Transdisciplinarity: towards an epistemology of what matters

This chapter explores the adoption of a transdisciplinary approach to knowledge by a doctor of professional studies research programme at Middlesex University in London. This programme is designed for senior professionals in a range of sectors who wish to bring about change, of varying degrees of magnitude, in practices and attitudes in their contexts. Its research pedagogy combines professional and academic knowledge to meet challenges posed by the temporal limitations of rapidly shifting local and global contexts. It proposes that conceptualising practice, through a transdisciplinary lens, opens up significant possibilities for both articulating and navigating the complexities inherent in any cultural ecology and the positioning of the researcher in that context. This enhances the research process’s potency to influence attitudes, focus and impact including the concept of agential knowing in identifying and attending to what matters

Modeling and simulation of fertilizer drawn forward osmosis process using Aspen Plus-MATLAB model

Although experimental studies on the impact of feed (FS) and draw solutions (DS) on the forward osmosis (FO) applications are reported in literature, systematic mathematical modeling considering the dynamic change in solution properties is lacking. In this study, asymmetric FO membrane simulation model was established using Aspen Plus-MATLAB subroutines algorithm to account for the effect of concentration polarization (CP), types of FS and DS and in their properties on FO performance. The developed model was validated by comparing the simulation with experimental results. The model successfully predict the performance of FO process under wide varieties of operational conditions, FS and DS flow rates and concentrations. The model showed that the variation of MCFDS concentration had a marked effect on water flux (WF) in contrast to flow rate. The WFs obtained from seawater (SW) increased from 5.28 L/m2.h to 42.08 L/m2.h as MCFDS changes from 150 g/L to 300 g/L which corresponding to 11.66% to 45.33% of water recovery. As for synthetic aquaculture wastewater (SAWW), 9.70 L/m2.h to 37.32 L/m2.h of WFs were exhibited with the increase of MCFDS concentration from 50 g/L to 200 g/L, respectively. The effect of concentrated external CP (CECP) was found to be significant in case of SW and negligible with SAWW. Whereas, increasing MCFDS concentration increases the severity effect of dilutive internal CP (DICP). The degree of DICP depends on the solute resistivity (KD) of porous layer, which were elevated (4.22?5.88 s/m) as MCFDS concentration increases (150?300 g/L). The study demonstrated the effectiveness and suitability of the developed Aspen Plus-MATLAB model simulating the FO process.Qatar National Research FundScopu

Solar hydrogen production via copper oxide - Copper sulfate water splitting cycle

In this paper computational thermodynamics modeling of the solar H2 production via twostep thermochemical copper oxide - copper sulfate (CO-CS) water splitting cycle is reported. In this cycle, the first step corresponds to the exothermic oxidation of copper oxide via SO2 and H2O producing CuSO4 and H2 and second step is related to the endothermic reduction of CuSO4 into CuO, SO2, and O2. The CuO and SO2 produced in the second step can be recycled to the step 1 and hence, reutilized for the production of H2 via water splitting reaction. The equilibrium compositions for the CuSO4 thermal reduction and water splitting steps were determined by performing thermodynamic analysis and are reported here. Furthermore, exergy analysis was performed to determine the cycle efficiency and solar to fuel energy conversion efficiency attainable without heat recuperation.Scopu

Translations of the Self: Moving between Objects, Memories, and Words: A Dialogue with Ruth Behar

With a central interest in translation as an inherent condition of subjects in contexts of migration, this article encourages a dialogue between ethnographic forms of expression and studies on translation. My exploration of the links between anthropology and translation, as well as their visual and poetic contours, comes through a conversation with Ruth Behar, a writer- anthropologist whose work is deeply rooted in several modes of translation, both through and beyond words, as she reflects upon diasporic identities. Through the critical reading of her observations, I hope to offer fresh insights into textual and visual possibilities of translation in anthropological writing, as well as provide an understanding of the complex relationship between translation, language, and the self- other nexus. More broadly, these reflections will contribute to a wider multimodal and multidisciplinary engagement of anthropology with social studies of identity, literary studies, comparative literature, poetic anthropology, visual semiotics, multisemiotic literacy, paratranslation, and other sciences of language. [translation, ethnographic writing, language, multimodality, Ruth Behar]RESUMENCon especial interés en la traducción como condición inherente de sujetos en contextos migratorios, este artículo provoca un diálogo entre formas de expresión etnográfica y estudios sobre traducción. Ese tránsito por líneas de conexión entre antropología y traducción, sus contornos visuales y poéticos, se da mediante una conversación con Ruth Behar, escritora- antropóloga cuyo trabajo aparece vinculado a diversos modos de traducción a través y más allá de las palabras, en sus reflexiones sobre identidades diaspóricas. Espero que las observaciones derivadas de este diálogo contribuyan a continuar pensando en nuevas posibilidades textuales y visuales de traducción en la escritura antropológica, y en las complejas relaciones entre traducción, lengua(jes) y el other- self. De una forma más amplia, estas reflexiones pueden estrechar las relaciones multimodales y multidisciplinarias de la antropología con los estudios sociales de identidad, estudios literarios, literatura comparada, antropología poética, semiótica visual, prácticas de lenguaje multisemóticas (literacy), paratraducción y otras ciencias del lenguaje. [traducción, escritura etnográfica, lenguaje, multimodalidad, Ruth Behar]RESUMOCom especial interesse na tradução como condição inerente de sujeitos em contextos migratórios, este artigo provoca um diálogo entre formas de expressão etnográfica e estudos sobre tradução. Esse transitar por linhas de conexão entre antropologia e tradução, seus contornos visuais e poéticos, acontece por meio de uma conversa com Ruth Behar, escritora- antropóloga cujo trabalho aparece vinculado a modos de tradução através e além das palavras, na medida em que reflete sobre identidades diaspóricas. Com esse diálogo, espero contribuir com novos insights para continuar aprofundando nas possibilidades textuais e visuais da tradução na escrita antropológica, e nas complexas relações entre tradução, língua(gens) e o other- self. De uma forma mais ampla, essas reflexões podem estreitar as relações multimodais e multidisciplinares da antropologia com os estudos sociais de identidade, estudos literários, literatura comparada, antropologia poética, semiótica visual, letramento multisemiótico, paratradução e outras ciências da linguagem. [tradução, escrita etnográfica, linguagem, multimodalidade, Ruth Behar]Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/156502/2/aman13425.pdfhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/156502/1/aman13425_am.pd

Chiismes politiques

De l’islam politique chiite, l’on ne connaît souvent que deux de ses incarnations les plus visibles internationalement : la République islamique d’Iran et le Hezbollah libanais. Tout au long de leur construction au XXe siècle, cependant, les usages politiques de la référence religieuse chiite ont donné lieu à des expressions différenciées, dans les représentations comme dans les pratiques, bien loin d’une reproduction de l’idéologie khomeynienne de la wilāyat al-faqīh. La chute de Saddam Hussein et l’avènement d’une nouvelle ère politique en Irak à partir de 2003, puis l’internationalisation du conflit qui a ravagé la Syrie ces dernières années, ont contribué à mettre en évidence cette variété des façons dont se trouve mobilisé un univers symbolique chiite partagé. Ce dossier thématique se propose d’observer quelques expressions actuelles de ces chiismes politiques, dans différents contextes nationaux : de la Turquie où l’islam chiite est minoritaire à l’Iran où il fut édifié religion d’État, en passant par le Liban, l’Irak, la Palestine, le Yémen et jusqu’à la France d’où il se trouve pourtant quasiment absent, la référence politique à l’islam chiite se trouve incarnée dans des configurations de pouvoir, des imaginaires sociaux, des formes d’engagement politique, des identités personnelles et partisanes extrêmement diverses. C’est de cette diversité que ces contributions voudraient rendre compte, en s’intéressant à des organisations partisanes autant qu’à des acteurs politiques ordinaires, et en privilégiant l’étude de cas peu connus de la recherche francophone, par des sociologues, anthropologues et politistes qui nous livrent ici le produit d’enquêtes de terrain au plus près de leur objet