This qualitative study described and examined the characteristics, components and theoretical design of the Student African-American Brother (SAAB). The SAAB is a national program that seeks to increase the academic and social integration of African-American males in higher education to increase their potential to graduate with an undergraduate degree. The SAAB's academic and social integration strategies were compared to Bean and Bennett's conceptual model of black student attrition to determine the congruency between the organization's strategies and the theoretical framework. The methodology was case study. Thirty semi-structured interviews were held with past and current members of the organization to gain a broader knowledge of the SAAB strategies and interventions used to promote their academic and social integration. The research revealed the SAAB applies a three dimensional approach which consists of providing a supportive environment, supporting academic goals, and encouraging campus and community involvement. This approach increases the students' understanding of the organization and structure of the higher education setting to yield successful matriculation through a four year college or university.

This oral interpretation thesis describes and analyzes Chamber Theatre as a technique for the presentation and critical understanding of narrative prose. Arthur Schnitzler and his work are analyzed, and his short story, "The Blind Geronimo and His Brother," is adapted to Chamber Theatre script form. It was discovered that Schnitzler's work is well suited to and would probably benefit from Chamber Theatre productions.

Mémoire en recherche-création / Il y a quelques années, j’ai presque gagné 100 000 $ dans une émission de télé-réalité appelée Big Brother Canada. Je rêvais fièrement à ma victoire quand j'ai été rapidement ramenée à la réalité en étant évincée de la maison par les quatre autres concurrent.es. restant.es. Quelques semaines après la fin de l'émission, déçue et quelque peu déstabilisée, j'ai découvert que plusieurs images de moi circulaient de façon virale en ligne. En fait, j'étais devenue un mème ! Fascinée par cette nouvelle forme de langage que les mèmes semblent avoir créé sur mes réseaux sociaux au fil des ans, l'expérience de devenir un mème a suscité une grande envie de savoir ce que d'autres personnes ayant une expérience similaire à la mienne ressentent. Ma curiosité a inspiré cette recherche exploratoire dans laquelle je cherche à mieux comprendre ma mise en mème (ou mémification) à travers l’expérience vécue d'autres mèmes. Présenté sous la forme d'une création audiovisuelle accompagnée d’un script réfléchi, et soutenu par le concept de « face » de Goffman, ainsi que par les théories sur la « visibilité » de Voirol et Jauréguiberry, ce travail explore la face cachée des mèmes, le rapport entre individu-face-mème et les effets de devenir-mème. / I once came close to winning a 100 000$ on a reality TV show called Big Brother Canada. I could almost taste the jackpot when I suddenly got evicted from the house by the four remaining houseguests. Few weeks after the show was over, disappointed, and overwhelmed, I discovered that multiple images of me went viral on social media. In fact, I had become a meme! Already fascinated by this new form of language that memes seem to have created on my social media over the years, the experience of becoming a meme ignited a thirst to know how other individuals with a similar experience to mine felt. My curiosity led to this exploratory research where I seek to better understand my transformation into a meme (or memefication) through the lenses of other memes. Presented in the form of an audio-visual creation accompanied by a commented script and supported by Goffman’s concept of “face” as well as Voirol and Jauréguiberry theories about “visibility”, this work digs into the hidden faces behind memes, the connection between individual-face-meme and the effects of becoming meme.

Mentoring relationships can be defined as an interaction between a less experienced individual, called a mentee or protégé, and a more experienced individual known as a mentor. The relationship that the mentee and the mentor establish is one that provides influential and emotional support. Research suggests that mentoring relationships have a positive effect on children in group homes. Although children in group homes may not have strong support from their biological families or kin, they often count on the undivided support from their counselors. For this study, group home stakeholders (director, counselors and children) were supportive of developing a formal mentoring program as part of the group home experience. / Master of Science

The diploma thesis discusses Bohemian Brethren, its history, and its activities on the territory of Bohemia, Moravia, and North America. The historical part investigates its origins. It summarizes the period of the founding and persecution. It refers to the important people Jan Blahoslav and Jan Amos Komenský. Further it covers their missionary work. It investigates the influence of the Czech legacy of Moravian Brethren in North America and its preserving. Furthermore, it focuses on the educational activities of Bohemian Brethren in the Czech Republic, especially in Mladá Boleslav.

Objet mineur des sciences sociales, la germanité en Europe est demeurée jusqu’à une période récente dans l’ombre de l’alliance et de la filiation. La relation de germanité est pourtant la relation de parenté a priori la plus longue à l’échelle d’une vie. Elle est également immuable et participe de la définition de la personne. Corollaire de cet apparent désintérêt : l’étude de la germanité occidentale n’est pas constituée en champ à proprement parler ; aucune unité théorico-méthodologique ne coalise les recherches existantes sur les frères et sœurs. Cette thèse poursuit donc deux objectifs indissociables : contribuer à la définition d’une anthropologie de la germanité en procédant à une analyse ethnographique de la germanité dans la France contemporaine au prisme des troubles du spectre autistique. Deux étapes préalables ont conditionné la mise en œuvre du premier objectif : (1) comprendre comment les sciences sociales – particulièrement l’anthropologie, le droit et la sociologie – se sont saisies des frères et sœurs pour (2) créer les conditions méthodologiques d’une approche anthropologique du rapport de germanité. Les deux premières parties de cette thèse traitent prioritairement de ces étapes. Le second objectif, consistant à saisir la germanité en pratique, s’est déployé à partir de l’hypothèse selon laquelle la présence au sein d’un groupe de germains d’un individu présentant des troubles autistiques offrait un prisme à travers lequel regarder les normes et pratiques contemporaines de la germanité. La troisième partie expose et met donc en regard un ensemble de cas construits au terme d’une enquête empirique mêlant pratiques d’entretien et d’observation. Contrairement à la filiation et à l’alliance, le rapport de germanité est peu déterminé par le droit. Il n’existe pas d’obligation mutuelle légale entre germains. Il est toutefois indéniable que des formes d’obligation morale s’expriment et se manifestent entre germains notamment lorsque l’un d’eux est en situation de vulnérabilité ou de dépendance. Cette thèse s’attache donc à décrire les ressors complexes de l’obligation morale à l’échelle des rapports de germanité. Elle rend compte des contradictions sur lesquelles se fonde le rapport de germanité dans la parenté française contemporaine et documente la façon dont ces contradictions trouvent à s’exprimer aux plans pratique et affectif dans l’exercice ordinaire de la germanité en présence d’un germain dépendant. / Siblingship in Europe is a minor part of social studies. Until recently, the subject was overshadowed by alliance and filiation. However, siblingship theoretically represents the lengthiest relation of kin throughout one’s life. It is also immutable and plays a part in the definition of the individual. As a corollary to this apparent indifference, the study of Western siblingship does not constitute a field per se. No unity of theory and methodology exists to bring together the existing research on brothers and sisters. This dissertation, therefore, has two inseparable objectives: to contribute to the definition of an anthropology of siblingship, with an ethnographic analysis of siblingship in contemporary France seen through the prism of autistic spectrum disorders. Two preliminary stages have influenced the implementation of the first objective: (1) understanding how social studies –especially anthropology, law and sociology– have engaged with the topic of brothers and sisters to (2) creating the methodological conditions of an anthropological approach of siblingship. The first two parts of this dissertation deal foremost with these stages. The second objective –understanding siblingship in practice– developed from this hypothesis: the presence of an individual displaying autistic disorders among a group of siblings offered a prism through which the norms and practices of contemporary siblingship could be observed. The third part presents and compares a body of case studies developed during an empirical survey involving interviews and observations. Unlike filiation and alliance, the law does not clearly outline siblingship. There are no legal mutual requirements between siblings. However, forms of moral obligations are undeniably expressed and manifested between siblings, particularly in situations of vulnerability or dependence. This dissertation undertakes a description of the intricate workings of moral obligation within siblingship. It reveals the contradictions upon which siblingship relationships are based in French contemporary kinship and documents how these contradictions are expressed in practice and in emotion in the ordinary exercise of siblingship in the presence of a dependent sibling.

This work will explore some of the possible relationships between the teachings and spiritual practices of two religious teachers – Brother Lawrence of the Resurrection and Ajahn Sumedho. Brother Lawrence was a Discalced Carmelite brother that lived in France during the 17th century. Ajahn Sumedho is a monk within the Thai Forest Tradition of Theravadan Buddhism, who currently lives in Hertfordshire, UK. This exploration will include even a description of their respective religious heritage, together with a short discussion of the value or shortcomings of the comparative method of research.

The purpose of this study was to explore the meanings well siblings attribute to their experiences caring for a brother or sister with schizophrenia. This study retrospectively examined changes in the nature of the relationship between the well and ill siblings before, during, and after the diagnosis of schizophrenia. Ten well sibling caregivers of people with schizophrenia participated in the study. The findings suggest that the sibling relationship was strong in childhood yet weakened in adolescence which influenced the well sibling’s caregiving involvement. During the onset of the illness, well siblings spoke about the changes they noticed in their sibling’s personality, behaviour, and lifestyle choices and sought professional help. The diagnosis of schizophrenia and the illness resulted in marked changes in the relationship between well and ill siblings. Well siblings spoke about struggling with their ill sibling’s dependency and with having to balance their own lives with their caregiving responsibilities. / Graduate

Diss. Northwestern Univ., 2007.

Diss. Northwestern Univ., 2007.