This thesis conceptualises the careers of women in the developing country context of Malawi. A range of 'new' career theories, namely boundaryless, protean, kaleidoscope have been developed in response to the limitations of using traditional theories for studying careers and women's careers in particular. However, these theories have been mostly based on women with interrupted careers in western contexts due to child care reasons. These have also assumed that women have preferences in terms of whether to be career oriented or family oriented. Yet, women in developing and indeed some women in the developed countries have constrained choices and do not pursue interrupted careers. Despite having family responsibilities, they work continuously and mostly full-time. Therefore, there have been calls for more context-specific career studies, especially targeting developing countries. Based on this literature gap, this thesis adopted a qualitative approach to conceptualise the careers of women in Malawi, drawing on the experiences of women in the formal economy, specifically in education and finance and insurance industries. The study finds that the careers of women in Malawi and indeed other women in similar contexts do not fit the existing career perspectives and the proposed 'makeshift' career orientation better explains the studied women's careers. This proposed career concept recognises that careers are a result of compromises that women make when faced with tensions emanating from both the employment and family contexts which simultaneously influence women's careers. The research therefore provides the basis for broadening the existing career perspectives to more adequately reflect the experiences of women, particularly in the developing world. Additionally, the study has adopted an intersectionally-sensitive approach to analysing the employment contexts in two very different sectors. The evidence presented in this thesis gives weight to the intersectional perspective as not only does it find that the actual form of inequality varies but also that the various practices that contribute to inequalities in the different sectors affect different groups of people differently by gender, class and in certain cases region. This contributes to the embryonic literature on intersectionality in terms of both its practice and theory, and understanding how gender and class issues in Malawi may be different from the way these are conceptualised in western contexts.

This thesis focuses on the experiences of the ‘disorderly’ neighbourhood of Rosemary Lane and Rag Fair in the eastern suburbs of London in c.1690 to 1765. Rosemary Lane and Rag Fair possessed one of the most powerfully articulated reputations for disorder of any London street. In the imagination of both novelists and social investigators it was thought to be squalid, dangerous, dirty - the stereotypical ‘den of iniquity’. Using a wide range of material including parish records, Middlesex session papers, eighteenth century newspapers, and digital sources such as the Old Bailey On-Line and London Lives this thesis will explore the streets and alleyways of Rag Fair. It will go beyond the simple perception of a disorderly neighbourhood, to describe the individual communities and forces which created that disorder. It will show that the poor of Rosemary Lane, generally, did not see themselves as a problem waiting to be solved, they were resourceful and they had their own way of surviving - they were active players in a changing City that was shaking off its medieval roots and embracing the modern. By looking in detail at this community; at its structures and divisions, and at its power relations, its self-identity will be revealed.

This thesis is the result of a set of personal concerns about, on the one hand, how the debates about the modes of expression of the neoliberal regime - particularly in the so-called "urban world" (assuming that there is something outside the "urban”, which is a discussion I did not have place for)- develop and, on the other, of a feeling of inadequacy in relation to how the so-called “urban commons” are conceptualized by many of its promoters. My way of dealing with these concerns assumes that a conceptual review of both phenomena is necessary. In that sense, I propose, based on, principally, theorists Pierre Dardot and Christian Laval, that the point of departure for their understanding should be that of considering them as “social principles”. This conceptualisation brings about distinctive consequences both in how we might fight one principle back and how we may foster the spring of the other one. This point of view will present both principles as mutually exclusive, meaning that while one operates, the other cannot. This will lead me to suggest that the "principle of the common" should be taken as the alternative to the "neoliberal principle." Subsequently, and for being able to frame what the transit from one social principle to another consists of, I will draw upon basic conceptions of classical sociology and the Italian operaismo tradition and will try to demonstrate how the possibility of this transit highly depends on collective representational processes which involve the enacting of a praxis. Once the previous has been settled, I will develop upon philosopher Franco Berardi s notion of Poetry -basically, meaning creationfor afterwards hinging upon semiologist Umberto Eco’s theorizations on semiology of architecture. This way, I will try to expand on how certain expressions of makeshift urbanism, as practico-aesthetical experiences, might help bring about the mentioned social processes. Using that experimental theoretical framework -which relies on the concepts of Poetry, Insolvency and Solvency-, I will analyse the ways in which Allm nna Badet, a public sauna built in the former harbour of Gothenburg following makeshift procedures, might have elicited the societal processes needed for the mentioned paradigm shift. Basing myself in -mainly- architectural semiological analysis applied to my observations of the built environment and through semi-structured interviews to the users of the installation, I will try to discuss on how the involvement in that built environment’s spatial practices might have influenced the users’ conceptions and commitment regarding both social principles. I will conclude that makeshift urbanism presents itself as an adequate tool for bringing about transfigurations in the material urban hierarchies as well as for influencing subjects’ valuative schemes in the direction of the common and in detriment of the neoliberal. However, I will conclude as well, that the tool might not be capable for fostering wider and lasting social change by itself, prospect which, I suggest, might change if the tool is used at a denser and spread-out fashion alongside the urban tissue.

International Telemetering Conference Proceedings / October 22-25, 2001 / Riviera Hotel and Convention Center, Las Vegas, Nevada / Automating Telemetry Tracking Systems Operational Readiness Tests is a concept that was introduced at White Sands Missile Range in the early 1980’s. The idea was to determine the condition of a Telemetry Tracking System in a reliable manner in a short time as possible. A series of RF and Servo Tests designed to determine the condition of a Telemetry Tracking System was implemented using HP BASIC. The latest personal computers are faster and have more storage capacity plus the capability to be programmed in higher level languages such as C/C++ and LabView. This technology makes it easier to automate system tests. Many of these tests need to be conducted just prior to supporting a mission. Some tests are required to be performed on mobile systems after moving the system from one location to another, especially if the move was over long distances and rugged terrain. Tests such as G/T are conducted before each mission because it yields accurate information on the Figure of Merit, or, System Sensitivity. Noise Figure Measurements are more difficult to perform to determine the System Sensitivity since modern RF Subsystems have pre-amplifiers with Noise Figures of less than 1.0 dB. The “down-sizing” of personnel increases the possibility of failure in mission support scenarios due to the many critical readiness tests needed to assess the Telemetry Tracking Systems. Also, conventional test methods can be time consuming and are subject to human error. This paper describes four critical tests that have been automated to improve reliability of the test data and decrease the amount of time required to conduct the tests. The “C/C++” language was used to write the automation programs. More tests will be automated later.

Currently it has become recognized that to successfully manage the crisis situation it is necessary to ensure the basic transport, particularly transport infrastructure impassable. One of the many problem areas while ensuring operation in transport is critical to ensure the functionality of artificial structures, and thus become very important just bridges that we in most cases considered by the throat on the roads. Bridges must be kept sufficiently passable,and failing this, just need to take action in the form of construction of a temporary replacement bridge. The general aim of my thesis was to analyze the usefulness of temporary bridge construction kits in crisis situations. The theoretical part describes issues related legislation with crisis management, basic concepts related to crisis management, bridge set MS, heavy bridge set TMS and the use of the Czech Army in crisis situations. Crisis management was essential after the floods in 1997 and 2002 given special attention. It was gradually ascertained that five years after the floods in Moravia in 1997, the Army increasingly lack a global perspective on the overall topic of crisis management. The focus is on bridge set MS. This is a releasable steel bridge construction, which was initially designed for the military sector to the possibility of fast implementation of temporary bypass obstacles. Another topic of interest is becoming difficult bridge kit. Heavy bridge system is normalized steel folding bridge for only one lane of the lower deck, which is designed to build bridges with one or more fields of bridges and overpasses for the construction of the railway. The use of the Czech Army is further defined as a task of the integrated rescue system in the area of internal security, where the individual components of the Integrated Rescue System and other bodies involved in internal security and civil protection must be able to respond professionally and in cooperation with other stakeholders to intervene effectively in an emergency or crisis caused by terrorist attacks, natural and environmental disasters, industrial accidents, and other dangers that threaten the lives, health, property, the environment, internal security and public order in the Czech Republic. The Czech army is used for temporary organized deployment of military units and military installations with the necessary military equipment and under the control of the appropriate commander. Military assistance becomes necessary when the designated administrative authorities, local authorities or a fire protection can no longer ensure the rescue work on their own. The use of the army for rescue operations can be done at the request of regional governors, mayors and mayors of municipalities or the Ministry of the Interior through the Operational and Information Centre Fire and Rescue through the permanent operations center of the Army of the Czech Republic. In the practical part I am focused on gathering the available general and internal information,reports and documentation on the use of temporary bridge kits in crisis situations and analysis of documents,regulations and methodologies relating to the construction of temporary bridge kits in crisis situations. Practical application of new trends and technologies, based on experience with engineer bridge company Czech Army. Processing and evaluation of the results was done in MS Word and MS Excel.