8,702 research outputs found

    Queer spies in British Cold War culture: literature, film, theatre and television

    Get PDF
    This PhD thesis investigates how male homosexuality has been represented in British spy fiction from the 1950s to the 2010s in multiple media: literature, film, television and theatre. Due mainly to the betrayal of the Cambridge Spy ring around the middle of the century, British culture has associated spies with homosexuality, while the wider Anglophone world was in the grip of a homophobic atmosphere created by McCarthy's Red Scare. My thesis explores how this history is reflected in the spy genre from the Cold War to the present, in which male homosexuality and secret agency intersect as “queer”, in so far as they were both considered to be discreet and criminal, existing outside of the heteronormative order. By following multiple texts across media and time, I discuss how some writers, television and film directors and actors update queer identity in spy fiction, creating a shifting image of queer spies through decades. I refer to the findings of adaptation studies and queer studies, along with numerous studies on spy fiction. I conclude that the interrelation of different media has contributed to the re-drawing of queer identity in spy fiction. These developments have enabled the spies' queer identity to transcend its pejorative history in British culture, towards its more flexible and pliant sense which is designated by the term's modern usage. I also discuss that spies’ homosexuality has been represented as a fleeting ghost in most of the texts examined, hovering on the margins of pages and screen. Although homosexuality is not “the love that dare not speak its name” anymore, clandestine queer spies have been preserved as spectral others in the genre for many years. Spy fiction is a cultural repository retaining the memory of violence inflicted against those who have been called “queer” in twentieth century Britain, and the spectral nature of queer spies narrates this history reaching back to the Oscar Wilde trial in 1895, from which point British queer identity as we know now developed. This thesis benefits the study of spy fiction by filling a gap in the investigation of homosexual representation. It also contributes to the field of gender studies of literature, film, television, and theatre by illustrating queer history in a genre which has not received a great deal of focus on its representation of homosexuality. Spy fiction occupies a central position in British popular culture, and by exploring this genre in terms of homosexuality, this research will identify the role which same-sex desire has historically played in the British cultural imagination

    A narrative study of how shame features in the lives of women living with HIV

    Get PDF
    Once classed as a devastating virus that resulted in a guaranteed premature death, HIV can be treated successfully with lifelong medication and importantly its transmissibility is eliminated for individuals on effective medication. However, the psychosocial burden of HIV remains for many and despite this advancement in biomedical treatment, HIV remains a highly stigmatised virus and condition. This study explores how shame features in the experiences of women living with HIV in Ireland. There is an absence of women’s narratives in the overall discourse on HIV in Ireland, therefore little is known about their lives. Research on shame tells us that prolonged unacknowledged shame can impact on mental well-being if unaddressed. The study’s sample comprised twelve women living with HIV who were based in Ireland. Their narratives based on semi-structured interviews have been analysed using Clandinin and Connelly’s (2000) three-dimensional narrative inquiry tool, which explores from the interactional, chronological and situational elements of a story. A cross-case analysis was adopted to explore dominant themes across the twelve narratives. Findings from this study portray how shame stemmed from an absence of a woman centred HIV narrative and the ongoing presence of stigmatising HIV discourse. Shame featured as three dimensions of the exposed self: anticipated exposure, exposure avoidance and felt exposure. Finally, many of the participants managed to grow through their HIV-related shame and move past it by discovering a shared experience with other women, to reduce emotional isolation. This study concludes that HIV-related shame can have negative implications for women’s health and general well-being, thus compromising women’s ability to live well with HIV. HIV-related shame must be addressed with the appropriate intervention. The study contributes to the development of a women-centred HIV discourse. This can help increase visibility of WLHIV and enable potential mitigation of the onset of HIV-related shame, which is crucial in this era of HIV normalisation

    Varastest embrüotest pärit ekstratsellulaarsed vesiikulid: potentsiaal embrüokvaliteedi markeritena ja roll embrüo-emaka suhtluses

    Get PDF
    Väitekirja elektrooniline versioon ei sisalda publikatsiooneViljatus on globaalne rahvatervise probleem, mis mõjutab miljoneid inimesi. Abistav reproduktiivtehnoloogia, sealhulgas in vitro viljastamine, on aidanud mitmeid viljatuid inimesi. Küll on sellel metoodikal üheks kitsaskohaks implantatsiooni ebaõnnestumine isegi morfoloogiliselt parimate embrüotega. Seetõttu toimuvad jätkuvalt uuringud tuvastamaks paremaid meetodeid, mis hindavad embrüo kvaliteeti ja ennustavad siirdamise edukust, olles peamiselt embrüokasvusöötme baasil. Rakuvälised ehk ekstratsellulaarsed vesiikulid (EV) on membraaniga ümbritsetud nanoosakesed, mida toodavad peaaegu kõik rakutüübid erinevates füsioloogilistes ja patoloogilistes konditsioonides. Nende kaudu toimub rakuvaheline suhtlus. Mitmed uuringud, eriti vähi korral, on uurinud EVde potentsiaali biomarkerina ja ravimkandursüsteemina. Antud doktoritöö uuris implantatsiooni-eelse perioodi embrüost vabanenud EVde potentsiaali embrüokvaliteedi markerina ja embrüo-emaka suhtluse vahendajana. Katsed viidi läbi kasutades veise-embrüoid ja inimrakukultuuride põhiseid eksperimentaalmudeleid. Esimene uuring tõestas, et individuaalselt kasvatatud implantatsiooni-eelse perioodi veise-embrüod eritavad EVsid kasvusöötmesse ning nende kontsentratsiooni- ja suurusprofiil sõltub embrüo kvaliteedist ja arengustaadiumist. Järgnevalt katsetati munajuharakkudel implantatsiooni-eelse perioodi embrüost pärit EVde funktsionaalsust. Katse käigus selgus, et EVd kõrge kvaliteediga embrüotest muutsid munajuharakkude geeniekspressiooni, mida aga ei teinud halva kvaliteediga embrüote EVd. Suurenenud ekspressiooniga geenide hulgas olid mitmed interferoon-τ raja interferooni stimuleerivad geenid. Interferoon-τ peetakse mäletsejaliste tiinuse tuvastusmolekuliks. See leid viitab, et munajuha tunneb ära kvaliteetse embrüo. Viimaseks uuriti embrüo EVde funktsionaalsuse spetsiifilisust. Leiti, et endomeetrium reageerib vaid embrüo päritolu EVdele. Uuringute käigus tuvastati embrüost vabanenud EVde potentsiaal ja spetsiifilisus embrüokvaliteedi biomarkerina.Infertility is a global public health problem that affects millions of people in their reproductive life. Assisted reproductive technologies (ARTs) such as in-vitro fertilization have enabled many patients to overcome this issue. However, a bottleneck in ART success is the implantation failure even after the transfer of morphologically best embryos. Hence, investigations continue to identify better or complementary methods of assessing embryo quality and predicting transfer success, mainly based on the embryo culture media. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are membrane-bound nanoparticles released by almost all types of cells under different physiological and pathological conditions. They mediate intercellular communication. Many studies, especially related to cancer, have investigated EVs' potential as biomarkers and therapeutic drug delivery systems. This project investigated preimplantation embryo-derived extracellular vesicles as a potential embryo quality marker and a mediator of embryo-maternal communication. Experiments were performed using bovine embryos and human cell-culture based experimental models. The first study showed that individually cultured preimplantation bovine embryos release EVs to their culture media, and their concentration and size profile are dependent on the quality and development stage of embryos. Subsequently, the functionality of preimplantation embryo-derived EVs were tested in the oviduct. It was observed that EVs from good quality embryos, but not the EVs from embryos of low developmental potential quality, could alter the gene expression of the oviduct. Among the up-regulated genes, many were interferon-stimulated genes of the interferon-τ pathway. Interferon-τ is considered the pregnancy recognition molecule in ruminant pregnancy. This finding suggests that the oviduct can serve as a biosensor of embryo quality. Finally, the functional specificity of embryonic EVs were investigated. It was observed that endometrium only react to embryonic EVs but not to the non-embryonic EVs. All these studies support the potential and specificity of embryo-derived EVs as a biomarker of embryo quality.https://www.ester.ee/record=b548409

    II tüüpi kollageeni neoepitoop C2C uriinis kui põlve osteoartriidi diagnoosimise ja kulu prognoosimise biomarker

    Get PDF
    Väitekirja elektrooniline versioon ei sisalda publikatsiooneOsteoartriit (OA) on sagedasim liigeshaigus, tabades ligi poolt miljardit inimest maailmas. Põlv on üks peamisi kahjustuskohti. Haiguse kaasaegse käsitluse järgi arenevad kahjustused molekulaarsetest muutustest kuni kudede (kõhr, luu, sünoviaalkest, menisk, sidemed) struktuuri muutusteni. OA on aastate jooksul ebaühtlase kiirusega süvenev haigus, mille puhul stabiilsemad perioodid vahelduvad kiiremate muutustega, kulgedes varajases järgus haigustunnusteta. Seetõttu pakuvad kudede ainevahetuse muutusi peegeldavad molekulaarsed markerid varajast hoiatust koekahjustuse tekkest, võimalust hinnata haiguse kulgu ning tulevikus ka ravivastust. Kuna II tüüpi kollageen (Kol2) on kõhre peamine struktuurne komponent, on OA hindamiseks loodud mitmeid Kol2 lammutamist mõõtvaid teste. Käesolevas uurimuses hindasime OA uue biomarkeri, uC2C kasutusvõimalusi põlve OA (pOA) korral. uC2C on Kol2 lõhustumise neoepitoop C2C uriinis. Võrdlesime uC2C väärtusi röntgenleiu, kõhre otsese vaatlusleiu ja patsiendi kliinilise seisundiga, kasutades erinevaid statistilisi mudeleid. Selgus, et uC2C on sobiv kandidaat pOA varajase diagnostilise testi arendamiseks. C2C sisaldus tõuseb juba haiguse varajases järgus ja on seotud haiguse mitme põhiprotsessiga: kõhre lammutamise ja luukasviste tekkega põlveliigese eri osades. uC2C on hea progressioonimarker naistel: uC2C kõrgem algväärtus ennustab naistel väga hästi (>90%) pOA teket või süvenemist järgneva 3 aasta jooksul. uC2C tase on kõrgem suuremate röntgenmuutuste korral, seega uC2C tase on seotud pOA raskusastmega. uC2C väärtused on suurimad kOA lõppjärgus olevatel haigetel, kes jõuavad liigeseasenduseni suhteliselt noorelt (50–70 a vanuses). Pärast põlveliigese asendamist võib C2C eritumine uriiniga väheneda, suureneda või jääda muutumatuks. Seega ei peata liigeseasendus paljudel juhtudel Kol2 lammutamist organismis ja OA on süsteemsem haigus, kui on seni arvatud. uC2C näib olevat naistel võrreldes meestega parem pOA biomarker.Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common joint disease, affecting about half a billion people worldwide. The knee is one of the main sites of impairment. According to the new approach to the disease, the alterations develop from the molecular level to structural changes in tissues (cartilage, bone, synovium, meniscus, ligaments). OA is a disease with an alternating course, with no signs of disease at an early stage. Therefore, molecular markers that reflect changes in tissue metabolism provide an early warning of tissue damage, an opportunity to assess the course of the disease, and a response to future treatment. Because type II collagen (Col2) is a major structural component of cartilage, several tests have been developed to measure Col2 degradation. In the current study, we evaluated the potential use of a new OA biomarker, C2C, in knee OA (kOA). uC2C is a Col2 cleavage neoepitope in urine. We compared uC2C values with X-ray findings, direct visual assessment of cartilage, and clinical status using different statistical models. uC2C is a good candidate for the development of an early diagnostic test for kOA. The level of uC2C is increased in the early stages of kOA and is related to several main processes of kOA: the cartilage lesions and the osteophytes in distinct knee compartments. uC2C is a good marker of progression in women–a higher baseline uC2C is an excellent predictor (> 90%) of the initiation or worsening of kOA over the next 3 years. uC2C is higher in higher X-ray grades, so uC2C levels are associated with the severity of kOA. uC2C values are highest in patients with end-stage kOA who reach joint replacement at a relatively young age (50-70 years). After knee replacement, urinary excretion of C2C may decrease, increase, or remain unchanged. Thus, in many cases, joint replacement does not stop the breakdown of Col2 in the body, and OA is a more systemic disease than previously thought. uC2C appears to be a better biomarker of pOA in women than in men.https://www.ester.ee/record=b550707

    The Epidemiological Framework for Biological Invasions (EFBI): An interdisciplinary foundation for the assessment of biosecurity threats

    Get PDF
    Emerging microparasite (e.g. viruses, bacteria, protozoa and fungi) epidemics and the introduction of non-native pests and weeds are major biosecurity threats worldwide. The likelihood of these threats is often estimated from probabilities of their entry, establishment, spread and ease of prevention. If ecosystems are considered equivalent to hosts, then compartment disease models should provide a useful framework for understanding the processes that underpin non-native species invasions. To enable greater cross-fertilisation between these two disciplines, the Epidemiological Framework for Biological Invasions (EFBI) is developed that classifies ecosystems in relation to their invasion status: Susceptible, Exposed, Infectious and Resistant. These states are linked by transitions relating to transmission, latency and recovery. This viewpoint differs markedly from the species-centric approaches often applied to non-native species. It allows generalisations from epidemiology, such as the force of infection, the basic reproductive ratio R0, super-spreaders, herd immunity, cordon sanitaire and ring vaccination, to be discussed in the novel context of non-native species and helps identify important gaps in the study of biological invasions. The EFBI approach highlights several limitations inherent in current approaches to the study of biological invasions including: (i) the variance in non-native abundance across ecosystems is rarely reported; (ii) field data rarely (if ever) distinguish source from sink ecosystems; (iii) estimates of the susceptibility of ecosystems to invasion seldom account for differences in exposure to non-native species; and (iv) assessments of ecosystem susceptibility often confuse the processes that underpin patterns of spread within -and between- ecosystems. Using the invasion of lakes as a model, the EFBI approach is shown to present a new biosecurity perspective that takes account of ecosystem status and complements demographic models to deliver clearer insights into the dynamics of biological invasions at the landscape scale. It will help to identify whether management of the susceptibility of ecosystems, of the number of vectors, or of the diversity of pathways (for movement between ecosystems) is the best way of limiting or reversing the population growth of a non-native species. The framework can be adapted to incorporate increasing levels of complexity and realism and to provide insights into how to monitor, map and manage biological invasions more effectively

    Hunting Wildlife in the Tropics and Subtropics

    Get PDF
    The hunting of wild animals for their meat has been a crucial activity in the evolution of humans. It continues to be an essential source of food and a generator of income for millions of Indigenous and rural communities worldwide. Conservationists rightly fear that excessive hunting of many animal species will cause their demise, as has already happened throughout the Anthropocene. Many species of large mammals and birds have been decimated or annihilated due to overhunting by humans. If such pressures continue, many other species will meet the same fate. Equally, if the use of wildlife resources is to continue by those who depend on it, sustainable practices must be implemented. These communities need to remain or become custodians of the wildlife resources within their lands, for their own well-being as well as for biodiversity in general. This title is also available via Open Access on Cambridge Core

    Masculinities, vulnerability and negotiated identity: Understanding the reporting behaviours of men who experience violence or otherwise harmful behaviour, within a sex work context

    Get PDF
    Context The focus of sex work related discussions most commonly falls on female providers of sexual services, and male purchasers. As a result, the often victim-oriented policy response in England and Wales falls short of truly addressing the needs of men who are involved in the sale of sex, with there being limited support available for them and a systemic approach which does not fully recognise the potential for men to face harm within this context. Methods The aim of this study is to explore experiences of and reactions to violence, and otherwise harmful behaviours, faced by men in the context of their sex working, by understanding the lived realities of a sample of men who engage in this type of work. The study takes a phased approach which combines an initial informative quantitative survey, with three subsequent phases of semi-structured interviews with male sex workers, sex work-focused practitioners and police officers. The method is guided by feminist research principles which suggest that reality is situated within those with lived experience, and also by an element of co-creation which has grounded this study within the perspectives of male sex workers from its conception. Findings The findings of this research suggest that all of the men involved in the study had faced at least one of the violent or otherwise harmful behaviours outlined, though reporting of these behaviours was not at all common. Discussions with the male sex working participants, practitioners and the police highlighted the issues related to the structural influences of authority, such as the police, and the social environment, and the internalisation of these wider factors, which create barriers to reporting for groups such as male sex workers and others who face similar social marginalisation. Conclusions This study challenges existing gendered understandings of violence and otherwise harmful behaviour within a sex work context, by highlighting the harmful experiences of men. By exploring these experiences and the reporting behaviours of those involved, the study also proposes a new framework for understanding barriers to reporting, which suggests that these are formed through the influences of formal and informal measures of social control, and the internalisation of these outside influences by the individual. By better understanding the experiences of men, and the barriers to their reporting, this study attempts to nuance a gendered discussion. Within, I propose that in order to better support male sex workers, responses must begin by appreciating the heterogeneity of those involved in sex work and the influence of their individual circumstances and the social environment on their willingness to seek support

    Intersectionality as a tool to adjudicate human rights law; A case study on the Inter-American System of Human Rights

    Get PDF
    Intersectionality is currently used in international human rights law adjudication primarily due to the influence of feminist approaches to international law. The application of intersectionality ranges from being included in soft law to being used as a tool in adjudicative processes. However, there is no clear understanding of how intersectionality is being conceptualised in human rights, nor is there any clear understanding as to how, when, and why intersectionality is being used as a tool to adjudicate rights. Nowadays, the use of intersectionality in human rights law is being developed independently of the discussions and debates of the same theory that are taking place amongst feminist scholars. Using the works of Kimberlé Crenshaw and other key contemporary intersectional feminist scholars, this thesis critically analyses the concept of intersectionality as used both in feminist theory and in international human rights law as a means through which to better understand the use of the concept in international human rights law. The concept of intersectionality currently applied in human rights law is reworked to provide a clearer understanding of what this theory can and should entail when applied at law. Seeking to understand the implications of the concept as applied, the present work proposes an operationalisation process of intersectionality to be used in adjudicative processes. With a special focus on the Inter-American System of Human Rights and drawing on two key case studies, the research demonstrates how human rights adjudicative processes can benefit from using intersectionality as a tool to assess the different qualitative experience of harm of a victim oppressed by different systems simultaneously. This thesis contributes to knowledge through its analysis of intersectionality as understood in both human rights law and within applied feminist theory and provides a model of how intersectionality can be better understood and used to better deliver justice

    Human Rights practitioners’ approach to refugees and migrants. A therapeutic psychosocial perspective.

    Get PDF
    This thesis advances the argument that the best way to address the needs of involuntarily dislocated populations is to develop a combined framework that includes both psychosocial and therapeutic perspectives as well as human rights principles. Based on my professional experience as a refugee lawyer, I argue that only such a combined framework can adequately respond to the complexity of the refugee realities. Moreover, I demonstrate that, in some circumstances, the application only of human right rules can violate the same rights that they are meant to protect. I suggest that human rights practitioners are more likely to become aware of the real needs of those we help and, thus, provide them with targeted interventions, once we add a psychosocial perspective to our work. It is in this sense that our endeavours become therapeutic, which should be distinguished from offering them psychotherapy. The added therapeutic dimension also benefits refugees by rescuing them from developing victim identities. This empowering and participatory model of interaction also assists them with an awareness of their existing resources as well as of those new strengths they acquire from their exposure to adversity. Finally, they benefit from an improved level of self reflexivity and a deeper consideration of the socio-political and cultural contexts that act as background to the migratory experience. This study examines various possible applications of this proposed combined framework, ranging from the enrichment of the refugee lawyers curricula with tenets of psychosocial perspectives to the addition of a therapeutic dimension to the hearings of migration/asylum courts
    corecore