Purposes The present paper employs public discourses, in the form of policy documents from the OECD, EU and the UN, news and popular media, to explore how economic and political subjectivities simultaneously emerge and are obfuscated in the ubiquitous discourses on education that are dominated by neoliberal ideas (Ball, 2006; Buras & Apple, 2005).  Perspectives and theoretical framework One point of departure are the notions of “interdiscursivity” and “medialization of politics,” which point to how discourses are rearticulated in different contexts, drawing on each other, and thereby both affirming and displacing each other, and to how politics is made intelligible in public media (Fairclough, 1995; 2000). Another point of departure is the notions of assemblages and flight lines (Deleuze & Guattari, 2004). These concepts enable us to understand the neoliberal education discourse as an open, ambiguous and undecided assemblage, and to explore how this assemblage makes possible differing educational aims and subject positions.  Methods The argument is based on discourse analysis of transnational policy documents and news and popular media from different nations. The aim of the analysis is to explore what economic and political subject positions are made possible in these different data sets.  Results and Arguments Although the tenants of neoliberalism are dominant, they are not totally hegemonic. In both the policy documents and the public media data, there are simultaneous articulations of a neoliberal educational discourse and a discourse of education as a tool to enhance democracy and create social justice. Furthermore, these discourses inform and are often intertwined with each other.   The transnational policy documents predominantly articulate education as possibilities. There are, however, salient differences between the OECD and EU documents, and the UN documents. Although all emphasize what education can do for the nations, the former stress education as a prerequisite for economic progress, whereas the latter stress eliminating poverty, fostering democracy, and empowering individuals and subordinated groups. In this way, the OECD and EU documents constitute subjectivities in relation to a market focused on how learners can contribute to a growing economy, whereas the UN documents constitute political subjects who can contribute to society through political interventions.  News and public media are dominated by articulations of an education system in a state of “crisis”. The arguments for these representations and the solutions brought forward are drawn from a neoliberal discourse focused on competition, marketization, free choice, and private initiatives, but there is also a parallel and intersecting discourse of education as a means to give subordinated subjects opportunities for a better life. However, these discourses mainly point to economic rather than to political subjectivities, who hold their future in their own hands by making the right choices and working hard. This is not completely unambiguous, as media representations, especially in the popular media, also depict resistance and constitute subjectivities who subvert the neoliberal hegemony and who insist on the political (Mouffe, 2005). These subversions open the door to notions of education as practices that not only stabilize, but also destabilize and change society. / Class in neoliberal education discourses

The oil and gas industry, more than at any time in the past, is highly affected by technological advancements, new products, drilling and completion techniques, capital expenditures (CAPEX), operating expenditures (OPEX), risk/uncertainty, and geopolitics. Therefore, to make a decision in the upstream business, projects require a thorough understanding of the factors and conditions affecting them in order to systematically analyze, evaluate and select the best choice among all possible alternatives. The objective of this study is to develop a methodology to assist engineers in the decision making process of maximizing access to reserves. The process encompasses technical, economic and risk analysis of various alternatives in the completion of a well (vertical, horizontal or multilateral) by using a well performance model for technical evaluation and a deterministic analysis for economic and risk assessment. In the technical analysis of the decision making process, the flow rate for a defined reservoir is estimated by using a pseudo-steady state flow regime assumption. The economic analysis departs from the utilization of the flow rate data which assumes a certain pressure decline. The financial cash flow (FCF) is generated for the purpose of measuring the economic worth of investment proposals. A deterministic decision tree is then used to represent the risks inherent due to geological uncertainty, reservoir engineering, drilling, and completion for a particular well. The net present value (NPV) is utilized as the base economic indicator. By selecting a type of well that maximizes the expected monetary value (EMV) in a decision tree, we can make the best decision based on a thorough understanding of the prospect. The method introduced in this study emphasizes the importance of a multi-discipline concept in drilling, completion and operation of multilateral wells.

Intelligent well completions are increasingly being used in horizontal, multilateral, and multi-branching wells. Such completions are equipped with permanent sensors to measure temperature and pressure profiles, which must then be interpreted to determine the inflow profiles of the various phases produced that are needed to characterize the well??s performance. Distributed temperature measurements, using fiber optics in particular, are becoming increasingly more often applied. The value of an intelligent completion hinges on our capability to extract such inflow profiles or, at a minimum, to locate the entry locations of undesirable water or gas entries. In this research, a model of temperature behavior in multilateral wells was developed. The model predicts the temperature profiles in the build sections connecting the laterals to one another or to a main wellbore, thus accounting for the changing well angle relative to the temperature profile in the earth. In addition, energy balance equations applied at each junction predict the effects of mixing on the temperature above each junction. The multilateral wellbore temperature model was applied to a wide range of cases, in order to determine the conditions for which intelligent completions would be most useful. Parameters that were varied for this experiment included fluid thermal properties, absolute values of temperature and pressure, geothermal gradients, flow rates from each lateral, and the trajectories of each build section. From this parametric study, guidelines for an optimal application of intelligent well completion are represented.

The main objective of this study is to investigate the applicability of a new multilateral well architecture in the domain of small size and offshore gas fields. The new architecture completely reverses the current multilateral technology. The innovative concept suggests that laterals can be achieved like any conventional wells. They could be drilled from the surface and tied back to a common wellbore referred to as the mother well. Production would go through the toe of laterals into the mother well. The mother well could be as simple as a large diameter casing equipped with prepared connections to tie in feeder wells. This study looked past the mechanical challenge of achieving the new architecture. I demonstrated important benefits in terms of cost reduction, well completion and operations, and reservoir drainage. I looked at a typical field case, Phoenix, located in West Africa. Its actual development plan targets an ultimate recovery of 600 BCF with a total of four sub-vertical wells. I implemented a new development scenario with the innovative multilateral architecture. For comparison purposes, I achieved a reservoir simulation and a production forecast with both scenarios. The only simulation variable was the well architecture definition. As a main result, the new multilateral structure could produce as many as four vertical wells with three slim-hole laterals. I achieved a quantitative risk analysis on both development plans. I assessed the development cost of each scenario and performed a Monte Carlo simulation to account for cost uncertainties. In addition to the actual 70 MMSCFD gas contract, I simulated a progressive gas demand increase of 20 MMSCFD every five years and a 150 MMSCFD gas market. The study demonstrates the economic benefits of the new technology in the domain of offshore and small gas fields. This work also shows that this new generation of multilaterals brings new option values to the domain of multilateral technology.

Magister Legum - LLM / This research is based on the premise that the BRICS group is a movement directed at the rebalancing power and wealth that may put an end to the domination of developed countries in the multilateral trading system. In order to effectively explore the role of BRICS in the further development of the multilateral trading system, this research poses the following questions: 1- What is the legal and institutional framework of the BRICS group and how does this framework relate to the objectives of BRICS group? 2- What is the interaction between the WTO and BRICS countries in the multilateral trading system? 3- What is the position of BRICS countries in the decision making process in the multilateral trading system? This research assesses the rise of the BRICS group, in relation to the participation of developing countries within the WTO. It presents some aspects regarding the challenges and complications that developing countries face in their participation in the multilateral trading system. The research further seeks to explore if this participation allows for more democratic development of the current multilateral trading system.

We consider a partial equilibrium Cournot-oligopolistic model in which the domestic market of two differentiated goods is served by a number of identical domestic firms and exports by foreign firms. In chapter 1, we characterize the optimality conditions with an emission standard and lump-sum tax to target the distortions, and we find the optimal instrument that targets the emission or pollution most efficiently. Through our study we find out that the use of right mix of environmental and non-environmental policy instruments could decrease emissions and increase welfare of the economy at the same time, even when there is foreign competition. Next, we introduce cross-border pollution and model pollution content tariff imposed on the imports from foreign country as one of the instruments for the domestic country in chapter 2. We first characterize the optimal values of the policy instruments and then design multilateral piecemeal policy reforms that unambiguously improve the welfare of the countries involved and reduce emissions. In chapter 3, we compare the effectiveness of two policy instruments in reducing pollution: subsidies tied to R&D and tariffs as trade barriers. Our paper shows that multilateral piecemeal policy reforms could be designed where 'carrots' in the form of tied subsidies to R&D would prove to be more beneficial than 'sticks' in the form of tariffs, in reducing the pollution and increasing the welfare for the two countries.

O objetivo geral desta pesquisa é analisar a atuação do Brasil em comércio exterior durante os anos de 2003 a 2013. Considera-se que neste período o país tem feito uso de medidas protecionistas com o objetivo de elevar a competitividade dos bens brasileiros. Este fato fica mais evidente a partir de 2011, com o lançamento do Plano Brasil Maior, dentro do qual as medidas de defesa comercial passam a integrar diretrizes oficiais do governo, em conjunto com perfurações tarifárias e aumentos de tarifas à importação. Além disso, outros programas, integrantes da política industrial e de comércio exterior, apresentam forte conteúdo nacionalista. Por outro lado, o fraco desempenho do setor industrial evidencia que, apesar do protecionismo, a indústria doméstica não consegue se restabelecer como setor dinâmico da economia. Nesse contexto, é possível afirmar que políticas comerciais que visam a combater processos de desindustrialização são paradoxais com as regras multilaterais? Para responder a esta pergunta, a análise foi dividida em dois artigos científicos. Primeiramente, é apresentada uma revisão bibliográfica sobre o tema da desindustrialização, para entender a evolução do conceito e a maneira como ele é trabalhado pelos principais autores nacionais e estrangeiros. O artigo busca incluir a política comercial, enquanto instrumento macroeconômico, nesta análise, ressaltando o seu papel nos resultados comerciais. Já o segundo artigo traz dados empíricos, a partir do levantamento das resoluções da CAMEX no período 2003-2013, com o objetivo de mapear o protecionismo da política comercial brasileira e entender se tais medidas servem ao propósito de exercer uma força contrária ao processo de desindustrialização. / The overall objective of this research is to analyze Brazilian performance in international trade from 2003 to 2013. During this period, Brazil has made use of protectionist measures in order to raise the competitiveness of its goods. It is more evident from 2011, with the launch of the \"Greater Brazil Plan\", within which the trade defense measures became part of the governmental guidelines, along with import tariff rate increases and perforations of Mercosul\'s Common External Tariff. In addition, there are other programs, within both trade and industrial policies, which present strong nationalist content. On the other hand, the low performance of the industrial sector shows that, despite the use of protectionist measures, the domestic industry could not be stablished, as a dynamic sector of the economy. In this context, is it possible to state that trade policies, which aim to fight de-industrialization are paradoxical with multilateral trade rules? To answer to this question, firstly, we present a review of the literature on the topic of de-industrialization, focusing on the definition of the concept, as well as how the main authors have used it. The article aims to include trade policy in the analysis, by highlighting its role in trade results, while a macroeconomic instrument. The second article provides empirical data from the survey of CAMEX resolutions during the years of 2003 to 2013, in order to map the protectionism content of Brazilian trade policy and to understand whether such measures serve to the purpose of exerting a counterforce to de deindustrialization process.

O objetivo geral desta pesquisa é analisar a atuação do Brasil em comércio exterior durante os anos de 2003 a 2013. Considera-se que neste período o país tem feito uso de medidas protecionistas com o objetivo de elevar a competitividade dos bens brasileiros. Este fato fica mais evidente a partir de 2011, com o lançamento do Plano Brasil Maior, dentro do qual as medidas de defesa comercial passam a integrar diretrizes oficiais do governo, em conjunto com perfurações tarifárias e aumentos de tarifas à importação. Além disso, outros programas, integrantes da política industrial e de comércio exterior, apresentam forte conteúdo nacionalista. Por outro lado, o fraco desempenho do setor industrial evidencia que, apesar do protecionismo, a indústria doméstica não consegue se restabelecer como setor dinâmico da economia. Nesse contexto, é possível afirmar que políticas comerciais que visam a combater processos de desindustrialização são paradoxais com as regras multilaterais? Para responder a esta pergunta, a análise foi dividida em dois artigos científicos. Primeiramente, é apresentada uma revisão bibliográfica sobre o tema da desindustrialização, para entender a evolução do conceito e a maneira como ele é trabalhado pelos principais autores nacionais e estrangeiros. O artigo busca incluir a política comercial, enquanto instrumento macroeconômico, nesta análise, ressaltando o seu papel nos resultados comerciais. Já o segundo artigo traz dados empíricos, a partir do levantamento das resoluções da CAMEX no período 2003-2013, com o objetivo de mapear o protecionismo da política comercial brasileira e entender se tais medidas servem ao propósito de exercer uma força contrária ao processo de desindustrialização. / The overall objective of this research is to analyze Brazilian performance in international trade from 2003 to 2013. During this period, Brazil has made use of protectionist measures in order to raise the competitiveness of its goods. It is more evident from 2011, with the launch of the \"Greater Brazil Plan\", within which the trade defense measures became part of the governmental guidelines, along with import tariff rate increases and perforations of Mercosul\'s Common External Tariff. In addition, there are other programs, within both trade and industrial policies, which present strong nationalist content. On the other hand, the low performance of the industrial sector shows that, despite the use of protectionist measures, the domestic industry could not be stablished, as a dynamic sector of the economy. In this context, is it possible to state that trade policies, which aim to fight de-industrialization are paradoxical with multilateral trade rules? To answer to this question, firstly, we present a review of the literature on the topic of de-industrialization, focusing on the definition of the concept, as well as how the main authors have used it. The article aims to include trade policy in the analysis, by highlighting its role in trade results, while a macroeconomic instrument. The second article provides empirical data from the survey of CAMEX resolutions during the years of 2003 to 2013, in order to map the protectionism content of Brazilian trade policy and to understand whether such measures serve to the purpose of exerting a counterforce to de deindustrialization process.

Master of Arts / Department of Economics / Wayne Nafziger / Although the ozone layer is vital to life on Earth, as a common resource it has been the subject of rational exploitation. With ozone depletion a global (rather than merely regional) problem, measures to address it have necessarily been international efforts. The international treaty that addressed ozone depletion, the Montreal Protocol (with its subsequent amendments), has widely been hailed as a success. However, the triumphs of the Montreal Protocol are inseparable from its Multilateral Fund, whose creation was a prerequisite for developing nations, including juggernauts China and India, to ratify the Protocol. Since its inception the Fund has supplied over $2.5 billion to initiatives that support the phase-out of ozone-depleting chemicals in developing nations. These projects have increasingly employed market mechanisms to achieve efficient results, and have generated positive profits for participating firms. Funded initiatives have included upgrading capital, educating maintenance workers, production buyouts, public awareness, and institutional strengthening. Aside from ensuring the success of the overall Protocol, this last item will likely be the Multilateral Fund’s most enduring legacy, as inherent shortcomings of the Fund have largely been attributed to its status as a pioneering financial mechanism. The Multilateral Fund has broken new ground in international environmental regulation and shown that success on ecological issues is indeed possible at the global level, leading many to hope that the Fund will serve as a model for future mechanisms to address climate change. While the more complex chemistry and economics of climate change make such a ready duplication of the Multilateral Fund’s success unlikely, the Fund’s role in strengthening institutions that address ecological concerns has undoubtedly smoothed the way for future international environmental action.

This dissertation investigates three sets of research questions. First, how can partner selection be used as a mechanism to minimize R&D alliance participants’ concerns about knowledge leakage? And what is the nature of the relationship among partner selection and two previously-studied protection mechanisms – governance structure and alliance scope? Extending this research question to the international context, the second set of research questions asks how international R&D alliances differ from their domestic counterparts in partner selection to protect their participants’ valuable knowledge, and how different types of international R&D alliances vary in this regard. Distinguishing bilateral from multilateral R&D alliances, this dissertation examines a third set of questions about how multilateral R&D alliances differ from bilateral ones in partner selection for the purpose of protecting participants’ technological assets. Hypotheses are proposed and tested with a sample of 2,185 R&D alliances involving companies in high technology industries. Results indicate that the more radical the innovation an R&D alliance intends to develop, the more likely the alliance will be formed between Friends than Strangers. However, under the same situation, firms are less likely to select Acquaintances than Strangers. A substitution effect was detected among partner selection, governance structure, and alliance scope used by firms to protect their valuable technological assets from being appropriated in R&D alliances. In addition, no empirical support was found for different partner selection preferences for firms forming domestic R&D alliances versus international R&D alliances. However, results show that firms, when forming trinational R&D alliances and/or traditional international R&D alliances, are more likely to select their prior partners than when forming cross-nation domestic R&D alliances. Moreover, this study shows that when an R&D alliance is formed by multiple companies, partner firms are more likely to be prior partners. I argue that concerns about knowledge leakage explain this result.