Between the 1930s and mid-1980s, North Carolina became one of the most industrialized states in the country, with more factory workers, as a percentage of the total workforce, than any other state. And yet, North Carolina generally retained its rural complexion, with small factories dispersed throughout the countryside, instead of concentrated in large industrial cities. This dissertation asks two essential questions: first, how did this rural-industrial geography come to be, and second, what does the creation of this geography reveal about the state of the American political economy in the post-World War II era? I argue that rural industrialization was a central goal of North Carolina’s postwar political leaders and economic development officials. These industry hunters, as I call them, wanted to raise their state’s per capita income by recruiting manufacturers to develop or relocate operations in North Carolina. At the same time, they worried about developing large industrial cities or mill villages, associating them with class conflict, congestion, and a host of other ill-effects. In the hopes of attracting industry to its countryside, the state invested heavily in its secondary roads and highways, increasing the accessibility of rural communities. In their pursuit of rural industrialization, however, North Carolina also constructed a political economy that anticipated the collapse of the New Deal state. While historians typically see New Deal liberalism as the prevailing form of statecraft in the postwar United States, North Carolina achieved economic growth through a model that state officials termed “accessible isolation.” What accessible isolation meant was that North Carolina would provide industries with enough of a state apparatus to make operating a factory in a rural area possible, while maintaining policies of low taxes, limited regulations, and anti-unionism, to make those sites desirable. Essentially, industry hunters offered industrial prospects access to a supply of cheap rural labor, but isolation from the high wages, labor unions, government regulations, and progressive tax code that defined New Deal liberalism. Accessible isolation was attractive to businesses in postwar America because it offered a “business-friendly” alternative to the New Deal, and factories began sprouting throughout rural North Carolina. But the success of accessible isolation was built on a shaky foundation. Indeed, most of the employers persuaded by its promises were those in low-wage, labor-intensive industries, making North Carolina’s rural communities especially vulnerable to transformations in the global economy by the late twentieth century. / History

This dissertation recasts the history of nudity in art as a history of ecology. Art historians have long emphasized that depictions of the nude body make visible social relationships structured by gender, race, and class. I contend that ecological relationships—among human beings, fellow living things, and their environments—lie latent in these same artworks. My argument unfolds in the context of the nineteenth-century United States, a place of profound and lasting change that transformed how the human body was understood and represented. Taking seriously the historical euphemism “the garb of nature,” I look anew at nudity across artistic media. Three chronological chapters expand outward in scale and engage with different aspects of the natural world: I examine an ivory miniature of a white woman’s bare breasts, a wet-collodion negative of unclothed Civil War soldiers bathing outdoors, and an enormous sculptural weathervane on the New York City skyline. In each case, I grapple with the contexts in which these artworks emerged, encompassing enslavement, war, colonialism, hunting, pollution, and industrialization—all practices premised upon social and ecological hierarchy. Yet my analysis reveals that these artworks attest not to hierarchy but to the vital interdependence of people and the natural world. Together, these case studies chart a new approach to nudity in art, attuned to both the social and ecological stakes of representation.

No / BACKGROUND: Vitamin D deficiency rickets is associated with skeletal deformities including swollen rib junctions, bowing of the legs, and the flaring and fraying of the wrist and long-bone metaphyses. There is, however, scarce information on the direct effect of rickets on skeletal growth in either present or past populations. AIM: The study investigated the effect of vitamin D deficiency rickets on long-bone growth in two post-medieval skeletal populations from East London (Broadgate and Christ Church Spitalfields). Subsequently, inter-population growth variations in relation to non-specific environmental stress (dental enamel defects), industrialization, urbanization and socio-economic status during infancy (birth to 3 years) and early childhood (3-7 years) were examined. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Data on long-bone diaphyseal length dimensions and stress indicators of 234 subadults from Anglo-Saxon, late medieval and post-medieval archaeological skeletal samples were analysed using both linear and non-linear growth models. RESULTS: Rickets had no effect on the growth curves for any of the long bones studied. However, pronounced variations in growth between the four populations were noted, mainly during infancy. The diaphyseal length of long bones of Broadgate were significantly smaller-per-age than those of Spitalfields and the other samples up to the age of 4 years, and were associated with a high prevalence of enamel defects during early infancy. CONCLUSION: Socio-economic status, rather than urbanization, industrialization or rickets, was the central factor behind the observed differences in growth among the post-medieval populations. The observed inter-population growth variations were only significant during infancy.

Text in Afrikaans / Een van die grootste probleme waarmee die prediker in 'n industriele konteks te doen het, is om die evangelie op 'n sinvolle wyse aan die hoarders oor te dra. Die radikale verandering in die samelewing deur die moderniseringsproses, het die homiletiek gedwing om teoreties her te besin. Hierdie moderne homiletiese teorie soos deur H.J.C. Pieterse, T.G. Long en G.D.J. Dingemans verteenwoordig het die volgende belangrike teoretiese aanpassings gemaak: Eerstens, in plaas van die tradisionele beweging van die teks na die hoarders, is die homiletiese proses omgekeer. Die beweging is nou vanaf die hoarder na die teks deur middel van die prediker en weer terug van die teks na die hoorder. Tweedens, hierdie benadering het noodwendig hermeneutiese implikasies gehad. Daarom het die homiletiek die bree aanpak van die moderne kritiese hermeneutiek in diens geneem. Derdens moes 'n nuwe kommunikasieteorie ondersoek word naamlik, die dialogiese kommunikasieteorie van H.J.C. Pieterse en C.J.A. Vos. / One of the greatest problems, with which a preacher in an industrial context have to deal with, is to convey the gospel in a sensible manner to the listeners. The radical change in society caused by the modernisation process, forced homiletics to review its theoretical base. Modern homiletics as represented by H.J.C. Pieterse, T.G. Long and G.D.J. Dingemans, has made the following theoretic adjustments: Firstly, in stead of the traditional movement of the text to the listeners, the homiletical process is revearsed. The movement is from the listener to the text by means of the preacher and back from the text to the listener. Secondly, this approach inevitably has hermeneutic implications. Therefore homiletics has employed the broad approach of modern critical hermeneutics. Thirdly, a new communication theory has to be developed namely, the dialogical communication theory of H.J.C. Pieterse and C.J.A. Vos. The most important theoretical foundation for preaching in an industrial context is the approach of taking the listeners as starting point without neglecting the text. In practice, it brings about that the following topics ask for particular attention: For the understanding and formulating of the message of the Scriptures, the modern critical hermeneutics and the use of metaphors is of the greatest importance. The new understanding of rhetorics which is about conveying the message, must be taken into consideration. The formulating of the message in the language of the listeners has a theoretical influence on the formulating and use of the theological concepts during preaching. The dialogical communication theory is also of great importance, and has dialogue before, during and after the preaching in mind. For it to be fulfilled, preaching work groups is an important component to improve dialogical communication in the congregation. / Practical Theology / D.Th. (Practical theology)

"The Tennessee Valley Authority is a world example of the full development of a river basin in soil conservation, flood control, navigation, electric power, afforestation, and recreation... Many river basin areas in the United States have created planning commissions to further develop the advancement of their own watershed problems. The Trinity Improvement Association is the planning commission for the Trinity River watershed area... In Chapter II a factual resume of the Tennessee Valley Authority will be given, and this chapter will be used as a basis of comparison for the development of the Trinity River Basin. Chapter III covers the problem of soil conservation and flood control within the watershed area; Chapter IV deals with the industrial and municipal use of water and the resources of the tributary area; Chapter V contains a brief history of the canal movement on the Trinity, the feasibility of such a canal, and miscellaneous developments; and Chapter VI contains the conclusions that it seems appropriate to draw. " -- leaf 1.

M.A. (Public Management and Governance) / This study focuses on the policy programme feasibility of the proposed OR Tambo Industrial Development Zone (ORTIAIDZ) programme to determine the viability of its implementation. This introductory chapter highlights the background and rationale in order to provide context to the problem statement and the chosen research approach. The research questions and research objectives are provided and the research investigation methodology (research approach, design, data collection and analysis methods) used in this study are clarified. The chapter also clarifies the explicit terminology used in the text. Finally, a synopsis of the chapters comprising the dissertation is provided.

The trend of outsourcing within the electronic industry has contributed to the creation of new types of extended enterprises. These extended enterprises must be able to manage a challenging situation with shorter product life cycles and increased collaboration between companies during the vital product introduction process. For the electronic industry, which is currently acting in an “era of hyper-competition”, it is a challenge to implement an efficient and flexible collaboration within an extended enterprise during the product introduction process. In the product introduction process, a product design is prepared for and transferred into production. During the course of this research, the electronic industry has changed continuously. Empirical data were first collected within an Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) that was responsible for its own production. Based on a strategic decision at the OEM, a new extended enterprise was established. In general, these new extended enterprises within the electronic industry consist of: a “product owner” in the form of an OEM that owns the product design and its brand; a “producer” in the form of an Electronic Manufacturing Services (EMS) company that is responsible for the production; and suppliers of services, material, components, equipment etc. However, in the later stages of this research the studied EMS was responsible for the product introduction, production and distribution of the product to the end user. In order to compare and contrast trends and lessons learned in similar industries, case studies within the mechanical engineering and aerospace industries also were performed. The dissertation primarily describes the process of collaborative product introduction (PI) within the electronic industry, and presents among other things a number of general conditions for efficient collaborative PI within an EE in that industry. First, a clearly communicated definition of what is included in product introduction is needed. A second condition is that early participation from all involved partners in the EE’s product introduction process supports efficient collaboration. Third, clear communication and information handling within the extended enterprise – both internally and externally – was found to facilitate collaboration. Fourth, business approaches should be built on trust, reliability and respect for each other’s competence. Finally, the importance of cultural awareness, both between different companies and countries, cannot be ignored. This research also presents a framework for supporting collaborative product introduction within an extended enterprise, which serves to both synthesize and summarize much of the research. / On the day of the public defence the status of article VIII was Accepted and the title was "Coordination in Collaborative Manufacturing Mega-Networks: Observations from a Case in the Commercial Aerospace Industry".

Cette enquête prend pour point de départ l'adoption en 2000 d'indicateurs et de cibles chiffrées par l'Union Européenne pour comparer et stimuler les performances des systèmes éducatifs de ses États-membres. Elle suit, étape par étape, la chaîne de fabrication et de diffusion de cette information statistique. Ces outils de gouvernement se développent au sein d'institutions internationales créées après la Seconde Guerre Mondiale (UNESCO et OCDE) et visent à concilier harmonie sociale et prospérité matérielle par une plus grande adaptation de l'école aux exigences du monde industriel. Cette politique par les chiffres repose désormais sur un vaste appareillage qui s'étend sous l'effet de la multiplication des données qu'il génère. Son essor connaît une accélération avec le développement des technologies numériques qui facilitent la saisie de nouvelles informations quantifiables directement auprès des écoles et dans les classes. Assurant une plus grande traçabilité des trajectoires scolaires et une évaluation plus régulière des établissements et des individus, elles sont utilisées à la fois par les administrations et par les experts en sciences humaines, pour améliorer l'éducation et sa gestion. Promues comme instruments pédagogiques, elles doivent rendre la pratique des enseignants plus efficace en leur permettant d'évaluer, classer et hiérarchiser leurs élèves et leurs difficultés. Entendue comme activité de mise en chiffres de réalités qui ne l'étaient pas auparavant, la quantification est ici appréhendée dans sa triple dimension administrative, scientifique et industrielle, afin de comprendre les origines de cette avalanche de nombres et ses effets sur nos démocraties. / The starting point of this study is the adoption by the European Union in 2000 of numerical indicators and benchmarks to compare and stimulate the performance of the education systems of Member States. It looks closely at the processing of this statistical information during both fabrication and diffusion. These tools for government have been developed within the international institutions created after the Second World War (UNESCO, OECD) in an attempt to combine material well being and social harmony by shaping education to meet the challenges of the industrial world. This policy of reliance on numbers has created an increasingly voluminous structure, in permanent expansion as it generates new data. Its growth has been fuelled by digital technologies that facilitate the direct collection of data in schools and classrooms. Because they increase the traceability of school careers and allow for more regular evaluation of schools and students, these tools are used by both management and social science researchers to improve education and administration. Presented as teaching aids, they are designed to improve teachers' performance by allowing them to evaluate, classify and grade both their students and their difficulties. The phenomenon of quantification, by which we mean the activity of giving numerical expression to realities not previously expressed in this way, is considered here from three points of view - administrative, scientific and industrial - in order to provide an understanding of the origins of the avalanche of numbers and its effects on the vitality of our democracies and their inhabitants.

Le laminage transversal est un procédé de mise en forme où un lopin cylindrique est déformé plastiquement en une pièce axisymétrique comportant des réductions de diamètre. Dans le processus de fabrication de bielles, le procédé est utilisé pour l’opération de répartition avant les opérations d’estampage. Par rapport au procédé de laminage à retour, il permet d’atteindre de meilleures mises au mille et de réduire les temps de cycle. L’industrialisation de ce procédé se heurte toutefois à des difficultés liées pour l’essentiel à la conception des outillages.Ces travaux de thèse visent à améliorer le processus d’industrialisation du laminage transversal par une réduction des temps de développement des outillages et par l’allongement de leur durée de vie. Pour cela, deux axes ont été identifiés. D’une part l’amélioration et la formalisation de la méthodologie de conception des outillages et d’autre part, l’identification et la caractérisation des phénomènes défauts se produisant à grand nombre de cycle et provocant l’arrêt de l’outillage.Ces travaux de thèse s’orientent au tour de trois axes majeurs. Premièrement, l’évaluation du potentiel prédictif de la simulation numérique du laminage transversal et sa robustesse vis-à-vis des paramètres numériques et du procédé. Deuxièmement, la mise en place d’un processus de conception d’outillage comportant d’un côté une méthodologie de conception permettant de définir les paramètres de l’outillage en s’appuyant d’un autre côté sur la simulation numérique du procédé. Troisièmement, l’identification et la caractérisation des zones d’usure et ses effets sur la pièce laminée / Cross wedge rolling (CWR) is a metal forming process used in the automotive industry. One of its applications is in the manufacturing process of connecting rods. CWR transforms a cylindrical billet into a complex axisymmetrical shape with an accurate distribution of material. This preform is forged into shape in a forging die. CWR industrialization has still some limitations, mainly the designing of the tools. This thesis work seeks to improve CWR industrialization by reducing the time needed for the design of the tools and by increasing CWR tool lifecycle. In order to achieve these goals, two main axes are identified: improving the tool design procedure and identifying the physical phenomenon affecting the stability of the process, mainly tool wear.This research work is based upon three main topics. First, evaluating of the predictability of the numerical simulation of the CWR process and its robustness towards the numerical parameters of the model and the process parameters. Second, implementing a design methodology that allows the designer to choose the geometrical parameters of the wedge and evaluating the resultant geometry of the tool through the numerical simulations. And third, identifying the wear zones of the tool and the factors leading to its development

Cette recherche interroge l’existence des nouvelles formes de ruralité émergentes dans le bassin métropolitain du delta du Yangzi. En opposition à l’écart croissant entre patrimoine infrastructurel et société on réaffirme la priorité du territoire comme principe théorique et paradigme naturel. L’analyse des processus historiques d’aménagement du territoire agricole à partir des réformes foncières et des pratiques autochtones de « Guangxi » (réseaux sociaux), a révélé une restructuration des ressources stratégiques du territoire du delta avant la réorganisation des espaces ruraux bâtis : la nature du sol et le réseau de l’eau. En même temps dispositif de contrôle politique et de développement social, la modification de l’infrastructure territoriale jusqu’ à la fin du maoïsme, peut être interprétée comme un investissement sur le long terme du capital humain et environnemental. Notre hypothèse est que la diffusion des petites et moyennes entreprises dans les zones rurales représente une forme de capitalisation des matrices sociales et organisationnelles du tissu agricole plus ancien. Ces transformations ont amené à la formation de nombreux espaces hybrides et clusters des entreprises dispersées dans la campagne qui s’appuient de façon complémentaire aux réseaux environnementaux préexistants. En conséquence, ce mode de production a à son tour, remodelé la relation entre l'économie, les communautés et l'environnement naturel locaux donnant lieu à des formes du développement sans fractures, plus ductiles et résilientes où la relation entre l'espace construit et l'espace agricole n'est plus de nature opposée. Ce qui émerge est un réseau de “milieux” dont chaque élément rend compte de la conception d’un paysage, de matériaux propres, de méthodes et procédures de construction. L’organisation morphologique qui en résulte montre un modèle d'urbanisation capillaire dans ces zones conventionnellement définies « non-urbaines ». Interroger ces formes émergentes de ruralité veut dire réviser la façon de conceptualiser la notion du « territoire métropolitain », et notamment de ce que on définis l’ « urbain ». On fait valoir, finalement, pour un besoin urgent de reconsidérer la séquence programmatique qui sous-tendent la morphologie spatiale de régions mégalopolitaines, par la prise en compte des rapports de continuité entre « milieux » et « communauté » et par le biais d'un examen des interactions entre ces réalités souvent, disjoints / The territorial scale and the form of the territory are fundamental basis to understand metropolitan processes and the changes occurred in its spatial, economic and social structure. The centrality of landforms and of their dynamics inspires more situated approaches, in which the agency of natural elements is integrated. This research investigates the existence of new forms of emerging rurality in the metropolitan basin of the Yangtze Delta. In opposition to the growing gap between infrastructural heritage and society, the priority of the territory is reaffirmed as a theoretical tool and environmental paradigm. The research hypothesis is that the spread of small and medium-sized enterprises in rural areas represents a form of capitalization of the spatial reorganization occurred in the Commune's period. The preliminary factor which originated the process of rural industrialization is based on the restructuring of two strategic territorial resources: the soil structure and the water network. These transformations have led to the formation of numerous hybrid spaces and clusters of small and micro enterprises dispersed over the countryside. As a result, this mode of production has, in turn, reshaped the relationship between the local economy, communities and natural environment giving rise to forms of urban development without fractures, where the relationship between the built space and the agricultural area is no longer of an opposite nature. What emerges is a network of "milieu” where the resulting socio-spatial organization shows a pattern of capillary urbanization in these conventionally defined "non-urban" areas. The notion of urban is changing and ecological rationality can offer fundamental opportunities to analyse, intersect and integrate the various territorial layers