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This article explores the concept of ecofascism during the twenty-first century. In the midst of worsening ecological crises, a revival of ecofascist rhetoric and action has been observed. Despite this resurfacing, there is a lack of theorizing around the topic. This discussion will explore how the ecofascist label has been applied in different contexts historically, and the ways it may manifest in the twenty-first century. We hope that this stimulates conversation and awareness around ecofascism and serves as a guide to identify various ecofascist rhetorical tools, policies, and proposals.

As our current climate crises increase in severity, discussions on solutions have found themselves at the forefront of mainstream media, and talked about by political actors and economic elites. While many of these solutions may seem ethical or even the answer to our ecological problem, we must take a critical look at the root causes in order to understand what actions are necessary. Without this, our discussions fall short, and tend to negatively affect marginalized communities. Family-planning programs aimed at the suppression of certain populations is one example used when discussing how to combat overpopulation in order to alleviate climate change. This superficial, Western, capitalist-driven idea and discussion, laced with sexist and racist undertones, is the discourse we will be analyzing. By employing a critical decolonial and ecofeminist lens, we will critique this discourse, and argue that it’s an all-too-common tool of deflection and scapegoating that white environmentalism employs in order to ignore historic power relations. Further, we will illuminate historical roots and trends around the family-planning movement, such as anti-immigrant sentiment, nationalism, and ecofascism.

We employ an intersection of critical approaches to examine the global food system crisis and its alternatives. We examine counterhegemonic movements and organizations advancing programs of constructive resistance and decolonization based on food sovereignty, indigenous revitalization and agroecology. Food system alternatives rooted in intersectional critiques of the world-system open spaces for materially-grounded, commons-based socioecological relations that make just, sustainable, and equitable worlds possible beyond a civilization in crisis.

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Topical Meeting on Optical Interference Coatings, 2001, Washington, DC

The Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate, a Catholic missionary institute, founded in France in 1826 by Saint Charles Joseph Eugene de Mazenod, has always placed a very strong emphasis on the importance of high quality, fraternal, community living. Prior to the Second Vatican Council, district communities were usually established in current or former mission territories and in rural areas. Since the Council, that concept has been expanded beyond mission and rural areas to cover urban areas within the Oblates, especially in provinces where numbers are decreasing, institutions are disappearing, and individual apostolates are more common. Contemporary districts, where over 25 percent of the congregation now live, have met with varied levels of success, depending on the manner in which each province has applied the concept. After the 1992 General Chapter, which reaffirmed their existence and importance for the Oblates, the Holy See expressed a specific interest in the theory and praxis of districts and district superiors. The preliminary questions posed in this work are interconnected. What lies at the root of the establishment of districts, and district superiors, within the Oblates? How did the practice spread? How was it viewed by the general chapters of the institute and by the common law of the Church over the century and a half since its beginning? How was it renewed in the light of the call of the Second Vatican Council? What is its current status and future prospects in Canada and the United States? Are the changes to the administrative structures, proposed in 1996 for the 1998 General Chapter, a help or a hindrance to the enhancement of this type of local community? The answers to those preliminary ones build up to the two major questions asked in this thesis: (1) Is there sufficient basis in the common law, the themes of the renewal of religious life as found in the documents of the Second Vatican Council, and in the historic lived reality within the Oblate Congregation, for this concept of districts, with superiors, as local units of apostolic community and government, to be put forward as a clear and practical model for other institutes? (2) Is it possible to propose a canonically-based definition of a district, such that it could be applicable within any apostolic religious institute, male or female, clerical or lay? The first four chapters analyse the history and legal basis of districts; the fifth analyses a lengthy questionnaire on the present status and future prospects of districts, answered by a large proportion of the general administration, North American provincials, and district superiors; the sixth critiques the proposed changes to the Constitutions and Rules on the subject. The conclusion outlines the historical and canonical basis of districts and presents both the comprehensive concept and the definition of a district in such a way that it can be utilized by any apostolic institute having local superiors, be it male or female, clerical or lay. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)

This thesis describes methods for high-sensitivity detection of trace gases using tunable diode lasers (TDL). TDL absorption spectrometers have been widely used to acquire infrared spectra since 1970. However, high-sensitivity measurements have been limited mainly to the detection of low-pressure gases by harmonic techniques. The detection of atmospheric-pressure gases and the development of a rapid sweep technique for the accumulation of weak-absorption data over ~0.4 cmˉ¹ spectral regions are emphasized in this thesis. The results of this work may be divided into four areas where major accomplishments have been realized. Optical interference fringes generated by scattered light often limit the sensitivity of measurements performed with TDL spectrometers. The effect of fringes can be minimized by applying a jitter modulation. An investigation was undertaken to understand and quantify the effects of the jitter on the fringe and absorption signals. Simple analytical expressions describing the effects of the jitter modulation are derived and compared to experiment. Good agreement between theory and experiment is found. The limiting noise sources of a TDL spectrometer were carefully investigated and identified. Detection methods insensitive to the noise were developed. Application of these methods leads to sensitivity limits equivalent to detecting an absorption of ~10ˉ²% for atmospheric-pressure gases and ~10ˉ³% for low-pressure gases over path lengths ≤ 200 m. This represents a substantial improvement over previous work. A rapid-sweep technique capable of detecting absorptions due to low-pressure gases of ~10ˉ³% over path lengths ≤ 200 m is described. Data accumulation by the rapid-sweep technique allows direct determination of line shapes and linewidths from the measurements. An investigation of the TDL output power and frequency stabilitiy was performed as these laser characteristics directly affect the achievable sensitivity. The development of a new method to determine the TDL linewidth is reported. This technique permits the linewidth of any tunable laser to be quickly and easily measured. Throughout this thesis, the sensitivity of the various detection techniques is demonstrated by the detection of pollutants and trace gases. Whenever applicable, techniques for further increasing the sensitivity are discussed. Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)