Abstract: Over twenty years passed since American and Canadian forces arrived in Afghanistan to start the War on Terrorism as a response to 9/11, and during this period, there has been an enormous controversy about the nature and the scope of the Afghanistan intervention. Amidst this controversy, this dissertation aims to unravel a strategic puzzle: why and how the United States and Canada adopted similar engagement levels, especially similar counterinsurgency (COIN) strategies between 2005/2006 and 2011. During this time, the United States and Canada fought against insurgent groups, sought to maintain stabilized areas by mentoring Afghan forces, and invested in infrastructure and governance. These goals, which corresponded to the ‘clear,’ ‘hold,’ and ‘build’ COIN components, entailed sending troops and civilian officials to a war zone and committing financial resources. According to structural realism as a dominant IR theory, the similarity of American and Canadian engagements constitutes a puzzle because this theory would expect that countries with different relative standings in the international system are meant to adopt different foreign and security policies. To unravel this puzzle, this dissertation uses neoclassical realism. Like a realist theory, it examines the effects of relative material capabilities on foreign policy, which is an essential factor in comparing American and Canadian foreign and security policies. Yet, unlike structural realism, it considers dimensions other than states’ relative standing, such as perceptions and domestic politics, which, along with the relative standing, help to unpack the puzzle above. Based on this theory, the central argument of this dissertation is that the similarity of American and Canadian engagements resulted from similar systemic stimuli from the post-9/11 strategic environment, foreign policy executives’ (FPE) similar strategic beliefs, and comparable abilities to mobilize domestic resources. By showing the occurrence of factors on both American and Canadian sides bringing about the outcome above, this dissertation seeks to undermine the ideas of the “Americanization” of Canadian foreign and security policy and the syndrome of “parochialism” of the United States regarding its Northern neighbour.

Abstract: Blue ocean carbon projects are climate mitigation and adaptation solutions that are considered winwin schemes for conservation and well-being and an ecosystem-based solution towards sustainable development. However, local communities have declared their concerns about the potential of ocean grabbing and the negative impacts on their livelihoods. Looking at the case of Colombia, coastal communities are vulnerable to climate change and marginalized communities such as indigenous peoples, women and afro-descendant groups live under poverty conditions and unsatisfied basic needs. Therefore, blue carbon projects should include safeguards to protect these communities from ocean grabbing based on procedural and substantive climate justice. Resumen: Los proyectos de carbono azul son soluciones de mitigación y adaptación para el cambio climático, que se consideran como esquemas gana-gana para la conservación y el bienestar, así como soluciones basadas en ecosistemas para el desarrollo sostenible. Sin embargo, las comunidades locales han manifestado su preocupacion en relación con la probabilidad de acaparamiento del oceano y los impactos negativos en sus medios de vida. En el caso de Colombia, las comunidades costeras son vulnerables al cambio climático, así como comunidades marginadas (comunidades indígenas, mujeres y afrodescentiendes) que viven en condiciones de pobreza y necesidades básicas insatisfechas. En ese sentido, los proyectos de carbono azul deben incluir salvaguardas para proteger a estas comunidades del acaparamiento del oceano con base en argumentos de justicia climática procedimental y sustantiva.

Abstract: Conceptually explore and propose the creation of a Media Lab focused mainly on research and production in Digital Narratives and Storytelling. The Proposal for a sustainable business model based on collaborative networks. A process of reviewing the concepts around social and cultural entrepreneurship. Resumen: Explorar conceptualmente y proponer la creación de un Media Lab centrado principalmente en la investigación y producción en Narrativas Digitales y Storytelling. La propuesta de un modelo de negocio sostenible basado en redes de colaboración. Un proceso de revisión de los conceptos en torno al emprendimiento social y cultural.

Abstract: Objective: To describe the prevalence pattern of anemia among Indigenous children in Latin America. Methods: PRISMA guidelines were followed. Records were identified from the databases PubMed, Google Scholar, and Lilacs by two independent researchers between May and June 2021. Studies were included if the following criteria were met: a) studied Indigenous people b) was about children (from 0 to 12 years old); c) reported a prevalence estimate of anemia; d) had been conducted in any of the countries of Latin America; e) was published either in English, Portuguese, or Spanish; f) is a peer-reviewed article; and g) was published at any date. Results: Out of 2,401 unique records retrieved, 42 articles met the inclusion criteria. A total of 39 different Indigenous communities were analyzed in the articles, and in 21 of them (54.0%) child anemia was a severe public health problem (prevalence ? 40%). Those communities were the Aymara (Bolivia); Aruak, Guaraní, Kamaiurá, Karapotó, Karibe, Kaxinanuá, Ma-cro-Jê, Suruí, Terena, Xavante (Brazil); Cabécar (Costa Rica), Achuar, Aguaruna, Awajún, Urarina, Yomybato (Peru); Piaroa and Yucpa (Venezuela); and Quechua (Peru and Bolivia). Children below two years had the highest prevalence of anemia (between 16.2% and 86.1%). Among Indigenous people, risk factors for anemia include nutrition, poor living conditions, access to health services, racism, and discrimination. Bolivia and Guatemala are scarcely studied, despite having the highest proportion of Indigenous communities in Latin America. Conclusions: Anemia constitutes a poorly documented public health problem among Indigenous children in 21 Indigenous communities in Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Guatemala, Mexico, and Peru. In all Indigenous communities included in this study child anemia was an issue, especially in younger children. Resumen: Objetivo: Describir el patrón de prevalencia de anemia en niños indígenas de América Latina. Métodos: Se siguieron las directrices PRISMA. Los registros fueron identificados en las bases de datos PubMed, Google Scholar y Lilacs por dos investigadores independientes entre mayo y junio de 2021. Los estudios se incluyeron si cumplían los siguientes criterios: a) estudiaban a indígenas; b) eran sobre niños (de 0 a 12 años); c) reportaban una estimación de prevalencia de anemia; d) se habían realizado en cualquiera de los países de América Latina; e) se publicaron en inglés, portugués o español; f) eran artículos revisados por pares; y g) se publicaron en cualquier fecha. Resultados: De los 2.401 registros únicos recuperados, 42 artículos cumplían los criterios de inclusión. Un total de 39 comunidades indígenas diferentes fueron analizadas en los artículos, y en 21 de ellas (54,0%) la anemia infantil era un problema grave de salud pública (prevalencia ? 40%). Esas comunidades eran aymara (Bolivia); aruak, guaraní, kamaiurá, karapotó, karibe, kaxinanuá, macro- jê, suruí, terena, xavante (Brasil); cabécar (Costa Rica), achuar, aguaruna, awajún, urarina, yomybato (Perú); piaroa y yucpa (Venezuela); y quechua (Perú y Bolivia). Los niños menores de dos años presentaban la mayor prevalencia de anemia (entre el 16,2% y el 86,1%). Entre los indígenas, los factores de riesgo de la anemia son la nutrición, las malas condiciones de vida, el acceso a los servicios sanitarios, el racismo y la discriminación. Bolivia y Guatemala están escasamente estudiados, a pesar de tener la mayor proporción de comunidades indígenas de América Latina. Conclusiones: La anemia constituye un problema de salud pública poco documentado entre los niños indígenas de 21 comunidades indígenas de Bolivia, Brasil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Guatemala, México y Perú. En todas las comunidades indígenas incluidas en este estudio, la anemia infantil era un problema, especialmente en los niños más pequeños.

Resumen: Los puentes atirantados son una tipología muy eficiente que posee agradables atributos estéticos. En los últimos años ha emergido como el sistema dominante para puentes de grandes luces, hasta 1200 m gracias a la combinación de distintos avances tecnológicos que la han convertido en muy competitiva. Aparte de la estabilidad aerodinámica, para esta tipología es relevante el estudio de la estabilidad del equilibrio elástico global y local del tablero frente a las cargas de compresión que se generan por el esquema de atirantamiento. En este trabajo se presenta un estudio paramétrico en puentes atirantados que permite identificar y evaluar un rango de luces donde los fenómenos de inestabilidad global del tablero son significativos. Para lograr este análisis se plantean varios objetivos, inicialmente de estudio, luego de modelación e identificación de rangos y finalmente de análisis y conclusiones. Los temas estudiados para el estado del conocimiento son la evolución del proyecto de tableros de puentes atirantados metálicos y mixtos en función de la luz, así como la tipología de tableros en función de la luz del tablero frente a los fenómenos de inestabilidad global. Para la modelización del tablero se considera el modelo de viga sobre cimentación elástica o modelo de Winkler con módulo de reacción constante y variable, junto con esfuerzos axiles de variación constante y variable. Con los resultados obtenidos se identifican rangos de luces donde la inestabilidad es importante para el análisis, al cual se le evalúan sus efectos no lineales y su posible repercusión en el proyecto del tablero.

Abstract: Innovation is an essential asset in an ever-changing world. Commercial brands that used to focus solely on profit are increasingly facing criticism from different parts of society to the point of risking their sustainability and space in the future. Pro-social and impact-driven brands are rising, and such is the literature about business models navigating new kinds of 'enlightened' free-market strategies. Since museums have experienced -and still are- a similar change, they can be considered experts in navigating social and cultural impact matters. Through the methodology of cross-industry innovation, one sector can learn from another to disrupt the status quo and achieve valuable paradigm shifts. This article reviews the literature on the change of brands and museums towards the social, laying the foundations for an interesting dialogue between two apparent opposite creative sectors, comercial and cultural, profit-driven and non-profit social institutions.

Abstract: The present research project is about the case study of the informal tannery industry settled in the Bogotá River’s upper basin. These tanneries use great volumes of water, and have poured chromium, chloride, sulphide, and tannin into the River for more than thirty years. There are several conditions that have hindered the implementation of policies to tackle the pollution problem of the tanneries on the Bogotá River. The claim of this research project is that the technical strategies applied to solve the River’s environmental problems, such as treatment plants or pipe systems, are not sufficient. It is fundamental to include, just as critically, the social, economic, and political dimensions, and to understand and involve all stakeholders. Additionally, the River should be treated under a regional perspective, because to date the political and institutional division has caused a fragmented and disarticulated approach. Previous efforts from various government levels to solve the tanneries pollution problems include planning projects designed by the Cundinamarca Department, land-use policies issued by the towns of Villapinzón and Chocontá, and various environmental laws emitted by the regional environmental authority Corporación Autónoma Regional de Cundinamarca CAR. Due to the inefficacy of the mentioned attempts to address the environmental problem of the tanneries, last March 2014, the Colombian Council of State emitted a sentence that aimed to finalize this long struggle. The sentence ordered to undertake all necessary actions to recuperate the River in the term of the next thirty years, with an assigned $3-billion-USD budget. It also ordered the relocation of the tannery industries of Villapinzón and Chocontá to an eco-park. The goal of the present study is not only to illustrate the conflict, the events, and the stakeholders involved in the tannery problem, but also to analyze the eco-park policy to relocate the tanneries. The present study was developed from June to December 2014, through field research that included visits and interviews with tanners, representatives of regional and local government agencies, the academia, and an international agency. A series of photographs, which were also part of the fieldwork, complements the study. The photo essay intends to build a storytelling to help the reader visualize the larger landscape, tannery, and stakeholder contexts in which the case study has unfolded. The present study is developed in sections where it is explained the physical context of the River and its environmental problems, the stakeholders involved in the tannery problem, the power structures and interests that have shaped the decisions made, the historical background of the conflict, the analysis of the eco-park, as well as its advantages and disadvantages, and finally, the conclusion presents perspectives and recommendations to implement along with the future eco-park.

Resumen: Colombia se enfrenta a múltiples retos de desarrollo rural debido a presiones tanto externas como internas. Por un lado, su importancia en la producción mundial de alimentos exige formas sostenibles de aumentar la productividad al tiempo que se salvaguardan y protegen sus recursos naturales y culturales. Por otro lado, la voluntad política de posicionar el campo como motor económico del país frente a la desmineralización de la economía se suma a la importancia de estos paisajes para la construcción de paz. Esta investigación aborda las ruralidades en transición en Colombia y propone el enfoque sistémico del paisaje como herramienta para orientar el desarrollo rural hacia la sostenibilidad. El proceso investigativo llevado a cabo es de carácter mixto, abarcando enfoques teóricos, cartográficos, fotográficos y de trabajo de campo. Se analizan las características, realidades y retos de la ruralidad colombiana, se argumenta la relevancia del paisaje como guía para el proceso de desarrollo y se realiza una aproximación empírica a un estudio de caso en Colombia que muestra cómo se están abordando los nuevos enfoques de desarrollo en los territorios rurales del país. A partir de estos hallazgos se definen una serie de estrategias, lineamientos y acciones desde una visión amplia pero con proyección de implementación local para aprovechar el paisaje como recurso y herramienta para el desarrollo rural desde un enfoque sistémico que contribuya a un desarrollo económicamente viable, socialmente responsable y ambientalmente amigable. Esta investigación busca contribuir al debate sobre el desarrollo rural en Colombia, promoviendo un enfoque integral y holístico que considere la complejidad de los paisajes rurales, la conservación de la biodiversidad, la protección de las culturas locales y la promoción de prácticas productivas sostenibles. Se espera que las estrategias y lineamientos propuestos sean de utilidad para la toma de decisiones y la planeación de políticas públicas orientadas al desarrollo rural sostenible en Colombia y otros contextos similares.

Abstract: The author examines the special considerations needed when planning transportation systems using transportation modeling with a gender-sensitive approach. The findings of this thesis are highly relevant as they demonstrate how traditional planning processes are blind to the needs and experiences of women in transportation. Using mixed methods, combining transportation survey data, an existing 4-step model, and expert interviews, the case of Bogotá, Colombia, is examined. This thesis evaluates the clear differences between women’s mobility behavior and men’s, exploring how, if so, 4-step models can represent and evaluate these different behaviors. The results of this thesis demonstrate the need to develop more precise and disaggregated transportation models to develop gender-sensitive policies in the field of urban mobility. Furthermore, this thesis presents a way forward for incorporating gender criteria into transportation modeling, which can be useful for cities to develop long-term plans to improve their technical processes. Resumen: El autor examina las consideraciones especiales necesarias a la hora de planificar sistemas de transporte utilizando modelos de transporte con un enfoque sensible al género. Los hallazgos de esta tesis son muy relevantes, ya que demuestran cómo los procesos de planificación tradicionales son ajenos a las necesidades y experiencias de las mujeres en el transporte. Utilizando métodos mixtos, combinando datos de encuestas de transporte, un modelo existente de 4 pasos y entrevistas a expertos, se analiza el caso de Bogotá, Colombia. Esta tesis evalúa las claras diferencias entre los patrones de desplazamiento de las mujeres y los de los hombres, explorando cómo, en su caso, los modelos de 4 pasos pueden representar y evaluar estos diferentes comportamientos. Los resultados de esta tesis demuestran la necesidad de desarrollar modelos de transporte más precisos y desagregados para desarrollar políticas sensibles al género en el campo de la movilidad urbana. Además, esta tesis presenta un camino a seguir para incorporar criterios de género en la modelización del transporte, lo que puede ser útil para que las ciudades desarrollen planes a largo plazo para mejorar sus procesos técnicos.

Abstract: The standard IEC 61400-1, v.4.0 proposes at appendix J a method to determine the probability of extreme winds, based on the simulation of artificial cyclones and the theory of gradient wind. This method considers marginal statistical distributions for 5 main descriptors of cyclones (pressure depth, radius of maximum wind speed, translation speed, angle to the point of reference and mini-mum distance), a “modified orthogonal decomposition” to generate artificial cyclones and its own formulas to determine surface wind, cumulative probabilities and annual maximum surface wind. This research pursued to implement and to validate the standard at North West Pacific. Due to the difficulty and highly empirical elements of IEC 61400-1, v.4.0, it was required to modify it and include in the model other inputs such as well known statistical distributions after testing them, Nataf trans-formation (ERANataf) to generate artificial cyclones and empirical cumulative distribution functions to determine the probability of annual maximum surface wind. For the verification and validation, the results of 9 locations distributed in South Korea, Japan, HongKong and Taiwan were compared with the database of the Joint Typhoon Warning Center and theRSMC-Tokyo. The implementation of this research underestimated surface wind in all the locations.Simultaneously, the greatest contribution of input variables to sensitivity was more frequent from super index B of Holland. It would be desirable to continue validating this standard (that is presumed to have a global application), to understand the challenges of its theory during the computation of surface wind from gradient wind and to overcome the issues of its implementation.