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Neither a language nor a society remains unchanged. Change is both inevitable and natural. Similarly attitudes towards speakers of different languages change over time. When more than one language is spoken in a community their relative distance from one another influences attitudes within it, since speech is a particularly sensitive instrument for gauging stereotyped attitudes present in a community. The affective aspect has created much research interest among those working in the area of language acquisition and is of primordial interest to teachers and educationalists, especially those concerned with primary and secondary education where most formal language learning starts. The context of the present study is the Basque Country where two languages, Castilian and Euskera, the Basque language, are spoken. They are studied with reference to the attitudinal and affective aspects, with the main emphasis on the minorised language, Euskera. The history of Euskera is examined in the light of other selected minority languages. An investigation into language attitudes towards Euskera using the 'matched-guise' technique is described and the conclusion drawn that a process of constant community accommodation is required to bring a positive resolution to the situation.

This dissertation expands the body of research available on the Muslim minority in Thailand, particularly in regard to conflicts in the Lower South. Working within the framework of moderate multiculturalism and secularism, the dissertation seeks to understand how Muslim professionals see the relationship between Islamic representative bodies and the Thai state, the roles of Islamic institutions and their religious conduct in relation to wider Thai society. The fieldwork conducted in 2008 and 2009 shows similarities and differences between Muslim professionals inside and outside of the Lower South in relation to these issues. In general, Muslim professionals support national integration and multiculturalism. In the Lower South in particular, they support national integration on the condition that it supports Muslim identity. Most interviewees believe that Islamic representative bodies play integrative roles. However, this is not seen as beneficial to the Muslim community and improvements are widely desired. Where the government and the representative bodies have not been able to resolve the unrest in the Lower South, local civil society organizations have taken an active peace-making role, with the aim of promoting Muslim identity under the Thai Constitution. This dissertation also examines attitudes to mosques and Islamic education through interviewees' perspectives. The research shows that Muslim professionals expect mosques to perform a community-based role. More specifically, interviewees in the Lower South suggested cooperation between local administrative organizations and mosque committees, whereas those based elsewhere in Thailand recommended that mosques should provide social services inclusive to non-Muslim society. On Islamic education, most wished to see improvements. Some interviewees, mainly outside the Lower South, shared the government's view regarding connections between the unrest in the southernmost provinces and traditional and private Islamic schools, in consideration of which they believed that the government itself should take the leading role in providing Islamic education. On the other hand, interviewees in the Lower South mainly took the view that Islamic school development is obstructed by the unrest which the government has not been able to resolve. Therefore, their suggestions involved improving secular curricula and introducing more meaningful and integrative religious teachings, aimed at academic excellence. The research further shows that the religious conduct of Muslim professionals and their perspectives on it are significantly connected to their social environment. While Muslim interviewees both inside and outside the Lower South do not limit themselves to consuming halal-signed food only, those living outside the Lower South, where Muslims are a minority, showed a greater willingness to compromise in relation to eating and drinking. Most women professionals outside the Lower South do not wear hijabs for justifiable reasons, while virtually all women in the Lower South do. Although most interviewees marry within the Muslim community, in principle they also accept inter-religious marriage. Marriage between Muslims from different sects is viewed as more controversial, although this conviction is held less strongly outside the Lower South. Overall, the interviewees are committed to preserving their Muslim identity, but with less strict trends outside the Lower South. This might well reflect moderate multiculturalism and secularism in Thailand where the identity of religious minorities and the majority Buddhist population are subject to negotiation.

The burden of obesity and related health conditions is particularly high among African Americans and low-income families. A large body of evidence demonstrates the benefit of following a diet recommended by federal dietary guidelines in reducing obesity risk and promoting overall health. The environment plays an important role in the development of childhood obesity by influencing mechanisms related to dietary behavior patterns. This study used secondary data from a Texas state and national survey of Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) participants prior to the implementation of food package changes in 2009. The purpose of the study was to describe diet quality, examine relationships between diet quality and sociodemographic factors, and investigate household environmental influences on fruit and vegetable consumption among African American children. A healthy food indicator with four components indicative of a healthy diet, namely fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and low-fat milk, was used to measure diet quality. African American women and children in this study‘s sample did not meet the standards for a healthy diet. Personal and family characteristics, including age, caregiver education, urbanization, and region of residence, were associated with diet quality in African American women and children. The majority of African American children in this sample did not meet current recommendations for daily fruit and vegetable consumption. Six household environmental factors were associated with fruit and vegetable consumption by African American children, including physical factors (primary caregiver purchase and preparation of fruits and vegetables) and sociocultural factors (primary caregiver fruit and vegetable consumption, perception of child liking fruits and vegetables, fruit and vegetable selection self-efficacy, and self-efficacy for healthful child feeding). The strongest predictor of fruit and vegetable consumption by African American children was the fruit and vegetable consumption by primary caregivers. Health education strategies aimed at improving diets of African Americans need to address a variety of sociodemographic and household factors influencing dietary behavior patterns. Strategies to promote the reduction of childhood obesity through increases in fruit and vegetable consumption must account for the consumption of fruits and vegetables among primary caregivers.

Thesis (Ed. D.)--University of Texas at Austin, 2003. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references. Available also from UMI Company.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Washington, 2001. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 117-126).

This study aims to look at female executives’ view of their leadership in the male-dominated construction industry. The study is  qualitative and focuses on the respondents' subjective perceptions. We have conducted six interviews with women in different companies whose positions within each company varied. Using theories of subjectivity, emotions, impression management and organizational structures, to support the analysis conducted, this study shows that there are obstacles for women in the industry, but it also shows that it  seems to be facing a brighter future. Women experience obstacles in their careers because of perceptions claiming that men are better suited to work in the construction industry. Women in our study believe that these perceptions are changing and that women are beginning to become a natural part of the organisations.