title: Clergy care: who heals the healers?

contributor:
Jackson, Charles Edward (author)
(MacRae, Andrew) (Thesis advisor)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)

subject: LE3 .A278 1998

abstract: This thesis-project addresses the issue of the care of clergy, with special reference to the Baptist Convention of Ontario and Quebec, Canada. Three focus areas are God's care, self-care and congregational/denominational care. The need for the study arises from the current changes in the areas of democratization, authority, and culture and society as they relate to clergy care. Selected Old and New Testament characters are considered, as their calling and care suggest a model for modern clergy. A review of the literature considers the pastor and his role, pastoral failure, the clergy family, clergy and congregational conflict, and denominational support services. A questionnaire was sent to 291 pastors with a response of 154, (52.92%). Overall, there was a satisfaction with God's care and self-care. Greater attention to congregational and denominational support services was needed in the areas of the clergy family, conflict management, and the role of the Area Minister. Recommendations were made to congregations, clergy, and the denomination in order to encourage healthy churches and clergy.

abstract: Acadia Divinity College


title: Partners' attributions for memory performance in interpersonal relationships

type: Text Dissertation/Thesis

contributor:
Pringle, Jennifer D. (author)
(Holmberg, Diane) (Thesis advisor)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)

rights: The author grants permission to the University Librarian at Acadia University to reproduce, loan or distribute copies of my thesis in microform, paper or electronic formats on a non-profit basis. The author retains the copyright of the thesis.

subject: LE3 .A278 1999

abstract: This thesis examined individuals' reactions to their partners' memory of an event in their shared past. Partners in 39 dating and married relationships exchanged prompted written descriptions of their first date together and privately recorded their reactions to their partners' recall. Another 15 couples did not exchange their reports, as a control for effects of sharing the report on the number of memories reported. Results indicated that males and females in both groups described the date in comparable detail, although females were credited with better perceived recall of relationship events. Participants were pleased with their partners' performance overall and indicated it had a positive effect on relationship quality. Better partner recall was associated with more positive attributions, especially for females. Results of this exploratory study contradict previous findings and encourage further study of reactions to relational memory.

abstract: Psychology


title: The effect of the Dayak worldview, customs, traditions, and customary law (adat-istiadat) on the interpretation of the Gospel in West Kalimantan, Indonesian Borneo

contributor:
Thomson, Larry Kenneth (author)
(Matthews, Bruce) (Thesis advisor)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)

subject: LE3 .A278 2000

abstract: Personal, family, and community affairs of Dayaks, the indigenous people of West Kalimantan (Indonesian Borneo), are regulated by bodies of social and cultural norms, laws, ceremonies, and rituals called 'adat'. ' Adat' is founded on, and intertwined with animistic beliefs. Dayaks traditionally live in small isolated villages in the tropical rainforests of Kalimantan where they subsist primarily through swidden (slash-and-burn) agriculture. 'Adat' is relied upon to provide guidance for surviving in the face of the many challenges posed by the environment. ' Adat' provides guidance for deciding on the time and place to clear forest for planting, and when to plant and harvest. It includes regulations that guide interpersonal and community relationships and activities. Preservation of physical health, avoidance of injury, and healing from disease and injury when they occur is an important function of 'adat'. 'Adat' is based on a view of the world as consisting of visible (physical) and invisible (spiritual) elements. There is interaction and mutual influence between these two realms at every level and in every aspect of life. It is essential to maintain harmony between the visible and invisible realms. When there is discord of any kind--between people, or between spirit forces and people--the spirit forces might express their displeasure by interfering for ill in human affairs. When misfortune occurs it is often diagnosed as caused by an offence against some spiritual beings or forces that must then be appeased with appropriate rituals, payments, or taboos. Spirit beings and forces also rely on attention and care from humans and thus can be negotiated with to influence human events for good in exchange for favors. The primary role of the Dayak traditional belief system as embodied in 'adat' is to ensure survival and well being in the physical realm. Many Dayaks have readily adopted Christianity. Frequently, however, they resort to traditional beliefs and practices in times of personal, family, or community crises. This may happen because Christianity, which conflicts with many traditional Dayak beliefs and practices, does not purport to be a system for ensuring physical subsistence, health, and safety. The absence of adequate medical care, appropriate modern farming technology and inputs, combined with a worldview in which physical events are caused by spiritual elements, leads many Dayak converts to Christianity to respond in traditional ways during times of crises. In the presentation of the Gospel, and in subsequent discipleship and teaching, Dayak Christians need to address the issue of the different goals and expectations of Christianity and traditional Dayak beliefs, specifically that Christianity does not purport to be an avenue for ensuring physical subsistence. When Dayaks hear the Gospel, the message is filtered through their worldview, which is embodied in 'adat'. An Indonesian language study guide based on this examination of the differences between traditional Dayak beliefs and Christianity was circulated among Dayak church leaders. The study guide was intended to catalyze discussion about the different intentions of Christianity and traditional beliefs, with the hope and expectation that Dayak Christians themselves will develop a biblically based theology appropriate to their particular cultural setting.

abstract: Acadia Divinity College


title: A Marxist political economy approach to the Atlantic Canadian consumer co-operative grocery stores

contributor:
Doherty, Jason Philip (author)
(Sacouman, Jim) (Thesis advisor)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)

subject: LE3 .A278 2000

abstract: This thesis explores the Atlantic Canadian consumer co-operative grocery stores in relation to the experience of consumer, worker, and manager members. This thesis employs an exploratory case study and semi-structured interview research design in order to collect, analyse, and present the perceptions of interview participants. The model of reasoning used in thesis study is primarily deductive beginning with a review of cooperative and Marxist political economic literature. However, inductive reasoning adds colour to this thesis by utilising what the interview participants think is important about the Atlantic Canadian consumer co-operative grocery stores. Three general research questions are used to guide the investigation of the Atlantic Canadian consumer cooperative grocery stores. First, how is the relationship between worker and consumer owners of the co-operative store similar to the relationship between employees and shareholders found in a capitalist store as depicted in the Marxist literature? Second, is the memberships' control over management less effective and less democratic than shareholder control over management in the strictly capitalist form of business as depicted in the Marxist literature? Third, how is the relationship between worker and manager owners in the co-operative store similar to the relationship between workers and management found in a capitalist store as depicted in the Marxist literature? This thesis concludes by defining a Marxist political economy approach to the Atlantic Canadian consumer co-operative grocery stores. Recommendation for further study of the Atlantic Canadian consumer co-operative grocery stores are outlined in the conclusion.

abstract: Sociology


title: Silent screams: a study on the journey of abused women

contributor:
Szeto, Lily (author)
(MacKinnon, David) (Thesis advisor)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)

subject: LE3 .A278 2000

abstract: This study examines the life history of three abused women who are also mothers. The study is dedicated to advocacy for women and provides a channel for the readers to understand the lives of the abused women and their children. This study will explore the process of living in, as well as leaving the abusive relationship. The research will document the complex steps through which women pass as they make positive changes in their lives. The voices of three abused survivors speak to this issue through in-depth interviews.

abstract: Education


title: Behavioural toxicology of common loons (Gavia immer) in the Canadian Maritimes

contributor:
Nocera, Joseph John (author)
(Taylor, Phil) (Thesis advisor)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)

subject: LE3 .A278 1999

abstract: Mercury is a global pollutant that negatively impacts visual function, breeding behaviour, and development of animals. Common loons (Gavia immer) are high trophic level, visually oriented predators suggested to be sensitive to mercury (Hg) contamination. Previous studies have shown that exposure to Hg in prey is associated with changes in pre-nesting adult loon behaviour. Loons in Kejimkujik National Park (Nova Scotia, Canada) have the highest blood Hg concentrations of any loon population tested. I monitored the summer behaviour of loons in Kejimkujik and the Lepreau watershed (New Brunswick, Canada) to test the hypothesis that high Hg levels in Kejimkujik are associated with negative behavioural impacts. The amount of time that chicks spend brooding (by back-riding) decreases as Hg levels in their blood rise and preening increases. The concomitant increase in energy expenditure is not compensated with increases in feeding rates or begging. More frequent back-riding is associated with improved fledging success. Adult behaviour and hunting patterns appeared to be affected by Hg, but not significantly so. I also show that time activity budgets of very young chicks indicate effects of Hg concentrations in their blood. However, the behaviour of breeding and non-breeding adults is not a sensitive indicator of in situ contamination levels. I confirm the hypothesis that loons and other upper-trophic level predators could be at risk from elevated levels of bioavailable Hg. This may help explain the chronically low productivity of contaminated sites such as Kejimkujik, and allow for more focused management initiatives.

abstract: Biology


title: The shadows of imperfection: a study of self-reflexivity in R. K. Narayan's The guide, Taslima Nasrin's Lajja, and Salman Rushdie's Midnight's children

contributor: Zambare, Aparna V. (Aparna Vasant) (author)

subject: LE3 .A278 1999

abstract: This thesis aims at examining the complex narrative mode of self-reflexivity, ascertaining how it serves the postcolonial agenda of destabilizing the power of Eurocentric literary discourse, the discourse that marginalized literary traditions of subject peoples. Derived from ancient literary traditions, self-reflexive narrative asserts the cultural identity of colonized societies. In particular, this thesis focuses on three self-reflexive novels from the Indian subcontinent: R. K. Narayan's 'The Guide', Taslima Nasrin's 'Lajja ', and Salman Rushdie's 'Midnight's Children'. The self-reflexive techniques employed in each of these narratives vary a great deal. Narayan's 'The Guide' is modeled on various ancient patterns of storytelling and on mythic traditions. Nasrin's 'Lajja' uses a distinctive technique of mixing non-literary registers with literary to resist the ruling culture in Bangladesh, and to represent the ruled. Rushdie's ' Midnight's Children' seems to combine the strengths of the other two narratives in the service of its decolonizing agenda. Like 'The Guide ', it makes ample use of ancient storytelling techniques to validate indigenous discourses. And like 'Lajja', it makes ample use of historical and cultural events in India's history to interrogate many colonialist assumptions in discursive practices. All these novels employ a self-reflexive narrative mode as a counter-discursive strategy that resists totalizing colonialist literature and reconnects with their obscured literary past.

abstract: English & Theatre Studies


title: Landscapes of the unconscious: toward a deeper understanding of self through dream-work

contributor:
Patton, Vicki J. (author)
(Shields, Carmen) (Thesis advisor)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)

subject: LE3 .A278 1999

abstract: This dissertation is a narrative exploration of dream work and its value in my own experience as a developing therapist. It is my contention that dream work involves the identification and amplification of personal metaphor and symbol, and the identification of recurring themes which are reflective of one's personal life experience. I believe dream work can enable one to identify as well the personal myth or script by which one has lived one's life. In my experience, dream work has been an effective means of discerning my own intuitive inner voice over the years. It has also enabled me to be more fully aware of my emotional and psychological dynamics, and their potential impact on my therapeutic practice and therapeutic relationships. My research is autobiographical in nature and draws from journals kept over a twenty-year period. It also chronicles for the reader a gradual coming to voice, to self-realization and to a new perception of wholeness. In many ways in the writing, I have become my own therapist,and like my clients, found myself taken places I never expected to go by the process. One never knows where the road will lead when one embarks upon a journey.

abstract: Education


title: Centrifugal force?: political parties and Canadian federalism

contributor:
Combs, Matthew J. (author)
(Stewart, Ian) (Thesis advisor)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)

subject: LE3 .A278 1999

abstract: Given that parties control the executive and legislative branches of Canada's federal and provincial governments, we would expect the party system to influence the distribution of state authority between Ottawa and the provinces. In other words, the party system should play a role in determining the degree of centralization in Canadian federalism. The purpose of this thesis is to assess party's contribution to the Canadian federal equation. More specifically, does the party system act to preserve or undercut the federal/provincial power-sharing that defines Canadian federalism? As a means of addressing this question, this thesis conducts a Canadian test of William Riker's party-causality thesis. According to Riker, the survival of a federal system hinges upon the party system's defense of the federation's weaker partner. Party's defense of provincial order interests prevents a centralized federation from evolving into a unitary state; whereas party's defense of federal order interests prevents a decentralized federation from devolving into a confederation. Ultimately, Riker's thesis does not withstand testing in the Canadian laboratory. Nevertheless, the process of examining Riker proves valuable to the creation of a new causal model for analyzing party's influence on federal centralization. Building upon Riker's efforts, this causal model permits measurement of the party system's affect on Canadian federalism over the last generation. The conclusion: the contemporary Canadian party system acts to exacerbate the decentralization of Canadian federalism.

abstract: Politics


title: In search of wholeness: an examination of wholeness for the Christian Baptist Church of Newmarket, Ont

contributor:
Shaughnessy, Robert E. (author)
(Veinotte, Dennis) (Thesis advisor)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)

subject: LE3 .A278 2000

abstract: Four questions helped to guide and create the thesis-project: What is wholeness? Can it be experienced in today's high-pressured and demanding world? How can wholeness be experienced? How can a pastor help his/her parishioners to better understand wholeness? The thesis-project's purpose was to declare the unique message and gift that is found in Christ and to present him as the source and sustainer of wholeness. The thesis-project was to serve as a case study of a pastor and his people as they sought to learn more about the experience of wholeness. The thesis-project also provided a pastor with an opportunity to create a study-guide that could be used as a tool for examining, discussing, and learning more about, the issue of wholeness. A study-guide was created that examined wholeness as it is presented in Secular Humanism, Jungian Psychology, and the Christian Faith. A questionnaire, called 'Questions and Reflections', was given to the participants before and after the sessions that was used to discover any changes in views and understanding. Ten participants met for six evenings, one per week, from seven-thirty p.m. to nine p.m. The study-guide, as the sessions revealed, generated stimulating and informative discussions. The thesis-project's goals were achieved as a pastor and his people traveled together towards a deeper understanding of wholeness.

abstract: Acadia Divinity College


title: Shifting the goal posts and changing the rules: the privatization of the Canadian health care system

contributor:
Chin-Yee, Fiona (author)
(Powers, Ann Marie) (Thesis advisor)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)

subject: LE3 .A278 1997

abstract: This thesis uses a structuralist framework to examine the pressures that are being exerted on the Canadian health care system. The analogy that is used refers to a playing field. By shifting the location of the goal posts and changing the rules of the game, the old goal posts disappear and their objectives become irrelevant. The thesis asks those people who actively seek to influence government social policy, what their perceptions are on the benefits and problems caused by increased privatization initiatives in the Canadian health care system. A number of critical themes have emerged from this study. From a structural perspective there are three key points: the position of the health care system within the public system; the position of the public system within the emerging framework of the national government and the position of the national government within the global economy. From an ideological perspective the theme centres on the analysis that is coming from both the 'new' right and the 'new' left. The management theme is of the relative importance of 'evidence' in the development of public policy designed to meet the goals and objectives of the health care system. The theoretical model of the convergence of interest demonstrates the pressures that are creating an environment where the goals and objectives of the Canada Health Act have become obsolete. It appears that in recent times the 'goal posts' have moved and the rules of the game have changed. Finally, the question returns to the challenge of maintaining the public's trust in the Canadian health care system.

abstract: Sociology


title: Unintentional community: alternative community in the Annapolis Valley

contributor:
Holm, Heather Louise (author)
(Powers, Ann Marie) (Thesis advisor)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)

subject: LE3 .A278 1998

abstract: This thesis provides a cultural, historical, and demographic profile of a self-defined alternative community in and around Wolfville, in the Annapolis Valley of Nova Scotia. The author, an insider to the group, used a varied, mostly qualitative methodology including fieldwork, questionnaires and interviews. The group's experience in natural foods, the back-to-the-land movement, environmentalism, mid-wifery, the human potential movement, spirituality, alternative health, music, and death and dying is recounted. The group's impact on, and partial integration with, the surrounding mainstream community is discussed. Unifying themes include the quest for the Natural or real, a sense of collectivity, a willingness to experiment, and the application of these qualities to events in the life cycle. The structure of a community without clear boundaries is explained in terms of centres of interest, or "nodes," and the attraction these nodes hold for individuals. A Literature review traces the roots of the cultural elements in the counterculture of the 1960s and 1970s. Theoretical and methodological approaches are based on A. P. Cohen's work on the authorship of the self and the conscious use of the researcher's self to know others, Cohen's work on community, grounded theory, and participatory research.

abstract: Sociology


title: St. Philip's African Orthodox Church: a case study of a unique religious institution

contributor:
Harding, Kimberly L. (author)
(Matthews, Bruce) (Thesis advisor)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)

subject: LE3 .A278 1998

abstract: This thesis is the result of a qualitative case study conducted within the congregation of St. Philip's African Orthodox Church in the neighbourhood of Whitney Pier in Sydney, Nova Scotia. St. Philip's is the only parish of the AOC in Canada. The purpose of this thesis is to understand and illustrate the uniqueness of this church. This is accomplished through an examination of the church's history in the area and the social supports the church offers to the contemporary Black community. A total of 10 long interviews were conducted with members of the congregation, as well as interviews with other clergy members in the Sydney area. The findings of this study support its designation as a unique religious institution.

abstract: Sociology


title: The use of ISDN signaling for real-time applications at homes and small businesses

contributor:
Prakash, Nisheeth (author)
(Elkateeb, Ali) (Thesis advisor)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)

subject: LE3 .A278 1998

abstract: Integrated Services Digital Networks (ISDN) is an end-to-end digital telecommunications network providing the capability to transmit voice, data, facsimile, telemetry, signaling, and slow motion video. In this thesis, the use of the narrowband ISDN has been explored for the real-time applications at homes and small businesses. We have classified some of the real-time applications at homes and small businesses into different categories and have investigated LAP-D protocol (Q.921) and Call Control Protocol (Q.931) to support the real-time applications. The user-to-user signaling connection over the D-Channel has been explored to develop a framework for these real-time applications. High level scenarios and the protocol message and bit level scenarios have been designed for these real-time applications at homes and small businesses. A testing model has been developed on the SUN SPARC station in Solaris environment and few of the applications have been successfully tested using our model.

abstract: Computer Science


title: Why a select group of Bahamian female adult learners return to the classroom and how their return impacted their personal and professional lives

contributor:
Darling, Sylvia Elizabeth (author)
(Brown, Margaret) (Thesis advisor)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)

subject: LE3 .A278 1999

abstract: A review of the available literature indicates that adults are returning to the classroom at a phenomenal rate, with over 40 million in the United States alone. My personal experience in the Bahamas convinces me that even in developing countries, adults are indeed returning to the classroom, the majority being women. This study attempted to provide answers to the question: Why do some Bahamian women working outside the home, with families and other social responsibilities, return to the classroom? Following a recruitment process, three Bahamian women volunteered to tell of their decision to return to the classroom and how their personal and professional lives were affected as a result. Each of the women was interviewed for approximately 70 minutes, with the aid of eight semi-structured questions. The findings indicated that these Bahamian women were remarkably similar to women in industrialized countries like the United States, Great Britain, and Canada. They returned for economic and job related reasons. The credentials had to constantly be updated so that the women could remain employed and competitive in the work-place. The implications of the findings to education practices in the Bahamas are discussed.

abstract: Education


title: Investigating flood risk in an ungauged watershed using LiDAR, GIS, and HEC tools

contributor:
Stiff, Douglas T. (author)
(Spooner, Ian) (Thesis advisor)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)
(Webster, Tim) (Thesis advisor)

subject: LE3 .A278 2008

abstract: This study was initiated because there is a concern over the predication and recurrence of significant flooding in the town of Oxford, Nova Scotia. The Oxford watershed is ungauged and modelling parameters required for HEC-HMS were derived based on the analogous, gauged, River John watershed. Voronoi polygons were used to distribute precipitation within the watersheds and Soil Conservation Society curve numbers were calculated using LandSat ETM+ imagery and soil drainage data. Base flow was calculated using a ratio to peak of 0.11 and recession constant of 0.87. The constant rate of infiltration is 0.074m/hr. Recurrence intervals calculated for the Oxford watershed show that the September 1999 flood was a 1 in 23 year event and that 10, 25 and 100 year floods have flows of 156 m3/s, 197 m3/s and 258 m3/s respectively. Inundation was mapped for these events using HEC-RAS. New and repeatable techniques for simulating flooding events in rural Nova Scotia were developed by using LiDAR intensity and height data as an indicator of friction and selecting and analogous basin for use in the HEC-HMS modelling system. Sensitivity analysis shows that SCS curve number is by far the most important factor in watershed modelling and variations by 10% result in changes of recurrence interval peak flows of between 8% and 10%.

abstract: Earth & Environmental Sciences


title: Life in the Faslane: Faslane Peace Camp and the protest camp network in the UK

contributor:
Macdonald, Sarah (author)
(Sacouman, Jim) (Thesis advisor)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)

subject: LE3 .A278 2008

abstract: The central purpose of this thesis is to explore and better understand Faslane Peace Camp's approach to disarmament and their methods of protest as well as to understand Faslane's connection to the larger network of social movement organizations establishing camps as a method of protest throughout the UK. The central argument is that Faslane Peace Camp has developed a counter-hegemonic frame that relates it to other movements for peace, social, and environmental justice. Frame analysis, new social movement theories, and research mobilization theories are all applied to the research data to gain a fuller perspective of Faslane Peace Camp and the protest camp network in the UK. Studying this network is crucial to help better understand SMO's in the UK and to encourage their growth and development.

abstract: Sociology


title: A statistical model for fault inference in Wireless Sensor Networks

contributor:
Xing, Xinyu (author)
(Shakshuki, Elhadi) (Thesis advisor)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)
(Zhang, Ying) (Thesis advisor)

subject: LE3 .A278 2008

abstract: An embedded sensor network is a system of nodes, each equipped with a certain amount of sensing, actuating, computation, communication and storage resources. Two major components of sensor nodes are a sensing unit and a wireless transceiver. They interact directly with nodes in Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs) that are easily prone to failure due to hardware failure, communication link errors, energy depletion, malicious attack, etc. Even if the sensor node hardware is good, still the communication among sensor nodes depends on many factors such as signal strength, obstacles, and interference. Degradation of these factors results in low reliability of performance of sensor nodes. One of the key prerequisites for an effective and efficient embedded sensor system is the development of a low cost, low overhead, highly resilient fault-inference technique. To address the issue of fault inference in micro-sensors, a statistical model is proposed. The proposed model involves a fault inference engine. This engine profits from an Expectation Maximization algorithm to evaluate sensor nodes' fault probabilities. Theoretical analysis and simulation experiments are conducted to demonstrate the effectiveness of this model.

abstract: Computer Science


title: Acadian Forest stewards: a literature critique, book composition, and validation of the book concerning forest ecology and forest management in Nova Scotia

contributor: (Bondrup-Nielsen, Soren) (Thesis advisor)

subject: LE3 .A278 1997

abstract:
The Acadian Forest is an integral part of the social and economic fabric of Nova  Scotia- The forestry industry in Nova Scotia
generates over a billion dollars a year  (National Forestry Database, 1995). As well, forests are important as part our ecological life support system. Historically, forest management has left the Acadian Forest in  poor  condition (Swift 1983, DNR 1987-9 1). Forest Management needs to be improved, especially since increasing pressures on  the  wood supply are
making more intensive management necessary. For example, the Nova Scotia Government plans to double the amount of
wood harvested, fiom 3.9 million cubic rnetres, by the year 2025 (MacFarIane and MacDonald, 1993). As pressures on the Acadian Forest increase it becomes more and more important to have good educational materials available to our high
school students.
who
will
be
the
next
generation of
foresters
and
citizens.
A
comprehensive
critique
of
materials
presently
available
to
high
school
students
in Nova
Scotia
shows
that
such
material
is
not available
in
Nova
Scotia
Thus
1
have
written
a
book
on
forestry
and
forest
ecology
in
Nova
Scotia,
targeted
at
the
high
school
comprehension
level.
This
book
focuses
on
a
merging  of
ecological  issues
with
economic
realities.
The
main
themes
are:
Holistic
forestry,
Stewardship,
Integrated
Resource
Management
and
Forestry/wildlife
issues.
The
book
is
written
as
a
story
of
a
family
and
their
woodlot,
as
well
as
a
text
book on
forestry,
and
forest
functions
and
values.
To
assess
the
accuracy
of
the
information
presented  in
the
book
a
validation
test
was
conducted-
This
test evaluates
the
information
in
terms
of
depth,
comprehension,
accuracy
and
style.
The
result
of
the  validation
test
is
an
overwhelming
endorsement of
the
book
as
an
educational
tool
for
high
school
students

abstract: Biology


title: A study of dissociation from the student's perspective: implications for classroom teachers

contributor:
Ewert, Carole Anne (author)
(Sumarah, John) (Thesis advisor)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)

subject: LE3 .A278 1997

abstract: The purpose of this study was to explore the meanings by which dissociative students understand their school experiences, and to identify ways in which educators can support dissociative students in the classroom. Dissociation was examined in light of historical conceptualizations to facilitate a shift to perspectives which support students in an educational setting. Semi-structured indepth interviews were conducted with three young women who had recently been diagnosed with a dissociative disorder. Results of the interviews suggest that the importance of developing connections within the classroom environment is paramount. Within the context of a relationship between the student and teacher, the educator can begin to create safety for the student, demonstrate flexibility and creativity in approaches to the curricular content, and re-frame behavioural issues to honour the needs of each of the student's parts of self while negotiating mutually satisfactory outcomes. Any interventions with dissociative students should be judged by the extent to which the intervention is likely to increase connections between the student and any aspect of the educational experience.

abstract: Education


title: Use of the Biolog system to characterize size fractionated components of an estuarine heterotrophic bacterial community

contributor:
Moffitt, E. Scott (author)
(Bell, Colin) (Thesis advisor)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)

subject: LE3 .A278 1997

abstract: A review of the present state of microbial ecology with emphasis on the Biolog system of community profiling: conventional topics, fatty acid profiling and nucleic acid techniques are discussed. Microbial communities from the Cornwallis estuary, Atlantic Canada, (45$\sp0$ 06$\sp\prime$N, 63$\sp0$ 24$\sp\prime$W), were characterized from late June to late September 1995, using Biolog GN community profiles. Communities were separated into three details by either being left whole (crude) or size fractionated by filtration to obtain the attached and free-floating portions. The continuous variable slope was used for principal component analysis (PCA). Slope is the result of curve fitting the optical density (OD) vs time graphs with the appropriate function for its shape. The PCA appears to indicate a shift in the structural and functional diversity midway through the summer. The June and July samples group in a similar, loose, fashion on all three axes of the PCA plot, with a noticeable shift occurring in the late July samples. The August and September samples are grouped in a tight cluster, indicating a high degree of similarity. The supporting data are in agreement with these observations. Plots of the mean corrected optical density (optical density minus the Al control well) show a distinction between the free-floating portion and the others. The metabolic profiles based on the Biolog system indicate a shift in the functional ability of the community, however they do not indicate if this functional shift is a result of physiological adaptation or a structural shift in community members. Additional data (total counts, total and fecal coliform counts, tritiated thymidine and viable counts) indicates both structural and functional involvements in the shift. The interpretation of the Biolog profile is ongoing. Determination of structural or functional influences on metabolic potentials are necessary before functional diversity measurements can be facilitated.

abstract: Biology


title: An examination of two unconventional methods to assess resource use by two New Brunswick forest mammals  : the marten and the northern flying squirrel

subject: LE3 .A278 1997

abstract: In New Brunswick, forest harvesting practices may be putting at risk the viability of many older forest dependent species. Aspects of resource use by two species dependent on older-growth forest characteristics were examined using two unconventional methods. The American marten's (Martes americana) response to habitat characteristics was examined through fractal analyses of track patterns. Marten travel was more direct at the 1 to 4.5 m scale than at the 4.5 to 50 m scale (P $<$ 0.05), indicating different responses to their environment at these two scales. Multiple regressions identified canopy closure and presence of conifer in the understory as variables which influence movement patterns (P $\le$ 0.10). The potential effects of different forestry practices on northern flying squirrel (Glaucomys sabrinus) movements were examined through homing experiments. Homing success rates were not significantly different among the continuous forest, open canopy plantation, select cut and natural regeneration scenarios (P = 0.176). Homing times for the open canopy plantation scenario were greater than those for continuous forests and select cuts (P = 0.002). A canopy cover and an assortment of age classes may be important considerations when managing for marten habitat. Although open canopy plantations may affect northern flying squirrel movements, homing is possible when forested areas surround these stands.

abstract: Biology


title: A temporal and spatial comparison of the movements of three frogs, genus Rana, among farm and forested landscapes in the Annapolis Valley, Nova Scotia

contributor:
Nadorozny, Nicole Dorathea (author)
(Taylor, Phil) (Thesis advisor)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)

subject: LE3 .A278 1997

abstract: The temporal and spatial movements of Rana sylvatica, Rana pipiens and Rana clamitans was assessed at three scales in two landscapes, one dominated by forested habitat, the other by agriculture. The results of the three studies support the conclusion that specific elements within landscapes influence the movement of these three species to and from breeding sites. Results of the seasonal survey (n = 195 days) indicate that at a broad scale, temporal movement patterns are tri-phasic for all three species, with peak movements occurring in the spring, mid summer and early fall. The spatial movement patterns suggest that stream and riparian habitat impede movements to ponds in the non-forested landscape but facilitate movements in the forested landscape. The size of the frog contributes to the movement patterns observed. Results of the mark-recapture study indicate that at a meso scale, the movements of frogs displaced within 300 metres from philopatric ponds (n = 24 routes) are influenced by type of habitat. The data indicate that field habitat facilitates movement to ponds, and linear aquatic elements impede movements to ponds. Results of the telemetry study using R. clamitans (n = 32), indicate that at a fine spatial scale, the specific responses to different habitat types influences movement. Forested habitat, residential areas and linear aquatic elements impede movements (frogs remain in these habitats for extended periods of time) across the landscape. Fields with and without cover and roads facilitate movements (high rates of movement) across the landscape. In all three studies, drainage ditches in the non-forested landscape appear to act as barriers to movement. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)

abstract: Biology


title: Popular sovereignty and constitutional reform in Canada

contributor:
Clarke, Gregory Eugene (author)
(Pyrcz, Greg) (Thesis advisor)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)

subject: LE3 .A278 1997

abstract: Sovereignty is a concept well suited to addressing the nature of legislative authority. In this thesis I argue that contemporary proposals for constitutional reform in Canada poorly comprehend the nature of legislative authority. The marriage of the parliamentary form of government to the federal principle makes the determination of legislative authority problematic, at least in part, because it fails to develop an adequate conceptualization of sovereignty. Instead, legislative authority is described in terms of the division of powers between two orders of equal and co-ordinate government, each possessing legislative autonomy as established by the constitution. This description presumes the resolution of the issue of the source of legislative authority in the Canadian political community to the detriment of constitutional resolution.

abstract: Politics


title: Moments of transcendence: a psychospiritual interpretation of psychic, conversion, and mystical experiences

contributor:
Bousquet, Marie H. (author)
(Sumarah, John) (Thesis advisor)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)

subject: LE3 .A278 1998

abstract: This study examines various phenomenological events associated with a sense of knowing, the process that leads to them, and the interpretation given them by the informants. These events include but are not limited to psychic events (intuition, insight, experiences of fore knowledge or deja-vu), conversion experiences, and mystical experience including visions. Research on phenomenological experiences is limited and has been guided by a predominantly skeptic agenda. Psychic events, usually associated with paranormal manifestations and relegated to the field of parapsychology, continues to be associated with attributive models of psychopathology. While conversion and mystical experiences have a more positive connotation within the confines of faith community, the study of Hermeneutics and Depth Psychology, they have received little attention from a developmental perspective. This research examines these events in the context of both psychological and spiritual development on the premise that psychic, conversion and mystical experiences are the product of natural creative processes inherent to the human experience, an active component of psychological functioning and development, and an integral part of our growth toward our higher goal, our quest towards Transcendence. Structure for understanding the process involved in each experience is provided in the four stage model of spiritual growth (Peck, 1987, ch.5). Results are communicated both in terms of the informant's own understanding and in light of the existing theories. The research concludes with implications for counselling and recommendations for further research.

abstract: Education


title: An evaluation of the potential impacts of some Prince Edward Island impoundments on salmonid habitat

contributor:
MacFarlane, Rosanne E. B (author)
(Brylinsky, Michael) (Thesis advisor)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)

subject: LE3 .A278 1999

abstract: In 1994, a two year study was initiated to determine the impact of small, surface discharge impoundments in Prince Edward Island, Canada, on salmonid habitat. Eight man-made impoundments, varying in size from 2.7 to 34 ha, were chosen to represent a cross section of impoundment types across the Province. Limnological data collected included water temperature, dissolved oxygen, suspended particulate matter, and chlorophyll a. Concentrations of suspended particulate inorganic matter and nutrients were higher in impoundments situated in drainage basins with intensive agricultural land use, however a short water residence time within some impoundments reduced the potential for excessive eutrophication. The impoundments had a positive influence on primary productivity, as indicated by concentration of chlorophyll a, with higher concentrations at the pond and outlet sampling stations in all but one study site. Impoundments in areas of intensive agricultural land use were functioning as sediment traps, with a decrease in suspended particulate inorganic matter from impoundment inlet to outlet. Stratification of dissolved oxygen and water temperature occurred at all impoundments studied, although wide, shallow impoundments had weaker stratification than narrow, deep impoundments. Dissolved oxygen concentration in the hypolimnion of impoundments with long water residence times fell below minimum requirements for salmonids. Supersaturated oxygen concentrations were recorded at three sites, with saturation exceeding 200% at one impoundment with high phytoplankton chlorophyll a biomass and extensive growth of submergent vegetation. Impoundments elevated summer water temperatures, particularly those with a long water residence time. Water temperatures in slow flowing streams with multiple impoundments were found to exceed temperatures deemed suitable for salmonids, both upstream and downstream from the impoundment. The extent of water cooling downstream from impoundments varied, and temperatures downstream from some impoundments remained above maximum acceptable levels for salmonids. General comments and management implications concerning the impoundments studied are presented.

abstract: Biology


title: Mechanisms of nurse egg formation in the spionid polychaete Boccardia proboscidea: an ultrastructural analysis

contributor:
Smith, Heidi Lynn (author)
(Gibson, Glenys) (Thesis advisor)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)

subject: LE3 .A278 1999

abstract: Nurse eggs are commonly produced by spionid polychaetes and gastropod molluscs and serve as sources of extra-embryonic nutrition for developing young. Although the influence of nurse eggs on offspring development has been well documented, the origin of nurse eggs is not understood. I examined nurse egg production in the spionid Boccardia proboscidea using brightfield and fluorescence microscopy. Nurse eggs in this species appear to arise as do viable oocytes. After spawning, nurse eggs produce fertilization envelopes indicating that development has been activated. Nurse eggs are also capable of producing polar bodies which indicates completion of meiosis in those eggs. In addition, I examined ultrastructural changes that accompany nurse egg formation using fluorescence and electron microscopy. Nurse eggs in B.proboscidea maintain the fertilization envelope with surface granules; however, microvilli are lost, and the plasma membrane invaginates and compartmentalizes the cytoplasm into vesicles that are ingested by developing siblings. Vesicle formation in nurse eggs involves the energy producing and synthetic organelles, mitochondria and endoplasmic reticulum. Additionally, nuclear DNA in nurse eggs is cleaved into fragments that stain with the apoptosis-specific fluorescent probe BODIPY-dUTP, which are packaged into the cytoplasmic vesicles. These morphological changes in B.proboscidea nurse eggs are indicative of apoptosis, which suggests that this process is involved in nurse egg formation in this species. Thus, nurse egg production in B.proboscidea is an active developmental process and not simply an artifact of sperm limitation.

abstract: Biology


title: The construction of insanity: the impact of informational cues on perceptions of criminal responsibility

contributor:
Vidmar-Perrins, Mikaela (author)
(Horvath, Peter) (Thesis advisor)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)

subject: LE3 .A278 1999

abstract: The purpose of this thesis was to assess the impact of common elements of planning behaviour on perceptions of criminal responsibility and insanity. 183 jury-eligible participants were recruited from the community. Each participant read one of eight crime scenarios that manipulated the planned or spontaneous choice of a weapon, the presence or absence of stalking, and the severity of the crime. Participants rendered a verdict and completed several attribution scales. The results suggest that the presence of a previously selected weapon and the increased severity of the crime reduced verdicts of Not Criminally Responsible by Reason of Mental Disorder (NCR-MD) and increased jurors' perceptions of the defendant's ability to understand and control his actions. The interaction of crime severity and stalking indicated that generally when the victim died and stalking was involved, verdicts of NCR-MD and perceptions of the defendant's insanity increased. When the victim survived the assault and stalking was involved, however, verdicts of NCR-MD and perceptions of the defendant's insanity decreased. Implications for future research and the criminal justice system are discussed.

abstract: Psychology


title: The latest area of play: postmodern hats for Margaret Atwood's The robber bride

contributor:
Kuhnert, Matthias (author)
(Eustace, John) (Thesis advisor)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)

subject: LE3 .A278 1999

abstract: This thesis investigates Margaret Atwood's 'The Robber Bride' by focusing on the novel's construction of postmodern centres. Informed by the postmodern theories of Linda Hutcheon and Jean-Franois Lyotard, the thesis defines "centre" as the combined value-systems of a particular society or individual. Postmodernism and modernism can be described as different reactions to the same cultural crisis: "the loss of the centre," the break-down of these established systems of belief. While modernist artists try to resolve the crisis by searching for the centre elsewhere, postmodernism gives up the belief in a single centre and recognizes that the world is multicentric. If modernism reacted with angst towards the lost centre, postmodernism celebrates the new multicentricity. 'The Robber Bride ' is a postmodern novel embracing this new polyphony. Chapter 1 constructs a definition of postmodernism from a general, philosophical point of view. Using Lyotard's work on postmodernism and Hutcheon's theories and criticism as guides, it shows how these general definitions of postmodernism can be applied to the study of literature. This introduction serves as theoretical groundwork for a narratological analysis of the novel's discourse and its structure in chapter 2. This narratological analysis prepares for the character study of chapter 3, a close reading of the novel's three protagonists, each of whom, through her own narrative, learns to develop a postmodern ' Weltanschauung'. Chapter 4 concludes the thesis by showing how the novel validates each protagonist as an independent centre and how this validation, in turn, confirms the reading of 'The Robber Bride' as a postmodernist fiction. The appendix of the thesis is an interview with Atwood.

abstract: English & Theatre Studies


title: Coping on the Internet: how widowers use modern technology

contributor:
Baltzer, Elaine Beverly (author)
(Portelli, John) (Thesis advisor)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)

subject: LE3 .A278 1999

abstract: The purpose of this study is to examine and evaluate how widowers use the Internet. The participants for this study were located through Bulletin Boards, personal ads, Chat Rooms and personal profiles at one Internet site. Research questions were submitted via E-mail; correspondence with the participants was conducted by regular postal mail, ICQ and E-mail. The widowers were from Central America, Northern Europe and North America, had been widowed from 1 to 20 years, and ranged from 26 to 68 years of age. Results of the research indicated that most of the men initially used the Internet as way to combat their loneliness by visiting Chat Rooms. Sites that were also popular included those that provided opportunities to meet potential partners as well as those that supplied information that was needed by the widowers. Based on their own experiences, the participants in this study generally felt that the Internet could be a valuable resource for widowers after they have resolved their grief and are no longer ina fragile emotional state.

abstract: Education


title: Literacy development through knowledge building technology in Canada's Eastern Arctic: educators' perspectives

contributor:
Tumblin, Elizabeth J. (author)
(Hemming, Heather) (Thesis advisor)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)

subject: LE3 .A278 2001

abstract: Educators in the Eastern Arctic have been involved in a research project exploring implementation of the computer software program, Knowledge Forum. As an educator involved in that implementation, interest grew in how the software potentially enhanced knowledge building while impacting literacy development. Educators who work with Inuit students are ideally located to examine the relationship between Knowledge Forum and literacy development. Literacy development is not an implicit aim of Knowledge Forum so a review of what constitutes literacy for northern educators became a starting point. Interviews were conducted with volunteer educators, who also participated in the databases with their students. In the course of analyzing the data, it became evident that changing educational influences, perceptions, issues, roles and practices must be interwoven throughout this study. This study suggests that educators view a positive relationship between use of CSILE/Knowledge Forum, knowledge building and literacy development in northern communities.

abstract: Education


title: Hollywood's male: a closer look through the comedic lens

contributor:
Carswell, Sarah June (author)
(Powers, Ann Marie) (Thesis advisor)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)

subject: LE3 .A278 2003

abstract: The purpose of this thesis is to explore the relatively recent concept of "male objectification". The emphasis in the media on the male body with its pressures to look muscular and therefore "manly", is juxtaposed to the well-documented concept of "female objectification" in the media. By looking at comedy films from the 80's through to the present, I discover that men, regardless of their looks or portrayed "manliness" (or lack thereof), are shown to "succeed" in these films. For example, even if the man is unattractive, he is be able to attract the beautiful girls; yet, by way of comparison, the woman in these films is only able to get the attractive man if she is beautiful or has transformed herself into the "ideal", as defined by the literature. It is overwhelmingly evident that it is a man's sensitivity, or caring personality, that enables his "success". Since my research is qualitative, using the interpretive approach, my interpretation searched for "implicit meaning"--meaning that is found through the identification of themes, problems, issues, or questions--as identified by Bordwell (1989, p. 9) and examined the ways in which "social reality" is represented.

abstract: Sociology


title: The meaning and message of embodiment and disability

contributor:
Demmons, Tracy Allison (author)
(Wilson, Jonathan) (Thesis advisor)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)

subject: LE3 .A278 2004

abstract: Christian theology is ambiguous regarding its pith; it is grounded in body language, yet gripped by epistemology. The creation of the world, the redemption of an enslaved people, and the incarnation of God in Jesus, all communicate a message of worth to embodied life. But this bodily message of worth has eroded in importance in the church. Presently the body is often seen as theologically insignificant, null and void, and perhaps at times even vile or depraved, and as inconsequential to the spiritual self. One result of this erosion has been the disregard of people with disabilities by the church. Unique embodiments challenge comfortable presuppositions regarding sin, theocentrism and strength. The anxiety of the church around this challenge has resulted in an annulment of sorts in any sort of body hermeneutic. The weak and defenseless amongst us have much to teach us about vulnerability, community and worship. Once the body is appreciated, accepted and loved, so too can people with disabilities and all they have to give. People with disabilities have much to offer a disembodied, ethereal church. God loves our bodies and desires us to love the image that is of Him. But most of all, He wants us to further our knowledge of truly becoming ourselves, and truly knowing Him.

abstract: Acadia Divinity College


title: Dark materials: shifting shadows in the works of Ursula Le Guin and Philip Pullmans

contributor: (Schwenke Wyile, Andrea) (Thesis advisor)

subject: LE3 .A278 2004

abstract: My thesis "Dark Materials: Shifting Shadows in the Works of Ursula Le Guin and Philip Pullman" proposes a new category of fantastical children's literature which explores difficult themes, such as death. In Chapter One, I introduce how the adult/child hierarchy represses children's literature; fantasy can counter this by subverting methods of signification. In Chapters Two and Three I discuss Le Guin's 'Earthsea' and Pullman's ' His Dark Materials' trilogies, respectively, focusing on the concepts of the shadow and the guide. Within Chapter Four I discuss both authors by examining their approach towards death. Overall, I stress the need for a type of compassionate literature which gives children and young adults the means to explore and develop their sense of self, despite the difficulty of this journey. Dark Materials provide a guide by realizing unspeakable experiences as fantastical spaces, and emphasizes the necessary exchange of power for freedom.

abstract: English & Theatre Studies


title: An evaluation of community assets in Kings and Hants counties to support women with depression in a rural community

contributor:
York, Mandy Lynn (author)
(Horvath, Peter) (Thesis advisor)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)

subject: LE3 .A278 2004

abstract: The aim of this study was to examine the perceptions of community service providers concerning the resources and services available to depressed women in Kings and Hants Counties, Nova Scotia. Representatives from community and volunteer organizations (N = 37) were interviewed to gain knowledge about their perceptions of the causes, prevention, and treatment of depression and the services they could offer to women in their community. The interviews were taped and subjected to content and thematic analyses. The results from this study confirmed that resources are perceived to be available in the community that coincide with an environmental model of treatment, and that organizations are willing to coordinate these services to meet the needs of depressed women. However, even though representatives viewed the prevention services from an environmental perspective, they viewed the treatment services available to these women from a medical/deficit model perspective. In addition, there was a discrepancy between the way representatives viewed the causes of depression and the services used to treat it. Representatives viewed the causes of depression in women from an environmental perspective, but viewed the treatment of depression from a more traditional, medical/deficit approach. Possible explanations for this contradiction are discussed.

abstract: Psychology


title: Nest-site characteristics and the influence of clear-cutting at multiple scales on breeding success of migratory songbirds in Newfoundland

contributor:
Dalley, Kate Louisa Jane (author)
(Taylor, Phil) (Thesis advisor)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)
(Shutler, Dave) (Thesis advisor)

subject: LE3 .A278 2007

abstract: Animal populations can fluctuate depending on fluctuations at multiple scales in habitat availability and habitat structure. Using nest-monitoring and passive mist-netting, I examined the importance of habitat composition at nest-site (5 m), local (20 m), neighbourhood (115 m), and landscape (1250 m) scales, in relation to breeding success of boreal birds. At the scale of the nest-site, each of three species ('Dendroica coronata, Dendroica striata,' and 'Zonotrichia albicollis') non-randomly situated their nests in terms of structural vegetation variables. However, none of the structural variables that distinguished nest-sites from random sites were important predictors of overall nest success or nest predation. When focusing only on nest-sites, neither of the 'Dendroica' species had structural vegetation variables associated with nest success. However, successful 'Zonotrichia albicollis' nests were associated with less canopy cover and woody debris than unsuccessful nests. At local, neighbourhood, and landscape scales, several trends were observed between habitat composition (proportion of clear-cut) and breeding success. First, habitat composition at broader landscape scales became more important to breeding birds as the breeding period progressed. Second, spatial and temporal heterogeneities interacted to make breeding success difficult to predict. Third, influences of habitat composition differed depending on the species, but forest-nesting specialists were more negatively influenced by increased proportions of clear-cut in the surrounding area.

abstract: Biology


title: Phylogenetics of the genus Sorex with a focus on the taxonomic status of the long-tailed (Sorex dispar) and Gasp shrews (S. gaspensis)

contributor:
Shafer, Aaron Boyd Andrew (author)
(Stewart, Donald) (Thesis advisor)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)

subject: LE3 .A278 2007

abstract: The long-tailed shrew ('Sorex dispar') and Gasp shrew ('S. gaspensis') are among the rarest and least studied mammals in North America. Recent mitochondrial and morphological data has suggested that these two shrews are conspecifics. To fully resolve this debate, a combination of mitochondrial (cytochrome 'b' sequence) and nuclear markers (inter-SINE fingerprinting) were applied to specimens representative of the entire species range. However, since inter-SINE fingerprinting is a novel technique, the procedure was first optimized on a cross-section of ' Sorex' shrews representing the major species complexes in North America. Inter-SINE fingerprinting was found to be an effective marker for identifying recently diverged 'Sorex' species and phylogeographic clusters. Furthermore, when compared to the tree produced by cytochrome 'b' data alone, inter-SINE fingerprinting was able to detect an ancestral introgression between two species. To try to resolve the apparent 'star phylogeny' of North American 'Sorex', the cytochrome 'b' sequence and inter-SINE fingerprint data were combined and analyzed under a Bayesian framework. This analysis supported previously undetected deep root structuring within the genus. Now optimized, the technique and analysis of inter-SINE fingerprinting was applied to the taxonomic debate surrounding 'S. dispar' and 'S. gaspensis'. Both cytochrome 'b' sequence and inter-SINE fingerprinting support a single monophyletic group. We recommend recognizing these two taxa as conspecifics, with 'S. dispar' having nomenclatural priority. The historical biogeography and habitat associations of 'S. dispar', discerned from the data collected in this thesis are also discussed.

abstract: Biology


title: Age-structured population models for species of pest mites

contributor:
Gould, Joshua Michael (author)
(Karsten, Richard) (Thesis advisor)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)
(Teismann, Holger) (Thesis advisor)

subject: LE3 .A278 2007

abstract: Various species of pest mites pose significant challenges for apple growers worldwide. In Nova Scotia's Annapolis Valley, infestations of European red mites ('Panonychus ulmi'), among other species, threaten the region's apple orchards. In this thesis, two potential models for simulating the dynamics of 'P. ulmi' are described and analysed. The models considered explicitly incorporate the age structure of the mite population and so contain nonlinearities and delay terms, such that each is comprised of delay-differential equations. Consistent with the generational structure of the mites, each model assumes that the mite population follows delayed density-dependent fecundity, in which current adult population growth is dependent on the size of the adult population at a previous time. The models considered are non-seasonal, with environmental conditions assumed to be constant. With the equation based on Nicholson's blowflies data (Gurney ' et al.', 1980), the population is divided into discrete immature and adult life stages. In contrast, the full non-seasonal system described here incorporates three life stages: eggs, juveniles, and adults. Both models are analysed with respect to their linear stability properties, and each exhibits oscillating solutions under certain conditions.

abstract: Mathematics & Statistics


title: Cocoon-based website globalization framework

contributor:
Shen, Zhinan (author)
(Muldner, Tomasz) (Thesis advisor)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)

subject: LE3 .A278 2007

abstract: The global nature and accessibility of the Internet has generated interest in globalization, i.e., making websites available in various languages and cultures. While the interest in globalization is growing, to date not much research has been done on various aspects of this topic. This thesis describes the design and implementation of a system called CGF (Cocoon-based Website Globalization Framework), which can be used to build globalized websites. The globalization process in CGF consists of two parts: the process of building internationalized data from source data, and the process of localizing internationalized data with locale and culture specific features, such as date/time formats, number formats, currency, colors, and web layout. CGF is a major improvement of the previously developed globalization system, Internationalized Faculty Website (IFW). While IFW supports only a fixed type of data (Curriculum Vitae, CV) and direct translation, CGF makes it possible to create various types of data, such as book libraries, DVD collections, and supports indirect translations, in which translations are performed from the source language into an intermediate language, and then from this intermediate language into the target language. Another improvement of CGF is the efficient representation and storage of source data and their translations, and support for translation reusability. Finally, the use of Cocoon as an implementation vehicle provides greater flexibility and opportunities for future update.

abstract: Computer Science


title: Initial results of an Atlantic salmon river acid mitigation program

contributor:
Halfyard, Edmund A. (author)
(Roff, John) (Thesis advisor)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)
(Brylinsky, Michael) (Thesis advisor)

subject: LE3 .A278 2008

abstract: Acid precipitation negatively affects Atlantic salmon and other aquatic organisms. As stream acidity has not decreased concurrently with decreasing industrial emissions, immediate mitigation initiatives are required for the persistence of some salmon populations. The West River, Sheet Harbour Acid Mitigation project was designed to treat the once prolific salmon river. A monitoring program was conducted over 2.5 years to assess the early impacts of lime additions to the downstream aquatic communities. While signs of salmon recovery are assumed to require at minimum 3.5 years, preliminary signs of recovery were shown in stream chemistry and aquatic invertebrate communities. Acidity levels were reduced to those conducive to successful juvenile Atlantic salmon survival. Downstream aquatic invertebrate communities increased in abundance and realized shifts in relative dominance of some taxa, with the resurgence of those presumably the most acid sensitive.

abstract: Biology


title: Adolescent sexual behavior within an attachment framework

contributor:
Szielasko, Alicia Lynn (author)
(Price, Lisa) (Thesis advisor)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)

subject: LE3 .A278 2007

abstract: Sexual relationships have not been a primary focus of attachment research, despite their importance to the development and maintenance of intimate relationships. The current study examined the role of attachment style in the sexual relationships of late adolescents. Ninety-four 18 and 19 year-old late adolescents (64 females) completed self report questionnaires that included a new measure of sexual attachment style, the 'Sexual Attachment Measure' (SAM), which had dimensions of secure, anxious-ambivalent, and avoidant styles. In addition, they completed self-reports of romantic attachment, sexual approach style, and sexual risk taking. The SAM had good psychometric properties, and the secure style was inversely related to the two insecure styles, with the two insecure styles being positively related. Expected patterns of sexual partner preferences were also related to specific sexual attachment styles. Concurrent validity of the SAM was also demonstrated. In this analysis, secure style was negatively related to romantic insecurity and avoidance. Sexual approach styles showed expected patterns of relations including ambivalence being related to a possessive style, and avoidance related to game playing. Finally, as hypothesized, sexual risk taking was related to sexual attachment style, and security was negatively and avoidance positively related to number of sexual partners, as well as some undesirable sexual behaviors including unwanted sexual experiences and use of verbal coercion. There were some gender differences apparent in this data. Implications of this research for the study of human relationships are discussed.

abstract: Psychology


title: Melodramatic license: the re-imaging of Douglas Sirk's "All that heaven allows" by Rainer Werner Fassbinder and Todd Haynes

contributor:
Comeau, Vance Edward (author)
(Migliarisi, Anna) (Thesis advisor)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)
(Baron, David) (Thesis advisor)

subject: LE3 .A278 2007

abstract: This thesis is an investigation into the tropes of confinement found in three films, all filmic melodramas: Douglas Sirk's 'All That Heaven Allows' (1955), Rainer Werner Fassbinder's 'Ali: Fear Eats the Soul' (1974), and Todd Haynes' 'Far From Heaven' (2002). The thesis explores how these individual directors evoke an emotional response in their viewers through the use of certain aspects of 'mise en scne' (the tropes of confinement) and use these elements as signposts of meaning for the viewer. The three chapters deal with these films in chronological order, beginning with the Sirk film and finishing with Haynes' film. The third chapter demonstrates how Haynes develops the tropes of confinement into what could be termed "aperturization", a more sophisticated trope.

abstract: English & Theatre Studies


title: Segregated inclusion: normalizing difficulty through alternative education

contributor:
Rovers, Petra Lynn (author)
(Day, Deborah) (Thesis advisor)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)

subject: LE3 .A278 2007

abstract: This research illustrates the integral role of five components of an alternative education program for at risk and incarcerated adolescent male students, and specifically describes how the components contribute to the program's success. This research was conducted throughout a five month school-term at an alternative education program operated by the Correctional Services Division of the Nova Scotia Department of Justice. This thesis presents an overview of the alternative school from the perspectives of the students, the program staff, and me, acting in the role of a participant observer. These five contributing components are: normalizing student experiences of difficulty, staff perseverance in working towards student success, the flexible nature of the program structure, a flexible approach to program consequences, and the development of positive relationships between the program staff and students. These components serve to counteract the effects of adversity experienced by many students who access alternative education.

abstract: Education


title: Kids, crime, and coercion: child labour and exploitation in Nova Scotia's illegal economy

contributor:
Debreceni, Alicia M. (author)
(Thomson, Tony) (Thesis advisor)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)

subject: LE3 .A278 2007

abstract: This thesis is a preliminary study to demonstrate that some children in Nova Scotia are exploited by adults in illegal, underground markets in Nova Scotia. Children and youth are exploited in these underground economies in a manner similar to child labour in the formal sector. This use of children under the age of 19 in illegal trades in Canada has not been documented. This thesis has two main purposes. First, it provides a critical analysis of theories of child labour, the bourgeois child, and exploitation, to explain the child labour situation as it relates to illegal Canadian markets. Literature on the precise subject is scarce and this thesis uses a variety of sources on child labour generally and youth crime from Canada and abroad that helps to develop understanding of this social problem. Second, this thesis provides the results of a preliminary investigation into the problem of child labour in illegal, underground markets in Nova Scotia through an analysis of six interviews with experts in the field of youth crime, including three local police officers, a police expert on organized crime in Winnipeg, one social worker from Halifax, and a former member of the sex trade. Findings revealed that children are particularly vulnerable to exploitation, especially those in marginal situations. Juvenile prostitution, underage stripping, theft, and drug trafficking are the most common forms of illegal child labour in the province. Participants for this study revealed that this is a problem that requires further consideration. This is a topic that has received little attention, and additional research is needed so that an effective initiative may be undertaken to combat this form of exploitation.

abstract: Sociology


title: Recognizing missing branches on the tree: a preliminary social analysis of historically-oppressed ethnic minorities in Nova Scotia through genealogy

contributor:
Richardson, Rene L. (author)
(Sacouman, Jim) (Thesis advisor)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)

subject: LE3 .A278 2007

abstract: This thesis provides a preliminary social analysis of three historically-oppressed ethnic minorities in Nova Scotia: Black, Acadian and Mi' kmaq, by researched genealogies documentation and oral history data. The central argument of this thesis is that settlement patterns and labour relations between oppressed minorities contributed to interethnic marriage among such minorities. Settlement patterns and labour streaming are argued to be the main historically structured source for these groups uniting. Genealogical data were gathered for six surnames in Nova Scotia that are common among the three historically oppressed ethnic groups. A series of twelve semi-structured interviews were conducted with individuals from each or all of the three groups discussed in this thesis: Acadians, Blacks and First Nations. Six themes are presented and discussed: religion, identity, work/settlement patterns, difficulty/value of genealogical research, silent racism, social constructs and Acadian/Mtis relations. Portions of this information are kept out of traditional secondary school texts and Nova Scotia residents have the right to understand the multifaceted makeup of the province's cultures. This research is important because for decades various families have been, perhaps, ashamed or unaware that they are representative of interconnected historically-oppressed minority groups.

abstract: Sociology


title: The development of executive functions during preschool: predicting attention deficits in children ages 3 to 5

contributor:
Feldstein, Julia Danielle (author)
(Brodeur, Darlene) (Thesis advisor)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)

subject: LE3 .A278 2008

abstract: Executive function maturation has been clearly documented in early childhood with increased cognitive control emerging later in the preschool years. Despite extensive research, however the associated changes in cognitive development have not been fully specified in normally developing children or children with developmental disabilities. The current study examined cognitive maturation in children three to five years of age through the development of a select number of abilities that have been consistently associated with executive functioning; namely, problem solving and inhibition. The Dimensional Change Card Sort (DCCS) paradigm was used to measure cognitive flexibility in relation to inhibitory capacity and problem solving skills. Through computerized manipulations of the DCCS, the contributions of negative priming and rule-based learning to perseveration behavior were investigated via accuracy and response time measures. The relationship between executive function development and individual differences in attention problem symptoms in typically developing children and those with elevated levels of symptomology was further explored. Attentional capability was assessed via teacher report measures which identified problem behaviors potentially associated with developmental delays in inhibition and attentiveness. Reaction time findings revealed significant age-related effects reflective of inhibitory maturation, as well as predictive relations between DCCS performance and individual attentional abilities. Research was inspired by the premise that early identification of attention deficits may reduce associated impairments in mental health and behavioral functioning.

abstract: Psychology


title: Something to talk about: relationship self-disclosure and feedback as predictors of women's well-being

contributor:
Birnie, Carolyn J. (author)
(Holmberg, Diane) (Thesis advisor)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)

subject: LE3 .A278 2005

abstract: This study examines the connections between women's self-disclosure about their romantic relationships, the nature of feedback received on that self-disclosure (if any), and well-being and subjective benefits. Sixty-one female undergraduate students wrote eight e-mails exploring their deepest thoughts and feelings about their current romantic relationship twice a week, for a period of a month: 21 received no feedback; 40 received feedback from either an anonymous male ('n' = 15) or female ('n' = 16), or their current romantic partner ('n' = 9). Twenty control participants wrote about non-emotional events. Findings include: (1) no physical or mental health improvements associated with relationship self-disclosure; (2) greater subjective benefits for those engaging in relationship self-disclosure; (3) broad similarity in subjective experiences, regardless of feedback condition; and (4) subtle stylistic differences in feedback provided by males versus females, but no differences in overall perceived helpfulness.

abstract: Psychology


title: Investigations of the reference condition approach and intertidal ecology of Minas Basin, Bay of Fundy, with reference to the impacts of intertidal harvesting

contributor:
Westhead, Maxine C. (author)
(Daborn, Graham) (Thesis advisor)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)
(Reynoldson, Trefor) (Thesis advisor)

subject: LE3 .A278 2005

abstract: Intertidal harvesting for clams and bloodworms in the Minas Basin results in physical disturbance of the tidal flats, the biological effects of which are largely unknown. This study examined the applicability of the Reference Condition Approach, a freshwater ecological assessment method, for assessing the biological effects of physical disturbance in the intertidal estuarine environment of the Minas Basin tidal flats. Physical disturbance was found to significantly increase grain size, total benthic organism densities, and nematode worms and harpacticoid copepods. Physical disturbance also significantly lowered densities of tube building polychaetes, specifically maldanids and spionids. The BEnthic Assessment of SedimenT (BEAST) approach showed most promise in the Minas Basin than the River InVertebrate Prediction and Classification System (RIVPACS), however the inclusion of more relevant environmental variables is needed to fully assess model performance and the application of predictive models in the study area.

abstract: Biology


title: Individualistic use of Daniel 7 in early Judaism and Christianity

contributor:
Walsh, Matthew Leland (author)
(Evans, Craig) (Thesis advisor)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)

subject: LE3 .A278 2006

abstract: J. D. G. Dunn has proposed that the "one like a son of man" of Dan 7.13 was not interpreted as an individual or a messiah in pre-Christian Judaism (JSPSup 26, pp. 198--210). While his proposal may rightly serve to check claims that the pre-Christian period bears witness to an individualistic and messianic interpretation of Dan 7.13 as explicit as that found in the gospels, Dunn does not elaborate as to how such an individualistic interpretation could have arose. This thesis argues that the literature of early Judaism includes texts with imagery similar to or dependent on Daniel 7; many of these texts refer to individuals and this may be suggestive of a milieu that facilitated later individualistic and, in some cases, messianic interpretations of Daniel 7, including the "son of man."

abstract: Acadia Divinity College


title: Childhood abuse and specific health outcomes: the mediating effects of psychopathology

contributor:
Foss, Laura Casey (author)
(McWilliams, Lachlan) (Thesis advisor)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)

subject: LE3 .A278 2006

abstract: Previous research has shown that childhood abuse, poor physical health, and psychopathology are interrelated. Most research has focused on general indicators of health and psychopathology and their association with different types of abuse. This study used data from an epidemiological dataset (Midlife Development in the United States survey, 'N' = 3032) to examine the relationship between childhood emotional and physical abuse, specific health conditions, and four forms of psychopathology. It was hypothesized that psychological disorders would mediate the relationships between each form of childhood abuse and several specific health conditions. Emotional and physical childhood abuse were both positively and significantly associated with recurring back pain, migraine headaches, chronic sleep problems, and recurring stomach trouble or ulcers. Emotional abuse was also associated with diabetes, and physical abuse was also related to urinary or bladder conditions. Both forms of abuse were also positively and significantly associated with each form of psychopathology. In most cases psychopathology was found to be a significant partial mediator of the relationships between childhood abuse and health. Explanations for how psychopathology may act as a mechanism through which childhood abuse leads to poor health are offered, and implications for clinical practice and research are discussed.

abstract: Psychology


title: The relative effectiveness of aerobic exercise and yoga in reducing depressive symptoms among a female clinical sample

contributor:
Mac Donald, Tara Tennille (author)
(McLeod, Peter) (Thesis advisor)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)

subject: LE3 .A278 2006

abstract: The present study examined the relative effectiveness of aerobic exercise and yoga in reducing depressive symptoms among a female clinical sample. Research has consistently shown that aerobic exercise can reduce symptoms of depression, however, there is little research comparing the anti-depressant effects of different forms of physical activity. A clinical sample of 26 females who had sought treatment for depression were randomly assigned to one of three conditions: an aerobic exercise, yoga, or control condition. Both the aerobic exercise and yoga conditions met for hourly classes twice a week for five weeks. The participants completed the questionnaire package consisting of the Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II), State Trait Anxiety Inventory-State Version (STAI-S), and Depression Coping Self-Efficacy Scale (DCSES) at week one, three, and five. As predicted, results indicated that women in both the aerobic and yoga conditions reported significant reductions in their symptoms of depression and anxiety as compared to women in the control condition. Although women in the aerobic and yoga conditions reported increases in their self-efficacy coping, no significant differences between the exercise and control conditions were evident. Lastly, results of the present study suggest that aerobic activity and yoga are equally effective in their anti-depressant effects.

abstract: Psychology


title: Mercury in Nova Scotia river otter, Lutra canadensis: geographic, age, and sex patterns, and in relationship to blastocyst production

contributor:
Spencer, Sarah Huberta (author)
(Shutler, Dave) (Thesis advisor)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)
(O'Brien, Michael) (Thesis advisor)

subject: LE3 .A278 2006

abstract: Fur from both live-captured otter ('Lutra canadensis ') and trapper-provided otter carcasses in Nova Scotia was analyzed for total mercury (Hg). Live-captured otters and carcasses had Hg as high as 92 ppm, and 137 ppm, respectively. Live-captured otters from inland habitats had significantly higher fur Hg than those from coastal habitats. In female carcasses, reproductive potential was measured by counting the number of blastocysts in each reproductive tract. Age was measured by sectioning canine teeth. Reproductive potential and age were not related to fur Hg. Fur Hg was higher in otters from western versus eastern Nova Scotia, in otters inhabiting dammed versus undammed watersheds, and in otters from watersheds with bedrock from the Meguma Terrane versus the Avalon Terrane. Although fur Hg exceeded the criterion for toxicity in Nova Scotia, no population effects (e.g. reduced reproductive rate) were apparent.

abstract: Biology


title: Empowering the laity for the ministry of visitation: assessing the program of visitation in the local church, First Baptist Church, Dartmouth, N.S

contributor:
Watt, David Robert (author)
(Wilson, Robert) (Thesis advisor)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)

subject: LE3 .A278 1999

abstract: The Bible highlights the vital role of visitation in the life of the believer. James writes, "Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction." (Jas. 1:27). This thesis explores the value of an effective and sustainable lay visitation program in the local church. A carefully planned and implemented visitation ministry contributes to the building of a healthy church and enhances its outreach to the community. The biblical and theological foundations for visitation should undergird any program. A continuing account of God visiting and redeeming his people is revealed in the biblical record. Jesus, in his actions and teachings, provides a model and mandate of visitation for the church. He called, equipped, commissioned and empowered his followers for this significant ministry. In addition to the biblical mandates there are other important resources that serve as building blocks to an effective and sustainable ministry of visitation by the laity. In addition, selected models of visitation programs in churches, medical and community service agencies are examined. The primary model, evaluated through interviews and questionnaires, is the program at First Baptist Church, Dartmouth. Out of this evaluation flows observations and recommendations that have application to the ministry of lay visitation in other settings.

abstract: Acadia Divinity College


title: Feminists in unchartered water: the legal pursuit of reproductive autonomy in the Supreme Court of Canada in the 1990s / by Ana Maria Rebolone

contributor:
Rebolone, Ana Maria (author)
(Alexander, Cynthia) (Thesis advisor)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)

subject: LE3 .A278 1999

abstract: Canadian women continue to be subject to discrimination on the basis of their reproductive capabilities. The primacy given to their roles as mothers and bearers of children by society and the state has resulted in limiting women's ability to participate fully in society. The proposal to entrench a Charter of Rights and Freedoms within the Canadian Constitution generated excitement among women's organizations. The Charter has not been a useful tool in the advancement of women's reproductive autonomy--the right to make important personal decisions, as well as the right and ability to control their own bodies. Parliament bestowed upon the judiciary the role of guardian over the Charter and, therefore, over the protection of the rights found in it. However, as this thesis demonstrates, the Supreme Court has been reluctant to apply the document to cases coming before the Court dealing with reproductive autonomy. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)

abstract: Politics


title: Hacienda elite, civil wars and gross human rights violations: Colombia and Guatemala towards national reconciliation

contributor: Diaz Barrero, Luz Gloria Patricia (author)

subject: LE3 .A278 1999

abstract: The 'hacienda' system, implanted throughout Spanish America during the colonial period, generated structures that ensured the creation of two social classes. Inheritors of the 'hacienda', born of Spanish parents, and practitioners of Catholicism, came to be the ' hacienda' elite. They fostered independence of the colonies from, Spain and were the founders of the recently created Republics. The hacienda elite has been trying to maintain an absolute monopoly of power on the Political and economic realms, restraining the majority of the population from access to positions of authority and means of production. Due to a failure in the socialisation process, the dominated class became aware of the structural barriers and entered into armed conflict with the dominating class. The conflicting parties entered into armed confrontation for they were disputing, in Colombia the control over the political realm, and in Guatemala over the means of production, principally land. Armed conflict deeply deteriorated the human rights situation in both countries. Gross human violations became a systematic practice carried out mainly by the national security forces, but also by the various opposition groups. For more than thirty-six years Guatemala experienced a civil war that left more than 200,000 victims dead. Colombia is still undergoing an internal armed confrontation. It is the belief of the author that a national reconciliation process has the capacity to terminate the armed confrontation, provide the means for the society to come to terms with the painful past and disempower the ' hacienda' elite so as to redistribute political and economic power in a more egalitarian way.

abstract: Politics


title: The concept and practice of prayer in Tertullian's De Oratione and Origen's Peri Euches

contributor:
Doyle, Gregory Ross (author)
(Williams, Roy) (Thesis advisor)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)

subject: LE3 .A278 2000

abstract: This thesis explores three factors which contributed to the concept and practice of prayer in two ancient Christian writings, 'De Oratione ' by Tertullian of Carthage and 'Peri Euches' by Origen of Alexandria. This thesis examines their concept of Scripture, their hermeneutic theory and their philosophical presuppositions. Further, this thesis demonstrates how these three factors contribute to the concept and practice of prayer in the works in question. The second chapter is devoted to a background discussion of these factors as they pertain to 'De Oratione' and ' Peri Euches'. The third through fifth chapters examine these authors' expositions of the Lord's Prayer along with topics they treat in common and in isolation from each other. This thesis also compares and contrasts the two authors' works in such a way that the differences between the two are explained based upon the varying presuppositions with which each author worked. This study is important since these two writings are the earliest treatises devoted to prayer. Tertullian's was the first while Origen's was an early comprehensive treatise on prayer. Tertullian and Origen are contrasted since each represents a distinct strand of ancient Christianity. Tertullian lived in the western portion of the Roman empire while Origen lived in the east. They were influenced by different philosophical traditions and used different hermeneutical methods. They were near contemporaries. These reasons lend support to the notion that a comparison of the two authors and their writings on prayer would be important.

abstract: Acadia Divinity College


title: Attachment security and internal working models of relationships during separation from parents and pain experience

contributor:
Walsh, Trudi (author)
(Symons, Doug) (Thesis advisor)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)

subject: LE3 .A278 2000

abstract: This study examined the continuity of working models of attachment relationships displayed during separation experience with those displayed during pain experience. A sample of 60, 4- and 5-year-old children were examined. The quality of attachment was assessed with the Separation Anxiety Test (SAT) and pain representations were assessed by examining responses to pictures of children about to experience pain in the presence of their parents. Participants also completed an emotional labelling task and a measure of receptive language. Parents completed a rating scale of observable pain behaviour, and children's preschool teachers completed a rating of child emotion regulation. SAT responses provided scores of attachment, self-reliance, and avoidance, and pain representations were scored in a similar fashion. Representations of separation and pain experience were systematically related. In addition, SAT responses were cluster analyzed to classify children into secure, insecure-anxious, and insecure-avoidant groups. Children's responses to painful pictures differed systematically according to their SAT security classification. There was also some concurrent support for the differential patterns in the parent reports of child behaviour, but these associations were not accounted for by either the child's ability to differentiate emotional states, language ability, or emotional regulation. These findings from the present study are consistent with Bowlby's concept of secure base behaviour and support the hypothetical construct of an internal working model of attachment which organizes children's behaviours, thoughts, and feelings in response to both separation experience and painful events.

abstract: Psychology


title: Tourism in Cuba: an exploration of the impact of two types of tours on tourists' value stances

contributor:
Jones, Jan Louise (author)
(Thomson, Tony) (Thesis advisor)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)

subject: LE3 .A278 1997

abstract: This thesis explores the relationship between tourism in Cuba and changes in tourists' value stances. The differential impact on value stances with respect to Cuba of two types of tours to Cuba are assessed in the context of the tourists' prior expectations. The central intent of this exploration is to begin to promote forms of tourism in Cuba that best enable a positive value stance towards the Cuban people, Cuban society and the ongoing Cuban revolution. Both participant observation and interviews provide the means to assess the two tours to Cuba. The major findings of this thesis were that tourists' value stances are influenced by prior expectations of the place they are visiting and, in resort areas, by the negative experiences they encounter with tourism rather than the actual country they are visiting. Tourists on the first tour were found to be more influenced by the negative aspects of tourism such as prostitution and panhandling and on the second tour by the group dynamics and pre-conceived ideas they had about Cuba. It was found that simply designing a tour intended to foster better relationships between the country being visited and the one tourists are from is not the only solution. The thesis concludes with some grounded suggestions for more rigorous research into this topic. Research and development of theory and methodology in areas relating to both tourism in Cuba and impact assessments on tourists was found to be sorely lacking and in great need of more integrated theory and analysis from across various disciplines. Hopefully this paper will encourage other social analysts to explore the social, cultural and political consequences of tourism and its various impacts.

abstract: Sociology


title: Possible selves, self-perception, and current self-concept in adolescents with learning disabilities

contributor:
Seymour, Carla (author)
(Holmberg, Diane) (Thesis advisor)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)

subject: LE3 .A278 1997

abstract: This study investigated current self-concepts, future self-concepts (i.e., possible selves), and self-perceptions of learning disabilities (LDs) in three groups of adolescents: students with LDs in a specialised residential setting, students with LDs in a public school setting, and students without LDs in a public school setting. Despite academic difficulties, students with LDs were generally comparable to adolescents without LDs (displaying, for example, comparable global self-esteem and similar types of possible selves). Students with LDs in the public school setting, however, did exhibit a more negative academic self-concept than the other two groups, as well as a more global and pervasive view of their LD than students in the residential school group. Relationships between current and future self-concepts in four domains (familial acceptance, academic competence, peer popularity, and personal security) were also examined. While average-achieving students' future self-concepts are closely tied to their current self-concepts, this is not always the case in youths with LDs; explanations and implications of this finding were further discussed. Balance between expected and feared possible selves was also investigated, but did not have a significant effect on outcome variables in this sample. Overall, the presence of an LD, regardless of the educational setting, did not appear to influence global self-esteem or the self-concept in domains other than academics.

abstract: Psychology


title: Democracy, human rights and religiosity in the Middle East

contributor:
Werden, Joanna (author)
(Conley, Marsh) (Thesis advisor)
Acadia University (Degree grantor)

subject: LE3 .A278 1997

abstract: The purpose of the thesis is to establish a correlation between human rights and democracy, and between human rights and religiosity. The two-fold hypothesis posits that states which demonstrate a low degree of democracy also exhibit a high number of human rights abuses, and that states which demonstrate a high degree of religiosity also exhibit a high number of human rights abuses. To this end, five indicators are used for each of the three subjects. The indicators selected deal specifically with either human rights, religiosity, or democracy. Each state is assigned a score for each of the indicators, which are grouped into the three subject areas. The indicators are taken predominantly from Charles Humana's work, as well as that of the United States Department of State. Upon this basis, the scores are then placed on three continua, whereupon they are ranked relative to each other. The continuum for democracy is then compared to the continuum for human rights, and the continuum for religiosity is then compared to the continuum for human rights. The surmised correlations between both human rights and democracy and between human rights and religiosity are valid.

abstract: Politics