This looked interesting, so I started reading the author's dissertation, but I've been sidetracked/put-off by its overbearing copyright statement.

    This copy of the dissertation has been supplied on 
    condition that anyone who consults it is understood to 
    recognise that its copyright rests with its author and 
    that no quotation from the dissertation and no 
    information derived from it may be published without 
    the prior written consent of the author.

At least in the US, the fair use clause under the copyright law allows for limited quotes/excerpts w/o asking permission.