Master of Arts

thesisIn Francis Alÿs's two-channel video Re-enactments, the artist is filmed as he walks through the streets of downtown Mexico City with a loaded gun in his hand until he is arrested. Managing to avoid charges, Alÿs repeats the same series of events, replicating the performance based on the footage captured by his collaborator, artist Rafael Ortega. "Real" and "Re-enactment," the two videos that comprise Re-enactments, juxtapose the footage of these two performances, taking two divergent approaches to filming the event. In Re-enactments, the performance and the documentation are thoroughly interwoven and mutually dependent; the footage of the initial performance shapes its recreation, which likewise produces another video. In this thesis, I consider Re-enactments both as a live performance that is responsive to and contingent on its setting in Mexico City's downtown, or Centro, and as a video performance that carefully constructs the scene for the viewer. I argue that this work challenges the conventional relationship between performance and its documentation with video by embedding the documentation into the structure of the work. While the current scholarship on this work disregards its documentation as a formative element in the work, I show how the video documents in Re-enactments do not merely refer back to the live performance, but rather act as a crucial counterpart to it. Additionally, by situating Re-enactments in the context of Mexico City at the turn of the twentieth century, I show how this work responds to its environment as well to widely circulated media representations about the city. In rehearsing an act of crime that is then circulated internationally, Re-enactments both generates and critically responds to stereotypes of Mexico City as a center of violence and corruption. While Re-enactments draws on clichés of violence in Mexico City, the videos also attest to how such images are constructed, deliberately highlighting the ways in which the footage has been manipulated. Rather than acting as records of the events of the performance, the videos that comprise Re-enactments demonstrate the performative qualities of documentation

Calibration of Hunters' Impressions with Female Caribou Body Condition Indices to Predict Probability of Pregnancy

Aboriginal harvests of barren-ground caribou (Rangifer tarandus) potentially offer a large sample for assessing body condition. The purpose of this study was to determine the probability that a certain amount of fat would be at designated anatomical sites when Dënesóline hunters qualitatively report the condition of an animal. Hunters' impressions were used to evaluate the condition of adult female barren-ground caribou (R. t. groenlandicus) in late winter. A semi-objective body condition index (BCI) was developed using fat indices described by biologists as useful for measuring caribou body condition. Fat deposits from 217 adult female caribou harvested in late winter (41 in 2000 and 176 in 2001) were used to calibrate hunters' impressions with BCI estimates. Variation in hunters' impressions and BCI estimates indicated that adult female caribou were fatter in 2000 than in 2001. Multinomial log-linear models indicated that hunters' impressions were related to each of the variables that make up BCI. The probability of pregnancy was significantly related to both BCI and hunters' impressions in 2000 and in 2001. Both models indicated that fat adult female caribou had a greater probability of being pregnant than thin cows. Monitoring of barren-ground caribou body condition provides common ground for northern aboriginal communities and government biologists to collaboratively manage a wildlife resource.Les prélèvements du caribou des toundras (Rangifer tarandus) par les Autochtones pourraient offrir un vaste échantillon permettant d'évaluer l'état corporel. Cette étude avait pour but de déterminer la probabilité qu'une certaine quantité de gras soit présente dans des zones anatomiques désignées, au moment où les chasseurs Dënesóline font un rapport qualitatif sur la condition physique d'un animal. On a eu recours aux opinions des chasseurs pour évaluer l'état physique du caribou femelle des toundras à l'âge adulte (R. t. groenlandicus) à la fin de l'hiver. On a créé un index semi-objectif de l'état corporel (IEC) en utilisant les indices de gras que les biologistes ont trouvés utiles pour mesurer l'état physique du caribou. Les dépôts de gras provenant de 217 caribous femelles adultes prélevés à la fin de l'hiver (41 en 2000 et 176 en 2001) ont servi à étalonner l'opinion des chasseurs par rapport à l'IEC estimé. Les variations entre l'opinion des chasseurs et l'IEC estimé ont montré que le caribou femelle adulte était plus gras en 2000 qu'en 2001. Des modèles log-linéaires multinomiaux ont révélé que l'opinion des chasseurs était reliée à chacune des variables composant l'IEC. En 2000 et 2001, la probabilité que la femelle soit en gestation était fortement corrélée à la fois à l'IEC et à l'opinion des chasseurs. Les deux modèles ont révélé que la probabilité que la femelle caribou adulte soit gravide était beaucoup plus grande pour les femelles grasses que pour les maigres. Le suivi sur la condition physique du caribou des toundras constitue une plate-forme commune propice à une gestion de la faune menée en collaboration par les communautés autochtones du Nord et les biologistes du gouvernement

At-sea distribution of satellite-tracked Grey-faced Petrels, Pterodroma macroptera gouldi, captured on the Ruamaahua (Aldermen) Islands, New Zealand

We used satellite telemetry to determine the at-sea distribution of 32 adult (non-breeders and failed breeders) Grey-faced Petrels, Pterodroma macroptera gouldi, during July-October in 2006 and 2007. Adults captured at breeding colonies on the Ruamaahua (Aldermen) Islands ranged across the southwestern Pacific Ocean and Tasman Sea between 20-49°S and 142°E and 1300W Petrels were located almost exclusively over offshore waters> 1000 m depth. The extent of their distributions was similar across years, but petrels ranged farther south and west in 2006. Individuals displayed a high degree of spatial overlap (48-620/0 among individuals) and area use revealed three general "hotspots" within their overall range: waters near the Ruamaahua Islands; the central Tasman Sea; and the area surrounding the Chatham Rise. In July-August 2006, most petrels congregated over the Tasman Sea, but for the same period in 2007 were predominantly associated with Chatham Rise. The home ranges of petrels tended to overlap disproportionately more than expected with the Australian Exclusive Economic Zone and less than expected with High Seas, relative to the area available in each zone, in July-August 2006. Accordingly, multiple nations are responsible for determining potential impacts resulting from fisheries bycatch and potential resource competition with Grey-faced Petrels

Investigating the impacts of personality traits on collaborative consumption intention of luxury fashion products among middle-aged women

Collaborative consumption (CC) refers to the shared use of products or services in order to save costs and redistribute resources in a more sustainable way among the different agents participating in sharing economies. With the rapid popularity of CC in recent years, more and more academic research has been carried out on CC, but research exploring the impact of personality traits on consumer behavior is largely limited. To our best knowledge, existing research fails to explore CC applied to the luxury apparel context. Consequently, this study aims to investigate the impact of consumer personality traits on their attitudes and intention toward CC of luxury fashion products. This study draws a framework based on the theory of planned behavior (TPB) model introducing key personality traits, particularly, materialism, fashion leadership, and need for uniqueness as CC attitude and CC intention predictors. This research uses PLS-SEM technique to analyze the data collected through a questionnaire administered to middle-aged Spanish women. The results indicate that fashion leadership had a positive influence on attitude toward CC and CC intention. Secondly, we found that consumer need for uniqueness significantly influenced attitude but had no significant impact on intention. Materialism on the other hand did not display a significant relationship with either CC attitude or intention. By contrast, attitude towards CC was determined to have a strong positive influence on CC intention. We believe that the findings as well as the proposed research model can be helpful to managers when developing CC based business models and valuable to academics in developing related theories

Monitoring Barren-Ground Caribou Body Condition with Denésoliné Traditional Knowledge

Information from aboriginal elders and hunters on changes in barren-ground caribou (Rangifer tarandus) body condition can assist current management systems. Interviews with Denésoliné elders and hunters from Lutsël K’é, Northwest Territories, Canada, provided information on caribou body condition and environmental conditions. Hunters were accompanied in the field and asked to give a qualitative assessment of body condition for adult female caribou they harvested. Elders and hunters reported temporal and geographic variation in caribou body condition. Adult female caribou are selected in late winter (February to April) and bulls in fall (September) and spring (May) because they are fat. Hunters reported that adult female caribou were fatter during late winter in 2000 than in 2001. This difference was consistent with body condition impressions recorded in field surveys. Reports from hunters in interviews that adult female caribou were fatter in February than in March and April 2001 were also supported by hunters’ field impressions. Hunters identified areas where adult female caribou were in better condition than in other areas in 2000 and 2001. The number of caribou harvested and years of hunting experience influenced the distribution of hunters’ impressions of body condition. Interviews with hunters offer an inexpensive, repeatable approach to monitoring caribou body condition and range limitations, although ecological implications must be carefully interpreted.Des renseignements fournis par des aînés et des chasseurs autochtones sur les changements concernant l’état corporel du caribou des toundras (Rangifer tarandus) peuvent s’avérer utiles pour les systèmes actuels de gestion. Des entrevues menées auprès d’aînés et chasseurs Denésoliné de Lutsël K’é, dans les Territoires du Nord-Ouest au Canada, ont fourni des renseignements sur l’état corporel du caribou et sur les conditions environnementales. On a accompagné les chasseurs sur le terrain et on leur a demandé de faire une évaluation qualitative de l’état corporel des caribous femelles adultes qu’ils prélevaient. Les aînés et les chasseurs ont rapporté des variations temporelles et géographiques dans l’état corporel du caribou. Les femelles adultes sont prélevées à la fin de l’hiver (de février à avril) et les mâles à l’automne (en septembre) et au printemps (en mai) alors que ces animaux ont de bonnes réserves de gras. Les chasseurs ont rapporté que les caribous femelles adultes étaient plus grasses à la fin de l’hiver de 2000 que de celui de 2001. Cette différence allait de pair avec la perception relative à l’état corporel consignée lors des études sur le terrain. Les rapports de chasseurs affirmant lors d’entrevues que les caribous femelles adultes étaient plus grasses en février qu’en mars et avril 2001 étaient aussi corroborés par la perception des chasseurs sur le terrain. Ces derniers ont identifié des zones où, en 2000 et en 2001, les caribous femelles adultes étaient en meilleure condition physique qu’à d’autres endroits. Le nombre de caribous prélevés et les années d’expérience fondée sur la chasse influençaient la distribution de la perception des chasseurs relative à l’état corporel. Bien que l’interprétation des répercussions environnementales exige une certaine prudence, les entrevues menées auprès des chasseurs offrent néanmoins une approche peu coûteuse et reproductible pour suivre l’état corporel du caribou et les limites de son territoire

Denésoliné (Chipewyan) Knowledge of Barren-Ground Caribou (Rangifer tarandus groenlandicus) Movements

Semi-directed interviews relating to the traditional knowledge (TK) of barren-ground caribou (Rangifer tarandus groenlandicus) movements were conducted with elders and hunters from the Denésoliné (Chipewyan) community of Lutsël K’é, Northwest Territories, Canada. The objective was to document Denésôliné knowledge of past and present caribou migration patterns and record their explanations for perceived changes in movements. Elders recognized expected and unusual levels of variation in caribou movements. Local narratives show that Denésoliné communities have a fundamental awareness of caribou migration cycles. Most elders thought fire frequency and intensity had increased over their lifetimes and that caribou numbers and distribution had been affected. The majority of Lutsël K’é elders thought mining development was affecting caribou movements in some way. Elders believe that disturbance around traditional migration corridors and water crossings and disturbance of “vanguard” animals might be forcing caribou to use less optimal routes and influencing where they overwinter. Elders also believe that a lack of respect for caribou will cause the animals to deviate from their “traditional” migration routes and become unavailable to the people for a period of time. Wildlife management practices may need to further accommodate aboriginal perspectives in the future.Des entrevues semi-dirigées relatives au savoir traditionnel (ST) sur les déplacements du caribou des toundras (Rangifer tarandus groenlandicus) ont été faites auprès d’aînés et de chasseurs de la communauté denésoliné (chippewyan) de Lutsël K’é, dans les Territoires du Nord-Ouest au Canada. L’objectif était de documenter le savoir denésôliné concernant les habitudes migratoires passées et présentes du caribou, et de consigner les explications sur les changements perçus dans les déplacements. Les aînés ont reconnu des niveaux de variation anticipés et inusités dans la migration du caribou. Des récits locaux révèlent que les communautés denésoliné possèdent une connaissance fondamentale des cycles de migration du caribou. La plupart des aînés étaient d’avis que la fréquence et l’intensité des feux de forêt avaient augmenté au cours de leur vie et que cela avait eu un impact sur le nombre et la distribution des caribous. La majorité des aînés de Lutsël K’é pensaient que l’exploitation minière affectait les déplacements du caribou, d’une manière ou d’une autre. Ils estimaient que les perturbations près des corridors de migration et des traversées de cours d’eau traditionnelles, ainsi qu’une perturbation subie par les animaux formant «l’avantgarde » de la harde, pourraient forcer les bêtes à suivre un trajet moins optimal et avoir une incidence sur leur site d’hivernage. Les aînés croyaient en outre qu’un manque de respect envers le caribou amènerait la harde à s’écarter de ses routes de migration «traditionnelles», la rendant inaccessible aux Autochtones pour une certaine durée. À l’avenir, il faudrait sans doute que les pratiques de gestion de la faune tiennent davantage compte du point de vue des Autochtones

Hauraki Maori Matauranga for the conservation and harvest of Titi, Pterodroma macroptera gouldi

Hauraki Maori traditional knowledge (which the New Zealand Maori term matauranga) concerning the harvest ofTiti, Grey-faced Petrel, Pterodroma macroptera gouldi (Hutton, 1869), on the islands adjacent to the Coromandel Peninsula was recorded and analysed. The harvest of Titi linked Hauraki individuals to culture, ancestors, individual well-being and tribal identity. It also maintained mana (prestige), kaitiaki (environmental guardian) responsibilities and matauranga systems. Harvest tallies of Titi chicks (and number of birders) declined from 15000 chicks (and 100-150 birders) before 1950, to 1000-1200 chicks (10-20 birders) by the late 1980s, to < 100 chicks (5-10 birders) in 2007. Decline in harvest tallies was not due solely to fewer individuals harvesting because daily catch rates per birder also declined, in some circumstances by as much as 87%, over this time. Traditional resource management strategies for sustaining Titi populations included: selection of chicks in the intermediate stage of growth allowing those in a more advanced state to escape; harvesting chicks towards the end of the adult provisioning period to minimise disturbance; creating breeding space by splitting burrows; annual rotation of harvest around islands to enhance escapement in some years; assigning partial island refuges to enhance escapement; respecting the mana and mauti (life force) of the Titi by not leaving chick remains on the islands and causing abandonment; and designating a rahui (temporary harvest prohibition) on islands to rest colonies from harvest. Indigenous knowledge can provide valuable insights into population dynamics and strategies for managing a species, as well as to prioritise research to safeguard the population, traditional knowledge and cultural well-being of the harvesting community

Towards a protocol for community monitoring of caribou body condition

Effective ecological monitoring is central to the sustainability of subsistence resources of indigenous communities. For caribou, Arctic indigenous people's most important terrestrial subsistence resource, body condition is a useful measure because it integrates many ecological factors that influence caribou productivity and is recognized by biologists and hunters as meaningful. We draw on experience working with indigenous communities to develop a body condition monitoring protocol for harvested animals. Local indigenous knowledge provides a broad set of caribou health indicators and explanations of how environmental conditions may affect body condition. Scientific research on caribou body condition provides a basis to develop a simple dichotomous key that includes back fat, intestinal fat, kidney fat and marrow&not;fat, as measures of body fat, which in autumn to early winter correlates with the likelihood of pregnancy. The dichotomous key was formulated on "expert knowledge" and validated against field estimates of body composition. We compare local indigenous knowledge indicators with hunter documented data based on the dichotomous key. The potential con&not;tribution of community body condition monitoring can be realized through the continued comparative analysis of datasets. Better communication among hunters and scientists, and refinement of data collection and analysis methods are recommended. Results suggest that specific local knowledge may become generalized and integrated between regions if the dichotomous key is used as a generalized (semi-quantitative) index and complemented with other science and community-based assessments

Risk Assessment Overview

Risk assessment is used in many industries to identify and manage risks. Initially developed for use on aeronautical and nuclear systems, risk assessment has been applied to transportation, chemical, computer, financial, and security systems among others. It is used to gain an understanding of the weaknesses or vulnerabilities in a system so modification can be made to increase operability, efficiency, and safety and to reduce failure and down-time. Risk assessment results are primary inputs to risk-informed decision making; where risk information including uncertainty is used along with other pertinent information to assist management in the decision-making process. Therefore, to be useful, a risk assessment must be directed at specific objectives. As the world embraces the globalization of trade and manufacturing, understanding the associated risk become important to decision making. Applying risk assessment techniques to a global system of development, manufacturing, and transportation can provide insight into how the system can fail, the likelihood of system failure and the consequences of system failure. The risk assessment can identify those elements that contribute most to risk and identify measures to prevent and mitigate failures, disruptions, and damaging outcomes. In addition, risk associated with public and environment impact can be identified. The risk insights gained can be applied to making decisions concerning suitable development and manufacturing locations, supply chains, and transportation strategies. While risk assessment has been mostly applied to mechanical and electrical systems, the concepts and techniques can be applied across other systems and activities. This paper provides a basic overview of the development of a risk assessment

Computational study of heat transport in compositionally disordered binary crystals

Abstract The thermal conductivity of compositionally disordered binary crystals with atoms interacting through Lennard-Jones potentials has been studied as a function of temperature. The two species in the crystal differ in mass, hard-core atomic diameter, well depth and relative concentration. The isobaric Monte Carlo was used to equilibrate the samples at near-zero pressure. The isoenergy molecular dynamics combined with the Green-Kubo approach was taken to calculate the heat current time-dependent autocorrelation function and determine the lattice thermal conductivity of the sample. The inverse temperature dependence of the lattice thermal conductivity was shown to fail at low temperatures when the atomic diameters of the two species differ. Instead, the thermal conductivity was nearly a constant across temperatures for species with different atomic diameters. Overall, it is shown that there is a dramatic decrease of the lattice thermal conductivity with increasing atomic radii ratio between species and a moderate decrease due to mass disorder