805 research outputs found
Historical research and documentation of the grounds and gardens of La Casa Blanca, San Juan De Puerto Rico
No full textLa Casa Blanca (The White House) is the old fortress house of Juan Ponce de Leon’s family, located in the city of San Juan Bautista de Puerto Rico also known as Old San Juan. The house was originally built in the early 1500s as one of the first permanent constructions on the islet of San Juan. Both the house and its grounds have undergone several physical changes through their almost 500 years of existence. The house (which today is a museum) has been restored and documented, including the surrounding buildings which were built during the 17th and 18th Centuries and which form the Casa Blanca building complex.Today several garden areas exist on the grounds of Casa Blanca. These gardens have the potential to enhance the site more than they do presently, not only in the aesthetic experience that the visitor to Casa Blanca could have because of the beauty of the place, but also in the experience of history and legend associated with Juan Ponce de Leon.Lamentably, with the possible exception of the Hispano-Moorish garden located next to the central patio of Casa Blanca, the remaining garden areas have not been formally documented for purposes of correct design development or so that the visitor may appreciate and understand their history. In this creative project the author has documented all the information available on Casa Blanca and its gardens from written sources, plans, and from oral interviews obtained in Puerto Rico and the United States.The original intent of the author was not only to document the gardens and grounds of Casa Blanca, but also to create a restoration/rehabilitation design for the best use of this area. This scheme would be in accordance with their historic, legendary, and aesthetic relationship to Casa Blanca and Old San Juan as part of the total cultural heritage of Puerto Rico. Instead, this research of Casa Blanca's gardens' history in itself became the focus of the creative project due to the large amount of time and effort necessary to locate and compile the information. A rehabilitation design plan was not possible in the time frame for this project. However, this investigation opened new areas of study, as it dealt with the overall unrecorded garden history of Puerto Rico which was essential to document before a restoration/rehabilitation plan could be made. The author hopes that this study, as the first documentation of a Puerto Rican garden, will initiate the recording of the total garden history of Puerto Rico.Thesis (M.L.A.)Department of Landscape Architectur
A critical assessment of the theology of Camilo Torres in the light of Latin American theology : a theological paradigm for peace with justice for Colombia
No full textThe thesis aims to provide a critical assessment of Camilo Torres’ concept of efficacious love in the light of a hermeneutics and ethics of liberation, to contribute theoretically to theological reflection upon the mission of the Protestant and Roman Catholic churches in Colombia, and generally in Latin America. It proposes the thesis that the theology of Camilo Torres, viewed from the perspective of a hermeneutics and an ethics of liberation, can be foundational for seeking, constructing, and sustaining peace with justice in a context of oppression and violence.
Based on the theological analysis, the academic and spiritual motivation should respond to two fundamental questions in our academic inquiry: what foundation exists in Camilo Torres’ theology for the construction of a just, peaceful, liberative society and to enable proximity to the excluded, victimized, and poor population in Colombia to be achieved? And how can we as Christians respond to the grace of God in living efficaciously the values of the Kingdom of God, in order to bring structural changes in Colombia? The implications of the answers to those questions would result in the possibility to execute an integrating theological proposal for peace with justice for the church in Colombia.
In an interpretative mode, we consider critically the multidisciplinary interaction of some of the theological foundations of liberation theology. Our task consists in clarifying and constructing theological presuppositions for a dialectical examination of the historical and current situation in Colombia, viewed in the light of the internal problems and realities. Thus, it is our intention in order to attempt a significant interdisciplinary juncture, to examine and interpret such relevant concepts as efficacious love, faith with works, kenosis, hypostatic union, hermeneutics and ethics of liberation, social justice, personal and collective socio-political conversion, and a praxis of faith as the church’s mission in response to the Colombian context of poverty and violence
In times of “crisis”: Puerto Rican activism, gender, and belonging in Orlando
Get PDFIn Times of “Crisis” is an ethnography of Puerto Rican activism in the Orlando metropolitan area that directly addresses contemporary events or moments of “crisis,” such as the fiscal crisis in Puerto Rico, the shooting at Pulse nightclub, the 2016 U.S. elections, and Hurricane Maria. Based on 24 months of ethnographic fieldwork conducted between 2016 and 2018, this dissertation asks and answers the following questions: What does the concept of crisis obscure and what knowledges does it make visible? How do Puerto Rican activists respond to these so-called “crises” in their own lives and communities? And how have conditions in Puerto Rico shaped activism in the diaspora to Orlando? Ultimately, this study of Puerto Rican activism argues for an understanding of the concept of crisis that does not denote exception, but rather continuities of social injustices across transnational spheres. This understanding also considers the ways that crisis is generative, producing alternative imaginings of a more just world and transnational spaces of belonging forged out of resistance.
The first full-length ethnographic study of Puerto Rican activism in Central Florida, this dissertation departs from traditional studies of social activism by examining how crisis and activism are interconnected across the borders of the nation-state. In the process, it demonstrates how the socio-economic and political climate in Puerto Rico has led to the crystallization of a particularly local Puerto Rican activist community in Orlando that imagines itself as part of a larger transnational Puerto Rican community. Further, by foregrounding the narratives of Puerto Rican women this work is positioned within a genealogy of women of color feminisms that attends to how marginalized populations interpret and contest intersecting forms of oppression.Submission published under a 24 month embargo labeled 'Closed Access', the embargo will last until 2022-05-01The student, Julie Torres, accepted the attached license on 2020-05-06 at 21:29.The student, Julie Torres, submitted this Dissertation for approval on 2020-05-06 at 21:46.This Dissertation was approved for publication on 2020-05-07 at 14:32.DSpace SAF Submission Ingestion Package generated from Vireo submission #15263 on 2020-08-25 at 17:43:44Made available in DSpace on 2020-08-27T00:51:29Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2
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“Tú hablas ahora:” Viequense Female Archetype and Agency in the Works of Carmelo Rodríguez Torres
Get PDFAuthor Carmelo Rodríguez Torres incorporates many of his experiences with the U.S. naval occupation of Vieques, Puerto Rico into his novels and short stories. Few scholars have written on Torres, and even fewer have discussed him in terms of womanhood and feminism. Yet central to many of his works are figures of womanhood that are at once archetypal and progressive. In my paper I investigate Torres\u27 treatment of his female characters in all his novels and two of his short stories. I place his presentation of women within the context of the U.S. occupation of Puerto Rico and its feminist history, arguing that he uses his female characters to respond to the oppressive occupation of Vieques. While he fragments and objectifies women, he simultaneously elevates them to the level of deities, presenting them as agents of resistance and change who undermine a doubly patriarchal society
¿Satisfacer o manejar la demanda? Perspectivas dominantes en torno al debate sobre el consumo del agua en Puerto Rico.
Get PDFDuring the last decades Puerto Rico has faced several problems related to its current water supply system. The Island‘s suburbanisation process has been a conditioning factor in the consolidation of a management logic based on large-scale infrastructures and a universal provision system. That logic is problematic because it normalizes a water demand which is far from being commensurate with the Island‘s social and environmental reality. A reflection about the 1994 drought not only demonstrates how vulnerable the current supply system is, but also represents an opportunity to investigate some underlying assumptions concerning the practices of consumption within the dominant management perspective. The Superpipe‘s controversy illustrates how the San Juan Metropolitan Area has been more and more in the need to increase its water supply by importing water from the northern coast of Puerto Rico. Nonetheless, the water scenario seems to complicate because in addition to the water stress caused by suburban growth, the climate factor is becoming a key factor in local water dynamics. The article explores some of the dominant perspectives in regards to domestic water consumption through a qualitative analysis based on the insights of key local water actors, the analysis of newspaper articles and relevant policy documents. The author of this article proposes a shift in paradigm from a supply-side to a demand-side management approach.Durante las pasadas décadas es notable cómo se han ido agravando los problemas en relación a la calidad, disponibilidad y distribución del agua potable en Puerto Rico. El proceso de suburbanización ha sido un factor condicionante en la constitución y permanencia de una lógica de manejo del agua basada en la construcción de grandes obras de infraestructura y en la idea de un sistema de provisión universal. Esta lógica es problemática porque normaliza una demanda que no responde a las realidades socio-ambientales de la Isla. La controversia del Superacueducto ilustra cómo la Zona Metropolitana de San Juan necesita, cada vez más, importar el agua que consume. Pero el escenario se complica porque además de las presiones de acceso al recurso suscitadas por el crecimiento suburbano, el factor climático se ha convertido en uno determinante. Este tipo de estrategias podrían ser insuficientes para lograr la resiliencia necesaria ante "nuevas" realidades ambientales suscitadas por el cambio climático, como períodos más intensos de sequías o inundaciones. Una reflexión sobre la sequía de 1994 no tan sólo muestra la vulnerabilidad del sistema de distribución actual, sino también presenta una oportunidad para indagar en algunas de las nociones implícitas en la concepción de manejo imperante. El artículo explora algunas perspectivas dominantes en torno al consumo de agua en el ámbito doméstico mediante un análisis cualitativo basado en las opiniones y experiencias de diversos actores clave en la política del agua local, documentos de política pública y artículos de periódico. Se plantea un cambio de paradigma en el manejo de la demanda
Health Consequences of Hurricane Maria on Puerto Rico
No full textOn September 20, 2017 Hurricane Maria impacted Puerto Rico and devastated the island, leaving millions without power or access to clean water or electricity in its aftermath. Puerto Rico is still working to rebuild the damage caused by the storm. Hurricane Maria\u27s impact on the island was profound, resulting in significant morbidity and mortality. In the immediate aftermath many individuals were left without electricity, refrigeration, telecommunications, running water, health services, and other necessary services. This literature review aims to describe existing literature pertaining to Hurricane Maria and its health consequences on Puerto Rico since the hurricane impacted the island in September 2017. It was conducted by a systematic search of PubMed and SCOPUS for literature published from 2017 through 2019, using a set of inclusion and exclusion criteria and the PRISMA guidelines. Current literature addresses to varying degrees the effects of Hurricane Maria on: excess mortality, various acute and chronic diseases, and the logistical, environmental, and psychological challenges faced by those in the wake of Hurricane Maria. Several estimates of excess mortality were conducted with a large spread between them, however studies with the most rigorous methodologies put the excess mortality in the thousands. The search criteria were intentionally broad in order to access any literature that addressed the effect that Hurricane Maria had on the health of individuals living in Puerto Rico during and after Hurricane Maria. Even with such broad inclusion criteria, it is clear that many areas need to be further investigated in order to elucidate the health consequences that this devastating natural disaster had on those affected
Colonialism and national identity: The special case of visual art in Puerto Rico
No full textThe purpose of this study is to show how colonialism affects free expression by analyzing the expression of visual art from the nations of Puerto Rico and Cuba comparatively. Cuba and Puerto Rico are very comparable in history, colonialism, anti-imperialism, and cultural production. After the rupture in 1959 by Cuba due to the Cuban Revolution and Puerto Rico’s adoption of the Commonwealth status in 1952, the nations’ states became ideological opposites: colonial (Puerto Rico) and anti-colonial (Cuba). This fundamental difference presents an opportunity to isolate modern-day colonialism and observe its effects on citizens’ ability to freely express their selves. The study uses a triangulation of in-depth interviews, a quantitative content analysis, and a qualitative content analysis over the visual art produced by both nations between 1950 and 1965; and ethnographic field research analyzing the presentation of art in both respective nations via the art museum. The study concludes that the history and events that have occurred and continue to occur in Puerto Rico are kept obscure by its isolation due to its in-between status that preserves the status quo and domination by the ruling class that is both foreign and local for Puerto Rico. Colonialism has created a dependency where the citizens of Puerto Rico have been disempowered to wait for change instead of creating it and the opportunities that arose for artists to paint and document the turbulent history have been suppressed until recently. Material that was once considered subversive and challenging of the status quo is now on display because of modem orientalism that is manifested by both the United States’ multinationals and the Puerto Rican state’s interest in promoting global tourism and a distinct national/cultural identity which is more profitable within this industry. In other words, Puerto Rico’s anti-colonial history documented by visual artists has found a profitable market in the 21st century and displays a much different history than what has been told by imperialist interests in the 20th century.Sociolog
Evaluation of streamflow forecast during flash flood events in Puerto Rico
No full textWhen studying water processes, understanding the hydrological cycle is vital. In addition, hydrological models can aid in predicting meteorological events, which is crucial for emergency management preparation. This study assessed the National Water Model v2.1, managed by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, to determine its ability to produce dependable streamflow forecasts for Puerto Rico, which was added to the model in 2021. The study analyzed five significant rainfall events in 2022, including four flash floods and one hurricane, and examined rainfall estimations and streamflow forecasts. While the model had the correct tendency to produce streamflow forecasts, it needed more accuracy and precision due to inadequate rainfall estimates used to generate the forecast. Accurate data is essential for reliable streamflow forecasting using hydrological models. Although the model can be utilized to monitor streamflow, it is essential to note that slight over and underestimation can occur.Cuando se estudian los procesos del agua, es vital comprender el ciclo hidrológico.
Este se puede llevar a cabo mediante modelos hidrológicos para monitorear y predecir eventos
meteorológicos, lo cual es crucial para el manejo de emergencias. Este estudio evaluó el National
Water Model v2.1, administrado por la “National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration”, para
determinar su capacidad de producir pronósticos confiables de caudales en Puerto Rico cual fue
agregado al modelo en el 2021. El estudio analizó cinco eventos de lluvia significativos en 2022,
incluyendo cuatro inundaciones repentinas y un huracán, en el cual se examinó estimaciones de
lluvia y pronósticos de caudales. El modelo tuvo la tendencia correcta al producir pronósticos de
caudales, pero no produjo una exactitud y precisión esperada debido a las estimaciones
inadecuadas de lluvia que suplen al modelo para generar el pronóstico. Datos precisos son
esenciales para producir pronósticos confiables de caudales sin embargo el modelo puede ser
utilizado para monitorear caudales en Puerto Rico pero se debe tomar en cuenta que pueden ocurrir
sobreestimaciones o subestimacionesThis study was supported (in part) through the NOAA Educational Partnership Program/Minority Serving Institutions award NA16SEC4810008 Center for Earth System Sciences and Remote Sensing Technologies II. Contents are solely the responsibility of the author(s) and do not represent official views of NOAA or the U.S. Department of Commerce; National Weather Service at San Juan; River Forecast Center in AtlantaSummer202
Memorias e identidades en conflicto: la narrativa intrahistórica en Doña Inés contra el olvido de Ana Teresa Torres
No full textMany of the fictions published in the last decades represent historical themes from marginal perspectives. As a subgenre of the historical novel, the Latin American intrahistorical narratives situate a personal story in the background of public events; from here, the author explores the effects these events had on private lives by privileging subordinate subjective views previously not contemplated by the official versions of the events. Ana Teresa Torres‘ Doña Inés contra el olvido, as a narrative structured around the voice of a female subject, is a rewriting of history that proposes a complex redefinition of identities. In this article I analyze gender, class, and national identities assumed by Doña Inés‘ character as a result of her multiple "labors of memory". This allows the reader to reconsider the situations of supremacy or subalternity within which this character is inscribed, and in this way, to revaluate the notion of intrahistorical narrative.Muchas de las ficciones publicadas en las últimas décadas trabajan temas históricos desde la perspectiva de lo marginal. Como subgénero de la novela histórica, las narrativas intrahistóricas en América Latina colocan enfrente del relato los efectos que tienen los acontecimientos públicos sobre las vidas privadas y privilegian la mirada de sujetos subalternos que no habían sido contemplados por los relatos oficiales. Estructurada a partir de la voz de un sujeto femenino, la narrativa de Doña Inés contra el olvido de Ana Teresa Torres es una re-escritura de la historia que propone complejas redefiniciones identitarias. En este artículo se analizan las identidades de género, de clase, y nacional, que asume el personaje de Doña Inés como resultado de sus múltiples "trabajos de memoria". Esto permite reconsiderar los lugares de poder o subalternidad en los cuales este personaje se ubica para, de esta manera, complejizar la noción de narrativa intrahistórica
Torres Cazorla, María Isabel y García Rico, Elena del Mar: La seguridad internacional en el siglo XIX: nuevas perspectivas. [Reseña]
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