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Revising the Capability Approach: Adaptive Preferences and Avoiding Paternalism
Get PDFThe capability approach, as proposed by Martha Nussbaum, identifies ten capabilities that are necessary for human well-being, and suggests that governments have responsibilities to provide these capabilities to ensure a minimum threshold of justice. In some cases, however, individuals with adaptive preferences may not value these capabilities and instead sign them away. This would mark a failure of the government to provide the capabilities and ensure justice. To address this, Nussbaum legitimizes the possibility of forcing the functioning of these capabilities as one way of protecting them. However, in this paper, I argue that forcing functionings risks paternalism and is not the most effective approach to tackle adaptive preferences. I offer the idea of preparation to help the capability approach deal with adaptive preferences while avoiding paternalism
Content Analysis as a Generative Method Toward the Conceptual Design of an Eco-Tech Winter Pavilion
Get PDFThe concept of the eco-tech pavilion aligns with urban design’s commitment to sustainability within the unique context of Nordicity, characterized by prolonged winters and a focus on environmental resilience. This research explores the potential of eco-tech pavilions as a solution to urban challenges in Nordic regions, particularly focusing on the winter climate. Using content analysis as a generative method, the central inquiry of this study revolves around how integrating elements of Nordicity into an eco-tech pavilion's design can enhance socio-environmental sustainability during the winter months. To address this question, a thorough literature review methodology is adopted, involving the collection of a comprehensive dataset from existing scholarly works, employing content analysis methods, and utilizing Leximancer software for deeper insights. The aim is to uncover design patterns and conceptual guidelines for eco-tech pavilions tailored to nordic requirements. Subsequently, a research-through-design (RtD) approach is initiated, utilizing 3D software (Rhino) and rendering techniques (Lumion) to propose a conceptual design. The study’s findings underscore the importance of an integrated approach to two pivotal criteria: designing for locality and climate resilience. For example, incorporating design elements such as spherical structures, active solar heating and natural light distribution can significantly boost the eco-tech pavilion’s energy efficiency. Furthermore, strategic design features such as expansive windows and biophilic interior designs can collectively contribute to enhancing well-being and fostering community engagement. By advocating for an integrated approach to the conceptual design of an eco-tech pavilion, this research contributes to the ongoing discourse on sustainable urban development within nordic contexts, aiming to improve socio-environmental sustainability.
Keywords: Eco-tech pavilion; Socio-environmental design; Nordicity; Sustainability; Community wellbeing; Content Analysis; Research through Desig
Failure Feedback and The Transmission of Gendered Beliefs about Ability
Get PDFThe Brilliance Stereotype associates raw, innate high intellectual ability to men, but not women (Leslie et al., 2015). Such gender stereotyped beliefs about intellectual abilities emerge early (by the age of 6, e.g., Bian et al., 2017), extend into adulthood (e.g., Storage et al., 2020) and can have pernicious effects on behaviour (e.g., Bian et al., 2018; Master et al., 2016). Yet, the sources of development of the brilliance stereotype are seldom investigated. The present research explores the feedback children receive from their parents in response to failure as a potential source of gendered information about intellectual ability.
Across two empirical studies, feedback provided by parents to their 5- and 6-year-old children (NStudy1 = 136; NStudy2 = 114) was recorded as they made their way through a challenging puzzle activity (Study One and Two) described as being for “really really smart kids” (Study Two). Parental feedback was recorded and categorized using a coding scheme I developed based on previous research (e.g., Haimovitz & Dweck, 2016). Feedback utterances were coded as either person-oriented (fixed messages, e.g., “this is too hard for you”), process- oriented (growth messages, e.g., “you need practice”), or other messages (e.g., instructions, statements, questions, product messages). Moreover, parents' mindsets and gender stereotyping attitudes were examined to assess their influence on the feedback provided and their relation to children’s mindsets.
Overall, results from both studies suggest that, in the face of setbacks, parents provide more growth-related messages to boys compared to girls. Specifically, boys received more strategy- and help-focused messages (Study One), as well as more pedagogical questions, product
feedback, and instructions (Study Two). In contrast, girls received less growth-related encouragement in response to failure, which may imply that their efforts are perceived as futile, reinforcing the brilliance stereotype that boys are inherently smarter. Additionally, parents’ mindsets were related to their stereotypical beliefs, yet were not predictive of feedback provided nor did they correlate with children’s implicit beliefs about ability. The findings provide valuable insights about how messages about intellectual ability are communicated within parent-child dynamics, highlighting the potential role of failure feedback in the development of children’s gender stereotypes
Optimization Model for Production-Distribution Planning in the Cosmetic Industry: The Case of Cosmetics Company Canada
Get PDFThis study conducts an in-depth analysis of the short-term variable transportation and warehousing costs at the Horace Plant (HP). The primary goal is to develop cost-saving strategies that enhance operational efficiency while reducing overall costs. The analysis focuses on three main cost components: trucking costs, pallet movement costs, and warehousing costs, which are incurred during shipments between suppliers, warehouses, and production facilities, as well as the movement and storage of raw materials and components in a short horizon. The study employs Linear Programming (LP) techniques, specifically a Multistage Multi-echelon Multiproduct Mixed Integer Linear Programming (MILP) model, to capture the complexity of Cosmetics Company's supply chain network. The model, including multiple products, suppliers, warehouses, production warehouses, and periods, offers a robust framework for optimization, instilling confidence and reassurance about its effectiveness in supply chain management. Results from the model reveal cost-saving opportunities and operational improvements. Sensitivity analysis provides insights into key cost drivers and potential areas for cost reduction. The practical application of this study lies in its ability to offer real-time, actionable insights for daily supply chain operations, which is crucial for handling demand fluctuations and ensuring cost efficiency in the beauty industry. The study enhances visibility into goods flow and potential short-term shortages by providing deeper managerial insights into the optimal routing and storage of pallets. This supports strategic and tactical planning, driving continuous improvement in supply chain performance and instilling a sense of optimism about the future of supply chain management. Ultimately, the study demonstrates the practical benefits of advanced optimization models in complex, dynamic environments, contributing valuable insights to the field of supply chain management
The Authentic Brand: The Rise and Mechanics of Corporate Influencership
Get PDFThis thesis examines how brands utilize the marketing tactics of social media influencers to promote themselves in platform spaces in order to connect with their users. While contemporary netizens have become increasingly resistant to most forms of digital advertising (Ramadan 2017, Ariagada 2021), influencers have found success in promotional campaigns due in large part to their ability to appear authentic and demonstrate their relatability through the content they produce. Due to the success of these marketing strategies, several brands have altered their approaches to social media and incorporated aspects of influencership into their presentation in these spaces or attempted to become influencers themselves as a means of circumventing the ad resistance of their userbases. This thesis explores this phenomenon through examinations of two brand social media accounts that have found success through utilizing influencer marketing tactics: the Twitter profile of the fast food chain Wendy’s and the TikTok account of the language learning app Duolingo. By examining these brand accounts through the lens of existing research that defines the promotional strategies of influencers, this thesis highlights the aspects of influencership that both companies have incorporated into their respective approaches and illustrates the rationale behind these choices in digital presentation. Ultimately, this thesis seeks to expand the definition of influencership by demonstrating its potential as a tool of the market as its strategies continue to be co-opted by corporate entities and to encourage further academic scholarship that recognizes the steady progression of this phenomenon
Machine Learning and Coding Schemes for Fault and Cyber-attack Detection of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles
Get PDFThe main objective of the thesis is to effectively detect and isolate faults and detect cyber-attacks and isolate faults from cyber-attacks for UAVs.
In our first result, we leverage SVMs as a supervised machine-learning technique and Kalman filtering as a proven model-based method. We show that these methods can effectively detect and isolate faults and cyber-attacks. This thesis emphasizes the importance of hybrid approaches to fault and cyber-attacks
SVMs perform equally well for the FDI cyber-attack detection on the control inputs of the ground control system. We propose to train two-class SVM only with the healthy dataset while adding a small bias to control the input of randomly selected observations. To isolate faults from cyber-attacks, we propose to use two Chi-squared, one on the plant side and the other on the controller side that reliably isolates faults from cyber-attacks.
In our second result, we investigate the problem of stealthy caber-attack detection, where the attackers exploit full knowledge of the system to launch undetectable cyber-attacks. We study replay and covert cyber-attacks, and to make them detectable, we use coding techniques.
We extend the two-way coding for MIMO discrete-time systems and study its properties using Kalman filtering for stealthy cyber-attack detection. We show that for an attacker to remove the cyber-attack impact from coded output, it is necessary to know the coding. We propose a new coding scheme using randomly generated numbers on the controller side that effectively converts coded inputs and outputs to time-varying random numbers
Experimental and Theoretical Study of Vibration-Assisted Thermal Bonding of Thermoplastic Composites
No full textThermoplastic composites excel in fatigue and impact resistance over thermoset composites. In particular, they possess the unique possibility for in-situ consolidation using the Automated Fiber Placement (AFP) which reduce manufacturing costs and energy. However, challenges remain in achieving high-quality AFP-made laminates especially in addressing lower bond strength compared to autoclave method. Comprehensive understanding is crucial to overcome these challenges.
Microscopic observation reveals that thermoplastic composite consolidation involves two main stages: intimate contact between two surfaces in which the interfacial contacted area increases by spreading the softened surface, and healing, which refers to intermolecular diffusion across the interfaces of two layers which are in intimate contact. Therefore, this study initially focuses on understanding these consolidation stages thoroughly. Reviewing literature identifies two significant gaps in the consolidation process.
Regarding intimate contact, numerous theoretical models have been proposed to study its development across various manufacturing processes. However, there are very few experimental methods available to measure the degree of intimate contact. To fill this gap, the first part of this study proposes a new experimental technique called Bearing Area Curve (BAC) based on the topology of the tape surface for measuring
intimate contact development. This method evaluates the effects of process parameters like placement speed and temperature on intimate contact development, showing promise in accurately measuring intimate contact.
Regarding healing, despite numerous experimental techniques and theoretical models proposed to optimize the process, the healing obtained from AFP is still unacceptable. To address this, the second part of the study focuses on developing a new experimental technique called Vibration-Assisted Thermal Bonding (VATB) to effectively improve the degree of healing. Further to this, a new healing model is developed to
predict the degree of healing for the VATB process.
The final segment of this investigation extends the developed methodologies, specifically evaluating the effectiveness of vibration-assisted thermal bonding in repairing thermoplastic composites with an integrated amorphous polymer layer such as Poly-Ether-Imide (PEI) between CF/PEEK layers. The results showed that using vibration-assisted thermal repairing (VATR) rather than thermal repairing increases the bonding strength by up to 22% and decreases the void content by up to 35%
Tourism Landscape Construction and the Marginalization of Ethnic and Rural Communities: A Case Study of Chagan Lake Winter Fishing Tourism Festival
Get PDFThis study examines the practices of constructing and disseminating tourism landscapes by the Chinese government, official media, and social media, using the Chagan Lake Winter Fishing and related tourism festivals as a case study. It reveals how the Chinese government leverages local ethnic cultures, guided by modernization ideology, to develop tourism festivals aiming at integrating ethnic minorities and rural populations into the modernization process. This study also examines the issues of rural tourism becoming ideologically charged and the marginalization of local communities in the modernization of China. Additionally, the study investigates the idealized and simplified representations of winter fishing in different media. CCTV's portrayal aligns with the central government's poverty alleviation through tourism policies and ecological civilization initiatives, while Xiaohongshu caters to users' demands for visibility and interaction. Since the ice and snow economy developed in 2015, winter fishing has become a replicable landscape promoted in northern regions, regardless of its alignment with local culture and fishing practices. The replicable landscape visually reinforces the perceived distance between ethnic minorities, rural populations, and modern society, emphasizing traditional and ethnic cultures as fundamentally distinct from modernization rather than genuinely integrating them into the development process. This study is significant as it highlights the conflict in the Chinese government's efforts to include rural populations and ethnic groups in modernization through tourism development, which paradoxically further marginalizes them and reinvents their cultures to fit the modernization agenda
“Don’t LAI to me”: a thematic analysis of Brazil’s first newsletter focusing on access to information
Get PDFAccess to information (ATI) policies and legislations emerged globally from the need to enhance democratic systems, by allowing citizens to monitor political decisions and contribute to social change. However, ATI does not always play out in reality as it’s spelled out on paper. Brazil is one of the many countries that suffers from flawed access to information laws, with not-so-transparent documents being an all-too-common experience for requesters.
Fiquem Sabendo is an independent data agency that fights to hold the Brazilian ATI system to account. It is an organization committed to public transparency and, since 2019, has published 158 issues of the newsletter “Don’t LAI to me”, which includes “unpublished databases, news, tips and reports produced on or based on data obtained via ATI.”
Through a detailed a thematic analysis of 147 issues of the newsletter, this research project sought to observe whether it fulfills the journalistic role of “the watchdog,” and what other theoretical roles of journalism are expressed in its content. The research also examines the tools the newsletter provides citizens to help others access public resources and information in an autonomous way. One research goal is to answer the question of how the newsletter mobilizes key concepts in access to information legislation, like “human rights,” “transparency,” and “objectivity.” Overall, the driving goal of this research is to increase awareness about the LAI in Brazil and to add to discussions in the field, highlighting barriers and opportunities for improvement in information dissemination through the lens of journalism
Being, Belonging, and Becoming at Youth-Led Cooperatives in Mexico
No full textThis doctoral thesis explores the motivations and transformative impacts of youth-led cooperatives within Mexico's solidarity economy. The research investigates the motivations behind young entrepreneurs' decisions to form cooperatives and their impact on their personal and collective growth. It delves into how these cooperatives address their emotional, social, financial, and political needs, as well as the dynamics of youth-adult partnerships (Y-APs) that support these ventures.
The research draws from interdisciplinary fields such as positive youth development, community youth development, entrepreneurship, education, and solidarity economy. In this thesis, the solidarity economy is defined based on the principles of equity, solidarity, participatory democracy, sustainability, and pluralism. Methodologically, the thesis employs decolonial and indigenous approaches through a combination of biographical narratives and theoretical insights, ensuring that research collaborators' voices and experiences are central to the analysis. This approach fosters genuine relationality and accountability, providing a platform for participants' authentic perspectives.
Key findings reveal that youth cooperatives provide spaces for positive development, allowing young people to satisfy their social, emotional, economic, and political needs. Within cooperatives, youth experience a sense of being, belonging, and becoming. They foster their self-identity (being), develop a sense of community and inclusion (belonging), and acquire new competencies and skills that prepare them for adulthood (becoming). The study also underscores the critical role of adults as partners in supporting the creation and management of these cooperatives, highlighting the importance of intergenerational collaboration.
By integrating educational insights and personal and work experiences, my research outlines how the formation of cooperatives is a response to seeking alternatives to the capitalist system. These findings contribute to a more subtle understanding of how young individuals leverage cooperative ventures as platforms for living their values and effectuating real-world change, thus enriching both academic discourse and practical approaches within the solidarity economy