Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Empowering Your Staff To Solve Problems: Evidence-Based Training For Strategic Thinking, Rebecca B. French, Jennifer A. Keach

Libraries

Are you teaching procedures or are you teaching problem solving? Discover an approach to help develop your staff’s strategic thinking skills to meet the needs of the 21st-century library workplace. Explore how to apply learning theory and walk away with actionable steps for training independent problem solving.

Spaceport: A Finding Aid Launchpad, Rebecca B. French

Libraries

JMU Libraries distributes its Special Collections finding aids to a number of discovery platforms, a process which historically has involved a significant amount of hand-encoding and manual data entry. We recently developed and implemented Spaceport, a Python app that has revolutionized this workflow. This presentation provides an overview of the app's functionality, which includes generating EADs for Virginia Heritage, HTML files for upload to the Libraries website, and MARCXML records for our catalog and OCLC. It also describes the efficiencies and other benefits we have observed from Spaceport's use.

Nuclear Weapons Ban Monitor 2019, Npa

Global CWD Repository

Nuclear disarmament, including the elimination of all nuclear weapons and related development programmes, has been a central goal of the international community for decades. Under international law, only the 2017 Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) obligates all its states parties to destroy all nuclear weapons and other nuclear explosive devices under their jurisdiction or control and to never develop, produce, or control any such devices, much less test or use them. This comprehensive rejection by law of a uniquely inhumane and indiscriminate weapon is the embodiment of Article VI of the 1968 Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of …

Building An Inclusive Library Through Staff Accessibility Training, K.T. L. Vaughan

Libraries

Libraries provide a needed third place for students to engage with their peers and faculty, both academically and socially. Staff behavior, knowledge, and skills in providing an accessible and inclusive environment are key to helping students with disabilities feel that they belong in the libraries. This makes training in disability and accessibility awareness a necessary component of the overall program for the library. This study assessed a locally-developed, online training program for staff of all levels that was intended to improve staff knowledge and skills in disability etiquette, library services and spaces that support people with disabilities, and the policies …

Examining The Effects Of Specifying Bayesian Priors On The Wald's Test For Dif, Paulius Satkus, Christine E. Demars

Department of Graduate Psychology - Faculty Scholarship

No abstract provided.

An Applied Example Of A Two-Tier Multiple-Group Testlet Model, Paulius Satkus, Christine E. Demars

Department of Graduate Psychology - Faculty Scholarship

No abstract provided.

High Impact Practices: Developing A Framework For Integrating Hips At The Individual Course Level And General Education, Jessica Lantz

Libraries

Libraries faculty are in the research stages of developing an instructional framework to map high impact educational practices (HIPS) strategy integration to help build meaningful student experiences in their academic and general education experience at James Madison University. This framework will utilize instructional design recommendations and the wealth of opportunities available to students through the University and the general education program.

Demining In Urban Centers Is A Race Against Time, Pascal Rapillard, Jeremy Repond

Global CWD Repository

Identifying and clearing explosive ordnances in formerly embattled areas in Iraq is a matter of priority as refugees and internally displaced persons are returning to their homes. It is a race against time.

Achievements And New Challenges In Mine Action, Stefano Toscano

Global CWD Repository

In the past two decades, the sector has achieved significant results: 31 of the formerly contaminated countries have declared themselves mine free; more than 52 million stockpiled mines have been destroyed; the new use of antipersonnel mines by States, even those not yet party to the Convention, is rare; the International Mine Action Standards (IMAS) play a key role in ensuring safe, efficient and effective demining activities. The sector has also made strong efforts to reinforce its role as an enabler of broader agendas: while pursuing its own objectives, mine action also represents a prerequisite for additional transformative agendas such …

A Guide To Non-Technical Survey, Gichd

Global CWD Repository

The aim of this guide is to provide an introduction to Non-Technical Survey (NTS) for mine action personnel who wish to learn more about the subject, but who may lack practical experience. This guide collects the lessons learnt from the development and standardisation of the Geneva International Centre for Humanitarian Demining (GICHD) Non-Technical Survey Training Course and will form part of the pre-course reading material. It aims to provide course participants with a better understanding of the theory and practice of NTS operations. The importance of the practical training cannot be overstated, and this guide is not meant to replace …

Demining In Urban Centres Is A Race Against Time, Pascal Rapillard, Jeremy Repond

Global CWD Repository

Pascal Rapillard, GICHD Head of External Relations, Policy and Cooperation programme and Jérémy Repond, GICHD External Relations Officer, expand on how demining in urban centres is a race against time.

The Ninth Meeting Of States Parties To The Convention On Cluster Munitions (2019), Ccm

Global CWD Repository

The Ninth Meeting of States Parties of the Convention on Cluster Munitions will take place from 2 to 4 September 2019 in Geneva at the Palais des Nations.

Taking Control Of Archdesc: Implementing Spaceport For Special Collections Finding Aids, Tiffany Cole, Rebecca B. French

Libraries

This poster describes a project to develop Spaceport, a Python app that transforms EAD finding aids from ArchivesSpace into EADs for Virginia Heritage, HTML files for the JMU Libraries website, and MARCXML records for the catalog. It outlines the challenges and needs that led to Spaceport's development and describes benefits experienced from its implementation.

National Capacities And Residual Contamination (Croatia), Gichd

Global CWD Repository

Croatia is affected by explosive ordnance (EO) contamination that consists of mines and, to a lesser extent, explosive remnants of war (ERW), including cluster munition remnants, caused by the legacy of four years of armed conflict associated with the break-up of the former Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia in the early 1990s.

This case study documents Croatia’s experience of developing national systems and capacities to address residual contamination and to identify and present good practices and lessons learnt. In addition, this case study highlights the importance of a participatory and transparent long-term strategic planning process, including a comprehensive and properly …

From The Director, Ken Rutherford Dr.

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

Having just returned from an educational leave for these past five months, I return energized and even more passionate about the work we have ahead of us in the humanitarian mine action (HMA) field. During this time, I had an opportunity to study the terror that landmine use caused civilians during the 1943-1944 Italian campaign and how many of those mines were cleared. They are stories not dissimilar from today’s conflicts, including in Yemen. On 13 June, the Embassy of the Republic of Yemen held a landmine briefing on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., during which I presented on the …

The Challenge Of Managing Mine Action In Jordan, Hrh Prince Mired R.Z. Al-Hussein

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

Over the course of two decades, the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan worked diligently to rid itself of landmines despite monumental challenges. In comparison to other mine-affected countries, the difficulties that Jordan faced may have been miniscule, but for a developing country with minimal natural resources in a very volatile region of the world, the task was enormous. The initial estimate of landmines buried in Jordanian territory was over 300,000, the vast majority of which were laid by the Jordanian military along the kingdom’s western border after the 1967 Arab– Israeli War and along its northern border after the Syrian incursion …

Ieds And Urban Clearance Variables In Mosul: Defining Complex Environments, Mark Wilkinson Ph.D.

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

More than any other post-conflict environment in Iraq, the complexity of west Mosul and its improvised explosive device (IED) threat challenges our fundamental perceptions and definitions of mine action. From here, 400 km (248.5 mi) north of Baghdad in the al-Maedan District on the west side of the Tigris River, ISIS ran its caliphate and made its ill-fated last stand against attacking Iraqi Security Forces (ISF).

Ammunition Stockpile Management: A Global Challenge Requiring Global Responses, Nora Allgaier, Samuel Paunila

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

Ageing, unstable, and excess conventional ammunition stockpiles pose the dual risk of accidental explosion at munition sites and diversion to illicit markets, thereby constituting a significant danger to public safety and security. More than half of the world’s countries have experienced an ammunition storage area explosion over the past decades, resulting in severe humanitarian and socioeconomic consequences.¹ Thousands of people have been killed, injured, and displaced, and the livelihoods of entire communities have been disrupted. The humanitarian impact of unintended explosions is amplified when they occur in urban areas, as illustrated by ammunition depot explosions in a crowded area …

Key Performance Indicators And Hma: Time To Standardize?, Roly Evans, David Hewitson

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

Measuring performance is the norm across a range of human activities. But is it a norm in humanitarian mine action (HMA)? Some might suggest that it is. However, if we measure our performance, it is unclear whether we do so in a standardized way so that meaningful comparisons can be made. HMA lacks standardized indicators, whether it is for items of explosive ordnance (EO) found and destroyed, m² of land released, or more general outcomes such as internally displaced persons returning to an area once cleared. Indicators can of course be ignored, misused, misreported, or misunderstood and some fear …

The Impact Of Landmines And Explosive Remnants Of War On Food Security: The Lebanese Case, Henrique Garbino

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

The year 2017 was the third in a row of an exceptionally high number of mine victims. According to the Landmine and Cluster Munition Monitor, in 2017 alone, 7,239 people became casualties of landmines or explosive remnants of war (ERW), of which at least 2,793 were killed.^1,2 Apart from their direct physical effects, landmines and ERW also restrict access to basic resources such as food and water, limit the use of key infrastructure, and both force and restrict migration.² This article focuses on the impact of landmines and ERW on food security, with an emphasis in food …

The Journal Of Conventional Weapons Destruction Issue 23.2 (2019), Cisr Journal

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

The Middle East: An Editorial by Jordan's HRH Prince Mired R.Z. Al-Hussein | IEDs: 'Complex' vs. Simple Clearance in Fallujah and Mosul | Iraq: A Photo Essay by Sean Sutton | Lebanon: Impact of Landmines and ERW on food Security

Practical Notes On The Application Of Thermite Systems In Mine Action, Robert Syfret, Chris Cooper

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

There are numerous documents available online relating to the use of thermite systems for explosive ordnance disposal (EOD). However, most of the documents are either scientifically focused or address specific technical questions. This article provides broader practical information for mine action operators at the field and program levels. Although previously employed on a relatively small scale over the last five years, use of thermite as opposed to explosives for the destruction of landmines and explosive remnants of war (ERW) has increased. This has been driven by greater engagement across the sector in countries with unstable security situations, and places with …

More Bang For Their Buck: Enhancing The Sustainability Of Surplus Ammunition Destruction Programs, Joe Farha, Matthias Krotz, Einas Osman Abdalla Mohammed

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

Dealing with stockpiles of surplus ammunition remains a key challenge for many African countries. In the last 10 years, at least 38 ammunition sites across Africa reportedly experienced unplanned explosions, causing injury and loss of life as well as significant damage to infrastructure and the environment. Numerous reasons such as overstocking, inadequate storage facilities due to insufficient resources, inadequate capabilities of storage sites, or simply unstable ammunition may be the cause of these unplanned detonations. These factors are often exacerbated by personnel having a limited knowledge and awareness, or insufficient training on relevant subjects such as explosive compatibility groups or …

Endnotes, Cisr Journal

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

No abstract provided.

Ied Threat Consistency And Predictability In Fallujah: A 'Simple' Model For Clearance, Mark Wilkinson Ph.D.

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

When in control of the area of Iraq north of Baghdad, including the city of Fallujah, ISIS prepared to defend its position from inevitable government counterattack through the widespread use of improvised explosive devices (IEDs) laid as defensive obstacles in patterns similar to conventional minefields.¹ The subsequent destruction of bridges over the Tigris River further strengthened the ability of ISIS to defend the city and prevent the civilians trapped within from escaping.

Iraq: A Photo Essay, Sean Sutton

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

MAG, Mines Advisory Group, has worked in Iraq since 1992 to make land safe for populations affected by decades of conflict. Landmines, cluster munitions, other unexploded bombs, as well as new contamination from the recent conflict with ISIS, have left a deadly legacy that prevents communities from using their land, and displaced populations from returning home safely.

Mi Semestre Con La Experiencia Inmigrante: Todos Podríamos Aprender Un Poco, Rachel C. Ziemba

VA Engage Journal

Mucho del conocimiento común sobre la inmigración en los Estados Unidos se basa en los estereotipos de las comunidades inmigrantes. La falta de entendimiento obstaculiza las vidas de los inmigrantes. Por lo tanto, la educación del público es la única manera de mejorar esta situación y cambiar la actitud social con respeto a los inmigrantes hispanos y latinx. El aprendizaje y uso generalizado del español también ayudará a traer consigo una sociedad norteamericana más receptiva de los inmigrantes. El bilingüismo inglés español es una solución útil y fácil para aumentar la inclusión de los inmigrantes de origen hispano en los …

The Role Of Refugee Women Narratives In The U.S. Resettlement Process, Alys Sink

VA Engage Journal

Within resettlement scholarship, there exists a distinct absence of direct narratives by refugee women about their resettlement experiences within the United States. This study delves into this absence of voice, investigating the ways in which refugee women’s narratives are received and utilized within a refugee resettlement agency. This ethnographic study includes independent interviews with refugee women and resettlement staff. Utilizing Ernest Stringer’s method of action research and Cheryl Glenn’s Rhetoric of Silence, I argue that refugee women’s narratives are not wholly absent or silent, but rather that they are rarely acknowledged, often devalued, or inadvertently made a non-priority within larger …

Vietnam Ageing Study Management Of Explosive Remnants Of War (More), Gichd

Global CWD Repository

Every conflict leaves behind explosive remnants of war (ERW) in lesser or greater quantities depending upon the nature and duration of the conflict and the types and quantities of weapons used. How ERW are dealt with reflects local circumstances and conditions, as well as the influence of international humanitarian law (IHL), the availability of resources and prioritisation choices made by governments, international institutions and agencies. In many cases an initial period of proactive effort is followed, sooner or later, by the adoption of more reactive policies and practices. The duration of the transition period varies from country to country, but …

Long-Term Risk Management Tools And Protocols For Residual Explosive Ordnance Mitigation (Vietnam), Gichd

Global CWD Repository

The Management of Residual Explosive Remnants of War (MORE) framework is a holistic long-term risk management (LTRM) approach for handling the reality of risks posed by explosive ordnance (EO). The current Geneva International Centre for Humanitarian Demining (GICHD) project in Vietnam includes – amongst other objectives – the development and pilot of LTRM processes, tools and protocols in several provinces. Vietnam offers ideal preconditions for the testing of the concept.

Vietnam not being a signatory of binding conventions, yet with the recently signed national mine action decree, leaves the national authority and national mine action centre with the question of …