FOUR ESSAYS ON PEACE CONSOLIDATION AND ETHNIC RECONCILIATION IN POSTWAR SRI LANKA

In four essays, this dissertation explores the process of peace consolidation and economic recovery from the devastating conflict of 1983-2009 in Sri Lanka. This dissertation addresses a timely and important topic. The findings make an important contribution to the literature on economic development and peacebuilding, specifically on the role of foreign aid in alleviating the risks of conflict and helping countries rebuild their economies after conflict. The dissertation highlights important political economy dimensions that help illustrate social and political dynamics that lead to conflict, such as regional and ethnic inequalities, which also influence post-conflict reconstruction. In addition to a historical background chapter, the dissertation comprises three empirical essays. The first empirical essay on the role of aid on peace consolidation investigates the geolocations of aid projects within Sri Lanka using mixed methods of GIS and econometric analysis. The study finds that donors do not respond to the needs of the recipient country. The second empirical essay on state capacity building uses tax effort as a proxy for state capacity and explores the perception of the government by marginalized groups. The essay finds that the Sri Lankan post-conflict state cannot be characterized as a capable state along the tax mobilization dimension and that the perception of the government is negative. Lastly, the third empirical essay on remittances and internally displaced persons examines whether remittance receivers become wealthier over time in post-conflict settings and whether internally displaced persons (IDPs) spend their remittances more on consumption than on asset accumulation relative to non-IDPs receiving remittances. The results show that remittances are primarily used for everyday survival needs or for accumulating consumer goods by the conflict/disaster survivors. The implication deducted from this dissertation is that ethnic and economic reconciliation has not been prioritized in Sri Lanka following the end of the war. Because of that, peace consolidation is fragile, and the country will most likely see conflict in the near future

Nonlinear Transient Thermal Analysis By the Force-Derivative Method

The force-derivative method (FDM) represents a series of higher-order modal methods which offer an increasingly improved approximation of the higher modes neglected in the basic mode-displacement method (MDM). The FDM includes additional terms which involve the forcing function and derivatives of the forcing function with respect to time. The mode-acceleration method (MAM), extensively used in structural analysis, is a first-order form of the FDM which includes only one correction term that depends on the forcing function itself. The success of the FDM in many structural dynamic applications has prompted its application for solving transient thermal problems. The superior convergence of the FDM for a one-dimensional linear transient thermal problem has been demonstrated in the past. The primary focus of this study is therefore on the application of the FDM as a reduction technique for solving nonlinear transient thermal problems. A new finite element algorithm, which incorporates the modal methods and a fixed-point iteration scheme, has been developed and implemented in the COmputational MEchanical Testbed (COMET). The role played by the correction terms of the higher-order methods in improving the convergence of the modal methods (in terms of the number of modes required) and the parameters that influence them are identified. Finally, results of a two-dimensional model of the lower surface of the Shuttle wing segment with complex heating profiles are presented which demonstrate the applicability and the effectiveness of the FDM for solving nonlinear transient thermal problems

Effectiveness of Medicinal Plant Conservation Areas in Western Ghats, India

Graduate Student, Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, The University of KansasPlatinum Sponsors KU Institute for Policy & Social Research Gold Sponsors Bartlett & West KU Department of Geography KU Libraries State of Kansas Data Access and Support Center (DASC) Silver Sponsors Kansas Biological Survey KU Center for Global & International Studies KU Environmental Studies Program Bronze Sponsors Global Information Systems KU Center for Remote Sensing of Ice Sheets (CReSIS) TREKK Design Group, LL

Geographic Manifestation of Spanish Moss Physiology Across The Americas

Graduate Student, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, The University of KansasPlatinum Sponsors Coca-Cola Gold Sponsors KU Department of Geography KU Institute for Policy & Social Research KU Libraries GIS and Data Services State of Kansas Data Access and Support Center (DASC) Wilson & Company Engineers and Architects Silver Sponsors Bartlett & West Kansas Applied Remote Sensing Program KansasView Bronze Sponsors Garmin KU Biodiversity Institut

Physiological constraints on geographic distributions of species

Understanding species’ geographic distributions constitutes a major priority in biodiversity science, biogeography, conservation biology, and evolutionary biology. Species’ geographic distribution are shaped by abiotic (climate) factors, biotic (e.g., resources for survival, competitors) factors, and dispersal factors. In this dissertation, I have used physiological parameters measured in the laboratory under controlled conditions to understand constraints on species’ distributions. In my first chapter, I explored how parameters documented in detailed physiological studies could be used to understand the constraints on the geographic distribution of Spansh moss (Tillandsia usneoides). I used four physiological parameters of Spanish moss that circumscribe optimal conditions for the species for survival and growth. Using high-temporal-resolution climate data, optimal and non-optimal areas in the species’ geographic distribution could be identified. My results indicated that Spanish moss survives under suboptimal conditions for few days in many parts of its geographic distribution, although numbers of days differed for various physiological parameters. Continuing from the first chapter’s results, I investigated whether optimal physiological parameters are available for Spanish moss populations specifically during the flowering/fruiting season. Flowering/fruiting season is an important life stage for plant species, as it is during this period that the plant produces new recruits for maintaining populations. Results in this chapter indicated that flowering/fruiting period of Spanish moss frequently is under suboptimal conditions, but that the flowering period tends to be tuned such that Spanish moss populations receive at least one optimal physiological parameter, and generally the parameter emphasized is that of minimum temperature. In the third and final chapter, I analyzed 33 anuran species for the critical maximum temperature parameter (CTmax). CTmax plays a crucial role in larval stages of anuran species. I evaluated whether any part of the species’ distribution experiences CTmax, and whether this CTmax is being experienced more often in recent years as a consequence of warming climates. My analysis supported the idea that 70% of the anuran species experienced CTmax at some point over a 22-year time period. However, only a single species saw CTmax being experienced across its distribution more often through time

High Prevalence of Low Serum Paraoxonase-1 in Subjects with Coronary Artery Disease

Paraoxonase-1 (PON-1), an HDL-associated enzyme has been shown to possess antioxidant/anti-inflammatory properties and protect against atherogenesis. The aim of the study was to explore the association of PON-1, with lipids, antioxidant-vitamins and lifestyle in male subjects with and without angiographically documented coronary artery disease (CAD) and in healthy volunteers. PON-1 activity was measured spectrophotometrically using phenyl acetate as substrate. PON-1 and HDL-Cholesterol were significantly lower and lipid peroxides and triglycerides were higher in CAD patients than in normal coronary and control subjects. PON-1 activity showed positive association with HDL-C and inverse relation with lipid peroxides and no association with antioxidant vitamins in healthy subjects. Smoking habit, alcohol intake and diabetes mellitus did not seem to influence PON-1 activity. Serum levels of PON-1 and HDL-C showed inverse association with the presence of CAD but are not related to the severity of disease in terms of number of diseased vessels. Interventional means by diet/drugs to enhance PON-1 activity may contribute to attenuation of atherosclerosis

Trade, Poverty and Inequality: Evidence from the End of the Multifiber Arrangement in India

Does free and fair trade benefit the workers in an industry? My thesis investigates this question in the context of the Multifiber Arrangement, a system of quotas established in 1974 to protect the textile industries in developed countries by restricting cheaper imports from developing countries. Lifting of these quotas mandated by the WTO between 1995 and 2005, therefore, meant opportunities for greater textile production in internationally competitive developing economies such as India, where the textile industry accounts for over 5.2% of global production and is the second largest generator of employment after agriculture. In labor-intensive industries, an increase in production should further mean more employment, and possibly higher wages and improved livelihood. Using variation in the pre-agreement industry mix across states in India, my results suggest that textile and clothing production and employment grew as the MFA quotas were lifted, and that larger textile-producing states pre-reform saw a greater increase in output and employment than smaller producers. I also find that larger producers of textiles experienced a greater decline in absolute poverty, but a differential rise in inequality; benefits to the quota removal seem to be going to the owners of big textiles businesses, and not workers

HUBUNGAN TINGKAT PENGETAHUAN KELUARGA TERHADAP SIKAP KELUARGA DALAM PEMBERIAN PERAWATAN ACTIVITIES DAILY LIVING (ADL) PADA LANSIA DI RUMAH DI DESA TANJUNGREJO MARGOYOSO PATI

The various problems of health faced by old age are immobilizes, dementia, incontinence, less food and beverage, chafed and decubitus, broken bone and others (Siburian, 2005). Family played important part in treatment of old age. Take care of old age is not a easy work because this matter need knowledge, skilled, willingness, patience and devotion (Siburian, 2005). Target of this research is to know correlation between storey; level knowledge of family to family attitude in giving of treatment of Activity of Daily Living (ADL) at lansia at home countryside of Tanjungrejo Margoyoso Pati. The research is carried out in Tanjungrejo Village of Margoyoso district of Pati Regency. The research population are all family’s there are have the old age in their house. The research sample are 96 family have past of inclusion and exclusion criteria of research. The collecting data uses questionnaire and observation methods. The gathered data are analyzed with statistic of bevariate technique namely rank spearman. The conclusion of this research is (1) the family knowledge about ADL for the old age are good enough, (2) the family attitude in gives ADL care to old age are positive, and (3) there are correlation between family knowledge about ADL and family attitude in gives ADL care to old age in Tanjungrejo Village of Margoyoso district of Pati Regency

God Made the Country, and Man Made the Town: The Impact of Local Institutions on the Political Attitudes and Behavior of Immigrants and Minorities in the United States

Are all immigrants in the United States willing and able to integrate successfully within a liberal democratic polity? This research question guides the three papers included in the present dissertation. To explore this question I designed and implemented a multi-city survey in the United States (the American Cities Survey) which contains representative immigrant, black, white, Latino and Asian samples drawn independently for each locality. Based on the findings of the American Cities Survey, which include multiple attitudinal, cultural background and political behavior measures at the individual level, along with socioeconomic and demographic measures in six distinct local institutional environments, I argue that all voting eligible immigrants and immigrant communities-regardless of their native origin and their ancestral religious affiliation-- are willing and able to integrate politically so long as political institutions and contexts (especially local ones) provide them with the same exposure to the political system and institutions, and opportunities to participate in politics as the ones provided to all other citizens. I thereby challenge both the academic and popular perceptions that certain immigrant groups have anti-democratic and anti-liberal attitudes due to their shared cultural characteristics (i.e. religious affiliation or political socialization in a non-democratic polity) that persist even after migrating to a liberal democratic polity and are passed on to the second generation. I discover that the notion that Latinos vote less than similarly situated blacks and whites has persisted overtime for two reasons: first, simply because a greater proportion of Latinos have settled in localities where institutions tend to inhibit political competition and depress turnout, biasing representative national samples; second, because the smallest geographical unit one can study with existing survey and Census (CPS) data does not allow for exploration of political behavior at the individual level beyond the state. This is problematic for studying groups like Latinos, because 50 percent of their population is concentrated in three states and less than ten cities. I find that the results found at the national level are not replicable at the local level and Latino political participation varies by city. In localities where institutions provide incentives for political party competition the probability of a citizen of Latino origin voting is equal to that of blacks and whites of similar age, income and education. In other words, the evidence presented here suggests that the correlation found at the national level between Latino immigrant group membership and apolitical attitudes and behavior is of a contingent, perhaps even spurious nature, artifice of geographical concentration of members of this group in local institutional environments that depress political activity. The theoretical framework and findings of this dissertation reveal that immigrant political attitudes and behavior towards the host country's political system is shaped mostly by individual experiences with this system, and not by prior or inherited cultural or religious beliefs from their (or their ancestor's) country of origin