In a creative healthy place? Situating Arts and Health within the discourse of ‘the devolution revolution’

This thesis explores the problematic relationship forged between the field of practice known as Arts and Health and discourse of the ‘devolution revolution’ (2016-2019). This was a period when key policy areas - pertaining to health, creativity and place - were ‘aligned’ by local government in an ongoing age of austerity. It examines the human geographies of Arts and Health through four case studies sited across Greater Manchester and North Wales, a region cojoined through the spatial imaginary of ‘The Northern Powerhouse’. The research begins by considering the impetus for devolution in the 1990s, before focussing attention on the English context of the first ever city and regional devolution deal struck between Manchester City leaders and HM Treasury in 2016. This was made conditional on budget reductions. The ‘pre-histories’ of the emergent category of Arts and Health are then examined across the post-war decades. The category of Arts and Health is navigated across its varied (re)imaginings, including those made recently which deny the field can be seen as the ‘natural cousin’ of austerity. The ways in which these diverse, often contradictory agendas, have come together is examined through grounded accounts of neoliberal policy as it is (re)produced in everyday situations. Reflexive, first person ethnographic accounts of four local contexts, in Llandudno, Prestatyn, Wigan and Central Manchester are presented to show how the field of Arts and Health is being interpreted and produced through certain affective ambiences and ‘atmospheres’. The research reveals that across this territory, similar values and common cultures are taking hold. These include the belief that local communities offer forums for collective action and decision-making (over and above those of national institutions) and that additional resources are not needed, merely a new mindset. The conclusion is drawn that, as much as the field of Arts and Health aims to enact forms of progressive social change, it is a field of practice that is also being shaped by forces exerted by a regressive political economy

Comparison of cooperative and noncooperative purchasing in school foodservice

School districts operating Child Nutrition Programs must use competitive bidding to purchase food and supplies. Purchasing cooperatives are a resource used by districts to meet competitive purchasing requirements and increase purchasing power through combining purchasing with other districts that have similar needs. The purpose of this research was to compare school foodservice directors\u27 satisfaction with current purchasing methods and prices paid for selected food items between cooperative members and nonmembers.;Electronic questionnaires were sent to a random sample of foodservice directors (N = 1630). Participants were asked to complete a questionnaire that included satisfaction with competitive bidding, costs of selected food items, and district characteristics. Cooperative members provided reasons for entering into this type of purchasing arrangement.;A convenience sample (n = 14) of cooperative directors and foodservice directors were selected from the information provided in the electronic survey. Historical costs of selected food items were compared between the groups. Competitive bid contract documents were compared for terms and conditions.;Study results indicated about half the respondents (n = 185) participated in purchasing cooperatives. This represents an increase in the percentage of cooperative membership by school districts from previous studies. The majority of districts in cooperatives had student enrollment of less than 5,000 students. The largest group of respondents reported using line-item bidding. Significantly, more cooperatives used cost-plus-fixed-fee bidding.;Mean price for eight selected food items were compared. Limited differences between the two groups were found. Cooperative members reported significantly lower prices for three of the eight items studied. Districts that were not members of cooperatives had no lower prices. Cooperatives\u27 percentage change in price over 3 years was significantly less than the national index. Those not members of cooperatives did not report the same level of cost containment.;Director satisfaction with current purchasing methods was also compared. Directors indicated level of satisfaction on 17 items using a 5-point Likert-type scale. There was no significant difference in overall satisfaction between cooperative members and nonmembers. Significant differences were found for only 5 of the 17 items. Cooperative members were more satisfied than nonmembers with four items, whereas nonmembers were more satisfied than cooperative members for only one item. Cooperative members were more satisfied with frequency of delivery, brands bid by vendors, competitive bid method, and administrative cost savings. Nonmembers were more satisfied with vendor responsiveness to problems. The primary reason districts reported joining a cooperative was to lower food costs, gain increased competition among vendors, and reduce paperwork related to bidding. Other reasons that appeared to be important were saving staff time and increasing the number of bidders.;From this study, no one best way to conduct school foodservice purchasing was identified. Cooperative membership appears to be a growing trend, particularly for districts with fewer than 5,000 students. Further research is needed to determine what factors influence competitive bidding by vendors and the bid price. It would also be important to determine why a high percentage of school foodservice directors were not aware of competitive purchasing practices in their district or cooperative. Recommendations for further research also include the need for empirical evidence to provide data from a representative sample of school foodservice directors about current purchasing methods to assist in school foodservice purchasing decision-making

Close to Home / Made in the UK

The first meeting of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Ethics and Sustainability in Fashion, convened by Baroness Lola Young. The meeting explored the contribution that forward thinking UK fashion and textile businesses make to local economies, communities and the environment. Baroness Lola Young, Dr Frances Corner OBE (Head of the London College of Fashion) and Martin Buttle (Supply Chain Manager at MADE-BY) started the meeting with opening remarks and introductions. Dr Kate Fletcher (Reader at the Centre for Sustainable Fashion) expanded on the Close to Home/Made in the UK theme. Five shirt presentations followed from UK manufacturers/brands involved in fashion, textiles and footwear: Christopher Raeburn, Dashing Tweeds, Tender Denim, Ardalanish Isle of Mull Weavers and John Smedley. Ruth Potts (New Economics Foundation) then talked about sustaining local economies and economic well-being. A discussion followed with questions and commentary from the audience, who represented a wide cross section of the industry including high street retailers, press, fashion designers and international organisations. Through the sharing of experiences, personal journeys, discoveries, traditions, technologies and crafts, many of the joys, pains, challenges and opportunities for UK fashion manufacturing where explored. A momentum to keep building. A feeling of positivity and urgency. A debate to be continued. Actions for now and the future we create. There was also a Local Wisdom project underway, to record and celebrate the clothes we wear and the ways in which we wear them. Participants shared the story of their clothing and had their portraits taken wearing it in the Westminster Great Hall

Comprehensive Investigation of the Accounting Principles through Case Studies

The following thesis consist of thirteen accounting case studies that were presented as the curriculum followed in the Accounting 420 class. Each case covers a topic that relates to the basic accounting principles and the accounting industry. This thesis represents a deep analysis of accounting principles and demonstrates a well-rounded understanding of the topics covered. Each case study is completed under the direction of Victoria Dickinson in abides with all requirements for the Patterson School of Accountancy, Sally McDonnell Barksdale Honors College, and the University of Mississippi ACCY 420 course in the 2020-2021 academic year

Fine Structure of Changes Produced in Cultured Cells Sampled at Specified Intervals During a Single Growth Cycle of Polio Virus

Primary suspended cultures of rhesus monkey kidney cells were infected with poliomyelitis virus, type 1 (Brunhilde strain). The release of virus from these cells over a one-step growth curve was correlated with their change in fine structure, as seen in the electron microscope. Most of the cells were infected nearly simultaneously, and morphological changes developed in the cells were sufficiently synchronous to be classified into three stages. The earliest change (stage I) became visible at a time when virus release into the culture fluid begins, some 3 hours after adsorption. Accentuation of the abnormal characteristics soon occurs, at 4 to 7 hours after adsorption, and results in stage II. Stage III represents the appearance of cells after their rate of virus release had passed its maximum, and probably the abnormal morphology of these cells reflects non-specific physiological damage. There seems to be consistency between the previously described cellular changes as seen under the light microscope and the finer scale changes reported here. Cytoplasmic bodies, called U bodies, were seen in large number at the time when the virus release was the most rapid (stage II). While these bodies are not of proper size to be considered polio virus, they seem to be specifically related to the infection. No evidence was found for the presence of particles that could even be presumptively identified with those of polio virus

The Role of Policy in the Fight Against Desertification in the Middle Atlas Mountains

By all observable accounts, desertification is exacting a toll on the rural populations of Morocco, potentially leading to social and economic instability. With almost all of Morocco and the majority of the African continent characterized by high vulnerability, it is incumbent upon policy makers and program developers to understand the full parameters of the threat to humanity security. Through process tracing, this paper examines the issue of desertification as a function of the macro-level policies that have been implemented, environmental indicators, and the knowledge, behavior and beliefs of rural villagers in one particular targeted location. Without generalizing to the larger population, findings identify the lack of empowerment as a key factor inhibiting progress in the fight against desertification. This includes the failure to include women in promoting lifestyle changes and the lack of community and social tools necessary to trigger mobilization amongst individual villagers. Government expenditures are not likely to be able address these issues through macro-level policies due to the localized nature of the problem. As such, developing a system that effectively transfers knowledge and resources from external entities (government and NGOs) to local actors that can facilitate local empowerment is essential in bringing about the needed action to fight desertification

Grappling with the complexity of the New Zealand Curriculum: Next steps in exploring the NZC in initial teacher education.

Teacher educators in New Zealand are charged with supporting student teachers' understandings of the New Zealand Curriculum document (Ministry of Education, 2007). Integral to this challenge is the need to provide relevant knowledge and understandings that are contextually and pedagogically appropriate (Fullan, 2007; Jasman, 2003). Aspects of the "front end" of the New Zealand Curriculum document such as the vision, principles, values and key competencies along with the learning area statements need to be understood by newly graduated teachers who will be applying this curriculum in their own classrooms. This paper reports on ongoing research investigating and reflecting on student-teacher understandings of these components of the New Zealand curriculum, on completion of three different compulsory papers within the Bachelor of Teaching degree and Graduate Diploma of Teaching (Primary). Implications for pre-service teacher education and for supporters of provisionally registered teachers are considered

Contemporary Africa on Screen

A year-long programme of screenings, discussions and workshops centred on film and video by African artists. Contemporary Africa on Screen explores the global relevance of African creative expression and experience through film, video and new media. Through the images and voices of artists living and working in Africa and throughout the African diaspora, it raises the issues that matter most in Africa today. The programme brings new work from Africa to London, screening rough cuts and rare material. New work will also be made and shown, produced by artists working with local communities in south London, with outdoor screenings on Sceaux Gardens estate in Camberwell and debates co-facilitated by artists, academics and members of London’s diverse African communities. Curated by Jennifer Bajorek (Goldsmiths, University of London) and the SLG in partnership with Juma Bah (Community Action Southwark)

An investigation of the views, understanding, knowledge, experience and attitudes of sixth form teachers in regard to the preparedness of their students for the transition to university

Research has identified that many students feel significantly unprepared for university life and study While much work has been done to identify ways in which universities can successfully support their students through transition, little attention has been paid, in the literature, to the preparation students receive in school. This report details a mixed methods study to better understand the role of 6th form teachers in preparing students for university and their perceptions of how prepared their students are for Higher Education A number of recurring themes emerged from the resultant transcripts and where supported by quantitative findings. The teachers in the study clearly believed that they had an important role to play in preparing their students for university. Much of this role is currently focussed on career planning, promoting university, helping students make choices and supporting them through the application process. While some work is taking place to help students develop personally and academically, most teachers indicated that they would like to be able to do more in this area. There were broad agreements and concerns about the personal growth and emotional resilience of students. Focus group participants, whose students are, in the main, from non-traditional university going backgrounds also indicated cultural barriers. Teachers in both phases of the research also indicated concerns that many of their students were unable to visualise the future or prioritise beyond immediate concerns and this was undermining planning and preparation. Academic concerns were not shared by all schools, although some indicated that they believed many of their students would struggle to integrate academically into higher education. Teachers in the qualitative phase also identified time, resources, culture and current student attitudes and behaviours as barriers to their ability to do more to prepare their students.Funded through the National Network for Collaborative Outreach, North East Midlands Collaborative Outreach Networ