Examining Narratives of Place: Representations of Xinjiang in Tourism and Geography Education

This thesis examines how Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, located in northwest China, is represented in tourism and geographic education literature. The research demonstrates the limited and distorted place narratives of Xinjiang that are promoted by the government-backed tourist enterprise in China for consumption by English language speakers; as well as, the inadequate and uncritical representations of the region currently available to students in the United States. Qualitative content analysis methodology is employed to investigate the narrative representations of Xinjiang contained within tourist brochures, geography textbooks, and regionally appropriate curricular guides. The thesis includes a body of geographic lesson plans pertaining to Xinjiang I created that are informed by the research results. The purpose of this thesis is to move toward a more nuanced understanding of Xinjiang as a dynamic region of global significance, challenge prevailing stereotypes of the region, and strengthen geography literacy, particularly among school aged students

Supernova enrichment and dynamical histories of solar-type stars in clusters

We use N-body simulations of star cluster evolution to explore the hypothesis that short-lived radioactive isotopes found in meteorites, such as 26-Al, were delivered to the Sun's protoplanetary disc from a supernova at the epoch of Solar System formation. We cover a range of star cluster formation parameter space and model both clusters with primordial substructure, and those with smooth profiles. We also adopt different initial virial ratios - from cool, collapsing clusters to warm, expanding associations. In each cluster we place the same stellar population; the clusters each have 2100 stars, and contain one massive 25M_Sun star which is expected to explode as a supernova at about 6.6Myr. We determine the number of Solar (G)-type stars that are within 0.1 - 0.3pc of the 25M_Sun star at the time of the supernova, which is the distance required to enrich the protoplanetary disc with the 26-Al abundances found in meteorites. We then determine how many of these G-dwarfs are unperturbed `singletons'; stars which are never in close binaries, nor suffer sub-100au encounters, and which also do not suffer strong dynamical perturbations. The evolution of a suite of twenty initially identical clusters is highly stochastic, with the supernova enriching over 10 G-dwarfs in some clusters, and none at all in others. Typically only ~25 per cent of clusters contain enriched, unperturbed singletons, and usually only 1 - 2 per cluster (from a total of 96 G-dwarfs in each cluster). The initial conditions for star formation do not strongly affect the results, although a higher fraction of supervirial (expanding) clusters would contain enriched G-dwarfs if the supernova occurred earlier than 6.6Myr. If we sum together simulations with identical initial conditions, then ~1 per cent of all G-dwarfs in our simulations are enriched, unperturbed singletons.Comment: 14 pages, 5 figures, accepted for publication in MNRA

On the Relationship of Weight, Length and Girth of the Ringed Seal (Pusa hispida) of the Canadian Arctic

Analyzes the relationships between the standard length, max girth, axillary girth and blubber thickness of 73 ringed seals, 71 of them taken at Sachs Harbour, Aug-Sept 1966. Data for the 61 seals from SW Baffin Island first studied by MacLaren, No 53026, are reanalyzed to determine which relationships give the most reliable prediction of weight. A formula using length and max girth as factors is the most precise, and the best single indicator is girth. Tables showing the relationship between weight, length and girth, as derived from two of the six formulas presented are given supra.Rapports entre le poids, la longueur et la circonférence du phoque annelé (Pusa hispida) de l'Arctique canadien. On analyse les rapports entre plusieurs mesures du corps chez le phoque annelé, de façon à déterminer lesquelles de ces mesures permettent de déduire le poids de l'animal. La formule qui relie les deux paramètres longueur et circonférence maximale est la plus précise, alors que la circonférence est le meilleur indice isolé

Conceptual engineering for analytic theology

Conceptual Engineering is the method (or methods) via which we can assess and improve our concepts. Can Conceptual Engineering be usefully employed within analytic theology? Given that analytic theology and analytic philosophy effectively share the same philosophical toolkit then if Conceptual Engineering works well in philosophy then it ought to work well in analytic theology too. This will be our working hypothesis. To make good on this hypothesis we first address two challenges. The first challenge makes conceptual engineering look to be too inclusive; the second challenge makes it look to be too revolutionary (for analytic theology). To address these challenges, we propose a refined characterisation of Conceptual Engineering. We then turn to consider a number of case studies where analytic theology and conceptual engineering may fruitfully cooperate. These are: theological disagreements, inter-faith dialogue, meaning change, celibacy, AI, the name of God, and conceptual genealogy.Publisher PDFPeer reviewe

Benefits to Qualitative Data Quality with Multiple Coders: Two Case Studies in Multi-coder Data Analysis

Qualitative research methods contend with debates surrounding subjectivity and bias. Researchers use a variety of techniques to help ensure data trustworthiness. One such technique is to involve multiple coders in data analysis. The deliberative nature of codebook development among multiple coders produces rich data analysis that may not otherwise be achieved with a single (or even two) researcher(s). In this manuscript, we make a plea for researchers and journals to include data analysis procedures and descriptions in published literature. In addition, we illustrate minimal reporting of qualitative data analysis processes through a synthesis of 21 years of agricultural best management practice adoption literature. We present two rural agricultural case studies on multi-coder team codebook development and intercoder reliability processes specific to interviews, focus groups, and content analysis. Overall, we argue that multi-coder teams can improve data quality, and reporting data analysis procedures can mitigate implications of subjectivity in qualitative methods