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Comparative Government and Politics
No full textThis course is designed as an introduction to some of the basic concepts and major themes in Comparative Politics ─ Political Authority and Governance; Political Economy; Political Culture and Identity Politics; and Political Representation. As an introductory course, you will learn about approaches to understanding political science that should be useful to you in future classes that you may take. Throughout this course, each student is encouraged to think analytically about political challenges facing people throughout the world
Dynamic Arm Orientation Detection During Body Motion as a Computer Interface: An Elegant Approach for a More Technological Age
No full textGestures serve an important role in human-computer interfaces, and advancing technology such as virtual and augmented reality makes 3-D gestures an increasingly important and powerful means of interaction. Robust gesture interaction depends upon reliable detection of arm position and hand gestures. Specifically, determining arm orientation, the position with respect to the user's overall body position as it changes, is important because comprehension of the intentions associated with many natural gestures depends upon recognition occurring from the user's frame of reference. Arm orientation is also important when differentiating different natural hand gestures using EMG signals. I will show how combining IMU data with simplifying assumptions based on an understanding of arm and body physiology and ergonomics can produce an effi cient and accurate real-time dynamic arm orientation detection system that works during typical body movement
Viability of Using the Leap Motion Controller in an Indirect Interaction Physical Rehabilitation Activity as an Alternative to a Direct Interaction Activity
No full textThis thesis explores the potential of two input devices, the Leap Motion Controller and a touchscreen laptop, for use in conjunction with augmented reality in physical therapy activities for patients who suffer from motor impairments. Previous studies are mentioned to provide a general understanding of other similar research done in the field of assistive technology and to provide context for the motivation of this study. The Leap Motion Controller is used as the gesture recognition tool in an augmented reality activity meant to measure the accuracy of a user’s motor control, in what would be considered an Indirect Interaction physical rehabilitation activity. Those results are compared to the same user’s results from a Direct Interaction activity where the user performs the same hand gestures while applying pressure onto a touchscreen laptop. The advantages and limitations of each gesture recognition tool are discussed following the analysis of experimental results
Tracing the Evolution of the German Language and German Prepositions through an Interdisciplinary Approach
No full textThe evolution of the German language is incredibly complex. Changes in the language have occurred due to the influence of other cultures and languages in close physical proximity to it, as well as shifts in power. Particularly with regards to the influence of power dynamics on the language over the course of its history, power has shifted from group to group, and often even from one realm of German society (e.g. religion, culture, politics) to another. Moreover, what scholars call today the historical political fragmentation of the German-speaking regions, as well as the perceived need for their unification, has led to the eventual creation of a German nationstate. In my thesis, I took an interdisciplinary approach to examine these such factors, as understanding them helped me to trace the evolution of the written German language. Through a humanities-based approach, I examined the works produced by different literary movements, prominent literary figures, and any others who had substantial religious, cultural, or political power. The respective prescriptive and/or descriptive natures of these works shaped the language over time. The linguistics-based approach informed the humanities-based approach to understanding the evolution of the German language, by providing a quantitative measure of how German prepositions have evolved. Specifically, the study on German prepositions attempted to answer the question: have uses of German prepositions become less spatial (i.e. more nonspatial) over time? The prediction was that uses of German prepositions have become less spatial over time. However, contrary to the prediction, when all of the samples containing durch, bei, and an were analyzed together, year of use of the prepositions was not a significant predictor of the likelihood of their type of use. When the prepositions were examined independently, though, the results varied. For durch, year of use was not a significant predictor of the likelihood of its type of use, though the model suggested that uses of durch tended to be less spatial over time. For bei, year of use was a significant predictor of the likelihood of its becoming less spatial over time, and for an, the effect was reversed. The humanities-based approach helped to explain these unexpected results from the linguistics-based approach, while the linguistics-based approach determined the extent to which the conclusions drawn in the humanities-based approach held true. The humanities-based approach informed the linguistics-based approach, and vice versa, in the examination of the texts that shaped the German language over time
La Educación Popular: implementación en el Movimiento de Trabajadores Rurales Sin Tierra y el Ejército Zapatista de Liberación Nacional
No full textEn los 1960s, el teórico brasileño Paulo Freire creó una pedagogía llamada “Educación Popular.” En la teoría, Freire dice que la meta de la educación debería ser dar a los estudiantes las herramientas para transformar la sociedad para crear un mundo más igualitaria, leer “the world and the word.” Durante los años desde el inicio de esta pedagogía, maestros que han intentado usar el modelo educativo han encontrado muchos desafíos cuando intentan poner la teoría en acción. Varios críticos dicen que aunque las ideas tras el modelo son muy importantes, la pedagogía es demasiada idealista. Para entender qué comunidades y escuelas pueden hacer mejor para implementar la educación popular eficazmente, analizo dos organizaciones que tienen programas educativos freirianos desarrollados : el Movimiento de Trabajadores Rurales Sin Tierra de Brasil y el Ejército Zapatista de Liberación Nacional. La fortaleza de la conexión entre las escuelas y las comunidades crea una estructura y atmósfera en que las escuelas pueden superar muchos de los desafíos que otras escuelas encuentran en la implementación de las teorías freirianas
Soil survey and analysis of 'serpentinicity' at Unionville Serpentine Barrens, Chester Co., PA
No full textThe Unionville Serpentine Barrens (USB) of Chester County, Pennsylvania is one of few remaining barrens in the Northeast United States. Serpentine barrens, named for their grassland ecosystem in typically temperate forested areas, form above ophiolitic and ultramafic serpentinite bedrock. They host rare and endangered plant species tolerant of harsh soil conditions. The serpentinicity of a soil increases with shallow soil horizons, a Ca:Mg ratio <1, and abundant heavy metal concentrations. Serpentinicity decreases as organic material is added, diluting the effects of the harsh serpentine minerals. This study reports an extensive soil survey, and analyzes relationships between soil chemistry, topographic and location features and vegetation. through an extensive soil survey, analyzes soil chemistry, topographic features, location amidst serpentinite bedrock and Chrome soil series, and serpentine-characteristic vegetation. This study was conducted as part of an adaptive management plan underway at USB in order to restore the shrinking barrens. The soil and vegetation monitoring transect dissects two restoration tactics: a 2012 tree removal area and a 2015 prescribed burn. Depth to bedrock was measured and O, A, B and C horizon samples were collected at each site. Samples were air dried, ground and sieved to < 2mm grain particle size. Mineral samples were extracted via the Mehlich- 3 procedure and concentrations of plant exchangeable cations (exch. Ca, Mg, Fe, and Ni) were detected using an ICP-OES. Organic samples were extracted via EPA 3050b’s acid digest protocol. In addition to characterizing the soil, we found that serpentine-characteristic flora require time to respond to restoration tactics
“...He’s No Cynic, and He’s No Quitter:” Reading Masculinity in Wes Anderson’s Bottle Rocket
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Chemical Dynamics Section 3
No full textAn introduction to chemical thermodynamics, equilibrium, electrochemistry and kinetics. Microscopic properties are used to develop basic chemical concepts of energy, enthalpy, entropy, and the Gibbs Energy, and their applications to thermochemistry, equilibria, and electrochemistry. Chemical kinetics, reaction mechanisms, and applications to chemical problems are also discussed