Developing Creative Solutions to the Problems of Children and their Families: Communicative Reason and the use fo Forum Theatre

Building on Habermas’s conceptualisation of modes of reasoning, the authors proposed that an application of critical theory to the present bureaucratised nature of communication between state representatives and welfare recipients (Howe 1992) might open up ways in which social workers could reconceptualise their practice. In a subsequent edition of this journal, three of the present authors introduced the radical theatre of Augusto Boal as a methodology which might provide an expressive route for social workers seeking to build a practice combining the intellectual analysis of critical theory with new ways of working (Spratt et al. 2000). Boal’s method recognises the oppressed status of groups who come to the attention of agents of the state and, through the use of a range of theatrical techniques, introduces strategies to facilitate the conscious recognition of such collective oppressions and develop dialogical ways to address them. In the last paper, the authors presented one such technique, ‘image theatre’, and demonstrated its use with social workers in consciousness raising and developing strategies for collective action.

Quantum teleportation via mixed two-mode squeezed states in the coherent-state representation

Quantum teleportation for continuous variables is generally described in phase space by using the Wigner functions. We study quantum teleportation via a mixed two-mode squeezed state in Hilbert-Schmidt space by using the coherent-state representation and operators. This shows directly how the teleported state is related to the original state.

The reform of Welfare Regimes in Costa Rica, Chile, Argentina, Brazil and Uruguay

The aim of this article is to analyze the social policy in Latin America in a context of emerging welfare states. To understand the changes one takes into consideration the theories about institutional reform and the transformations produced in the XX century and the beginning of the XXI to substitute a social security regime mainly based on segmentation of benefi ts and on programs to fi ght poverty by another with an institutional and redistributive nature. The paper pays attention in particular to the path of the most developed welfare states of Latin America: Costa Rica, Chile, Argentina, Brasil y Uruguay.

Welfare Regimes and “progressive” governments in Latin America: The cases of Venezuela, Ecuador and Bolivia

Several authors have applied the concept of Welfare Regimens for studying social policy in Latin America (Esping-Andersen, 1993 and 2000). Among others, Martínez Franzoni (2007) develops a typology, with fi eld work is at the turn of the millennium, and establishes three categories: State-productivist regime, state-protectionist and family orientated. Most countries in the region are placed in the latter category. The hypothesis of this article argues that with the emergence of governments considered “left” or “progressive” in several countries of the region from the late ‘90s and, more decisively, in 2000’, the map of welfare regimes models could have mutated substantively. The nationally transformative experiences are different (various socio-economic realities and political action in which they are located exists) but they have several contact points that can be summarized in a greater state intervention in different areas previously closed to their operating and recovery of important functions of welfare and care of the population by the government. The paper discusses with an exploratory and descriptive approach the welfare schemes that would shape in three countries that have constitutionalized the change from the neoliberal paradigm: Venezuela, Bolivia and Ecuador.

The influence of gender in the direction of Spanish cooperative societies on profitability and indebtedness: an empirical analysis

In this paper the claim for the market for a new business management to ensure the presence of women in decision -making to respond to new social needs addressed. Thus, this paper analyzes the influence of gender diversity of the directors on the profitability and the level of debt for a sample of 5,199 Spanish cooperatives. Unlike capitalist societies, these organizations have a number of peculiarities in their government, and that the partners are themselves major time, agents and customers. The study focuses on the Spanish context, where there is an open debate on the importance of women's business management, as in other countries, driven by the proliferation of legislation on gender equality, being, in addition, Spain, the pioneer in having specific legislation on Social Economy. The results show that cooperatives with greater female representation in theirs Boards have higher profitability. On the other hand, those Boards with a higher percentage of women show a lower level of indebtedness.

On the origin of the forward peak and backward oscillations in the F + H2(v = 0) to HF(v' = 2) + H reaction

We present a semiclassical complex angular momentum (CAM) analysis of the forward scattering peak which occurs at a translational collision energy around 32 meV in the quantum mechanical calculations for the F + H2(v = 0, j = 0) ? HF(v' = 2, j' = 0) + H reaction on the Stark–Werner potential energy surface. The semiclassical CAM theory is modified to cover the forward and backward scattering angles. The peak is shown to result from constructive/destructive interference of the two Regge states associated with two resonances, one in the transition state region and the other in the exit channel van der Waals well. In addition, we demonstrate that the oscillations in the energy dependence of the backward differential cross section are caused by the interference between the direct backward scattering and the decay of the two resonance complexes returning to the backward direction after one full rotation.

Measurement of Quenching Coefficients and Developement of Calibration Methods for Quantitative Spectroscopy of Plasma at Elevated Pressures

Measurements of collisional de-excitation (quenching) coefficients required for the interpretation of emission and fluorescence spectroscopic measurements are reported. Particular attention is turned on argon transitions which are of interest for actinometric determinations of atomic ground state populations and on fluorescence lines originating from excited atoms and noble gases in connection with two-photon excitation (TALIF) of atomic radicals. A novel method is described which allows to infer quenching coefficients for collisions with molecular hydrogen of noble gas states in the energy range up to 24 eV. The excitation is performed in these experiments by collisions of energetic electrons in the sheath of an RF excited hydrogen plasma during the field reversal phase which lasts about 10 ns. We describe in addition a calibration method - including quenching effects - for the determination by TALIF of absolute atomic radical densities of hydrogen, nitrogen and oxygen using two-photon resonances in noble gases close by the resonances of the species mentioned. The paper closes with first ideas on a novel technique to bypass quenching effects in TALIF by introducing an additional, controllable loss by photoionization that will allow quenching-free determination of absolute atomic densities with prevalent nanosecond laser systems in situations where collisional de-excitation dominates over spontaneous emission.

Mechanical behaviour of unsaturated kaolin (with isotropic and anisotropic stress history). Part 1: wetting and compression behaviour

Over the last 40 years considerable progress has been made in understanding the complex behaviour of unsaturated soils. Research using constitutive modelling has extended the critical state framework and the concept of yielding in saturated soils to encompass unsaturated soils experiencing suction. However, validation testing of the framework for unsaturated soils has shown disagreement with the basic propositions. The main reason for this disparity is the anisotropic properties of the soil specimens tested as a result of preparation using one-dimensional compaction. The paper describes the detailed testing carried out to justify this statement. As part of the work presented, samples of unsaturated kaolin were prepared using isotropic compression. The suctions in these samples were reduced to predefined values by wetting under low isotropic loading. The pore size distributions, the pressure–volume relationships and yielding under subsequent isotropic loading are compared with tests on samples prepared by statically compressing kaolin into a one-dimensional compaction mould. The anisotropically compressed samples had initial water contents and specific volumes similar to those of the isotropically prepared samples and were also tested under reducing suctions; they exhibited distinctly different behaviour when tested under similar conditions. The results obtained from the isotropically prepared and tested samples have shown, probably for the first time, the existence of a unique normal compression surface that is not dependent on the initial conditions of the samples. The shape of the loading–collapse (LC) yield locus is shown to be different from the generally accepted form.

Mechanical behaviour of unsaturated kaolin (with isotropic and anisotropic stress history). Part 2: performance under shear loading

Validation of a framework for unsaturated soil behaviour has frequently resulted in disagreement with basic propositions. A primary reason for this disparity is considered to be attributable to the anisotropic properties of the soil specimens tested as a result of preparation using one-dimensional compaction. As part of the work presented, comparison is made between tests on samples of unsaturated kaolin prepared at identical specific volumes and specific water volumes using isotropic compression and one-dimensional compression. The suctions in the samples were reduced to predefined values by wetting under low isotropic loading in a triaxial cell. The samples were then taken through various stress paths to failure, defined as the critical state strength, while the suctions were held constant. Stress path tests were also performed on samples without reducing the suction to predefined values. In the latter, constant water mass tests, the suctions were allowed to vary and were measured using a psychrometer. The results of the tests at critical state are compared with the propositions of Wheeler and Sivakumar. The shear strengths of samples with isotropic previous history are shown to be significantly greater than those of samples with one-dimensional stress history when plotted against the mean net stress. The normal compression lines, critical state lines and yield characteristics are also shown to be significantly influenced by the previous stress history and are shown to be different for isotropically and one-dimensionally prepared samples.

An elasto-plastic critical state framework for unsaturated soil.

Data from a series of controlled suction triaxial tests on samples of compacted speswhite kaolin were used in the development of an elasto–plastic critical state framework for unsaturated soil. The framework is defined in terms of four state variables: mean net stress, deviator stress, suction and specific volume. Included within the proposed framework are an isotropic normal compression hyperline, a critical state hyperline and a state boundary hypersurface. For states that lie inside the state boundary hypersurface the soil behaviour is assumed to be elastic, with movement over the state boundary hypersurface corresponding to expansion of a yield surface in stress space. The pattern of swelling and collapse observed during wetting, the elastic–plastic compression behaviour during isotropic loading and the increase of shear strength with suction were all related to the shape of the yield surface and the hardening law defined by the form of the state boundary. By assuming that constant–suction cross–sections of the yield surface were elliptical it was possible to predict test paths for different types of triaxial shear test that showed good agreement with observed behaviour. The development of shear strain was also predicted with reasonable success, by assuming an associated flow rule.

‘It ain’t easy being green’: Sustainable Development between Environment and Economy in Northern Ireland’

Given the relative lack of research on sustainable development in Northern Ireland, this paper focuses on the tensions between environmental governance and regulation on the one hand, and the ‘post-conflict’ imperative for Northern Ireland to compete and grow as a regional economy without continued British state subvention and subsidisation. The paper outlines how this ‘trade-off’ between ‘environment’ and ‘economy’ is essentially misplaced. It argues that this trade-off can be avoided if there is a shift in focus from an ‘environment versus the economy’ policy position to one in which the ‘triple bottom line’ (social, economic and environmental) of sustainable development becomes the over-arching policy agenda. Sustainable development, unlike either orthodox environmental or economic policy, also connects centrally with the unique ‘post-conflict transformation’ agenda of Northern Ireland. For example, promoting a human rights civic culture, tackling socioeconomic inequality and social exclusion, and building a shared future based on supporting sustainable communities and an innovative model of a ‘green(ing) economy’ goes beyond orthodox economic growth. However, it is clear from the Executive’s Programme for Government, failure to support the creation of an independent Environment Protection Agency, and above all the prioritisation of orthodox economic growth based on foreign direct investment that neither environmental protection nor sustainable development is or will be high on the political or policy agenda in Northern Ireland.

Security governance in transition: The compartmentalising, crowding out and corralling of policing and security in Northern Ireland

The article suggests that while the report of the Independent Commission on Policing (ICP) provides a police reform blueprint for Northern Ireland and elsewhere, it can also be seen as an attempt to engage more elliptically with contemporary debates in security governance vis-a-vis the increasingly fragmented nature of late-modern policing and the role of the state. A decade into the reform process in Northern Ireland and in spite of the networked approach postulated by the ICP, the public police continue to enjoy a pre-eminent place and little evidence exists of any significant weakening of state steering and rowing of security. The discussion proposes a tentative typology explaining the continued colonization of security spaces by the State using constituent attendant processes of compartmentalizing, crowding out and corralling.