The thesis attempts to address Orthodox Church concerns about the Protestant nature and ethos of the ecumenical movement, as it is encountered in the World Council of Churches, by examining Orthodox theological contributions to ecclesiology. This preliminary work is undertaken, as a first step, to establish points of dialogue with the theology of liberation and wider critical theories, in the search for a liberating ecumenism. At the same time, and in a second step (to follow the epistemology of the theology of liberation), this Orthodox theology is placed in a critical dialogue with the theology of liberation in the search for liberating ecclesiological perspectives that can contribute to the movement in ecumenism. This uneasy dialogue helps to recover absent epistemologies from ongoing ecumenical dialogues by re-reading orthodoxies, both ecumenical and ecclesiological, from a liberationist paradigm, and sets ecclesiology within the wider framework of contributions from critical theory. This dialogue between Orthodox theology and the theology of liberation helps to construct an ecclesiology that liberates ecumenism by setting ecclesiology and the ecumenical movement in the wider context of social movements. This thesis calls the ecumenical movement to ‘another possible world’ influenced by people-centred ecclesiologies, which transgresses the canonical boundaries in the ecumenical movement. To be ecumenical implies an Orthodox content to ecclesiology, otherwise the ecumenical movement is open to charges of pan-Protestantism. It is by embracing Orthodoxy that the ecumenical movement can move beyond hegemonic colonial projects and find a liberating praxis. This thesis proposes a dialogue that reflects the structure of the Final Report of the Special Commission on Orthodox Participation in the World Council of Churches. However, it engages with Orthodox ecclesiology and ecumenical histories from the perspective of the theology of liberation in the search for a liberating ecumenism and proposes a praxis that develops movement in the ecumenical and the ecclesiological through developing an ecclesiology from different peripheries of the Church.

The thesis deals with the mutual correspondence (with its part from the years 16641667) of a Jesuit Bohuslav Balbín (16211688) and a Premonstratensian Johannes Alois Hackenschmidt (16261683), a canon of monastery of Teplá and a secretary of abbot Rajmund Wilfert (†1670). Preserved correspondence of that time consists of 41 Balbín's and 39 Hackenschmidt's letters. Hackenschmidt was sending information of the history of monasteries of Teplá and Chotěšov and transcripts and excerpts of charters found in archives of these monasteries; Balbín was informing Hackenschmidt about the past of the Lords of Guttenstein. The thesis brings information on the life of both correspondents, summarizes the content of their correspondence and comments on their relationship. Finally, eight Balbín's and six Hackenschmidt's letters, provided by a commentary, are edited in the final part of the work.

The primary objective of this thesis is to identify why sectarianism has declined in Liverpool. In doing, it is necessary to identify what sectarianism was in a Liverpool context, whilst also outlining its development. In relation to this, the part played by nineteenth century Irish immigration, the Orange Order, and the Roman Catholic Church will be analysed. Although assessed, it is not the intention of this work to concentrate primarily on the sectarian violence that gripped the city, nor the complex relationship between sectarianism and politics in Liverpool: the latter having already been expertly covered by Waller (1981) and the former by Neal (1988). Nonetheless, in analysing the degeneration of denominational antagonism both the reduction in sectarian violence and the rapidity of its political disintegration will be considered. For a period spanning two centuries the sectarian divide in Liverpool soured relations between its residents. Indeed, the city’s political representatives were often elected on the basis of their ethno-religious pedigree. Politics continued to be influenced by religion until the mid-1970s. Weakening sectarianism, in the limited existing studies, is attributed largely to post-war slum clearance, but this thesis asserts that causality is much more complex. There are a range of factors that have contributed to the decline. As this thesis demonstrates, the downfall of sectarianism coincided with the creation of a collective identity; an identity based not on ethno-religious affiliations, but on a commonality, an acknowledgment that principles which united were more significant than factors which divided. Importantly, the success of the city’s two football teams, Everton FC and Liverpool FC, gave the city a new focus based upon a healthy sporting rivalry rather than sectarian vehemence. A complex interplay of secularism and ecumenism, the economic misfortunes of Liverpool and their political impact in terms of class politics, the growth of a collective city identity and the omnipotence of (non-religiously derived) football affiliations combined to diminish Liverpool’s once acute sectarian fault-line. This thesis examines how and why.

Für die Untersuchung der Kontextualität der Theologinnenarbeit wurden Theologinnen aus drei Kirchen mit gemeinsamer lutherischer Konfessionalität ausgewählt, die im Untersuchungszeitraum in differenten sozioökonomischen Kontexten existierten: die Evangelisch-Lutherische Landeskirche in Bayern, die Evangelisch--Lutherische Landeskirche Mecklenburgs sowie die Evangelische Kirche lutherischen Bekenntnisses in Brasilien (IECLB). Ziel war die Reflexion der Kontextuaität der theologischen Urteilsbildung und des kirchlichen Handelns. Anstöße aus der feministischen Theoriebildung und der emprischen Sozialforschung wurden einbezogen, z.B für die Interviews mitr je 20 Theologinnen aus jeder der drei Kirchen, die mit Hilfe eines Fragebogens nach ihrer Arbeitssituation, der Relevanz des Geschlechterverhältnisses, konfessioneller und ökumenischer Aspekte sowie ihrer Berufskonzeption gefragt wurden. Die Darstellung der Auseinandersetzung mit der Theologinnenarbeit in der theologischen Literatur zeigte, daß erste Überlegungen in Deutschland und in der Ökumene seit der ahrhundertwende angestellt wurden. Nach einer Phase einer geschlechtsspezifschen Konzeption eines Amtes sui generis erfolgte das Plädoyer für die kirchenrechtliche Gleichstellung und schließlich in den letzten beiden Jahrzehnten Überlegungen hinsichtlich des Innovationspotentials der Theologinnenarbeit. Die drei Hauptteile zur Entwicklung der Theologinnenarbeit jeweils in einem der drei Kontexte beginnen mit einer Einführung in den jeweiligen sozioökonmischen Kontext von Frauen sowie in die jeweilige kirchengeschichtliche Entwicklung. Einzelne Phasen der Diskussion und Gestaltung der Theologinnenarbeit werden mit Hilfe von Archivmaterialien sowie weiteren schriftlichen und mündlichen Quellen dargestellt. In Bayern und Meckleburg fingen jeweils einzelne Theologinnen vor 1945 in individuell organisierten Arbeitsfeldern an. Nach 1945 wurden geschlechtsspezifische Berufskonzepte entwickelt, die sich jedoch als diskriminierend und einschränkend erwiesen, so daß es schließlich zur weitgehenden rechtlichen Gleichstellung kam. Insbesondere jedoch durch den gesellschaftlichen Aufbruch der Frauen kam es in den 80er Jahren zu einer erneuten Reflexion geschlechtsspezifischer Chancen im Pfarrberuf. Im brasilianischen Kontext suchten die lutherischen Theologinnen nach ihrem Einstieg ins Gemeindepfarramt nach alternativen Formen des pastoralen Amtes und reflektierten ebenfalls ab Ende der achtziger Jahre ihre Arbeit unter feministisch-befreiungstheologischen Aspekten. Das Resümee zeigt hinischtlich der sozioökomonischen Kontextualität der Theologinnenarbeit zunächst die Wechselwirkungen zwischen dem jeweiligen sozioökonomischen Kontext und der Entwicklung der Theologinnenarbeit auf und reflektiert dann die sich daraus ergebenden sozialethischen, biblisch-hermeneutischen und anthropologischen Fragen sowie Konsequenzen für eine inklusive Pastoralethik. Die Reflexion der kirchlich-instiutionellen Kontextualität der Theologinnenarbeit vergleicht die realen Einwirkungen der kirchlich-institutionellen Aspekte und reflekiert die sich daraus ergebenden ekklesiologischen Fragestellungen z.B hinsichtlich der Konzilität kirchlicher Entscheidungsfindung. Die Berücksichtigung der realen Einwirkungen der ökumenischen und konfessionellen Zusammenschlüsse auf die Entwicklung der Theologinnenarbeit in den drei genannten lutherischen Kirchen sowie die Darstellung der Positionen der orthodoxen Kirchen und des römisch-katholischen Lehramtes zur Frauenordination bzw. Priesterinnenweihe zeigt die weitergehenden Differenzen hinsichtlich der Konzeptionen kirchlicher Einheit, Anthropologie, Hermeneutik und Ekklesiologie auf. Am Ende werden ökumenisch-theologischePerspektiven für eine weitere gemeinsame Urteilsbildung hinsichtlich der Theologinnenarbeit entwickelt. / The research of the history of female theologians shows the development of women pastors in three lutheran churches living in three different socioeconomic contects of RFA, GDR and Brazil. Based on literal souce mateial and interviews with 20 women pastors of every church surge the historical steps of female participation in the ordainend ministry. At the beginning some women studied theology, looked for individal possibilities to work in the church. The next step has been a special limited form of women ministry until their ful participation of men and women in the ordained ministry happened. In the last years the chances oft the gender is discussed in a feminist view. The summary reflects the importance oft the socioeconomic contect, of the different forms of ecclesiastical instiutions and of the influence of the different convictions in the orthodox churches,. in the roman catholic teaching und in the protestant theology. The result is that the development of female participation in lutheran churches challenges all christians and all churches to inquire their biblical hermeneutic, anthropology and ecclesiology. The history of the female theologians in the lutheran churches provokes a vision of christian unity which includes the ful participation of men and women in the ordained ministry.

This thesis explores and analyses the impact of ethno-religious conflicts in the city of Jos and other parts of the Middle Belt and Nigeria on gender relations and the lives of women. The thesis addresses the question of the impact of conflict on women beyond loss of life and property as seen in other literature. It shows how ongoing conflictual relations that are not always violent, but include aspects of political competition disadvantage women. The research locations covered by this research are urban areas. Data for this research was gathered through interviews and Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) with 102 respondents, recruited through purposive sampling and willingness to participate in the interview. This thesis argues that the conflict dynamics affect the life chances of women on different levels because women are associated with the transcendence or transgression of group boundaries in their private life. The growing importance of group boundaries means that women’s life choices, such as marriage, are increasingly subject to public comment and criticism. Beyond the private, the growing importance of group boundaries makes it increasingly difficult for women to participate in typically female activities such as trading and selling in local markets. At the political level, the desire for ever smaller groups to be recognised works against the representation of women, who are seen as being much less capable than men of representing group interests. And within the public sector, too, the fallout from the crisis means that women here are also subject to increasing control and scrutiny.

This thesis examines the work undertaken by Elizabeth Taylor Cadbury (1858-1951) to support social reform in Bournville and Birmingham during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. It concentrates on her involvement in the development and promotion of Bournville village, the establishment and management of elementary and infant schools in Bournville and her local government work implementing school medical treatment provision in Birmingham. The thesis argues that Taylor Cadbury’s approach to social reform was shaped by her sense of religious faithfulness expressed through social service and by perceptions of women’s maternal expertise, demonstrating that she engaged with maternal work supporting social welfare as a form of religious service. Interpretation of Taylor Cadbury has been informed by the production of a revised catalogue of her largely unexplored personal archive within the Cadbury Family Papers. This catalogue enhances access to papers created and preserved by Taylor Cadbury and provides insight into the religious and social discourses within which she defined her identity and social work. By combining archival cataloguing with analysis of Taylor Cadbury’s philanthropic and municipal activities, this thesis offers a distinctive contribution to scholarship exploring how women identified with religion and maternalism in their social reform work during this period.

L'actuelle génération de détecteurs de rayons gamma au TeV a permis d'étudier les sources les plus brillantes (Noyaux Actifs de Galaxies et restes de supernovae). Afin de détecter des objets moins lumineux, nous proposons des techniques d'observation et d'analyse améliorant la sensibilité des détecteurs que nous avons appliqués sur le détecteur CAT (Cerenkov Array at Themis). Le développement d'un maximum de vraisemblance a permis de doubler notre sensibilité sur la nébuleuse du Crabe près du transit. Cet outil permet désormais de rechercher des sources de position inconnue sans perte de sensibilité (aux effets instrumentaux près) et de tester des hypothèses sur la forme des extensions spatiales des émissions.<br> Grâce à ces techniques, nous avons détecté de faibles et rapides variations de flux de Mkn 421, découvert deux nouveaux blazars IES 1959+65 et IES 1426+42.8 qui est de faible luminosité et nous avons identifié deux blazars susceptibles d'émettre au TeV. La comparaison des spectres en énergie des blazars de même redshift (Mkn 421 et Mkn 501) permet de nous affranchir de l'absorption des gamma par l'infrarouge intergalactique (IIR) : Mkn 421 semble posséder un spectre avant absorption distinct d'une loi de puissance sur au moins une nuit. La dérivation d'informations plus précises sur les blazars dépendra des futures connaissances sur l'IIR et des observations simultanées multi-longueurs d'onde.<br> Ayant observé des restes de supernovae contenant des plérions (IC 443, CTA 1 et CTB 80), nous avons cherché en vain une émission provenant des plérions et de l'interaction de ces restes avec des nuages moléculaires grâce au maximum de vraisemblance. Les valeurs supérieures extraites sur les plérions ont été comparées avec des modèles d'émission électromagnétique d'un spectre d'électrons accélérés. Ces comparaisons nous ont amenées à nous interroger sur les hypothèses faites dans ces modèles et sur la pertinence des plérions choisis.

Biotribology, the study of lubrication, wear and friction within the body, has become a topic of high importance in recent times as we continue to encounter debilitating diseases and trauma that destroy function of the joints. A highly successful surgical procedure to replace the joint with an artificial equivalent alleviates dysfunction and pain. However, the wear of the bearing surfaces in prosthetic joints is a significant clinical problem and more patients are surviving longer than the life expectancy of the joint replacement. Revision surgery is associated with increased morbidity and mortality and has a far less successful outcome than primary joint replacement. As such, it is essential to ensure that everything possible is done to limit the rate of revision surgery. Past experience indicates that the survival rate of the implant will be influenced by many parameters, of primary importance, the material properties of the implant, the composition of the synovial fluid and the method of lubrication. In prosthetic joints, effective boundary lubrication is known to take place. The interaction of the boundary lubricant and the bearing material is of utmost importance. The identity of the vital active ingredient within synovial fluid (SF) to which we owe the near frictionless performance of our articulating joints has been the quest of researchers for many years. Once identified, tribo tests can determine what materials and more importantly what surfaces this fraction of SF can function most optimally with. Surface-Active Phospholipids (SAPL) have been implicated as the body’s natural load bearing lubricant. Studies in this thesis are the first to fully characterise the adsorbed SAPL detected on the surface of retrieved prostheses and the first to verify the presence of SAPL on knee prostheses. Rinsings from the bearing surfaces of both hip and knee prostheses removed from revision operations were analysed using High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) to determine the presence and profile of SAPL. Several common prosthetic materials along with a novel biomaterial were investigated to determine their tribological interaction with various SAPLs. A pin-on-flat tribometer was used to make comparative friction measurements between the various tribo-pairs. A novel material, Pyrolytic Carbon (PyC) was screened as a potential candidate as a load bearing prosthetic material. Friction measurements were also performed on explanted prostheses. SAPL was detected on all retrieved implant bearing surfaces. As a result of the study eight different species of phosphatidylcholines were identified. The relative concentrations of each species were also determined indicating that the unsaturated species are dominant. Initial tribo tests employed a saturated phosphatidylcholine (SPC) and the subsequent tests adopted the addition of the newly identified major constituents of SAPL, unsaturated phosphatidylcholine (USPC), as the test lubricant. All tribo tests showed a dramatic reduction in friction when synthetic SAPL was used as the lubricant under boundary lubrication conditions. Some tribopairs showed more of an affinity to SAPL than others. PyC performed superior to the other prosthetic materials. Friction measurements with explanted prostheses verified the presence and performance of SAPL. SAPL, in particular phosphatidylcholine, plays an essential role in the lubrication of prosthetic joints. Of particular interest was the ability of SAPLs to reduce friction and ultimately wear of the bearing materials. The identification and knowledge of the lubricating constituents of SF is invaluable for not only the future development of artificial joints but also in developing effective cures for several disease processes where lubrication may play a role. The tribological interaction of the various tribo-pairs and SAPL is extremely favourable in the context of reducing friction at the bearing interface. PyC is highly recommended as a future candidate material for use in load bearing prosthetic joints considering its impressive tribological performance.

Tawfiq al-Hakim is known across the Arab world as a pioneer dramatist. He is one of many misunderstood writers and philosophers. My aim is to introduce him to the English-speaking public in order to shed some light on a specific period known to be one of the best in Egypt intellectually and culturally. Former President Nasser’s ideologies, and those of former President Sadat such as his “open-door” policy to the West, have contributed positively to the forming of an intellectual renaissance in Egypt. This rich period in Egyptian history is one that can directly shed light on the literary and philosophical contributions of al-Hakim, and on the social and cultural issues that should be revisited in order to gain an understanding of the problems that face Egyptians today. With this said, it is my hope that by reviving al-Hakim’s philosophical doctrines and by examining the major issues he addresses in his texts, I will be able to explain and clarify some misconceptions about this author, his philosophy and his work. I would also like to show ways in which his distinctive doctrine of equilibrium can be of use to us both in the East and the West. The objectives, accordingly, are twofold: (1) To introduce and critically examine al-Hakim’s equilibrium doctrine; and, (2) To identify the philosophical traits and Western influences that had an impact on his character and philosophy. The core problem that this work will indirectly address is the problem of how philosophy in the Arab world, according to Sari Nusseibeh’s article “The Arab World: What role for philosophy?” has been blatantly used as a tool in order to defend one version or another of the religious beliefs of those who pursued it. I ask what specific role a philosopher or intellectual can play in his or her society and how his philosophy can be put to use. This question is one that has been long forgotten in the Arab world. Freeing the Arab world from the colonizer, back in the 1930s, was clearly a goal for many intellectuals. Today, freeing the Arab mind by introducing a philosophy or an ideology that can be of use to the Muslim world as well as to the West would be a great task to accomplish.

Philosophiae Doctor - PhD / Immunosensors are affinity ligand-based biosensor solid-state devices in which the immunochemical reaction is coupled to a transducer. The specificity of the molecular recognition of antigens by antibodies to form a stable complex is the basis of the immunosensor on the electrode. The development of such a sensor requires a better design and preparation of an optimum interface between the biomolecules and the detector material. The immunosensors were developed based on Polyaniline derivative composite. Novel water soluble PdTe quantum dots (QD) was synthesized and characterized by different physical techniques such as UV-Visible (UV-VIS), Fluorescence Spectroscopy (PL), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) and X-Ray Diffraction (XRD). The electroactivity of such synthesized quantum dots was studied by cyclic voltammetry in aqueous media. The synthesis of poly(2,5- dimethoxyaniline)-multi wall 'carbon nanotubes nanocomposite was carried out by electropolymerization in situ of 2,5-dimethoxyaniline - multi wall carbon nanotubes (PDMA-MWCNT) from aqueous dispersion containing acid-treated multi wall carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) and 2,5-dimethoxyaniline subsequently modifying a glassy carbon electrode in acid media. An undoped PDMA was also prepared for control. The composite for this work, consists of layer-by-layer method to form a multilayer film of QDs and PDMA-MWCNT. The method used was as follows; the drop coating of quantum dots followed by electrodeposition of poly(2,5- dimethoxyaniline )-carbon nanotubes onto surface of glassy carbon. The PDMA-CNT was characterized by UV-Visible (UV-Vis), Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). The electrochemical characterisation of PDMA-CNT was carried out using cyclic voltammetry (CV) and Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS). The composite (QDs-PDMA-MWCNT) was also characterized using above mentioned techniques. The electrochemical immunosensor for fumonisin a mycotoxin was prepared by dropcoating of mycotoxins antibody onto the composite modified glassy carbon electrode. The response profiles of fumonisins sensors system were obtained from electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) measurements. The fumonisin immunosensor was used for the detection of fumonisins in certified com reference materials. For comparison reasons, analysis of such mycotoxins was carried out by using conventional analytical method enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The EIS response of FBI immunosensor (GCEIPT-PDMA-MWCNT/anti-Fms-BSA) gave a linear range of 7 to 49 ng L-I and the corresponding sensitivity and detection limits were 0.0162 ka L ng-I and 0.46 pg L-I, respectively. Hence the limit of detection of GCEIPT-PDMA-MWCNT immunosensor for fumonisins in com certified material was calculated to 0.014 and 0.011 ppm for FBI, and FB2 and FB3, respectively. These results are lower than those obtained by ELISA, a provisional maximum tolerable daily intake (PMTDI) for fumonisins (the sum of FBI, FB2, and FB3) established by the Joint FAO / WHO expert committee on food additives and contaminants of 2 ug kg" and the maximum level recommended by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for protection of human consumption (2-4 mg L-I).