"This Woman's Work" in a "Man's World": A Feminist Analysis of the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002
This paper will discuss the background of the 2002 Farm Bill and its origins in the Federal Agricultural Improvement and Reform Act of 1996 (hereinafter the 1996 Farm Bill). Secondly, a basic discussion of feminist international relations and more generally, feminist legal theory will be invoked to provide a theoretical beacon for the rest of the journey. Thirdly, specific arguments about ecofeminsim and postcolonial feminism are teased out in order to critically investigate the direct and indirect consequences of United States farm policy. Fourthly, the 2002 Farm Bill's disparate impact on international womyn will be discussed and theories about the need for critical investigation of international law from a feminist perspective will be developed. Next, the impending expiration of the 2002 Farm Bill and the possibilities and problems associated with the pending 2007 Farm Bill will be analyzed to provide a starting point for those interested in affecting agricultural policy and international trade, with emphasis paid to feminist theory. Lastly, the paper will conclude with recommendations for future inquiry and ways in which agricultural policy can be advanced while preserving the value of womyn's work.
Embracing Diversity and Avoiding ACRASH by Calling Spades, Progressing Syntaxes, and Affirming Actions
Despite greater awareness that the American population and workforce are increasingly diverse, there is little appreciation for the persistent and discrepant effect of difference on the lived experiences of social outsider groups. Consistent with a history of preference for able-bodied, well off, White, mature, heterosexual, males, for example, most U.S. institutions continue to be hegemonic. Proffering a road map for managing diversity and equalizing life chances across multiple spaces, this paper articulates an innovative conceptual framework called ACRASH. This powerful analogy and acronym (for ableism, classism, racism, ageism, sexism, and heterosexism) denotes the primary dimensions of difference that spawn discrimination, harassment, and prejudice and shape disparate realities for Americans. As well, attention calling, perpetual proportionate affirmative action, and the use of a progressive syntax are posited as effective means for improved relations and the development of more positive socioeconomic and political outcomes in the U.S. and, perhaps, beyond. In response to scholars like Collins (2005), McWhorter (2000, 2005, 2007, & 2008), Patterson (1997), and Rothenberg (2004) and building on concepts introduced in Turnipseed’s (2009) dissertation, this work urges focused, ongoing, and universal acts of social justice.
CMEOC—An expert system in the coal mining industry
Abstract This paper introduces an expert system in the mining industry, called the Coal Mining Expert and Optimization Consultation System (CMEOC). The paper mainly describes the architecture of this system, including the knowledge base, inference engine, and relevant optimization techniques. The techniques include multi-objective programming, fuzzy sets, and integer programming. The application results present evidence of the usefulness of the system.