Site specific performance and the mechanics of becoming social

This thesis offers a body of practice that includes video documentation of one to one performances, performance lectures, critical writings and first person reflective narratives that give new insights into the potential of site-specific performance art and social space. Key themes, questions and concerns across performance studies and the social sciences are explored through a practice as research trajectory. From performance studies Nick Kaye’s (2000) writing on site-specificity provides a point of departure for methods of making and writing about performance that I refer to as ‘mechanics’; the term mechanics is posited within a process of what is described in the thesis as ‘becoming social’ and articulates a sense of what social scientist Doreen Massey might describe as ‘throwntogetherness’ (Massey, 2005). Anthropologist Marc Augé’s (1995) concerns around the prevalence of non-place are challenged and interwoven with Massey’s optimistic calls for spatial rethinking to answer the key research question: how can becoming social be framed as a site-specific process when realised through particular performance mechanics? The thesis speaks broadly to this question whilst exploring subthemes, questions and concepts. The confessional potential of body language (Howells, 2011) is explored as personal histories are exchanged between strangers in an exploration of ‘autobiographical’ (Heddon, 2010) performance that encourages the materialisation of what psychologist Charles Fernyhough (2016) refers to as the voices within. Interrelationality, intimacy, proximity, place and social space are explored, with concepts of hosting, caretaking and hospitality mobilised in performance materials that are both positioned as experiments and research findings. These findings give new insights into performance art and offer a timely alternative way of becoming social that performs and practices space as a ‘simultaneity of stories-so-far’ (Massey, 2005: 9)

Palladium and Platinum 2,4-cis-amino Azetidine and Related Complexes

Seven N,N’-palladium(II) chloride complexes, one N,N’-palladium(II) acetate complex of 2,4-cis-azetidines where prepared and analyzed by single crystal XRD. Two platinum(II) chloride N,N’-complexes of 2,4-cis-azetidines where prepared and analyzed by single crystal XRD. Computational analysis and determination of the %Vbur was examined conducted. A CNN’ metallocyclic complex was prepared by oxidative addition of palladium(0) to an ortho bromo 2,4-cis-disubstituted azetidine and its crystal structure displays a slightly pyramidalized metal-ligand orientation

Vouchers for Sectarian Schools after Zelman: Will the First Circuit Expose Anti-Catholic Bigotry in the Massachusetts Constitution?

In Zelman v. Simmons-Harris, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that an Ohio voucher program for Cleveland school children does not violate the Establishment Clause even though the program allows participation by sectarian schools. Within days after the Supreme Court released its decision, many of public education’s advocacy groups publicly expressed disappointment in Zelman’s outcome. Although Zelman settled federal constitutional questions about vouchers, voucher opponents continued fighting in the courts. Much of this post-Zelman litigation involved arguments about the legality of various state constitutional bans against public aid for sectarian education. Scholars have shown that some of these state constitutional provisions—the so-called “Blaine Amendments”—have their roots in 19th century religious prejudice. This article is in four parts. First, it describes the Zelman decision, in which the Supreme Court dismantled a major constitutional roadblock to public assistance for families sending their children to sectarian schools. Second, the article summarizes the scholarship about the Blaine Amendments, which loom now as a major legal obstacle to the implementation of voucher programs in many states. This scholarship shows that the Blaine Amendments are—to say the least—cultural artifacts of 19th century anti-Catholic bigotry. Third, the article briefly reviews two post-Zelman court cases involving “Blaine Amendments”: Bush v. Holmes and Locke v. Davey. In both cases, courts found no evidence of bigotry in the state constitutional provisions that were at issue. Finally, this article exams the case of Wirzburger v. Galvin, in which the First Circuit is considering the constitutionality of a Massachusetts constitutional provision that bars Massachusetts citizens from using the state’s voter initiative process to amend or repeal a 19th century constitutional ban against public funding for sectarian schools. The Massachusetts legislature approved this constitutional ban at a time when it was overwhelmingly dominated by the anti-Catholic Know-Nothing Party. Wirzburger provides the First Circuit an opportunity to weaken a state constitutional provision that was borne of religious intolerance and that wholly nullifies Zelman’s significance in Massachusetts. This article argues that the First Circuit should allow Massachusetts voters the opportunity to amend or repeal their state’s bigoted constitutional bar against public aid for sectarian schools

Assessment of an audit-feedback instrument for oral health care facilities in South Africa

Published ArticleThe assessment of an audit-feedback instrument (AFI) for infection prevention and control was conducted on a population of South African oral health care facilities, mainly to test its workability in the varied facility configurations. A purposive selection strategy was followed, selecting 50 South African oral health care facilities. Results from 49 completed AFIs revealed demographic details and information on infection prevention and control practices for the 11 AFI focus areas: Administrative controls; personnel protection controls; environmental- and work controls; surface contamination management; equipment maintenance; air- and waterline management; personal protective equipment usage; personal- and hand hygiene practices; sterilisation practices; sharps handling and waste management. None of the participating facilities demonstrated 100% compliance. Notably, administrative controls and air- and waterline management scored the lowest mean values; 31% and 36% respectively, while personal- and hand hygiene practices and waste management performed the best, at respectively 75% and 63%. The general lack of compliance with infection prevention and control precautions in the participating oral health care facilities clearly poses a safety hazard to patients and oral health care workers. These findings demonstrate the urgent need for a monitoring system, such as the AFI, to be instituted in South African oral health care facilities