Liberation theology developed as a theology that focuses on the situation of injustice lived by the poor. The 70’s and the early 80’s were the peak of liberation theology with the main production of its authors. However, the enthusiasm for this theology and its academic production began to decrease in the middle of the 80’s. By exploring some theoretical elements of the first generation of liberation theology, we attempt to show that there is a crisis in the former liberation theology, and also that the modern utopian reason is at the core of the origin of this crisis. Finally, this article critically analyzes the naive utopian belief in the emergence of ideal worlds in history and its influence on the vision of praxis in liberation theology—and also on modern social thought. La teología de la liberación se desarrolló como una teología que se centra en la situación de injusticia padecida por los pobres. Los años setenta y ochenta fueron el punto culminante de la teología de la liberación con la producción principal de sus autores. Sin embargo, el entusiasmo por esta teología y también su producción académica comenzó a decrecer a mediados de los años ochenta. Al explorar algunos elementos teóricos de la primera generación de la teología de la liberación, intentamos demostrar que hay una crisis en la primera teología de la liberación, y también que la razón utópica moderna está en el corazón del origen de esta crisis. Finalmente, este artículo analiza críticamente la ingenua creencia utópica en el surgimiento de mundos ideales dentro de la historia y su influencia sobre la visión de praxis en la teología de la liberación, así como sobre los pensamientos sociales modernos.

This research aims to provide empirical evidence on the relationship between the legal status and the activity sector of temporary migrants. The case of the Mexico-Guatemala border is analyzed due to its large migration flows, the characteristics of its migration regulation and the existence of a widely unexploited databased. The results suggest, on one side, that Guatemalans who entered lawfully to Mexico and are authorized to work are more likely to participate in the agricultural sector than undocumented migrants. On the other side, Guatemalans who entered lawfully to Mexico but are not authorized to work are more likely to participate in the nonagricultural sector than undocumented migrants, carrying out informal activities such as street sales, construction, and domestic services. Resumen Esta investigación tiene como objetivo proveer información empírica sobre la relación entre el estado de legalidad y el sector de actividad de los migrantes temporales. Se analiza el caso de la frontera México-Guatemala debido a sus grandes flujos migratorios, las características de su regulación migratoria y la existencia de una amplia base de datos poco explorada. Los resultados sugieren, de una parte, que los guatemaltecos que ingresan legalmente a México y están autorizados para trabajar tienen más probabilidad de participar en el sector agrícola que los migrantes indocumentados. De otra parte, se evidencia que los guatemaltecos que ingresan legalmente a México pero no están autorizados para trabajar tienen más probabilidad de participar en el sector no agrícola que los migrantes indocumentados, los cuales se dedican a actividades informales tales como las ventas callejeras, la construcción, y los servicios domésticos.

OBJECTIVES: To select outcomes of the Nursing Outcomes Classification (NOC) and develop operational definitions for their indicators in order to evaluate patients during smoking cessation. METHODS: A consensus study among experts, involving eight nurses. A 100% consensus was required to select the outcomes. Operational definitions were developed based on the literature. RESULTS: Two outcomes were selected, Smoking Cessation Behavior (1625)-with nine indicators, and Substance Withdrawal Severity (2108)-with 11 indicators, for which we developed operational definitions. CONCLUSIONS: Consensus allowed the selection of NOC outcomes and indicators, which will allow us to evaluate patients during smoking cessation using a standardized classification. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING PRACTICE: A standardized classification provides a more qualified evaluation of patients during smoking cessation.

Predominant instrument recognition in ensemble recordings remains a challenging task, particularly if closely-related instruments such as alto and tenor saxophone need to be distinguished. In this paper, we build upon a recently-proposed instrument recognition algorithm based on a hybrid deep neural network: a combination of convolutional and fully connected layers for learning characteristic spectral-temporal patterns. We systematically evaluate harmonic/percussive and solo/accompaniment source separation algorithms as pre-processing steps to reduce the overlap among multiple instruments prior to the instrument recognition step. For the particular use-case of solo instrument recognition in jazz ensemble recordings, we further apply transfer learning techniques to fine-tune a previously trained instrument recognition model for classifying six jazz solo instruments. Our results indicate that both source separation as pre-processing step as well as transfer learning clearly improve recognition performance, especially for smaller subsets of highly similar instruments. El reconocimiento de instrumentos musicales predominantes en piezas musicales de ensamble continúa siendo un desafío, particularmente con instrumentos altamente relacionados como saxofones soprano, tenor y alto. En este artículo, construimos a partir de un algorítmo de reconocimiento de instrumentos recientemente propuesto, el cual está basado en una red neuronal profunda: una combinación de capas convolucionales y completamente conectadas para el aprendizaje de patrones característicos espectro-temporales. Evaluamos sistemáticamente el uso de separación sonora armónica/percusiva y solo/acompañamiento como pasos de preprocesamiento para reducir el sobrelapamiento de instrumentos previo al paso de reconocimiento de instrumentos. Para el caso de uso de reconocimiento de instrumentos solistas en grabaciones en bloque de jazz, aplicamos técnicas de transferencia de aprendizaje para afinar un modelo de reconocimiento de instrumentos previamente entrenado para clasificar seis instrumentos solistas. Nuestros resultados indican que tanto el paso de preprocesamiento de separación sonora, como el uso de transferencia de aprendizaje mejoran significativamente el desempeño de la clasificación, especialmente para pequeños conjuntos de instrumentos altamente similares.

This paper presents the conclusions of an empirical study aimed at (1) identifying educational practices in the academic design studio intended to promote empathy in industrial design students, and (2) identifying a broad range of expressions of student empathy for users and stakeholders. The study was motivated by the importance that current human-centered design approaches give to empathy as an ability required to understand and connect with users and by the little empirical research that examines empathy development in design education. Methodologically, a mixed methods strategy was used to collect and analyze data from faculty and students in three undergraduate and graduate courses in industrial design offered by a major land-grant public research university in the southeastern United States. The findings of the study consisted of identifying strategies used by faculty to promote empathy in the design studio and categories of students’ expressions of empathy. These findings informed the conclusions herein presented as recommendations for educators to promote student empathy in their design courses.

Even though Colombia has made significant procurement reforms in recent years in order to address corruption on infrastructure projects, corruption in procurement contracts continues. Likewise, several other Latin American countries have dealt with corruption scandals that seem to operate in a manner similar to Colombia. Colombia needs a strong procurement legal framework that addresses the efficiency and transparency of contractual management that leverages the substantial investments that are being made in Colombia. Without reforms or a deep debate, its government public procurement system will be debilitated. This will, in turn, prevent efficient allocation of resources, lack of transparency and lack of fair competition. Further, it will “lower provision of public goods (which hurts the poor disproportionately), misallocation of talent and capital through distorted incentives, higher levels of distrust in society and lower legitimacy of government, higher economic uncertainty, and lower private and foreign investment.” This paper evaluates some specific provisions from the reforms that took place or are taken place on the legal procurement frameworks of neighboring Latin American countries (Brazil, Ecuador, Panama and Peru), to formulate legal and institutional reforms for Colombia´s legal framework.

The intention of this thesis is to determine the warning signals and prevent actions to conduct successfully FARC DDR’s process. Although, Colombia has experienced multiple DDR processes during its recent history, the political violence continues to be rage with the country. After each process, Colombia notes the mutation of criminal structures, which have deployed their tentacles to other Latin American countries. Understanding the salient issues that led to the success or failure of DDR processes will aid the Government of Colombia (GOC) to faces the process with FARC. The main argument of this thesis is that, GOC; in order to carry out successfully DDR of the FARC must take into account DDR “best practices”, and experiences not only in Colombia but also in other countries. El Salvador and South Africa are the selected countries, due to some similarities that present their DDR’s experiences with some features of the Colombian conflict. This thesis also will cover past Colombian experiences in DDR from the end of La Violencia to most recent AUC’s DDR, as well as the “individual demobilization” programs for insurgents. In other words, an analysis of these cases will provide the best approaches to conduct a successful DDR process.

Since the dawn of the digital age, our society has experienced big cultural changes. Questions have arisen as to how to manage this new digital world surrounding us and influencing our daily lives, how to deal with its purposes and the associated phenomena, both positive and negative. It seems undeniable that this new media is here to stay and won‟t cease to impregnate our social spheres and our human spaces in many ways, so it‟s crucial to understand it as much as possible. In this research particularly, cases of virality online are analyzed. These cases are content (or people) that gain widely and rapidly, popularity and exposure online, for many different reasons. How does this virtual fame influence the lives of these people? What does it mean to be popular online for a reason which seems positive? What does it mean to be popular online for a reason which seems negative? Does „going viral’ suppose a risk for the person involved in it? Given the contemporary nature of these events, it is important to take a look at them from an academic perspective, in order to understand our online behavior and therefore ourselves as a social species. The novelty of this topic supposes an interesting look on our communication style and our culture as well. An ethnographic perspective constitutes the approach of study elected, because virality implicates masses, masses that follow with individuals that feel the need to be part of something, to be informed about a common knowledge. Through the method of interviews, this topic will be address. Three people involved in viral cases online will be questioned; some of them went viral for good reasons, some of them for not very good ones. A contrast is expected to emerge. Desde el surgimiento de la era digital, nuestra sociedad ha experimentado grandes cambios culturales. Varias preguntas se han presentado con respecto al manejo de este nuevo mundo que nos rodea e influencia, cómo lidiar con sus propósitos y fenómenos, tanto positivos como negativos. Es inevitable la presencia de estos nuevos medios, los cuales permean nuestras esferas sociales y espacios humanos de muchas maneras. Es crucial alcanzar un entendimiento sobre esto. En esta investigación particular, se analizaron casos de viralidad online. Estos casos se refieren a contenidos (o personas) que adquirieron una amplia y rápida popularidad online, por muchas razones. ¿Cómo influye entonces esta fama en la vida de estas personas?, ¿Qué significa ser popular online por una razón que parece positiva?, ¿Qué significa ser popular online por una razón que parece negativa?, “volverse viral” ¿supone un riesgo para la persona involucrada? Dada la contemporaneidad de estos episodios, es importante mirarlos desde una perspectiva académica, para poder entender nuestro comportamiento digital y por ende entendernos a nosotros mismo como especie. La novedad de este tema supone un interesante estudio sobre la comunicación y la cultura humana. Este estudio se lleva a cabo desde una perspectiva etnográfica, debido a que la viralidad implica el análisis de masas, masas compuestas por individuos que desean ser parte de algo, desean conocer un conocimiento común. Este proceso se lleva a cabo por medio de entrevistas. Tres personas involucradas en casos virales son cuestionadas; unos individuos se volvieron famosos online por razones positivas, y otros por razones no tan buenas. Emerge entonces un contraste interesante.

Tackling climate change effects worldwide brings the interest of many donor countries with expertise to (co)develop solutions into beneficiary countries through international cooperation. The solutions proposed can be either too solution-driven, understood as a donor country selling its knowledge / products, or on the other hand, too locally problem-driven, which is desirable in theory, but facing practical limitations such as time or scale constraints when closing to outside influences. A methodology that tries to join both (apparently opposing) sides, with their advantages and disadvantages of problem and solution driven hasn’t been explored yet.For exploring how this can be done, in this research 2 case studies are analyzed: the Bangladesh Delta Plan 2100 (BDP2100), a nation-wide long term holistic plan on the Bangladeshi Delta, and a group of Coastal Water Management initiatives, a set of continuous efforts to adopt livelihoods to the dynamic situation in the coastal regions of Bangladesh. These cases are analyzed through interviews and desk research to determine to what extent are they problem and solution driven compared to proposed frameworks and pointing how can they be improved. From these analyses, a combined framework is proposed where problem and solution driven approaches are joined taking the best from each perspective. The result is meant to be a first guiding tool for decision-makers in donor and beneficiary countries that face the dilemma between taking local and foreign elements for developing solutions. Resumen Hacer frente a los efectos del cambio climático en todo el mundo atrae el interés de muchos países donantes con experiencia para (co) desarrollar soluciones en los países beneficiarios, a través de la cooperación internacional. Las soluciones propuestas pueden ser demasiado orientadas a la solución, entendidas como un país donante que vende sus conocimientos / productos o, por otro lado, demasiado localmente orientadas a los problemas, lo que es deseable en teoría, pero enfrentan limitaciones prácticas como limitaciones de tiempo o escala cuando se cierran a influencias externas. Aún no se ha explorado una metodología que intente unir a ambas partes (aparentemente opuestas), con las ventajas y desventajas de soluciones basadas en desarrollo netamente de problemas y desarrollo netamente de soluciones. Para explorar cómo se puede combinar esto, en esta investigación se analizan 2 casos de estudio: el Bangladesh Delta Plan 2100 (BDP2100), un plan holístico a largo plazo a nivel nacional en el delta de Bangladesh, y un grupo de iniciativas de gestión costera del agua, un conjunto de esfuerzos continuos para adoptar medios de vida a la situación dinámica en las regiones costeras de Bangladesh. Estos casos se analizan a través de entrevistas e investigaciones teóricas para determinar en qué medida están orientados a los problemas y soluciones en comparación con los marcos propuestos, y señalan cómo pueden mejorarse. A partir de estos análisis, se propone un marco combinado donde se unen los enfoques impulsados por problemas y soluciones, tomando lo mejor de cada perspectiva. El resultado pretende ser una primera herramienta de guía para los tomadores de decisiones en los países donantes y beneficiarios que enfrentan el dilema entre tomar elementos locales y extranjeros para desarrollar soluciones.

This paper explores the conditions in which Industrial Design (ID) students acquire the identity and culture associated with their profession. For this purpose, the author uses—as a framework—the concept of signature pedagogies¬ in order to identify those conditions and explore how these mold the identity of future industrial designers. Shulman (2005) defines signature pedagogies as the particular forms of teaching and learning that preserve and transmit the culture of a profession. These pedagogies are used to instruct future practitioners in how to think, perform, and act with integrity according to the canons of their profession, and are defined by three structures: surface structure—the observable actions of teaching, deep structure—assumptions about how to best transfer knowledge and skills, and implicit structure—beliefs, attitudes, values, and dispositions held by faculty. In this paper, these structures are used to describe and analyze ID education, aiming to explain identity development in their future practitioners. The paper concludes that the interplay between these structures are partially responsible for molding the identity of the future industrial designers, but raises questions about how rigid or fluid this identity is to tackle the challenges of an uncertain and ever-changing world.