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Sexual asylum regimes and politics of belonging: Narratives of deservingness in the political-public discourse in Switzerland
Get PDFThis article explores the ways in which narratives of deservingness in the field of sexual asylum become crucial elements of national border drawing and boundary work, and important instruments of a politics of belonging. Switzerland is a particularly interesting case study in which to explore these issues due to the supposed humanitarian tradition on the one hand and conservative policies on gender and sexuality issues on the other hand. Drawing on literature on belonging and sexual nationalism, we conduct a qualitative analysis of textual data representing the political–public discourse. Four interconnected narratives of deservingness regarding the sexual asylum regime were isolated: (1) postcolonial geopolitics of national imaginaries; (2) Eurocentric/Western representations of queerness and a corresponding politics of the queer body; (3) hierarchizing categories of vulnerability; and (4) a general narrative of (dis)belief. We argue that the political–public discourse on sexual asylum should be understood as part of a broader moral economy concerned with the creation and definition of the Swiss community and its politics of belonging
Untapping microbial diversity in geothermal power plants
No full textThesis committee:
Prof. Pilar Junier – thesis director, Université de Neuchâtel, Switzerland
Dr. Saskia Bindschedler – internal expert, Université de Neuchâtel, Switzerland
Prof. Benoît Valley – internal expert, Université de Neuchâtel, Switzerland
PD Simona Regenspurg– external expert, GFZ Potsdam, Germany
Prof. Cara Magnabosco – external expert, ETH Zürich, Switzerland
Prof. Magnus Ivarsson – external expert, Swedish Museum of Natural History, Sweden
Defended on the 12th of January 2024The Earth hosts a wide variety of environments that are considered extreme for life, from glaciers to volcanoes or from the deep-sea to the deep terrestrial subsurface. However, even if environmental conditions are extreme in these environments, most of them harbor a great diversity of microbial life. In this thesis, we focused on one particular extreme environment: deep geothermal fluids that are used for electricity production. These fluids present several
extreme conditions, such as high temperatures, high salinities, radioactivity or the presence of heavy metals. They are nevertheless known to host bacterial and archaeal life, which can impact the efficacy of geothermal power plants by causing microbially-induced corrosion or microbially-induced mineral precipitation. However, the general access to these deep geothermal fluids (generally a few kilometers below the Earth’s surface) has been limited until
recently due to the impossibility to reach them. Therefore, general patterns about the presence of microbial life in deep geothermal fluids are still widely unknown. Moreover, the presence of Fungi in these specific systems was, to the best of our knowledge, never assessed before.
Given the impacts that microbial life can have on the geothermal power plants themselves as well as the potential of discovering new microbial species from these underexplored environments, assessing the presence of microorganisms in these systems is of great interest. The aim of this thesis was therefore to assess the bacterial and fungal diversity present in different geothermal power plants producing electricity in Europe. First, as the microbial diversity in extreme environments can be challenging to assess due to the low amount of biomass present and to the existence of multiple resistance strategies of the microorganisms in such an extreme environment, culture-independent methods were tested and validated for deep geothermal fluids. A method previously developed to access the DNA from bacterial and archaeal cells resistant to lysis was validated on fungal structures. Then, this method as well as bioinformatic pipelines to analyze bacterial and fungal sequences from deep geothermal fluids were validated, showing the importance to use DNA extractions from the lysis-resistant and non-resistant community fractions to get a broad overview of the microbial diversity within the samples. Once all the methods were validated, the diversity of Bacteria and Fungi in fluids from six different geothermal power plants was analyzed. This revealed an astonishing diversity for the bacterial and fungal communities, and even the most extreme sites in term of temperature (i.e., the Icelandic geothermal power plants) were shown to host life. Afterwards, in order to complement this overview of the diversity of Bacteria and Fungi detected through molecular methods, isolation of microorganisms from the same geothermal fluids was done.
This allowed us to isolate two anaerobic bacterial strains, one aerobic thermophilic strain of Thermaerobacter composti, one new bacterial strain belonging to the Niallia genus, as well as 11 fungal strains that included a strain of Penicillium citrinum and yeasts belonging to the Meyerozyma genus. The strain of P. citrinum, which is a species known for its biosorption potential of heavy metals, was further used in a biosorption experiment. The potential of the
dead biomass of this fungus to biosorb lead was assessed under conditions mimicking those found in a geothermal fluid and during operations for electricity production, with the idea to decrease the lead concentration in the fluids, thus lessening the negative impact of lead precipitation within power plant systems. However, this showed that while elevated temperatures or the presence of organic acids within the fluids did not impact biosorption, the high salinity of the geothermal fluids drastically hindered the biosorption capacity of the biomass, making lead removal under these conditions negligeable. Overall, this thesis highlighted the bacterial and fungal life present in deep geothermal fluids of different geothermal power plants across Europe by the combination of culture-independent and culture-dependent methods. This provides a better understanding of the system, thus allowing for a more informed management of microbial life in geothermal power plants. Furthermore, the strains isolated within this thesis, by being either new species or new extremophilic strains of known species, hold the potential to be useful for different biotechnology purposes as well as helping us understand how life adapts to varied extreme conditions
SHOCK. Dall’educatore vulnerabile e ignorato alla formazione di un’equipe educativa dialogica e resiliente attraverso l’elaborazione emotiva: una teoria fondata
Get PDFUniNE, FLSH, Institut de psychologie et éducation, soutenue le 25 octobre 2024La recherche s’est concentrée sur l’expérience des éducateurs professionnels travaillant avec les Mineurs Étrangers Non Accompagnés (MENA), mettant en évidence une sous-estimation sur plusieurs fronts : économique, social, organisationnel et professionnel. Malgré l’importance de leur rôle, les éducateurs rencontrent des conditions difficiles, notamment de longues heures de travail, un manque de progression de carrière et des niveaux élevés de conflit avec les usagers. Malgré une demande croissante d’éducateurs, on observe une diminution de ceux prêts à travailler avec les MENA. La recherche a révélé que, tandis que les mineurs étrangers non accompagnés bénéficient d’une forte protection, les éducateurs sont peu reconnus et soutenus.
La revue de la littérature et l’étude des politiques ont confirmé ces observations. Les entretiens et les groupes de discussion ont mis en lumière les émotions contrastées des éducateurs, allant de l’euphorie à la frustration. Le turnover des éducateurs était élevé, avec de nombreuses démissions dues au stress et à des conditions de travail intenables. En utilisant la méthodologie de la Théorie Ancrée Constructiviste, la recherche a exploré de manière idéographique l’approche dialogique par laquelle une communauté éducative travaillant avec les MENA issus de la route des Balkans en Italie forme les émotions des éducateurs. À travers l’éducation émotionnelle, elle produit des outils et des stratégies organisationnelles pour faire face aux défis systémiques liés à la rencontre bouleversante avec les MENA. Il en ressort un modèle de formation et d’organisation qui soutient le contexte éducatif et les éducateurs. Ces résultats ont conduit à une réflexion sur la manière dont les institutions peuvent soutenir les éducateurs et améliorer le système éducatif pour les MENA, tout en encourageant des recherches plus larges sur l’efficacité de l’intervention éducative.The research focused on the experience of professional educators working with Unaccompanied Foreign Minors (UFM), highlighting underestimation on various fronts: economic, social, organizational, and professional. Despite the importance of their role, educators face challenging conditions, including long working hours, lack of career progression, and high levels of conflict with users. Despite the increasing demand for educators, there is a decline in those willing to work with UFMs. The research revealed that while unaccompanied foreign minors receive strong protection, educators are poorly recognized and supported.
The literature review and policy study confirmed these insights. Interviews and focus groups highlighted the conflicting emotions of educators, ranging from euphoria to frustration. Educator turnover was high, with many resigning due to stress and unsustainable working conditions. Using the Constructivist Grounded Theory Methodology, the research ideographically explored the dialogical approach by which an educational community working with UFMs from the Balkan Route in Italy trains educators’ emotions. Through emotional education, it produces tools and organizational strategies to address systemic challenges linked to the shocking encounter with UFMs. The result is a training and organizational model that supports the educational context and educators. These findings led to a reflection on how institutions can support educators and improve the educational system for UFMs, encouraging broader research on the effectiveness of educational intervention
Qualité de victime LAVI et octroi d’un hébergement d’urgence en cas de menaces de suicide proférées par le conjoint
Get PDFRésumé et analyse, Tribunal fédéral – 1C_653/2022, destiné à la publication, Ière Cour de droit public, Arrêt du 3 juin 2024 (d
L’art de l’engagement
No full textQu’est-ce que l’engagement en anthropologie ? Comment, dans un monde perçu comme étant en crise et au bord de l’effondrement, s’engage-t-on aujourd’hui ? En s’appuyant sur le parcours de notre collègue, mentore et amie Ellen Hertz, dont la posture engagée constitue le pivot de sa carrière et de son énergie, cet ouvrage souhaite contribuer à renouveler la réflexion sur ces questions. [...
Basic services under rapid urbanization: unpacking the interactions of sanitation with urban inequality
Get PDFUniNE, FLSH, Institut de sociologie, soutenue le 27 mars 2024Cette thèse traite de l'interaction entre les services de base et les inégalités urbaines. Face à une urbanisation rapide et non planifiée, le principal objectif des acteurs publics est de garantir que l'expansion des services de base se poursuive au même taux, afin d'atteindre un niveau minimum de services pour l'ensemble de la population urbaine et de réduire l'inégalité. Cependant, comme la plupart des services de base sont fournis par le moyen de grands réseaux d'infrastructures, ils ont tendance à être à forte intensité de capital et de planification et sont donc à la traîne de la croissance urbaine, en particulier là où l'urbanisation est informelle. Dans ce contexte, le dégroupage des infrastructures de réseau et la fourniture décentralisée des services de base sont considérés comme un changement de donne, car ils augmentent la flexibilité et réduisent les volumes d'investissement. Par conséquent, le même service de base peut de plus en plus être fourni par des solutions technologiques, des modèles d'exploitation et des acteurs différents. Les conditions dans lesquelles les citoyens ont accès aux services de base, en particulier l'éligibilité et le coût, peuvent varier considérablement. En bref, les processus impliqués dans la fourniture d'un même service de base sont de plus en plus fragmentés, ce qui rend la question de l'inégalité centrale. Cette thèse prend l'exemple de l'assainissement pour étudier comment les différentes modalités de fourniture des services de base interagissent avec les inégalités urbaines dans une perspective territoriale. La thèse est basée sur trois articles de recherche, chacun formant un chapitre. Le chapitre 4 examine le comportement d'investissement des banques multilatérales de développement (BMD) dans l'approvisionnement en eau et l'assainissement. Le chapitre présente un nouvel ensemble de données comprenant tous les investissements dans l'eau et l'assainissement entre 1960 et 2020. S'appuyant sur 3 639 projets d'eau et d'assainissement, le chapitre évalue les tendances territoriales, les choix technologiques, la répartition des charges financières et les réformes des dispositifs institutionnels pour comprendre comment le comportement d'investissement des BMD varie dans l'espace et dans le temps, et comment il réagit au discours politique mondial et à l'urbanisation. Le chapitre 5 examine le développement du secteur de l'eau et de l'assainissement à Dhaka, au Bangladesh, entre 1990 et 2020. Il présente le Policy Pathways Framework (PPF) comme un nouveau concept analytique permettant d'analyser les négociations multiscalaires impliquées dans les délibérations sur les politiques et les investissements en matière d'assainissement. Le chapitre explique comment les financeurs associent l'introduction en cours de l'assainissement inclusif à l'échelle de la ville (CWIS) à l'organisation de l'assainissement à travers une économie, comment les entreprises de services publics utilisent le CWIS comme une opportunité d'éviter des responsabilités coûteuses dans l'assainissement sans égouts, et comment la coproduction de services à travers des solutions basées sur la communauté est négligée. Le chapitre 6 présente le cadre de l'économie politique territoriale (EPT) et la typologie des marchés de l'assainissement pour analyser la variété des systèmes d'assainissement existant dans les villes. La TPE distingue trois dimensions - la sécurité, la production et le financement - pour explorer la distribution générique du pouvoir structurel des systèmes d'assainissement et leur interaction locale-globale. La typologie du marché de l'assainissement identifie cinq types idéaux, à savoir les marchés des ménages, des municipalités, des services publics, des travaux urbains et des entreprises. Le cadre TPE et la typologie des marchés sont des propositions opportunes pour rendre la recherche sur l'EPP plus sensible à la dimension territoriale. Pour les acteurs promouvant les CWIS, la thèse montre que la flexibilité de la technologie doit être étendue à l'organisation et au financement. A cette fin, la collecte systématique et la synthèse des dispositions financières et organisationnelles existantes pour l'assainissement sans égout sont plus prometteuses que l'accent mis actuellement sur la promotion d'une vision abstraite d'une économie de l'assainissement basée sur l'investissement privé et la demande des ménages, où l'assainissement sûr est fourni comme le résultat d'un marché qui fonctionne.This dissertation addresses the interaction of basic service arrangements with urban inequality. In the face of rapid and unplanned urbanization, one of the main challenges for public actors is to ensure that the expansion of basic services keeps pace to achieve a minimum level of services across the entire urban population to reduce inequality. However, as most basic services are delivered through extensive infrastructure networks, they tend to be capital and planning intensive and therefore lag significantly behind urban growth, especially where urbanization is informal. Against this backdrop, the unbundling of network infrastructures and decentralized basic service provision are seen as a game changer through increasing flexibility and decreasing investment volumes. As a result, the same basic service can increasingly be provided by different technological solutions, operating models, and actors. The conditions under which citizens gain access to basic services, particularly eligibility and cost, can vary greatly. In short, the processes for delivering the same basic service are becoming more fragmented, which makes the issue of inequality central. This thesis takes the example of sanitation to address how different arrangements of basic service provisioning interact with urban inequality from a territorial perspective. The thesis is based on three research articles, which form a chapter each.
Chapter 4, studies Multilateral Development Banks' (MDBs) investment behaviour for water supply and sanitation. The chapter introduces a novel dataset comprising all water and sanitation investments between 1960 and 2020. Drawing on 3639 water and sanitation projects, the chapter assesses territorial trends, technology choices, distribution of financial burdens, and reforms to institutional arrangements to understand how MDB’s investment behaviour varies across space and time and how it responds to the global policy discourse and urbanization.
Chapter 5 scrutinizes the development of the water and sanitation sector in Dhaka, Bangladesh, between 1990 and 2020. The chapter introduces the policy pathways framework (PPF) as a novel analytical concept to unpack the multiscalar negotiations involved in the deliberation over sanitation policies and investments. The chapter shows how donors link the ongoing introduction of citywide inclusive sanitation (CWIS) to the organization of sanitation through an economy, how the utility uses CWIS as an opportunity to avoid costly responsibilities in non-sewered sanitation, and how service co-production through community-based solutions is neglected.
Chapter 6 introduces the territorial political economy framework (TPE) and the sanitation bargains typology to analyse the variety of sanitation systems that exist in cities. The TPE distinguishes three dimensions—security, production, and finance—to explore sanitation systems' generic distribution of structural power and their local-global interaction. The typology of sanitation bargains identifies five ideal types, namely the household, municipality, utility, cityworks, and enterprise, bargains. The TPE framework and the bargains typology are timely propositions for making research in IPE more territorially sensitive.
For actors promoting CWIS the dissertation shows that the flexibility in technology must be extended to organization and financing. To this end, the systematic collection and synthesizing of existing financial and organizational arrangements for non-sewered sanitation is more promising than the current focus on promoting an abstract vision of a sanitation economy based on private investments and household demand, where safe sanitation is provided as a result of a functioning market
