Re -"interpreting" the conquest: European and Amerindian translators and go -betweens in the colonization of the Americas, 1492--1675

This dissertation aims to recover the lives and careers of those Amerindians and Europeans who voluntarily or involuntarily took on the role of intercultural interpreters in the contact, conquest, and early colonial period in the Americas between 1492 and 1675. It intends to prove that these so-called “marginal” figures assumed roles that went far beyond those of linguistic and cultural translators, and often had a decisive impact on early Indian-colonial relations. ^ In the course of my research, I consulted hundreds of published sixteenth- and seventeenth-century chronicles, narratives, and memoirs in my search for references to interpreters. I augmented these accounts with information derived from unpublished archival documents, drawn primarily from the Archivo General de Indias, in Seville, Spain. ^ I organized my findings in theme-driven chapters that begin with a consideration of the historiography of that subject. Each chapter is further subdivided into chronologically-arranged historical vignettes that focus on the interpreters who mediated between the Spanish, Portuguese, French, English and Dutch and the various Native American polities and cultures. ^ I found that colonial authorities and Amerindian communities alike recognized the absolute necessity of recruiting competent and loyal interpreters and go-betweens, and that both sides tried to secure their loyal service by means both fair and foul. Although pressured, pushed, and pulled in contrary directions, most interpreters recognized the pivotal position they held in cross-cultural negotiations and rarely remained passive pawns in the contests between the forces of domination and defense. ^ All across the Americas, interpreters used their linguistic and diplomatic skills, and their intimate knowledge of the “other” not simply to facilitate conquest or spearhead the opposition, but to transform themselves from “culture brokers” into “power brokers.” Many of the decisive events that shaped colonial-Indian relations turned on the actions of these culturally-ambiguous individuals, a fact bemoaned and begrudgingly acknowledged by most of the contemporary conquistadors, chroniclers, and colonial founders, and recognized by this author. ^

Through the Prisms of Gender and Power: Agency in International Courtship between Colombian Women and American Men

Since 1999 Colombia has experienced dramatic increases in emigration, particularly the emigration of women towards the U.S. as fiancées of U.S. citizens or residents. Parallel to this trend is the increased number of websites facilitating these Colombian-American matches. This dissertation investigates the agency of Colombian women and American men who pursue romantic courtship through the services of International Marriage Brokers (IMBs) from the “Gendered Geographies of Power” (GGP) framework of analysis. It examines how both groups’ social locations, their positioning in multiple axes of differentiation including gender, nationality and social class, affects how and why they exert their agency across and within different geographic scales. Most importantly, it investigates the role the imagination plays (imagination work) in both men and women’s agency, an aspect of the GGP framework that has been under-researched and theorized to date. The research also finds that this imagination work is promoted and cultivated in deeply gendered ways by IMBs seeking to profit off this transnational courtship. Employing data collected via interviews and content analysis of IMBs’ websites, the dissertation analyzes comparatively the expectations each group (women, men and IMBs) bring to their imagination work and experiences of the courtship marketplace. A central question posed and answered in the dissertation is “What do women and men courting each other in cyberspace seek and do they find it?” The dissertation finds that the men seek “traditional” women and the women seek “liberated” less “macho” men. Ironically, the men find Colombian women who are among the most “liberated” women in their homeland but who downplay this aspect of themselves in order to strategically find a more modern man and migrate abroad where they expect to find greater personal and professional opportunities.

ANTECEDENTES DO COMPROMETIMENTO ORGANIZACIONAL DOS FUNCIONÁRIOS DE CORRETORAS DE SEGUROS E SEGURADORAS

O objetivo principal deste trabalho é compreender quais fatores influenciam no comprometimento de corretoras de seguros e seguradoras, e mais especificamente: a) medir e comparar os indicadores de comprometimento dos funcionários de corretoras de seguros e seguradoras em três dimensões (afetiva, instrumental e normativa); b) analisar quais os fatores que mais influenciam cada dimensão do comprometimento no setor de seguros; c) comparar as diferenças e semelhanças dos fatores que influenciam o comprometimento em seguradoras e em corretoras. O público-alvo é formado pelos profissionais do mercado de seguros que atuam em corretoras de seguros ou seguradoras. A pesquisa foi realizada em duas partes: quantitativa e qualitativa. Os dados da pesquisa quantitativa foram colhidos por meio da escala do modelo multidimensional do comprometimento afetivo, instrumental e normativo (Meyer & Allen, 1991), aplicada em 188 participantes. Os dados da análise de comparação de médias pelo teste T-Student não apontaram diferença estatisticamente significativa. A segunda parte, qualitativa, envolveu 11 entrevistas com funcionários do setor a fim de identificar os motivos que levam os funcionários a desenvolver o comprometimento com cada um dos dois tipos de organizações do mercado de seguros. Os dados da pesquisa obtidos foram analisados utilizando-se a técnica de análise de conteúdo e resultaram no modelo de antecedentes do comprometimento organizacional do setor de seguros. Foi constatado que os antecedentes do comprometimento afetivo em corretoras de seguros são formados pelo clima organizacional, pela percepção de justiça e pelas políticas de recursos humanos, e que as políticas de recursos humanos predizem o comportamento instrumental. Nas seguradoras, constatou-se que os antecedentes do comprometimento afetivo são o clima organizacional, a percepção de suporte e as políticas de recursos humanos, e que as políticas de recursos humanos predizem os comprometimentos instrumental e normativo. Esses resultados contribuem significativamente para a gestão de pessoas do setor de seguros no Brasil.

Modelo de valoración ajustado a la evolución del riesgo crediticio para carteras colectivas que invierten en títulos valores no tradicionales en la comisionista global Securities Colombia de la Ciudad de Medellín

Con los comportamientos del mercado financiero, las comisionistas de bolsa deben tener un modelo de valoración ajustado a la evolución del riesgo crediticio para las inversiones en títulos valores no tradicionales y de esta manera cumplir con los requerimientos emitidos por la Superintendencia Financiera de Colombia. En particular, se diseña el modelo sugerido por el regulador para la comisionista Global Securities de la ciudad de Medellín, para la cartera colectiva Credit Opportunities Fund - Compartimiento Facturas. El estudio de tipo descriptivo, analiza y diseña a partir del método CreditMetrics desarrollado por J.P Morgan, una valoración completa de la cartera teniendo en cuenta las pérdidas y ganancias por modificaciones de calidad crediticia.

Preliminary assessment of the artisanal fishery sector around Lac Maï-Ndombe in the Lac Tele-Lac Tumba (LTL) CARPE Landscape

The WorldFish Center was contracted by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) to lead a preliminary assessment of the Lac Maï-Ndombe fishery, one of three water bodies for which such an assessment will be completed in the Lac Tele-Lac Tumba Landscape of the CARPE program. Between Aug.29-Sept.5, 2007, a joint WorldFish Center-WWF team traveled to Lac Maï-Ndombe in Bandundu Province, and conducted an analysis of the conditions surrounding the fishery and fisherfolk livelihoods in a total of 19 villages and camps. Included in this assessment were preliminary analyses of market-chain networks and stakeholders’ receptivity to NGO capacity-building to improve commercialization of fish catches and/or to introduce local fisheries management regimes. While perceptions of declining fish stocks prevail, the absence of changes in reported fish sizes bring into doubt any urgent need for fishery management interventions. However, lacking scientific fish population structure data the team would not recommend any NGO interventions to increase fishing effort. Lac Maï-Ndombe fisherfolk have highly diversified levels of dependence on fishing, and while there is evidence that some stakeholder groups are flourishing, the majority of the fishery appears to be characterized by a livelihood insecurity and a lack of capital. This limits fishers’ abilities to negotiate with transporters and with Kinshasa-based market brokers, and in combination with a heavy burden of rent-seeking behavior by civil servants, this condition forces over half of the fishers to sell their fish and buy all manufactured products through local intermediaries at disadvantageous prices.

`A Reporter's Paper': The National Thrift News, Journalistic Autonomy and the Savings and Loan Crisis

Business journalism comes under persistent criticism for serving its historic readership of brokers and business people while lacking sufficient autonomy and failing to sufficiently question or challenge powerful corporate and economic interests. This is a dominant theme in media criticism of the savings and loan crisis⁠ and 2008 financial crisis.⁠ Against this backdrop, this dissertation asks: Is this critique valid, and if so, how can business journalism improve? To engage these questions, this dissertation examines the question of autonomy in business journalism in an unlikely place: the trade press. The central case study is coverage of the savings and loan crisis by the National Thrift News, a small financial services newspaper that won a George Polk award for its reporting in 1988. How could a small trade newspaper succeed in some instances when larger news organizations failed to connect the dots? The National Thrift News created a newsroom environment that celebrated reporter autonomy and independence. In some cases, it used its insider knowledge and consistent beat reporting to serve both its core readers and the broader society by uncovering savings and loan corruption. This study will highlight a long-running debate among theorists of journalistic professionalism by arguing that the commercial and advertising model in journalism does not inevitably compromise journalistic independence⁠ but rather can help pave a way forward for a more independent press. It therefore challenges the political economy critique of journalism, which holds that external forces such as capitalism harm press independence. This case suggests journalistic independence and individual agency remain powerful forces in newsrooms. Lastly, the dissertation argues that in an era of media downsizing, the trade press can perform an even more useful watchdog role over industry if the mainstream news media acknowledges and pursues some of the innovative trade reporting.

Riesgo conductual en el mercado de valores en Colombia entre 2010 y 2015

Durante los últimos años, la teoría financiera y económica se ha interesado en estudiar los factores que influencian la toma de decisiones y por qué, en muchas ocasiones, debido a los incentivos de los individuos no son óptimas. Este trabajo, desde la economía comportamental tiene como objetivo identificar, clasificar y analizar el riesgo conductual en el mercado de valores de Colombia, por medio de la revisión de las actas de terminación anticipada, expedidas a las personas naturales vinculadas durante el período 2010-2015. Los principales resultados indican que aproximadamente el 80% de las conductas se evidencian en exceder el mandato de los clientes, hacer uso indebido de sus recursos, omitir el deber de asesoría y obstruir la revelación de información a los clientes.

Enhancement to the Mortgage Licensing Process

The Consumer Finance Division of the South Carolina State Board of Financial Institutions is responsible for the supervision, licensing and examination of all consumer finance companies, deferred presentment companies, check cashing companies, and non-depository mortgage lenders and their loan originators. This project specifically focuses on the licensing of Mortgage Lender/Servicer ( company), Mortgage Lender/Servicer Branch (branch) and Mortgage Loan Originator (loan originator) licenses. The problem statement is how the Division can handle increasing the number of mortgage loan originators in the state without delaying the time to process applications. The goal of this project is to make the current licensing process more efficient so that the Division can handle the increased workload without having to hire additional personnel.

El rol de la Unión Africana (UA) en el Cuerno de África a partir del caso de Somalia - AMISOM (2007-2013)

El propósito de esta monografía es comprender cuál ha sido el rol de la Unión Africana (UA), dentro de la misión de paz AMISOM en el periodo de 2007- 2013. Por ello, el trabajo abarca aspectos geopolíticos e históricos, que han influido en la configuración del conflicto armado de Somalía y que han llevado progresivamente a la creación, evolución e implementación de mecanismos como las misiones de paz. Además, se abarcan los planteamientos del neo-funcionalismo y el neo-regionalismo para comprender las estructuras y las dinámicas propias de la UA y así, comprender la naturaleza tanto de sus acciones, como de sus propósitos; propósitos que aclaman el fomento del panafricanismo. Desde aquí se puede entender como su rol ha contribuido con el crecimiento del mercado de la industria militar en la región, a costa de la responsabilidad de proteger. Por último, se concluye que dichas dinámicas han llevado a la creación de comunidades de inseguridad.