Prior research in dehumanization has elected to indirectly measure the extent to which individuals deny fundamental aspects of humanity to other groups. However, recent research suggests the study participants are more than willing to declare how human or unhuman like they feel various social groups are. An influential measure of assessing this blatant form of dehumanization is known as the Ascent of Human Scale (AOH). Despite much research providing evidence of blatant dehumanization towards out-groups, little research has specifically focused on testing assumptions pertaining to the scale’s administration or applying the scale to prior research settings. This thesis adds on the growing literature aimed at assessing methodological aspects of the AOH scale in addition to examining the relationship between blatant dehumanization and other psychological constructs. In study one, we build on prior work by manipulating the instructions participants typically see when giving ratings on the AOH. Results suggest that instructions do not appear to affect how participants rate social groups even when respondents are told the nature of the scale and what it is used for. In studies two and three we manipulate the extent to which a social group stands out amongst others on the AOH. Results reveal that group salience matters only when the in-group of participants is not present on the scale for rating. In studies four and five we examine the relationship between ascent dehumanization and social power, the ability to influence the behaviors of others. In study four we experimentally manipulate participants social power then have them rate various social groups on the AOH. In study five we measure respondents’ personal sense of power followed by social group ratings on the AOH. Results reveal that social power is not related to blatant dehumanization, challenging prior literature that has found a link between power and dehumanization in general. / Thesis / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) / The work in this thesis adds to the literature on measuring blatant forms of dehumanization. Specifically, this thesis tests assumptions around the use of the Ascent of Human Scale (AOH), an influential measure in social psychology used to measure blatant dehumanization. In addition, we examine if applying the AOH to previous research that has found a link between dehumanization and other constructs reveals similar findings. In the first study, we manipulated the scale’s instructions presented to participants to examine if specific language impacts how respondents rate social groups on the AOH. Results found that instruction changes have no impact on how respondents rate social groups, even when told the scale is a measure of blatant dehumanization. In studies two and three we manipulate the extent to which a social group stands out amongst others on the AOH scale. Results indicate that when the in-group of study participants is included on the scale (study two) salience appears not to effect ratings. However, when the in-group of participants is not included on the scale (study three) salience does impact ratings such that the more a group stands out, the more they are dehumanized. Studies four and five examine the relationship between social power and ascent dehumanization. In study four we experimentally manipulate participants’ feelings of social power then allow them to rate various social groups on the AOH. In study five, respondents take a measure of personal feelings of power then provide AOH ratings for various social groups. Results from both studies reveal that social power does not impact ascent dehumanization. Taken together the work in this thesis addresses potential concerns regarding the use of the AOH and encourages the application of the scale to previous work to examine if blatant dehumanization is related to other constructs that dehumanization is argued to be central to.

The significance of open space in addressing the socio-economic and historical content of townships (former homelands) specifically in Hammanskraal. / Dissertation (ML(Prof))--University of Pretoria, 2009. / Architecture / unrestricted

In a globalised world, influenced by social flux brought about by various factors¹, cities’ perimeters are subject to continuous change. More often than not, a city’s perimeter expands in the form of urban sprawl. Energy drains from the centre, leaving in its wake numerous vacant, degraded and underutilised structures. Radical interventions on an urban scale are often proposed to counter this degradation and transformation of such urban areas. These interventions² entail densification of the urban fabric, the insertion of additional structures and the creation of new precincts; a process which occurs over many years. By comparison, well-considered alterations to existing built fabric can be implemented quickly with smaller financial and ecological implications. Such alterations also include the adaptation of interior space to support a change in programme, and the possible improvement of a buildings interface with the street. The aim is to improve local social environments within the urban fabric and stimulate social influx. INTERFACE is about interventions to existing structures within the CBD of Pretoria. These interventions are limited to low-rise buildings (between two and five stories) designed specifically for mono-function. Over time, the programme and user profile of those buildings has changed, while the built fabric stagnated, with no active response to its context. Currently, such buildings do not participate in the creation of a living city – a city where interior spaces are supplemented by well designed outdoor spaces, thereby creating places that support and encourage social interaction. Buildings which have simply been taken over and used ad hoc, have not truly been adapted to their new programmes and as such, full exploitation of the space is not possible. Interior spaces can therefore play a determining role in the social motion³ of the city, but only if they address the transition between interior and exterior space, and the extension of such transition into the subsequent urban fabric. These interior and exterior spaces should be adaptable to current social needs of city dwellers and users in order to be deemed successful. Living cities require buildings to adapt and change in response to ever shifting social conditions in order to satisfy basic human desires and needs. It can thus be deduced that a building programme will more than likely change regularly. INTERFACE therefore focus on the creation of responsive interior space and works from the premise that structure and interior are implicitly linked. This thesis explores ‘permanent’ changes to existing structures; changes that will assist in creating responsive interior environments. Such environments should also accommodate both semi-permanent and temporary alterations, with minimal impact⁴ resulting from the implementation of each new programme. 1 Factors: Include change in political, social and economical circumstances. 2 Interventions: In Pretoria CBD, large interventions are proposed over long periods of time. They include strategies such as the Tshwane City Strategy (twenty year),Tshwane Inner City Development and Regeneration Strategy 2005 (ten year program) and City of Tshwane Integrated Development Plan 2009/2010 (five year). 3 Social motion: Interaction and attraction of civilians in a space 4 Impact: Refer to alterations to the permanent responsive structure as well as financial and ecological implications. / Dissertation (MInt(Prof))--University of Pretoria, 2010. / Architecture / unrestricted

In South African Townships, socio economic activities of the second economy such as informal trading typically manifest themselves in low quality, left over open spaces along roadsides and transport interchanges. These left over spaces are characteristic of townships and especially low cost housing and Reconstruction and Development Programme (RDP) communities, due to the emphasis placed on the dwelling units with little regard for the quality of open space. These environments are, over-scaled and not suited to human scale and although used for informal trading, they are not conducive to human or environmental well-being. An entrance precinct with such left over spaces in Olievenhoubosch Township, Centurion, is selected to test the hypothesis of an informal market as a catalyst for quality open space that considers human scale and enables the socio-economic functions of the community. The research starts off by establishing guidelines firstly for quality open space; secondly for human scale and thirdly for socio economic functions. These guidelines are applied at framework level looking at the entire precinct, including an informal market, stream corridor and taxi rank. At masterplan level, the focus is on the informal market. To avoid a merely functional response, the market approach is divided into two aspects, the market development and the spatial or experiential development aspect. These are informed by the established theoretical guidelines, case studies and existing activities and uses onsite. An overarching concept “Indawo Yami” meaning “my place”, ties the two aspects together while expressing the unique character of the community. The concept is born out of the vision of the market as a multifunctional community space that expresses the unique character of the community. The sketchplan proposal suggests that human and environmental well-being could be prime objectives of open spaces in townships all over South Africa. / Dissertation (ML(Prof))--University of Pretoria, 2014. / Architecture / ML(Prof) / Unrestricted

There has been lately a rich amount of articles highlighting the incoherent nature of theterm social sustainability and what it really means in an urban practice. Some argues for anincreased knowledge about the relation between social aspects and the physicalenvironment in order to better enhance the social dimension. The normative- and designoriented concepts human scale, the city at eye-level and public life may clarify the role ofdesign to accomplish desired social aspects.The aim of this thesis is to investigate how these concepts may provide a way to approachsocial sustainability with a focus on the public realm. Further aim is to identify problems andopportunities in the implementation phase since the often occurring gap between vision andpractice. The strategy is to create guidelines from theoretical understanding of the conceptsbased on a literature study and examine how these may relate to a created conceptualframework of social sustainability. Afterwards the guidelines are used to evaluate three caseexamples; the renewal of Rosengård, Malmö; the development of Järla Sjö, Nacka and thedevelopment of Prästviken, Botkyrka, regarding their fulfillment of the concepts. Knowledgeabout the case examples are mainly gathered from interviews by practitioners involved inabove mentioned projects and also function as an insight of general implementation issues.The results show that human scale, the city at eye-level and public life promote severaldesign inputs with effects on the functionality and experience of the public realm andargued social impact on safety & security, sense of belonging, social interaction and wellbeing. However these impacts may only be indicated and the concepts fail to acknowledgethe political dimension of social sustainability. Further the possibility to implement thedesign implications depend on geographical location, project driving forces and the nature ofthe builder / En betydande andel av nyligen publicerad forskningsartiklar framhäver en syn på socialhållbarhet som ett osammanhängande begrepp med liten koppling till innerbörden ipraktiken. Vissa argumenterar för vikten av en ökad kunskap om kopplingen mellan socialaaspekter och den fysiska omgivningen för att bättre framhäva den sociala dimensionen.Möjligen kan dem normativa och design orienterade begreppen human scale, the city at eyeleveloch public life klargöra designens roll i uppfyllandet av önskvärda sociala aspekter.Syftet med detta examensarbete är att undersöka hur koncepten kan utgöra etttillvägagångssätt för att närma sig social hållbarhet. Vidare syfte är att identifiera problemoch möjligheter i implementeringsfasen eftersom det ofta förekommer ett gap mellan visionoch praktik. Strategin är att skapa riktlinjer från teoretisk förståelse av begreppen baserat påen litteraturundersökning och analysera hur dessa relaterar till ett sammanställt teoretisktramverk av social hållbarhet. Efteråt utvärderas tre exempelfall; områdesförnyelse iRosengård, Malmö; bostadsprojektet Järla Sjö, Nacka och bostadsprojektet Prästviken,Botkyrka, utifrån riktlinjerna gällande deras uppfyllande av koncepten. Kunskap omexempelfallen insamlas i huvudsak från intervjuer av verksamma personer inom projektenoch fungerar också som en insikt om generella implementeringsfrågor.Resultaten visar att human scale, the city at eye-level och public life förespråkar designimplikationer med effekter på funktionaliteten och upplevelsen av det offentliga rummetmed påstådd påverkan på trygghet & säkerhet, tillhörighet, social interaktion ochvälmående. Emellertid kan denna påverkan endast indikeras och koncepten misslyckas atthandskas med den politiska dimensionen av social hållbarhet. Vidare beror möjligheten attimplementera koncepten på geografiskt läge, drivkrafter inom projekten och byggherrensnatur. / Social hållbarhet,human skala, staden i ögonnivå, offentligt liv

In today’s environment of mass production and overconsumption, better lifestyle choices should be encouraged to safeguard the earth’s dwindling natural resources. Quick turnaround times and the reduced lifespan of clothing items have given rise to the so-called “fast fashion” industry that, in its entirety, causes great environmental concern. To combat the repercussions of this industry, consumers need to adopt more sustainable lifestyles and embrace what is empirically known as “voluntary simplicity” (Leonard-Barton, 1981; Elgin & Mitchell, 1977). Voluntary simplicity (VS) involves an individual’s conscious choice to engage in low consumption behaviour to live a non-materialistic, quality enriched, lifestyle (Rich, Wright & Bennett, 2019). To date, little is known about consumers’ acceptance of these voluntary simplistic lifestyles and the impact it has on their clothing consumption behaviour in a developing market context such as South Africa. More research is thus needed on the topic, but such research would require appropriate measurement scales to deliver valid and reliable insight on the matter. This project was therefore focused on developing and validating a scale to measure consumers' engagement in voluntary simplistic clothing consumption behaviour in South Africa. A review of existing literature highlights five voluntary simplicity dimensions that were initially proposed by Elgin and Mitchell (1977) and labelled as material simplicity, self-determination, ecological awareness, human scale and personal growth. These dimensions were later used by Leonard-Barton (1981) to develop a behavioural index (Rich et al., 2019). From a behavioural perspective, most of these dimensions are manifested in the five R’s namely recycle, repair, reuse, reduce and refuse (Zamwel, Sasson-Levy & Porat, 2014), except for the personal growth dimension, which more closely relates to an attitudinal disposition. Because people do not always act in accordance with their behaviour, those who have measured VS, have rather focused on actual behaviour as opposed to attitudes or intentions (Hüttel, Ziesemer, Peyer & Balderjahn, 2018). For these reasons, personal growth was excluded from the overall aim of this study that was more narrowly focused on developing a scale that measures consumers’ voluntary simplistic clothing consumption behaviour. To accomplish the envisaged outcome of this study, the guidelines and procedures for scale development prescribed by Kang and Johnson (2011) were particularly useful and led to three phases that are described and explained throughout this study, namely initial scale item generation, scale purification, and scale validation. During the initial scale item generation, questionnaire development and collection commenced in 2016 as part of a final year Clothing Retail Management research project in the Department of Consumer and Food Sciences at the University of Pretoria. Data collection was conducted in the Tshwane Metropolitan area of Gauteng where a total of 1025 responses were obtained, of which 1002 were usable, and 23 were rejected due to missing values. The respondents were asked to complete a self-administered paper-based questionnaire that included six sections that altogether measured materialism, status consumption, lifestyle choices, voluntary simplicity, the use of money and demographics. The initial project adopted a quantitative approach with the use of a cross-sectional survey that predominantly served exploratory purposes in terms of all the sections included in the questionnaire. It should, however, be noted that for this particular study, the most emphasis was directed toward the voluntary simplicity items and demographic variables, while some referral is made toward the materialism and status consumption scales to validate the newly developed VS scale. SPSS statistical software was used for data analysis and as per specified guidelines, the data were randomly split into two datasets to perform scale purification procedures on the first dataset and subsequent scale validation procedures on the second dataset. The scale purification and validation results produced an eleven item, three-factor solution with a good model fit and significant validity measures. Following rigorous scrutiny, the three factors were labelled as “local ethical brands”, “distinct product features” and “reduced consumption”, which to some extent reflect the dimensions initially proposed by Elgin and Mitchell (1977), but are more aligned to the contextual realities of the South African emerging market context. These results underscore Arnould and Thompson's (2005) consumer culture theory (CCT) that emphasises the link between consumers’ behaviour and the unique marketplace in which they find themselves. The most statistically prominent factor, namely “local ethical brands” may stem from the drive toward supporting proudly South African brands and the importance of job creation in a developing country that is faced with extreme levels of unemployment and the intense pursuit of ethical/ fair treatment of the local labour force. While the other two factors, namely “distinct product features” and “reduced consumption” may benefit from further scale development due to scoring low on the Cronbach alphas and the average variance extracted (AVE) statistical measurements, there is something to be said for both of these factors in the prevailing South African context. “Distinct product features” may be particularly important for a growing middle-class consumer segment (Marketline Report, 2018), who prefer clothing items that are uniquely handcrafted and/ or eco-friendly, which in turn differentiate their garments from those that are mass-produced. In terms of “reduced consumption”, the argument brought forward is that local economic conditions have forced consumers to adopt a more frugal approach (PricewaterhouseCoopers (PWC), 2012), whereby they re-evaluate the longevity of their clothing items and attempt to extend the lifespan of their garments and/ or focus on absolute need as opposed to seasonal fast fashion trends in their acquisition of new garments. Whether the underlying reasons for adopting voluntary simplistic clothing consumption behaviour is driven by sustainable pursuits or other ulterior motives, the factors identified in this study’s scale development procedures reflect a uniquely South African emerging market approach. To drive an economy that uses, produces and provides sustainable clothing, an understanding of consumers’ consumption behaviour is essential (Balderjahn, Peyer, Seegebarth, Wiedemann, & Weber, 2018). This understanding will provide the local clothing industry with a roadmap toward good business practices as sustainability does not only represent greener purchases, but it requires three interlinking dimensions, namely the environment relating to green consumption, society with the promotion of fair-trade products and economic considerations, which focuses on the extension of a garment’s lifespan (Balderjahn et al., 2018). Once further insight is derived through valid and reliable measures such as the one proposed in this study, government and other stakeholders can use such insight to streamline intervention strategies to effectively target voluntary simplistic clothing consumption behaviour in the local economy. Such behaviour could altogether involve recycling, repairing, reusing and reducing clothing consumption as well as consumers’ refusal to acquire clothing brands that are unethical and unsustainable (Zamwel et al., 2014). / In vandag se omgewing van massaproduksie en oormatige verbruik behoort beter lewenstylkeuses aangemoedig te word om te help om die aarde se kwynende natuurlike hulpbronne te beveilig. Vinnige omkeertye en die korter lewensduur van kledingstukke het aanleiding gegee tot die sogenaamde “kitsmode”-bedryf wat in sy geheel groot kommer oor die omgewing veroorsaak. Om die gevolge van dié bedryf teë te werk, moet verbruikers volhoubaarder lewenstyle aankweek en eienaarskap neem van wat empiries bekend staan as “vrywillige eenvoud” (Leonard-Barton, 1981; Elgin & Mitchell, 1977). Vrywillige een / Dissertation (MConsumer Science)--University of Pretoria, 2019. / Consumer Science / MConsumer Science / Unrestricted

No description available.

Faced with population increases but stagnant capital improvements and impacts from global warming, cities around the world are experimenting with smaller-scale and cheaper strategies in order to accommodate the new influx of residents. New York City has led the way in converting low-efficiency intersection space into public plazas with a limited range of permanently installed elements and San Francisco has pioneered the concept of the parklet, which converts two to four street parking spaces into a modular and flexible pedestrian space. I seek to answer two questions about these spaces: What are common factors influencing the viability and successful implementation of parklets and public plaza? And what are the social and environmental outcomes of constructing parklets and public plazas at a site-specific level and across larger urban scales? Previous research has examined the dynamics and components of public spaces in cities. This research builds upon previous research efforts. By answering these questions, cities and communities seeking to create more pedestrian-friendly and human-oriented space have insights into the components that make parklets and public plazas work and what impacts these developments can have throughout their built environment. I conducted theoretical research of scholarly works concerning urban ecology, resilience, and the social components of cities, and conducted structured observations of plazas and parklets and appropriate control sites in New York City and San Francisco. At a site-specific scale, these developments promote a diverse range of uses and can serve as localized nodes. Across larger scales, these developments can use design considerations to change the perception of an area or neighborhood and have the potential to create a linked system that provides widespread circulatory and ecological improvements. Creating programs that facilitate parklet installations and plaza conversions give cities and communities the most bang for their buck because they provide flexible spaces that do not involve major and expensive capital improvements. Parklets and public plazas are viable projects for providing green space and promoting pedestrian circulation within neighborhoods and communities.

In this degree project I’m designing furniture for the human scale in the public space. More specifically for parks and squares in the city. As I am defining the human scale I am inspired by two main sources; the documentary Alive inside(2014) och Peter Gärdenfors Tankens vindlar(2005). The most important part of this definition is its inner logic, the idea that the human scale consists of two parts, that it is  in size close to mine  in spirit  personal. The first part determines proportion as related to the human body and the other describes the form essens. Through the workshop I gather the relevant data that gives form to the spirit, that is personal. In the workshop held with six elderly people in a home in the suburbs of Uppsala, we sat down and listened to music and worked with clay for one hour. The hand made clay sculptures are scanned and so digitalised and available for digital fabrication. This method of working with the design and production is also an attempt to work towards industrial production. So to make the design available for the city by avoiding high cost production. The data have been adjusted using Meshmixer and then realised physically through a collaboration with Scania and their large scale 5-axis CNC machine. The result is two pieces of furniture; one bench and one platform. In this first section of the report, under the title Contextualising and investigative discussion, I will describe to you why this project is important. Important to us, as people living our lives in the evolving city, creating a social standard or a social tradition together in the public space. In the next section, under the title Method of Work, I’ll go in to more extended detail describing separate parts of the design process as I’ll go through the practical aspects. In the third section, under the title The Concept and Implementing, I will sum up my initial thoughts in relation to the new information the project have generated.

This diploma project aims to explore the importance of details and small gestures in architecture.  Whether its a technical detail, a choice of material or a lighting fixture, these seemingly small gestures all influence how we experience a room. It is my belief that these little details, can make a big difference to how we experience our everyday life and that they communicate care and thoughtfulness. What difference does a minor change in material, division of space or a door handle do to the experience of a room as a whole; which are those small gestures that show care and thoughtfulness?  The project has explored details and small gestures in three categories: Division of space, Materiality & Elements, partially though case studies of renowned buildings from architects such as Alvar Aalto, Josef Frank and Sigurd Lewerentz, as well as though the proposal of a redesign of the courthouse of Katrineholm, into a Municipal Archive. The redesign tested small gestures in relationship the room as a whole, to each other and to its surroundings.  “We should work for simple, good, undecorated things, but things which are in harmony with the human being and organically suited to the little man in the street” - Alvar Aalto / Detta examensarbete ämnar utforska vikten av detaljer och små gester inom arkitekturen. Oavsett om det handlar om en teknisk detalj, ett val av material eller en lampa, har de små gesterna inom arkitekturen inflytande på hur vi upplever rum. Det är min övertygelse att de små detaljerna gör en stor skillnad på hur vi upplever vår vardag och att de uttrycker en omtanke för vår omgivning. Vilka detaljer gör mest skillnad för upplevelsen av ett rum och vilka är då dessa små gester som uttycker omtanke och värdighet? Projektet har undersökt detaljer i tre kategorier: Division of space, Materiality och Elements (Rumsindelning, Materialitet & Objekt), dels genom studier av kända byggnader från arkitekterna Alvar Aalto, Josef Frank och sigurd Lewerentz, och dels genom att rita ett förslag på en ombyggnad av Tingshuset i Katrineholm till kommunarkiv. Ombyggnaden har testat olika små gester, som till exempel bord, stenläggningar och dörrhandtag, deras förhållande till varandra och byggnaden som helhet.  “We should work for simple, good, undecorated things, but things which are in harmony with the human being and organically suited to the little man in the street” - Alvar Aalto