Vitalism: Subjectivity Exceeding Racism,Sexism and (Psychiatric) Ableism

Liberal discourse has argued against the pathology of differences that stem from being gendered or racialized. Yet, liberal discourse continues to pathologize the differences that derive from disabilities whether physical, mental, and/or developmental. This paper considers the position of a woman who is the site of the coming together of being gendered, being aboriginal, and being psychiatrized, and argues that her vitalism that has been psychiatrized benefits her subjectivity

Measurement as relational, intensive and inclusive: Towards a ‘minor’ mathematics

Minor mathematics refers to the mathematical practices that are often erased by state-sanctioned curricular images of mathematics. We use the idea of a minor mathematics to explore alternative measurement practices. We argue that minor measurement practices have been buried by a ‘major’ settler mathematics, a process of erasure that distributes ‘sensibility’ and formulates conditions of mathematics dis/ability. We emphasize how measuring involves the making and mixing of analogies, and that this involves attending to intensive relationships rather than extensive properties. Our philosophical and historical approach moves from the archeological origins of human measurement activity, to pivotal developments in modern mathematics, to configurations of curriculum. We argue that the project of proliferating multiple mathematics is required in order to disturb narrow (and perhaps white, western, male) images of mathematics—and to open up opportunities for a more pluralist and inclusive school mathematics

Exploring the critiques of the social model of disability: The transformative possibility of Arendt's notion of power

The social model of disability has demonstrated political success for disabled people in society. At the same time, it has been labelled an outdated ideology in need of further development. While the social model of disability has been used successfully for political activism, it has simultaneously created conflict and tensions in disability studies, sociology and the sociology of the body. This article sheds light on the confusion surrounding the social model of disability by discussing the historical emergence of its different forms. It then proceeds to analyse and evaluate key criticisms of the social model of disability. The article then goes on to explore the relevance of different forms of power to the current discourse on disability before proceeding to explore in depth what might be gained from the approach of one particular theorist on power; Hannah Arendt. It suggests that there may be merit in drawing on Arendt and illustrates some of the benefits of a more nuanced idea of a pluralistic body and experiences

Optimizing log truck payload through improved weight control

Trucking of forest products is a very important segment of the harvesting process and it is monitored relatively closely by external sources. Load weight is the focal point of the attention received by log hauling. The optimization of load weights is therefore very important to a logging operation's success and this can be achieved only through adequate gross vehicle weight control. Methods of load weight control are reviewed and possible applications discussed in this report. Studies were conducted to evaluate the adequacy of load weight control achieved utilizing two quite different methods. A reporting technique which provided loader operators with information about trends in the delivery weights of trucks which they loaded was used to heighten their awareness of problem areas in load weight distributions. This study was conducted at two southern paper mills with substantially different truck weight regulation environments. Two separate case studies were conducted on Virginia loggers utilizing on-board electronic truck scales. Results of the loading study indicated that the passive treatment had affected the behavior of some of the producers studied. The behavioral changes observed generally improved the economic optimization of load delivery weights. The on-board scale studies indicated that the scale systems did perform well in the applications observed. However, the economic benefits associated with use of the scales were negligible for the two producers studied due to a reduction in delivery weights after installation of the scales.Master of Scienc

Articulating a sociology of desire exceeding the normative shadows

Drawing from the work of Deleuze and Guattari, this dissertation offers a new way of 'doing' and 'thinking about' sociology. Rather than concentrating upon sociological categories and identities, a sociology of desire focuses upon considering the flows of desires that emanate from people, bodies and things. Thus, subjectivity is not restricted to an essentialist self-contained person, but subjectivity consists of connections (assemblages) between people, animals and objects. Most people are restricted by what I term 'normative shadows' that suppress desires that do not conform to accepted norms. In this work I examine how to exceed these normative shadows through a sociology of desire. A sociology of desire could pragmatically be incorporated into the fields of sociology of the body, sociology of knowledge, sociology of health and illness, sociology of education, sociology of deviance. As well as offering an interesting take on disability by exceeding the dichotomy of ability and disability; a sociology of desire with its emphasis on singularity and machinic assemblages offers a new dynamism for disability studies. My use of the term exceed is not meant to signify a separation from various established sociological theories and methods rather it notes that a sociology of desire launches itself from these sociological understandings of the social world. While my main methodological approach is autobiographical, many different sensibilities have informed this dissertation. From a theoretical perspective this investigation has benefited from the insights of feminist theorists, theorists of racial inequality, scholars from disability studies, postcolonial theorists, cultural theorists, queer theorists, literary theorists, and poststructuralist theorists. Rather than approach this study through a singular methodology, I have drawn from a wide-range of sources, theories, and experiences. First-person accounts, third-person accounts, narrative descriptions, and theoretical investigations weave and intermingle throughout this dissertation. Such an approach does not exhaust this study, but rather it lays the groundwork for a continued analysis of the possibility for a sociology of desire.Arts, Faculty ofSociology, Department ofGraduat

On-Board Log Truck Scales: Application to Southern Timber Harvesting

Abstract Case studies of electronic on-board log truck scales were conducted with cooperating logging contractors in Georgia and Virginia. The scales were found to accurately predict gross vehicle weight with less than 1.0% error. The cooperating contractors were able to reduce net load weightvariance by 0.52 tons and 1.14 tons, respectively. The investment in on-board scales produced an internal rate of return of 24.3% for the Georgia logger and 9.8% for the Virginia logger. South. J. Appl. For. 11(2):112-116.</jats:p