A language-independent parallel refactoring framework

Recent trends towards increasingly parallel computers mean that there needs to be a seismic shift in programming practice. The time is rapidly approaching when most programming will be for parallel systems. However, most programming techniques in use today are geared towards sequential, or occasionally small-scale parallel, programming. While refactoring has so far mainly been applied to sequential programs, it is our contention that refactoring can play a key role in significantly improving the programmability of parallel systems, by allowing the programmer to apply a set of well-defined transformations in order to parallelise their programs. In this paper, we describe a new language-independent refactoring approach that helps introduce and tune parallelism through high-level design patterns targeting a set of well-specified parallel skeletons. We believe this new refactoring process is the key to allowing programmers to truly start thinking in parallel. © 2012 ACM.

The Newsletter of the International Federation for Research in Women's History: Presentation to Its Conference in Sofia, 8 August 2007

Presented as part of the twentieth anniversary celebrations of the International Federation for Research in Women's History in Sofia in August 2007, this paper examines the association's newsletter to explore what it reveals about the expansion of the academic infrastructure for women's history from 1987 to 2007. It looks at the rapid advancement of the subject in the 1980s and early 1990s and its slower growth in the following decade. It also explores briefly the problems that the establishment of Women's Studies Centres presented for women's history.

Conference Reflections. Some Practice and Practical Implications of Banning the Physical Punishment of Children through Legislation.

This brief paper represents the reflections of a participant at the recent conference ‘The Physical Punishment of Children’ organised jointly by Child Care in Practice and The Office of Law Reform. The participant’s reflections are related to his roles both as a Family Therapist and as a Guardian Ad Litem. The writer largely accepts the academic and moral arguments in respect of making the physical punishment of children a legal offence, so eloquently put by the main speakers. He wishes, however, to draw out some of the practical and practice implications which need to be considered alongside the implementation of such legislative change.