Professionalizing Protest: Scientific Capital and Advocacy in Trade Politics

A range of socio-economic dislocations have spawned renewed interest in the capitalist system and its critiques. Within these trends, the politics of international trade has often been a flashpoint for civil society organisations (CSOs) concerned with social justice. This paper uncovers a neglected feature of this landscape: how, since the 1980s, certain CSOs have shifted from being ‘radical outsiders’ to ‘reformist insiders’ to protest the design and purpose of global trade. We know why CSOs have criticised the political economy of trade, but less about how they have historically struggled to gain admission into this policy milieu; their internal strategising and tensions; and what makes for effective protest. To understand such experimentation, this paper argues that literature on professionalisation offers a valuable lens for exploring the relationship between expertise and power. Dovetailing with other research in IPS, it adapts Bourdieu's comparatively underused concept of scientific capital to explicate how certain, prized dispositional qualities were acquired and practiced for the purpose of registering policy impact. This argument is developed through the case of Oxfam. When viewed historically, the paper suggests that a professionalised, activist subjectivity has emerged within certain CSOs, defined here under a new ideal-type notion of the ‘critical technician’

Master of Science

thesisThis thesis presents the design and optimization of a biologically inspired wet shape memory alloy (SMA) actuated pump that can provide thermal energy via fluidic convection to actuate external wet SMA subsystems. Furthermore, the pump draws from its own fluidic output to assist in the actuation of its own internal SMA actuators. A thorough analysis of the previous wet SMA robotic heart is conducted by searching for opportunities for improvement. Methods of improving the pump's output-to-input ratio included modifying the pumping chambers, actuation cycle timing, implementing electrical actuation, and continuously adding heat to the system. Dynamic modeling was performed to provide a baseline indicator of what was to be expected during actual implementation and testing. The effects of changing various parameters were explored to determine optimal configurations. Key parameters affecting performance include mechanical advantage, actuator length, flow durations, and water temperature. Implemented design changes and testing confirmed the modeling results. Continuous heating of the hot water within the pressurized accumulator greatly enhanced the pump's performance. Using only fluidic induced actuation, the output-to-input ratio peaked at 1.4. The pump reached an output-to-input ratio of 2.1 with the aid of electrical actuation. This is the first successful implementation of a self-sustaining thermofluidically powered SMA pump. Furthermore, unlike other SMA micropumps that typically output 1 mL/min or less, this pump is capable of a macroscale net output of 66 mL/min. While the pump's output exceeds the required input, the power efficiency and power density of the pump do not compare to that of the human heart due to the amount of power required to keep the hot water continuously heated. Viable options for improving efficiency and power density include minimizing pump mass, optimizing pumping chamber design, and reducing the amount of heat necessary to keep the hot water at an elevated temperature

“Put the Church Right There”: A Study of the Inclusion of Congregational Structures within New Urbanist Developments

Beginning with the development of Seaside (Walton County, FL), Kentlands (Gaithersburg, MD), and Laguna West (Elk Grove, CA), New Urbanist developments have set aside parcels for civic structures, many of which now house congregations. Using interviews with developers, planners, and church officials, this thesis examines the rationale behind including congregations within New Urbanist developments in four southeastern states (Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina). The expectations of New Urbanist developers largely mirror those found within key New Urbanist texts: congregational structures help create a legible landscape through typological architecture and conspicuous siting while providing space for public gathering. The thesis ultimately argues that New Urbanism requires a more robust sociological model, one which captures the influence of institutions on forms of social interaction. Moreover, such a model might provide insight into the ways in which developers and congregations might collaborate to fulfill the social goals of New Urbanism