A Survey of the Ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) of Arkansas and the Ozark Mountains

Ants are among the most abundant animals in most terrestrial ecosystems, yet local fauna are often poorly understood due to a lack of surveys. This study separated and identified ant species from arthropod samples obtained during ongoing projects by the lab of Dr. A.P.G. Dowling, Professor of Entomology at the University of Arkansas. More than 600 ants were prepared, 284 of which were identified to genus and 263 to species. From this collection, 33 species and one morphospecies were identified, comprising 18 genera in total. Additionally, 28 new distributional records were recorded for Benton, Madison, Newton, and Washington Counties in Arkansas

Cyclones and Vortices: Alejo Carpentier\u27s Reasons of State as Cartesian Discourse

Alejo Carpentier\u27s Reasons of State is a reconstruction of Cartesian discourse that is paradoxically both fantastic and baroque in its implications. Building upon the assumption that Cartesianism is typically baroque and therefore a dynamism, rather than a dichotomy of subject and object, the novel proceeds in the form of a retrospective deathbed narrative to suggest the radically anti-Cartesian polarization of subject and object in fin de siècle Latin America by portraying its dictator/narrator as a man whose world-view, like his culture\u27s, is schizophrenically divided between magical realism and positivist progressivism. This ambiguous narrative perception is comparable to that of the literary genre known as the fantastic, whose several subjective themes are found to be operative in Reasons of State. Their working-out in the novel, however, is not exclusively psychological or socio-psychological. Ultimately they assume in the narrator\u27s retrospective reflections a metaphorical character that effects a paradoxical synthesis of the prevailing opposed epistemologies: a self-aware folk consciousness that, in its dependence upon contradiction, is indisputably baroque

Canadian social work education from the standpoint of gay men

This study explores issues related to same-gender sexual orientation in social work education from the standpoint of gay men. The literature suggests that the effectiveness of social services is limited by social workers’ lack of knowledge and sensitivity regarding same-gender sexual orientation. This problem is significant because at least 10% of the population are sexually attracted to members of their own gender and because clients from this segment of the population may have service needs different than those of heterosexuals, particularly related to societal discrimination based on sexual orientation. The purpose of this inquiry is to identify changes needed in social work education with respect to same-gender sexual orientation and to understand how these modifications could be implemented. The investigation is based on feminist standpoint theory, a critical approach to epistemology which holds that knowledge reflects the social values of those who develop and ascribe to it. The design of this inquiry includes strategies drawn from institutional ethnography, an application of standpoint theory to the study of social institutions from the standpoint of marginalized groups, for the purpose of uncovering the determinants of oppression. The study also employs strategies of action research, an approach to stimulating change as well as developing knowledge, which involves collaboration with those who will be affected by the outcomes of inquiry. The research participants were 37 gay men, including students and faculty members from 11 schools of social work in six Canadian provinces, as well as practising social workers and clients of professional social workers. Most respondents were white, anglophone, and middle-aged. I collaborated with a committee of gay men during all phases of the design and implementation of the study. The investigation involved in-depth, semi-structured interviews of respondents about their experiences and perceptions regarding social work education, as well as examination of documents related to social work education policies and programs. Analysis of the data focused on identifying problematic aspects of social work education and their determinants. The findings are that issues related to same-gender sexual orientation are excluded and marginalized in social work education discourse. Respondents perceived the climate in schools of social work to be unsafe for open discussion of same-gender sexual orientation and the curricula to lack accurate content on the topic. This silencing appears to be linked to accreditation standards which do not require schools of social work to actively address issues of same-gender sexual orientation in their policies, programs, and curricula. The implications of the study are that there is a need for the adoption of social work education policies and programs which would create a safe climate within schools of social work for public discussion of same-gender sexual orientation. Policies should affirm acceptance of same-gender sexual orientation as a valid expression of human sexuality and effectively counter discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation. Sexual orientation should be addressed in faculty recruitment and development, and student selection support. As well, accreditation standards should mandate the integration of content related to same-gender sexual orientation into the core curriculum. In this report, I use the term same-gender sexual orientation, which refers to both lesbian and gay male sexual orientation, because some respondents discussed issues which related to lesbian sexual orientation. A consequence of this study being conducted from the standpoint of gay men is that its findings clearly apply to issues of gay male sexual orientation in social work education. In addition, the findings may also have some implications for the handling of issues related to lesbian sexual orientation in schools of social work. However, because perceptions from the standpoint of lesbian women may differ from those from the standpoint of gay men, who are socially located differently than lesbian women, there is a need for a separate study of social work education from the standpoint of lesbian women

Liminality and the vanishing American: Discussions of the imaginary Indian in selected works of Zane Grey.

This paper closely analyses the Native American stereotype as presented in selected novels of Zane Grey. Brief explanations of the western formula novel, the Imaginary Indian and American colonial attitudes, and the anthropological concept of liminality provide theoretical background for the paper. This leads to an exegesis of selected Zane Grey novels in order to determine how the Native American is presented. The paper argues that while Grey makes use of the Indian stereotype, he does so in a fashion appropriate to the plot of each novel, and he gradually moves from stereotyping to the creation of developed Native American characters. These characters encourage positive associations between the white readership and the red characters, through the limen of the text. However, within the texts, Native characters are never permitted to completely enter white society---a reflection of the actual failure of assimilation policies. Instead, individual white and Native characters create their own common ground: a hybrid community in the liminal space between white and Indian societies, signified by mixed marriages. This community becomes hope that some legacy of the Indian will survive even as their people die out, and hope that this legacy and values will revitalize and purify a greedy and corrupted white society. In addition, since Grey\u27s novels offer a satisfying liminal space for a very large audience, the ideas presented in these novels could affect mass culture: creating a more positive view of Native Americans, and a positive vision of Native-white marriages as both a Darwinist improvement of the human species and a solution to the problem of the vanishing Native American. Source: Masters Abstracts International, Volume: 42-03, page: 0764. Adviser: John Distsky. Thesis (M.A.)--University of Windsor (Canada), 2003

Systematics of Testudacarine Torrent Mites (Parasitengona: Torrenticolidae)

Thirteen new species of Testudacarus (Torrenticolidae: Testudacarinae) are described, four species are redescribed, and the status of previously problematic species are addressed. For Testudacarinae this represents the first published: 1) descriptions from multiple specimens (therefore providing ranges); 2) colored photographs; 3) explicit illustrations and discussion of sexual dimorphism within the subfamily; 4) genetic data. A comprehensive literature review is also included

Have You Asked for It?: an Exploratory Study About Maltese Adolescents’ Use of Ask. fm

This article focuses on adolescents’ use of anonymous social networking sites (SNSs). Their perceptions and attitudes toward one such platform, Ask.fm, are discussed using the framework of uses and gratifications theory to explore motivations for using it. Four focus groups and four interviews were carried out with 22 Maltese adolescents (10 female and 12 male) aged 11 to 16 years. Thematic analysis of data collected was undertaken to identify and develop themes relevant to Ask.fm use. Findings indicate that the platform is a space where adolescents interact with others as part of their identity exploration. The role of anonymity was salient throughout. Ask.fm users were aware of the risks related to using the site; yet, the possibilities for fun, peer acceptance, and identity exploration may be driving them to experiment with this risky behavior