This research studies mass-elite dimensions of support for the EU in Bulgaria. The scope is to fill a missing gap in the existing literatures on public opinion and party positions on European integration providing an in-depth study on a specific case of Central and Eastern Europe before accession. In order to present the most comprehensive study, the research employs quantitative and qualitative research methodologies in the form of cross tabulations of public opinion surveys, contents and discourse analysis of election programmes, parliamentary debates and elite interviews. The main research question is what the level of support was for the EU at mass and elite levels in Bulgaria during the accession process, and what the relationship between them was. The results are likely to be valid well beyond the specific interest of the research in all current member states and candidate countries. The main conclusions drawn from this project are that in Bulgaria the utilitarian and proxy models of support explain well the high degree of public support for EU membership before accession and in that respect Bulgaria conforms to the analysis of past academic contributions on public opinion in Central and Eastern Europe. At elite level European integration was perceived positively and debated in broad terms until the Copenhagen criteria for accession were formulated. In the latter part of the transition EU membership was established as a valence issue in Bulgarian party politics but the parties differed in their visions of the EU according to ideology, their coalition potential and positions in the party system. Moreover, the level of support for the EU in Bulgaria was influenced by internal (domestic) and external (EU related) factors associated with European integration. Chapters 2 and 3 of the thesis provide a contextual framework for the empirical chapters by describing the environment in which support for the EU in Bulgaria was formed and developed. Chapters 4, 5 and 6 analyse the public and elite debates on European integration. The concluding Chapter 7 builds upon the thesis' findings by suggesting new avenues for research.

This thesis describes the results of a study of 33 tephra layers found within two peat sections near Anchor Point and Homer, Alaska, on the lower Kenai Peninsula. Numerous lower Cook Inlet volcanoes have been active through the Holocene. Tephra layers found at these two sites provide a partial record of their eruptive activity. The hazards that accompany this activity have increased as populations and commercial activities expand and air traffic over the region increases. The tephras analyzed for this study provide an initial geochemical database for the lower Cook Inlet volcanoes. The database is available in electronic format at the U.S. Geological Survey, Alaska Volcano Observatory. The Anchor Point and Homer sections contain tephras from Augustine, Iliamna, and possibly other volcanoes in the region. Anchor Point, the principal section for this study, yielded ten 14C ages ranging from 645 ± 85 cal yr BP at a depth of 14 cm to 8810 ± 205 cal yr BP at 270 cm. Seventeen tephra layers from Anchor Point and 16 from Homer were characterized by stratigraphic position, age, and grain-discrete major-element geochemical analysis by electron microprobe. Nine tephra layers are correlated by geochemical analysis between the Anchor Point and Homer sections. Several newly discovered tephra layers have been correlated with source volcanoes, three with Augustine and at least seven with Iliamna Volcano. The average recurrence interval of tephra fall events at Anchor Point is approximately 520 yrs.

Globalisation, localisation and tourism are processes that are closely interconnected. They relate to historical mobilities and non-mobilities of humans, ideas and capital that impact on environment, economy, culture, politics and technology. Yet, these impacts on local tourism destinations are not well researched. Small destinations are not researched in relation to the impact of globalisation and tourism overtime. The thesis develops an historical understanding of globalisation, localisation and tourism within the context of the Otago Peninsula in Dunedin, New Zealand. It portrays the �glocalisation� processes, the specific mix of local and global forces that shaped the Otago Peninsula and created the basis for the current conditions, especially for tourism. The research on the Otago Peninsula clearly identifies different stages of mobilities to the place, generally following a similar pattern to other places in New Zealand settled in the latest phase of colonialism. The first settlers, the Polynesians, were followed by white explorers, sealers and whalers at the beginning of the 19th century who exploited a local resource that was valuable to international markets. After the over-exploitation of the resource white settlers arrived to �conquer� nature and to improve on their living conditions in a new country. They provided the basis for the following mobilities by developing or facilitating a local, national, regional and international infrastructure. Towards the end of the 19th century the major European migration had ended. The next major mobility movement was recreationists from the close urban centre of Dunedin who used the infrastructure on the Otago Peninsula at weekends, as time, money and technology limited mobilities to places further away. From the 1920s onwards, when these limitations were reduced by, for example, a better infrastructure and new technological developments such as the car and more disposable income and time, New Zealanders started to more widely discover their own country. Finally, international travellers started to arrive in the 1960s after the main obstacle, the distance and time needed to travel to New Zealand and the Otago Peninsula, was reduced by technological development, especially airplanes. During all of these phases of mobility, the Otago Peninsula became increasingly interconnected with other places on the globe, creating the conditions for tourism. In this study, within the context of the phase model of mobilities, a variety of research methods were used to assess the impact of globalisation, localisation and tourism on the Otago Peninsula. These methods include literature, newspaper, local promotional materials and photographic images analysis, as well as participant observation and historical interviews. The research clearly highlights the changes to the Otago Peninsula created by historical events that happened as a consequence of human mobility. Internal and external conditions at different geographical scales, ranging from the local to the global, changed the economy, the environment, culture, politics and the use of technology on the Otago Peninsula. The place was (and still is) constantly glocalised. Consequently, international tourism, as one of the more recent forces, has to be managed within this historical framework of stretched social relations, the intensification of flows, increasing global interactions and the development of global infrastructure and networks.

This thesis provides an insight into the biology and ecology of foxes Vulpes vulpes from a coastal habitat and free roaming dogs Canis lupus familiaris from an Aboriginal community, both in SE NSW. In particular, the study examines the home range and movement patterns of both canids from a view point of population and disease control. Additional base line information was collected for these species on diet, parasites and population biology. A total of 14 foxes and 10 dogs were collared and radio tracked to determine the home range and movement patterns of the animals. The data collected provides information on the behaviour of foxes in coastal habitat and represents the first detailed biological study of freeroaming dogs in Australia. The results provide a better understanding of dog movements, particularly the differences in behaviour between wandering and sedentary dogs. Home range sizes varied greatly between the dog groups from 1 ha to 2451 ha. There was evidence that dog forays were influenced by prey availability, particularly medium sized macropods. Occasional sallies, size and shape of fox and dog home range is discussed in relation to the richness of habitat at Jervis Bay with comparisons being made with other studies from the literature. Foxes in Jervis Bay had home ranges between 60-270 ha which is comparable to foxes living in the forests of Germany and in coastal habitat in the Netherlands This study also provides data on the diet of foxes and dogs presenting quantitative and qualitative data on food preferences. Foxes tended to be opportunistic in food selection although critical weight range mammals ie. ringtail possums were favoured. The high prevalence of the parasite Spirometra spp. in foxes indicated that considerable numbers of amphibians and reptiles are consumed by this species. A comprehensive inventory of the parasites of the two canid species showed a high proportion of hookworm in foxes and dogs and Spirometra spp in foxes. These results are discussed in light of the potential health implications for local Aboriginal people. Analysis of fox scats revealed that they have the potential to spread the seeds of bitou bush. A more detailed pilot study revealed the potential impact of foxes on the environment through the spread of weed seeds. Germination trials recorded high viability of seeds that were eaten and deposited by foxes. The management implications of this behaviour are discussed in context to weed control. This thesis has provided new information on foxes and dogs in Australia. Discussion on these species in the thesis has been framed around the benefits of this information for population and disease control.

Habitat modification is the primary cause of amphibian population declines worldwide. Some species survive in modified habitats whereas others become restricted to small, isolated forest patches. Although many studies compare species richness and composition between modified and intact habitats, the factors and mechanisms that maintain biodiversity in these landscapes are poorly understood. I asked how life history traits and habitat features influence interspecific variation in frog occupancy patterns in tropical pasture and forest. To identify mechanisms underlying occupancy patterns, I used experiments to examine how abiotic conditions in different habitats influence the vital rates of tadpoles. I also explored whether tadpoles use a carnivorous foraging strategy to improve performance in nutrient-poor, ephemeral pools in pasture. Although modified and intact habitats offer abiotic environments that differ in quality for frogs, pastures contribute to the maintenance of biodiversity in fragmented landscapes. I detected an equal number of species but substantially different assemblage composition in forest and pasture. Species that occurred in pasture had different traits than those in forest, including larger body sizes, larger clutch sizes, larger geographic ranges, and reproductive modes that depend on water. The occurrence of pasture-specialists was associated with habitat features at small spatial scales, whereas the occurrence of forest-specialists was associated with habitat features at small and large spatial scales. An experiment indicated that abiotic conditions in pastures may deter or facilitate adult movements to breeding sites. Behavioral selection of sites by two model species was consistent with tadpole performance. Tadpoles of a pasture-specialist performed well across the pasture-forest gradient, but abiotic conditions in pasture facilitated faster growth and development than in edge or forest. In contrast, tadpoles of a forest-specialist performed well only in edge and forest. Most tadpoles occupying ephemeral pasture pools were facultative carnivores or cannibals of eggs and hatchlings. Tadpoles may contribute to the regulation of assemblages in pasture pools, influencing the relative abundance and composition of species through differential predation on eggs and hatchlings. The study of factors and mechanisms that contribute to population growth or decline of species can facilitate understanding of assemblage-level patterns of amphibian diversity in modified landscapes.

Matagorda Peninsula is located along an interfluvial region of the central Texas coast in the northwestern Gulf of Mexico. The Pleistocene Beaumont Clay underlies the coastal plain and inner continental shelf and controls the general slope of the coast in this region. This clay surface also creates low accommodation space for the preservation of modern sediments. As a result, only a thin (1 m) layer of transgressive Holocene muddy sand extends throughout the lower shoreface. On 15 July, 2003, Hurricane Claudette (Category 1) made landfall on the peninsula. Following the storm, the shoreface was found to be an extensively eroded surface. Most obvious on this surface was an area containing numerous scour pits on the lower shoreface. These pits extended through the Holocene sediment and into the underlying Beaumont Clay. By the following July, the shoreface exhibited a relatively flat and featureless appearance. Rapid infilling of the pits was attributed to the high sediment supply to the area from converging longshore currents and by the relatively high accommodation space offered by the scoured areas. A large amount of sediment was removed from the lower shoreface where the formation of scour pits occurred. This sediment would have been available for depositionin storm layers both inshore and offshore of the scoured area. Within scour pits, accommodation space was high, resulting in sediment deposition and rapid infilling of the pits. Outside of the scour pits, accommodation space remained low and sediment deposition did not occur. Preservation potential of the sediment record on the shoreface was low and was controlled by cycles of erosion and deposition during storm events. Antecedent geology of the shoreface and the sedimentary processes occurring during and after the storm supported arguments against the assumptions used by the classic "profile of equilibrium" model. Finally, the heavily scoured surface represents a geohazard to development of nearshore regions.

<p>The research conducted has been undertaken to engage the stakeholders to explore the possibility of establishing workplace forums. The gains of workplace forums with respect to sharing decision making is a distinct advantage both business and labour seemingly do not realise because of a continued resolve to negotiate conditions of service annually exclusively. The research was undertaken by designing an interview questionnaire for distribution. The population for this research includes a cross section of employers from the industry in the Western Cape, parties to the Hairdressing Beauty and Cosmetology Bargaining Council, the Employers Organisation and the Employees Organisation or Trade Union. The criteria set for the questionnaire anticipate responses of respondents to the challenges before and after the possible incorporation of section 84 of the Act Finally the research results indicate that the parties to a collective agreement in this industry still gravitate towards distributive collective bargaining by negotiating salaries, wages and conditions of employment in Bargaining Councils.</p>

This thesis has examined the Bolshevik newspaper, Pravda, which began its broadcasting life in April 1912, for the period of the Balkan Wars from October 1912 to October 1913. The objectives of this study are to present and examine the position towards the Balkan Wars of a political group, which viewed the world and the Ottoman Empire from a different angle than the traditional Russian political position of the time, and would seize the power only five years later in Russia.

Matagorda Peninsula is located along an interfluvial region of the central Texas coast in the northwestern Gulf of Mexico. The Pleistocene Beaumont Clay underlies the coastal plain and inner continental shelf and controls the general slope of the coast in this region. This clay surface also creates low accommodation space for the preservation of modern sediments. As a result, only a thin (1 m) layer of transgressive Holocene muddy sand extends throughout the lower shoreface. On 15 July, 2003, Hurricane Claudette (Category 1) made landfall on the peninsula. Following the storm, the shoreface was found to be an extensively eroded surface. Most obvious on this surface was an area containing numerous scour pits on the lower shoreface. These pits extended through the Holocene sediment and into the underlying Beaumont Clay. By the following July, the shoreface exhibited a relatively flat and featureless appearance. Rapid infilling of the pits was attributed to the high sediment supply to the area from converging longshore currents and by the relatively high accommodation space offered by the scoured areas. A large amount of sediment was removed from the lower shoreface where the formation of scour pits occurred. This sediment would have been available for depositionin storm layers both inshore and offshore of the scoured area. Within scour pits, accommodation space was high, resulting in sediment deposition and rapid infilling of the pits. Outside of the scour pits, accommodation space remained low and sediment deposition did not occur. Preservation potential of the sediment record on the shoreface was low and was controlled by cycles of erosion and deposition during storm events. Antecedent geology of the shoreface and the sedimentary processes occurring during and after the storm supported arguments against the assumptions used by the classic "profile of equilibrium" model. Finally, the heavily scoured surface represents a geohazard to development of nearshore regions.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Columbia University, 1935. / Vita. Published also as Studies in history; economics and public law, ed. by the Faculty of political science of Columbia University, no. 407. "This study is essentially a narration of opinion ... in Britain."--Introd. Includes bibliographical references (p. 416-420).