Regional Settlement Patterns and Political Complexity in the Cinti Valley, Bolivia

Traditionally, scholars investigating prehispanic Andean polities and sociopolitical organization have worked from cross-cultural models of complex societies underlain by concepts of political hierarchy and centralized control. Recently, however, some archaeologists, drawing from ethnohistorical and ethnographic sources, have argued that late prehispanic polities in various parts of the Andes were organized around principles very different from those that underlie traditional constructs of complex societies. This ethnohistoric evidence raises the possibility that the models of political organization often used by archaeologists are not adequate to account for the development and dynamics of all prehispanic Andean polities.Ethnohistoric sources portray the structure and dynamics of the "ethnic kingdoms" as rooted in still poorly understood indigenous principles of organization featuring nested, dual socio-territorial units (ayllus), decentralized political leadership, and confederation as the basis of hierarchy. To date, there has been very little study of what these polities would look like archeologically, or how the supposedly different principles of organization would manifest themselves in a regional settlement structure, wealth and status differentiation, or production and exchange patterns. Ethnohistoric documentation for the existence of ayllu polities in the Cinti region, southern Bolivia, made this area a prime setting for exploration of the archaeological ramifications of traditional and ayllu-based models. Full-scale regional survey and excavation generated data on the long-term evolution of sociopolitical structure and economic processes in the Cinti Valley. The investigation was organized around identifying strategies (economic and social) associated with political leadership, and their role in politico-economic centralization and social differentiation. The research revealed the emergence, by AD 800, of a strongly integrated, regional polity, characterized by a traditional settlement hierarchy, and elite residence at a dominant center. Catchment zone analysis indicated that increasing agricultural production was most closely linked to strategies of political leadership and status differentiation. The Cinti Valley investigation served to refine our understanding of the ayllu polity both as an archaeological model, and as a form of prehispanic political organization. Highlighting the convergence and divergence between emic constructs and empirical regional patterns should contribute to a better understanding of the nature and variability of southern Bolivian prehispanic societies, and how they should be archaeologically approached

La evolución del paisaje y la agencia humana: estudios arqueológicos de tierras áridas en en Sudamérica occidental y Australia

Los paisajes representan un punto dinámico de articulación entre los seres humanos y el ambiente físico. Mientras que a veces se presentan como opuestos, los grupos humanos son participantes activos en el ambiente y frecuentemente cumplen un papel muy importante en su transformación a través del tiempo. En este artículo se usan estudios arqueológicos del oeste de Sudamérica y de Australia para ilustrar la importancia de investigar interacciones, a largo plazo, entre los grupos humanos y el medio ambiente. Estas investigaciones pueden ofrecer una mayor profundidad en el conocimiento histórico al cambio ambiental y asimismo precisar el rol que han jugado los grupos humanos en modificar trayectorias particulares en la evolución del paisaje y de biodiversidad de las especies. Los grupos humanos constituyen un elemento crítico en el cambio ambiental y, en conjunto, nuestros resultados tienen fuertes implicancias para temas relacionados con sostenibilidad y la gestión efectiva de los recursos desérticos de nuestro planeta.Landscapes represent a dynamic point of articulation between humans and the environment. While often dichotomized, humans are active participants in the environment and often play a pivotal role in its transformation over time. In this paper, we use case studies from western South America and Australia to illustrate the importance of studying long-term dynamics between humans and the environment. Such investigations can bring significant historical depth to environmental change and the role humans have played in altering courses of landscape evolution and species biodiversity. Humans comprise a critical element in environmental change, and collectively, our results hold strong implications for issues related to sustainability and effective management of our planet’s desert resources.Fil: Zaro, Gregory. University of Maine; Estados UnidosFil: Builth, Heather. Monash University; AustraliaFil: Rivera, Claudia. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales e Instituto Miguel Lillo. Instituto de Geociencias y Medio Ambiente; ArgentinaFil: Roldán, Jimena. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Nordeste; ArgentinaFil: Suvires, Graciela Mabel. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - San Juan. Centro de Investigaciones de la Geosfera y Biosfera. Universidad Nacional de San Juan. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Físicas y Naturales. Centro de Investigaciones de la Geosfera y Biosfera; Argentin

A Need for a Culturally Congruent Obesity Intervention at a Community Safety-Net Clinic

Background: Obesity is an epidemic in the United States which causes numerous chronic conditions and disproportionally impacts underserved populations. The removal of barriers that prevent active lifestyles such as unaffordable facilities and inaccessibility are of primary importance in promoting a healthy lifestyle. Objectives: Collaboration with community organizations to increase access to culturally congruent nutrition and exercise classes for underserved Latino/Hispanic patients of a Midwestern safety-net clinic to reduce obesity, increase physical activity, and improve dietary habits. Methods: Assessment of current practices revealed the need for project development. Six-week nutrition education class and exercise classes were held for eligible patients which evaluated average weight, nutrition knowledge, physical activity, dietary habits during pre and post-implementation. Program satisfaction was also assessed. Results: Post-implementation data resulted in high satisfaction rates, increased physical activity, increased nutrition education, and improved diet quality indicators. There was a small increase in average weight. Conclusion: Through accessible, affordable, and culturally-congruent nutrition education and exercise classes, patients showed an increase in healthy habits and knowledge which can improve health in the long-term. Implications: The development of a program which reduces barriers for underserved populations has been shown to be well received and effective in improving lifestyle habits

Integrating climate change adaptation, disaster risk reduction and urban planning: A review of Nicaraguan policies and regulations

The integration of risk reduction and climate change adaptation has become an urgent task in addressing increasing urban risk more effectively and efficiently. This paper analyses the extent to which climate change adaptation is integrated into the policies and regulatory frameworks that guide urban risk reduction in Nicaragua, and discusses related progress. The results reveal significant progress in integrating climate change adaptation into the policy and regulatory frameworks of the three relatively new fields of (a) disaster risk reduction, (b) environmental management and (c) urban planning. They show that differences in the degree of integration relate to the development and updates to policy instruments in each field, and the extent to which they are related to the implementation of international climate change agreements. Although initially climate change adaptation integration was focused on the protection of natural resources in general, and food production in particular, since 2008 authorities have shown increasing interest in a more comprehensive and integrated approach. Nevertheless, the integration of climate change adaptation into disaster risk reduction and urban planning still lags behind the advances made in the environmental management field. It is concluded that in order to achieve greater and more coherent integration of CCA and, ultimately, improve the way climate-related risks is dealt with, urban authorities need to systematically review current policies and regulations to assess the synergies and gaps. This requires inter-sectoral and participative work with the actors concerned at national and local level, as well as the establishment of related monitoring and learning mechanisms

Colonial discourse in U.S. and Puerto Rican newspapers

The aftermath of Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico unveiled for many the colonial power of the U.S. in Puerto Rico. The natural disaster became a financial and public health problem in part due to laws that limit the scope of actions that Puerto Rico has in response to emergencies. This thesis analyses the media coverage following the natural disaster in September 2017 up to the local elections in January 2020. Using a Critical Discourse Analysis approach and postcolonial theory, this study examines colonial discourse in two major newspapers one in the United States (USA Today) and one in Puerto Rico (El Nuevo Dia). By exploring the intersection between postcolonial and communication studies, this thesis aims to demonstrate how the newspapers reflects and reinforces power imbalances between the US-PR. This study situates the texts within the broader social structures and power relations at play. Finally, this thesis provides examples of resistance and anticolonial sentiments that emerged and analyzes their portrayal in the news media outlets.Includes bibliographical references

Planning for climate change in urban areas : From theory to practice

Climate change poses a serious threat to sustainable urban development, placing many cities at risk. As a consequence, city authorities are increasingly facing the challenge of finding ways to include adaptation strategies into their work, although related knowledge and competence is still scarce and fragmented. With the aim to contribute to knowledge development and organizational learning, the objective of this paper is to critically review and compare current theoretical and practical approaches to adaptation planning in cities. In order to do so, first the conceptual characteristics and features of a climate resilient city are identified. Second, the reciprocal linkages between climate-related disasters, urban form and city planning processes are analysed e by considering the life cycle of disasters from causes, to short- and long-term impacts, to post-disaster response and recovery. Finally, urban adaptation measures proposed for both developed and so-called developing countries are assessed. On the basis of the identified differences, gaps and synergies between the theoretical and practical approaches to adaptation planning, the implications for improving sustainable urban transformation are discussed

Diseño de una ánodo modificado con nanopilares de óxido de zinc y manopartículas de oro para su empleo en celdas fotoelectroquímicas

El tema de investigación que se desarrolló está ligado con el diseño del ánodo de una celda fotoelectroquímica para lograr una mayor eficiencia en la conversión de energía de estos dispositivos. En esta propuesta, se plantea la construcción de un ánodo modificado empleando nanopilares del semiconductor óxido de zinc (ZnO) y nanopartículas de oro (Au) sobre un electrodo de óxido de indio-estaño (ITO), para incrementar el transporte electrónico y disminuir el fenómeno de recombinación de pares electrón-hueco. La efectividad de las celdas fotoelectroquímicas dependerá de varias cosas, entre las que se encuentran la morfología y tamaño de las nanopartículas de Au y los nanopilares de ZnO. Se proyectó generar este ánodo empleando métodos electroquímicos, el cual disminuirían costos, se obtenga de una manera fácil y rápida, que a su vez mejore la eficiencia del trasporte electrónico, para poder emplearse en la construcción de un sistema fotoelectroquímico. Se considera el electrodepósito de nanopilares de ZnO recubiertos por nanopartículas de Au para incrementar los excitones fotogenerados. Para ello, se proponen la variación de condiciones para el diseño y construcción del ánodo, donde todos los sistemas propuestos requieren de un estudio de caracterización morfológica, topográfica, electrónica y óptica, además de un análisis del desempeño del ánodo diseñado por técnicas electroquímicas

Diagnóstico del sistema de compensación en una empresa del sector manufacturero en Colombia

Por medio del diagnóstico del sistema actual de compensación de la empresa objeto de estudio, en adelante la empresa X, se buscó determinar si este se ajustaba a las necesidades de la empresa, tanto en cuanto a bienestar de sus empleados como de estrategia organizacional -- Se evidenció que existe la necesidad de ajustarlo a las nuevas tendencias mundiales existentes, mediante la evaluación acerca de cuáles temas se deben mantener y cuáles nuevas prácticas se pueden adaptar -- Para realizar dicho diagnóstico se desarrolló una serie de análisis, de conformidad con el enfoque metodológico del profesor Purushotham (2009), que se emplea como respaldo conceptual de la totalidad del presente documento y que explica los factores que influyen en el diseño y la aplicación de los sistemas de compensación y beneficios -- Según dicho enfoque, un sistema de compensación y beneficios no está diseñado en el vacío y se debe ubicar en el entorno en el que se desarrolla; por tal razón a través de una serie de análisis estadísticos internos, como encuesta socioeconómica, penetración de beneficios y compensaciones variables existentes, y los resultados de un estudio salarial efectuado por un ente externo a la empresa, se buscó inicialmente definir los factores internos y externos en los que está fundamentado el sistema de compensación de la empresa X y se revisó la tendencia hacia beneficios flexibles y emocionales -- Por último, a la luz de los resultados arrojados por el análisis de la información estadística así como de las tendencias existentes, se brindan unas recomendaciones basadas en un análisis DOFA -- Dado que la empresa en su estrategia tiene un énfasis en control de los recursos, se analizará la posibilidad de utilizar metodologías que permitan flexibilizar y variabilizar la compensación, de forma que las metas y objetivos planteados sean consistentes con los resultados del negoci