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Examining Critical Approaches to Social Media Education and Research in Canada
Get PDFThis thesis explores the conditions, limits and possibilities for advancing social media education and research in Canada. Drawing from LeGreco and Tracy’s (2009) discourse tracing approach, I analyzed connections between evolving views, discourses and practices relating to social media across two transdisciplinary fields: media education and social media research. I conducted interviews with experts from Canadian media education organizations working at the crossroads of research, education, and community settings. I then completed a narrative review of media education and social media research from the last 15 years. The findings reveal multifaceted challenges of accessibility relating to social media education, encompassing both systemic inequalities and epistemological limitations in knowledge production and dissemination. In response to these challenges, this thesis highlights promising methodological and pedagogical approaches to social media education and research that promote creative, critical and community-driven ways to make sense of and engage with social media
Towards Securing the DNS Resolution Process
Get PDFEssentially every interaction on the Internet is preceded by at least one DNS resolution; therefore, the security and privacy of the DNS resolution process directly impact all entities that rely on this process. This thesis pursues five objectives regarding the security and privacy of DNS resolution. First, a comprehensive threat model of the DNS resolution process is developed to systematically identify existing threats. Based on this, a set of security and privacy properties intended to mitigate these threats effectively is defined. Second, these properties are used to construct a comparative evaluation framework, by which 11 previously proposed secure DNS schemes are evaluated to assess their security, privacy, and availability guarantees. Third, after analyzing the weaknesses of these pre-existing schemes, a novel secure DNS scheme, DNSSEC+, is proposed and designed to enhance the security and privacy of interactions between recursive resolvers and authoritative nameservers. DNSSEC+ aims to provide stronger security and privacy properties than previously proposed schemes in this stage while maintaining comparable performance overhead. Fourth, to examine whether the performance of DNSSEC+ may impact potential adoption and its practical deployment, we developed a prototype implementation of DNSSEC+ and carried out a comparative performance evaluation versus other secure DNS schemes. Finally, to establish confidence in its security and privacy properties, a symbolic model of DNSSEC+ is developed, and its properties are formally verified
Evaluation of Expander Body Inflation Effects on Load Transfer of Piles and Anchor Systems
No full textThis research program is aimed at investigating inflation effects of an expander body (EB) on load transfer of pile foundations in Ottawa marine clays (a.k.a. Leda clay). The inflation effects of the EB on surrounding soil’s behaviour, which is currently unknown, was investigated. A conventional bored cast-in-place pile equipped with EB was constructed in Leda clay deposits in Orleans, Ontario. Field measurements such as pore water and inflation pressure were recorded at different distances from the pile during EB expansion process. These results showed that the inflation pressure exerted by the EB is limited to the shear strength of the soils, with inflation effects dramatically decreasing radially. The experimental program also consisted of conducting static loading tests on piles equipped with and without EB. Findings show that significant resistance is mobilized in the pile with EB, indicating soil improvement due to the EB’s expansion and an increased end bearing resistance
Pushback, Solidarity and Legal Strategies: The Central American ‘Migrant Caravans’ and the Role of International Refugee Law
Get PDFIn 2018 and 2019, the Central American ‘migrant caravans’ making their way through Mexico towards the United States attracted significant attention. The responses they garnered – whether in the form of ‘pushback’, attempts to manage the movements or acts of solidarity – prompted debate about how to address this large-scale displacement situation. International refugee law, though a key framework in this regard, has several shortcomings which affect protection in practice. These shortcomings concern the narrow definition of a ‘refugee’, containment in the Global South, and the inability to consider structural (and imperial) causes of displacement. Walking together in large groups, pushing back on both barriers and alternatives offered to them, the caravans exemplify the clash between legal frameworks and socio-political realities. In this thesis, I examine the responses to the caravans by the US and Mexican states, as well as intergovernmental organizations and Civil Society Organizations, and ask what they tell us about how international refugee law operates in practice. Inspired by Third World Approaches to International Law, I contextualize the caravans in the history of legal and politico-economic relations between Central America, Mexico, and the United States. I argue that responses to the caravans were largely structured by the United States’ (and partly Mexico’s) long-standing efforts to contain people to their south. In this regard, I focus on continued unequal responsibility-sharing between states, combined with the United States’ role in contributing to displacement in the region. Further, I argue that legal narratives and strategies have been used to demobilize caravans, but also as a means of contesting barriers to mobility, albeit with significant limitations. This occurs because international refugee law is not designed to make radical demands and also circumscribes possible alternatives for addressing displacement. Hence, the law is disconnected from the social reality on the ground and impedes adequate understanding of displacement and its drivers. My thesis suggests the need to rethink refugee law’s role in framing and limiting our understanding of the imperial, classist, and racial dimensions of displacement, both regarding the causes of displacement and the responses that displacement produces
Motivations Behind Stock Splits by Companies with Small Stock Price
Get PDFThis study investigates the motivations behind stock splits in companies with small stock prices, specifically examining signaling, manipulation, opportunistic behavior, and attention motives. It seeks to understand why companies with small share prices opt to split their stocks. Findings reveal that stock splits act as a signal of positive future prospects, with smaller firms in good financial health more likely to split. Post-split analyses show improved profitability and earnings growth, supporting the signaling hypothesis. The study identifies opportunistic behavior, with evidence of increased executive compensation through option awards following splits. Stock splits also enhance trading activity and liquidity, consistent with the attention hypothesis, showing sustained improvements over time. This research aims to reveal small firms' decision-making and strategic use of stock splits, clarifying the strategic uses of stock splits and contributing to a deeper understanding of corporate decision-making in financial markets
Chasing the Elusive Muskellunge: Unveiling Movement, Spatial Ecology, and Post-Release Behavior for Conservation and Angling Best-Practices
Get PDFMuskellunge (Esox masquinongy) exhibit movement patterns and behaviors influenced by a variety of environmental and biological factors. These factors drive seasonal shifts in life history behaviors. Additionally, external stressors like angling can have physiological impacts, potentially affecting long-term fitness and survival. This thesis investigates the spatial ecology and post-release behavior of muskellunge through two key studies. Chapter 2 explores seasonal movement and residency patterns in Lake Travers, a minimally altered lentic reach of the Petawawa River, revealing important habitat preferences and demonstrating muskellunge’s ability to navigate natural barriers. Chapter 3 assesses the post-release behavior of muskellunge under different water temperatures and air-exposure durations using biologgers, emphasizing the importance of minimizing stress for improving recovery. The results underscore the need for evidence-based best practices to enhance muskellunge conservation, management, and sustainable angling practices
When Police Kill More: Incentives for Increasing Police Lethality in Bahia, Brazil
Get PDFWhy have police killings surged in Bahia, Brazil, despite a stagnating homicide rate and a progressive government? This thesis examines anomalies in existing literature on police lethality, which often links violence to conservative policies, rising incarceration and homicide rates, or increased inequality—none of which align neatly with Bahia's context. The study explores multivariate incentives driving police killings – Key factors include a weakening rule of law, heightened political pressures favouring militarized responses, an increasingly dangerous operational environment for police, and evolving mechanisms and units that enhance lethality. By analyzing these dynamics over the last two decades, this thesis seeks to illuminate how these overlapping incentives have shaped the alarming rise in police killings in Bahia, providing critical insights into the complex intersection of governance, security, and human rights in developing democracies, hopefully helping elucidate further academic and policy puzzles
Feeling Blue: Examining the Impact of Body-Worn Cameras on Police Officers' Well-Being During Investigations of Misconduct
Get PDFPolice misconduct investigations are critical to maintaining public trust and keeping law enforcement agencies accountable. Still, they can be prolonged, stressful processes for the subject officers (and complainants) involved. Through three interrelated studies, the current dissertation makes two important contributions to the research literature-it highlights police misconduct as a salient stressor in policing and it draws attention to the potential use of body-worn cameras (BWCS) as a mental wellness tool. Study 1 employs a vignette-based experimental design to examine how misconduct allegation severity, allegation truthfulness, and BWC presence influence expected officer stress in the ensuing misconduct investigation, confidence in the available evidence, expected investigation duration, and the likelihood of a guilty verdict being reached. Findings suggest that officers expect lower stress levels, particularly in cases where the misconduct allegations are false, higher confidence in the evidence, and shorter investigations when BWC footage is available. Study 2 utilizes semi-structured interviews with officers who have been involved in misconduct investigations. This study provides qualitative insights into the lived experiences of officers, highlighting the chronic stress, uncertainty, and moral injury they endure as a result of an allegation or investigation of misconduct. Officers described investigative delays and a lack of procedural transparency as stressors within the complaints process and viewed BWCs as a potential tool for reducing ambiguity, expediting case resolution, and enhancing officer wellness. Study 3 shifts focus to public perceptions of police misconduct investigations, oversight mechanisms, and the role of BWCs in investigations. Using a nationwide survey, this study finds a public preference for civilian oversight models. However, this preference lessened when participants scored higher on perceptions of police legitimacy. The public also recognizes the stress experienced by both officers and complainants involved in misconduct investigations and largely supports BWCs as a mechanism for transparency and efficiency