Le interfacce aptiche, ovvero le tecnologie che trasmettono delle sensazioni tattili digitalizzate, si stanno diffondendo in vari contesti sociali come telerobotica, comunicazione mobile, arte, videogiochi e cinema. Queste tecnologie stanno permettendo agli ingegneri di realizzare qualcosa mai fatto prima: la digitalizzazione del tatto (che ora può quindi essere registrato e mediatizzato). L’obbiettivo di questa tesi è di decostruire il tatto digitalizzato come un artefatto tecnologico socialmente costruito, il quale sta prendendo forma in un sistema di pratiche interrelate performate da attori in campi disparati della conoscenza. Questi attori si muovono all’interno e attorno ad una comunità di ingegneri apticisti. Adottando un approccio ispirato alla grounded theory, sono stati raccolti dati qualitativi attraverso interviste presso un campo etnografico multi-situato composto da laboratori europei e conferenze internazionali, in cui la conoscenza riguardo il tatto è collettivamente creata e condivisa. Due framework teorico-metodologici sono stati presi in considerazione: la tradizione dei Science and Technology Studies (STS) è stata scelta come principale guida metodologica; in seguito, l’intreccio tra pratiche sociali e tecnologie è stato approfondito attraverso una prospettiva practice-based tipica della cosiddetta ‘practice theory’. Al fine di cogliere il processo in corso di costruzione sociale e flessibilità che caratterizzano il tatto digitalizzato, lo studio si è concentrato sull'assenza di standardizzazione che caratterizza gli aspetti sia hardware che software di questa tecnologia emergente. Inoltre, è stata prestata attenzione alla distinzione controversa e scivolosa tra feedback tattile simbolico e realistico usata nel gergo degli apticisti. Infine, sono stati analizzati i diversi significati, o potenzialità d'uso, che gli intervistati attribuiscono a questa tecnologia. Questi significati si collegano a specifici immaginari sociotecnici geograficamente situati, ad ampi discorsi sociali riguardo l’innovazione tecnologica, e a diverse visioni riguardo le pratiche che possono beneficiare dell’implementazione di queste interfacce. / Devices that provide tactile feedback, called haptic interfaces, are spreading in various contexts such as tele-robotics, prosthetics, videogames, mobile communication, and arts. These technologies are allowing engineers to accomplish something never done before: the digitization of touch (which can now be stored and mediatized). This dissertation aims to deconstruct the digitized touch as a socially constructed technological product, emerging from a system of interrelated practices enacted by actors performing in disparate fields which revolve around the community of haptics engineers. Using a grounded-theory inspired approach, qualitative data were collected through interviews in a multi-sited ethnographic field consisting in European laboratories and international conferences, where knowledge about touch is collectively created and shared. Two theoretical-methodological frameworks have been taken into consideration: the tradition of Science and Technology Studies (STS) has been chosen as the main methodological guide; moreover, the interlacements between social practices and technology have been deepened through the adoption of a practice-based perspective proposed by different approaches in social sciences gathered under the umbrella term ‘practice theory’. In order to grasp the ongoing process of social construction and flexibility that characterize digitized touch, the study focused on the absence of standardization involving both hardware and software aspects of this emerging technology. Furthermore, attention has been paid to the controversial and slippery distinction between ‘symbolic’ and ‘realistic’ tactile feedback which is used in engineers’ jargon. Finally, the different meanings or potentialities of use, which respondents attributed to this technology, have been analysed. These meanings are connected to geographically located socio-technical imaginaries, to broad social discourses about technological innovation, and to different visions regarding the practices that can benefit from the implementation of these interfaces.

Memoria para optar al título de Geógrafo / En esta investigación se realiza un análisis y comparación respecto de la incorporación de la Gestión del Riesgo de Desastres (GRD) en los instrumentos de ordenamiento y planificación territorial de las comunas de San Bernardo y Calera de Tango, identificando factores críticos que determinan las diferencias entre ellas. Si bien las comunas en estudio son colindantes y poseen características físicas similares, cada una ha ido adoptando caracteres de acuerdo a su funcionalidad dentro de la Región Metropolitana. Sin embargo, las dinámicas que se han desarrollado no responden a la planificación vigente, lo que ha generado condiciones de riesgo para la población, sus bienes y economía. En la investigación fue posible determinar que los instrumentos de planificación y ordenamiento territorial aún no incorporan de manera íntegra la GRD debido en parte, a que existen confusiones conceptuales, y al tipo de gestión que se intenta proponer, ya que sigue siendo mayoritariamente reactiva. La principal diferencia entre las comunas estudiadas radica en que San Bernardo, al poseer un Plan Regulador Comunal, gestiona y ordena el territorio disminuyendo la exposición de la población a las amenazas de origen natural y antrópico existentes en la comuna, vale decir presenta una gestión preventiva. Por su parte, Calera de Tango nunca ha contado con este instrumento en particular. Al ser una comuna de carácter rural, los instrumentos de planificación actuales no son de gran ayuda debido a que se enfocan en la gestión de las zonas urbanas principalmente, por lo cual gran parte del territorio comunal no tiene regulación. A pesar de las ventajas con las que cuenta San Bernardo aún son insuficientes para reducir el riesgo de desastre. / This project consists of comparative analysis of the integration of the Disaster Risk Management (GRD) in the regulation and territorial planning of the San Bernardo and Calera de Tango municipalities, with the intent of identifying critical factors differentiating the two. While these municipalities are adjacent to each other and share many physical characteristics, they have developed distinct characteristics in accordance with the role each plays within the wider Metropolitan Region. The dynamics developed within each nonetheless do not share policy frameworks – something that has created risky conditions for their local populations, properties and economies. This investigation determined that the current methods used for territorial planning and legislation have yet to meaningfully integrate the GRD due to both conceptual ambiguities and the fact that management has up until now been largely reactive. The principal distinguishing factor separating the municipalities under investigation is that San Bernardo, in possessing a Regulatory Communal Plan, manages its territory with an eye towards reducing its population’s exposure to local natural and man-made threats. In contrast, Calera del Tango has never possessed this particular policy framework. As a rural municipality, current planning frameworks are of limited effectiveness due to their focus on urban locations. In spite of their advantages San Bernardo possesses, the current policy framework is insufficient as a means of reducing risk in the face of possible disasters.

This research concerns disciplinary practices within a school system in Lesotho. The school that has been researched is a girl’s high school in Maseru (the capital of Lesotho). The school belongs to the Anglican Church. I (the researcher) am a Mosotho man and an English and Religious Studies teacher in this school. For a while I have been concerned about the way punishment happens in the school, often leaving girls feeling shamed and powerless in the face of authority. I have also noticed that these disciplinary practices are losing their effectiveness, in that girls are showing resistance to the system. In other words corporal punishment, which has been the traditional form of discipline, is proving ineffective in today’s world. The researcher also considers this form of discipline abusive of power. It is in the light of this that I worked within this system, both with pupils, as well as teachers, to explore alternative practices that might work with pupils, that are respectful of all parties concerned. The research is a participative action research, using collaborative narrative practices in working with both students and staff at the school. / Philosophy, Practical and Systematic Theology / M. Th. (Pastoral Therapy)

Diploma thesis "From construction of media reality towards a social stereotype in the printed advertising" deals with stereotypical portrayals of people emerging in Czech magazine production in the first decade of 21st century. The first part of the thesis describes the theoretical fundamentals of the field, including the theory of the social construction of reality by Berger and Luckmann. In its second part, using the sample of magazines Týden, Reflex, Maxim (formerly Quo), Cosmopolitan and Žena a život, the thesis surveys the occurrence of stereotypical depictions in the period from 2000 to 2008, materialized using semiotic codes. These depictions are named, described and it is shown how are they used in the process of constructing a complex communicate. This thesis is trying to point out the disproportion in the depictions of males and females in advertising and (based on previous classifications available) comes up with an original classification of the stereotypical depictions. The thesis also describes the results of a quantitative content analysis in order to find out about the occurrence frequency of the stereotypes in pictorial texts used in advertising production and it segments the occuring stereotypes in three categories according to the frequency of their occurrence. The categories are...

Diploma thesis deals with competencies of local municipalities in social inclusion policy. Social exclusion is a key phenomenon of contemporary policy, and municipalities play an important role in such policy. Though, municipalities often tend to fail in their role. The thesis describes and analyse the competencies of local governments and tries to set up and ideal local inclusion policy: a complete set of possible measures that a municipality can use in dealing with social inclusion. This ideal is further on used in two case studies: formative evaluation of local policies in two small towns in South Bohemia. The result is interpreted in perspective of social construction of target groups theory, explaining why do or do not municipalities use concrete inclusive measures. Powered by TCPDF (www.tcpdf.org)

This diploma thesis looks into the transformation of social services for people with disabilities in the context of deinstitutionalization in the Czech Republic. To answer the research goals (1) To find out how the main transformation processes in the field of social services policy in the Czech Republic were performed in the context of deinstitutionalization, focusing on a group of people with disabilities, (2) to find out by the optics of SKCP, how are people with disabilities involved in the deinstitutionalization policy of the residential social services, the approach of qualitative research was used. The approach is based on the document analysis and the expert research. The theoretical starting points of this thesis are the theory of implementation and the components of the theoretical framework of target population's social construction, focusing on political power. With the help of the implementation theory, the development of the transformation processes in the Czech Republic from 2007 to present is explained, the key milestones of deinstitutionalization policy, objectives, present effects, key barriers and implementation deficits are identified. By the optics of the theory of social construction of the target population is being determined, how large of the political power the group of...

The thesis deals with the construction of inequalities in the access to the tertiary education with the special emphasis on entrance exams to the universities. The aim is to explore how the entrance exams as the gate to the universities are perceived by students - the actors who are the most affected by these inequalities in education, according to relevant research of these inequalities. The thesis studies how these actors perceive their position and situation within the entrance process, what situations (if any) are constructed as unequal by these actors, who is affected by such inequalities and how does he/she copes with them. The research question is seen from the perspective of interactionist constructivism and answered by applying methods of grounded theory and semi-structured in-depth interviews.

The thesis deals primarily with the description, analysis and framing of public policy issues with regard to handicapped athletes. The main aspect of this work is to identify the most problematic areas with which disabled athletes normally meet in reality. The thesis also includes the state of the current sports environment in the Czech Republic. This condition is presented primarily with regard to disabled athletes. It is clear from other research that the position of disabled athletes is currently largely neglected. In the next part of the thesis it is important to find out how disabled athletes are designed in the Czech media. This is followed in the analytical part of the thesis is the analysis of the media situation with access to disabled athletes. The work brings an analysis of newspaper articles between the Olympic Games in 2012 and 2016. By analyzing newspaper articles creates the concept of the most burning problems with which work is finally being done. The key task of the thesis is to provide a holistic view of the overall picture of handicapped athletes in the Czech Republic. The work also emphasizes the depiction of political power and political actors who are actively involved in this policy. Using the social construction method of the target groups creates a picture of the group of...

This diploma thesis deals with the development of tobacco control legislation with the main focus on the Act on protection of health against harmful effects of addictive substances with accent on smoking regulation in restaurants. The main line of this thesis is to determine the competing rhetorical frameworks and the main actors representing the individual frameworks which they present on the level of arguments and then to compare the development of narrative over time. At this level, the thesis focuses on the analysis of the presented rhetorical frameworks with the aim of discussing possible specific attributes that facilitated the process of reframing opposition actors, namely using the rhetorical strategy of narrative attributes of storytelling, technical terms, imagery or comparison. These goals were achieved by using a qualitative analysis of media outcomes and by using public policy documents, legal standards and other relevant documents. Theoretical support for answering the set forth questions was a frame analysis, which was conceptualized on the field of public policy by Rein and Schön along with the theory of social construction of target population conceptualized by Schneider and Ingram. In this thesis, written under the auspices of the case study, four main competing frames were...

This diploma thesis discusses the image of menstruation in the mass media and in user generated content. Menstruation is a biological process that is essential for reproduction. It not only plays a specific role from the biological point of view, but also from the cultural aspect. Menstruation has remained a taboo and been stigmatised for many years. Today this topic is no longer completely taboo, but some stigma and stereotypes remain. This diploma thesis is based on the theory of social construction of reality, where the mass media is considered one element involved in the construction of this reality. The aim of this work is to analyse the image of menstruation in the mass media created by professionals and compare it with the image of this topic in user generated content created by the public on social networks. Two research methods are used to obtain a comprehensive view of the specific issue - a quantitative content analysis and qualitative framework analysis. The quantitative content analysis is used to establish the frequency and occurrence of the topic of menstruation within mass media. The framework analysis is used to establish how this topic is represented and framed in the mass media and in user generated content.