This thesis introduces and analyses the emerging Website genre of Resource Centre Sites. RCSs are sites which combine news, rumours and background information as well as community discussion and commentary on their chosen topic, and frequently serve as a first point of entry for readers interested in learning more about the field. They also offer spaces for virtual communities of specialists or enthusiasts to emerge, who in the process and as a product of their interaction on these sites collate detailed resource collections and hyperlink directories for their fields of interest. Therefore, Resource Centre Sites significantly involve their users as content contributors and producers, turning them into what is here termed ‘produsers’ of the site. Aiming to evaluate all the content relevant to their field that is becoming available online, and to coopt or at least link to this information from the news and resources collection that is a central part of the RCS, Resource Centre Site produsers engage in an adaptation of both traditional journalistic gatekeeping methodologies and librarianly resource collection approaches to the Web environment: in the absence of gates to keep online, they have become ‘gatewatchers’, observing the publication of news and information in other sources and publicising its existence through their own sites. Their operation is studied here through a number of case studies of major existing Resource Centre Sites from various fields of interest. These sites are analysed both based on their available Web content, and using background information obtained in a series of email interviews with RCS creators. In combination, this offers insights into the operating philosophies of sites and site editors, and provides an opportunity to assess to what extent these ideas have been translated into everyday practice. Chapter 1 provides an overview of past and current theoretical views of the Web in an effort to evaluate their suitability for the current study. Older approaches positing an abstract ‘ideal’ form of hypertext are rejected in favour of a direct engagement with the World Wide Web as the now dominant mode of hypertextuality. Chapter 2 outlines the principles of gatewatching in contrast to traditional methods of evaluating news and information as they exist in journalistic media and archival institutions, and investigates the effects such gatewatching practices may have on editors and users. Chapter 3 describes the overall characteristics of Resource Centre Sites as a genre of Web publications. It notes the special role site users play in the operation of such sites (in their new role as ‘produsers’), and distinguishes the RCS genre from similar Website models such as portals and cybermediaries. Chapter 4 observes the everyday operation of such Websites in practice, using case studies of major existing Resource Centre Sites including Slashdot, MediaChannel and CountingDown, and interviews with their creators. (These interviews are included in full in the Appendix.) This analysis works with both a synchronic view to the variety of topics existing Resource Centre Sites are able to address, and a diachronic view to the evolution of proto-RCSs (such as enthusiast community or online advocacy sites) into fully-featured Resource Centre Sites. Finally, based on this analysis, Chapter 5 is then able to point out some of the implications and effects that increasing use of this media form may have on its users and the network of news and information publications on- and offline, and to indicate the potential for further developments of the site genre.

This thesis introduces and analyses the emerging Website genre of Resource Centre Sites. RCSs are sites which combine news, rumours and background information as well as community discussion and commentary on their chosen topic, and frequently serve as a first point of entry for readers interested in learning more about the field. They also offer spaces for virtual communities of specialists or enthusiasts to emerge, who in the process and as a product of their interaction on these sites collate detailed resource collections and hyperlink directories for their fields of interest. Therefore, Resource Centre Sites significantly involve their users as content contributors and producers, turning them into what is here termed ‘produsers’ of the site. Aiming to evaluate all the content relevant to their field that is becoming available online, and to coopt or at least link to this information from the news and resources collection that is a central part of the RCS, Resource Centre Site produsers engage in an adaptation of both traditional journalistic gatekeeping methodologies and librarianly resource collection approaches to the Web environment: in the absence of gates to keep online, they have become ‘gatewatchers’, observing the publication of news and information in other sources and publicising its existence through their own sites. Their operation is studied here through a number of case studies of major existing Resource Centre Sites from various fields of interest. These sites are analysed both based on their available Web content, and using background information obtained in a series of email interviews with RCS creators. In combination, this offers insights into the operating philosophies of sites and site editors, and provides an opportunity to assess to what extent these ideas have been translated into everyday practice. Chapter 1 provides an overview of past and current theoretical views of the Web in an effort to evaluate their suitability for the current study. Older approaches positing an abstract ‘ideal’ form of hypertext are rejected in favour of a direct engagement with the World Wide Web as the now dominant mode of hypertextuality. Chapter 2 outlines the principles of gatewatching in contrast to traditional methods of evaluating news and information as they exist in journalistic media and archival institutions, and investigates the effects such gatewatching practices may have on editors and users. Chapter 3 describes the overall characteristics of Resource Centre Sites as a genre of Web publications. It notes the special role site users play in the operation of such sites (in their new role as ‘produsers’), and distinguishes the RCS genre from similar Website models such as portals and cybermediaries. Chapter 4 observes the everyday operation of such Websites in practice, using case studies of major existing Resource Centre Sites including Slashdot, MediaChannel and CountingDown, and interviews with their creators. (These interviews are included in full in the Appendix.) This analysis works with both a synchronic view to the variety of topics existing Resource Centre Sites are able to address, and a diachronic view to the evolution of proto-RCSs (such as enthusiast community or online advocacy sites) into fully-featured Resource Centre Sites. Finally, based on this analysis, Chapter 5 is then able to point out some of the implications and effects that increasing use of this media form may have on its users and the network of news and information publications on- and offline, and to indicate the potential for further developments of the site genre.

This thesis introduces and analyses the emerging Website genre of Resource Centre Sites. RCSs are sites which combine news, rumours and background information as well as community discussion and commentary on their chosen topic, and frequently serve as a first point of entry for readers interested in learning more about the field. They also offer spaces for virtual communities of specialists or enthusiasts to emerge, who in the process and as a product of their interaction on these sites collate detailed resource collections and hyperlink directories for their fields of interest. Therefore, Resource Centre Sites significantly involve their users as content contributors and producers, turning them into what is here termed ‘produsers’ of the site. Aiming to evaluate all the content relevant to their field that is becoming available online, and to coopt or at least link to this information from the news and resources collection that is a central part of the RCS, Resource Centre Site produsers engage in an adaptation of both traditional journalistic gatekeeping methodologies and librarianly resource collection approaches to the Web environment: in the absence of gates to keep online, they have become ‘gatewatchers’, observing the publication of news and information in other sources and publicising its existence through their own sites. Their operation is studied here through a number of case studies of major existing Resource Centre Sites from various fields of interest. These sites are analysed both based on their available Web content, and using background information obtained in a series of email interviews with RCS creators. In combination, this offers insights into the operating philosophies of sites and site editors, and provides an opportunity to assess to what extent these ideas have been translated into everyday practice. Chapter 1 provides an overview of past and current theoretical views of the Web in an effort to evaluate their suitability for the current study. Older approaches positing an abstract ‘ideal’ form of hypertext are rejected in favour of a direct engagement with the World Wide Web as the now dominant mode of hypertextuality. Chapter 2 outlines the principles of gatewatching in contrast to traditional methods of evaluating news and information as they exist in journalistic media and archival institutions, and investigates the effects such gatewatching practices may have on editors and users. Chapter 3 describes the overall characteristics of Resource Centre Sites as a genre of Web publications. It notes the special role site users play in the operation of such sites (in their new role as ‘produsers’), and distinguishes the RCS genre from similar Website models such as portals and cybermediaries. Chapter 4 observes the everyday operation of such Websites in practice, using case studies of major existing Resource Centre Sites including Slashdot, MediaChannel and CountingDown, and interviews with their creators. (These interviews are included in full in the Appendix.) This analysis works with both a synchronic view to the variety of topics existing Resource Centre Sites are able to address, and a diachronic view to the evolution of proto-RCSs (such as enthusiast community or online advocacy sites) into fully-featured Resource Centre Sites. Finally, based on this analysis, Chapter 5 is then able to point out some of the implications and effects that increasing use of this media form may have on its users and the network of news and information publications on- and offline, and to indicate the potential for further developments of the site genre.

A cidade de Curitiba já foi tida como sinônimo de vanguarda em desenvolvimento urbano e equilíbrio ecológico. Porém, como na maioria das grandes cidades brasileiras, ela enfrenta problemas sociais, sobretudo, na área da propriedade urbana e da própria preservação ambiental diante das invasões urbanas. Entretanto, a Constituição Federal garantiu aos administradores municipais um elemento essencial para a gestão de suas cidades, o Plano Diretor. Este instrumento, regulamentado pelo Estatuto da Cidade, suscita um planejamento estratégico do município, do seu desenvolvimento e uma maior gestão democrática dos próprios interesses dos cidadãos habitantes da cidade. Esta dissertação de Mestrado tem como objetivo analisar a eficácia jurídica da lei do Plano Diretor de Curitiba 2015 (Lei nº 14.771/2015), no tratamento dado por seus idealizadores (Sociedade, Poder Executivo municipal e Poder Legislativo municipal) à função social da propriedade, sob a perspectiva dos direitos Urbanístico e Ambiental. Por meio de pesquisa em bases de dados acadêmicos, na literatura especializada e na jurisprudência nacional, estabeleceu-se parâmetros para a classificação da eficácia dos ordenamentos contidos no plano diretor de Curitiba em plena (aplicável de imediato), contida (apenas parte pode ser aplicada) e limitado (necessita de uma regulamentação futura para ter eficácia). Entre os principais resultados da pesquisa, tem-se que de 96 artigos da lei do Plano Diretor de Curitiba, diretamente ligados à área do direito urbanístico, direito ambiental e à propriedade, 40% dos mesmos possuem eficácia limitada, 16% dos artigos possuem eficácia contida e 44% possuem a sua eficácia plena. Ou seja, 56% dos artigos, voltados ao tema da pesquisa, não possuem uma aplicabilidade plena de suas diretivas. Isto significa que a lei responsável pelo planejamento do desenvolvimento urbano da cidade, nos próximos 10 anos, não possui eficácia imediata e suficiente para transformar o aspecto nebuloso da distribuição justa e correta da propriedade e de sua função social dentro do território do município de Curitiba. / The city of Curitiba has been regarded as a forefront synonymous of urban development and ecological balance. However, as in most large Brazilian cities, Curitiba faces social problems, especially in the area of urban property and its own environmental preservation facing urban invasions motivated by that. However, the Federal Constitution guaranteed the municipal administrators an essential element for the management of their cities, the Master Plan. This instrument, the Master Plan, which was regulated by the City Statute, provided a strategic planning for the municipality, in its development and a greater democratic management of its own citizens interests, the townspeople. This Master's dissertation aims to analyze the legal force of Curitiba’s Master Plan 2015 (Law No. 14,771 / 2015) in the treatment given by its creators (Society, Municipal Administration and Municipal Legislature) to the social function of property. It was elected as a paradigm for analysis of this work the Urban Law and Environmental Law and their determinations that guide the use, exploitation of urban land and the preservation of the natural and urban environment within the legal orders generated by the approval of the project law update of the master plan of the city of Curitiba. Through research in academic databases, in specific literature and in national jurisprudence, parameters were established for ranking the effectiveness of the orders contained in the full master plan of Curitiba (immediately applicable) contained (only part can be applied) and limited (it needs a future regulation to be effective). The results obtained throughout this work are posted at the end of this paper and they express that from the 96 articles directly related to the urban law area, environmental law and the property contained in the new law of Curitiba’s Master Plan, 40% of them have limited effectiveness, 16% of the articles have contained efficiency and 44% have their full effect, that is, 56% of the articles focused on the theme’s work does not have full applicability of their policies, which imposes thinking to the external observer that the law responsible for the urban development of the city for the next 10 years, at this moment, does not have sufficient efficacy to transform the nebulous aspect of the fair and correct distribution of property and its social function in the municipality of Curitiba.

A pesquisa que deu origem a esta dissertação trabalhou com a temática sobre assentamentos rurais. Para isso, foi fundamental apresentar uma revisão teórica sobre a reforma agrária no Brasil e, neste contexto, o surgimento dos projetos de assentamentos rurais no país. Do mesmo modo, apresentou-se o debate sobre as formas de cooperação do trabalho, destacando as diferenças entre os projetos cooperativistas tradicionais e a concepção cooperativa dentro do Movimento dos Trabalhadores Rurais Sem-Terra – MST. Após a definição do objeto de pesquisa, que correspondeu às características presentes na relação entre a escolha pela filiação em determinado grupo e as dinâmicas dos processos de organização econômica e social correspondentes, passou-se à elaboração da seguinte pergunta: o que é decisivo para as famílias assentadas no momento de optar por um ou outro projeto, um ou outro arranjo organizativo, e quais são as características das estratégias de organização social e produtiva daí derivadas? Para este fim traçaram-se, principalmente, os seguintes objetivos: (i) entender os aspectos que levaram à gradativa saída de algumas famílias do conjunto da cooperativa e a opção por organizarem-se social e economicamente em lotes individuais, e (ii) relacionado ao anterior, verificar as estratégias e práticas de diversificação social e produtiva de cada grupo e em que medida elas possibilitaram a emergência de processos endógenos de desenvolvimento rural. Privilegiou-se uma metodologia qualitativa de análise, sob a qual fez-se uso da técnica de observação participante e da aplicação de entrevistas junto aos dois grupos. Pôde-se concluir que os motivos que levaram a saída das famílias da cooperativa, expressos no descontentamento com o equivalente econômico pago pelo seu trabalho e com as decisões coletivas, explica-se por elementos presentes na composição do que a literatura clássica denominou de campesinato tradicional. No entanto, a análise da organização social e as estratégias produtivas traçadas por ambos os grupos permitiram identificar a constituição de uma base permanente e de recursos temporários utilizados no processo de produção. Foi possível observar que o uso da força de trabalho, a organização dos espaços produtivos, a quantidade e a qualidade das áreas ocupadas com os cultivos, e as próprias relações internas e externas ao assentamento, potencializaram a existência de algumas práticas endógenas de produção agropecuária. Além disso, verificou-se que a relação dos assentados com os agentes de desenvolvimento rural ocorre, fundamentalmente, através dos serviços prestados pela EMATER e outros agentes públicos que possuem relativa importância pelo trabalho de mediação que realizam, pelo planejamento e pela aplicação de políticas públicas como o PAA. / This dissertation research was carried out with the aim at to discuss rural settlements. Therefore, it was essential to present a theoretical review about this reform in Brazil and, in this context, the emergence of the projects of rural settlements in the country. Similarly, it was presented the debate about ways of work cooperation emphasizing the differences between the traditional cooperative projects and the cooperative conception in the Landless Squatters Movement – MST. After defining the research object, that corresponds to the characteristics that are present in the relationship between the choice for membership of particular group and the dynamics of the processes of economic and social organization concerned, the following question was set: what is decisive for settled families at the time of choosing either project, either organizational arrangement, and what are the characteristics of the strategies of social and productive organization from it derived? In view of that , the following objectives were set: (i) understand the reasons that lead up some families to gradually desist from the cooperative group and the option to organise themselves socially and economically into individual lots and (ii) related to the previous item, check the strategies and practices of social and productive diversification of each group and in which extent they enabled the emergence of endogenous processes of rural development. It was chosen a qualitative methodology of analysis in which a technique of participant observation and the application of interviews with the two groups was used. It was concluded that the reasons for the families desistence from the cooperative, expressed on the dissatisfaction with the economic equivalent paid for his work and the collective decisions, is explained by elements present in the composition of the classical literature called traditional peasantry. However, the analysis of social organization and production strategies outlined by both groups has identified the establishment of a permanent base and temporary resource used in the production process. It was possible to observe that the use of the workforce, the organization of productive space, the quantity and quality of the occupied areas with crops, and their own internal and external relationships to the settlement, contributed for the existence of some endogenous practices of production industry. Moreover, it was found that the relationship of the settlers with the agent sof rural development occurs basically through provided services by EMATER (a state public company in Brazil to implement the state government's agricultural policy and provides technical assistance to farmers) and other public agents that have relative importance on the mediation work, which perform the planning and implementation of public policies such as PAA.

A pesquisa que deu origem a esta dissertação trabalhou com a temática sobre assentamentos rurais. Para isso, foi fundamental apresentar uma revisão teórica sobre a reforma agrária no Brasil e, neste contexto, o surgimento dos projetos de assentamentos rurais no país. Do mesmo modo, apresentou-se o debate sobre as formas de cooperação do trabalho, destacando as diferenças entre os projetos cooperativistas tradicionais e a concepção cooperativa dentro do Movimento dos Trabalhadores Rurais Sem-Terra – MST. Após a definição do objeto de pesquisa, que correspondeu às características presentes na relação entre a escolha pela filiação em determinado grupo e as dinâmicas dos processos de organização econômica e social correspondentes, passou-se à elaboração da seguinte pergunta: o que é decisivo para as famílias assentadas no momento de optar por um ou outro projeto, um ou outro arranjo organizativo, e quais são as características das estratégias de organização social e produtiva daí derivadas? Para este fim traçaram-se, principalmente, os seguintes objetivos: (i) entender os aspectos que levaram à gradativa saída de algumas famílias do conjunto da cooperativa e a opção por organizarem-se social e economicamente em lotes individuais, e (ii) relacionado ao anterior, verificar as estratégias e práticas de diversificação social e produtiva de cada grupo e em que medida elas possibilitaram a emergência de processos endógenos de desenvolvimento rural. Privilegiou-se uma metodologia qualitativa de análise, sob a qual fez-se uso da técnica de observação participante e da aplicação de entrevistas junto aos dois grupos. Pôde-se concluir que os motivos que levaram a saída das famílias da cooperativa, expressos no descontentamento com o equivalente econômico pago pelo seu trabalho e com as decisões coletivas, explica-se por elementos presentes na composição do que a literatura clássica denominou de campesinato tradicional. No entanto, a análise da organização social e as estratégias produtivas traçadas por ambos os grupos permitiram identificar a constituição de uma base permanente e de recursos temporários utilizados no processo de produção. Foi possível observar que o uso da força de trabalho, a organização dos espaços produtivos, a quantidade e a qualidade das áreas ocupadas com os cultivos, e as próprias relações internas e externas ao assentamento, potencializaram a existência de algumas práticas endógenas de produção agropecuária. Além disso, verificou-se que a relação dos assentados com os agentes de desenvolvimento rural ocorre, fundamentalmente, através dos serviços prestados pela EMATER e outros agentes públicos que possuem relativa importância pelo trabalho de mediação que realizam, pelo planejamento e pela aplicação de políticas públicas como o PAA. / This dissertation research was carried out with the aim at to discuss rural settlements. Therefore, it was essential to present a theoretical review about this reform in Brazil and, in this context, the emergence of the projects of rural settlements in the country. Similarly, it was presented the debate about ways of work cooperation emphasizing the differences between the traditional cooperative projects and the cooperative conception in the Landless Squatters Movement – MST. After defining the research object, that corresponds to the characteristics that are present in the relationship between the choice for membership of particular group and the dynamics of the processes of economic and social organization concerned, the following question was set: what is decisive for settled families at the time of choosing either project, either organizational arrangement, and what are the characteristics of the strategies of social and productive organization from it derived? In view of that , the following objectives were set: (i) understand the reasons that lead up some families to gradually desist from the cooperative group and the option to organise themselves socially and economically into individual lots and (ii) related to the previous item, check the strategies and practices of social and productive diversification of each group and in which extent they enabled the emergence of endogenous processes of rural development. It was chosen a qualitative methodology of analysis in which a technique of participant observation and the application of interviews with the two groups was used. It was concluded that the reasons for the families desistence from the cooperative, expressed on the dissatisfaction with the economic equivalent paid for his work and the collective decisions, is explained by elements present in the composition of the classical literature called traditional peasantry. However, the analysis of social organization and production strategies outlined by both groups has identified the establishment of a permanent base and temporary resource used in the production process. It was possible to observe that the use of the workforce, the organization of productive space, the quantity and quality of the occupied areas with crops, and their own internal and external relationships to the settlement, contributed for the existence of some endogenous practices of production industry. Moreover, it was found that the relationship of the settlers with the agent sof rural development occurs basically through provided services by EMATER (a state public company in Brazil to implement the state government's agricultural policy and provides technical assistance to farmers) and other public agents that have relative importance on the mediation work, which perform the planning and implementation of public policies such as PAA.

The archaeological research was conducted at Botshabelo, a nineteenth century Berlin Mission Society station located outside Middelburg, Mpumalanga. It focuses primarily on the collection of residential houses and homesteads in the area known as the Motse, meaning “village” in Sotho. This is where the mission station’s African residents lived. This research seeks to use archaeology, specifically the study of the associated material culture, in order to refine the chronology of changes to settlement in this area, and to explore the ways in which the inhabitants interacted with other sectors of the mission station community and the then wider Transvaal society. Although the mission station and its settlement dates from 1865, the material culture excavated and analysed in this project is primarily from the twentieth century. It is through the careful analysis of these houses and their architecture, together with the associated material culture that the social and cultural values of the people who built and used them can be explored. To date there has been a copious amount of research done on these mission stations in southern Africa, flowing mainly from the disciplines of history and anthropology (Comaroff and Comaroff 1991; Delius 1981; Japha et al 1993; Kirkaldy 2005; Vernal 2009). In contrast, however, there has been relatively little archaeological research carried out on the various mission stations within southern Africa (but see Ashley 2010; Boshoff 2004; Clift 2001; Jeppson 2005; Reid et al 1997). This research project is based in archaeology, and in particular in the discipline of historical archaeology, which can provide the methodologies and approaches that can be used to make sense of the history of the Botshabelo Mission Station and the Motse. This research therefore intends to contribute to the currently under researched field of mission archaeology within South Africa. / Anthropology and Archaeology / M.A. (Archaeology)

Nairobi is one of the fastest growing cities in Africa with an average of five hundred people coming to the city on a daily basis. More than seventy percent of these people end up living in the informal settlements. An appropriate model of theological training for church leaders needs to be developed, so as to equip them to work with congregations and communities within the informal settlements, to address the needs and potential of people living in the context of Kibera informal settlements and to bring about spiritual and material transformation in their midst. A qualitative and comparative study was undertaken and data was collected through semistructured interviews and focus group discussions. After interpreting the data, the researcher found out: The problems and needs of the community and challenges of church ministers in the informal settlements are enormous. It includes unemployment, poor housing and sanitation, and a general lack of resources to meet basic needs; as well as negative ethnicity, inadequate ministers‟ stipends and the dependence of church members on ministers.  The existing models of theological education have not effectively equipped church ministers to face these challenges in informal settlement ministry. The research study end by proposing a model that will enable church ministers‟ witness to the incarnation of Christ among marginalized people in the informal settlement of Kibera. This model of theological training will be informed by African, Freirian and Western approaches to education. It will aim to form, inform and transform the pastoral work of ministers in informal settlement contexts. / Christian Spirituality, Church History and Missiology / M. A. (Theology in Missiology: Specialization in Urban Ministry)

This study deals with modern mission history in north eastern Africa. When the rigid Islamistic Mahdi regime in the Sudan was defeated by an Anglo-Egyptian army in 1898, H G Guinness and K Kumm came to Aswan and initiated the Sudan Pionier Mission (SPM) in 1900. The SPM had its spiritual roots in the Holiness Movement and became an interdenominational German-based faith mission. Although the SPM was started in Aswan to advance from there to the south to evangelize animistic people groups in the Eastern Sudan, the SPM actually consolidated its work in and around Aswan for internal and external reasons. Thus, the focus of the SPM shifted from an animistic to an Islamic audience with a special emphasis on the Nile-Nubians occupying the Nile valley between Aswan and Dongola. This study contributes generally to the historiography of the SPM between 1990 until 1966 and analyzes especially the development of the SPM into a mission among the Nile-Nubians during this period. The ethnic groups of the Nile-Nubians will be introduced and their historical, political, social, economic, linguistic and religious situation will be presented. This thesis further describes the topographical development of the SPM and its missiological approach. A special emphasis is given to the life story of the Kunuuzi Nubian convert Samu’iil Ali Hiseen (SAH-1863-1900) and his multifaceted contribution to the work of the SPM. SAH was the first Nubian evangelist in modern times and the major stakeholder of the Nubian vision. Neither the history of the SPM as “Nubian Mission” nor the life and work of SAH have been researched and presented before. / Christian Spirituality, Church History and Missiology / D. Th. (Missiology)

The premise of the research concerns negative spatial legacies and questions doubting the existence of the true post-apartheid city in South Africa. The study describes the socio-spatial structure of the functional urban core of the City of Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality (CTMM). An empirical analysis, a unique segregation-desegregation classification, a relative socio-economic classification and three continuity-discontinuity hypotheses was used to compare past and present socio-spatial characteristics. Structural racial-residential segregation is evident along with high levels of socio-economic inequality. Spatial polarisation of societal attributes has created a clear north-west and south-east divide in the study area. The study area is described as one with a central-south citadel (inhabited by the wealthy) and a dynamic periphery (diverse but relatively deprived). Current socio-spatial characteristics can be attributed to strong spatial legacies, ineffective policy interventions and underlying socio-spatial influences that inhibit true inclusivity and equality in the study area. / Geography / M. Sc. (Geography)