title: 'Rock ova and lap up': A critique of Caribbean theories of national identity through the Jamaican public transport system

authors: Bennett, Sharayne

subjects: national identity

abstract: Public transport is a major aspect of the social and economic life of Jamaican people. With a population of 2.7 million and only 188 per thousand vehicles, many people have come to rely on public transport. Public travel within the Kingston Metropolitan Region (KMR) in Jamaica is possible via six modes which range from very informal to rigidly regulated. There is the Government owned and operated bus system (JUTC), then four modes (coasters, hackneys, minibuses, and route taxis) which are regulated by the government but operate across formal and informal lines and also the infamous Jamaican “robot” which exists outside of the regulatory framework and protection of the government. One journey may involve use of a single or multiple modes depending on various factors.
   
This thesis an auto-ethnography of the Jamaican public transport system in the KMR as a landscape in which to critique the major theories of Jamaican/ Caribbean identity and determine whether or not they individually or collectively supply a true picture of our identity. By exploring issues of formality and informality, and morality in mobility this work resonates with traditional anthropology by integrating specific group experiences with larger political, historical and economic structures.

text: 'Rock ova and lap up': A critique of Caribbean theories of national identity through the Jamaican public transport system Public transport is a major aspect of the social and economic life of Jamaican people. With a population of 2.7 million and only 188 per thousand vehicles, many people have come to rely on public transport. Public travel within the Kingston Metropolitan Region (KMR) in Jamaica is possible via six modes which range from very informal to rigidly regulated. There is the Government owned and operated bus system (JUTC), then four modes (coasters, hackneys, minibuses, and route taxis) which are regulated by the government but operate across formal and informal lines and also the infamous Jamaican “robot” which exists outside of the regulatory framework and protection of the government. One journey may involve use of a single or multiple modes depending on various factors.
   
This thesis an auto-ethnography of the Jamaican public transport system in the KMR as a landscape in which to critique the major theories of Jamaican/ Caribbean identity and determine whether or not they individually or collectively supply a true picture of our identity. By exploring issues of formality and informality, and morality in mobility this work resonates with traditional anthropology by integrating specific group experiences with larger political, historical and economic structures.

year: 2016

title: Randomising block sizes for BlockCopy-based wind farm layout optimisation

authors: Mayo, Michael

subjects: computer science

abstract: The BlockCopy stochastic local search algorithm is a state-of-the-art optimiser for the Wind Farm Layout Optimisation problem. Unlike many other metaheuristics-based optimisers, BlockCopy requires the specification of only one key parameter, namely a block size. In this paper, we investigate the effect on different block sizes on the optimisation results. Using standard benchmarks for the Wind Farm Layout Optimisation problem, we show that smaller fixed block sizes (relative to overall layout size) produce better optimised layouts than larger fixed block sizes. More interestingly, we also show that randomising the block size parameter results in optimisation performance at the same or a better level than that produced by the best algorithm with a fixed block size. Effectively, this means that the user can ignore the need to tune the block size parameter and simply randomise it instead. Such a strategy results in what is effectively a parameterless, but none-the-less effective, optimisation algorithm for the Wind Farm Layout Optimisation problem.

text: Randomising block sizes for BlockCopy-based wind farm layout optimisation The BlockCopy stochastic local search algorithm is a state-of-the-art optimiser for the Wind Farm Layout Optimisation problem. Unlike many other metaheuristics-based optimisers, BlockCopy requires the specification of only one key parameter, namely a block size. In this paper, we investigate the effect on different block sizes on the optimisation results. Using standard benchmarks for the Wind Farm Layout Optimisation problem, we show that smaller fixed block sizes (relative to overall layout size) produce better optimised layouts than larger fixed block sizes. More interestingly, we also show that randomising the block size parameter results in optimisation performance at the same or a better level than that produced by the best algorithm with a fixed block size. Effectively, this means that the user can ignore the need to tune the block size parameter and simply randomise it instead. Such a strategy results in what is effectively a parameterless, but none-the-less effective, optimisation algorithm for the Wind Farm Layout Optimisation problem.

year: 2016

title: Huikau

authors: Maxwell, Te Kahautu

abstract: Huikau is dedicated to my life long mentor and educator Mrs Ema Rogers who imparted her knowledge of Te Haahi Ringatū and things Māori to me. She housed me for months while I reseearched my MA Thesis Te Kōpura. Mrs Rogers passed away in December 2012. This new composition was performed by Ōpōtiki Mai Tawhiti Kapa Haka at the Mātaatua Regional Kapa Haka Competition. This composition placed first in the Waiata Tira category.

text: Huikau Huikau is dedicated to my life long mentor and educator Mrs Ema Rogers who imparted her knowledge of Te Haahi Ringatū and things Māori to me. She housed me for months while I reseearched my MA Thesis Te Kōpura. Mrs Rogers passed away in December 2012. This new composition was performed by Ōpōtiki Mai Tawhiti Kapa Haka at the Mātaatua Regional Kapa Haka Competition. This composition placed first in the Waiata Tira category.

year: 2012