Transnational feminisms and the politics of international development in Ghana

International development organizations have been argued to be sites of contestations where power is invoked to maintain the othering of developing countries. Guided by Western liberal feminist ideas, international development projects are argued to situate in the othering of African women. Critiques have called for an alternative development that ensures accountable practice. The study used critical discourse analysis and in-depth interviews to examine how power is invoked and assumed when development projects are implemented in Ghana and how African feminist scholars and Ghanaian women development workers navigate and interrupt such power relations. Informed by a transnational, intersectional African feminist theoretical framing, the study found that international development was perceived as a social control mechanism through its hierarchy, governance, rhetoric, political positioning, and conceptualization. It highlighted how women resisted, negotiated, and strategized within international development spaces. The study recommends synergizing African feminist scholarship and development practice to ensure accountable development

To make memory material : preliminary geophysical surveys at two potential burial sites in Birchtown, Nova Scotia

By invitation from the community, a geophysical survey was performed on two potential Black Loyalist burial sites in Birchtown, Nova Scotia, in a preliminary effort to verify local traditions regarding their existence and location. This thesis investigates the suitability of geophysical techniques on these late 18th -century burial sites; drawing on oral histories, historical documentation, and comparison against similar burial sites to explore potential social and geographic influences on early Black Nova Scotian burial traditions. Longstanding oral traditions and ethnographic observations of memorial behaviours exhibited by members of the Black Loyalist descendent community appear to support one surveyed site as a memorial space, despite ambiguous geophysical results obscuring its historicity. The results highlighted a contrast in how materiality is used to define Black Loyalist burial landscapes from the archaeological, historical, and community perspectives, and underscores the importance of community engagement in guiding archaeological investigations where physical and historical evidence is sparse

One size fails all : reconceptualizing eating disorders through an intersectional feminist lens

1 online resource (viii, 1 unnumbered, 120 pages) : colour illustrations, colour graphsIncludes abstract and appendices.Includes bibliographical references (pages 102-106).This thesis employed an intersectional feminist lens to examine the multiple experiences of self-identified young women/non-binary individuals with eating disorders and the current discourse surrounding these disorders. Further, this research aimed to identify the symptoms and the social, political, and economic effects that individuals with eating disorders have experienced, and how these symptoms and effects have influenced social/personal life and institutional relations. The study provides both theoretical and methodological implications for understanding how eating disorders are a social justice issue. I argue that eating disorders are largely a symptom of dominant power systems that have been designed to control our bodies. I propose a more nuanced understanding of eating disorders rooted in lived experiences will provide the necessary space for creating ethical intervention. Further, I propose that, within therapeutic relationships, there needs to be a shift away from providing service and more emphasis on providing care

Testing the ergodicity of star formation within galaxies

1 online resource (xiii, 112 pages) : colour illustrations, graphs (some colour)Includes abstract and appendix.Includes bibliographical references (pages 104-112).Part of our understanding of how galaxies evolve is based on individual evolutions inferred from population trends. In its strictest form, this approach implicitly assumes that the star formation properties of galaxies exhibit ergodic behaviours, such that the time averages of individual galaxies are equivalent to the average of the population at any given time. In this thesis, we analyze the validity of this assumption on simulated galaxies modelled after observed ones. We find that galaxies without stellar wind feedback are able to match observations and do not, in general, follow strictly ergodic star formation histories. Partial ergodicity is presented in an astronomical sense for the first time, in which subsets of galaxies exhibit time evolution broadly similar to ensemble averages when averaged over, and is observed in the modelled galaxies. Future studies are needed to include the impact of mergers, alternative feedback and stellar evolution models, and ideally a larger sample

Moving through the margins : an analysis of mobility and interaction in the sex trade of St. John’s, Newfoundland, 1893-1911

1 online resource (99 pages) : illustrations (some colour), colour maps, graphs (some colour)Includes abstract.Includes bibliographical references (pages 90-99).This thesis examines the historical sex trade between 1893 to 1911 in St. John’s, Newfoundland using court and prison records. These records reveal a decline in arrests for prostitution and brothel-keeping due to changing legal terminology, reflecting societal shifts in the Edwardian Era. Mapping the distribution of sex workers' residences shows concentration in working-class neighborhoods, indicating economic necessity. However, sex workers were active agents in their financial security, choosing their profession over limited alternatives like the poorhouse or factory work. Understanding sex workers beyond their trade, as active members of their communities, is vital. This research sheds light on a crucial period in St. John’s history and contributes to a comprehensive understanding of the lives and experiences of historical sex workers

2023-01-20 Senate Minutes and Agendas

Minutes and agenda for the January 20, 2023 meeting of Saint Mary's University Senate

Ecophysiology of atlantic coastal shrubs in response to ocean salt

1 online resource (57 pages) : colour illustrations, colour maps, colour chartsIncludes abstract and appendices.Includes bibliographical references (pages 53-57).Increased greenhouse gases in Earth’s atmosphere are altering the global climate including changes in air temperature and precipitation patterns that are linked to increasing storms and sealevel rise. In coastal regions, more frequent storm surges and high-water levels can increase marine salt exposure on terrestrial ecosystems through waves and sea spray. There is a need to understand the physiological impacts of marine salt on plant species found in coastal habitats such as barrens and forests. These globally distributed habitats are dominated by woody plants, especially shrubs, and they represent a large portion of the Atlantic coast of Canada. Currently, there is a knowledge gap on how shrub species in these habitats are affected by salt stress. To address this gap, leaf and soil samples were collected from two sites: a rock barren, Chebucto Head, and a forest, Taylor Head, in Nova Scotia. This study examined leaf morphological and physiological traits related to salt tolerance and resource use in two dominant shrub species, the Northern Bayberry (Morella pensylvanica) and the Lowbush Blueberry (Vaccinium angustifolium). Individuals were sampled along a salinity gradient within 200 m of the Atlantic Ocean coastline. Traits included stomatal conductance, specific leaf area, leaf thickness, and leaf dry matter content; leaf nutrients included pH, electrical conductivity, sodium, potassium, nitrate, and calcium contents The soil characteristics and leaf traits were compared in relation to their proximity to the shore using three-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), linear regression, and a principal components analysis, providing more information on the differences between habitat, proximity to the shore, and species in response to ocean salt. This study found that there were differences in salt tolerance within the same species between the different habitats as well as a difference between species. In general, plants in the rock barren experienced higher salt loads and displayed more physiological stress than plants in the forest. The Northern Bayberry was more salt tolerant overall than the Lowbush Blueberry. This research has the potential to be applied in coastal restoration projects to inform which species may be most resilient to saltwater exposure and which habitats may be more vulnerable

Understanding the effects of managed realignment schemes on salt marsh recovery by assessing the spatiotemporal patterns of vegetation colonization in the Bay of Fundy, Canada

1 online resource (x, 93 pages) : colour illustrations, maps (some colour), colour charts, colour graphsIncludes abstract and appendices.Includes bibliographical references (pages 80-87).As a coastal region, Atlantic Canada is highly susceptible to the impacts imposed by climate change. As hazards such as sea level rise, storm surge, and shoreline erosion are becoming more widely recognized, there is an increased need for communities to adapt to climate change to reduce their vulnerability. Nature-based solutions (NbS) have presented themselves as a more viable long-term solution to their hard engineering counterparts. Managed dyke realignment (MR), a form of NbS, is being used to restore critical salt marsh habitat which offers several ecological, economic, and social benefits through the provision of ecosystem services. This study aimed to determine the effects of MR schemes on estuarine morphodynamics and restoration trajectories by assessing the spatial and temporal patterns of vegetation colonization of a managed realignment site in the Bay of Fundy. The evolution of habitat community structure; the spatiotemporal patterns of vegetation colonization; and the relationship between vegetation colonization and topographic features were analyzed using remote sensing and GIS techniques. Results demonstrate that the restoration trajectory is a highly successional process with initial dominance of vegetation colonization via seed and a shift toward clonal spread later in the trajectory. There was a stronger relationship between vegetation colonization and channel networks in Year 1 post-restoration than consecutive years and S. alterniflora and early colonizers coincided with higher accretion rates than other classes. These results provide insight regarding the trajectory of restored sites and key factors to facilitate successful MR design

Female-perpetrated sexual homicide : a systematic review

1 online resource (56 pages) : chartsIncludes abstract and appendices.Includes bibliographical references (pages 33-39).Research into the aetiology of sexual homicide perpetrators often highlights the impact of adverse childhood experiences and deviant sexual interests on offence commission. However, this research traditionally focuses on samples of male offenders. In attempts to facilitate the generation of knowledge concerning female sexual homicide offenders (FSHO), a systematic review was conducted to establish the current state of literature on this population. In identifying how the developmental antecedents of adverse childhood experiences and deviant sexual interests impact FSHOs, we can further identify how they differ from male sexual murderers. According to the current literature, a population of North American FSHO reflect a balanced ethnic distribution and target individuals within their own ethnic group. Additionally, FSHO were far more likely to use a weapon whilst killing a victim that they were previously acquainted with. Besides differentiating them from their male counterparts, this suggests that there is further heterogeneity within the motivations behind female sex offending based on the ethnic distribution and weapon preferences. While all developmental factors were absent from the literature gathered, heterogeneity within the sexual murderer population is reflected in the demographics, victimology, and modus operandi of FSHO. Implying not only are they distinguishable from male perpetrators but may further be distinguished from each other. This review highlights a knowledge gap concerning the developmental processes and relevant factors to female sexual offending and establishes that more research into this population is necessary

Junkie or patient? media’s portrayal of opioid harm reduction strategies in Nova Scotia

1 online resource (54 pages)Includes abstract and appendix.Includes bibliographical references (pages 45-53).Safe supply programs rolled across Canada amidst two public health emergencies: the opioid crisis and COVID-19 pandemic. Earlier research demonstrated safe supply’s efficacy, but confusing messages rooted in a history of racism, criminalization and stigmatization limited access to this life saving program. Harm reduction interventions reduce mortality and improve health outcomes for people who use substances. Criminalization confuses messages surrounding treatment; creates an unsafe illegal market; and fails to eradicate substance use in Canada. Media plays an influential role in shaping public perceptions. This study describes volume, content and themes from Nova Scotia news media sources that discuss safe supply between 2018 and 2022. Searches of three English-language news media sources from Nova Scotia identified 41 articles, coded for type, tone, topic, harm reduction intervention and thematically analyzed. Volume of coverage increased over time, which coincided with the COVID-19 outbreak and implementation of safe supply programs. Changes in narrative framing and use of stigmatizing language were also observed. No longer understood as a political or criminal issue, Nova Scotia news media content frames safe supply as a health and social justice issue. News media sources in Nova Scotia are not directly contributing to the stigmatization of people who use substances