15 research outputs found
An inquiry into the permament causes of the decline and fall of powerful and wealthy nations : illustrated by four engraved charts
No full textSign.: a-b4, c2, B-Z4, 2A-2P4, 2Q3 [-1]Las h. de lám son cuadros estadísticos coloreado
Further remarks on the reports of the committees on the currency /
No full textBound with: Smith, Thomas. A few remarks on the reports of the committees on the currency ... . London : J.M. Richardson, 1819.Colophon: "Marchant, Printer, Ingram-Court, Fenchurch-Street."Author attribution by cataloger.Includes bibliographical references.Mode of access: Internet
From this publication the readers may discern what is hastening upon the land,
No full textMode of access: Internet
Firth Ballad
No full textThe miner's song. Down among'st the coals: What I overheard my poor old mother sa
An Evaluation of Public Participation in the Environmental Impact Assessment Process of the Maldives
No full textEnvironmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is a proactive tool that assesses and addresses the environmental and social impacts of development projects. It has been identified as a process that can potentially deliver the goal of sustainable development. Public participation is an important aspect of both EIA and sustainable development. In many countries EIA provides the only opportunity for the public to participate in decision-making processes. Nevertheless, research reveals that meaningful public participation in EIA in most countries remains a false promise, with consultations undertaken only as an administrative necessity and with the public having no real power to influence the decisions. It is argued here that, in order for public participation in the EIA process to be effective and promote sustainable development, the process needs to follow participatory principles promoted by deliberative democracy.
This research investigates the EIA process of the Maldives, a developing island nation in the Indian Ocean. The low-lying nature of the country makes it extremely vulnerable to environmental change and, therefore, sustainable development is high on the agenda for the Maldives. It is a worthwhile case to study as the political context of the country is changing with the Maldives’ recent embracing of democracy. Moreover, the EIA regulations of the country were recently amended in an attempt to make the process more robust. These changes provide an interesting context for the research. In addition, there is very little prior literature on EIA in the Maldives and hence this research is an opportunity to contribute to a still limited body of scholarship.
An interpretive phenomenological research paradigm was adopted in designing the research. A multimethod qualitative research design was selected, with documents and semi-structured interview being the primary data sources. A conceptual framework based on the reviewed literature was developed and used to direct the research design. In this respect, four aspects that ensure a deliberative participatory process were investigated: fairness, competence, willingness, and capacity.
The findings reveal that the participatory procedure in the Maldives is neither fair nor competent. Moreover, several socioeconomic barriers that affect the capacity and willingness of the actors to participate were identified: namely, political influence, a lack of human and financial capacity, gender gap, a loss of community spirit, and a lack of environmental and procedural awareness.
This thesis contributes to the scholarship on public participation in the EIA process. It specifically helps to identify key challenges for effective public participation in the Maldives EIA process. In this regard, both procedural and socioeconomic barriers were identified. The recommendations proposed are based on the findings of the research, and, if adopted, can lead to more meaningful public participation and thus potentially help to achieve the goal of sustainable development through the EIA process
From colonial outpost to popular tourism destination: an historical geography of the Leeuwin-Naturaliste Region 1829-2005
No full textWhile much of inland rural and regional Australia in the early 21st Century is struggling to survive through a tough restructuring period and significant population decline with its associated impacts on local services, many coastal locations are experiencing unprecedented development including non-urban population growth and coastal subdivision. There is an urgent need for a more holistic approach to future development in coastal communities around Australia that recognises the contribution of past land uses and the implementation of sustainable policies and practices that link the environment, people and the economy. Many of these coastal locations share a similar post contact history of a constant effort to create and maintain sustainable communities. Most have experienced several different dominant land uses since European occupation as various political and ideological forces have promoted new ideas and technologies to exploit the available natural resources. Remnants of these past activities, including pre European land use, still remain and have now become an important component of the cultural heritage and tourist product in these coastal regions.
The Leeuwin-Naturaliste Region occupies the extreme south western corner of Western Australia approximately 250km south of the city of Perth and is one location that shares this experience. The region is presently one of the fastest growing areas in Western Australia outside of the metropolitan area. Between 1991 and 2001 the population of the Leeuwin-Naturaliste Region increased by 65% to 31, 911 (ABS 2001). Although the region has been experiencing unprecedented growth since the late 1980s, it had previously comprised mostly small rural communities struggling to maintain their populations and economic viability. The Leeuwin-Naturaliste Region has been 'discovered' no less than seven times since European occupation in 1830. It has been 'invaded' by a series of different people from both the public and private sectors who have initiated diverse land uses for different objectives. Each new land use activity was initiated from outside the region as people reappraised the environment with little consideration of the knowledge of the local environment obtained through past land use activities. These new land uses were usually politically or demand driven and related to the broader development of the state rather than the long term viability of the local region. Whilst the phenomenal development associated with tourism constitutes the most recent land use activity, tourism was preceded by Early European agricultural Settlement from the 1830s; the timber Industry from the 1850s; the Group Settlements and establishment of a dairy industry from the 1920s; the alternative lifestylers from the 1960s and the viticultural industry from the 1970s.
This thesis will explore both the historical and contemporary processes which have played a significant part in shaping the region's cultural landscapes and underpin the current development issues it is experiencing. It is argued that much of the land use history of this region has been framed by a consistent frontier ethos and that it is only relatively recently the concept of sustainable development has begun to be implemented even though ironically its principles were effectively guiding land use practices for centuries before European settlement. This thesis concludes that for the most recent land use activity of tourism to achieve the long term sustainability that has eluded so many past land uses, development must facilitate multiple land use management and encourage the continued incorporation of past land use activities to maintain the region's cultural, social and economic diversity rather than tourism overpowering them to become the dominant activity. At the same time, of course, these multiple land uses must themselves be managed by contemporary and evolving principles of sustainable development. All stakeholders both within and outside the region need to adopt a more holistic sustainable approach to managing the region's resources learning from both past land use attempts and the principles of Indigenous cosmology including the importance of the interconnectedness of people, environment and economy. If this is achieved then it is more likely that both current and future generations will have a high quality of life with long term economic security that also ensures the long term maintenance of their socio-cultural and environmental resources
Aspects of the ecology of the black-headed gull (larus ridibundus) with comparative data on the common gull (L. canus)
No full textBetween 1982 and 1984, 893 Black-headed and 117 Common Gulls were trapped outside the breeding season in northeast England, and individually marked with wingtags or colour-rings. About 40% of marked adult Black-headed and Common Gulls returned to the study area in subsequent years, although adult Black-headed Gulls marked at the coast in the 1982-83 season returned in considerably higher proportions. Proportionately fewer second-year and first-year birds returned than adults. These percentages are considerably lower than the estimated annual survival rate for Black-headed Gulls, showing that some of the birds probably spent subsequent winters outside the study area. Some of the birds which did not return to the study area were recovered or seen elsewhere, mainly in eastern parts of Britain: few moved to the west coast. Foreign Black-headed Gulls which overwintered in the British Isles were most numerous compared to British birds in the south and east of the British Isles. A small proportion of Continental Black-headed Gulls remained in Britain during the breeding season: the consequences of these birds joining the British breeding population are discussed. Overwintering Black-headed Gulls in the study area were observed feeding inland on fields and refuse tips, and at the coast. First-years were uncommon compared to adults at the coast, less so on tips, and were relatively most common on fields. Females made up similar proportions of flocks at the coast and on inland fields, but were excluded to some extent from tips. Neither the survival rates of adult and ■ first-year British Black-headed Gulls, nor the weights of adult Black-headed Gulls caught in northeast England, were usually affected by the severity of weather in winter. The migrations and movements of Black-headed Gulls are discussed and compared to those of other species
Rethinking Demonic Possession: The impact of the debates about the John Darrel case on later demonological thought, with particular reference to John Deacon and John Walker
No full textThe controversy that led to the conviction of the Puritan exorcist John
Darrel for fraud in 1599 has mainly been viewed by historians in the context of
the struggle between Puritans and the Church of England. Darrel’s activities
have been seen as Puritan propaganda, whilst the authorities’ reaction has been
seen as part of their campaign against Puritanism. Their clamp down on
Darrel’s activities has also been seen as contributing towards increasing
scepticism towards demonic possession in early modern England, especially in
cases involving witchcraft.
This thesis argues that the Darrel controversy cannot be read solely as a
manifestation of the Puritan/establishment conflict, as it will demonstrate how
the controversy was actually part of the broader re-assessment of the role of the
supernatural in the contemporary world following the Reformation, and that
anti-Catholicism, in particular hostility towards the Catholic rite of exorcism,
played a significant role in informing sceptical attitudes towards demonic
possession.
Focussing upon the work of the Puritan preachers John Deacon and John
Walker, it will also challenge the Puritan/establishment dichotomy over
possession. Their work denied the possibility of possession in their own time by
drawing on and elaborating existing medical, natural philosophical and
theological arguments, particularly the doctrine of the cessation of miracles.
Their work was significant because it was the first work that systematically
explored the intricacies of the phenomenon of possession, and it offered an
alternative way of thinking about demonic affliction, namely the category of
obsession. Writings that appeared following the Darrel controversy demonstrate
an awareness of Deacon and Walker’s arguments, and also reveal how the idea
of obsession was absorbed into broader demonological thought, thus
highlighting how Deacon and Walker’s work was much more significant than
has previously been thought
The effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of parent training/education programmes for the treatment of conduct disorder, including oppositional defiant disorder, in children
No full textObjectives: To assess the clinical and cost-effectiveness of parent training programmes for the treatment of children with conduct disorder ( CD) up to the age of 18 years.
Data sources: Electronic databases.
Review methods: For the effectiveness review, relevant studies were identified and evaluated. A quantitative synthesis of behavioural outcomes across trials was also undertaken using two approaches: vote counting and meta-analysis. The economic analysis consisted of reviewing previous economic/cost evaluations of parent training/education programmes and the economic information within sponsor's submissions; carrying out a detailed exploration of costs of parent training/education programmes; and a de novo modelling assessment of the cost-effectiveness of parent training/education programmes. The potential budget impact to the health service of implementing such programmes was also considered.
Results: Many of the 37 randomised controlled trials that met the review inclusion and exclusion criteria were assessed as being of poor methodological quality. Studies were clinically heterogeneous in terms of the population, type of parent training/education programme and content, setting, delivery, length and child behaviour outcomes used. Both vote counting and meta-analysis revealed a consistent trend across all studies towards short-term effectiveness ( up to 4 months) of parent training/education programmes ( compared with control) as measured by a change in child behaviour. Pooled estimates showed a statistically significant improvement on the Eyberg Child Behaviour Inventory frequency and intensity scales, the Dyadic Parent - Child Interaction Coding System and the Child Behaviour Checklist. No studies reported a statistically significant result favouring control over parent training/education programmes. There were few statistically significant differences between different parent training/education programmes, although there was a trend towards more intensive interventions ( e. g. longer contact hours, additional child involvement) being more effective. The cost of treating CD is high, with costs incurred by many agencies. A recent study suggested that by age 28, costs for individuals with CD were around 10 times higher than for those with no problems, with a mean cost of 70,019 pound. Criminality incurs the greatest cost, followed by educational provision, foster and residential care and state benefits. Only a small proportion of these costs fall on health services. Using a 'bottom-up' costing approach, the costs per family of providing parent training/education programmes range from 629 pound to 3839 pound depending on the type and style of delivery. Using the conservative assumption that there are no cost savings from treatment, a total lifetime quality of life gain of 0.1 would give a cost per quality-adjusted life-year of between 38,393 pound and 6288 pound depending on the type of programme delivery and setting.
Conclusions: Parent training/education programmes appear to be an effective and potentially cost-effective therapy for children with CD. However, the relative effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of different models ( such as therapy intensity and setting) require further investigation. Further research is required on the impact of parent training/education programmes on the quality of life of children with CD and their parents/carers, as well as on longer term child outcomes
Cognitive aspects of travel and food location by chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes schweinfurthii) of the Budongo Forest Reserve, Uganda
No full textFinding food in tropical forests poses a potentially major problem for chimpanzees, whose
ranging is thought primarily to be directed at locating suitable food resources: (1)
chimpanzees are frugivorous, large bodied and live in large home ranges; (2) they lack
specialised sensory or locomotor abilities, and terrestrial travel is known to be costly; but
(3) fruits are randomly distributed in space and time. Evidence from studies of captive
individuals suggests chimpanzees are capable of remembering the locations of out of sight
resources and can compute least distance routes to these resources, but whether this ability
translates to the natural foraging behaviour of wild chimpanzees has never been
investigated. My observational study was designed to assess how the chimpanzees (Pan
troglodytes schweinfurthii) of Budongo Forest, Uganda, locate these patchy resources.
I mapped the routes of 14 focal individuals over a 12-month period. I considered how
these foraging routes were structured by breaking the path into segments of travel between
resources. Consecutive segments of travel between resources were found not to be
independent, but assembled into "super-segments" that take in a number of resources along
one trajectory. These super-segments are not necessarily directed towards feeding
resources, however: travel is not always food directed. Comparisons of actual chimpanzee
routes with randomly generated simulations suggest most individuals do not attempt to
minimise their travel distances. There is evidence to suggest energetically stressed
individuals can remember the locations of recently visited food resources and return to
these patches in order to minimise travel distances when necessary, but overall, food is not
difficult to find for this community of chimpanzees. I propose this is because males defend
a territory with super-abundant food resources, meaning availability is not a limiting factor
of foraging. Male chimpanzees can be characterised as convenience feeders, taking food
whilst satisfying other, social needs
