Digital Commons Network^™

Technologies And Time Tempers: How Things Mediate A State’S (Cyber Vulnerability) Disclosure Practices, Clare Stevens

Secrecy and Society

State secrecy and disclosure practices are often treated as processes of intentional and strategic human agency, and as forms of political time management (Bok 1982; Horn 2011). Through a critical analysis of the United States government’s disclosure practices in the context of their discourse around the cybersecurity “Vulnerabilities Equities Process” (VEP), this paper will present a two-fold argument against these conventional treatments of secrecy and disclosure. While government secrecy and disclosure can certainly be understood as a form of (agential) timing, orientation and control (Hom 2018), this paper will also show how government secrecy practices are emergent at the point …

Daunting Encounters: La Hague’S Infrastructures Of Secrecy, Agnes Villette

Secrecy and Society

The article explores secrecy, more particularly, nuclear secrecy in relation to two nuclear facilities situated at the tip of the Norman peninsula of La Hague, in France. Both sites - the CSM nuclear waste repository and the close-by refueling plant - were developed at the end of the 1960s in connection with France’s extensive civil and military nuclear program. While institutional archives and access to the sites remain tedious, the article contends that the nuclear secrecy shielding the facilities can be approached by unpacking the numerous accidents that took place at the site. Silenced and subjected to amnesia, spills and …

Carceral Data: The Limits Of Transparency-As-Accountability In Prison Risk Data, Becka Hudson, Tomas Percival

Secrecy and Society

Prison data collection is a labyrinthine infrastructure. This article engages with debates around the political potentials and limitations of transparency as a form of “accountability,” specifically as it relates to carceral management and data gathering. We examine the use of OASys, a widely used risk assessment tool in the British prison system, in order to demonstrate how transparency operates as a means of legitimating prison data collection and ensuing penal management. Prisoner options to resist their file, or “data double,” in this context are considered and the decisive role of OASys as an immediately operationalized technical structure is outlined. We …

Introduction To The Special Issue On Secrecy And Technologies, Clare Stevens, Sam Forsythe

Secrecy and Society

Many scholars have treated the inscrutability of technologies, secrecy, and other unknowns as moral and ethical challenges that can be resolved through transparency and openness. This paper, and the special issue it introduces, instead wants to explore how we can understand the productive, strategic but also emancipatory potential of secrecy and ignorance in the development of security and technologies. This paper argues that rather than just being mediums or passive substrates, technologies are making a difference to how secrecy, disclosure, and transparency work. This special issue will show how technologies and time mediate secrecy and disclosure, and vice versa. This …

1 + 1 = 3: Stories Of Imagination And The Art Of Nature-Based Solutions, Patrick M. Lydon, David Maddox, Robin Lasser, Baixo Ribeiro, Carla Vitantonio

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

No abstract provided.

Information Misuse In An Era Of New Media Technologies: Perceived Roles Of Libraries And Librarians, Emmanuel Chidiadi Onwubiko, Amaka Raymonda Obiamalu Dr

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

In this era of new media technologies where access to and distribution of information have become very easy, it has been noticed that this development has brought about increase in the spread of malicious and harmful information product which tend to pose a threat to the society. This study therefore took a look at the perceived roles of librarians in fight this cankerworm called information misuse in an era of new technologies. The study which was guided by six research questions employed a descriptive survey design with a sampled population of 420 librarians purposively selected among librarians in Nigeria. The …

Records Management Practices In Government Ministries In Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria, Udoh Isaac Unwana, Angela Okeoghene Bello, Osaze Patrick Ijiekhuamhen

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

This study was on a survey of records management practices in state ministries in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria. The survey design was used for the study, with the questionnaire as the instrument for data collection. The population of the study was one hundred and six (106) records management staff of the ministries studied. Two research questions were posed for investigation. The study revealed that various records are created by the ministries which include records on general administration, accounts and finance, sports, health, laws, education and environments. The study also revealed that the ministries used such facilities as wooden shelves, metallic …

Extent Of Information Resources Utilization In The Bibliography Of Postgraduates’ Terminal Research Output Of The Department Of Library And Information Sciences, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Kasa M. Gabriel, Sarah D. Yani

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

Postgraduate theses and dissertations include diversified sources of print and electronic information resources that contributed as building blocks of the research output. Students cite and list these resources for purposes of making deduction and/or induction of their felt positions; essentially, to shape the research discourses as well as to resolve societal problem(s). This study ascertains the extent of information resources utilisation among five approved postgraduate programmes (PGDIM, MIS, MLS, MARM & MIM) in the Department of Library and Information Sciences, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria using their bibliographies. The study adopted the ex post facto design of the quantitative method to …

A Review For Green Energy Machine Learning And Ai Services, Yukta Mehta, Rui Xu, Benjamin Lim, Jane Wu, Jerry Gao

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

There is a growing demand for Green AI (Artificial Intelligence) technologies in the market and society, as it emerges as a promising technology. Green AI technologies are used to create sustainable solutions and reduce the environmental impact of AI. This paper focuses on describing the services of Green AI and the challenges associated with it at the community level. This article also highlights the accuracy levels of machine learning algorithms for various time periods. The process of choosing the appropriate input parameters for weather, locations, and complexity is outlined in this paper to examine the ML algorithms. For correcting the …

Evolving Patterns Of Violence In Developing Countries, Brian Michael Jenkins, Bruce R. Butterworth, Sachi Yagu

Mineta Transportation Institute

In August 2022, MTI issued a report entitled Changing Patterns of Violence Pose New Challenges to Public Surface Transportation in the United States. That report analyzed the frequency and lethality of attacks on public surface transport in economically advanced countries. But what has been going on in non-economically advanced countries – the vast majority of countries in the world? Using the MTI database of Terrorist and Serious Criminal Attacks Against Public Surface Transportation, the authors analyzed attacks against passenger trains and train stations, buses and bus stations and stops, and all rail infrastructure and operating and security personnel in both …

Taxonomizing Information Practices In A Large Conspiracy Movement: Using Early Qanon As A Case Study, James A. Hodges

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

This paper presents a taxonomy of the information practices apparent in an imageboard discussion thread that was influential in jump-starting the worldwide QAnon movement. After introducing QAnon with a review of literature, the author examines 4Chan /pol/ thread #147547939 (key in introducing multiple key elements of the QAnon narrative) to enumerate and classify the information practices deployed by discussion participants. In conclusion, the paper expands beyond existing research’s previous focus on outright fabrication, showing that early QAnon participants’ information practices are also defined in large part by suspicious and idiosyncratic modes of reading authentic sources, not simply the propagation of …

System-Of-Systems Integration For Civil Infrastructures Resiliency Toward Multihazard Events, Vahid Balali

Mineta Transportation Institute

Civil infrastructure systems—facilities that supply principal services, such as electricity, water, transportation, etc., to a community—are the backbone of modern society. These systems are frequently subject to multi-hazard events, such as earthquakes. The poor resiliency of these infrastructures results in many human casualties and significant economic losses every year. An outline of a holistic view that considers how different civil infrastructure systems operate independently and how they interact and communicate with each other is required to have a resilient infrastructure system. More specifically a systems engineering approach is required to enable infrastructure to remain resilient in the case of extreme …

Fiber-Based Seismic Damage And Collapse Assessment Of Reinforced Concrete Single-Column Pier-Supported Bridges Using Damage Indices, Yu-Fu Ko, Jessica Gonzalez

Mineta Transportation Institute

Near-fault earthquakes can have major effects on transportation systems due to the structural damage they impose on bridges. Therefore, it is imperative to assess the seismic damage of bridges appropriately, and this research focuses on reinforced concrete (RC) bridges. This research advances the seismic performance assessment of RC single-column pier-supported bridges with flexural failure under near-fault ground motion by use of ductility coefficients and damage indices. The methodology included modeling fiber-based nonlinear beam-column elements to simulate the damage development process of RC bridge piers under earthquake loadings, considering the global buckling of longitudinal steel bars, examining the cracking and spalling …

Successful Equity, Diversity, And Inclusivity (Edi) Initiatives In Progressive Public Libraries And Their Communities, Jameson Paul Ghalioungui

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

Equity, Diversity, and Inclusivity (EDI) initiatives in public libraries are noble and endless endeavors that take many forms of action. Obviously, no one community, nor library, is the same. Consequently, no one community and/or library-centered EDI journey is the same. However, interestingly, progressive Illinois (IL) state libraries have walked the same roads. Interestingly, these realizations have led to a shift in priority and strategic focus resulting in many of these libraries to take action by contracting consultants to conduct full-scale equity assessments. Conclusions from these kinds of equity assessments have helped to contextualize and legitimize EDI-focused strategic planning decisions and …

Examining E-Readiness In Libraries Of Public Sector Universities Khyber Pakhtunkhwa-Pakistan, Saeed Ullah Jan

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

This research has investigated the level of e-readiness in public sector university libraries located in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa-Pakistan. The study aimed to assess the presence of human resources, electronic infrastructure, network services, and programs in these libraries. The target population consisted of twenty-seven public sector university libraries in the region. The research utilized a quantitative approach and employed a questionnaire-based survey to gather data from the librarians or individuals in charge of these libraries. The collected data were analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences version 22 (SPSS). The findings revealed that the respondents' satisfaction regarding their knowledge of libraries was …

#Existenceisresistance: Black Spartans Exhibition, Yeab Kebede

McNair Research Journal SJSU

This research paper explores the intersection of art and social justice, with a specific focus on the Black Spartans (1907-1948) Exhibit that showcased 19 Black students who attended San José State University from 1907 to 1948. The paper argues that art, in the form of visual representation, can serve as a powerful tool to address social injustices and provide a platform for underrepresented voices to be heard. By examining the Black Spartans exhibit, the paper highlights the significance of representation and how it can contribute to social justice movements. The paper also analyzes the impact of the exhibit on the …

Knowledge Culture And Librarian's Productivity In University Libraries In South-South, Nigeria, Eniekebi Ejiroghene

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

This work is set to ascertain Knowledge Culture and Librarians’ Productivity in University Libraries in South-South, Nigeria. A descriptive survey design was adopted for the study. The study population was 132 Librarians working in the Federal, State and Privately-owned University libraries in South-South Nigeria. The entire population was used for the study as it was manageable. A self-designed questionnaire was used to collect data on knowledge culture and Librarians productivity. Means were used to answer the Research questions while the Pearson Product Moment Correlation coefficient was used to test the hypotheses. Results from the study show that University Librarians adopted …

Expressing Information Needs And Information Literacy Skills Amongst Final Year Undergraduate Students In Northern Nigeria, Zikrat Abdulsalam, Imoisili Ojeime Odigie

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

Information literacy is the ability of an individual to locate, evaluate, and use information. This study expresses the conscious information needs and information literacy skills amongst final year undergraduate students of three Universities in Nigeria; being the Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Federal University Lokoja (FUL), and Baze University. A survey research design alongside a questionnaire for the instrument were utilised on a sample size of 307 final year undergraduate students from select faculties within the above-mentioned universities. The findings of the study amongst other show that undergraduate students at the final year level had a conscious knowledge of their information …

Observation Method: A Review Study, Ankit Kumar, Astha Sharma

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

Observation method is described as a method to observe and describe the behavior of a subject and it involves the basic technique of simply watching the phenomena until some hunch or insight is gained. We are almost constantly engaged in observation. "It is our basic method of obtaining information about the world around us”. Man’s eye has been a basic tool for observation for a long time. Now-a-days, a number of tools like camera, video-camera, tape-recorder etc. Are also being employed by researchers. They are also utilizing ‘laboratory conditions’ to study certain aspects. The term includes several types, techniques, and …

Causality, Agency, And Moral Responsibility In Nikaya Buddhism, Soo Lam Wong

Comparative Philosophy

In this paper, I aim to examine the relationship between the Buddhist notions of causality and agency, the questions of whether the Buddhist notion of causality affirms causal determinism and whether the Buddhist notion of agency affirms libertarian free will, the implications of the Buddhist notions of causality and agency for moral responsibility, and the implications of the Buddhist rejection of the metaphysical self for agency and moral responsibility. My claim is that although the question of whether the early Buddhist notions of causality and agency affirm causal determinism and libertarian free will respectively remains open, they are compatible with …

Daoist Freedom, Psychological Hygiene, And Social Criticism, Yun Tang

Comparative Philosophy

The article explores the inner logic and defining features of Daoist freedom. It argues that Daoist freedom can be meaningfully understood as psychological hygiene, and it suggests that Daoist xuan-jie (懸解) can be rendered possible only if one can rid oneself of intensional suffering—an idea ultimately inspired by Friedrich Nietzsche. This comparative approach enables the article contribute to the received way of understanding Daoist freedom by stressing its dialectics: by being at ease with one’s social and political environment, Daoist freedom demands social criticism, calling for room for people to be able to act spontaneously so that …

The Dangers Of Re-Colonization: Possible Boundaries Between Latin American Philosophy And Indigenous Philosophy From Latin America, Jorge Sanchez-Perez

Comparative Philosophy

The field of Latin American philosophy has established itself as a relevant subfield of philosophical inquiry. However, there might be good reasons to consider that our focus on the subfield could have distracted us from considering another subfield that, although it might share some geographical proximity, does not share the same historical basic elements. In this paper, I argue for a possible and meaningful conceptual difference between Latin American Philosophy and Indigenous philosophy produced in Latin America. First, I raise what I call Mariátegui’s Solidarity Challenge to show that there might be some neglectful treatment of the philosophical views of …

Desc(Art) Or The 21st Century Cartesian Meditator, Andreea Mihali

Comparative Philosophy

In this paper I argue that the continued relevance of Descartes' philosophy for present-day concerns can be demonstrated by bringing to bear on his Meditations state-of-the-art developments in Informal logic and Argumentation theory, specifically Leo Groarke’s approach to multimodal arguments. I show that the meditative exercises that Descartes viewed as preconditions of establishing the metaphysical tenets of his system can be recast in present-day form using technological tools and media that we are familiar with. We will see that, due to the different historical and cultural contexts, the 21st century Cartesian meditating process can be: 1) technology-enhanced (a customizable, multimodal …

Dualism And Psychosemantics: Holography And Pansematism In Early Buddhist Philosophy, Federico Divino

Comparative Philosophy

In the Indian philosophical debate, the relationship between the structure of knowledge and external reality has been a persistent issue. This debate has been particularly prominent in Buddhism, as evidenced by the earliest Buddhist attestations in the Pāli canon, where reality is described as a perceptual defection. The world (loka) is perceived through cognition (citta), and the theme of designation (paññatti) is central to the analysis of the Abhidhamma. Buddhism can be viewed as navigating between nominalism and cognitive normativism, as it deconstructs language, which is seen as an obfuscating element that separates the subject from the world. In this …

Determining Students’ Attributes And Utilization Of Information Resources In Academic Libraries In Imo State, Nigeria., Felix Mmanuoma Eke Phd, Alphonsus , Onyekach I Okechukwu, Emmanuel Godwin Umana, Anne Anthony Edem, Ijeoma Irene Bernard, Peter Obiora Moneke Phd

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

In this paper, we carry out a research on determining students’ attributes and utilization of information resources in academic libraries in Imo State. The study focused on four (4) Universities in Imo State with a sample of one hundred and twenty (120) respondents. The sample was drawn using a simple random sampling technique through questionnaires. The answer to the research questions were arrived at using the descriptive analysis while the hypotheses were tested using t-test. Our findings showed thus: That students ‘study in the library and balance their study time with recreation to avoid conflicts, these determine the students’ utilization …

The Finance And Economics Women’S Network (Few): Encouraging And Engaging Women In Undergraduate Programs, Joy Buchanan, Darwyyn Deyo

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

We describe a novel intercollegiate resource for engaging more undergraduate women in finance and economics programs. In response to the gender gap in undergraduate studies, we developed the Finance and Economics Women’s Network (FEW) to support women majoring in finance and economics through FEW clubs. These clubs provide professional skill development and visibility for women in these professions through speaker events. Students run FEW clubs, and faculty advisors and community professionals support them. We also conducted a descriptive survey of students and report the responses. Finally, we provide a constitution template to facilitate the creation of FEW clubs.

Extending The Service-Life Of Bridges Using Sustainable And Resilient Abutment Systems: An Experimental Approach To Electrochemical Characterization Of Lightweight Mechanically Stabilized Earth, Fariborz M. Tehrani, Kenneth L. Fishman, Farmehr M. Dehkordi

Mineta Transportation Institute

Bridges are critical components of transportation infrastructure. This research addresses the need to extend the service life of bridges by improving the safety and reliability of bridge abutments and reducing their life-cycle cost and footprints. Mechanically stabilized earth (MSE) is a known strategy to enhance the economy and performance of bridge abutments. In addition, the application of rotary-kiln-manufactured lightweight aggregate backfills improves the performance of MSE bridge abutments with a leaner structural system. Such improvements include a reduction of structural demands due to a lower density, free drainage of granular materials, a high internal friction angle, less settlement with no …

Recognizing The Potential To Reduce Ghg Emissions Through Air Transportation Electrification, Julio Roa, Joseph Oldham, Marina Lima

Mineta Transportation Institute

California is aggressively moving forward with efforts to deploy zero-emission transportation technology to fight climate change, especially the Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions from the high-impact transportation sector. However, to date, the investments California has made with Cap-and-Trade funding have focused on ground transportation and some marine sources and not the aircraft at the over 140 airports in the state. Through a California-focused comprehensive GHG emissions analysis, this research project seeks to determine how RAM using electric/hybrid electric aircraft can provide new high-speed transportation for high-priority passenger and cargo movement within Fresno County and connections to coastal urban centers. Using VISION, …

Investing In California’S Transportation Future: 2022 Public Opinion On Critical Needs, Asha Weinstein Agrawal, Hilary Nixon

Mineta Transportation Institute

This study surveyed 3,821 adults living in California about their general travel behaviors and resources, use of ride-hailing, performance ratings for the transportation system and agencies responsible for transportation, transportation system improvement priorities, and preference for how transportation funds are allocated. Key findings include the following: • Californians are multi-modal: Although driving was the most common mode, respondents reported that in the previous 30 days 66% had made a walk trip, 28% had used ridehailing, 25% had used public transit, and 22% had bicycled. • Although many respondents had at least once substituted ride-hailing for transit, walking, or bicycling and …

Right To Information Act And Records Management Practices In Some Selected Metropolitan Assemblies In Ghana, Ernest Effah Mr., Akwasi Duffour Frimpong Mr.

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

ABSTRACT

Every organization requires records. Transparency, accountability, and efficient service delivery are all enhanced by effective records management. The capacity to exercise one's right to access records is contingent on effective records management and its availability in government ministries and public bodies. The study investigated the records management and the right to information in some selected metropolitan assemblies in Ghana. These selected metropolitan assemblies include the Accra Metropolitan Assembly, Tamale Metropolitan Assembly, and Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly. A survey research design was used to carry out the study. A total of 80 participants were used for the study. Questionnaires were used …