Binarism and indeterminacy in the novels of Thomas Pynchor

Bibliography: pages 397-401.I attempt in this thesis, to graft together a close critical, and predominantly thematic, reading of Thomas Pynchon's novels with selected issues treated in the work of Jacques Derrida on philosophy and textuality, illustrating how this work demands the revision and interrogation of several major critical issues, concepts, dualisms and presuppositions. The thesis consists of an Introduction which sets forth a brief rationale for the graft described above, followed by a short and unavoidably inadequate synopsis of Derrida's work with a brief review and explication of those of his 'concepts' which play an important role in my reading of Pynchon's texts. The Introduction is succeeded by three lengthy chapters in which I discuss, more or less separately, each of Pynchon's three novels to date. These are V. (1963), The Crying of Lot 49, (1966) and Gravity's Rainbow (1973), and I discuss them in the order of their appearance, devoting a chapter to each. I attempt to treat different but related issues, preoccupations, themes and tropes in each of the novels to avoid repeating myself, engaging the apparatuses derived from Derrida's writing where deemed strategic and instructive. I suggest moreover, that several of the issues examined apropos the novel under consideration in any one chapter apply mutandis rnutandi to the other novels. Each chapter therefore to some extent conducts a reading of the novels which it does not treat directly. Finally, supervising these separate chapters is a sustained focus on the epistemology of binarism and digitalism, and the conceptual dualisms which structure and inform major portions of the thematic and rhetorical dimensions The thesis concludes with a Bibliography and a summary Epilogue which seeks to assess briefly the 'achievement' of Pynchon's writing

Barriers to cycling mobility in Masiphumelele, Cape Town: a best-worst scaling approach

Non-motorised transport (NMT) such as cycling and walking has multiple social, economic, environmental, climate and public health benefits and is integral to the agenda of sustainable development. There is considerable potential for more cycling mobility in South Africa, especially in low-income communities (LICs). Barriers to cycling mobility were investigated in Masiphumelele, a LIC in Cape Town, in order to inform recommendations for promoting cycling as a mode of transport in this community and beyond. A mixed methods design of qualitative and quantitative methods was used. A focus group discussion (FGD) with local bicycle shop customers informed the design of a cross-sectional cluster sampling questionnaire and a Best-Worst Scaling (BWS) stated choice survey of 100 household residents. The BWS survey used 10 choice sets of 4statements each to rank the relative importance to study participants of 20 potential barriers to cycling mobility on their average Best-Worse (B-W) scores

Evaluating the rural health placements of the Rural Support Network at the Faculty of Health Sciences University of Cape

Objectives: The Rural Support Network (RSN) is an undergraduate student society that aims to raise awareness among the student body of the plight of rural health in South Africa, and organises individual and group placements in rural hospitals during vacations. This research aimed to evaluate these placements from the students' perspectives. Design: In-depth, face-to-face interviews were conducted with 10 students and nine placement-reflective reports were reviewed. The data were analysed and coded for key themes using a constant, comparative grounded theory approach. Setting: Faculty of Health Sciences (FHS) at the University of Cape Town. Subjects: Students who had been on RSN placements in 2010. Results: Students reported that the experience exceeded their expectations of learning new skills and observing and performing procedures. They gained significant insights into rural health care and were inspired to contribute to rural health in future. Their experiences helped them to gain confidence and an appreciation of the psycho-social aspects of patient care. The importance of community empowerment and of connecting and building relationships with communities was also emphasised. Challenges pertained to conflict within groups, incidents of unprofessional health care and being unable to help as much as they would have liked. Conclusion: The study highlights the impact that positive experiences of rural health may have on health science students' interest in, passion for, and commitment to practising in underserved rural areas. Students' key recommendations for the FHS included the development of a rural programme within the undergraduate curriculum. Better group composition and improved planning and co-ordination of placements by the RSN were also recommended

Career plans of final-year medical students in South Africa

There is strong international evidence that students of rural origin, and those who intend to practise rural medicine, are more likely to practise in rural settings after graduation.2 The purpose of this study was to survey final-year medical students about their career plans and the influences on those plans, to ascertain implications for the future training of doctors in South Africa

Career and practice intentions of health science students at three South African health science faculties

Background. The distribution and accessibility of healthcare professionals as well as the quality of healthcare services are significantly affected by the career choices of medical and other health science graduates.Objective. While much has been reported on the career intentions of medical students, little is known about those of their counterparts in the health sciences. This study describes the career plans of non-medical health science students at three South African health science faculties, and identifies some key motivating factors.Methods. A self-administered survey of first- and final-year health science students was conducted at the health science faculties of the universities of Cape Town, KwaZulu-Natal and Limpopo. All data were entered into EpiData software and exported for analysis using IBM SPSS Statistics 19.0.Results and discussion. The overall response rate was 47% (N=816). Over half of all respondents (57%, n=467) intended to work after completing their undergraduate studies, 38% (n=177) of these in a rural area. The most popular choices were private hospitals (58%, n=273), tertiary hospitals (53%, n=249) and private practices (51%, n=249). Thirty-two per cent (n=258) of respondents intended to further their studies. Just over half of all respondents intended to work in another country (51%, n=418), primarily motivated by career development, financial reasons and job opportunities.Conclusion. The findings demonstrate that health science students, similar to medical students, are influenced by a multitude of factors in making career choices. This emphasises the relevance to all health science disciplines of national strategies to address the maldistribution of healthcare professionals

El Pigmalión colonial: Dinesen trastocado en Out of Africa

This paper explores the atavistic and feudal historical fantasies that structure Isak Dinesen’s 1937 memoir, Out of Africa. It analyses the imagery and symbolic logic of the memoir in conjunction with Dinesen’s letters from Africa in order to examine how Dinesen derives an idiom to speak of Africa that synthesizes the social structures of European feudalism, the discourse of the noble savage and the aesthetics of the sublime. The paper seeks to unpack the conundrum that fashions a modern, emancipated female subjectivity from the anachronistic paradigm of feudalism and within the framework of imperial domination and colonial occupation. The paper explores how Dinesen’s feudal idiom extends the genre of European pastoral to the colonial milieu and places it in the service of a larger search for a discourse of legitimacy. I argue that this is an abiding preoccupation of colonial literature. I analyze in detail the specular logic through which the narrator confronts Africa as a space that alternately panders to or challenges the psycho-political narcissism of the settler. Dinesen’s memoir reveals the myriad operations of the narcissistic structure through which the narrator strives to fill the copula of the question, “What is Africa to you or you to Africa?”Este trabajo explora las fantasías históricas de carácter atávico y feudal que vertebran las memorias de Isak Dinesen en Out of Africa (1937). Explora el imaginario y la lógica del simbolismo en las memorias junto con las cartas escritas por Dinesen desde África para analizar cómo Dinesen construyó todo un lenguaje para hablar de África que sintetiza las estructuras sociales del feudalismo europeo, el discurso del buen salvaje y la estética de lo sublime. El trabajo intenta explicar la manera rebuscada por medio de la cual se construye la subjetividad de la mujer moderna y emancipada desde el paradigma anacrónico del feudalismo y dentro del marco de la dominación imperial y la ocupación colonial. El trabajo explora cómo el lenguaje feudal en Dinesen extiende el género de lo pastoral europeo hacia el ámbito colonial para ponerlo en función de la búsqueda de un discurso de legitimidad. Sostengo que esta es una preocupación constante de la literatura colonial. Analizo en detalle la lógica reflexiva mediante la cual la narradora se enfrenta a África como un espacio que a una vez mima y rechaza el narcisismo psicopolítico del colono. Las memorias de Dinesen ponen en evidencia un sinnúmero de maquinaciones de carácter narcisista mediante las cuales la narradora intenta manejar el tándem enredado de la pregunta “¿Qué significa África para ti y tu qué eres para África?

Barriers to cycling in informal settlements

A study was undertaken in October 2015 to determine the barriers to cycling mobility in Masiphumelele, a low-income community in Cape Town. An initial focus group discussion informed the design of a household survey of 100 residents on commuter cycling. This included a stated choice survey using Best-Worst Scaling (BWS) of the relative importance of 20 potential barriers to cycling mobility. Minibus taxis were the primary mode of household transport (93%); walking (44%), train (23%), bicycle (16%) and bus (11%) were important secondary modes. 32% of households owned at least one bicycle that is used for transport. 22% of participants reported that they cycle fairly often or regularly, primarily to save money (44%), keep fit and healthy (32%), and to save time (15%). 68% supported promotion of cycling mobility in Masiphumelele. Leading barriers to cycling identified by the BWS survey were concerns about road safety; inability to transport loads on a bicycle; inability to commute with a bicycle by train during peak commuting hours; and concerns about arriving late for work. Key recommendations for increasing cycling mobility in Masiphumelele are to actively promote the benefits of cycling, educate about road safety, teach cycling skills, make bicycles and spares more affordable, enhance the safety of the cycling environment, and to build local capacity.No paper, Abstract onlyPaper presented at the 35th Annual Southern African Transport Conference 4-7 July 2016 "Transport ? a catalyst for socio-economic growth and development opportunities to improve quality of life", CSIR International Convention Centre, Pretoria, South Africa.The Minister of Transport, South AfricaTransportation Research Board of the US

Redução de perdas em um processo produtivo petroquímico com o uso conjunto da árvore de perdas e do seis sigma

Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Centro Tecnológico. Programa de Pós-Graduação em Engenharia de Produção.O presente trabalho objetiva examinar a redução de perdas num processo produtivo petroquímico a partir da aplicação integrada de duas sistemáticas voltadas para a identificação e eliminação de perdas: a Árvore de Perdas e o Seis Sigma. De início, toma-se como referência uma abordagem baseada na necessidade da busca pela competitividade da indústria e de como a inteligência gerencial pode realizar um papel diferenciado na sua concretização. A aplicação de sistemáticas que indiquem os principais focos dos processos produtivos, de maximização da produtividade pela eliminação de perdas, tem sido uma das atividades das empresas modernas. A árvore de perdas é uma sistemática que pode, indicar quais são as principais oportunidades para redução das perdas. O Seis Sigma, por sua vez, tem por objetivo eliminar as perdas e desperdícios nos processos, por meio da redução da sua variabilidade. A integração destas duas sistemáticas pode levar a empresa a obter vantagens em sua competitividade pela redução de custos de produção, melhoria da qualidade de seus produtos e otimização dos processos produtivos e transacionais. Este trabalho utiliza um estudo de caso para analisar a integração entre a Árvore de Perdas e o Seis Sigma, verificando suas vantagens, benefícios e restrições. Concluiu-se, ao final, que a combinação das duas sistemáticas na empresa estudada possibilitou a redução das perdas uma vez que a Árvore de Perdas pôde mapear os principais pontos de desperdícios da empresa enquanto que o Seis Sigma pôde reduzir significativamente as variações do processo, aumentando os seus resultados. This work intends to analyze the loss reduction into a petrochemical production process by integrating two methodologies focused on identifying and eliminating losses in a production process. It starts considering the industries competitive environment and how the entrepreneurial intelligence may make difference in adding value. The methodologies application that indicates the main focus to improve productivity through losses elimination has been done by the modern companies. The losses tree is a methodology that provides, if well structured, a very good indication of where are the main opportunities to reduce / eliminate losses into the processes # productive and transactional. In the other had Six Sigma has the proposal of eliminate losses in the processes by reducing its variability. The integration of these two methodologies can drive the company to obtain advantages in terms of its competitiveness by reducing production costs, improving its products / services quality and optimizing transactional and productive processes. By using a practical study case this work will analyze the integration of Losses Tree and Six Sigma methodology, searching its benefits, advantages and limitations. At the end, this research concludes that, at the company studied the application of both methodologies was synergic, once that Loses tree indicated the wastes map and six sigma reduced them by reducing variability

On being agents of change: A qualitative study of elective experiences of medical students at the Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, South Africa

Background. Student electives during the 5th year of the University of Cape Town (UCT) medical curriculum provide a 4-week work experience in the health system. The reflective reports of past students indicate that the electives may significantly shape their developing identities as health professionals and agents of change. Objective. To better understand how 5th-year medical elective students perceive themselves as agents of change to strengthen the elective programme in the Faculty of Health Sciences, UCT. The hypothesis was that the more choice that students are given over their learning, the greater is their sense of agency. Methods. Thirteen 5th-year student volunteers participated in four focus group discussions soon after completing their electives in district, regional or tertiary health facilities in the South African health system. Thematic analysis of the transcripts was performed independently by two of the authors. Results. Key themes were the importance of providing holistic patient-centred care, becoming a competent health professional, working within the health team and advocating for a better health system. The elective experience helped students to be more confident in their abilities and to better understand how to effect change at a clinical and health system level. Conclusion. This study supported the hypothesis that the more choice students have over their learning, the greater is their sense of agency. The electives are appreciated as opportunities to develop clinical skills and competencies and to better understand the role of future doctors within the health team and health system. The value of the UCT elective programme could be enhanced by greater promotion, funding for rural electives, and post-elective peer-to-peer feedback sessions. This study will inform planning for an extended 2016 medical elective programme in the Faculty

Melhorias Operacionais de Processos Contínuos Acompanhadas por Ferramentas da Produção Enxuta - Estudo de Caso em uma Petroquímica Brasileira

Este estudo procura avaliar melhorias operacionais em uma planta petroquímica da empresa brasileira Braskem, que passou a utilizar ferramentas gerenciais da produção enxuta para acompanhar seus processos. Observaram-se algumas melhorias na eficiência da planta, aferidas a partir do início da implantação das ferramentas gerenciais Seis Sigma e TPM. Para tanto, foram investigados três indicadores de eficiência considerados pela empresa de grande relevância para a competitividade do negócio: as perdas físicas de produtos, a eficiência energética da planta e a taxa de utilização dos ativos. As diferenças observadas nos referidos indicadores, em relação a antes e depois do uso das ferramentas, foram testadas quanto à sua significância estatística, o que revelou que as perdas físicas de eteno diminuíram e que a eficiência energética da planta melhorou, aproximando-se bastante do desempenho tido como de classe mundial. A taxa de utilização dos ativos, embora tenha evoluído positivamente, ainda se acha a uma razoável distância daquele padrão de desempenho. Ao registrar melhorias operacionais em uma planta de processo contínuo acompanhadas por ferramentas da produção enxuta, este trabalho sinaliza que os referidos instrumentos, mesmo não tendo relações causais com as melhorias, são adequados aos processos contínuos e poderiam ter um emprego bem mais amplo, orientado, antes de tudo, pela abordagem geral de otimização de processos e, de certa forma, independente da natureza da atividade produtiva.This study seeks to evaluate operational improvements in Brazilian petrochemical company Braskem, which has been using lean production management tools to monitor its processes. There was some improvement in plant efficiency, measured from the beginning of implementation of management tools Six Sigma and TPM. Thus, we investigated three efficiency indicators considered by the company of great importance for the competitiveness of the business: the physical loss of products, plant’s energy efficiency, and the utilization rate of assets. The differences observed in these indicators, before and after the use of the tools, were tested for its statistical significance, which revealed that the physical losses of ethylene and plant’s energy efficiency improved, almost reaching the performance considered as class world. As for the utilization rate of assets, although it has evolved positively, still is at a considerable distance from that performance standard. By registering operational improvements in a continuous process plant, with lean production tools, this study indicates that these instruments, even if they have no causal relation with the improvements, are suitable for continuous processes and could have a much broader use, oriented, first of all, by the general approach of process optimization and, somehow, regardless of the nature of productive activity