Issues of gender, reflexivity and positionality in the field of disability : researching visual impairment in an Arab society

This article examines how the social and cultural context influence the way in which field research methods are utilized. Research methods need to be modified to meet the sensibilities and sensitivities of particular social groups and settings. Through a reflexive analysis of a research study on the lives of visually impaired young people and adults in Bahrain, this article discusses how gender, religion and culture need to be taken account of. It also discusses how the research process needed to take account of the participants’ disabilities. It examines the issues of research access, informed consent, researcher’s dress, confidentiality, research location, and time. It highlights how the gender of the researcher was constraining in some gender segregated educational settings in a Muslim society. The article engages with the researcher’s positionality through reflexive discussion

The Proportions Code and the Environmental Aspects as a Design Generator for the Minarets in Cairo of the Mamluks

One of the logic approaches to improve the contemporary design criteria of the Minarets understands the design methods of the built Minarets of Mamluks. To demonstrate how the geometrical proportions and environmental aspects played the role of design generator which remained the backbone of the process of “designing” a geometrical analyses of various designs of Mamluk Minarets were presented by concentrating on the derivation process of the design idea. By geometric morphological analysis of 20 Minarets a not fixed certain proportional relationships were found. The study depended on analyzing the proportions of the geometric shapes and the Minarets heights in relation to the whole composition to suggest the proportions code and the environmental principles, which may be considered as the inherent design method that govern the design of the Minarets in Cairo of the Mamluks. The research reached to suggest a design generative technique; this technique is a combination of architectural grammar which can be understood as a bundle design principles which formulate a design guideline. This technique illustrates how Mamluk architects proceeded to apply the proportions code and environmental principles to the practical problem of Minarets design, the research name it ‘Unwritten Design Method’, which is orderly and methodical arrangement of proportions to produces the Minarets design

The Proportions Code and the Environmental Aspects as a Design Generator for the Minarets in Cairo of the Mamluks

One of the logic approaches to improve the contemporary design criteria of the Minarets understands the design methods of the built Minarets of Mamluks. To demonstrate how the geometrical proportions and environmental aspects played the role of design generator which remained the backbone of the process of “designing” a geometrical analyses of various designs of Mamluk Minarets were presented by concentrating on the derivation process of the design idea. By geometric morphological analysis of 20 Minarets a not fixed certain proportional relationships were found. The study depended on analyzing the proportions of the geometric shapes and the Minarets heights in relation to the whole composition to suggest the proportions code and the environmental principles, which may be considered as the inherent design method that govern the design of the Minarets in Cairo of the Mamluks. The research reached to suggest a design generative technique; this technique is a combination of architectural grammar which can be understood as a bundle design principles which formulate a design guideline. This technique illustrates how Mamluk architects proceeded to apply the proportions code and environmental principles to the practical problem of Minarets design, the research name it ‘Unwritten Design Method’, which is orderly and methodical arrangement of proportions to produces the Minarets design

An evaluation of multivariate statistical techniques for the analysis of yield from barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) breeding trials data

This project involved two locations (Breda and Tel Hadya) over two seasons (1993 and 1994). Yield was found to have been affected by many factors including environment, genotype and morphological characters. A genotype-environment interaction (GEl) was also discovered. To investigate the influence of morphological characters on yield parameters, multivariate statistical techniques (canonical analysis, factor analysis and multiple regression analysis (linear and exponential)) were used. Multivariate statistical techniques were applied to three hybrids (Hybrid 1, 2 and 3) in replicated field plots at two locations (Breda and Tel Hadya) in two seasons. Canonical analysis and factor analysis revealed a significant relationship between yield parameters and morphological characters. However, this relationship was not significant for each hybrid because there were insufficient data for each hybrid. Stepwise multiple regression analysis showed that plant height, vegetative duration and length of growing season were the significant factors influencing yield parameters, while leafiness was not. The relationship can approximate nonlinear in that it gives more realistic predictions. Consequently, stepwise multiple exponential equation fitted the data better than stepwise multiple linear equation. The relationship between yield parameters and morphological characters was affected by environment but not by genotype

Availability analysis of terrestrial free space optical (FSO) link using visibility data measured in tropical region

Haze and rain are the most impairments factors to free space optical (FSO) links. These weather conditions limit the visibility, and thereby causes high attenuation of the optical signal. This high attenuation reduces the availability performance of the FSO link. This study evaluates the performance of a terrestrial FSO link under tropical climate conditions. The performance analysis is evaluate over 5 km link distance. The cumulative distribution function (CDF) of the received signal to noise ratio (SNR) is used to study the outage performance of the FSO link under haze conditions. The performance analysis is based on three years measured visibility data in Malaysia. Based on the statistical analysis, link availability of 99.99% can be achieved for 37.44 dB SNR over 1 km link distance. Carrier class availability “five nine” can be achieved for 20 dBm transmission power using 1550 nm wavelength

Impact of contemporary rebuilding process on changing architectural genotype

The rapid economical, socio-cultural changes in Sulaymaniyah city, Iraq in the last three decades promoted radical changes on both urban and architectural level. Several traditional houses in the historical center of the city have been demolished and replaced with rebuilt modern houses leaving negative impacts on the old fabric at both formal and spatial level. This paper aims to investigate the role of the contemporary rebuilding process achieved by landowners within the traditional neighborhoods of the city on changing the underlying genotype constants of housing spatial configuration through examining the morphological characteristics of the architectural layouts of both original and rebuilt type. To achieve this aim five traditional houses’ plans built from (1900-1960) were selected to compare with five modern rebuilt houses (1990-2022) within the same neighborhoods, their spatial arrangements have been compared following analytical quantitative methodology using (A-graph software) as one of space syntax techniques also known as (Gamma analysis) to determine the characteristics of houses layouts in terms of (Symmetry/Assymmetry) and (Distributness/Non Distributness) of the whole system. Results suggest existence of different structuring modes based on genotype distinction despite similarities in some organizational principles

Factors of divergence of Syari’ah supervisory opinions and its effects on the harmonization of Islamic banking products and services

Overall, the aims of this study are to examine the factors that create differences of opinions among Shari’ah supervisory bodies and the effects of their opinions on standardization and internationalization of Islamic banking products and services. The study used semi-structured in-depth interview where five respondents from the Middle East and Malaysia Shari’ah advisors participated in the interview sessions. The data were analyzed using manual techniques. The findings reveal that indeed, differences in educational background, various schools of thoughts, environment and culture in which shariah advisors operate, industrial will and legal requirements in different jurisdictions significantly create differences of opinions among shariah advisors on Islamic banking products and services. In addition, the findings also reveal that these differences in opinions among Shari’ah advisory bodies create confusions among public and bankers, and negatively affect standardization of Islamic banking products and cross-regions Islamic banking transactions and investment. Moreover, the findings also show that it is difficult for the industry to have Islamic-based products due to high competition from conventional counterpart, poor technology, legal constraints and lack of political will, globalization nature of banking transaction, low level of global awareness on Islamic banking products and issue of moral hazard. Finally yet importantly, the study found that there are possibility for convergence of opinions, standardization of Islamic banking products and services if Islamic countries establish a unified global international Shari’ah advisory council, set international basic requirements for Islamic Shari’ah advisors, established international Islamic banks research and development centre and increase training and educations of Islamic bankers. Therefore, this study has several implications to the bankers, policymakers and researchers. The policymakers should be able to resolve their political differences and set up unified international advisory council and international research and development center. The bankers should increase training and educations of the workforce as well improving their banking infrastructure to facilitate cross-border transactions

Structural Violence and Pakistan’s Health Situation

Structural violence was first defined by Johan Galtung as “A form of violence wherein some social structure or social institution may harm people by preventing them from meeting their basic needs”1 The concept has been studied extensively over the years and is considered as a major reason for strangled development in various resource limited settings around the world. The idea of structural violence implies that people in power fail to provide essential services for the people they are responsible for; this failure can be intentional or unintentional, nevertheless long-term effects influence the marginalized population adversely.

Corporate Governance Reforms in the United Kingdom

The purpose of this article is to identify, explain and critique the substantial changes in the UK revised Corporate governance Code as well as the Wates Principles. This article argues that these changes could promote the performance of the investors and companies in dealing with economic issues. On the other hand, these changes are less effective when it comes to social and environmental issues. Keywords: corporate governance, reforms, revised Code, Wates Principles  DOI: 10.7176/JLPG/106-04 Publication date: February 28th 202