The rights of woman as chimera: The political philosophy of Mary Wollstonecraft

My dissertation examines the political theory of Mary Wollstonecraft. Most political scientists argue that Wollstonecraft\u27s political thought is derivative of either Jean-Jacques Rousseau\u27s or John Locke\u27s political thought. Though A Vindication of the Rights of Woman is dedicated to a French diplomat, it is immediately clear that Wollstonecraft\u27s primary interlocutor is Rousseau. Rousseau\u27s ideal woman, Sophie, it seems to Wollstonecraft, departs from the fundamental tenets of Rousseau\u27s explicitly political works, the natural equality and freedom of all human beings. In response to this Rousseau\u27s characterization of woman, Wollstonecraft asserts the natural equality of women and demands that they are educated to be rational and virtuous counterparts to men. In making her case, some scholars suggest, Wollstonecraft sounds more like her earlier predecessor, John Locke, than Rousseau. My study of Wollstonecraft\u27s political theory considers her relationship to each of these thinkers. Although I appreciate the valuable lessons Wollstonecraft gains from both Rousseau and Locke, I argue that Wollstonecraft departs from natural rights theory in two important respects, and consequently, rejects it as the foundation for her own political theory. In contrast to Rousseau and to Locke, Wollstonecraft does not argue that human beings are primarily motivated by self-preservation. Furthermore, political communities are not formed out of a desire to protect oneself from the aggression of others. Finally, I argue Wollstonecraft\u27s political theory is consistent with that of Aristotle. Wollstonecraft\u27s hope for the relationship between men and women can be more fully elaborated by a consideration of the teaching on friendship put forth by Aristotle in the Nichomachean Ethics. In this respect, my dissertation is an original approach to reading Wollstonecraft\u27s A Vindication of the Rights of Woman

Characterization and epidemiology of influenza viruses in patients seeking treatment for influenza-like illnesses in rural Bangladesh

CONTEXT: Infections caused by influenza viruses are a major health burden, both in developed and developing countries worldwide. Nevertheless, the overwhelming majority of influenza reports originate from industrialized countries in northern and southern temperate zones.AIMS: The aim of this study was to determine the epidemiology of influenza viruses in patients seeking treatment for acute febrile illnesses in rural Bangladesh.SETTINGS AND DESIGN: As part of our research on the causes of febrile illnesses in rural Bangladesh, nasopharyngeal swabs from patients with signs and symptoms consistent with influenza were collected from 2008 onwards.MATERIALS AND METHODS: Viral infection was established using two independent rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) and later confirmed by RT-PCR.RESULTS: A total of 314 fever cases were enrolled in a survey of febrile illnesses carried out in Bandarban District in southeastern Bangladesh, out of whom 38 (12.1%) tested positive by RDT. Molecular subtyping showed that seasonal H3 strains (N=22; 7.0%) as well as the new H1N1v pandemic influenza subtype (N=13; 4.1%) had been circulating at the time of our investigations resulting in a PCR-adjusted positivity rate of 11.1% (95% CI 8.0 - 15.3). The positive predictive values for the RDTs used were 90.9% and 94.4%, respectively.CONCLUSIONS: This study provides a first insight into influenza epidemics in one of the most remote parts of Asia. Our findings suggest that respiratory illnesses due to influenza viruses are underreported in areas with limited access to health care and show a distinct seasonality also in rural areas of tropical countries.</p