The Deviance of the Zookeepers

In May 1968 Alvin Gouldner published his attack on the ‘Becker School’ of sociology (‘The Sociologist as Partisan’). The essay was a sometimes sarcastic and brutal but characteristically insightful and sharp critique of what he called the ‘Becker School’ of sociology – especially as it related to law-breaking and norm-transgressing outsiders. In attacking the failure of ‘sceptical deviancy theory’ to confront the wider structural sources of power and authority, its seeming inability to address gross social divisions of wealth and status, and its lack of attention to the larger political and economic interests that were embedded in departments of State and industrial and financial corporations alike, Gouldner pinpointed with some accuracy the radical motivations of the soon-to-emerge ‘new criminology’ – in both its ‘left idealist’ and ‘left realist’ guises. What Gouldner’s essay really exposed was a certain kind of ‘deviant imagination’ (c.f., Pearson, 1975) prevalent in the emerging critical criminologies of 1960s America (and then the UK, see Young, 1969). In this paper I use Gouldner’s essay as a lens to investigate the ‘deviant imagination’ of contemporary critical criminologies and ask: who are the zookeepers of contemporary criminology and what is their deviant imagination

Criminal Degradations of Consumer Culture

In this chapter I take a ‘social harm’ approach to explore some of the degrading impacts of modern consumerism. My aim is to explore the harmful, often criminal, sometimes fatal consequences that attend the supply of consumer goods in contemporary capitalist societies. At the same time, I note that a focus on social harm begs some very fundamental questions about criminology as an academic discipline – or ‘field’ of study. When a cradle-to-grave assessment of consumer goods is undertaken it reveals that many personal and environmental degradations are nothing more than the ordinary means by which objects are produced, distributed and discarded in contemporary societies. In order to unpack the mundane character of the degradations of a consumer culture I use the example of prawn production but my more general argument is that what is true for prawns is true for (almost) any consumer object

Testing for Asymmetric Pricing Behaviour in Irish and UK Petrol and Diesel Markets

This paper empirically tests whether Irish and UK petrol and diesel markets are characterised by asymmetric pricing behaviour. The econometric assessment uses threshold autoregressive models and a dataset of monthly refined oil and retail prices covering the period 1997 to mid-2009. A methodological note is included on the importance of the specification of the number of possible regimes. In particular, the possibility of conflicting price pressures arising from short-run dynamics in retail prices and responses to disequilibrium errors needs to be explicitly modelled. For both the Irish and UK liquid fuel markets at national levels, the paper concludes that there is no evidence to support the “rockets and feathers” hypothesis that retail prices rise faster than they fall in response to changes in oil prices. It is still possible that a lack of competition at a more local level may accommodate asymmetric pricing behaviour.

Employment Practices and Trends and the Deaf Client: A Response

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An Exploration of Residential Care Managers Understanding of the Professional Registration of Social Care Workers and Its Implications for their Role as Managers

The change that is referred to in this study is the professional registration of social care workers in the social care sector. The projected target date for the commencement of professional registration of social care workers is 2022 (CORU Presentation, 2019). This study explored CORU and residential care managers understanding of the implementation plan and their views of the implications professional registration will have on manager’s roles and responsibilities. Managers who play a key role in this change process need to be supported therefore residential care manager’s voices were at the heart of this study

Investigating Nonlinearity: A Note on the Estimation of Hamilton’s Random Field Regression Model

This is a revised and extended version of the authors’ 2003 Trinity Economic Paper. It describes Hamilton’s (2001) approach to nonlinear econometric modelling and some of the methods of nonlinear optimization, as before, but adds significantly to the investigation of Hamilton’s Gauss program for the implementation of his methodology. Specifically, it reports on the performance of this program using data relating to Hamilton’s US Phillips curve example, the use of two versions of the Gauss software and a range of numerical optimization options. It also examines the impact of changes in initial parameter estimates, the use of algorithm switching strategies, and the e?ects of changes in the sample data on the results produced by Hamilton’s procedure. The new results presented suggest some further clear conclusions that will be of value to those using Hamilton’s method.

Improving seagrass production for transplants - micropropagation, adventitious root development, and artificial substrates

Degradation of seagrass meadows is countered by restoration to secure the important ecosystem services they provide. Restoration outcomes are highly variable, and there are many failures. Restoration methods frequently require harvesting from remnant meadows, with associated ecological risks. In the temperate North Atlantic, Zostera marina, Cymodocea nodosa, and Zostera noltii are the most important seagrass species, and targets for restoration. I tested different transplant approaches to understand and improve seagrass restoration initiatives for these species. Zostera shoots were treated with 0.5 % NaOCl and successfully initiated into the in vitro growth environment for micropropagation. Z. noltii was maintained on enriched seawater media for up to 60 days, but Z. marina survived only 22 days. Mortality was likely related to yeast-like contamination. Cytokinin 6-benzylaminopurine (BAP) in five concentrations between 0.001 mg/L and 3 mg/L did not enhance shoot development in either species, but did maintain health. To assess the impact of transplantation on root development, health, and survival, seagrass shoots were transplanted with roots either removed or intact. This did not affect survival or health. Both Zostera species regrew adventitious root length and mass in only three weeks, but regrowth was almost completely absent in C. nodosa. Auxin Indole-3-butyric (IBA) did not enhance adventitious root development, but rather inhibited root development above 5 mg/L. Two tested seagrass transplant methods, sod and textile substrate, were equally successful and shoots demonstrated similar survival, height, leaf turnover and relative photosynthetic capacity. Sod methods, while popular and successful, are not possible without large donor populations, and their harvest threatens remnant meadows. The successful initiation of Zostera spp. provides high potential to micropropagate shoots for future restoration. Non-rooted shoots can survive transplantation and rapidly establish roots, and these can be integrated with textile substrates to create artificial planting units with similar restoration outcomes to sods.A degradação das pradarias de ervas marinhas é contrariada pela restauração de ecossistemas para garantir os importantes serviços ecossistémicos que elas fornecem. Os resultados da restauração são altamente variáveis e existem diversas falhas associadas. Os métodos de restauração requerem frequentemente a colheita de pradarias remanescentes com os derivados riscos ecológicos. No Atlântico Norte temperado, as espécies mais importantes e alvo de restauração são a Zostera marina, a Cymodocea nodosa, e a Zostera noltii. Nesta tese, foram testadas diferentes abordagens de transplantação para entender e melhorar iniciativas de restauração de ervas marinhas. Rebentos de Zostera spp. foram tratados com 0.5% NaOCI e iniciados com sucesso no ambiente de tratamento in vitro para micropropagação. Z. noltii pôde ser mantido em meios de água salgada enriquecida até 60 dias, enquanto que a Z. marina sobreviveu apenas 22 dias. Está mortalidade poderá estar relacionada com a contaminação por parte de organismos não-alvo de “tipo fermento”. Tentativas para estimular o crescimento de plantas através do teste de 6-benzylaminopurine (BAP) em cinco concentrações entre 0.001 mg/L e 3 mg/L não estimularam o desenvolvimento de rebentos em nenhuma das espécies. Porém, a sua saúde foi mantida. Para avaliar o impacto da transplantação no desenvolvimento das raízes, saúde da planta e sobrevivência, rebentos das três espécies foram transplantados com raízes removidas ou intactas, o que não afectou a sua sobrevivência ou saúde. Onde espécies de Zostera regeneraram comprimento e massa de raízes adventícias, a regeneração foi completamente ausente em C. nodosa. O factor de crescimento Indole-3-butyric (IBA) não aumentou o desenvolvimento de raízes adventícias, mas antes inibiu o desenvolvimento de raízes acima de 5 mg/L. Dois métodos de transplante, unidades de tipo “sod” e unidades de substrato têxtil, demonstraram resultados semelhantes de sobrevivência, peso, substituição de folhas e capacidade fotossintética relativa para as espécies testadas. O sucesso de futuros projetos de restauração é determinado, tanto pelo desempenho aquando de trabalho de campo, como também pelo seu custo e mão de obra associada. A bem-sucedida iniciação de Zostera spp. fornece alto potencial para micro-propagar rebentos para futura restauração. Rebentos sem raízes podem sobreviver à transplantação e rapidamente estabelecer raízes, e estes podem ser integrados com substratos têxteis para criar unidades de plantação artificiais com resultados de restauração para sods similares

Synthesis of PbS nanocrystallites using a novel single molecule precursors approach: X-ray single-crystal structure of Pb(S2CNEtPri)2

The synthesis and characterisation of some lead(II) dithiocarbamato complexes Pb(S2CNRR¾)2 is reported. These compounds were used as single molecule precursors to produce nanocrystalline PbS by their thermolysis in trioctylphosphine oxide. The optical and morphological properties of the resulting PbS nanocrystallites were investigated; the influence of experimental parameters, such as precursor, growth time and temperature, on the final nanodispersed materials is also reported