VictorJuiz/thesis huggingface dataset:
Examining ‘The eye of the earth’ the Pan-Pacific idea & the British dominions, c. 1910-1940

This thesis examines the emergence and influence of the ‘Pan-Pacific’ idea from the 1910s-1940s. It makes the case that to a diverse demographic globally, it proved a compelling regional geo-paradigm; the institutions it inspired, significant inter-imperial spaces for representatives from the former British Dominions to consider their society’s place in the world and the region’s globality.
Situated at the intersection of ‘British’ and ‘Pacific’ World historiographies, the thesis is organised as a multi-thematic intellectual history, demonstrating the capacious appeal and ideological multiformity of the Pan-Pacific in educational, ethnological, leftist, commercial and geopolitical contexts respectively. Chapter 1 explores the intellectual roots of the Pan-Pacific, examining the institutional archives and private papers of figures associated with the Institute of Pacific Relations and Pan-Pacific Union. It argues that a ‘Honolulu nexus’ in inter-imperial affairs emerged, influencing a greater appraisal of the Dominions’ own interests, including a form of ‘rooted regionalism’, largely neglected in the extant literature. Chapter 2 examines how the Pan-Pacific proved a conduit for the examination of race relations through the ethnological research programme of Honolulu’s Bishop Museum and its investigations into the ‘Polynesian Question’ (the then disputed origins of the peoples of Oceania). Chapter 3 examines the attractions of the ‘political left’ to the Pan-Pacific, exploring the affiliation of trade unions in the Dominions to the Comintern-backed Pan-Pacific Trade Union Secretariat. Chapter 4 explores how the Pan-Pacific idea boosted a regional commercial imaginary, whilst shedding light on the emergence of the Dominions’ own nascent regional trade representation in the form of regional ‘Honorary Agents’. The final chapter considers the emergence of trans-Pacific aviation and its influence upon conceptions of Dominion defence from sites spread across a Pan-Pacific cartography – from the atolls of the Phoenix Islands to the Kermadecs, spaces which found renewed significance in the ‘Air Age’.

Keywords: Asia
Australasia
United States
Commerce
Ethnology
Imperial History
Canada
Pan Pacific
Hawaii
Economic History
Trans-Pacific
World History
Australia
Transnational History
Pacific History
British Empire
Global History
Geopolitics
Indo-Pacific
New Zealand
Imperialism
Advisor: Darwin, J
Belich, J
What is the justification for subrogation to extinguished rights?

Subrogation to extinguished rights ('subrogation') describes a particular form of rights: C's new rights against D resemble X's extinguished rights against D. This thesis resolves four controversies surrounding subrogation: is subrogation redundant; what is the justification for subrogation; when should subrogation occur; and is subrogation a remedy for unjust enrichment? The thesis is divided into two parts. Part I considers what the law is and Part II considers what the law ought to be.
Part I asks whether, as the law stands, subrogation is redundant. Contrary to orthodoxy, it argues that subrogation is available in different circumstances and has a different effect compared to a 'direct unjust enrichment claim'. Consequently, subrogation does not duplicate a 'direct' claim and so subrogation is not redundant.
Part II asks what justifies subrogation and, in light of that, when should subrogation occur? Contrary to orthodoxy, it argues that there is not one justification for subrogation but two, each of which is sufficient on its own. Subrogation can be justified by a duty not to use a right for one’s own benefit. Alternatively, subrogation can be justified by C bearing the burden of a debt which ought to be borne by D. Each justification mandates a different test for when subrogation should occur, explaining why different subrogation cases apply apparently contradictory rules.
The question of whether subrogation is a remedy for unjust enrichment is addressed in Parts I and II. Part I shows that subrogation does not duplicate a 'direct unjust enrichment claim'. Part II argues that, once the justifications for subrogation are understood, unjust enrichment is a distraction. It is therefore concluded that subrogation is not a remedy for unjust enrichment.

Keywords: subrogation
remedies
unjust enrichment
private law
private law theory
marshalling
Advisor: Stevens, R
The lived experiences of claiming wrongful conviction in prison

This thesis examines the lived experiences of prisoners who believe themselves to be wrongfully convicted. It is based on the written accounts of sixty-four prisoners who are currently maintaining innocence and offers a comparison to their ‘rightly’ convicted counterparts, as evidenced in the academic literature. What these accounts illustrate is that although this population do largely adjust to the prison environment, their experiences are constantly framed by notions of injustice and illegitimacy and it is these feelings that become the lens through which they navigate prison life.
These people are adept at tailoring their coping strategies to suit their unique situation. Through campaigning, subtle acts of resistance, and refusal to internalise the criminal label, they are able to signal their discontent and significant resentment. Relationships too, are capable of being moulded to meet their needs. Although participants appear relatively solitary, remaining on the fringes of the prison social system and maintaining distinctions between themselves and the ‘criminals’ they are forced to live with, they create unique support networks. Such networks are dominated by prisoners who similarly maintain their innocence and charitable organisations, and draw heavily on the considerable support offered by their families.
There are, however, institutional consequences to maintaining innocence within the prison environment. A myriad of areas, ranging from everyday living conditions, risk assessment, progression, and ultimately parole, are all impacted by claims of wrongful conviction. As this thesis illustrates, such a position is often inconsistent with Prison Service Orders and Instructions. Relatedly, there also appears to be a distinct lack of support and a pressure to ‘admit’ guilt displayed by certain members of staff. Nevertheless, due to lack of viable alternatives and a desire to obtain release at the earliest opportunity, these prisoners must engage with the prison authorities and are thus required to work within a system that is not designed for them and largely ignores their needs.

Keywords: Wrongful conviction
Criminology
Prison life
Maintaining innocence
Advisor: Hoyle, C
Bosworth, M
Structural and functional characterisation of properdin and properdin-binding complement inhibitors from ticks

The complement system is a major effector of the immune response which can lead to opsonisation and inflammation, as well as the removal of immune complexes and damaged self-cells. The complement system requires many regulatory proteins to prevent inappropriate activation towards healthy self-cells and to only target invading pathogens. This thesis focuses on a complement regulator/activator called properdin, which has primarily been associated with the alternative pathway (AP). Properdin functions by stabilising the AP C3 convertase (C3bBb).
In this thesis, I investigated the molecular basis of AP inhibition by a novel set of properdin-binding complement inhibitors from the salivary glands of the tick Rhipicephalus pulchellus, CIRp-A1 and homologs. These proteins were recombinantly expressed in insect and bacterial systems for functional and structural characterisation. ELISA-based complement activation assays showed that CIRp-A1 specifically inhibits the AP and has an IC50 of 13 nM. AP haemolysis assays using different animal sera showed that CIRp-A1 and homologs have different inhibitory activity profiles in different animals. To understand the molecular basis of host specificity, crystal structures of CIRp-A1 and homologs were solved. The structures of these inhibitors, in combination with mutagenesis studies of CIRp-A1, suggested that a loop contributes to the inhibitory activity of CIRp-A1.
Pulldown assays using CIRp-A1 and mammalian cell-expressed recombinant properdin suggested that CIRp-A1 binds to the final domain of properdin (TSR6), which had been implicated in C3b-properdin interaction. Pulldown assays using C3b showed that CIRp-A1 inhibits the binding of properdin to C3b and displaces properdin already bound to C3b. By binding to TSR6, CIRp-A1 might sterically hinder the interaction between properdin and C3b, or change the conformation of properdin such that it can no longer interact with C3b. The exact molecular mechanism behind properdin inhibition by CIRp-A1 remains to be elucidated in future studies, particularly with structural studies of the properdin-CIRp-A1 complex.

Keywords: Immunology
Structural biology
Complement system
X-ray crystallography
Advisor: Lea, S
The politics of natural law from Milton to Swift

Since its earliest origins in antiquity, the idea of natural law, as an innate and universal moral code grounded in human reason, has been a recurring concept in legal, moral, and political philosophy. During the last few decades, interest in the historical development of natural law has grown steadily. However, this thesis is the first study of the literary significance of natural law philosophy within the political upheavals and debates of the late seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries (from Milton to Swift). It exhibits how the notion of natural law was a pervasive yet often deeply problematic feature of political debate within this period - functioning not as an immutable doctrine, but rather as a malleable language through which a range of often conflicting ideologies could be both articulated and legitimised. It demonstrates the ways in which literature provided a unique medium through which this protean concept could be manipulated and interrogated. It also displays how an examination of the literary performance of natural law arguments serves to complicate and enrich certain conventional paradigms regarding the politics of various canonical writers. In elucidating the literary expression of this discourse, the thesis takes the shape of four studies - on Milton, Dryden, Bunyan, and Swift - illuminating the unrecognised significance of natural law within the context of their work.

Keywords: natural law
Dryden
Milton
nature
Swift
law
Bunyan
Advisor: Womersley, D
Content learning in Japanese and English medium instruction: comparing chemistry learning outcomes in Japanese higher education

English Medium Instruction (EMI) is rapidly gaining momentum in line with internationalisation of higher education trends. However, this growth in provision is outpacing empirical research. Research has reported the lack of evidence on the impact of the medium of instruction on students’ content learning outcomes. This study thus drew comparisons between EMI students (n=27) and Japanese medium instruction (JMI) students (n=26) in terms of their directly measured and self- perceived content knowledge acquisition. Data were collected at a research site university where the Chemistry courses were available in both Japanese and English as part of a parallel program offering the same curriculum in either of two languages of instruction. An analysis was made of students’ content learning outcomes measured by a novel pre-post course content tests created by the EMI Chemistry professor for the purpose of the research. These measurable test outcomes were triangulated with data from student interviews to identify further differences in their perceived learning experience according to the language of instruction. These student interviews in addition to teacher interviews and lecture observations were used subsequently to discern the differences in the EMI and JMI course implementation as well as to elucidate academic challenges associated with medium of instruction. Subsequently, factors previously attested as crucial for content learning through EMI, such as proficiency, challenges, and prior content knowledge were explored to investigate the impact of these factors on students’ success in content learning in the EMI program.
Methodologically, this study responds to calls for quasi-experimental research by adopting a longitudinal design of a course over three months, pairing in-depth quantitative analysis of the pre-post test scores with teacher and student interviews and lecture observations. The study found that while the quantitative findings unveiled no differences in content learning outcomes according to the medium of instruction, the qualitative evidence revealed that EMI students encountered a greater level of challenges than their JMI counterparts. The study also found that EMI students with lower English language proficiency faced considerably more onerous challenges than their more proficient counterparts when learning through EMI. Meanwhile, a range of factors also emerged as crucial facilitators for success in EMI, such as previous exposure to EMI education, motivation, revision and preparation, and learning strategies. This study will be one of the first attempts to investigate the effects of the medium of instruction on students’ content learning outcomes in Japan.

Keywords: Japan
Higher education
English Medium Instruction
Pedagogical challenges
Chemistry
Proficiency
Advisor: Rose, H
Thompson, G
McKinley, J
Scrub typhus in Indonesia

Scrub typhus is a neglected and understudied disease. In 1902, Schüffner first described scrub typhus in Indonesia. However, until today, data are lacking and we do not understand its public health significance yet. In this DPhil project, I aimed to (1) characterise scrub typhus epidemiology in Indonesia and its public health importance, and (2) address knowledge gaps in scrub typhus by optimising available data. I mapped and ranked the available evidence on scrub typhus in Indonesia based on the likelihood of sustaining infectious reservoirs. Despite limited data, it appears that scrub typhus does exist and is widespread within the Indonesian archipelago. North Sumatra has the highest number of data points. South Sumatra and Biak have the best evidence in sustaining infective vectors. Serosurvey of archived sera indicated active transmission of scrub typhus in Jambi, Denpasar, and Tabanan. However, the majority of areas in Indonesia did not have any data. To address this, a seroprevalence study to compare exposure to scrub typhus in rural and urban areas of North Sumatra was planned. Diagnosis seems to be the main challenge hindering scrub typhus research. I reviewed the evidence on the accuracy of scrub typhus point-of-care tests. I also performed a meta-analysis on the limited data. The available immunochromatography tests have good specificity – indicating the potential role for ruling in diagnosis. However, they suffer from relatively low sensitivity and are not widely available. A systematic review on scrub typhus treatment studies demonstrated heterogeneity in methods. The optimal treatment dose and duration for scrub typhus is still uncertain. There is an absence of consensus in treatment and research methodologies. There are still gaps in our knowledge on scrub typhus in Indonesia and globally. One way to improve awareness of scrub typhus is to recognise scrub typhus as a neglected tropical disease. Scrub typhus research is also influenced by economic and political factors. Stakeholder engagement and cooperation are therefore essential to fill these knowledge gaps.

Keywords: Orientia tsutsugamushi
Leptotrombidium
Indonesia
scrub typhus
Advisor: Day, NPJ
Baird, JK
Blacksell, SD
Guerin, PJ
The ethics of human genomic enhancement: a framework for public health policy

The pursuit of human genomic enhancement raises bioethical questions surrounding not only individual rights and the consequences of enhancement for enhanced individuals, but surrounding the interests of other groups and whole societies that might be affected by human enhancement. A thorough examination of these ‘collective-level’ morally relevant considerations is needed for bioethics that aims to inform policymaking. The question of whether a given type of human genomic enhancement should be implemented by policymakers in a given country can only be answered by undertaking more collective-oriented ethical analysis. The novel collective-oriented framework for ethical analysis that I present here treats heritable human genomic enhancements as potential public health measures. Considering enhancements as public health measures has a distinct advantage in comparison to past approaches, primarily because public health ethics is an area where a collective-oriented approach has been particularly well developed—thus, taking concepts from that area and applying them to enhancement considered as a public health measure contributes to thorough ethical analysis. I call my resulting framework for performing ethical analysis the ‘Collectivist Public Health framework’. The framework first assesses the consequences of enhancement for groups and society based on their identifiable interests, determining whether it benefits the collective, and whether the magnitude of any harms imposed on individuals or groups are acceptable. It then assesses whether the distribution of these harms and benefits across the country’s population is acceptable. Finally, it compares alternative policies for implementing a given enhancement. The framework can be effectively defended against claims that it may lead to eugenics, that it will incur a loss of human dignity, and that it poses problems surrounding public health resource allocation. Applying the framework to case studies, I find some human genomic enhancements to be ethically desirable public health measures.

Keywords: genome editing
human enhancement
public health ethics
practical ethics
Advisor: Savulescu, J
Giubilini, A
Halogen bonding fluorescent receptors for sensing hydrosulfide and other anions

This thesis describes the preparation and study of fluorescent iodotriazole containing host molecules exploiting halogen bonding for the selective molecular recognition and sensing of hydrosulfide and other anions.
Chapter One introduces the field of anion supramolecular chemistry, highlighting the areas of relevance to this thesis, including the non-covalent interaction halogen bonding (XB), and reviews artificial molecular receptors for the selective recognition and sensing of anion guest species, in particular hydrosulfide.
Chapter Two describes the development of a series of halogen bonding coumarin based receptors, including acyclic, macrocyclic and mechanically interlocked systems. The synthetic procedures and characterisation of each receptor are described. The capability of each receptor to recognise anions in organic solvent media, coupled with the coumarin fluorophore’s ability to relay and sense the binding event via changes in fluorescence, is explored using 1H NMR and fluorescence emission spectroscopy titration experiments.
Chapter Three builds on the results of Chapter 2, detailing the synthesis and characterisation of two generations of acyclic water-soluble halogen bonding coumarin receptors. The receptors, each employing water solubilising TEG groups, are investigated for their ability to recognise and sense hydrosulfide and other anions in pure and buffered water. Computational Density Functional Theory (DFT) and Molecular Dynamics simulations are used to corroborate the experimental anion binding observations.
Chapter Four investigates the use of BODIPY as a fluorescent reporter group in anion receptor design. A variety of BODIPY-iodotriazole containing receptors are prepared, including acyclic receptors, mechanically interlocked molecules, and porphyrin-BODIPY [2]rotaxanes. The anion recognition and fluorescence emission sensing properties of each receptor are investigated in organic and organic-aqueous solvent mixtures.
Chapter Five provides a summary of the main conclusions of this thesis.
Chapter Six details the experimental procedures employed in this work, including synthetic protocols and characterisation data for novel compounds.

Keywords: Hydrogen sulphide
Supramolecular
anion recognition
Catenane
Hydrosulphide
fluorescent sensing
Anion
Hydrosulfide
Macrocycle
Rotaxane
Coumarin
Hydrogen sulfide
Halogen Bonding
Sensing
BODIPY
Fluorescence
Advisor: Beer, P
Control of electronic properties of metal halide perovskites through vacuum co-deposition

As perovskite-based photovoltaic devices near commercialisation, it is imperative to develop thin-film deposition techniques that can be applied on an industrial scale. Vapor deposition is a solvent-free fabrication technique that is widely implemented in industry and can be used to fabricate metal halide perovskite thin-films. Understanding and controlling grain growth and structure of polycrystalline thin films of metal halide perovskite semiconductors is an important step in improving the performance of solar cells based on these materials, as it allows for the development of thin-film passivation techniques compatible with large-scale manufacturing.
I demonstrate that it is possible to accurately control the crystallite size of CH3NH3PbI3 (MAPbI3) thin films by adjusting the substrate temperature during vacuum co-deposition of inorganic (PbI2) and organic (CH3NH3I) (MAI) precursors. Films co-deposited onto a cold substrate temperatures (-2 °C) had large, micrometer-sized crystal grains while films that formed on a room temperature (23 °C) substrate produced grains of only 100 nm in average diameter. I was able to isolate the effects of substrate temperature on crystal growth by developing a new method to control sublimation of the organic precursor. Furthermore, I found substrate temperature directly affects the adsorption rate of MAI, which in turn affects crystal formation and solar cell device performance through changes to the conversion rate of PbI2 to MAPbI3 and stoichiometry.
Next, the passivating effect of using PbCl2 as the inorganic precursor for vapor-deposited CH3NH3PbI3(MAPbI3) is demonstrated, as compared to films fabricated using PbI2 as the inorganic precursor, which is the conventional approach. Furthermore, I find the partial substitution of PbI2 for PbCl2 in [CH(NH2)2]0.83Cs0.17PbI3 films enhances photoluminescence lifetimes from 5.6 ns to over 100 ns, photoluminescence quantum yield by more than an order of magnitude, and charge carrier mobility from 46 cm2/Vs to 56 cm2/Vs. This approach results in significantly improved solar cell power conversion efficiency, from 16.4% to 19.3% for the devices employing perovskite films deposited with 20% substitution of PbI2 with PbCl2. This method presents a scalable, dry and solvent-free route to passivating non-radiative recombination centres and hence improving the performance of vapor-deposited metal halide solar cells.
This thesis combines an overview of the fundamentals of solar cells and the vapour co-evaporation technique with comprehensive studies of the impact of a range of paramters on the optoelectronic properties of the resulting metal-halide perovskite films, providing detailed understanding of the mechanisms that can be used to improve the performance of vacuum-deposited metal-halide perovskite solar cells.

Keywords: solar cells
perovskite
vacuum-deposition
optoelectronics
Advisor: Johnston, M
Snaith, H