This thesis investigates the ways in which the Mission Covenant Church of Sweden could influence the Swedish Foreign Aid Policy for NGOs, with particular focus on financial support for their missionary activities. Furthermore, it investigates how the church’s involvement in the emerging Foreign Aid Policy work, and its relationship with the government agency NIB/SIDA during the years 1964-1980, influenced the church’s own policy-making. Using Mahoney, Streeck and Thelen’s concept of gradual change and Bourdieu’s theory of habitus this thesis investigates the influence the relationship had on 1) the Aid policy 2) MCCS: s evangelical mission. The results of this thesis indicate that the government agency’s original demand for a Foreign Aid work neutral from religious or political influence changed into a policy embracing missionary organisations. The results also indicate a change in the priority of the Mission Covenant Church of Sweden’s mission methods with the church prioritising social work over evangelisation. This study aims in general to deepen the knowledge of the NGOs involved in the Swedish Foreign Aid in order to further the understanding of their influence on the Foreign Aid Policy as well as their methods to remain uninfluenced in return.

Modeling of quantile curves is a common problem across various fields in today's practice. The topic of this thesis is estimating quantile curves in case of two-sample gradual change. That is, when a relationship between two continuous variables in two samples is of interest, where the relationship is the same for both samples until a certain value of the explanatory variable. From that point on the relationship can differ. The result of this thesis is a procedure for estimating quantile curves, which fulfill this concept. 1

Testes Adaptativos Computadorizados (TAC) são aqueles que selecionam gradativamente as questões (itens) a serem apresentadas ao indivíduo de acordo com o seu nível de conhecimento (traco latente). Um TAC pode se basear em um modelo da Teoria da Resposta ao Item (TRI) para a estimação do traco latente e escolha do item a ser apresentado em cada passo do teste. Este trabalho apresenta modelos da TRI utilizados em TAC encontrados na literatura e descreve alguns métodos de calibração de itens para a formação e manutenção do banco de questões do teste sob o modelo de Samejima (1969), estimação do traço latente, seleção de itens com restrições utilizando a abordagem Shadow test e critérios de parada normalmente utilizados. Foram realizadas simulações com um banco grande (500 itens) e com um banco pequeno (21 itens) e avaliada a qualidade das estimativas dos traços latente (através do cálculos dos vícios e erros quadráticos médios) de TACs com diferentes números de itens. Foi aplicado o modelo de Samejima às respostas de estudantes do Exame ao proficiência em inglês (EPI) do ICMC - USP, que é aplicado semestralmente no formato lápis e papel, para a formação de um banco de itens e posterior construção de um TAC. Também foi aplicado o modelo às respostas de pacientes clínicos do Hospital das Clínicas da Medicina da USP, cedido pelo doutor Yuang-Pang Wang, ao Inventário de Depressão de Beck (BDI) para os mesmos propósitos. Comparações com a atual metodologia para avaliação da proficiência em língua inglesa do EPI (Medida de Probabilidade Admissível, MPA) e para o diagnóstico de depressão do BDI (critério sugerido por Kendall et al., 1987) foram realizadas demonstrando as vantagens e maior riqueza dos resultados obtidos com a TRI e com os TACs implementados. Adcionalmente foi desenvolvido um programa Same-CAT que armazena bancos de itens e possibilita a criação e aplicação de TACs com restrições, através da abordagem Shadow test / Computerized Adaptive Tests (CAT) are those that select questions (items) gradually to be presented to an individual according to their proficiency (latent trait level). A CAT can be based on an Item Response Theory (IRT) model for estimation of the latent trait and selection of the next item to be presented in each step of the test. This paper presents IRT models used in CATs found in literature and describes some methods of item calibration for creation and maintenance of a test items bank under the Samejima\'s model (Samejima; 1969), estimation of latent trait, item selection with constraints using the Shadow test approach and usuals stopping criteria. Simulations were conducted with a large bank (500 items) and a small bank (21 items) and the quality of the estimatives of latent traits were evaluated (through calculations of mean squared errors and bias) TACs with different item numbers. Samejima\'s model were applied for the responses of students to the English Proficiency Exam (EPE) of ICMC - USP, a test applied twice a year in paper and pencil format, to create an item bank and subsequent construction of a CAT. The model was also applied to the responses of clinical patients from the Hospital das Clnicas - USP, given by Dr. Yuang-Pang Wang, to the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) for the same purposes. Comparisons using the current methodology to evaluate the English Language Proficiency of EPE (Measure of Probability Allowable, MPA) and the BDI (criterion suggested by Kendall et al., 1987) were performed, and the CATs provided better and richer results. Furthermore a program, Same-CAT, that stores item banks and allows CAT\'s applications with constraints was created

The study insists on understanding the miscarriage of “Pan-Africanism” and the role of “African” mentality with the help of Fanon’s psychoanalysis “Black Skin, White Mask,” exemplifying the immense colonial, slavery, and apartheid psychological damages experienced by Black individuals resulting Blacks/Africans self-hate and a desire to be “white” throughout the domain of Western culture, ideology, and language. To provide accurate analysis of the “Pan-African” failure to solve increasing blacks-hate-against-blacks/xenophobia in South Africa, concepts othering, mimicry, subaltern from the critical theory (postcolonialism) were applied. Thereupon, Qualitative Content Analysis and Critical Discourse Analysis relying on the theoretical concepts were conducted, which underlined how the mimicry process makes Africa's interaction an elite-driven one, oppressing African/subaltern citizens. The findings showed a need for "Black-Consciousness" and Nkrumah's “Pan-African” vision (African unification) to end colonial-mentality generating collective subordination of Subaltern/Africans. Generally, the use of Fanon’s psycho-social analysis has shown that the generational oppression, trauma, and cultural stereotypes continue to robotize and dictate African leaders and the African Union's favoritism of Western “neo-liberal” policies. It is summarized that the “Pan-African” failure is a failure of gradual unconscious “Pan-Africanists” who pledge allegiance to “Western” policies rather than rededicating themselves to durable Radical “Pan-Africanism” which is an antidote to Africa’s self-hate/xenophobia, neo-colonialism, and the robotization of unconscious Africans.

Oldtown's gradual The aim of this work is a monographic elaboration of the Oldtown's gradual (XVII.A.40), from 1561 to 1567, in the context of the work of Jan Taborsky of Klokotska Hora, with the emphasis on connotation of Žlutice gradual. The work elaborates and critically appraises the literature about the genesis and decor, deeply analyses its illuminations (through formal and iconographic analysis) and gives basic orientation in questions of analogies of its decor. Another goal of this work is a summarization of the decor of Oldtown's gradual and elaborated analysis of its illuminations. Oldtown's gradual is one of the best Renaissance manuscripts. The penman was Jan Taborsky of Klokotska Hora; chapter 2.1. deals with his life and production. Matous Ornys of Lindperk was the limner; chapter 2.2. deals with his work. Indisputably, he belongs to the best limners of the 16th century. The decor of the gradual is described in the chapter 4.2. Illuminations of gradual have conventional scheme of choral manuscripts. A lot of analogies are to be found in the medieval and also Renaissance manuscripts. There are elements of medieval literary paintwork, but also fully Renaissance elements: perfect linear perspective and high-quality scenery. Oldtown's gradual is one of the most beautiful and one of the...

No description available.

No description available.

No description available.

At the outset of the Phaedrus, Plato tells us that Socrates’ knows himself (228a). This statement is then followed up by Socrates’ claim that he is not able to obey the Delphic imperative and know himself (229e-230b). This apparent contradiction has given rise to an interesting debate concerning what kind of knowledge we are dealing with here. While the debate is complex a few main positions can be identified. One group of scholars, hereafter referred to as the practitioners, argue that the self-knowledge Socrates here talks about is a life-guiding term. The practitioners argue that when striving toward what is true about oneself and acknowledging one’s limits, one turns away from chaos towards a well structured life. Another group of scholars, referred to as the mystics, argue that self-knowledge is something Socrates’ possesses when contemplating over his own epistemic limits as well as his soul and its connection to the Forms. Finally, the unitarian view explains the content of self-knowledge, namely that it includes dispositional and cognitive knowledge of oneself. Even if these views are helpful to explain the different parts of self-knowledge, they fail to explain Socrates’ apparently contradictory answers regarding self-knowledge. What is lacking, and what this thesis will try to provide, is an account of how Socrates both can say that he knows and does not know himself. The thesis will help explain how Socrates can be said to have self-knowledge. However, Socrates does not yet have absolute self-knowledge and acknowledges, with his denial of self-knowledge, that a deepened self-knowledge can be gained gradually. On the view that this thesis will test and defend, Socratic self-knowledge is a continuum, that is to say, a coherent yet dynamic knowledge. This can help to explain how Socrates can claim to both know and not yet know himself.

[pt] Como os retornos das carteiras formadas por ações de setores econômicos brasileiros são utilizados pelos investidores? As informações contidas nesses retornos são capazes de explicar os movimentos das ações brasileiras? O objetivo do presente trabalho é ajudar a responder a essas perguntas ao pesquisar se os retornos e a volatilidade dos fatores SMB e HML do modelo de três fatores de Fama e French podem ser previstos pelos retornos passados de 16 carteiras formadas por empresas de um mesmo setor econômico listadas na BM&FBOVESPA no período de 1995 a 2012. A análise revela que 14 de 16 setores preveem o retorno do SMB para um mês à frente. Ademais, os retornos de um número significante de setores preveem a volatilidade do SMB e HML para até três meses adiante. Considerando a capacidade explicativa do modelo de Fama e French para o mercado brasileiro, os resultados desta pesquisa indicam que os retornos setoriais brasileiros contêm informações valiosas para os fatores SMB e HML, demonstrando que os investidores não conseguem absorver todas as informações disponíveis em um tempo hábil, fazendo com que estas se difundam gradualmente no mercado. / [en] How are the brazilian industry returns used by investors? Can the information contained in these returns explain the movements of Brazilian shares? The purpose of this work is to help answer these questions by examining whether the returns and the volatility of SMB and HML factors of Fama-French threefactor model can be predicted by past returns of 16 portfolios formed by companies from the same industry listed on São Paulo Stock Exchange (BM&FBOVESPA) between 1995 and 2012. The analysis reveals that 14 of 16 industries predict the SMB returns one month ahead. Furthermore, the returns of a significant number of industries predict the volatility of SMB and HML factors up to three months ahead of time. Considering the explanatory capability of the Fama-French model for the Brazilian market, the results of this research show that Brazilian industry returns contain valuable information for the SMB and HML factors, demonstrating that investors cannot absorb all the information in a timely manner, resulting in their gradual diffusion throughout the market.