Tourism and the Vrankrijk as a Safe(r) Space

This is a practicum-based study on the impact of tourism on the creation and maintenance of a safe(r) space at the Vrankrijk. The Vrankrijk is a former squat and current volunteer-run community center and café, which hosts WTF Wednesday, a weekly safe(r) queer night of a voku dinner and performances. This research explores the current definitions of safe space as applied to the Vrankrijk. The study’s main focus is the impact of tourism on the Vrankrijk as a safe(r) space. The study finds its roots in four experiential interviews with members of the community including a visiting band member whose group performed on WTF Wednesday and three regular bar and voku volunteers. Interview subjects spoke about their experiences with tourism at the Vrankrijk with consistent emphasis on the lack of impact they typically feel due to the safe(r) space building policies in place such as a strict door policy. he study finds that the Vrankrijk fosters a safe(r) space through a strict door policy which largely mitigates the negative implications of tourism. Additionally, interview subjects detailed the positive and negative attitudes they felt toward tourists who sometimes do enter the space. As a practicum based ISP, this research involves hands on volunteer work in the kitchen and cleaning the space on Wednesdays at the Vrankrijk. This research is important for anyone studying safe spaces or queer identity within the Dutch context

Doctor of Philosophy

dissertationThe focus of this dissertation is threefold: conduct a systematic review to identify literature regarding the use of malaria control methods, identify rates of control method use, and identify predictors associated with the combined use of control methods among African children under age five through Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS). A systematic review identified literature regarding malaria control methods utilizing DHS surveys. Sixtyfive articles met the review criteria and were evaluated for insecticide treated nets (ITN) use, indoor residual spray (IRS), and prompt/appropriate treatment. While DHS datasets are a rich source to identify malaria practices in African children, additional research considering the combined use of malaria control methods is needed. DHS surveys from three countries at two separate time points were then analyzed to identify rates of children under five who reported fever and utilized one or more malaria control methods (ITNs, IRS, and/or prompt/appropriate treatment). Independent use of ITNs ranged from 30% to 75%, IRS from 1% to 18%, and prompt/appropriate treatment from 3% to 25%. Combined use of all control methods ranged between <1% to 3%. Within this descriptive analysis, while some improvements to using control methods were noted over time, independent and combined use of these methods are inadequate. Within the predictor analysis, using univariate, multivariate, and multinomial regression analysis, variables such as child age, maternal education, wealth index, and residence location were evaluated as possible predictors of the independent or combined use of these control methods. Higher maternal education and iv wealth were found to be significant predictors of using one malaria control method among some of the populations. The sample sizes for using two and three methods were extremely small and significant associations among the variables were few and sporadic. In summary, there were no predictors that remained consistent across all surveys. This final analysis demonstrates the necessity for further evaluation of availability, access, and effective dissemination of these control methods both singularly and in combination to improve the transmission and impact of malaria in these endemic populations

Assuring Financial Stability for Survivors of Domestic Violence: A Judicial Remedy for Coerced Debt in New York’s Family Courts

Domestic violence is a national crisis impacting more than one in three women and one in four men. Abuse is often experienced in nonviolent forms, including emotional, verbal and economic abuse. This note focuses on the harms of economic abuse and, specifically, coerced debt. As society’s understanding of the nuances of domestic violence deepens, many states, including New York, have recognized economic abuse as a unique harm and have empowered family courts to adjudicate such abuse. While promising, many states have yet to devise a suitable remedy for such harm. This critical gap leaves far too many survivors of abuse with damaged credit that they are unable to repair on their own. The impacts of coerced debt are far-reaching and create a number of devastating challenges for survivors as they attempt to exit abusive relationships and seek both physical safety and long-term stability. This note considers both New York domestic violence laws as well as federal laws, such as the Fair Credit Reporting Act and Violence Against Women Act, and proposes a multi-level federal-state solution that allows New York’s family courts to adjudicate and certify economic abuse so that survivors may correct their credit reports and work towards financial stability

Occupational Justice Concerns for Muslim Refugees in the United States

Background: Individuals are being displaced at alarming rates and many are from countries with a Muslim majority. Countries are beginning to study the effects of trauma and displacement on quality of life for refugees. The United States however, is lacking in studies involving health care, quality of life, and occupational justice concerns with Muslim refugees. Objectives: To identify the experiences of Muslim refugees resettling in the United States and the resulting occupational justice issues, using Occupational Perspective of Health (Wilcock & Hocking, 2015) as an overarching theory. Methods: Participants were obtained through convenience and snowball sampling. Participants had to be classified as a refugee and self-identify as Muslim to be included in the study. Each participant was interviewed twice utilizing a semi-structured interview with an interpreter as needed. Interviews were recorded, transcribed and coded into themes. Results: A total of 5 individuals participated. Four themes emerged from the study. Doing represents the daily aspects of the participants’ lives, and the activities they are able or unable, due to barriers, to participate in. Being Muslim in America describes the identity of the participants as Muslim refugees and American together. The third theme, Do I belong?, describes conflicting feelings of belonging and not belonging. Discrimination was a main factor in making the participants feel as they were “other”. The final theme, Becoming, underlines how the occupations of resettling and transitioning to American life have changed the participants. Conclusion: Refugees have many stressors in resettlement. Financial difficulties and language barrier were the largest issues. Having institutional and social support can make the transition easier. However, more research needs to be conducted to fully understand the effects of resettlement on the occupational wellbeing of Muslim refugees in the U.S. and how to combat these issues. Significance: Due to increasing number of refugees worldwide, it is imperative that the United States government understand the difficulties these refugees face when resettling. Occupational therapists can be utilized in resettlement to address many of these issues

Benefits of Supplemental Field Experiences: Reviewing Five Years of Program Data

This study includes five years of data from a summer literacy program. The program provides a supplemental field experience for teacher candidates in a College of Education. In that experience, candidates work with children from economically marginalized populations who are performing below grade level in reading. Findings indicate supplemental field experiences are critical in developing efficacy in the candidates and supporting their development as they become professionals with varied literacy teaching strategies. Finally, the findings indicate teacher candidates need supplemental field experiences to understand the demands of the profession and to build teaching stamina

Parents' Perceptions of School Transitions for Children with Exceptionalities: Four Mothers' Stories

The purpose of the present study was to explore the perceptions of parents of children with exceptionalities, transitioning from the community to formal school environments, learn more about current transition practices in Canada, and begin exploring potential areas for improvement. The present study employed a basic qualitative, interpretative research design using semi-structured interviews to discover parent perspectives of the barriers to effective transitions, and important factors that contribute to the success of transitions. The Ecological and Dynamic Model of Transition (Rimm-Kaufman & Pianta, 2000) supported the analyses of the data generated from the interviews. There were four major themes that emerged from the interview data. The first theme, Same Parent, New Role: Processing Emotional Responses and Balancing Increased Expectations During Transitions described the stress, frustration, isolation and barriers experienced by the parents during the transition process. This theme also highlighted the new and often daily challenges for the parents’ at home, school and in the community. Theme two, Unmet Needs, Ability To Thrive: Supporting Children with Exceptionalities focused on the child-specific experiences and how the parents’ supported their children in managing the difficulties of meeting the expectations of the formal school environment. The third theme, New Relationships, Limited Resources: Navigating The Formal School Environment centralized on the parents’ perceptions of schools, teachers and support teams. In this theme parents commented on the complexities of establishing new relationships with school staff that are collaborative, supportive and communicative. Finally, theme four, Financial Burdens Emotional Toll: Transitioning From Early Childhood Settings to Formal School, focused on both the challenges of accessing and the benefits of securing professional resources and services external to the school. The parents discussed the limitations of school resources and the unexpected need to locate and pay for or attain funding for additional supports. However, despite the many challenges that the participants within the current study faced, they all reported instances in which they were able to move forward, continue pursuing the needs of their child, adapt and adjust when faced with setbacks, and still reported benefits they would expect to see if change were made to current transition practices

Collegiality as a Dirty Word? Implementing Collegiality Policies in Institutions of Higher Education

Abstract: Collegiality is integral to the healthy functioning of any academic department and is a necessary professional attribute for new faculty, who often spent their graduate school careers with relatively little involvement in institutional politics, to develop. However, the recent trend to explicitly outline tenure and promotion requirements for collegial behavior gives us pause. We question if a collegiality statement for tenure and promotion could function as yet another obstacle between faculty from background that have historically been underrepresented in the academy (women, people of color, LGBTQ individuals, people with disabilities, etcetera) and their bids for tenure

A Study of Trihalomethane Precursors in Deer Creek Reservoir

Deer Creek Reservoir and tributaries were monitored from May to December 1983 in a study of the occurrence of trihalomethane (THM) precursors in the reservoir and nutrient dynamics of the reservoir system. Microcosms were used to study the effect of the following parameters on THM precursor production in the reservoir system: phosphorus loading, sediment, algal growth, and application of algicide. Additionally, THM precursor concentrations of interstitial water were analyzed in reservoir and microcosm sediment samples. Microcosms treated with ahigh phosphorus loading (70 ug/1) had THM precursor concentrations significantly higher than those measured in microcosms treated with a low phosphorus loading (10 ug/1). The presence of sediment in microcosms did not significantly affect THM precursor concentrations. Algae growth did result in THM production significantly aboce that measured in microcosms without algae growth. No correlation between total organic carbon and terminal total trihalomethane concentrations was found to exist in microcosms. Potassium permanganate and copper sulface were used as algicides. Applications of 0.3 mg/1 potassium permanganate and 50 ug/1 copper sulfate as Cu^+2 did not appear to affect THM precursor, total phosphorus, total suspended solids, or volatile suspended solids concentrations in the microcosms. Anoxic phosphorus release occurred in dark microcosms after the dissolved oxygen concentration dropped below approximately 3.0 mg/1. Considering all data collected, no significant difference in THM precursor concentraion could be detected between tributary and reservoir samples. THM precursor concentrations in tributaries were found to vary significantly be season. Samples collected from three depths within the reservoir were not found to have significantly different mean terminal total trihalomethane concentrations over the sampling period. No correlation between total organic carbon and terminal total trihalomethane concentrations was found to exist. Total phosphorus concentrations in tributaries were quite high, particularly in Main and Daniels Creeks

Proyecto de intervención para mejorar las competencias emocionales y el control emocional de los adolescentes de tercero de Educación Secundaria Obligatoria (ESO) del colegio “El Centro Inglés” de Cádiz

Este Trabajo de Fin de Grado (TFG) constituye una iniciación a la investigación educativa. El tema central es la regulación emocional, que es la capacidad para manejar de forma apropiada las emociones y supone tomar conciencia de la relación entre emoción, cognición y comportamiento y supone la regulación de las emociones propias y de los demás en distintos contextos y situaciones. Los objetivos generales del trabajo son elaborar un marco teórico sobre el concepto de inteligencia emocional, los métodos de evaluación de la inteligencia emocional, el concepto de educación emocional y los programas de educación emocional, y realizar un proyecto de intervención para desarrollar las competencias emocionales y el control emocional en los adolescentes de tercero de Educación Secundaria Obligatoria (ESO). Durante el desarrollo del proyecto de intervención se llevarán a cabo cinco sesiones en las que se realizará actividades para trabajar el control de las emocione

Adults’ Perceptions of Their Tinnitus and a Tinnitus Information Service

"Article Copyright 2010 The Authors." "Published edition Copyright 2010 Australian Academic Press. Published version of the paper reproduced here with permission from the publisher."The South Australian Government funds Tinnitus SA to provide advice and information to South Australians to assist in their understanding of tinni-tus and their decision making about tinnitus-related service provision. This qualitative study aimed to identify key motivations for adults seeking tinnitus advice, determine how those services are perceived, and provide insight into the help-seeking behaviour of those who experience tinni-tus. Participants in this study were recruited from Tinnitus SA’s attendance lists for their community information sessions held in 2008 and 2009. Of the 60 people contacted, 13 adults agreed to particpate in the semistructured interviews. Interviews, lasting approximately 45 minutes focused on interviewees’ perceptions of their tinnitus prior to attending the Tinnitus SA information session, their response to the information session itself, and their perceptions and actions following the information session. Grounded theory was used as the guiding method-ology for analysis of the transcribed interview data. The themes that emerged during analysis of the interviews fell into two broad descriptive categories: Empowerment through information and education; and If you can’t cure me I’ll cope. Together these categories led to the overarching theme of participants’ responses: ‘I don’t need help, but I’d like more information’. Further analy-sis revealed that the Tinnitus SA community sessions were the primary source of information for the majority of these participants and there was a high level of satisfaction with these sessions by contrast to other information sources