Since the introduction of economic reforms in the late 1970s, China has experienced phenomenal economic growth along with rapid urbanization. The accelerated urbanization coincides with remarkable social-economic transformations and urban landscape changes. A city, as an urban system, is composed of social and physical subsystems that interact with each other. Equally assessing each component is necessary for a comprehensive understanding of the urbanization process. The goal of this thesis research is to deconstruct the urbanization process through a social-ecological perspective. More specifically, this study examines social transformations, physical evolutions, and their relationships. Four research questions are proposed as (1) How does urban social landscape transform in time and space? (2) What trends are apparent in the urban land growth process and spatial heterogeneity? (3) How does social transformation relate to urban land growth, within a spatio-temporal perspective? and (4) How do social-demographic features relate to residents’ use and perception of urban green open spaces, focusing on the ecological services provided by and the need to improve those spaces? Given the lack of research on second-tier cities’ growth processes, this study selects Wuhan, a megacity in central China, as a case study, with a focus on its urban development zone (UDZ). A social-ecological approach is applied to study the multi-dimensional features of an urban system. The thesis is in paper format, containing five chapters. Besides the Introduction (Chapter 1) and Conclusion (Chapter 5), the main body consists of three articles. These three articles correspond to the four research questions proposed. Chapter 2 responds to the first research question by addressing how the urban social landscape transforms. Chapter 3 seeks to answer the second and third questions by evaluating urban land growth and its links with social factors from a spatio-temporal perspective. Chapter 4 matches the fourth question by seeking to understand residents’ preferences and feelings toward the urban green open space. Chapter 1 introduces the research context, reviews the urban ecology theory and relevant empirical research, as well as assesses the social-ecological approach related to studying the urban system. In this chapter, we also propose an improved social-ecological system (ISES) framework which guides the equally weighted study of both social and physical subsystems in an urban area. Chapter 2 (the first paper) seeks to investigate progressive transformations in the social dimensions of Wuhan UDZ while also focusing on their spatial transformations, using national census data in 1990, 2000, and 2010. We used varimax rotated principal component analysis (PCA) for the extraction of social dimensions and ArcMap for spatial visualization. This allows us to further analyze the spatial distribution of social clusters. The results suggest that industrial relocation, educational attainment increase, population aging, and migration are the main characteristics of social transformation during 1990 and 2010. Industrial relocation along with the spatial separation appeared as principal social dimensions in the 1990s but became more prominent in the 2000s, accompanied by the improvement of workers’ education levels. Aging population presented spatial movement outward from the city center. Population mobility increased significantly, and immigration became an important social dimension and presented spatial expansion in the 2000s. The socio-spatial patterns transform with a combination of concentric rings and sectoral clusters in different stages. These transformations are formed by the regional push-pull forces and the centripetal-centrifugal forces inside the city. We conclude that the social landscape transforms in a way with diversity and inclusion. Government dominates socio-spatial transformations in the initial stages, while market plays an increasing role in the later stages. To build a more inclusive society requires continuous and systematic improvement of relevant policies. Chapter 3 (the second paper) discusses urban land growth patterns and answers how social factors are associated with the evolution patterns between 1990 and 2010. We extract land cover information based on Landsat images with the vegetation area – impervious surface –water area (V-I-W) model and examine the urban growth patterns during various stages using landscape metrics of the area, aggregation, and shape. Then, we apply geographically weighted regression (GWR) to depict the link between urban land metrics and social factors. The results show that urban land coalescence and diffusion simultaneously exist; the city center is dominated by redevelopment, infilling, edge expansion; and the peripheral areas by outlying expansion. GWR coefficient surfaces show little differences in the models between social factors and urban land area metrics PLAND while remarkable differences are present in the coefficients of GWR models for the urban land patch shape irregularities and social factors. Urban land growth patterns relate to the government-led land supply system, the functional zoning of urban space planning, and the agglomeration and dispersion of social space under the market orientation. The authors conclude that urban management should consider the coexistence of different spatial growth modes and introduce factors such as social preferences in the urban land layout. This may apply to rapidly urbanizing areas. Chapter 4 (the third paper) aims to understand social-natural relationships, with a focus on how socio-demographic features can shape residents’ preference toward green open spaces and their perceptions of ecological services and improvements. Data is collected through online questionnaire surveys and interviews. The results indicate that preferences toward green open spaces vary among different social groups. Demands for improvement to green open spaces are rooted in residents’ appreciation for daily relaxation and health benefits, and link with their preference for visiting. However, how residents perceive green open spaces’ benefits does not rely only on an in-person visit. Interaction experience with nature and knowledge of natural development affect perception of daily use and health-related services. Residents’ perceptions of green open space’s ecological functions are associated with the changes in nature reported by those respondents. Responses to improving green open space reflect the residents’ pursuit of the aesthetics and practicality of such spaces. Though respondents are commonly aware of the ecological importance of green open space, there are differences in their willingness to voluntarily participate in its management. We conclude that to encourage the public to participate in configuration and improvement of green open spaces through a variety of ways, including considering residents’ opinions, is an efficient way in order to better social-ecological relationships. Chapter 5 reviews the main findings and conclusions, research limitations as well as future possibilities. This study establishes a dialogue between urban social and physical subsystems, with an integrated quantitative study of the urbanization process, emphasizing the relationships between two urban subsystems. It provides a comprehensive social-ecological view on a second-tier city based on the social and physical transformations that occurred in Wuhan during a transitional period of a socialist market economy. We conclude that the development of China's second-tier cities between 1990 and 2010 is characterized by the transformations of social dimensions and landscape, the coexistence of multiple urban spatial development modes, and the spatial differentiation between the center and the periphery of the city. The GWR models present spatial non-stationary relationships between social factors and the urban patch shape regularities. The further examination of social-natural relationships finds that residents’ social-demographic features and environmental experience affect their perceptions toward green open space, especially ecological services and improvement necessity. The evolution of urban social and physical systems and their relationships has brought increased attention to inclusive urban social management, public participatory planning, and people-centered social and ecological interactions. This research provides a constructive rethinking of second-tier cities’ growth in China and may serve as a reference for other rapidly urbanizing areas.

VACULIKOVA, K. The profession of social worker in selected states of the USA. Prague: Faculty of Arts of Charles University in Prague, 2012. 109 pp. Diploma thesis. The goal of this diploma thesis is to introduce the profession of social worker in selected U.S. states - State of California, State of Iowa, State of New York, and State of Texas. In order to achieve the goal, the thesis first discusses the development and professionalization of social work, the values and ethics within the profession, the forms of the profession regulation and the scope of social work practice in the overall context of the U.S. Subsequently, it describes the specifics of social work profession in the selected states, including geographic and demographic description that significantly influences the focus of social work in each state. In a separate chapter, several aspects of the social work profession in the U.S. and the Czech Republic are compared. The thesis also presents the results of previous research on the public perception of the social work profession in the U.S. The follow-up research part uses the comparative analysis method and determines whether the social workers in the U.S. have realistic notions on the public perception of the social work profession in the U.S. and whether the public perception of the...

The current state of energy and climate transition presents several challenges that are currently not optimally addressed by planning and design practices. Indeed, cities play a central role in this transition, as they are within the main causes of climate change as well as extremely vulnerable to its effects, such as extreme events. In this context, the disciplines of urban planning and design are a great resource for promoting mitigation and adaptation strategies. However, there is a gap between scientific research on the issues and the actual implementation of the resources, mainly due to the inability of planning tools to address these needs, the difficulty of transforming the existing built environment and the engagement of citizens in these processes. These issues can be translated into four knowledge gaps that can be addressed by the disciplines of planning and design: lack of explicit considerations of resilient pathways, lack of innovative implementation tools, local resistance towards landscape transformations, silo thinking. The goal of the thesis is to identify, develop and evaluate climate-sensitive planning and design strategies, considering the environmental criteria, the urban areas and the people who live in them. The research is practice-oriented and gives directions on how to apply scientific knowledge through practices for a responsive and landscape-inclusive climate-energy transition. Specifically, it aims to combine several challenges and promote holistic procedures balancing adaptation and mitigation strategies as well as to include the concept of landscape in the transition. The proposed methodologies are evidence-based, performance-based and landscape-inclusive, connecting different scales of intervention, disciplinary tools, and practices of planning and design. In other words, the thesis promotes urban regeneration for climate and energy transition through an integrated approach between landscape, city, and buildings. This integrated approach addresses the following dimensions of urban challenges: social, environmental, economic, and health.

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Abstract "The devil lies in the details": Ethical considerations behind Swedish newsrooms reporting on gang crime – A qualitative interview study with responsible editors. This study investigates how Swedish newsrooms, through their editors-in-chief, manage ethical considerations in reporting on gang-related crime. With a combination of qualitative interviews, literature review, theoretical framework including the Social Responsibility Theory by the Hutchins Commission and the Theory of Consequence Neutrality by Erik Fichtelius, which help understand the ethical dilemmas and processes editors face. The essay explores how editors-in-chief balance the need to inform the public with the responsibility to avoid unnecessary fear and stigmatization. The study addresses the following questions: How do editors-in-chief ensure ethical reporting on gang-related crime? What ethical considerations are made by Swedish newsrooms when choosing to report on gang-related incidents? How do societal expectations shape local newsroom reporting on gang crime? The findings reveal that editors-in-chief face significant challenges in navigating ethical dilemmas, such as avoiding glorification of criminal lifestyles and managing the potential impact of their reporting on public perception. Ethical considerations in sensitive publications are paramount, with editors carefully weighing the impact of naming and picturing individuals involved in gang crime. Editors emphasize the importance of ethical guidelines and the need for a careful, balanced approach to reporting that respects personal integrity and avoids sensationalism. The study also identifies areas for future research and development, emphasizing the importance of continuous adaptation to the evolving media landscape and societal expectations. Keywords: gang crime, media ethics, news reporting, editors-in-chief, public perception.

Cette thèse a pour objectif d’étudier les représentations et les récits liés aux aménagements controversés que peuvent être les barrages hydrauliques. Si la fonction symbolique des barrages a souvent été soulignée par la littérature scientifique, peu de travaux sont réellement consacrés à leurs représentations et à leurs trajectoires spatiales et temporelles. En s’inspirant d'études issues de la géographie sociale et culturelle sur les représentations et de la political ecology sur les discours, la thèse confronte différentes sources (presse, entretiens et archives), terrains (France et Australie) et approches méthodologiques (quantitatives et qualitatives) pour retracer l’évolution discursive des infrastructures hydrauliques. Les points de vue de différents acteurs sont aussi considérés: les habitants, les ingénieurs et les institutions hydrauliques, les opposants aux barrages, les administrations en charge de la protection de la nature ou encore les scientifiques qui produisent des connaissances sur l’environnement. D'un point de vue méthodologique, la thèse révèle les biais de certains matériaux et souligne l'intérêt de poursuivre leur croisement. Les résultats montrent l’évolution de waterscapes, d’espaces et de cycles hydrosociaux, par exemple les concessions progressives faites aux environnementalistes aux dépens des hydrocraties ; ils mettent aussi en avant, plus généralement, la production et la circulation de discours, notamment à l’occasion de conflits et de controverses, qui conduisent au délitement du discours prométhéen sur la nature et à la diffusion de représentations concurrentes de l'environnement. / The aim of this PhD thesis is to study representations and narratives on dams, which are often controversial infrastructures. If the symbolic role of dams has been underlined in the literature, few studies actually focus on the perception of dams and their spatial and temporal trajectories. Building on the literature of social and cultural geography on representation, and the writings of political ecology on discourse, this thesis confronts different sources (newspapers, interviews and archives), study areas (in France and Australia) and methodological approaches (quantitative and qualitative) in order to follow the discursive evolution of hydraulic infrastructure. The points of view of various stakeholders are also considered: inhabitants, engineers and hydraulic institutions, opponents to dams, administrations in charge of nature protection and scientists who produce environmental knowledge. From a methodologicial perspective, the dissertation highlights the limits of certain material and illustrates the necessity to consider different sources in parallel. The results show the evolution of waterscapes, hydrosocial spaces and cycles---the gradual concessions made to environmentalists at the expense of hydraulic bureaucracies---but they also illustrate, on a broader perspective, the production and the flow of discourses on the environment---the disaggregation of a Promethean discourse on nature and the multiplication of different and sometimes opposing representations of the environment---particularly during conflicts and controversies.

Inspired by critiques of controlled elections under “single-party rule,” this dissertation explores the performance, implications and potentials of China’s village elections. It first reviews the most important studies on the progress of China’s grassroots democracy and then analyzes the social-political background of village self-management which to date has been neglected in the academic literature. Based on empirical studies conducted in Sichuan, this dissertation investigates the roles and attitudes of various participatory groups in village elections and in the course of electoral reforms. It also discusses the failure of the existing law to set out fundamental rules for village elections and to effectively guide people’s behavior. Further, this dissertation offers detailed recommendations to improve the existing law in order to guarantee the accessibility, authenticity and competitiveness of village elections. / Graduate / 0398 / 0616 / aloeke@gmail.com

This research sought to understand the perceptions of the township dwellers who are the beneficiaries of the RDP houses in a selected township, Chris Hani block 3 in Mdantsane, East London, in the Eastern Cape. The study specifically sought to establish whether the houses delivered to the residents through the Reconstruction and Development Programme (RDP) adequately meet the basic standards prescribed by the relevant housing policy of South Africa. During the apartheid era black South Africans were marginalised, their development was separate from that of whites and they had no say in what was provided for them, hence they were inadequately housed. On coming into power, the post-apartheid government undertook through legislation to provide sustainable, adequate housing that would address the needs of the historically disadvantaged citizens/poor people of South Africa. The main finding of this study conducted on a sample of ten RDP housing beneficiaries, through personal interviews is that, the RDP is a good programme; however, its implementation is characterised by corruption and greed. The people, whom the programme is meant to benefit, have never been involved in their own development with the results that the houses provided to them, are of a sub-standard quality. The houses do not adequately address the housing needs of the people. The housing policies are also not adequately implemented. It is the author’s hope that the recommendations made by this study, if implemented, will improve the standard of the RDP houses provided to the poor people of South Africa.

Text in English / South Africa is one of the biggest producers of genetically modified crops in the world. However, recent studies in South Africa show a low public willingness to consume genetically modified crops and accept modern agricultural biotechnology. The study analysed public perception towards consuming genetically modified crops and the acceptance of modern agricultural biotechnology in South Africa. 220 participants (N = 220) were sampled from the city of Kempton Park and the Chi-square formula was used to determine how well the sample represented the population under study. Data was collected using a 7-point Likert scale questionnaire designed following the guidelines for developing a theory of planned behaviour questionnaire in Ajzen (1991, 2001). Data analyses were carried out using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). The Cronbach’s alpha and Exploratory Factor Analysis were both used to determine the internal consistency and validity of the questionnaire. Correlations, independent sample t-tests, ANOVA, linear regression, and path analysis were also conducted. Findings of the study confirmed that there is low public willingness to consume genetically modified crops and to accept modern agricultural biotechnology in South Africa. / Development Studies / M.A. (Development Studies)