This thesis proposes that cultural heritage preservation in the event of armed conflict is negotiated through four main frameworks: (1) a political framework of independent governments and UNESCO; (2) a legal framework of international conventions and agreements; (3) a civil framework including local communities and non-governmental organizations; and (4) an armed forces framework spanning military and militant groups. These four frameworks operate in conjunction with one another, at times in complementary or in contradictory ways. Given the intimate connection of immoveable cultural sites to the dynamics of cultural identity, it is assumed in this thesis that the intentional destruction of cultural heritage property is akin to the destruction of a group's cultural identity and to a greater extent a crucial component of ethnic cleansing in connection with social identity theory.

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Afrikaans text / Hierdie studie spreek die beperkte en eensydige beriggewing oor vroue en vroulike skoonheid in die Hebreeuse Bybel en ander antieke geskrifte aan, asook die ondergeskikte posisie wat vroue in die patriargale Ou Testamentiese samelewing beklee het. ‘n Argeologiese benadering word gevolg en beskikbare literêre bronne word gebruik. Daar word gelet op die redes waarom ‘n mooi voorkoms vir vroue so belangrik was. Hul posisie ten opsigte van staatkundige, wetlike, godsdienstige, ekonomiese en huishoudelike aangeleenthede en hul lewensverloop word bespreek. Die studie fokus hoofsaaklik op vroue van ou Israel en Egipte – vir ‘n goeie vergelyking. Inligting oor vroue van die ou Nabye Ooste en Mediterreense wêreld word waar van toepassing ook in aanmerking geneem. Vroue se skoonheidsmiddels, parfuums, juweliersware en kleredrag word bespreek – asook die invloed van vroue se skoonheidspraktyke op die ekonomie en handel van antieke tye. Die slot- hoofstuk maak sekere afleidings en dui enkele onderwerpe vir verdere navorsing aan. / This study addresses the limited and one-sided reporting about women and female beauty in the Hebrew Bible and other ancient literary sources, as well as the subservient position the women experience in the patriarchal Old Testament society. An archaeological approach is followed, although literary sources are also used. Attention is given to women’s position with reference to governmental, legal, religious and domestic issues, their course of life and the reasons why a beautiful and attractive appearance was important. The research focuses mainly on the women of ancient Israel and Egypt – for the purpose of comparison. Information on women of the ancient Near East and Mediterranean world is also taken into account. Women’s cosmetics, perfumes, jewelry and clothing are discussed – as well as the influence of women’s beauty practices on the economy and trade of ancient times. The final chapter makes certain deductions and some aspects are recommended for further study. / Biblical and Ancient Studies / M. A. (Biblical Archaeology)

Christian archaeology and art of the region under the jurisdiction of the Church of the East in the Late Antique and early Islamic period is an underresearched field of studies, which exists in between more developed disciplines such as Byzantine and Syriac studies as well as Early Christian, Sasanian and Islamic archaeology and art history. However, archaeological excavations of the last century, especially in southern Mesopotamia and the Persian Gulf region, now allow research to be conducted on the most important medium of artistic expression of the region - stucco. Considered from the technological, stylistic and iconographic point of view and within the aforementioned cultural contexts, it reveals that the Christian stucco production of the region was shaped by Sasanian traditions and contemporary Byzantine and Islamic influences, but also that it developed an innovative and highly creative vocabulary of forms and motifs. It was especially among the Gulf communities of Sir Bani Yas, al-Qusur and other sites that this transformative approach towards traditional and contemporary artistic models manifested itself within a short period between the late seventh and the early ninth centuries. Slightly more conservative is the character of Christian art of southern Mesopotamia in the eighth and early ninth centuries. An interesting exception is a relief found at a church in Koke in the region of Seleucia-Ctesiphon, in which the Sasanian technique of deep relief is combined with the Byzantine dress of the person represented. This fusion of culturally divergent elements testifies to the double identity of the Christians living under the Sasanians - and later, in the early Islamic caliphate - who were recognized as a part of society but distinctive for their religion.

Recent research evidence, primarily from the Western hemisphere, supports the belief that high quality preschool experience has long-lasting effects on the development of children's later lives (Ball, RSA Start Right Report, 1994; Bruner, 1980; Schweinhart, Barnes & Weikart, 1993; Sylva, 1993). The important questions posed for this investigation in Bahrain were: 1. Is attendance at preschool centres (educationally and care orientated) associated with higher scores on measures of child development when compared to a control group of children who remained at home? 2. Is attendance at educationally-orientated preschool associated with higher scores on developmental measures than attendance at care-orientated preschool? 3. Are educationally-orientated pre-schools providing 'a more favourable' environment when compared with care-orientated p re-schools? The method was a quasi-experimental design utilising pre and post measures over one academic school year period, 1992-1993 (approximately nine months). A total of eight preschool institutions were randomly (stratified sample) selected (four educationally-orientated centres and four care-orientated centres) from four catchment areas covering the entire island of Bahrain. Each area was represented by a sample of 35 children (matched on several background variables) from the two types of preschool orientations and the home group (N=140; 48 in educational group; 48 in care group; 44 in home group). A Family Background Questionnaire (FBQ) was applied on the total sample to measure differences between groups on several family characteristics, such as, parent's education, occupations, household structure, number of children in household, provisions for play and learning at home, parent childrearing attitudes and mother's expectations regarding the child's competence and behaviour. 111 Assessments were made of children's cognitive, social and emotional development: the Stanford-Binet: LIM Form (Terman & Merrill, 1960); the Arithmetic and Block Design Subtests from Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence: (Wechsler, 1963); the Draw-A-Person: (Harris, 1963); The Pictorial Scale of Perceived Competence and Social Acceptance for Young Children: (Harter, 1983) and The Preschool Behaviour Checklist: (Richman & McGuire, 1982). All instruments were translated into Arabic, back-translated (Brislin, Lonner, Thomdike, 1973) and pilot tested for cultural acceptability. For the main study (N=140), the 96 preschool attenders were tested soon after school entry (October, 1992) and then again at school year end in June, 1993, while the 44 children serving as the control group were tested in their homes. All testing was carried out in the children's home language. Additionally, two assessments procedures were used for studying the preschool environments: the Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale (Harms & Clifford, 1980); and the Target Child Observation Instrument (Sylva, Roy & Painter, 1980). The results indicated that attendance at preschool centres (care and educationally-orientated) was associated with higher performance on most aspects of development when compared with children who stayed at home. There were significant gains on measures of cognitive development (Stanford- Binet; WPPSI; Draw-A-Person); social competence measures, Perceived Competence; and behavioural/emotional stability for preschool attenders when compared to home children. Multiple regression analyses showed that children in centre-based programmes made significant improvement over the year interval between pre-and post testing: A further within-groups regression analysis revealed that no particular preschool within either group was accounting for the higher/lower scores. Children attending educationally-orientated pre-schools significantly outperformed children at care-orientated pre-schools and at home on all the measures of development and they made significant improvement over the tested time period (Stanford-Binet: p<.001; WPPSI Subtests, Arithmetic and Block Design: p<.001; Draw-A-Person: p<.001; Preschool Behaviour Checklist: p<.001; Harters Perceived Competence (Cognitive and Physical Competence) and Acceptance Scale (Peer and Maternal Acceptance): p<.00l. When comparing preschool environments (care and educational) it was found that the educationally-orientated settings offered a greater degree of attention to iv personal care, language/reasoning experiences and the opportunity for creative and social development when compared with the care orientated pre-schools (ECERS, p<.O1). Teachers at the educational centres were more inclined to support, question and have dialogue with the children when compared to teachers at the care centres. Children at care centres engaged more in adultdirected activities, spent less time in challenging tasks for shorter periods of time (concentration bouts) and had more dialogue with other children when compared with children at educationally-orientated preschools (Target Child Time Sampling). Implications of this research for preschool educators in Bahrain are discussed as well as varying definitions of 'quality.'

En domaine de plate-forme carbonatée épicontinentale peu profonde, la production sédimentaire est étroitement liée aux variations eustatiques, au climat et à la position paleogéographique. Les périodes d’émersion constituent des phases de non-dépôt durant lesquelles l’arrêt de l’enregistrement sédimentaire peut être relayé par un enregistrement diagénétique. Les transformations associées aux discontinuités (réarrangement des porosités, modifications lithologiques, circulations tardives…) peuvent avoir un rôle déterminant sur les propriétés pétrophysiques des réservoirs carbonatés. La détection des surfaces d’émersion et des produits diagénétiques associés apparaît donc essentielle pour préciser la qualité des réservoirs, par (1) la compréhension des processus sédimento-diagénétiques aux limites de séquence, (2) la comparaison de données d’affleurement et de subsurface, et la caractérisation des géométries des réservoirs associés, (3) l’analyse de l’impact de la diagenèse associée à ces surfaces (amélioration ou détérioration des propriétés réservoir).La Formation Natih d’Oman (Albien sup. – Turonien inf.) se situe au sommet d’une épaisse série de plates-formes carbonatées peu profondes et de grande extension géographique (marge de la Néotéthys). La Formation Natih est subdivisée en quatre séquences majeures (3ème ordre) constituées d’unités transgressives tabulaires à faiblement inclinées (rampe à faciès boueux) et de prismes régressifs progradants plus inclinés (barrière bioclastique bien différenicée protégeant un domaine de lagon interne) (van Buchem et al. 2002). Ces séquences se terminent par une ou plusieurs surfaces d’émersion, pouvant être associées à des incisions (Grélaud et al. 2006). La présente étude porte sur l’analyse diagénétique de ces surfaces d’émersion par l’intégration de données de terrain (Foothills d’Adam, Jebel Akhdar) et de subsurface (carottes de forage et données de puits de champs pétroliers voisins).L’analyse diagénétique détaillée des affleurements et des données de subsurface repose sur l’étude de la chronologie relative et de la répartition spatiale des phases diagénétiques associées aux surfaces d’émersion. Elle démontre la mise en place d’une diagenèse précoce dans des conditions relativement arides qui se traduisent par l’absence de karstification et de phénomènes pédogénétiques bien développés sur la plate-forme émergée. Sous les surfaces, des circulations de fluides météoriques oxydants, alimentés par des recharges latérales, entrainent une dissolution précoce des minéralogies instables et la précipitation de ciments météoriques en domaine phréatique. Cette étude diagénétique est complétée par l’analyse des phases mésogétiques et télogénétiques qui permettent de contraindre la séquence diagénétique de la Formation Natih avec les grandes étapes de déformations tectoniques et d’enfouissement.A partir de ces résultats, les produits diagénétiques et leur impact sur l’évolution des réservoirs peuvent être caractérisés et interprétés pour chaque surface. Ils résultent d'interactions complexes entre des facteurs intrinsèques et extrinsèques comme la dynamique de l'aquifère météorique, le contexte paléogéographique et géodynamique au moment des émersions, la maturité du substrat... Ces paramètres sont effectifs au moment du dépôt et des émersions. Toutefois la préservation des produits éogénétiques peut-être fortement influencée par l'évolution au cours de l'enfouissement qui se caractérise par des phénomènes de compaction, cimentation ou dissolution. / On epeiric carbonate platforms, sediment production and stratigraphic architecture are mainly controlled by sea-level variations, climate and palaeogeographic position. During periods of subaerial exposure, carbonate production/deposition stops and the sedimentary record can then be replaced by the diagenetic record. The diagenetic transformations associated to discontinuity surfaces (rearrangement of porosity distribution, lithological alteration, late fluid circulation …) may have a significant impact on carbonate reservoir properties. The characterization of subaerial exposure surfaces and associated diagenesis is therefore essential to understand and predict reservoir quality. It requires: (1) the study of the sedimentological and diagenetic processes at the sequence boundaries, (2) the integration and comparison of outcrop and subsurface data, including respective reservoir architecture, (3) the analysis of the diagenetic overprint related to these surfaces (enhancement or deterioration of reservoir properties).The Natih Formation (Late Albian – Early Turonian) is the last of a thick succession of Cretaceous epeiric carbonate platforms. It is subdivided into four third-order sequences. In each sequence, the transgressive phase is formed by flat to slightly sloping units (muddy ramp facies) whereas the regressive phase corresponds to a higher angle prograding carbonate ramp with a well developed bioclastic margin protecting an inner lagoon (van Buchem et al. 2002). These sequences are capped by one or several subaerial exposure surfaces, sometimes associated with incisions (Grélaud et al. 2006). The present study focuses on the diagenetic analysis of these emersion surfaces by the integration of outcrop (Adam Foothills, Jabal Akhdar) and subsurface data (neighbouring oil fields from the interior Oman).The detailed study of the lateral distribution and chronology of the diagenetic phases associated with emersion surfaces form the basis for the sedimentological and diagenetic model. The results highlight the development of a meteoric diagenetic system which was probably subject to relatively arid conditions, explaining the absence of karstification and pedogenetic features on the exposed platform. Below the emersion surfaces, the circulation of oxidizing meteoric fluids, laterally sourced, leads to the early dissolution of unstable minerals and the precipitation of meteoric cements in the phreatic domain.This diagenetic study is completed by the analysis of the mesogenetic and telogenetic phases, which allow to constrain the diagenetic sequence in relation with the main phases of deformation and burial of the Natih Formation.These results show the particularities of each subaerial exposure event in terms of diagenetic products and their impact on reservoir properties. They result from complex interrelations between external and intrinsic factors, such as the dynamics of meteoric aquifers, the geodynamic and paleogeographic context during exposure, chemical reactivity ... These are effective during deposition and subaerial exposure. However, the preservation of exposure-related diagenetic features may subsequently be influenced by burial evolution trough competition between compaction, cementation and dissolution.

The topic of this dissertation is the alliances of a regional power. The framework used to explain this central aspect of International Relations is the realist one, and particularly the work of the Classical Realist Arnold Wolfers. The regional, state and domestic dimension are integrated in order to provide an “updated realist” interpretation of alliances, why states form them, maintain them or break them. This dissertation seeks to recover the concept of state's goals that was central to Classical Realism and then “abandoned” when Neorealism became the dominant Realist paradigm. The case studies used in this research is Syria during the 1970-1989 phase and particularly five pivotal relations: the Egypt 1973 war alliance, the 1978 failed détente with Iraq, the 1979 Damascus-Tehran alliance, the regional client-superpower alliance with the USSR and finally the relation with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. By analysing Syria's foreign policy and particularly these five relations this dissertation show how a framework based on realism provides a coherent and insightful interpretation of a regional power's foreign policy.

The aim of this thesis is to explain and analyse Britain's policy with regard to oil and the control of oil sources in the Middle East during the period 1919 to 1932. A great many books, articles, and some theses have been written on Middle Eastern oil, dealing with various aspects of the subject, but none has specifically aimed to explain in detail British oil policy between 1919 and 1932. The nearest approach to it is probably to be found in B. Shwadran's "The Middle East, Oil and the Great Powers" (New York, 1955), which was written, however, from an American point of view, and without access to British Government archives. It is hoped, therefore, that this present work may help to fill this gap and, also, that it may help to dispel the many inaccurate (and often wildly fanciful) notions about Britain's Middle Eastern oil policy which have long been current. The term "Middle East" in this context includes Persia, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Palestine, Transjordan, the Arabian Peninsula, and Egypt, but most attention has been given to Iraq, since it was on Iraq that the main international oil controversies of the period centred. The Persian oil situation has been discussed in some detail, but no attempt at an exhaustive account has been made, since there is already a great deal of well-informed literature written on the subject. It has been found necessary to restrict the scope of the thesis to the main theme of British oil policy, avoiding any detailed treatment of the wider issues with which British oil policy was interwoven. Thus the purely diplomatic aspects of the many issues with which the oil questions were involved are not covered in any detail. In particular, no systematic attempt has been made to place Britain's oil policy in the context of its foreign policy as a whole, either in the Middle East or elsewhere, nor has any attempt been made to examine in full the oil policies (or general strategies in the Middle East) of countries other than Britain. There are several reasons for these limitations of scope. Firstly, the practical reason that, for reasons of space, no single thesis could deal adequately with all the diplomatic and other issues which were connected with British oil policy during the period under consideration. Secondly, adequate treatment of these peripheral issues would necessitate a full programme of research into the archives of the several different countries concerned, in particular those of the French Government and of the United States Government. Apart from the fact that such a programme of work would hardly be practicable in the time available, there is the added consideration that, in particular, French Government archives for the period are still closed. Of relevance to this aspect of the matter, too, is the fact that published works which might be expected to yield much information on, for example, French Middle Eastern oil policy, simply do not contain sufficient relevant information to fill satisfactorily the gap left by the non-availability of French Government archives. A third reason for restricting the scope of the thesis is the need for lucidity. In order to keep what is itself a highly complicated theme reasonably clear, much pruning of materials not absolutely central to the main theme has had to be done, sometimes with the result that issues of great importance in themselves, but having only an indirect link with the central theme, have been given only scant treatment.

National women in the Gulf Cooperative Council (GCC) countries are highly educated yet their work participation remains low when compared to the rest of the world. This thesis aims to assess the impact of religion and family in the shaping of national women’s careers in the GCC workforce, in particular the United Arab Emirates (UAE). This aim is fulfilled by conducting three interlinked research projects; a systematic literature review, a qualitative study and finally, a quantitative study. The first research project comprises a systematic review of the literature that identifies the barriers and enablers to the participation and advancement of female national managers in the GCC workforce. The synthesis of articles reveals findings at the societal, organizational, family and individual levels. At the societal level, barriers and enablers are identified as those influenced by socio-cultural and religious norms and practices. These norms and practices influence how organizations (public and private) engage with their employees, and families engage with their individual members. In the second research project, I choose to narrow the scope of my research from six GCC countries to one country, the UAE. I explore the influence of family on the experiences of ten senior female UAE national managers at key work decision stages; I employ semi-structured interviews and, based on their experiences, the findings reveal that the family has influence at both the role entry and role participation stages. No data were available for the role exit stage. Furthermore, the experiences are different for women from extended versus nuclear families. In the third research project I choose to focus on the factors that support and impact on the experiences of UAE national women during their career life cycle. The findings indicate that overall there are no differences between the experiences of women from nuclear families versus extended; however, there are differences between the model and the UAE sample, both at the overall level and individual age stages. My second research project; a qualitative study provides three contributions to knowledge. Firstly, I extend the understanding of work related decisions, taking into account family influences. However, in the UAE, based on my research, the outcome will primarily be in favour of family due to the influence of socio-cultural and religious norms and practices. I propose that the conceptual framework be extended by adding the component of religion to it when considering the context of the UAE. Secondly, I propose a modification to the framework enabling it to be used in the UAE context. Thirdly, no previous empirical research has been conducted using this framework, with the result that the data from my research contribute empirically. With respect to contribution to practice, this qualitative study identifies the need for enhanced recruitment strategies for women and more gender friendly policies and practices to ensure the effectiveness of Emiratization within both the public and private sectors. The evidence from my third research project; a quantitative study contributes theoretically as my research demonstrates that the O’Neil and Bilimoria (2005) three phase women’s career development model does not fit in the UAE context. The research also contributes from a practical perspective as it identifies the need to improve the development of networking, communication and leadership skills for women and the implementation of comprehensive flexible working practices for women.

Women all over the world are still having difficulties in occupying leadership positions. People perceive males as being highly qualified and likely to be considered as leaders. Females are less likely to be perceived as leaders and to be less effective in carrying it out. There are different leadership theories but the most studied and popular one nowadays is the transformational and transactional model. Female leaders are said to use a leadership behavior based on interpersonal relationships and sharing of power and information, the behavior which is usually associated with the style of leadership known as transformational. Male leaders have been found to influence performance by using rewards and punishment, the behavior mainly associated with the style of leaders known as transactional. The individuals, who work for leaders, are called followers. How followers view the magnitude of difference in power between themselves and their leaders is called a power distance orientation. The purpose of this study was to evaluate transformational and transactional leadership with a gendered and culturally appropriate lens, particularly, to extend the research on gender, leadership and culture area in an Arab Middle East context where little research has been done. This study was guided by two research questions; the first one examining the interaction effect of the participant’s power distance orientation and the leader’s gender on the participant’s perception of the transformational leader; the second one examining the interaction effect of the participant’s power distance orientation and the leader’s gender on the participant’s perception of the transactional leader. This research adopted the quantitative method; the use of vignettes and a questionnaire. 437 employees in an organization in Syria returned a complete and usable questionnaire. Data analyzed using ANOVA and hierarchical multiple regression revealed a significant interaction effect of the gender of the leader and the participant’s power distance orientation on evaluation of a transformational leader on three out of the five dimensions of transformational leadership. Also, results revealed no significant interaction effect of the gender of the leader and the participant’s power distance orientation on evaluation of a transactional leader on the three dimensions. This research makes an important contribution to theoretical understanding of gender by showing gender-role stereotyping may change over time and place. This study offers insight into the culture leadership research that means evaluation of performance for transformational leaders is influenced by the cultural value of a follower’s power distance orientation.