Abstract: Housework and care have historically been associated with women, the feminine, and have been considered unproductive tasks despite its demanding and inexhaustible nature. It is not by chance that, within the framework of the modern-colonial gender system, these jobs are carried out by migrant and precarious women. This dissertation comprises an investigation about the life stories of migrant women of diverse origins, analyzing the intersection of our life experiences, tightening the thread of power relations that cross us, and exploring how closeness is woven from conversation and company. Through an approach to the embodied knowledge of domestic workers in Spain, it accounts for the creation of a shared intimacy, in a search to challenge the power dynamics that situate us and put the hierarchy between productive, reproductive, and even unproductive jobs in tension. At the same time, it seeks to give birth to an artistic practice that allows the female life experience to be captured under a horizontal logic, conversation, and mutual care. Resumen: Los trabajos de cuidado en el espacio doméstico han estado asociados históricamente con las mujeres, lo femenino, y se han considerado tareas improductivas a pesar de su naturaleza demandante e inagotable. No es casualidad que, en el marco del sistema moderno-colonial de género, estos trabajos sean llevados a cabo por mujeres migrantes y precarizadas. La presente tesina comprende una investigación acerca de historias de vida de mujeres migrantes de orígenes diversos analizando la intersección de nuestras experiencias de vida, tensando el hilo de las relaciones de poder que nos atraviesan y explorando cómo se teje confidencia a partir de la conversación y la compañía. Mediante una aproximación a los saberes encarnados de trabajadoras del hogar en España, da cuenta de la creación de una intimidad compartida, en una búsqueda por desafíar las dinámicas de poder que nos sitúan y poner en tensión la jerarquía entre trabajos productivos, reproductivos e incluso improductivos. A su vez, busca dar a luz una práctica artística que permita plasmar la experiencia de vida femenina bajo una lógica horizontal, de conversación y de cuidado mutuo.

Resumen: Este trabajo final de máster presenta el proceso y los resultados del proyecto de investigación - creación artística Mosquerías: Relatos supersticiosos, verdades a oídos, realizado en el marco de la maestría de producción e investigación artística en la Universidad de Barcelona entre 2022 y 2023. A través de esta investigación indagué de forma crítica, estética y antropológica la construcción de la realidad imaginada y de lo que denomino «verdad a oídos», tomando como marco de análisis relatos supersticiosos acerca de cuerpos aparecidos, de los que surgen elementos a explorar. Para ello presenté postulados teóricos y antecedentes artísticos, que han servido como fundamento para la producción y creación de la obra artística que he desarrollado. Expongo los resultados del proceso, dando paso a cinco piezas que he producido a partir de la experiencia con el barro y con la materia sonora. En estas se interpretan narrativas visuales y sonoras, que interactúan entre sí y en el espacio, y que proponen al espectador experimentar de una manera diferente y descentralizada historias comunes supersticiosas acerca de los cuerpos que se aparecen y que se convierten en constructo de la realidad. Un constructo que se genera a partir de imaginarios colectivos, que toma forma a través de la oralidad y la organicidad que surge a partir de los relatos acerca del cuerpo.

Abstract: When lower-dimensional self-sustained objects encounter higher-dimensional ones, they can be dissolved and absorbed. We delve into this intriguing erasure phenomenon resulting from topological defects’ interaction. This general phenomenon has significant implications in cosmology and fundamental physics, which we discuss in the first part of the thesis. We start with the erasure of onedimensional objects. One key finding is that vortices or strings of all kinds, such as cosmic strings, QCD flux tubes, or fundamental strings, undergo erasure when encountering defects like domain walls, solitonic structures, or D-branes that deconfine their fluxes. Consequently, a new mechanism of cosmic string break-up emerges. We explain the erasure phenomenon by the loss of coherence in the annihilation process. Additionally, for the case of point-like objects immersed in three-dimensional objects, we explore the interactions between magnetic monopoles and domain walls formed by the same order parameter within an SU(2) gauge theory. As previously suggested, a collision between monopoles and a domain wall leads to their erasure. The monopoles unwind and spread their magnetic charge over the wall, with the erasure process consistently occurring due to the loss of coherence in the collision and the entropy suppression on the recreation of a monopole. This erasure phenomenon has significant cosmological implications, particularly in post-inflationary phase transitions. Furthermore, it sheds light on the nature of gauge theories with coexisting phases, such as confining and Higgs phases. The erasure phenomenon has significant imprints in cosmology and astrophysics as well. In particular, a new mechanism of cosmic string break-up emerges. Moreover, the monopole erasure may serve as a solution to the cosmological monopole problem. In another investigation of interactions of topological defects, we examine the annihilation of a pair of ’t Hooft-Polyakov monopoles confined by a string. We focus on scenarios where the scales of monopoles and strings are comparable. The emitted GW spectrum agrees with previous calculations for wavelengths longer than the system width and before the collision. However, in head-on collisions, the monopoles are never re-created. Instead, the system decays into waves of Higgs and gauge fields, and the recreation of a monopole pair becomes highly improbable due to the loss of coherence during the annihilation process. This behavior is expected to be analogous in systems involving heavy quarks connected by a QCD string. Thus, in a similar regime, the string does not re-stretch after the initial collapse, but the system hadronizes and decays into numerous mesons and glueballs. In the second part of the thesis, we changed our subject of study to another self-sustained objects. These objects attain the maximal entropy permitted by unitarity. They are called saturons, as they saturate unitarity and entropy bounds. Interestingly enough, they share many properties with black holes, for which they are considered exceptional. For instance, the time evolution and information-processing properties of BHs are also found in saturons. Thus, we suggest a “Black hole-Saturon” correspondence. Our work confirms this connection within a renormalizable SU(N) invariant theory. The theory’s spectrum contains a tower of non-topological defects of the Q-ball type, or vacuum bubbles, representing bound states of SU(N) Goldstones. Surprisingly, despite the absence of gravity, these saturated bound states exhibit striking similarities to BHs, displaying an information horizon, an entropy governed by the Bekenstein-Hawking formula, thermal evaporation at a rate corresponding to their inverse radius, and an information retrieval time equivalent to Page’s time. The BH-Saturon correspondence has profound implications for BH physics and saturated systems, both in fundamental theory and observational aspects.

Abstract: One of the recurring problems in the construction industry is its recognised lack of productivity due to different factors, among which could be highlighted the fragmentation of the information flow between the different phases of the project life cycle and the difficulty in communication between the different stakeholders. To address this, the industry has reacted through the use of prefabrication and the implementation of new technologies such as Building Information Modelling. The aim is to improve both productivity, through mass customisation, and the flow of information between phases and stakeholders in the projects, through the use of software and platforms, which also give the possibility of automation with processes such as Generative Design. The dissertation investigates the use of these technologies in the area of prefabrication in construction, focusing on the current implementation of configurators and the associated automation that could be derived from their use for the development of projects. Taking a hybrid prefabrication system (wood and concrete) currently used by CASAIS company as a case study, the research seeks to develop a framework that exploits the modular characteristics of these systems, especially in the design phase. It is in this phase where it is possible to take advantage of the limited number of parameters of the prefabricated elements in automating the generation of design proposals and in obtaining information related to KPIs, which would, in turn, allow a more objective feasibility analysis during this first phase of the project. The indicated solution is, firstly, the proposal of a methodology to develop a configurator applied to the case study, which uses tools and/or platforms, that are currently present in the market related to BIM and the construction industry. Then the dissertation continues with the specific development of the section of the methodology corresponding to the generation of the computational model, and for this purpose visual programming is used, taking as initial information the relevant parameters and data to be obtained that are typical of the prefabrication system studied. The research seeks to make a contribution to the current progress in terms of productivity and information flow that has been developed in the construction industry with the implementation of prefabrication and BIM. With the use of configurators, associated with these new technologies, an incursion into automation methods is proposed, especially in the project gestation phases through Generative Design. Thus, by making use of the mass customisation possibilities offered by prefabrication systems and the integration of nonprofessional agents, (taking advantage of the ease of use of the configurators), a more integrated design process and a more objective decision-making process can be achieved, since it is based on more accurate data related to the feasibility of the projects.

Abstract: Changes in demographics and epidemiology have made non-communicable diseases (NCDs) a global and highly relevant problem. Globally, oral diseases cause serious health and economic burdens, leading to a substantial reduction in quality of life for those affected. Oral diseases and other NCDs share modifiable risk factors, including tobacco use, harmful use of alcohol and unhealthy diets, as well as the same socioeconomic determinants. The oral cavity provides valuable insights into overall health, as systemic diseases such as diabetes, HIV/AIDS, and autoimmune disorders often presents oral manifestations. However, in prison settings, where access to healthcare is limited and challenging as a human right, individuals experience exacerbated oral health outcomes and complications. Oral health status serves as a mirror of overall health, highlighting the interconnectedness between oral health and general well-being. The involvement of health authorities in prison settings plays a significant role in promoting and maintaining optimal oral health, which in turn has a profound impact on the physical and mental health of PLP. The World Health Organization's Oral Health Report of 2022 emphasizes the importance of addressing oral health inequalities as a crucial step in achieving fairness and implementing preventive interventions. Therefore, coherent and comprehensive regulation and legislation in oral health are needed to achieve social justice, ethical public health policies and professional practice. This study used a combination of methods with a focus on qualitative research. The first phase involved following the guidelines set out in “Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta Analyses (PRISMA)” to conduct a comprehensive and systematic scoping review addressing the primary and secondary objectives of the study. The third objective was covered by semi structured interviews involving purposive sampling, identified by three target groups: dentist personnel working in prisons; prison health experts; harm reduction policymakers, to gain insight from global prison health experts on potential areas of improvement for oral health in prison. In the first phase of this study, scientific articles published between January and August 2022 were gathered and reviewed. Subsequently, in 2023, a series of interviews were conducted involving fifteen participants. Ethical approval for the study was obtained from the Ethics Committee of the Ruprecht Karls Faculty of Medicine in Heidelberg (S 288/2023). The data collection instrument was carefully designed to accommodate the specific profiles of the participants, all owing for necessary adjustments to ensure the relevance and effectiveness of the study. Online in depth semi structured interviews were conducted via Zoom with relevant health prison experts. The combination of inductive and deductive approaches was used to design the study, collect and analyze data, and answer the research questions. The major findings of this study shed light on the persistent neglection of oral health into the health systems across different settings. Challenges and limitations in addressing oral health in prison, remains with a focus on the provision of emergency treatments and dental mutilations as services provided instead of conservatives approaches. Comprehensive and specialized dental care is necessary to avoid burdens on the health system, mostly from preventable oral disorders. Oral care and basic dental hygiene are still on the list of necessities in prison settings, as well as lack of resources, committed staff, and infrastructure to support the delivery of comprehensive dental services in prisons. In order to increase access to quality dental care, address oral health disparities, and promote the overall well-being of PLP, policy reforms, capacity building, and collaboration are necessary.

Abstract: Technology, events, and sustainability are three interconnected concepts that play a key role in influencing our society and business landscape. Technology has changed various aspects of our lives and the events industry is no exception. The advent of advanced digital tools and platforms has transformed the way events are organized, conducted, and experienced. Events such as festivals, conferences and celebrations traditionally pose significant environmental problems due to their resource-intensive nature. The mass gatherings of people combined with excessive energy consumption, waste generation and greenhouse gas emissions have contributed to the global climate crisis. Faced with this problem, sustainability has become a key factor in event management. Sustainable development in the context of events refers to the adoption of practices that minimize negative environmental, social, and economic impacts. It encompasses a range of strategies including resource efficiency, waste reduction, carbon neutrality and promoting social responsibility. Incorporating sustainability principles into event management helps to take environmental concerns into account and aligns with the growing demand for responsible and ethical practices from consumers and stakeholders. The importance of this research lies in its potential to provide valued insights into how technology can be used to increase sustainability in the events industry. This study examines the intersection of these three concepts and aims to contribute to the development of innovative approaches and best practices for organizing green events. Additionally, understanding the sustainability perspectives and expectations of event attendees will provide valuable guidance to industry leaders in meeting changing market demands. At a time when the climate crisis requires urgent action and when consumers are becoming increasingly aware of the impact of businesses and industries on the environment, it is important to seek innovative solutions that respond to these challenges.

Abstract: Peace education, pivotal in shaping national identities particularly in post-conflict settings, fosters mutual understanding, dialogue, and reconciliation. In Colombia, the 2016 Peace Agreement represented a major milestone in ending decades of violence, leading to the establishment of the ‘Cátedra de Paz’ in 2015. This initiative mandates its inclusion in the curricula of all educational institutions to instill peace values in youth and promote a culture of engagement among new generations. Despite the progress, this study identifies persistent challenges in program implementation, such as inadequate teacher training, excessive teacher workloads, and insufficient resources, alongside cultural barriers like resistance to change. Semi-structured interviews emphasize the necessity for significant restructuring and enhanced institutional support to effectively incorporate peace education into the national curriculum. Recommendations from participants include specialized teacher training, student-centered pedagogical approaches, rigorous program monitoring, and inclusive educational resources, particularly for marginalized communities. There is widespread agreement on the importance of equipping educators with the skills needed to handle sensitive topics and encourage critical thinking. Although challenges persist, participants concur that ‘Cátedra de Paz’ promotes dialogue and empathy, enabling students to contribute to more peaceful societies. Continued effort and comprehensive strategies involving all stakeholders, from educators to community members, are crucial for achieving post-conflict harmony and equity in Colombia.

Abstract: This thesis analyzes how former Colombian Presidents Laureano Gómez Castro and Álvaro Uribe Vélez utilized their speeches to advance autocratic agendas under the guise of protecting democracy and pluralism. This research employed Discourse Analysis as proposed by Teun Van Dijk, aiming to detail symbolic violence through speeches that, although seemingly promoting democracy, concealed attacks on their opponents. It was discovered that both leaders, through their rhetoric and actions, persuaded the political space towards an exclusive regime, promoting a state that, under promises of inclusion and democracy, fostered exclusion and weakened democratic institutions. The results also suggest that while in power, the 3 former presidents moderated their speeches to include the opposition, a practice not observed while they were in opposition, where they were more visceral in their attacks. The analysis of the information was conducted on two levels. First, the concepts that appear most frequently in each one's speeches were recovered to explain their existence. Then, the information was classified according to the categories proposed by the researcher to understand how they used their speeches for two main purposes: first, to empathize with most of the population, and second, to create an internal enemy to attack. When referring to the former, they depict a plural country where everyone can participate, and when discussing the latter, which grouped the opponents of their mandate, their eradication was justified because they opposed the democratic regime. In creating their nemesis, both knew how to use the population's fears: communists, in the case of Gómez; and terrorists, in the case of Uribe. Resumen: La presente tesis analiza cómo los expresidentes de Colombia, Laureano Gómez Castro y Álvaro Uribe Vélez, utilizaron sus discursos para avanzar en agendas autocráticas bajo la apariencia de proteger la democracia y el pluralismo. Esta investigación usó el Análisis de Discurso como lo planteó Teun Van Dijk y buscó detallar la violencia simbólica, a través de discursos que, aunque parecían promover la democracia, escondían ataques a sus opositores. Se descubre que ambos líderes, a través de su retórica y sus acciones, persuadían el espacio político hacia un régimen excluyente, promoviendo un estado que, bajo promesas de inclusión y democracia, fomentaba la exclusión y debilitaba las instituciones democráticas. Los resultados también sugieren que mientras estuvieron en el poder, los expresidentes moderaron sus discursos para incluir a la oposición, lo que no ocurrió mientras estuvieron en la oposición, en la que fueron más viscerales en sus ataques. El análisis de la información se hizo en dos niveles. Primero, se recuperaron los conceptos que más aparecen en los discursos de cada uno para explicar la existencia de estos. Después, se clasificó la información de acuerdo con las categorías propuestas por el investigador para entender cómo utilizaron sus discursos con dos fines principales: primero, para empatizar con el grueso de la población, y segundo para crear un enemigo interno al que atacar. Cuando se refieren al primero, muestran un país plural en donde todos pueden participar, y cuando hablan del segundo, que agrupaba a los opositores de su mandato, se justificaba su erradicación porque se oponían al régimen democrático. En la creación de su némesis, ambos supieron usar los miedos de la población: los comunistas, en el caso de Gómez; y los terroristas, en el caso de Uribe.

Abstract: The drinking water catchment of the city of Görlitz has been broadly studied to evaluate and predict its behavior in response to evolving challenges. For that reason, after reviewing existing groundwater flow models and identifying certain relevant deficiencies, it became essential to develop a reliable teady-state groundwater flow model for the periods spanning 2013 to 2017 and 2018 to 2020, enhancing the model’s hydrogeological characterization using bore-hole data analysis. These updates included the comprehensive review of the hydrogeological conceptual model, the modification of boundary conditions considering new available data from real observations of water levels, the calculation of natural recharge per land uses with a water balance approach and water table fluctuation method, the valuation of the artificial re-charge values using three different estimation rates based on previous studies, the assignation of corresponding pumping rates per period and the calculation of the river conductance parameters using Frisch (2023) methodology. Additionally, the involvement of the development of a script-based pre- and post-processing approach facilitated both model automation and model calibration using PEST. Subsequently, an assessment of parameter sensitivity was conducted to verify the changes in the general performance of the model regarding the variation of parameters. The newly developed groundwater flow model was calibrated for the time period from 2013 to 2017 and it provides a sum of squared error of 70.7 with 40 observations and a water budget of 12837.435 m3/d as total input and 12837.369 m3/d as total output, while the calibrated model performed for the time period from 2018 to 2020 a sum of squared error of 136.13 with 43 observations and a water budget of 16859.28 m3/d as input and 16861.87 m3/d as output. In both cases, the most important influx source was the west boundary followed by the river leakage and recharge. As a result of the parameter sensitivity assessment, the hydraulic conductivities emerged as the most sensitive to the model performance, followed by the natural recharge rates, artificial recharge, and river leakage. Descripción: La cuenca de captación de agua potable de la ciudad de Görlitz ha sido ampliamente estudiada para evaluar y predecir su comportamiento en respuesta a los desafíos cambiantes. Por esa razón, después de revisar los modelos de flujo de agua subterránea existentes e identificar ciertas deficiencias relevantes, se volvió esencial desarrollar un modelo confiable de flujo de agua subterránea en estado estacionario para los períodos que abarcan 2013 a 2017 y 2018 a 2020, mejorando la caracterización hidrogeológica del modelo mediante el análisis de datos de pozos. Estas actualizaciones incluyeron la revisión integral del modelo conceptual hidrogeológico, la modificación de las condiciones de contorno considerando nuevos datos disponibles a partir de observaciones reales de niveles de agua, el cálculo de la recarga natural por usos del suelo con un enfoque de balance hídrico y método de fluctuación del nivel freático, la valoración de los valores de recarga artificial utilizando tres tasas de estimación diferentes basadas en estudios previos, la asignación de tasas de bombeo correspondientes por período y el cálculo de los parámetros de conductancia del río utilizando la metodología de Frisch (2023). Además, la participación del desarrollo de un enfoque de preprocesamiento y posprocesamiento basado en scripts facilitó tanto la automatización como la calibración del modelo utilizando PEST. Posteriormente, se realizó una evaluación de la sensibilidad de los parámetros para verificar los cambios del desempeño general del modelo con respecto a la variación de los parámetros. El modelo de flujo de agua subterránea recientemente desarrollado se calibró para el período de 2013 a 2017 y proporciona una suma de error al cuadrado de 70,7 con 40 observaciones y un balance de agua de 12837,435 m3/d como entrada total y 12837,369 m3/d como salida total. mientras que el modelo calibrado realizó para el periodo de tiempo 2018 a 2020 una suma de error cuadrático de 136,13 con 43 observaciones y un balance hídrico de 16859,28 m3/d como entrada y 16861,87 m3/d como salida. En ambos casos, la fuente de afluencia más importante fue el límite oeste seguido por la fuga y recarga del río. Como resultado de la evaluación de sensibilidad de los parámetros, las conductividades hidráulicas emergieron como las más sensibles al desempeño del modelo, seguidas por las tasas de recarga natural, la recarga artificial y las fugas de ríos.

Resumen: El mundo actual vive muchos cambios que retan la educación. La formación docente y el desarrollo profesional continuo son ubicados como elementos centrales de los programas de mejora de los sistemas educativos. Al respecto, la investigación ha demostrado que la reflexión sobre la docencia y, concretamente, sobre las situaciones de la práctica, permite al profesorado desarrollar nuevos conocimientos para enfrentar la realidad docente. Desde este punto de vista, el objetivo general del presente estudio es comprender cómo profesorado experto de educación secundaria reflexiona individual y con otros/as compañeros/as, para clarificar cuestionamientos de situaciones concretas de su práctica. La reflexión se estudia desde una perspectiva sociocultural que considera que el aprendizaje se da como un proceso mediado social y culturalmente. Metodológicamente, el trabajo desarrolla un estudio exploratorio de carácter cualitativo en el que participaron 30 profesores, 15 del área académica y 15 del área técnica, de la Escuela Tecnológica Instituto Técnico Central, ubicada en Bogotá (Colombia). La recolección de datos se realizó a través de los siguientes instrumentos y procedimientos: entrevistas semiestructuradas, narrativas escritas, registro audiovisual de sesiones de reflexión conjunta del profesorado en dos grupos de 5 profesores/as cada uno, y grupos de discusión de valoración de las sesiones de reflexión conjunta y de valoración final de todo el proceso de reflexión individual y reflexión conjunta desarrollado. Los datos obtenidos fueron analizados, esencialmente, a través de análisis temático y del modelo de análisis de la interactividad. Los principales resultados en cuanto a la reflexión individual y la reflexión conjunta evidencian que dialogar sobre las situaciones inciertas de la práctica facilita el proceso reflexivo que favorece el desarrollo y la formación docente. Se encontraron diferencias en la reflexión de los profesores académicos y técnicos, aspectos que son necesarios profundizar ampliando la investigación. Abstract: Today's world is undergoing many changes that challenge education. Teacher training and continuous professional development are placed as central elements in the improvement programs of educational systems. In this regard, research has shown that reflection on teaching and, specifically, on practice situations, allows teachers to develop new knowledge to face the teaching reality. From this point of view, the general objective of the present study is to understand how expert secondary education teachers reflect individually and with other colleagues, in order to clarify questions about specific situations in their practice. Reflection is studied from a sociocultural perspective that considers learning as a socially and culturally mediated process. Methodologically, the work develops an exploratory study of qualitative nature in which 30 teachers participated, 15 from the academic area and 15 from the technical area, from the Escuela Tecnológica Instituto Técnico Central, located in Bogotá (Colombia). The data collection was carried out through the following instruments and procedures: semi-structured interviews, written narratives, audiovisual record of joint reflection sessions of the teaching staff in two groups of 5 teachers each, and discussion groups of evaluation of the joint reflection sessions and final evaluation of the whole process of individual reflection and joint reflection developed. The data obtained were analyzed, essentially, through thematic analysis and the interactivity analysis model. The main results regarding individual reflection and joint reflection show that dialoguing about uncertain situations of practice facilitates the reflective process that favors teacher development and training. Differences were found in the reflection of academic and technical teachers, aspects that need to be deepened by expanding the research.