1811 research outputs found
Sort by
“Sick woman” or “half woman”? Breast and cervical cancer, emotional script and representations of female body in a mediterranean area of Italy
Get PDFThe proposal aims to highlight the semiotic elements of the discourse that refer to the symbolic ones of representations, and that transform the therapy in an exercise of professional dominion aimed to modify the perception of the self of the female patient through the subversion of specific emotional script. The mapping of the emotional scripts of shame and modesty, in their performative evolution, will be useful to demonstrate how and through what relational strategies the medicalization performs a gender violence which leads to exclude and self-stigmatise the sick woman, considered a “half woman”. The reflection that has its incipit in the ascertainment that the female body has been and keeps being a means of “male dominion” and object of “symbolic violence” as well as physical, and favors unexpected articulations related to a female body affected by breast or uterus cancer with often devastating effects on the woman’s self-perception. This proposal provides a reflection on the effects of experience of female cancer in the emotional sphere and in the gender relations of 36 Italian and stranger women. The research aims at discussing the role of medical therapy as a social practice of male domination that imposes a traditional representation in which female beauty is equivalent to the physical integrity and full functioning of specific attributes sexed (uterus that creates, breast that feeds). The focus of research is an analysis particularly focusing on the transformations of perception of body as Körper and the emotions which, cross-sectionally, constitutes the self-perception of Leib
The Technological Expansion of Sociability: Virtual Communities as Imagined Communities
Get PDFThe reception of Benedict Anderson’s ideas was very fruitful in many disciplines, and his work provided key concepts that can now throw a clarifying light in some blurry matters. The expression “imagined community” has known a remarkable proliferation, a situation that led to both the formation of a research direction and to the perpetuation of a cliché. In this respect, my article pointed out some suggestive characteristics of virtual communities, explaining why the imagined community is a valuable subject for the theorists of new media. The impossibility to know in person all the members of a big community is just one factor that determines its imagined face. Moreover, the set of values and inner presuppositions that guide the members are important bricks in the construction of community. In my opinion, the virtual community is imagined as a multi-layered experience (technological, conversational, relational etc.). The dynamic of a virtual community contains the tension amongst these layers and the degree of its imagined side depends on multiple factors. In order to illustrate these aspects, I gave a brief example by analysing a Romanian virtual community, using the triad common language – temporality – high centers. In spite of its limitations, the perspectives offered by this concept are still useful for understanding the nature of online communities. Thus, the imagined community is a valuable set of beliefs and practices that underlie and bolster the effective meaning and functioning of the virtual communities
Review of “Marked Identities. Narrating lives between social labels and individual biographies”
Get PDFThis is a book review of the volume edited by Roberta Piazza and Alessandra Fasulo, and entitled Marked Identities. Narrative Lives Between Social Labels and Individual Biographies, Palgrave Macmillan, London-New York, 2015. The book consists of various interviews with individuals whose lives, mainly because of the group to which they belong, could be viewed as ‘marked’. The difference between the idea of ‘stigma’ and the notion ‘marked identity’ is underlined, together with the idea of ‘diversity’, which today is not necessarily something that one should hide but, quite the opposite, something one can be proud of. One of the main ideas of this text is that identity is not a rigid reality but a process, by which individuals negotiate the version of who they are with others
Effect of Niche-Tunnel Face Distance and Excavation Time in Tunnel Construction
Get PDFEstimated time and costs of construction are one of the most important factors influencing the decision whether and how a tunnel is to be built. Underground excavation works carry a lot of uncertainties that effect the time and cost of tunnel construction so it is essential to make the decisions based on the past best experiences. This study has analyzed the time needed to load the muck in truck, measured in 89 tunnel faces which have different distance from tunnel face to nearest niche, measurements are done in excavation phase of 10.245,00 meters of tunnels which have different diameters varying from 4,20 to 9,40 m. Results indicate that the best distance between tunnel face and niche increase linearly the time of excavation from 0 to 200 meters and exponentially for distances longer than 200 m. It is concluded that in small and medium diameter tunnels the optimal excavation time is achieved when distance from niche and tunnel face is not longer than 200 meters
Effect of Different Steel Fiber Type and Content in Flexural Behavior of Ultra High Performance Fiber Reinforced Concrete
Get PDFIn the research study, the effect of different fiber contents to flexural behavior of the Ultra-High Performance Fiber Reinforced Concrete (UHPFRC) was investigated experimentally. Various prismatic beam specimens with a dimension of 100×100×400 mm including two types of end-hooked steel fibers (aspect ratios: 30/0.55 and 60/0.75) in macro forms and one short straight steel fiber (aspect ratio: 13/0.16) in micro form were produced. The beam specimens corresponding to a total of 18 mixtures having two different volume fractions (1% and 1.5%) were subjected to series of four-point bending tests in accordance with the ASTM standard C 1609. The experimental test results were discussed in terms of the cracking patterns, flexural strengths and toughness (energy absorption ability).
In addition, a parametric research was conducted to ensure an appropriate homogenous UHPFRC mixture as well as good workability for the steel fiber volume fraction of 1.0%. Hence the prism and cubic samples were produced by modified of the composition of matrix mixtures (i.e. aggregate, water/binder, cement, superplasticizer). The performance of mixtures was evaluated in terms of the slump flow, T 500, compressive strength and workability.
It is apparent from the test results, the use of micro steel fiber significantly improves the flexural performance of the UHPFRC comparing to that of the macro form. It was also noted that the fiber type is decisive in characteristic of the load- deflection curve while the volume content amplifies it with an increasing trend after the first cracking region. When evaluating all UHPFRC matrixes, some of the mixtures under consideration ensured good fiber distribution, workability as well as target compressive strength
St. Johann Baptist Church in Neu-Ulm, from Renovation to Reconstrucion. Dominikus Böhm’s experience
Get PDFThe project which stands on a previous building is always a complex task that requires the appropriate technical and cultural knowledge. The architectural survey is the action to reach the full knowledge of a building, to comprehend the history, the composition and the structure.
The architect Dominikus Böhm’s experience (1880-1955) is related to the ability to combine different knowledge for the artifact realization.
In 1921 the architect is called by the Neu-Ulm Catholic community to draft a Renovation (Umbau) of the Garnisonkirche, built in 1857. The project (1922-1926) is to give the building a hall, holding the growing demand for believers. Overcome the need to keep the old style of the previous building, he realizes a new building characterized by the use of reinforced concrete.
The layout plan shows a central nave and two aisles. The outer walls and the tower are built with recycled materials from demolished Ulmer fortifications (Jura limestone, brick and roof tiles). Inside, the contrast between the hollow brick floor, the white walls and the weird vaults, forms a striking spatial creation, especially in the baptistery and the Resurrection chapel. Technology applied in the vault is Rabitz: reinforced concrete made without construction formwork. The pillars diagonally separate the aisles. This arrangement emphasizes the expressionist space, focusing the light toward the altar.
Following the 1945 bombing, Dominikus Böhm is called to draw up a reconstruction project (Wiederaufbau). Basically he stays true to his previous project, maintaining the appearance and character of the original one; however, he proceeds to replace the collapsed vaults with one’s with simplified geometry, also for economic hardship. Moreover, he decided to redefine the side walls in order to capture more light possible.
According to specialists, St. Johann Baptist Church is one of world's most important expressionist churches of the 20th century
Demand Analysis for Passengers in the Railway Transport Sector Depending to Macro Indicators in Albania
Get PDFThe railway sector in Albania is considered one of the most underdeveloped sectors in the Albanian Transport System. In agreement with annual statistics, in 2014 transport of passengers was ten times lower than in 2001, meanwhile transport of goods were 2.5 times lower. Even though the overall economy during these years has been growing, import/export has been increasing and the number of tourists visiting Albania too. The number of personal vehicles increased three times in the last 14 years. Over 90% of the annual capital investments of the Ministry of Transport has been allocated to road, air and maritime transport, while the funds for the railway sector have been almost non-existent. A series of studies funded by the European Union, have been developed in order to support investments in the existing railway’s system. According to statistical data gathered by a variety of fonts, an evolutionary model will be built in order to predict the railway passenger demand in Albania. The aim of this article is to identify the influence of the macroeconomic factors on the railway passenger demand, and to build an evolutionary model based on some relevant variables. This model will be applied in a future scenario in accordance with these variables
Facing Emergencies: Design Strategies
Get PDFSome of nowadays problems have, due to general misunderstanding, been relegated out of our thoughts, as if they concerned us only remotely. One of these is the relationship between architecture – architectural design – and emergencies. But can the world of designers still find itself almost unprepared, as if taken by surprise, for a phenomenon that involves tens of millions of persons?
Each year, due to earthquakes, war and emergencies of various kinds, temporary camps are set up all over the world, facilities which often turn out to be anything but temporary. Emergencies can no longer, in fact, be considered extraordinary, linked to uncommon, unforeseen and unpredictable events.
Starting from these key considerations, the proposed essay – part of a research project on the subject of emergency housing conducted by professors of Architectural Composition at the DICEA, Faculty of Engineering, Sapienza University of Rome – will argue that, on the contrary, emergencies are very often predictable, manageable, and subject to planning aimed at reducing to a minimum the hardship of the people involved.
Analyzing selected fast, economical, comfortable, repeatable but versatile, solid, and last but not least, urbanistically, architecturally and aesthetically valid proposals dealing with emergencies, the authors outline a strategy focused on considering emergency housing an experimental topic of architecture, highly oriented toward finding an indispensable synthesis between structural researches, technical issues and the configuration of space
The essay deals with the subject of combining different materials – traditional (bamboo), innovative (teflon, polypropylene), recycled (containers) or usally considered inappropriate for construction (cardboard, pallets, rubble) – and modern prefabrication techniques, also digital, in order to propose a conception of systems for assembly, stiffening and eventually reach appropriate structural shapes
The status of judges and the justice reform - An Albanian inside
Get PDFThe judicial power in Albania is considered today as the greatest sinner in the Albanian society. But is it the only sinner? Is it treated with respect and dignity by the Albanian society? In the opinion of the writer of this article, the politicians of this country are also accomplices in this situation of the judiciary. These latter ones, when they need to purify their reputation, declare that they were pronounced not guilty by the courts. When a non-guilty decision is given to their political opponent, they hurry to curse the courts as corrupt, etc. In our opinion, the judiciary is not treated by the state equally when compared to the employees of the other sectors of the state. The Judiciary in Albanian, apart from being attacked en bloc by the politics and the media, is also paid badly and humiliated. This situation is of no service to the Albanian society and it should be changed rapidly
Role and challenges of school social workers in facilitating and supporting the inclusiveness of children with special needs in regular schools
Get PDFDynamic of the society development is associated with extension of social problems, notably in educational context. The role of school, as the main public institution for social development of the students, is now obvious throughout the world. Consequently the role of social workers in schools is becoming essential, especially in terms of the inclusion of marginalized children from the opportunity of education, by impacting the educational system, to meet the diverse needs of all learners. Social work is focused on the welfare of individuals by increasing and developing their potential, so it goes hand in hand with inclusive education for children with disabilities, which emphasizes the children’ rights to obtain a definite, qualitative and suitable education in regular schools. The main focus of this study was to draw a clear panorama of the school social workers’ role towards the processes of inclusiveness of students with disabilities in Albanian regular schools. The data were collected via in-depth interviews with eight school social workers of the secondary schools in Korça region. The results showed that social service in schools is very important for helping students to develop social competences, intermediating parents in utilizing school and community resources, identifying and reporting bullying phenomenon, etc. School social workers could play a key role to implement the educational reform, which is being undertaken in Albania. Interviewees also shared their difficulties regarding the practical work, especially obstacles related to inclusive education processes