Fractal geometry of spin-glass models

Stability and diversity are two key properties that living entities share with spin glasses, where they are manifested through the breaking of the phase space into many valleys or local minima connected by saddle points. The topology of the phase space can be conveniently condensed into a tree structure, akin to the biological phylogenetic trees, whose tips are the local minima and internal nodes are the lowest-energy saddles connecting those minima. For the infinite-range Ising spin glass with p-spin interactions, we show that the average size-frequency distribution of saddles obeys a power law $<\psi(w) > \sim w^{-D}$, where w=w(s) is the number of minima that can be connected through saddle s, and D is the fractal dimension of the phase space

Los judíos del Rey: conflicto y coexistencia en la Inglaterra de Enrique III (1216-1272)

En un volumen consagrado al tema de los grupos identitarios y las dinámicas de la delimitación de las distintas comunidades, resulta imprescindible dedicar un capítulo a los judíos de Inglaterra. ¿Por qué interesarse en los judíos de Inglaterra? De una parte sobre ellos existe un gran volumen de documentación, haciendo de ellos una de las comunidades mejor documentadas de Europa. También resulta sobresaliente la estrecha relación de la comunidad judía con el poder real. Desde su llegada poco después de 1066 en el periodo de Guillermo el Conquistador, hasta su expulsión por Eduardo I en 1290, los judíos estuvieron asociados al rey, para lo mejor y para lo peor. A pesar de la estrecha relación existente entre los judíos y el rey no solo en Inglaterra, sino en Francia y en los Reinos Ibéricos se debe señalar que el poder real estuvo todo el tiempo en concurrencia con otros poderes - concretamente con sus grandes vasallos- por el control de la comunidad judía y los ingresos que esta producía

The Police Caution as a Diversionary Mechanism. An Analysis of the Garda Síochána Adult Caution Scheme

The Garda Síochána Adult Caution Scheme was established in 2006. It is among a range of alternate methods which have been introduced in recent years that are designed to divert adults away from the criminal justice system. The scheme provides a mechanism by which individuals receive a formal police caution in lieu of prosecution before the courts. It is only available to certain persons against whom there is evidence of the commission of a scheduled criminal offence and where the prosecution of such an offence is not in the public interest (An Garda Síochána, 2006:2009). This thesis examines the scheme over a five year period since its inception in 2006 to 2010. A quantitative research methodological approach was selected for this study. Data from over 670,246 incidents was obtained from the Central Statistics Office. An analysis of the data provided a profile of the recipients of the scheme and the type of offences that are most commonly disposed of by way of an adult caution. The research also explored the post caution offending behaviour of the participants and the consistency of application of the scheme across the various Garda geographical regions. Recommendations arising from this research include additional qualitative research by way of interview of the recipients of a caution and the expansion of the scheme to cover additional offences

Connecting theory and fiction: Margaret Atwood's novels and second wave feminism

This thesis undertakes an examination of the manner in which a novelist interacts with a contemporary theoretical discourse. I argue that the novelist and the theoretical discourse enter into a symbiotic relationship in which each influences and is influenced by the other. This process, I suggest, is simultaneous and complex. The thesis demonstrates how the prevailing theoretical discourse is absorbed by the contemporary author, is developed and redefined in conjunction with alternative concerns, and comes to permeate the narrative in an altered state. The novelist's new perspectives, frequently problematising theoretical claims, are then disseminated by the novel, promoting further discussion and development of the theoretical discourse. The thesis focuses on the novels of Margaret Atwood, considering them in relation to the history and development of second wave feminism. "Second wave feminism" is understood as an umbrella term that incorporates a wide variety of related but diverse and occasionally contradictory discourses, centring on the subjects of gender, femininity, and sexuality. The focus of the discussion is dual and presented simultaneously. Atwood's novels are analysed chronologically, and within the parameter of this analysis I demonstrate how her work has been influenced by earlier feminist theories, how it comments upon a variety of contemporary feminist ideas, and how it can be seen to anticipate further discussions within feminist discourse. Finally, I identify moments in Atwood's writing when alternative discourses compete with feminism to create new directions for feminist criticism. Examples of these discourses include Canadian nationalism, liberalism, communitarianism and environmentalism. The specificity of the novelist's interests and politics create a unique site of interaction for feminism which, I argue, benefits feminist theory by challenging, broadening and diversifying its focus. The thesis concludes that the symbiotic relationship of the theorist and the novelist is self-perpetuating and is also necessary and beneficial to both parties

Reading God´s will in the stars. Petrus Alfonsi and Raymond de Marseille defend the new Arabic Astrology

Pedro Alfonso y Raimundo de Marsella intentaron justificar la teorfa y la pnictica de la astrologfa en medio de un clima de escepticismo y de oposici6n. Ambos defendieron con firmeza el arte de la adivinacion celeste, afirmando que forma parte del plan racional trazado por Dios para el Universo. Atacaron a sus oponentes (los practicantes de la astrologfa inferior y el clero opuesto a Ia astrologfa), llamandolos ciegos, pervertidos y bestias inacionales. Sus discusiones contribuyeron a en tender Ia importancia de la recepci6n de la ciencia arabe en la Europa latina durante el siglo XII y a que se apelase cada mas a la raz6n.Petrus Alfonsi and Raymond of Marseille both attempt to justify the theory and practice of astrology in the face of considerable skepticism and opposition. They aggressively defend the art of celestial divination, affirming that it is part of God's rational plan for the universe. They attack their opponents (both practitioners of inferior astrology and clerical opponents of astrology) as (inter alia) blind, perverse, inational beasts. Their polemics shed light on the reception of Arabic, science in Latin Europe in the first half of the twelfth century and on the invocation of "reason" (ratio) as an increasingly popular rhetorical weapon