El presente “ensayo-paisaje” hace parte de una investigación orientada a identificar alternativas de posdesarrollo relacionadas con el turismo y el patrimonio en zonas periféricas de las grandes ciudades, a partir de una reflexión o diagnóstico etnográfico, antropológico e histórico. Este trabajo, enriquecido con elementos conceptuales de diversa índole, fue llevado a cabo entre Diciembre de 2013 y Septiembre de 2015, y tuvo su escenario en el sector de Cazucá (municipio de Soacha, Colombia), caracterizado por dinámicas de asentamiento producidas por el desplazamiento forzoso, en condiciones extremas de informalidad, marginalidad y criminalidad sociocultural. En este contexto, se plantea una propuesta conceptual que relaciona las nociones del “Buen Vivir” y el “mapa invertido” con las realidades del entorno local, urbano-regional, nacional y subregional para ofrecer una perspectiva crítica sobre las condiciones en que se deben adelantar las iniciativas del “Buen Vivir” en Colombia y las ciudades latinoamericanas. Los resultados de la investigación plantean propuestas para impulsar acciones de turismo de base comunitaria, así como el uso de los recursos vinculados al patrimonio ubicados en sectores poco privilegiados de las áreas metropolitanas, teniendo en cuenta los atributos del paisaje ecológico, cultural y humano. Abstract This “essay-landscape” makes part of a research that attempts to identify postdevelopment options related with tourism and heritage located in peripheral zones of big cities, based in an ethnographic, anthropologic and historic reflection or diagnosis. This fieldwork, enriched with conceptual elements of many sources, was accomplished between December 2013 and September 2015, and had place in Cazucá (township of Soacha, Colombia), characterized by human settlement dynamics produced by forced displacements, in extreme conditions of sociocultural informality, marginality and criminality. In this context, the article presents a conceptual proposal integrating the notions of “Good Living” and “inverse map” with the realities of the local, urban-regional, national and subregional surrounding to offer a critical perspective about the conditions in which must be accomplished the “Good Living” dynamics in Colombia and latinamerican cities. The results of this research present proposals supporting communitary based tourism actions, as well as the use of the resources linked with heritage found in few privileged sectors of metropolitan areas, taking in account the attributes of ecologic, cultural and human landscape.

Following a catastrophic landslide in 1987, Colombia’s informal community Villatina (Medellin) has undergone severe changes, in which inhabitants have reshaped its built-environment through ‘bottom-up’ processes of reconstruction. This has led to the creation of several grassroots places that have formed the urban spaces centred within the community. However, the introduction of a new ‘top-down’ model of development (social urbanism) applied in urban slums by the local government, has halted community actions and the development of future grassroots places. In an initial study with local leaders and community members, self-assessed surveys, focus groups and interviews were used to identify and categorize, six ‘bottom-up’ places derived from grassroots actions and six ‘top-down’ developments driven by governmental interventions, which were characterised by their general levels of importance in the community. To understand the differences in place attachment and social experience between ‘bottom-up’ and ‘top-down’ places, a questionnaire featuring several items relating to these aspects were distributed to 150 members of the community. Evaluations for each item were repeated for each of the two place categories and statistical analysis was performed using a variant model of the principal component analysis (e.g., the repertory-grid technique). When comparing the results for places derived from ‘bottom-up’ and ‘top-down’ developments, it was found that, the underlying factors identified in grassroots places were strongly aligned with territory protection, community action and place attachment, which were absent for government places. This suggests that, ‘top-down’ developments may need to review the interventions used in urban slums to avoid disrupting grassroots actions.

The central question raised in the present research points to the representation and consequences of the use of categories related to social identities in Colombia. From a comparative context of transnational realities, one takes into account the positioning of a group of Colombian migrants in the city of Barcelona in front of dynamics in which the "race" is intertwined with class, nation and region labels as criteria of distinction between own and strange (in Colombia and in Barcelona). This is reflected in discourses and practices of differentiation with which hierarchies are established within a collective. La cuestión central planteada en el presente texto apunta hacia formas de representar categorías relativas a identidades sociales en Colombia, así como a las consecuencias del uso de dichas categorías. Desde un contexto comparativo de realidades transnacionales, se tiene en cuenta el posicionamiento de un grupo de colombianos migrantes en la ciudad de Barcelona frente a dinámicas en las que se entrelaza la “raza” con etiquetas de clase, nación y región en tanto criterios de distinción entre propios y extraños (en Colombia y en Barcelona) reflejados en discursos y prácticas de diferenciación con las que se establecen jerarquías al interior de un colectivo.

Colombia is one of the world’s most important producers of Arabica coffee (Coffea arabica), whose coffee-growing zone coincides with a biogeographic hotspot of biodiversity. Given that coffee agroecosystems are grown by both organic and conventional schemes of management in Santander, a region which produces coffees with specialist distinctive flavours, this study aims to better understand the factors that influence the adoption of these different schemes of management. A combination of ethnographic techniques and quantitative methods were used to examine the predominant drivers of adoption and revealed farmer perceptions associated with coffee farming, and the complexity of interacting factors, that surround their decision making. The results of qualitative analysis suggests that social identity of coffee growers, the existence of farming spaces (lived, perceived, rationalized), the influence of coffee institutions, attitudes about management practices, and social relations of production, all play an important role in the process of decision making. In quantitative terms, we identified 18 socioeconomic drivers, some with interacting effects that had significant influence on the decision to adopt either organic or conventional practices. In particular, at local scale, important factors were technology availability, the type of landowner, formal education of farmers, the role of institutions, membership of community organizations, farm size, coffee productivity and the number of coffee plots per farm. Likewise, economic drivers, such as crop profitability, determined how farmers are involved in trade and market networks at broad regional, national, and international spatial scales. Identifying influential behavioural drivers provides policy with opportunities to better support farmer livelihoods.

In Colombia, forest protection is a concern because in the past years, the rate of deforestation has increased. After the signature of the peace agreement between the government and the FARC-EP, the situation has worsened because areas that were not accessible now are open to economic development. This dissertation uses a choice experiment to elicit the WTP for conservation programmes, which could reduce the pressure in the forest. A Mixed logit model and a Latent class model were estimated with 339 respondents and the estimated WTP range between COP 26,411 (£7) and COP 64,246 (£17) for conservation attribute, COP 33,003 (£8.7) and COP 85,105 (£22.5) for increase in community education, COP 32,421 (£8.6) and COP 38,719 (£10) for increase in community income. Finally, the WTP for post-conflict area varies between COP 58,199 (£15.5) and COP 115,105 (£30.5). These results imply that respondents are not only concerned about the environmental benefits but also the social benefits related to the conservation programmes. Additionally, the attribute for the post-conflict area is the most important for individuals’ choices. These results can be used as inputs for conservation policy design in Colombia. En Colombia, la protección del bosque ha sido un tema critico en los últimos años debido al incremento en la tasa de deforestación. Después de la firma del acuerdo de paz entre el gobierno colombiano y las FARC-EP, la deforestación ha empeorado porque áreas que erran inaccesibles ahora están abiertas al desarrollo económico. Esta tesis usa un experimento de selección para determinar la disposición a pagar DAP por programas de conservación que reduzcan las presiones en los bosques colombianos. Se usa un modelo Mixed logit y otro latent class para estimar la DAP de 339 individuos. De acuerdo con los modelos la DPA se encuentra entre COP 26,411 y COP 64,246 (£17) para el atributo de conservación, COP 33,003 (£8.7) y COP 85,105 para el incremento en educación de la comunidad, COP 32,421 (£8.6) y COP 38,719 (£10) por el incremento en ingresos de la comunidad. Finalmente, la DAP en áreas de posconflicto varía entre COP 58,199 (£15.5) and COP 115,105 (£30.5). Estos resultados muestran que los encuestados no solo consideran los beneficios ambientales sino también los beneficios sociales relacionados con los programas de conservación. Adicionalmente, el atributo de áreas de posconflicto resulta ser el más importante. Estos resultados pueden ser usados como insumo para el diseño de la política de conservación en Colombia.

Campylobacter is the most common bacteria causing gastroenteritis in the UK. Although near 280 thousand cases per year are estimated, detected outbreaks are relatively rare. Therefore, mathematical approaches are suitable when exploring notification data to identify epidemics. This report proposes four different methods for detecting potential outbreaks. Three of them are based on the spatiotemporal distribution of reported cases, whilst the last one uses the genetic distances among Campylobacter samples. A sentinel surveillance dataset containing 743 incidents in Oxfordshire in the period April 2010 - March 2011 is used, dataset funded and collected by Public Health England and the Food Standards Agency. Information about spatial and temporal locations is included, as well as the structure of the whole genome. Although some outbreaks are identified in the spatiotemporal analysis, a genome-to-genome comparison among cases is not conclusive. Results obtained based on a genetic distance analysis suggest that the methodology potentially detects outbreaks but future testing and improvements are required.

Bees and other insects provide pollination services that are key to determining the fruit set on coffee plantations. These pollination services are influenced by local ecology as well as human factors, both social and economic. To better understand these different factors, we assessed their effect on pollinators and coffee pollination services in Santander, Colombia. We quantified the effect of key ecological drivers on pollinator community composition, such as the method of farm management (either conventional or organic) and the surrounding landscape composition, specifically the proximity to forest. We found that ambient levels of pollination services provided by the local pollinator fauna (open pollination) accounted for a 10.5 ± 2.0% increase in final coffee fruit set, and that the various pollinators are affected differently by the differing factors. For example, our findings indicate that conventional farm management, using synthetic inputs, can promote pollinators, especially if they are in close proximity to natural forest fragments. This is particularly true for stingless bees. Honeybee visitation to coffee is also positively influenced by the conventional management of farms. Factors associated with greater numbers of stingless bees on farms include greater shade cover, lower tree densities, smaller numbers and types of trees in bloom, and younger coffee plantations. A forested landscape close to farms appears to enhance these factors, giving increased stability and resilience to the pollinating bees and insects. However we found that organic farms also support diverse pollinator communities, even if distant from forest fragments.

The DNA binding protein WhiA is conserved in Gram-positive bacteria and is present in the genetically simple cell wall-lacking mycoplasmas. The protein shows homology to eukaryotic homing endonucleases but lacks nuclease activity. WhiA was first characterized in streptomycetes, where it regulates the expression of key differentiation genes, including the cell division gene ftsZ, which is essential for sporulation. For Bacillus subtilis, it was shown that WhiA is essential when certain cell division genes are deleted. However, in B. subtilis, WhiA is not required for sporulation, and it does not seem to function as a transcription factor, despite its DNA binding activity. The exact function of B. subtilis WhiA remains elusive. We noticed that whiA mutants show an increased space between their nucleoids, and here, we describe the results of fluorescence microscopy, genetic, and transcriptional experiments to further investigate this phenomenon. It appeared that the deletion of whiA is synthetic lethal when either the DNA replication and segregation regulator ParB or the DNA replication inhibitor YabA is absent. However, WhiA does not seem to affect replication initiation. We found that a whiA mutant is highly sensitive for DNA-damaging agents. Further tests revealed that the deletion of parAB induces the SOS response, including the cell division inhibitor YneA. When yneA was inactivated, the viability of the synthetic lethal whiA parAB mutant was restored. However, the nucleoid segregation phenotype remained. These findings underline the importance of WhiA for cell division and indicate that the protein also plays a role in DNA segregation.

En esta disertación examino las formas en que un grupo de profesionales usa, diseña y entiende mapas digitales usados en proyectos participativos en Madrid, España. Argumento que estos Profesionales de la Participación Pública (PPP) llevan a cabo su experticia al generar y organizar sus relaciones con otros actores y objetos de forma que están, simultáneamente, resaltando su autoridad para generar participación, y distribuyendo su autoridad en el proceso. Mi análisis se centra en sus relaciones con los proyectos comunitarios que están mapeando, con profesionales que trabajan similarmente en el diseño de mapas participativos, y con el mapa digital como tal. Concluyo sugiriendo que una aproximación a la experticia que sea etnográfica y centrada en el objeto nos permite desestabilizar nuestras nociones de participación, el rol de las tecnologías digitales, y nuestro entendimiento de lo que es una perspectiva crítica.

Although the last decades have seen an advance in quality and empowerment for women, there are still numerous challenges to be addressed. Among them, and particularly pressing in cities, are issues of gender-based violence, including sexual harassment in public spaces. Despite the numerous effects street harassment has on women, and the high incidence of it in different countries, this issue has not been broadly studied, and even less so in Global South cities. In this scenario, this study aims to comprehend how women in Bogotá experience sexual harassment in public spaces, specifically focusing on public transport and including vehicles, stations, stops and walking routes to and from their origins or destinations. Focusing on this objective, this study made use of a mixed-method approach, including an online self-completing questionnaire, as well as in-depth semi-structured interviews. The data gathered showed that sexual harassment in public transport – and public space – is widespread in Bogotá, and intersections with age and class play a very important role. Additionally, episodes of sexual harassment are widely underreported, and there is a general perception that reporting is useless, which is supported by accounts of women who have tried to report an incident and have faced several difficulties. Finally, policies proposed so far in Bogotá have been unsuccessful in reducing sexual harassment in public transport and, in many cases, do not tackle the problem. Consequently, a comprehensive set of policies aimed at preventing and reducing sexual harassment in different spaces associated with public transport must be put in place. Aunque en las últimas décadas se ha visto un avance en cuanto a la igualdad y el empoderamiento de las mujeres, aún hay muchos retos por abordar en estos temas. Entre ellos, y especialmente relevantes en las ciudades, están los problemas de violencia de género, incluyendo el acoso sexual en espacios públicos. A pesar de los varios efectos que tiene el acoso callejero en las mujeres, y la alta incidencia de este en distintos países, el tema no se ha estudiado a profundidad, y aún menos en ciudades del mundo en desarrollo. En este escenario, este estudio busca comprender cómo las mujeres en Bogotá experimentan el acoso sexual en los espacios públicos, específicamente enfocándose en el transporte público e incluyendo vehículos, estaciones, paraderos y rutas a pie desde y hacia los orígenes y destinos. Siguiendo este objetivo, el estudio utiliza un enfoque de métodos mixtos, incluyendo una encuesta en línea, así como entrevistas semi-estructuradas en profundidad. La información compilada muestra que el acoso sexual en el transporte público – y el espacio público – es generalizado en Bogotá, y las intersecciones con la edad y clase tienen un rol muy importante. Adicionalmente, los episodios de acoso sexual están ampliamente subreportados, y hay una percepción general de que reportar es inútil, lo cual se refleja en las historias de mujeres que han intentado reportar un incidente y se han enfrentado a múltiples dificultades. Finalmente, las políticas propuestas hasta el momento en Bogotá no han tenido éxito en cuanto a reducir el acoso sexual en el transporte público y, en muchas ocasiones, no abordan el problema. Por lo tanto, es necesario implementar un conjunto completo de políticas que se enfoquen en prevenir y reducir el acoso sexual en los diferentes espacios asociados con el transporte público.