<p>In most electricity markets, producers submit supply functions to a procurement uniform-price auction under uncertainty before demand has been realized. In the Supply Function Equilibrium (SFE), every producer commits to the supply function that maximises his expected profit given the bids of competitors. </p><p>The presence of multiple equilibria is a basic weakness of the SFE framework. Essay I shows that with (i) symmetric producers, (ii) perfectly inelastic demand, (iii) a reservation price (price cap), and (iv) capacity constraints that bind with a positive probability, a unique symmetric SFE exists. The equilibrium price reaches the price cap exactly when capacity constraints bind.</p><p>Another weakness is difficulty finding a valid asymmetric SFE with non-decreasing supply functions. Essay II shows that for firms with asymmetric capacity constraints but identical constant marginal costs there exists a unique and valid SFE. Equilibrium supply functions exhibit kinks as well as vertical and horizontal segments. The price at which the capacity constraint of a firm binds is increasing in the firm’s share of market capacity. The capacity constraint of the second largest firm binds when the market price reaches the price cap. Thereafter, the largest firm supplies its remaining capacity with a perfectly elastic segment at the price cap. Essay III presents a numerical algorithm that calculates a similar SFE for asymmetric firms with increasing marginal costs. </p><p>Essay IV derives the SFE of a pay-as-bid auction such as the balancing market for electric power in Britain. A unique SFE always exists if the demand’s hazard rate is monotonically decreasing, as for a Pareto distribution of the second kind. Assuming this probability distribution, the pay-as-bid procurement auction is compared to the SFE of a uniform-price procurement auction. Two theorems in Essay V prove that the demand-weighted average price is (weakly) lower in the pay-as-bid procurement auction. </p>

In most electricity markets, producers submit supply functions to a procurement uniform-price auction under uncertainty before demand has been realized. In the Supply Function Equilibrium (SFE), every producer commits to the supply function that maximises his expected profit given the bids of competitors. The presence of multiple equilibria is a basic weakness of the SFE framework. Essay I shows that with (i) symmetric producers, (ii) perfectly inelastic demand, (iii) a reservation price (price cap), and (iv) capacity constraints that bind with a positive probability, a unique symmetric SFE exists. The equilibrium price reaches the price cap exactly when capacity constraints bind. Another weakness is difficulty finding a valid asymmetric SFE with non-decreasing supply functions. Essay II shows that for firms with asymmetric capacity constraints but identical constant marginal costs there exists a unique and valid SFE. Equilibrium supply functions exhibit kinks as well as vertical and horizontal segments. The price at which the capacity constraint of a firm binds is increasing in the firm’s share of market capacity. The capacity constraint of the second largest firm binds when the market price reaches the price cap. Thereafter, the largest firm supplies its remaining capacity with a perfectly elastic segment at the price cap. Essay III presents a numerical algorithm that calculates a similar SFE for asymmetric firms with increasing marginal costs. Essay IV derives the SFE of a pay-as-bid auction such as the balancing market for electric power in Britain. A unique SFE always exists if the demand’s hazard rate is monotonically decreasing, as for a Pareto distribution of the second kind. Assuming this probability distribution, the pay-as-bid procurement auction is compared to the SFE of a uniform-price procurement auction. Two theorems in Essay V prove that the demand-weighted average price is (weakly) lower in the pay-as-bid procurement auction.

Ce mémoire analyse l'impact du droit commercial international sur les politiques et pratiques commerciales en matière de boissons alcooliques au Québec. Plus spécifiquement, il examine leur conformité aux obligations contenues au GATT et aux autres accords commerciaux. Le premier chapitre présente le régime juridique applicable au commerce de l'alcool, dans le contexte particulier du partage constitutionnel canadien et de la délégation du pouvoir provincial à la Société des alcools du Québec (« SAQ »). Le second chapitre retrace l'évolution historique du marché québécois de l'alcool et étudie sa structure actuelle, divisée entre un monopole d'État (vins, spiritueux et bières importées) et l'industrie privée (bières domestiques). Le troisième chapitre traite des pratiques de la SAQ jugées incompatibles avec le GATT, soit les majorations de prix discriminatoires, les procédures d'inscription et de radiation des produits au catalogue et les restrictions d'accès aux points de vente. Cette partie aborde les accords bilatéraux subséquemment négociés par le gouvernement fédéral et acceptés par les monopoles provinciaux pour résoudre ces conflits. Le dernier chapitre discute de la compatibilité des pratiques actuelles de la SAQ, en particulier sa méthode de fixation de prix par rapport à l'article II:4 du GATT (monopoles d'importation) et son nouveau concept de gestion par catégorie en regard de l'article XVII (entreprises commerciales d'État) et de l'article XI (restrictions quantitatives). / This thesis analyses the impact of international trade law on Quebec's commercial policies and practices relating to alcoholic beverages. More specifically, it examines their conformity with GATT's obligations and other bilateral agreements. The first chapter presents the legal framework pertaining to alcohol trade in the context of the constitutional powers prevailing in Canada and the delegation of Quebec's authority to its liquor board, Société des alcools du Québec. The second chapter reviews the historical evolution of Quebec's a1cohol market and studies its actual structure, which is divided between a state monopoly on one side (wine, spirits and imported beer) and the private sector on the other side (domestic beer). The third chapter outlines how SAQ's practices were declared inconsistent with GATT, namely discriminatory mark-ups, listing and delisting procedures and restrictions on access to points of sale. This section also covers the bilateral agreements subsequently negotiated by the federal govemment and accepted by the provincial monopolies to resolve these conflicts. The final chapter examines the compliance of today's SAQ's policies with GATT's requirements. Particularly, it looks at its practice ofpricing method with respect to Article II:4 (import monopoly) and at its new concept of category management in relation with Article XVII (state trading) and Article XI (quantitative restrictions). / "Mémoire présenté à la Faculté des études supérieures en vue de l'obtention du grade de Maîtrise en Droit (LL.M.)"

In November 2014 the Fourth Court for Administrative Matters ruled that OSINERGMIN give effect to Resolution of Disputes Transitional Administrative Chamber of the Superior Court of Lima, which established the dealership ENERSUR Electricity generation has no responsibility for payment the use of a secondary power transmission system Chilca - Independencia, contrary to Law 28832 which ensures the efficient development of electricity generation.The Judiciary based its decision on an incorrect interpretation of the concession contract Electricity Transmission Red de Energía del Peru (REP) with the State to apply to ENERSUR. The decision of the judiciary is illegal, creates anti-technical precedent, violating the regulatory principles of independence, neutrality, competition, non-discrimination and harms millions of users to increase electricity tariffs for compliance. / En noviembre del 2014, el Cuarto Juzgado Especializado en lo Contencioso Administrativo dispuso que OSINERGMIN dé cumplimiento a la Resolución de la Sala Contencioso Administrativa Transitoria de la Corte Superior de Justicia de Lima, que estableció que el concesionario de Generación eléctrica ENERSUR S.A. no tiene responsabilidad de pago por el uso de un sistema secundario de transmisión1 eléctrica Chilca - Independencia, contraviniendo la Ley 28832 que asegura el desarrollo eficiente de la generación eléctrica. El Poder Judicial sustentó su decisión en una errada interpretación del contrato de la concesionaria de Transmisión Eléctrica Red de Energía del Perú (REP) con el Estado para aplicarla a ENERSUR S.A.Dicha decisión del poder judicial es ilegal, crea precedentes antitécnicos, viola los principios regulatorios de autonomía, neutralidad, libre competencia, no discriminación y perjudica a millones de usuarios al incrementar tarifas eléctricas para su cumplimiento.

The theory of redistribution systems is a practical extension of a game theory, which deals with a redistribution within a social system of more than two players with di?erent performances and ability to create coalitions. This thesis is divided into three chapters. The ?rst chapter describes the known knowledge of a game theory. The second chapter deals with the theory of redistribution systems. Using an elementary redistribution system and its generalization group behaviour when dividing a payment, achieved by a collective performance, is described. This part introduces the extension of the redistribution system to a compound redistribution system with a fractal structure. Furthermore the theory of discriminatory equilibrium and the theory of commonly acceptable equilibrium are veri?ed using the elementary redistribution system and utility theory. The third chapter deals with an application to the allocation of funds among faculty departments. A game theory approach was used to reduce the game to a non-cooperative game of two players by using the forming of coalitions. Also the theory of redistribution systems was applied when a reduction was used to create a non-cooperative two-player game. This reduced non-cooperative game between two players was converted to a cooperative play of more than two players by changing the rules of the game and allowing a formation of coalitions. In the practical part both of these approaches are compared with real data and a current state.

In der vorliegenden Forschungsarbeit untersuche ich Ent_Erwähnung als diskriminierende Sprachhandlung in den zwei Diskursfeldern Berufsbezeichnungen für Frauen* in der polnischen Sprache, wie auch Migratisierungsbezeichnungen für Frauen* in der deutschen Sprache aus positionierter Forscher_innenperspektive (vgl. Harding 1995). Ziel ist das Aufzeigen der Interdependenz unterschiedlicher Diskriminierungsebenen von Genderismus, Rassismus und Klassismus, die durch Ent_Erwähnung (Lockward 2010) realisiert wird. Anhand eines selbst erstellten Zeitungskorpus erfasse ich den sprachlichen Status Quo von Bezeichnungen für Frauen* in unterschiedlichen Zeiträumen (2013-2017) und werte ihn anschließend mittels einer qualitativen und quantitativen Inhaltsanalyse aus. Meinen Erkenntnisse aus psycholinguistischen Studien und weiteren Theorien und Erkenntnissen aus der Sekundärliteratur ergänze ich mit Expert_inneninterviews. Berufsbezeichnungen in der polnischen Sprache konzeptualisieren genderistische Stereotype, die über Klassismus strukturiert sind. Rund vierzig Prozent der registrierten Berufsbezeichnungen kommen einmal in maskuliner und femininer Form vor. Die untersuchten Migratisierungsbezeichnungen werden überwiegend in androgendernden maskulinen Pluralformen realisiert, und bilden somit eine Grundlage für eine Entindividualisierung und Pauschalisierung, wodurch diskriminierende Metaphern (Flucht als Naturkatastrophe) produktiver gebildet werden können. Frauen* und queere Lebensrealitäten werden überwiegend in Migratisierungsbezeichnungen ent_erwähnt. Über das asymmetrische Verwenden von Personenbezeichnungen in Polizeiberichten werden rassistische Tatmotivationen durch Migratisierungsbezeichnungen markiert. Als ausschlaggebendes gemeinsames Element meiner Untersuchungen werte ich die Retraditionalisierung und Nationalisierung, auf der sich die Interdependenz der Ent_Erwähnung von Frauen* unabhängig der untersuchten Diskurse und Sprachen abspielt. / In the current research work I consider Ent_Erwähnung („de_mentioned“, „unmentioning“) as discriminatory language use in the two separate fields of discourse; professional titles for women* in the polish language, and migrational descriptions (migratized appellations) for women* in the german language from a positioned research perspective (Harding 1995). The purpose is to demonstrate the interdepence between multiple levels of discrimination; genderism, racism and classism, and how these are implemented through Ent_Erwähnung (Lockward 2010). Using a self- performed newspaper survey I gathered a linguistic status quo of descriptions for women* during different time periods (2013-2017), I then interpreted the data and performed a qualitative and quantitative analysis of the contents. My knowledge of psycholinguistic studies and other theories, together with findings from secondary literature will be complemented by interviews with experts. Professional titles in the polish language conceptualize genderist stereotypes, which are structured by classism. About fourty percent of the registered professional titles occur once in feminine and masculine form. The studied migrational descriptions (migratized appellations) are predominantly applied in androgynous masculine plural form, and therefore provide a basis for de-individualization and generalization; and in this way can be more effectively framed together with discriminative metaphors (flight as a natural disaster). Women* and people in queer life situations are ent_erwähnt predominantly in migrational descriptions. Through asymmetrical use of personal descriptions in police reports, racist motivation for crime is highlighted via migrational descriptions (migratized appellations). As a crucial common element of my research I consider retraditionalization and nationalization; upon which the interdependency of Ent_Erwähnung (de_mentioning) of women* occurs independently from the discourses and languages.

La Charte des droits et libertés de la personne (CDLP) interdit de harceler sur la base d’un motif prohibé. Depuis juin 2004, la Loi sur les normes du travail (LNT) interdit le harcèlement psychologique au travail. Par cette disposition, le législateur a voulu augmenter l’accessibilité aux recours pour les salariés. Désormais, la personne salariée victime de harcèlement discriminatoire en milieu de travail a accès aux deux recours. Les victimes se prévalent maintenant presqu’exclusivement du recours fondé sur la LNT. En effet, le Tribunal des droits de la personne (TDP) n’a rendu qu’une seule décision en la matière après 2004. Ce nouveau recours a aussi modifié le traitement juridique du harcèlement discriminatoire en milieu de travail. Notre objet d’étude aborde la question de l’incidence d’une loi du travail sur la protection des salariés ainsi que le concept de constitutionnalisation du droit du travail. Nous nous intéressons à la continuité dans le temps de la notion de harcèlement discriminatoire en milieu de travail non syndiqué (de 1990 à 2010). Notre étude repose sur des méthodes qualitatives variées: comparaison des recours existants; revue de la doctrine et étude comparative de soixante-dix (70) décisions jurisprudentielle du TDP et de la Commission des relations du travail (CRT). Nos résultats ont déterminé qu’il y a rupture dans la façon de traiter les plaintes de harcèlement discriminatoire au travail depuis l’entrée des dispositions de la LNT. Outre la juridiction saisie, des ruptures sont constatées au plan des éléments constitutifs du harcèlement et des sources de droit utilisées. Cette recherche permet de fournir une évaluation essentielle à la compréhension de l’efficience des recours récents mis à la disposition des personnes salariées victimes de harcèlement discriminatoire. / The Québec Charter of Human Rights and Freedoms prohibits harassment on the basis of a discriminatory ground. Since June 2004, the Act respecting Labour Standards (ARLS) prohibits harassment in the workplace. By this provision, the legislature intended to increase the availability of recourse for employees. Now, the employee who is victim of discriminatory harassment in the workplace has access to both remedies. Currently, the victims rely almost exclusively on the action based on the ARLS. Indeed, the Human Rights Tribunal (HRT) has only pronounced one decision on the matter after 2004. This new remedy has also modified the legal treatment of discriminatory harassment in the workplace. Our study focuses on the impact of a Labour Act on the protection of employees as well as on the concept of constitutionalized Labour Law. We examine the continuance of discriminatory harassment in the non-unionized workplace from 1990 to 2010. Our study is based on various qualitative methods: comparison of existing remedies; review of the doctrine and comparative study of seventy (70) law cases of the HRT and the Commission des relations du travail (CRT). Our results show that failures exist in the treatment of complaints of discriminatory harassment in non-unionized workplace since the provisions enforcement of the ARLS. Except from the court seized, discontinuities are identified in the constitutive elements of the harassment and the sources of law. This research provides an essential assessment to understand the efficiency of the recent recourses available for employees who are victim of discriminatory harassment in the workplace.

Esta pesquisa teve, como objetivo geral verificar o processo de criação do Mosaico de Unidades de Conservação do Jacupiranga (MOJAC), localizado na região do Vale do Ribeira e Litoral Sul, no sudeste do Estado de São Paulo, onde se concentra a maior área de mata atlântica conservada do Brasil. O Mosaico do Jacupiranga compreende diversas unidades de conservação que formam um corredor contínuo de remanescentes maduros bem conservados da mata atlântica, tendo sido criado em 2008 por meio de um grande trabalho de levantamento de informações de toda ordem pelos órgãos estaduais, com envolvimento dos moradores, ONG, prefeituras, etc. Originou-se do Parque Estadual do Jacupiranga, criado em 1969 ignorando muitas comunidades tradicionais, que habitavam diversas das áreas transformadas em parque e permanecendo muitos anos sem uma gestão eficaz para a conservação da área. Assim os conflitos ambientais, sociais e fundiários foram se agravando ao longo dos anos, com ocupações por diferentes grupos sociais, de camponeses a grileiros, sendo a criação do mosaico uma forma de resolver, ou ao menos minimizar, os conflitos existentes. Esta região, assim como muitas outras do país, possui grande quantidade de terras devolutas, que demandam uma regularização fundiária por parte do Estado, para a arrecadação e retomada das terras e destinação adequada conforme previsto em lei. Neste contexto, a pesquisa se concentrou em avaliar a reclassificação de áreas de parque em unidades de conservação de uso sustentável em locais onde existe grande número de comunidades quilombolas, as quais demandam o reconhecimento e a regularização fundiária de seus territórios, conforme garante a Constituição Federal de 1988. As UCs focadas foram a Reserva de Desenvolvimento Sustentável dos Quilombos da Barra do Turvo e a Área de Preservação Ambiental dos Quilombos do Médio Ribeira. Houve avanços, para estas comunidades, com a criação do MOJAC, como a recategorização de suas áreas retirando-as do parque, e o reconhecimento e delimitação de territórios quilombolas. Entretanto, ainda existem conflitos quanto à dimensão de alguns territórios e quanto à falta de titulação para a maioria das comunidades quilombolas. Esta pesquisa realizou um levantamento e uma análise geral da situação fundiária das UCs do Estado de São Paulo, verificando que a grande maioria não tem a situação fundiária regularizada. Por fim, analiso a situação atual do mosaico em sua fase de implantação, detectando que, após sua criação, o ritmo de trabalho do Estado na área diminuiu muito, deixando diversas pendências sociais e fundiárias ainda sem resolução, inclusive sem elaboração dos planos de manejos das UCs, após quase cinco anos da criação do MOJAC. Esta pesquisa foi baseada em levantamento bibliográfico, documental, de legislação e em trabalho de campo, com entrevistas de diversos sujeitos sociais que participaram do processo de criação do MOJAC, desde representantes do Estado até moradores da área. / This research aims to verify the process of creating a mosaic of Conservation Units of Jacupiranga (MOJAC), located in the region of Ribeira Valley and South Coast, in the southeastern state of São Paulo, where has the largest area of preserved Atlantic Forest of Brazil. The Jacupiranga Mosaic consists by various conservation units (CU) that form a continuous corridor of mature well preserved remnants of the Atlantic Forest. Was created in 2008 through a great job of gathering information of all kinds by state organs with involvement and discussion with the people involved as residents, NGOs, municipalities, etc.. The mosaic originated in Jacupiranga State Park, established in 1969, ignoring many traditional communities inhabiting various areas transformed into park and still remain many years without effective management for the conservation area. Thus environmental, social and land conflicts, were getting worse over the years, with occupations by different social groups, since small farmers until large land illegal appropriators, and the creation of mosaic was a way to solve or at least minimize conflicts. This region, like many others in the country, has a large amount of vacant land, but which still demand a regularization by the State, for the collection and recovery of land and proper disposal as provided by law. In this context, this research has focused on evaluating the reclassification of park areas into protected areas of sustainable use in places where there are large numbers of maroon communities demanding recognition and regularization of their territory, as guaranteed by the Constitution of 1988. The CUs focused were the Sustainable Development Reserve of Quilombos da Barra do Turvo and Environmental Preservation Area of Quilombos do Médio Ribeira. Progress was made, for these communities, with the creation of MOJAC as recategorization of their areas by removing them from the park, and the recognition and delineation of Maroons territories. However, there are still disputes about the size of some areas and lack of land title for most maroon communities. This research has also made a survey and analysis of the land situation of CUs of São Paulo State, verifying that the vast majority do not have the land situation regularized. Finally, is analyzed the current situation of the mosaic in its implementation phase, detecting that after its creation, the pace of State work has greatly diminished in the area, leaving many social and land disputes still unresolved, including without drawing up plans for managements of CUs, after almost 5 anniversary of the creation of MOJAC. This research was based on literature, documentary, legislation and fieldwork, interviews with various actors who participated in the MOJAC creation process, representatives from the State to local residents.

Esta pesquisa teve, como objetivo geral verificar o processo de criação do Mosaico de Unidades de Conservação do Jacupiranga (MOJAC), localizado na região do Vale do Ribeira e Litoral Sul, no sudeste do Estado de São Paulo, onde se concentra a maior área de mata atlântica conservada do Brasil. O Mosaico do Jacupiranga compreende diversas unidades de conservação que formam um corredor contínuo de remanescentes maduros bem conservados da mata atlântica, tendo sido criado em 2008 por meio de um grande trabalho de levantamento de informações de toda ordem pelos órgãos estaduais, com envolvimento dos moradores, ONG, prefeituras, etc. Originou-se do Parque Estadual do Jacupiranga, criado em 1969 ignorando muitas comunidades tradicionais, que habitavam diversas das áreas transformadas em parque e permanecendo muitos anos sem uma gestão eficaz para a conservação da área. Assim os conflitos ambientais, sociais e fundiários foram se agravando ao longo dos anos, com ocupações por diferentes grupos sociais, de camponeses a grileiros, sendo a criação do mosaico uma forma de resolver, ou ao menos minimizar, os conflitos existentes. Esta região, assim como muitas outras do país, possui grande quantidade de terras devolutas, que demandam uma regularização fundiária por parte do Estado, para a arrecadação e retomada das terras e destinação adequada conforme previsto em lei. Neste contexto, a pesquisa se concentrou em avaliar a reclassificação de áreas de parque em unidades de conservação de uso sustentável em locais onde existe grande número de comunidades quilombolas, as quais demandam o reconhecimento e a regularização fundiária de seus territórios, conforme garante a Constituição Federal de 1988. As UCs focadas foram a Reserva de Desenvolvimento Sustentável dos Quilombos da Barra do Turvo e a Área de Preservação Ambiental dos Quilombos do Médio Ribeira. Houve avanços, para estas comunidades, com a criação do MOJAC, como a recategorização de suas áreas retirando-as do parque, e o reconhecimento e delimitação de territórios quilombolas. Entretanto, ainda existem conflitos quanto à dimensão de alguns territórios e quanto à falta de titulação para a maioria das comunidades quilombolas. Esta pesquisa realizou um levantamento e uma análise geral da situação fundiária das UCs do Estado de São Paulo, verificando que a grande maioria não tem a situação fundiária regularizada. Por fim, analiso a situação atual do mosaico em sua fase de implantação, detectando que, após sua criação, o ritmo de trabalho do Estado na área diminuiu muito, deixando diversas pendências sociais e fundiárias ainda sem resolução, inclusive sem elaboração dos planos de manejos das UCs, após quase cinco anos da criação do MOJAC. Esta pesquisa foi baseada em levantamento bibliográfico, documental, de legislação e em trabalho de campo, com entrevistas de diversos sujeitos sociais que participaram do processo de criação do MOJAC, desde representantes do Estado até moradores da área. / This research aims to verify the process of creating a mosaic of Conservation Units of Jacupiranga (MOJAC), located in the region of Ribeira Valley and South Coast, in the southeastern state of São Paulo, where has the largest area of preserved Atlantic Forest of Brazil. The Jacupiranga Mosaic consists by various conservation units (CU) that form a continuous corridor of mature well preserved remnants of the Atlantic Forest. Was created in 2008 through a great job of gathering information of all kinds by state organs with involvement and discussion with the people involved as residents, NGOs, municipalities, etc.. The mosaic originated in Jacupiranga State Park, established in 1969, ignoring many traditional communities inhabiting various areas transformed into park and still remain many years without effective management for the conservation area. Thus environmental, social and land conflicts, were getting worse over the years, with occupations by different social groups, since small farmers until large land illegal appropriators, and the creation of mosaic was a way to solve or at least minimize conflicts. This region, like many others in the country, has a large amount of vacant land, but which still demand a regularization by the State, for the collection and recovery of land and proper disposal as provided by law. In this context, this research has focused on evaluating the reclassification of park areas into protected areas of sustainable use in places where there are large numbers of maroon communities demanding recognition and regularization of their territory, as guaranteed by the Constitution of 1988. The CUs focused were the Sustainable Development Reserve of Quilombos da Barra do Turvo and Environmental Preservation Area of Quilombos do Médio Ribeira. Progress was made, for these communities, with the creation of MOJAC as recategorization of their areas by removing them from the park, and the recognition and delineation of Maroons territories. However, there are still disputes about the size of some areas and lack of land title for most maroon communities. This research has also made a survey and analysis of the land situation of CUs of São Paulo State, verifying that the vast majority do not have the land situation regularized. Finally, is analyzed the current situation of the mosaic in its implementation phase, detecting that after its creation, the pace of State work has greatly diminished in the area, leaving many social and land disputes still unresolved, including without drawing up plans for managements of CUs, after almost 5 anniversary of the creation of MOJAC. This research was based on literature, documentary, legislation and fieldwork, interviews with various actors who participated in the MOJAC creation process, representatives from the State to local residents.

Automated human face recognition is a computer vision problem of considerable practical significance. Existing two dimensional (2D) face recognition techniques perform poorly for faces with uncontrolled poses, lighting and facial expressions. Face recognition technology based on three dimensional (3D) facial models is now emerging. Geometric facial models can be easily corrected for pose variations. They are illumination invariant, and provide structural information about the facial surface. Algorithms for 3D face recognition exist, however the area is far from being a matured technology. In this dissertation we address a number of open questions in the area of 3D human face recognition. Firstly, we make available to qualified researchers in the field, at no cost, a large Texas 3D Face Recognition Database, which was acquired as a part of this research work. This database contains 1149 2D and 3D images of 118 subjects. We also provide 25 manually located facial fiducial points on each face in this database. Our next contribution is the development of a completely automatic novel 3D face recognition algorithm, which employs discriminatory anthropometric distances between carefully selected local facial features. This algorithm neither uses general purpose pattern recognition approaches, nor does it directly extend 2D face recognition techniques to the 3D domain. Instead, it is based on an understanding of the structurally diverse characteristics of human faces, which we isolate from the scientific discipline of facial anthropometry. We demonstrate the effectiveness and superior performance of the proposed algorithm, relative to existing benchmark 3D face recognition algorithms. A related contribution is the development of highly accurate and reliable 2D+3D algorithms for automatically detecting 10 anthropometric facial fiducial points. While developing these algorithms, we identify unique structural/textural properties associated with the facial fiducial points. Furthermore, unlike previous algorithms for detecting facial fiducial points, we systematically evaluate our algorithms against manually located facial fiducial points on a large database of images. Our third contribution is the development of an effective algorithm for computing the structural dissimilarity of 3D facial surfaces, which uses a recently developed image similarity index called the complex-wavelet structural similarity index. This algorithm is unique in that unlike existing approaches, it does not require that the facial surfaces be finely registered before they are compared. Furthermore, it is nearly an order of magnitude more accurate than existing facial surface matching based approaches. Finally, we propose a simple method to combine the two new 3D face recognition algorithms that we developed, resulting in a 3D face recognition algorithm that is competitive with the existing state-of-the-art algorithms. / text