Perpetual revolution : people and state in socialist Cuba

This thesis examines the definition of “Revolution” in Cuba, exploring the political and social system that is associated with what people in Cuba call “the Revolution”, and placing special emphasis on people’s daily experiences of such systems. Through an analysis of organic movements of urban agriculture, alternative therapies emerging within the framework of a state-centred biomedical health system, and emigration this thesis aims to understand the lived experience of the Cuban Revolution

Genetics and public health - evolution, or revolution?

During the 19th and early 20th century, public health and genetics shared common ground through similar approaches to health promotion in the population. By the mid-20th century there was a division between public health and genetics, with eugenicists estranged and clinical genetics focused on single gene disorders, usually only relevant to small numbers of people. Now through a common interest in the aetiology of complex diseases such as heart disease and cancer, there is a need for people working in public health and genetics to collaborate. This is not a comfortable convergence for many, particularly those in public health. Nine main concerns are reviewed: fear of eugenics; genetic reductionism; predictive power of genes; non-modifiable risk factors; rights of individuals compared with populations; resource allocation; commercial imperative; discrimination; and understanding and education. This paper aims to contribute to the thinking and discussion about an evolutionary, multidisciplinary approach to understanding, preventing, and treating complex diseases.

Tim O'Reilly and web 2.0 : the economics of memetic liberty and control

This article presents an account of the role of Tim O'Reilly, both as an individual and as a corporate entity (O'Reilly Group), in the creation, spread and use of the concept of Web 2.0. It demonstrates that, whatever Web 2.0's current uses to describe variously the technologies, politics, commerce or social meaning of the Internet, it originates as a deliberately open signifier of novel and potential internet development in the mid-2000s. The article argues that O'Reilly has promoted the diversity of the term's meanings and uses - celebrating textual liberties - but has also emphasised the special role that O'Reilly plays in providing the authoritative definition of that term. In essence, O'Reilly profits from this 'control' of the idea of Web 2.0 but that, to enjoy that control O'Reilly must also allow differences in meaning. The article concludes by suggesting that Web 2.0 therefore signifies a new kind of economics that brings together freedom and control in a new way.

One tweet does not a revolution make : technological determinism, media and social change

This paper discusses the problematic influence of technological determinism in popular news media coverage and analysis of the Arab Spring events of 2010-11.

The purpose is to develop insights into how and why elements of a ‘soft’ technological determinism inflect both journalistic practice and news discourse in relation to the Arab Spring. In particular it discusses how the ‘bias of convenience’ and a journalistic obsession with the ‘continuous present’ connect with this determinist inflection to create a potential distortion in the journalists’ ‘first rough draft’ of history in relation to significant and complex events such as social revolution.

Cuban thrills of a dance revolution

Review : Ballet Revolucion performed at State Theatre, Arts Centre Melbourne

Is this an ipad revolution or mobile learning revolution? A global perspective across countries : " iWorld, iLearn"

 This evolution of mobile technologies and application integration in education across the world has provided a shift to a new learning environment via various mobile platforms.Educational institutions globally are missing to identify specific mobile technologies initiatives and strategies as a method to evaluate these mobile technologies and to expose both students and teachers to the potential it engenders.This panel will undertake a cross country comparison among culturally diverse countries: Turkey,UAE,USA,Lebanon,Iceland,Israel,Japan,Germany.Questions will be raised such as:Why some countries are branding mobile learning and their integration of these technologies has been made device specific, app specific and operating system specific?Is this the right approach?The digital gap between countries will be discussed?Availability access, barriers and limitations for some countries are described.We will try to figure out similarities,differences and challenges among these countries.