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An Analysis Of The South China Sea Dispute: Focusing On The Assessment Of The Impact Of Possible Solutions On The Economies Of The Region., Sacha Amry Jan 2015

An Analysis Of The South China Sea Dispute: Focusing On The Assessment Of The Impact Of Possible Solutions On The Economies Of The Region., Sacha Amry

Dissertations and Theses

The purpose of this thesis is to examine the South China Sea dispute and to analyze why the dispute has yet to escalate, as well as the strategic importance of the South China Sea dispute in relation to international trade. This thesis will also study possible solutions and effects on both the region and the international community. I argue here that while the ASEAN countries have continued to make valuable efforts at finding multilateral solutions to the dispute, China has resisted these efforts by demanding its own bilateral negotiation process. The Spratly Islands and the Paracel Islands, both located in …


Characterization Of Tropical Clouds Using Multi-Satellite Observations, Ricardo Anderson Jan 2015

Characterization Of Tropical Clouds Using Multi-Satellite Observations, Ricardo Anderson

Dissertations and Theses

Clouds an important component of the earth-climate system and play a critical role in affecting energy and water cycle of the planet. In particular, tropical convective clouds account for the majority of the precipitation that fall on the Earth's surface. Multiple active satellite missions in recent decade such as TRMM (Tropical Rainfall Measurement Mission), and CloudSat have provided fruitful new insight into the internal structures of these tropical convective clouds. In conjunction with cloud data from ISCCP (International Satellite Cloud Climatology Project), that is based passive remote sensing technology in the visible and infrared spectrum, this allows for a more …


Protofeminist Women In Bronte’S Jane Eyre And Braddon’S Lady Audley’S Secret, Allison Wong Jan 2015

Protofeminist Women In Bronte’S Jane Eyre And Braddon’S Lady Audley’S Secret, Allison Wong

Dissertations and Theses

No abstract provided.


Extreme Levels Of Poverty And Inequality May Lead To Equally High Levels Of Social Conflict And Crime, Rukelt Dalberis, Jan 2015

Extreme Levels Of Poverty And Inequality May Lead To Equally High Levels Of Social Conflict And Crime, Rukelt Dalberis,

Dissertations and Theses

Poverty and economic inequality remain a vexing concern in Latin America. The specter of crime continuously looms, creating a constant state of social discomfort in the region. Latin America has established an unparalleled zone of democracy. The region has also become an economic force.

The prevailing notion regarding the relationship between poverty and inequality with crime and conflict outbreaks is that violence tends to occur in regions where poverty is endemic. Inequality, as it is understood, breeds contempt. In this thesis, I test the hypothesis that extreme levels of poverty and inequality are likely to result in equally high levels …


Factors Affecting Persistence Rates Among College Freshmen, Darlene Rozon Jan 2015

Factors Affecting Persistence Rates Among College Freshmen, Darlene Rozon

Dissertations and Theses

This study explored new factors that may be associated with college success, including parents’ education level, annual household income, hours spent outside the classroom, and college premium. The current study provides evidence from an urban public college of predominately low socio-economic status students. Participants (N=251) were students enrolled in fall semester 2009 in an introductory psychology course. Participants were asked to fill out a questionnaire about their college experience, demographics and family background. Survival analysis and binary logistic regression was used to evaluate the effect of each factor on college retention Parents’ education level and student’s knowledge of the economic …


The Impact Of Forest Successional Status On Community Structure Of Neotropical Cerambycid Beetles, Lin Li Jan 2015

The Impact Of Forest Successional Status On Community Structure Of Neotropical Cerambycid Beetles, Lin Li

Dissertations and Theses

Due to anthropogenic activities, tropical rain forests face many challenges in sustaining biodiversity and maintaining global climates. This project examines how forest successional status affects community composition of saproxylic cerambycids, which, as early colonists of moribund trees, have an important role in nutrient cycling. In the lowland rain forest of Costa Rica, thirty-nine trees in five plant families (Fabaceae, Lecythidaceae, Malvaceae, Moraceae, and Sapotaceae) were sampled in a mosaic of old growth and secondary forest. They yielded 3545 cerambycid individuals in 49 species. Species richness was almost identical in old growth and secondary forest; but abundance was higher in old-growth. …


Intra- And Inter-Seasonal Variability Of Supra-Glacial 1 Streams And Lakes Over The West Greenland Ice Sheet 2 From High-Resolution Satellite Optical Data, Michael Gregory Brown Jan 2015

Intra- And Inter-Seasonal Variability Of Supra-Glacial 1 Streams And Lakes Over The West Greenland Ice Sheet 2 From High-Resolution Satellite Optical Data, Michael Gregory Brown

Dissertations and Theses

The Greenland ice sheet (GrIS) is one of the largest glacial ice masses on Earth, second only to the Antarctic ice sheet. The surface hydrology of the GrIS plays a crucial role on the surface energy and mass balance budgets of the ice sheet as a whole. Surface water, known as supra-glacial water, is seasonally found in the ablation zone and feeds the en-glacial and sub-glacial hydrological environments of the ice sheet. The spatial distribution of surface streams is poorly understood and their temporal variability is (to our knowledge) unknown. One of the reasons for the lack of knowledge on …


“Angles Of Approaching Gender Equality: Top-Down Vs. Bottom-Up”, Manali Basu Jan 2015

“Angles Of Approaching Gender Equality: Top-Down Vs. Bottom-Up”, Manali Basu

Dissertations and Theses

The international community has attempted to integrate and implement norms into their domestic structure for many decades. They have incorporated the norm of gender equality through many different measures, however failed to identify a successful approach to implementing this type of norm effectively. This paper will explore how these international norms are spread and analyze two separate approaches to integrating gender equality: top-down and bottom-up. It will assess these approaches through a case-study analysis of India and Ghana. This will provide an in-depth explanation of each approach and it will analyze how they have, respectively, impacted the country’s education and …


Is China The Answer? The Effect Of Chinese Engagement On Economic And Human Development In Africa, Ralph Achacoso Jan 2015

Is China The Answer? The Effect Of Chinese Engagement On Economic And Human Development In Africa, Ralph Achacoso

Dissertations and Theses

Though the relationship between China and Africa dates back to the 1950s, China's ever-increasing demand for energy sources has garnered newfound attention from scholars, coinciding with the rapid expansion of the Chinese economy over the last fifteen years. In order to fuel its economic machine, China has turned to Africa, a resource-rich continent and holder of one-third of the world's oil deposits. Taking a unique approach that blurs the line between aid, trade, and investment, China‘s search for resource security has injected new life into Africa‘s developmental efforts. To Africa's benefit, the relationship has boosted African trade volumes, productivity, physical …


Ecumenical Affairs, Gabriela Acosta Jan 2015

Ecumenical Affairs, Gabriela Acosta

Dissertations and Theses

No abstract provided.


Finding Willie, Saving Charlie, Andrew Geller Jan 2015

Finding Willie, Saving Charlie, Andrew Geller

Dissertations and Theses

No abstract provided.


Refinement Of Feedforward Projections, Neuronal Density, And Characterization Of Synapsesin Layer 4 Of Ferret Primary Visual Cortex, Violeta Contreras Ramirez Jan 2015

Refinement Of Feedforward Projections, Neuronal Density, And Characterization Of Synapsesin Layer 4 Of Ferret Primary Visual Cortex, Violeta Contreras Ramirez

Dissertations and Theses

No abstract provided.


Factors Affecting Developing Planning In Africa: The Need For Local Input, Ismael Sow Jan 2015

Factors Affecting Developing Planning In Africa: The Need For Local Input, Ismael Sow

Dissertations and Theses

Africa has become synonymous with poverty, diseases, and despair. The continent is home to the highest number of extremely poor people in the world. Throughout the world, especially in the last few decades, many countries in the so-called South have succeeded in lifting their people out of poverty. The continent, with the exception of a few African countries, has failed to design and implement sound economic plans to bring prosperity to a billion Africans. This thesis proposes that for African countries to develop, ways should be found to include indigenous input into development planning. This assumption is based on both …


Rural Energy Development: Are Mini-Grids The Solution To East Africa's Energy Crisis, John Remson Jan 2015

Rural Energy Development: Are Mini-Grids The Solution To East Africa's Energy Crisis, John Remson

Dissertations and Theses

As the population and economies of Sub Saharan Africa continue to grow, the demand for modern energy will correspondingly increase. The current energy policy and limited overall access rate is not prepared for this massive demand increases and presents a major hindrance to country growth potential. This thesis focuses on the countries in East Africa (Kenya, Tanzania, Ethiopia), and compares their current energy policies and renewable energy potential within a historical context of the United States rural electrification of 1930s. It is clear that some progress has been made in plans to address the energy access concerns but there is …


The Long Road: Upstate Republicans And Political Reform In New York State, 1906-1927, Todd Leskanic Jan 2015

The Long Road: Upstate Republicans And Political Reform In New York State, 1906-1927, Todd Leskanic

Dissertations and Theses

No abstract provided.


The Value Of Culture In Peacebuilding -- Examples From Democratic Republic Of Congo, Yemen And Nepal, Dorota Piotrowska Jan 2015

The Value Of Culture In Peacebuilding -- Examples From Democratic Republic Of Congo, Yemen And Nepal, Dorota Piotrowska

Dissertations and Theses

Top-down coercive type of liberal peace building has characterized the interventions by international community in many post-conflict societies after the Second World War. Recent studies suggest that in order to build a more lasting peace a bottom-up, non-coercive approach is needed to balance the former and deal with the immediate needs of local communities. In approaching the question of how peace and reconstruction efforts can be made more sustainable, this thesis evaluates whether strategic arts-based programs with local content have the potential to build stronger communities by establishing peaceful resorts to settle daily disputes by participants. It further examines three …


Lessons From The Arab Spring: Pathways To Democracy After The Revolution In Tunisia, Egpypt And Libya, Manal Abd-El-Hafez Jan 2015

Lessons From The Arab Spring: Pathways To Democracy After The Revolution In Tunisia, Egpypt And Libya, Manal Abd-El-Hafez

Dissertations and Theses

No abstract provided.


Consequence Management: Evaluating And Developing International Responses To Nuclear And Radiological Disasters, Timothy Taylor Jan 2015

Consequence Management: Evaluating And Developing International Responses To Nuclear And Radiological Disasters, Timothy Taylor

Dissertations and Theses

No abstract provided.


The Importance Of Time During Peace Negotiations: The Case Of Bosnia And Herzegovina And The Dayton Peace Accords, Mirnes Osmanovic Jan 2015

The Importance Of Time During Peace Negotiations: The Case Of Bosnia And Herzegovina And The Dayton Peace Accords, Mirnes Osmanovic

Dissertations and Theses

Time is a key component of the mediation process. The amount of time that goes into the process of peace negotiations is just as important as the agreement itself. A successful peace agreement can only be achieved when it is not being rushed. If the implementation of a peace agreement is being rushed by any party involved in the talks, it only increases the possibility that important aspects of the democratic state building process are going to be overlooked. When they are overlooked, the road back to a functioning democracy will be an exceptionally long one. The events that took …


International Branch Campuses, Ninive Gomez Jan 2015

International Branch Campuses, Ninive Gomez

Dissertations and Theses

In this thesis, I studied the socio-economic, cultural, and political impact of International Branch Campuses in developing countries. I focused on the financial implications for the host country and examine whether international education providers are helping to enhance students’ core competency levels. I have investigated the advantages and disadvantages of international education providers in developing countries and what contribution they provide to the development of the host country’s economy. I conducted three case studies (Malaysia, United Arab Emirate and South Africa), which provided empirical understanding of all aspects of International Branch Campuses; including why and how host governments are financing/subsidizing …


The Drosophila Dynamin, Shibire, Contributes To Blood Cell Division And Differentiation, But May Not Be Required For Host Defence Against Parasitic Wasps, Adam D. Hudgins Jan 2015

The Drosophila Dynamin, Shibire, Contributes To Blood Cell Division And Differentiation, But May Not Be Required For Host Defence Against Parasitic Wasps, Adam D. Hudgins

Dissertations and Theses

No abstract provided.


Variations On A Theme: Contemporary Memorials To Harriet Tubman, Elise Anne Geltzer Jan 2015

Variations On A Theme: Contemporary Memorials To Harriet Tubman, Elise Anne Geltzer

Dissertations and Theses

No abstract provided.


The Hazardous Effects Of Ship Scrapping And Recycling On Workers' Rights And The Environment, Maytee Gomez Salgueiro Jan 2015

The Hazardous Effects Of Ship Scrapping And Recycling On Workers' Rights And The Environment, Maytee Gomez Salgueiro

Dissertations and Theses

No abstract provided.


A Christian Nation: How Christianity United The People Of The Cherokee Nation, Mary Brown Jan 2015

A Christian Nation: How Christianity United The People Of The Cherokee Nation, Mary Brown

Dissertations and Theses

No abstract provided.


What Grows In Heavy Rain, Lisa Martens Jan 2015

What Grows In Heavy Rain, Lisa Martens

Dissertations and Theses

No abstract provided.


Outcomes Of The Convention On The Elimination Of All Forms Of Discrimination Against Women (Cedaw) In The Arab World, Rosann Mariappuram Jan 2015

Outcomes Of The Convention On The Elimination Of All Forms Of Discrimination Against Women (Cedaw) In The Arab World, Rosann Mariappuram

Dissertations and Theses

The UN General Assembly adopted the Convention to End All Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) in 1979 and it is currently the 2nd most ratified human rights convention after the Convention on the Rights of the Child. However critics argue that many of the states that ratified CEDAW continue to discriminate against women and girls. The region of the world where critics seem to focus much of their attention on is the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). Islam and the implementation of sharia law are often cited as the sources of discrimination against Arab women. However is this a fair …


Aina: A Modern-Day History Chant Of A Hawaiian Place, Helen Dano Jan 2015

Aina: A Modern-Day History Chant Of A Hawaiian Place, Helen Dano

Dissertations and Theses

No abstract provided.


Integrated Hydrologic Land Surface State Climate Indicators, Brian Lamb Jan 2015

Integrated Hydrologic Land Surface State Climate Indicators, Brian Lamb

Dissertations and Theses

No abstract provided.


High Frequency Periodicity In Stock Trades, Maria Joao Arantes E Oliveira Jan 2015

High Frequency Periodicity In Stock Trades, Maria Joao Arantes E Oliveira

Dissertations and Theses

No abstract provided.


"Alienation In The Egyptian Novel Under Nasser: A Study Of Naguib Mahfouz’S The Beggar And Son’Allah Ibrahim’S That Smell.", Zeina Sabry Jan 2015

"Alienation In The Egyptian Novel Under Nasser: A Study Of Naguib Mahfouz’S The Beggar And Son’Allah Ibrahim’S That Smell.", Zeina Sabry

Dissertations and Theses

No abstract provided.