden och bör därför endast an- vändas som komplement till responstidsmätningen vid jämförelser mellan olika bildskär- mar. Arbetet levererar en förstudie i LCD-bildskärmars responstid och latens, en vidareut- vecklad version av ”grey-to-grey”-metoden, mätutrustning för responstidsmätning samt den dedikerade mätenheten för latens till företaget LVI. / The thesis was performed in collaboration with the company LVI (Low Vision Interna- tional) that manufactures electronic devices for the visually impaired. LVI evaluates new LCD displays for their products at regular intervals. LVI need methods and equipment for measuring response time and input lag. Both response time and input lag cause delays, which results in such things as image blur, ghosting after moving objects or a delay between sound and image. The preliminary study reveals the standardized method “grey- to-grey” that LVI can use to measure response time. A measurement circuit was constructed to measure response time and a dedicated unit for input lag measurement was ordered. To evaluate the measurement methods a number of tests were conducted with the response time circuit and the dedicated input lag unit. The measurements showed that the method LVI shall use is the "grey-to-grey” method but it needs further development. It turned out that the dedicated unit for input lag measured a portion of the response time and should therefore only be used as a complement to the response time measurement when comparing displays. The thesis delivers a preliminary study in LCD displays response times and input lag, a further developed version of the “grey-to-grey” method, measurement equipment for response time and a dedicated unit for input lag measurements to the company LVI.