13553 research outputs found
Sort by
Un esercizio di traduzione letteraria tra intuito, indagine e istruzione: "The Testament of Cresseid & Seven Fables" (2009) di Seamus Heaney
No full textThis thesis presents the first Italian translation of 'The Testament of Cresseid & Seven Fables' (2009), a work that itself translates Robert Henryson’s (c. 1460-1500) Middle Scots 'The Testament of Cresseid' and 'The Morall Fabillis of Esope the Phrygian' through Seamus Heaney’s (1939-2013) contemporary English rendition. Engaging with the rich tradition of literary translation into Italian, I critically examine this canon in relation to my research objectives, structure, and outcomes. Initially focused on translation theory, the thesis has evolved towards a pedagogical focus, reflecting my passion for teaching across languages and cultures. I see this shift not only as a natural and coherent extension of my academic development, but also as the most relevant and original contribution I could make to a body of scholarship that is already extensive and well-established in both Italian and English.Through the process of translating and annotating TCSF, I discovered that my research interests are rooted in the linguistic and cultural exchanges inherent in translating a work of literature and trying to explain – to oneself as well as to others – all that one has experienced and learned crossing two languages and cultures. This thesis therefore embodies a dual pedagogical commitment to learning and teaching that has shaped my experience throughout the doctoral process.The thesis is structured as a translation (60%) and a set of notes addressing the linguistic, cultural, and literary challenges of the text (40%). These notes not only document the translation process but also provide critical insights and pedagogical reflections, some of which are integrated into proposed classroom activities (Appendix 1).The choices made throughout this project reflect my identity as a translator, researcher, and educator, aligning my intellectual pursuits with my ethical values, particularly in light of the moral framework of the source text. While my translation may not always achieve the linguistic and literary finesse of a native poet-translator, it aspires to foster meaningful and fruitful learning experiences through deep reflection, comparison, instruction and application.Ultimately, this thesis marks a significant step in my academic journey, paving the way for future research that will focus on transforming this experience into teaching units and exploring the pedagogical potential of collaborative intelligence, particularly the innovative applications of Human-AI interaction in literary translation course design, delivery, and assessment.</p
Partial Ordered Stereotype Model: Development of a New Model for Ordinal Data
No full textOrdinal variables are categorical variables whose categories have a natural ordering (e.g., Likert scale). Modelling ordinal responses requires specific methods that properly respect the discrete and natural ordering without including arbitrary assumptions, such as equally spaced categories. There is a small set of models available for ordinal data, including the proportional odds and ordered stereotype models. This thesis introduces the Partial Ordered Stereotype Model (POSM), an extension of the Ordered Stereotype Model (OSM) for ordinal response variables. The OSM, besides respecting the natural ordering of the response categories, does not assume equally spaced response categories and explicitly models the spacing by incorporating score parameters. These parameters specify the potentially unequal distances between adjacent response categories and reflect the discriminant ability of the covariates, indicating how effectively they can distinguish between ordinal response categories. However, different covariates may exhibit distinct discriminant abilities with respect to the ordinal outcome. The POSM addresses this by allowing multiple sets of score parameters within the same model, thus capturing the characteristics of each covariate in a single framework. Choosing the number of covariate groups and determining how to group them based on their discriminant ability are additional challenges for the model selection. To address this, we develop stepwise-based algorithms that simultaneously select relevant covariates and identify appropriate groupings as well as the number of groups. We assess the performance of the POSM and the proposed model selection algorithms through a comprehensive simulation study encompassing an extensive set of scenarios. We also develop an R package called 'stereord', which includes the functions to fit the POSM and to perform model selection using the designed algorithms. Finally, we demonstrate the model’s flexibility and practical value using two real-world datasets: one from happiness research, showcasing the benefits of multiple score parameter sets, and another from aquaculture, highlighting novel applications of the model.</p
Giant Submarine Landslide on the East Antarctic Margin During the Plio-Pleistocene
No full textA giant submarine landslide complex is reported on the George V margin of East Antarctic continental rise. Such landslides are imaged on seismic profiles that display evidence of basal glide planes and headwall scarps. A longitudinal seismic transect, and correlation to nearby drill sites suggest the slide was formed after the early Pliocene. To our knowledge, it is the largest submarine landslide ever identified on the Antarctic margin, with approximately 2,300 km3 of sediments evacuated from the shelf. We propose potential triggers for this slide, including weak layers, fluid and isostatic rebound following ice sheet retreat, although hypothesis relating to the processes has to be tested by direct stratigraphic data. Given the size of the landslide, an improved understanding of whether it was formed during a single event or more gradually during a prolonged interval is critical to evaluate whether Antarctic submarine geohazards may exist in a rapidly changing climates
Communication patterns, actors and misinformation on genome-engineering biotechnologies in New Zealand’s public arena
No full textThe research reported on here examined the communications in the public arena, in New Zealand, regarding genome-engineering biotechnologies (GEB). The arrival of CRISPER techniques has reopened conversations about how to regulate GEB. Portrayals by journalists, officials and their sources may shape public stances on GEB science and application and the preferred regulatory paradigms. Investigations of GEB representations in the public arena included news media, political documents and official advisory reports.
A corpus of 87 items were selected, published between 2017 and 2023.
The first question addressed was: (RQ1) What opportunities are afforded to actors holding a range of positions regarding GEB, to present views in the public arena? The findings indicated a disproportionate representation of pro-GEB views, especially vested-interest scientists developing genome-engineered organisms. Hence, the follow-up questions focused on portrayals by pro-GEB actors and journalists, asking:
(RQ2) What is the scope of communications by journalists and pro-GEB actors?
(RQ3) What is the quality of communications by pro-GEB
actors and journalists?
By applying an inductive content analysis methodology, the study identified 21 framing themes across three domains: regulations (47.5% of communication units), science and applications (44.2%) and public consultations (8.3%). While only five themes were found to be built on misinformation, they represented 47.2% of the key communications in the corpus.
Misinformation was operationalised as errors-of-facts, taking three forms: omissions, misrepresentations or falsehoods. The misinformation identified regarded mostly representations of science and applications (safety, benefits), but affected also portrayals of regulatory regimes domestically/overseas, and GEB commercialisation globally
Narratives of public library roles and value: a critical discourse analysis of a public consultation on a new central library
No full textPurpose
This paper aims to report on an analysis of responses to a public consultation on Te Matapihi – Wellington Central Library in Aotearoa New Zealand. We analyze the responses to explore the meanings that submitters to the consultation attach to public libraries and the ideological values and concerns underpinning them.
Design/methodology/approach
We examined the submissions using analytical techniques drawn from critical discourse analysis, corpus-assisted discourse analysis and social and critical theory more broadly. The analysis focuses on narratives about the public library's role and purpose identified in responses to three of four open questions in the consultation.
Findings
We found the discourse about public library roles and value constructed within three key themes of collections, space and social and cultural contexts. Ideas about collections prioritize space for a large collection of printed materials, particularly books. A competing narrative supports the provision of the book collection alongside a range of other services and facilities, indicating a wider conceptualization of public libraries in the discourse. This extends to the theme of space, where submitters envisage public libraries as open, accessible spaces capable of supporting varied social, cultural and civic purposes. We note a lack of focus on Maori perspectives.
Originality/value
The study is unique in analyzing evidence from a public consultation of plans for a new public library building to explore citizen perspectives on the role and value of public libraries and contributes to our understanding of how they can respond to changing societal needs and contextual shifts
School Leadership Education in Solomon Islands
No full textThis chapter deals with innovation in conception, delivery and outcome in an in-service teacher training program in Solomon Islands. Through a case study of the Graduate Certificate in School Leadership (GCSL), the authors navigate the choppy waters between ‘normal practice' in donor-aid supported educational initiatives and the results of taking an innovative local, and in this case, island-centred route. As a result, the case study offers a pathway towards a contextualised answer to the question posed early in independent Solomon Islands education, ‘Education for What?'. The chapter begins by offering background information on Solomon Islands land, history and thought. The authors then provide the case study, dealing with institutional matters, delivery, content and outcomes. Finally, a discussion of what can be learned from the case study is given relevant to Solomon Islands, the Pacific region and beyond
The Gardens of broken Shadows
No full textContemporary Palestinian architecture oscillates between pragmatic survivalism and static historic preservation, often reducing its rich cultural identity to reductive tropes, flattening diverse communities into monolithic labels like ‘the Arab world,’ ‘Muslims,’ or ‘refugees,’ while erasing their histories, agency, and lived complexities.This thesis challenges this reductive paradigm by proposing that Palestinian narratives and ephemeral practices such as sumud (steadfastness), tatreez (embroidery), Arabic calligraphy and oral storytelling can be spatialised to generate dynamic architectural possibilities. Employing an iterative, design-led methodology, the research interrogates Palestinian identity through three lenses: Architecture + Identity, Atmosphere + Architecture, and Speculative Architecture.Drawing on participatory engagement with Palestinian voices (in diaspora and Palestine), the study uses narrative analysis and speculative mapping to translate lived experiences into spatial strategies. The thesis proposes ephemeral interventions that resist colonial spatial hierarchies while embodying hope and critique.By centring Palestinian voices and utilising speculative design, this work reimagines architecture as a vessel for cultural regeneration, fostering public discourse through exhibitions that bridge academia and advocacy. This methodology, offers a blueprint for future designers to reinterpret Palestinian identity through their own voices and experiences, ensuring narrative sovereignty and spatial justice.</p
Seismicity From Modern Magmatic Activity Beneath Taupō Volcano, Aotearoa New Zealand
No full textAbstractTaupō is an active caldera volcano lying beneath Lake Taupō in the central North Island, Aotearoa New Zealand. It last erupted 1,800 years ago, and today has background seismicity interspersed with unrest episodes, most recently in 2019 and 2022–2023. It presents challenges in monitoring due to the lake and consequent limited control on volcano‐related earthquake locations. Using national seismometer network data and 13 temporary broadband seismometers, we detected and located earthquakes near Taupō between October 2019 and September 2022. We refined the locations with relative relocation, and calculated magnitudes along with selected focal mechanisms. Seismicity beneath the northern part of the lake was related to the volcano's magmatic system: seismicity rates increased during the unrest and varied focal mechanisms demonstrate a lack of tectonic control. An arcuate shape in the seismicity at 6 km depth resulted from the interaction of the magmatic system with a caldera ring fault. The arcuate shape was visible in the background seismicity before the start of the 2022–2023 unrest episode but was particularly active during the first months of unrest, reflecting intrusive episodes into the rhyolitic magma reservoir. In contrast, earthquakes north of the lake, as well as around and beneath the southern part of the lake, demonstrated tectonic controls, with rift‐aligned focal mechanisms and seismic swarms. Improvements that could be made to routine earthquake characterization at Taupō and allow detailed interpretation of activity in near‐real‐time include: a volcano‐specific velocity model, a lower threshold to identify earthquakes, routine relative relocation, and enhanced seismic instrumentation
Mitigation of high X-ray dose radiation-induced attenuation in optical fibers at 15 K: effect of cumulative dose
No full textThe radiation tolerance of optical fibers at cryogenic temperatures is low, but some work has shown that this radiation-induced attenuation can be mitigated via photo bleaching. We explore the effect of high-power X-ray radiation (320 kV accelerating voltage - 10 mA anode current) on optical fibers at 15 K and the photobleaching effect of a secondary beam of light at 1050 nm. We studied the effectiveness of the photobleaching light at recovering transmission at 1550 nm with three different optical powers of the photobleaching light in the range 0.1 to 4 mW. We focused on how pre-irradiated fibers differ from pristine fibers and what is the effect of cumulative dose on parameters such as the saturation radiation-induced attenuation
Access Repository Dashboard
Do you manage Victoria University of Wellington? Access insider analytics, issue reports and manage access to outputs from your repository in the CORE Repository Dashboard!