It is said that the contemporary Chinese city is a global model of future urban development, in terms of superblocks’ development, advanced... Show moreIt is said that the contemporary Chinese city is a global model of future urban development, in terms of superblocks’ development, advanced technological applications and accelerated expansion. However, this model’s characteristics can be perceived as its own challenges; this mono-functional gated community is built on a blank slate without taking into consideration culture, transportation and socio-ecological infrastructure, creating bedroom communities that lack social cohesion, and ecological sensitivity and awareness. A hybrid typology is a potential adaptive prototype that generates community stability, public benefit and sustainable practices. Chinese authorities proposed the "Sponge City" initiative to ensure healthy urban expansion, control water flooding and diminish pollution. By proposing a “Garden System” as a solution that responds to the "Sponge City" objectives, quality of life of the block's users can be enhanced by juxtaposing contemporary garden applications that would directly target the current superblock conditions in China, and produce a superblock model that balances the socio-ecological infrastructure with density, culture, program and context. M.S. in Architecture, December 2016 Show less
Consistent with the minority stress perspective, lesbian/gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) individuals on average report worse health than... Show moreConsistent with the minority stress perspective, lesbian/gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) individuals on average report worse health than heterosexual individuals in several domains, e.g., general health, mental health, physical health, and health care access. Intersectionality-based research shows that LGBT-POC are, on average, at even greater risk for adverse health outcomes compared to their White LGBT counterparts. Discrimination and social cohesion may be two mechanisms underlying these between- and within-group disparities, given their broader relations to health and their relatively high frequency within marginalized populations. This study used data from the Chicago Department of Public Health to examine broad health differences between LGBT White and LGBT-POC individuals, and to test specific mediations models in which social cohesion mediated links between discrimination and health. LGBT-POC reported experiencing worse general health, lower access to health care, more experiences of discrimination, and lower feelings of social cohesion than did White LGBT individuals. No mediation effects emerged, however there was a direct effect of experiencing discrimination on mental health distress. Further, discrimination exposure related inversely to feelings of social cohesion. Study strengths, limitations, and implications are discussed. Show less
