title: The inherent liminality of lesbian detectives: Shifting spaces and lesbian crime fiction 1984-2022

authors: Antoniolli, Claudia

subjects: Crime fiction

abstract: This thesis studies lesbian detective fiction and specifically considers this genre in its early decades (1980s-1990s) from the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand. This thesis postulates that out of a sample pool of a hundred novels, there are recurring patterns of behaviours and attitudes among the protagonists of this genre within certain physical and metaphorical spaces. These patterns demonstrate a destabilised identity, as the lesbian sleuth never ceases to explore and test the boundaries of her authority as an enforcer of law and order and of her suppressed spatiality as a member of a sexual minority. This causes her to live in a perpetual state of Insider/Outsider liminality and it causes queer trauma to be a fundamental aspect of her character. This thesis considers this concept as the result of long-standing, systemic homophobia and heterosexist normativity, and utilises the notion of queer trauma to interpret the way the lesbian sleuth is inescapably stuck between a sense of duty and justice and a yearning for belonging and self-affirmation. The interpretive process is supported by an extensive and in-depth theoretical research into the fields of history, culture, geography, feminist criticism, gender, and sexuality studies for the selected subject matter. The spaces selected and analysed in this thesis are the queer closet, the medical establishment, domestic settings, and the gay bar. These spaces have been chosen for the significant, emblematic ways in which the lesbian detectives interact with them and have been analysed in order of their importance for the protagonists’ characterisation. The introduction includes introductory statements and the theoretical framework, the first chapter overviews major detectives in the history of crime literature from a spatial perspective; the second chapter discusses the queer closet; the third chapter considers the space of the clinic and the topics of queer trauma and of the pathologisation of homosexuality; the fourth chapter analyses the domestic settings of the protagonists; the fifth chapter examines the context of the gay bar and its history; finally, the conclusion offers closing statements about the focus and originality of this thesis. The originality of this thesis lies in its focus on spaces and on the relationship between the protagonist and society, law and order, and Self and Other. This thesis contributes to the knowledge of queer literature by specifically considering the unescapable liminality of the lesbian/Outsider detective/Insider.

text: The inherent liminality of lesbian detectives: Shifting spaces and lesbian crime fiction 1984-2022 This thesis studies lesbian detective fiction and specifically considers this genre in its early decades (1980s-1990s) from the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand. This thesis postulates that out of a sample pool of a hundred novels, there are recurring patterns of behaviours and attitudes among the protagonists of this genre within certain physical and metaphorical spaces. These patterns demonstrate a destabilised identity, as the lesbian sleuth never ceases to explore and test the boundaries of her authority as an enforcer of law and order and of her suppressed spatiality as a member of a sexual minority. This causes her to live in a perpetual state of Insider/Outsider liminality and it causes queer trauma to be a fundamental aspect of her character. This thesis considers this concept as the result of long-standing, systemic homophobia and heterosexist normativity, and utilises the notion of queer trauma to interpret the way the lesbian sleuth is inescapably stuck between a sense of duty and justice and a yearning for belonging and self-affirmation. The interpretive process is supported by an extensive and in-depth theoretical research into the fields of history, culture, geography, feminist criticism, gender, and sexuality studies for the selected subject matter. The spaces selected and analysed in this thesis are the queer closet, the medical establishment, domestic settings, and the gay bar. These spaces have been chosen for the significant, emblematic ways in which the lesbian detectives interact with them and have been analysed in order of their importance for the protagonists’ characterisation. The introduction includes introductory statements and the theoretical framework, the first chapter overviews major detectives in the history of crime literature from a spatial perspective; the second chapter discusses the queer closet; the third chapter considers the space of the clinic and the topics of queer trauma and of the pathologisation of homosexuality; the fourth chapter analyses the domestic settings of the protagonists; the fifth chapter examines the context of the gay bar and its history; finally, the conclusion offers closing statements about the focus and originality of this thesis. The originality of this thesis lies in its focus on spaces and on the relationship between the protagonist and society, law and order, and Self and Other. This thesis contributes to the knowledge of queer literature by specifically considering the unescapable liminality of the lesbian/Outsider detective/Insider.

year: 2023

title: Toward Large-Scale Continuous EDA: A Random Matrix Theory Perspective

authors: Kabán, Ata

subjects: Science & Technology

abstract: Estimations of distribution algorithms (EDAs) are a major branch of evolutionary algorithms (EA) with some unique advantages in principle. They are able to take advantage of correlation structure to drive the search more efficiently, and they are able to provide insights about the structure of the search space. However, model building in high dimensions is extremely challenging, and as a result existing EDAs may become less attractive in large-scale problems because of the associated large computational requirements. 
Large-scale continuous global optimisation is key to many modern-day real-world problems. Scaling up EAs to large-scale problems has become one of the biggest challenges of the field. 
This paper pins down some fundamental roots of the problem and makes a start at developing a new and generic framework to yield effective and efficient EDA-type algorithms for large-scale continuous global optimisation problems. Our concept is to introduce an ensemble of random projections to low dimensions of the set of fittest search points as a basis for developing a new and generic divide-and-conquer methodology. Our ideas are rooted in the theory of random projections developed in theoretical computer science, and in developing and analysing our framework we exploit some recent results in nonasymptotic random matrix theory.
MATLAB code is available from http://www.cs.bham.ac.uk/∼axk/rpm.zip

text: Toward Large-Scale Continuous EDA: A Random Matrix Theory Perspective Estimations of distribution algorithms (EDAs) are a major branch of evolutionary algorithms (EA) with some unique advantages in principle. They are able to take advantage of correlation structure to drive the search more efficiently, and they are able to provide insights about the structure of the search space. However, model building in high dimensions is extremely challenging, and as a result existing EDAs may become less attractive in large-scale problems because of the associated large computational requirements. 
Large-scale continuous global optimisation is key to many modern-day real-world problems. Scaling up EAs to large-scale problems has become one of the biggest challenges of the field. 
This paper pins down some fundamental roots of the problem and makes a start at developing a new and generic framework to yield effective and efficient EDA-type algorithms for large-scale continuous global optimisation problems. Our concept is to introduce an ensemble of random projections to low dimensions of the set of fittest search points as a basis for developing a new and generic divide-and-conquer methodology. Our ideas are rooted in the theory of random projections developed in theoretical computer science, and in developing and analysing our framework we exploit some recent results in nonasymptotic random matrix theory.
MATLAB code is available from http://www.cs.bham.ac.uk/∼axk/rpm.zip

year: 2016

title: The Control, environmental sustainability and information management of Maori land in New Zealand

authors: Morad, Munir

subjects: Maori land

abstract: An increase in Maori land claims and the subsequent settlement of a number of land confiscation grievances have prompted calls for change to the land management, cadastral and legal regimes in New Zealand. There is little expert agreement as to Me shape any such reforms should take, but environmental planners and Maori leaders have conceded the need for an overhaul of current land information management practices. Such reforms must aspire to being legally workable, culturally appropriate and environmentally sustainable.
Most land in New Zealand is subject to recent legislation (post-1984) which acknowledges concern for Maori cultural values and ancestral rights and environmental sustainability. The existence of this legislation and growing Maori involvement in formulating public policy for the management of land and environmental resources mean that Maori concepts of land management and sustainability are receiving increasing attention and are likely to influence the shape of future cadastral reforms for Maori lands.

text: The Control, environmental sustainability and information management of Maori land in New Zealand An increase in Maori land claims and the subsequent settlement of a number of land confiscation grievances have prompted calls for change to the land management, cadastral and legal regimes in New Zealand. There is little expert agreement as to Me shape any such reforms should take, but environmental planners and Maori leaders have conceded the need for an overhaul of current land information management practices. Such reforms must aspire to being legally workable, culturally appropriate and environmentally sustainable.
Most land in New Zealand is subject to recent legislation (post-1984) which acknowledges concern for Maori cultural values and ancestral rights and environmental sustainability. The existence of this legislation and growing Maori involvement in formulating public policy for the management of land and environmental resources mean that Maori concepts of land management and sustainability are receiving increasing attention and are likely to influence the shape of future cadastral reforms for Maori lands.

year: 1997