<p> <u>Objectives.</u> Despite a child restraint system (CRS) law in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (K.S.A.), compliance has been minimal. We explored the salient behavioral, normative and control beliefs, which may predict intentions of CRS use in K.S.A; identified which of them independently predicted attitude, subjective norms (SN), and perceived behavioral control (PBC); and tested the effect of attitude, SN, and PBC on the intent for CRS use. </p><p> <u>Methodology.</u> This study was conducted in two stages. During the qualitative stage two focus groups were conducted (n=25). The identified beliefs were incorporated into a survey following Ajzen's guidelines. 196 pregnant women completed surveys at Dallah Hospital, Riyadh during June, 2013. In a separate observation to measure the CRS usage, two nurses discretely monitored 150 women leaving hospital following maternity stay. Logistic regression was used to determine the association between intent and TPB constructs; and salient beliefs and respective composite belief scores. </p><p> <u>Results.</u> Lack of health education and law enforcement, cultural pressure, advice from family, desire to stay close to the child, family size were key factors stated. Logistic regression model with TPB constructs and covariates as predictors of CRS usage intent was statistically significant (&chi;2=64.986, p&lt;0.0001, df=11) and correctly classified 72.4% of the cases. There was an increase in odds of intent to use CRS for attitudes (31.5%, p&lt;0.05), SN (55.3%, p&lt;0.001), and for PBC (76.9%, p&lt;0.001). The logistic regression models testing the association of the relevant set of composite belief scores were also statistically significant for attitudes (&chi;2=16.803, p&lt;0.05, df=6), SN (&chi;2=29.681, p&lt;0.0001, df=5), and PBC (&chi;2=20.516, p&lt;0.05, df=8). The behavioral observation showed that none of 150 women observed used CRS for their newborn. </p><p> <u>Conclusion.</u> Attitude, SN, and PBC were significantly and independently associated with higher intent for CRS usage. Three beliefs were found to be significantly and independently associated with respective TPB constructs. While TPB appears to be useful in identifying beliefs related to CRS usage intentions in K.S.A., the results of the behavioral observation indicate that intentions may not be related to the actual usage of CRS in K.S.A. Further studies are recommended to examine this association.</p>

Interest in Joyce Mansour has centered mostly on the ambiguity and the lack of "subjective identity" in her poetic works. This dissertation proposes to investigate that notion and demonstrates that Mansour's discourse is that of a woman poet's assertive, complex, and universal voice in the realm of post-surrealism. Chapter 1 introduces Mansour's poetic corpus, and provides the theoretical approach of our study in view of various critics' interpretations of Joyce Mansour's lack of "subjective identity," as well as other recent, more positive readings of her literary production. Chapter 2 provides pertinent information about the surrealist movement and its founder, Andre Breton. It also considers the role of women and their artistic contribution to the movement. Chapter 3 expounds on the uniqueness of Mansour's assertive voice via the technique of poetic-collage, and highlights the function of eroticism as a liberating force. Georges Bataille's study of Eroticism in literature and surrealism contributes to our study. This chapter also recognizes Mansour's use of Egyptian myths as one of the pillar of her narrative structure. It will show that the poet favors a language of self-regeneration in which the dichotomies between light versus dark, and life versus death are underscored. Chapter 4 explores the role of archetypal images in Mansour's poetry. While the Mother archetypal images demonstrate the universality of her poetry, the Jungian concept of a collective unconscious further clarifies Mansour's poetic discourse. An analysis of archetypes in women literature contributes to the identification of other archetypes, (The Devil, God, and Aphrodite) present in Mansour's discourse. Chapter 5 acknowledges Mansour's pronominal gender play. Monique Wittig's approach on gender theories and our textual concordances of Mansour's poems will provide the underlying theory for discussion. The conclusion supports the notion that Mansour's discourse of plurality is that of a woman who, fearful of humanity's inevitable fate, confronted death through a literary exuberance that has become her identity and personal signature. Our conclusion reveals the existence of two texts that are not part of Mansour's published collection. These texts contribute to a better understanding of Mansour's literary contribution.

Imam Muhammad al-Husayn al-Kashif al-Ghita (1294-Dhu al-Qi'dah 18, 1373/1877-July 19, 1954), an Iraqi Shi'ah distinguished marji' (highest authority in the Shi'ah religious hierarchy), was the first marji' who introduced religious reforms in the hawzah, the traditional Shi'ah religious school at Najaf. He also introduced political reforms in Iraq, demanding political rights for the Shi'is. Moreover, he was the first Muslim who succeeded in achieving reconciliation between the Sunnis and the Shi'is. He became the symbol of Islamic unity. This dissertation proposes to discuss and analyze the contribution of Imam Kashif al-Ghita to Shi'ah thought and the impact of his thought on Shi'ism and the Shi'is. This study is divided into four chapters. The first is about the life and works of Kashif al-Ghita. The second chapter deals with the development of Twelver Shi'ism and the hawzah, because Twelver Shi'ism has been in constant development within the context of the school. The third chapter discusses the role of Imam Kashif al-Ghita in the hawzah of Najaf (1344-1373/1925-1954) and his distinctive marji'iyyah, which was sharply different from that of his contemporaries. I will also discuss the roots of conflict between him and the conservative 'ulama, who had considerable power in the school. The fourth chapter discusses the social ideas of Shaykh Kashif al-Ghita as an Islamic thinker and social reformist. I will examine his views on the means of social reform and his point of view on different social issues, such as man, religion, ethics, and Islamic ethical covenant, and his special advice to the Arabs. This chapter also discusses the views of Kashif al-Ghita on the economy and his ideas about the role of woman in society. His views on politics in general and his role as an active religious leader will be analyzed in addition to this political reforms. I will examine his ideas on Islamic unity, and his position regarding Middle Eastern political issues.

The Ammonites were an ancient people who rose to become an important local kingdom on the Central Transjordanian plateau (Ammon) during the Iron Age (ca. 1200-550 BCE). By combining analysis of archaeological and textual materials, this study traces their development from a semi-nomadic tribal people into one of the region's first small-scale states. Beyond tracing their development, this study explores possible causes for the rise of the Iron Age states of ancient Palestine, such as Ammon. The key cause of this initial rise of states was the disruption of a long standing relationship between the tribal countryside, and the less kin-based urban centers, that was characterized by alternating periods of cooperation and conflict--oscillations described by Alexander Joffe in his 1993 study as "generation, resolution, and regeneration of contradiction between the rural and urban entities that occupied this region." The source of this disruption was external; after Egypt assumed control of Palestine during the Late Bronze Age, they initiated a policy of taxation and corvee that precipitated a final break between the local urban authorities and their subjects both in the towns and in the rural countryside. The tribal sub-structure that always existed among these people enabled them to form coalitions in the hinterlands (generally mountainous areas) that, in turn, facilitated their ability to support themselves and mount an effective campaign of resistance to the oppressive urban authorities. This resistance could take either an active (military) or passive (avoidance) form. After the local urban entities finally collapsed at the end of the Late Bronze Age, these tribal coalitions formed the foundation of a new type of polity--the Iron Age tribal kingdom of Palestine. Ammon, in the relative safety of the more distant central Transjordan highlands, was one of the first of these kingdoms to emerge.

The objective of this paper will be to demonstrate in what ways medieval women (the upper-class women) of the Middle East made themselves visible and wielded influence or power over affairs of the state. Because of the limiting aspect of the thesis, the area that I will discuss will be limited both in geography and time. This paper will concentrate on the eastern area of the Islamic world from approximately the eighth century to the thirteenth century. The main body of the paper will deal with this time period. However, first, I will need to discuss the situation of women before Islam, Islam's rise and the changes it brought to women in the early years of its existence. And then I will cover Islam's spread into other areas, how it changed there, and thus how women were able to exert their influence within the framework of these changes.

No description available.

As academic libraries continue to evolve as service organizations, they should focus on their users. This calls for a better understanding of the specific needs of library users in order to provide the appropriate type and level of service that meets those needs. The overriding goal will be user satisfaction. In this study, a survey was used to determine the levels of satisfaction of post-graduate education students with library services at the University of Transkei. A questionnaire was administered to 100 post-graduate education students registered in 1998 of which 57 responded. The most important finding that emerged from the analysis of the responses was that the majority of the respondents were in general satisfied with the library services offered at UNITRA. However, dissatisfaction was expressed by at least twenty percent of respondents with noise levels, opening hours, lack of photocopiers, the accuracy of the library catalogue, materials being in their correct place, inefficient staff and interloans. It was found that respondents were reluctant to commit themselves to expressing high levels of satisfaction or dissatisfaction. Suggestions made by respondents included computerization and the need for staff training. Recommendations based on the findings were then made followed by suggestions for further research. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 1999.

This study is a brief history of college libraries in the former Transkei, from 1882 (the period of the missionaries) to 1994 (the year when Transkei was reincorporated into the Republic of South Africa). The history of college libraries in the Transkei has never been fully documented, despite the fact that some of the colleges and their libraries have been in existence for some time. Besides, there were some colleges which were without libraries. Even those that existed had not been fully developed, and the reasons for this have not been articulated. The author, therefore, considered it relevant to research the development of college libraries in this region. Fourteen college libraries were examined chronologically, starting from the colleges established during the missionary period (1882-1953), to the colleges established during the period of independence (1977 -1994) . Other periods covered were those of Bantu Education (1953-1962) and self-government (1963-1976). In order to provide a framework for the study, the historical development of each of the college libraries was examined in terms of the following criteria: adequacy of library accommodation; staffing; budget; the size and type of collection; users and types of services offered. The researcher gathered data by consulting and interviewing relevant people. Both primary and secondary sources were consulted. Conclusions drawn in this study clearly show that college libraries in the former Transkei were far from being centres of teaching, learning and research. Library staff were hampered in their efforts to improve library services, not only by a lack of funds and resources but also by the lack of a clear government policy regarding college libraries and by a lack of moral support. / Thesis (M.I.S.)-University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 1999.

<p> This dissertation examines indigenous Arab Bedouin legal struggles for land ownership in the Negev area in Israel. Since the establishment of the State of Israel, the question of land ownership has been central to relations between Negev Bedouins and the state. The courts have rejected Bedouin claims for land ownership, declaring Negev lands as belonging to the state. </p><p> This study examined the historical Bedouin connection to land in the Negev, with emphasis on the evolution of customary practices of land ownership from the second half of the 19th century until the second half of the 20th century. The validity of Bedouin law in present Bedouin society is considered, as well as the meanings of land for Bedouin land claimants. In addition, clashes between Negev Bedouin law and Israeli law are considered in defining land ownership rights in the Israeli court. </p><p> Located in the discipline of anthropology, the theoretical frames for this study are indigenous people studies and postcolonial theories. The methodologies are participatory research and ethnography. Data sources included interviews with 15 Bedouin land claimants and 3 former Israeli officials, 9 visits to Bedouin villages, observations of 5 academic events regarding the land dispute, and primary documents from various state archives. In addition, a case study was conducted of one litigated land dispute between Bedouin land claimants and Israeli authorities. </p><p> In contrast to the traditional representations of the Bedouins as "rootless nomads," the results of this study indicate a strong connection of Bedouin participants to land in the Negev. The findings suggest that Bedouin society in the Negev includes practices of land ownership, and that their customary land ownership is valid in present Bedouin society. The legal conflict reflects clashes between Israeli legal practices and Bedouin indigenous oral practices, and has also been shaped by the national conflict between Israel as a Jewish state and the Bedouins as part of the Arab Palestinian minority. </p>

As part of Parks Canada’s management initiatives, St. Lawrence Islands National Park (SLINP) funded this study to learn more about the natural local fire regime, learn about the risks associated with fire in a changing climate scenario, and to aid in protection efforts of the fire-dependent species Pinus rigida (pitch pine), which is listed provincially as a species at risk. The study site selected was Little Black Lake (44º 32'45.20" N, 76 º 03'12.06” W), which is ideal because of its small size and isolated watershed. A 4.5 m Livingston-piston core and a 0.5 m Glew gravity core were extracted from the lake basin. Charcoal macrofossils >125 µm were quantified at 0.5 cm intervals to produce a high-resolution (14 years) fire record. A chronology was created for each of the two cores together using a combination of 13 14C dates and 20 210Pb dates to complete a record spanning from 2008 to >11000 Cal yrs BP. In general, the fire regime appears to be non-stationary with overall low CHAR (charcoal particles per cm2 of sediment per year) throughout the Holocene. The mean fire return interval for the entire record was on the century scale, at 244 years. The early- and mid-Holocene show low CHAR and few peaks during a period dominated by spruce and pine. Contrastingly, the late Holocene shows an increase in CHAR and peaks during hardwood dominance, which may be due to a change in fuel, as suggested by charcoal morphotypes. A detailed look at the Late Holocene through an analysis of the Glew gravity core, shows a shorter mean fire interval. Comparisons of the Little Black Lake fire record with other vegetation and charcoal records from this region indicate interactions between climate and changing fuel sources may be explanations for the non-stationarity of the fire regime. Management steps for St. Lawrence Islands National Park could include continuing small, isolated and infrequent burns and continued monitoring of local Pitch Pine populations provided spatial and temporal heterogeneity are taken into account. / Thesis (Master, Environmental Studies) -- Queen's University, 2010-01-31 23:58:09.579