This critical analysis focuses on my investigations over the past almost 24 years into what I term the ‘Satanic ritual abuse myth’ – or ‘Satanic panic’ – the controversy over recovered versus false memories, and, more recently, the validity of the diagnosis of multiple personality disorder (MPD), now known as dissociative identity disorder (DID). This reflective analysis, written for the PhD by prior publication, explores how my journalism has made an original and significant contribution to knowledge in my own field, investigative journalism, and how it relates to – and has contributed to - the literature in several academic disciplines – the psychology of false memories, the anomalistic psychology of weird beliefs, and the sociology of moral panics. I was one of the first researchers internationally to conclude there was no physical, forensic evidence that Satanic abuse existed. My ‘Making of a Satanic Myth’ feature, published in the Independent on Sunday in 1990, has been cited in the literature, along with key investigations since. I describe the methodology and conduct of research during my continuing investigations into the origins and spread of the ‘Satanic panic’ and related controversies of false memories and multiple personalities. The dissertation itself adds significantly to academic theories and historical accounts of these events from the 1980s until today. Through a wide reading of the literature I have pieced together a forensic chronology which provides a unique overview of a particular era of striking and peculiar phenomena. On reflection, I conclude that my investigations provide evidence for the concept of moral panics created through an ‘explosive amplification’ of anecdote, social and official concern about issues such as child abuse, spread by ‘claims-makers’ and a globalised mass media. Although sporadic claims of Satanic abuse continue I conclude there is still no corroborating evidence.

This research intends to show how visuality, through the mobility of Instagram (a social media platform designed for photo sharing), is modifying individuals’ perception of the world and their mediated lives. It examines how Instagram transforms individuals’ perception of interpersonal relationships, marketing, privacy and surveillance, identity and memory, and communication. It attempts a critical re-reading of the combined interrelations between the concept of mobility (smart mobile devices) and the thematic areas mentioned above. Conducting an empirical examination, it delineates the changing dynamics that digitality determines within the contemporary experience of visual communication. In order to understand visual practices it is important to consider how relationships develop among individuals, visual technologies, practices and images, society and culture (Pink, 2007: 35). A qualitative research method informed by netnography, computer-mediated interviews and visual analysis (Rose, 2007) is employed in this study. Findings show that the ubiquitous use of smart mobile devices guides us towards the development of new forms and conceptions of mobile mediated visualities. The critical analysis of the (embedded) multiple-case study presents the innovative transformations that the mediation and mobility of Instagram bring into everyday relations between human-technologies. Findings show that now that daily life is experienced as a succession of photo opportunities that allow the creation of social networks but do not replace physical relationships. Images figure as a fair means of communication although they cannot fulfil verbal ones. However, the connections that images establish become a valuable part of new social media marketing strategies. With the widespread use of the platform, companies start to monitor users and influence their online behaviour without causing concern in relation to privacy and surveillance issues. The protection of personal information instead is related to the visibility that the contents of images acquire within the virality of the Internet. Within this, the voyeuristic spirit that animates the platform affects individuals’ interest in disclosing self-identity through visual metaphors. The disclosure of visual narrations of the self, at the same time, models the sharing of new networked archives of personal and collective memories. The ephemerality of digital culture is embraced by smart mobile technologies considering the importance that individuals give to the act of producing multimedia contents more than the content itself. Smart mobile devices represent the element of mediation in social instances and they strongly represent the foundation of a new mobile visualities aesthetic. Societies produce peculiar forms of expression and communication that are shaped by the co-presence of individual demands and the current typology of means of communication. Every alteration in the structure of societies has influence on individuals and on means of expression. This thesis shows that in contemporary life visualities have crucial functions in different environments such as business, leisure, and surveillance. Lastly, the triangulation of mediation-mobility-visuality produces a snapshot aesthetic, which radically transforms traditional functions of photography.

No description available.

Technology permeates education’s discourses and practices, and further dialogue between philosophy of education and philosophy of technology is urgently needed. This thesis attempts to do this by engaging critically with the thought of Martin Heidegger, Jacques Derrida and Bernard Stiegler in order to show that both education and technology are processes of human formation (Bildung). Heidegger’s philosophy of technology underlines the way technology conditions human action and thus allows for an investigation of the constitution of the human being. At the same time, Heidegger’s philosophy maintains certain essentialist elements that make it unresponsive to the digital technologies that increasingly form our milieu. In matters of technology the nature of nearness is always at issue, and digital technology accelerates the changes that occur in this respect. For this reason, and notwithstanding Heidegger’s achievements, it is necessary to challenge his account in certain respects. Through a deconstruction of Heidegger’s theory, I attempt to show that thinking and technology intertwine in his critique of metaphysics. In fact, thinking and technology function according to presuppositions about image (Bild), imagination (Einbildungskraft) and education (Bildung), and both inextricably involve metaphorisation in various ways. In this thesis, I analyse the notion of metaphor either as passive or active transfer of the self. The role of image, as I have already noted, is very important for this process, and it is for this reason that Heidegger’s distinction between ‘representative’ image and ‘originary’ image becomes very important for this investigation. For Heidegger, the possibility of originary image opens up the path towards a nontechnologically mediated truth (alētheia) that offers true nearness to things, whereas representative image condemns thinking to uncritical repetition and existence to a state in which everything is equally far and equally near. This discussion and the specific chain of notions (Bild, Einbildung, Bildung) offers a new way into the investigation of those current digital image-technologies that purport to afford us nearness to things and people. It examines their effects on thinking and imagination, and education’s role in relation to these developments.

This thesis investigates the origin and development of EC cultural policy through four case studies of policy formation. The four cases selected occurred in the pre-Maastricht period, 1955-1988. The first two policy experiences correspond to a pre-history of the EC´s cultural policy, the latter two resulted in authoritative policy decisions by EC institutions. The research objectives include historical understanding of this policy experience and an examination of the process of European policy formation. It draws upon archive material from the Historical Archives of the European Union. This material is organised and analytically narrated around the events that make up each episode. The approach is theoretically oriented case research – each experience studied corresponds to a policy episode. These policy episodes are analysed through a combined theoretical framework based on Kingdon´s multiple streams model (1995), which explains the pre-decisional and decision-making stages of the policy-making process, and on institutional processualism which seeks to attain a causal understanding of these processes that is sensitive to institutional context. This thesis represents one of the first applications of this model in the field of cultural policy. The comparative approach deployed identifies similarities and differences among the four episodes studied and compares the dynamics of the policy process between them with a view to generating theoretical generalisations about the formation of cultural policy in the EC in the period of interest. The application of Kingdon’s model to European public-policy to an extent tested the model, though ultimately it demonstrates its flexibility and relevance to a variety of agenda situations and analysis. The model was less successful in explaining policy formulation, in this instance, which is explained by the pervading institutional reach of the EC Treaties. A specific interest of Kingdon´s is policy entrepreneurship and how it affects the policy process and this is also a main interest of this research. The model worked well here but proved limited in that it generated only a partial explanation for the agency of cultural policy entrepreneurs whose motivations, we found, are intrinsic and specific to cultural policy.

published_or_final_version / History / Master / Master of Philosophy

The objective of the thesis is to use econometric analysis to assess the impact of power sector reforms in Africa during the period 1988-2005, using panel data analysis. The study uses fixed effects model, where all the reform variables are assumed to be strictly exogenous, but goes a step further, to endogenise the variables using 1-step Generalized Method of Moments (GMM) estimation. To ensure the robustness of the results, the study makes use of both static and dynamic models and other econometric methods to reduce as far as practicable, the likelihood of spurious correlation. The main conclusion from the generation sector study is that, the establishment of a regulatory agency is generally associated with favourable generation outcomes. These are likely to be achieved after a minimum period of 2 years for installed plant capacity, 3 years for plant energy output, and 7 years for plant utilization. Passage of energy sector law seems likely to enhance both installed generation capacity and actual plant energy output. On the impact of private sector participation (PSP) in the generation sector, management and lease contracts, as well as greenfield projects seem likely to enhance installed capacity and actual plant output. On plant utilization, the favourable outcome is associated with concessions and greenfield projects. For the network sector, the result seems to indicate that the co-existence of energy sector law and regulatory agency can reduce transmission network loss levels. The result on the distribution system however show that though energy sector law and regulation are necessary, they are not likely to be sufficient to reduce the system loss level. Effective loss reduction in the distribution sector is likely to be achieved if management and lease contract is present as a PSP option. The long lags associated with the existence of regulation, underline the notion that institutional changes alone are unlikely to be sufficient, if the workforce is not competent and well trained. This implies that regulatory agencies in Africa are still fragile, and it will take quite sometime to build the capacity of key professional staff to operate whatever institutional and regulatory frameworks are chosen.

Les activités humaines peuvent entraîner des modifications de comportement et de distribution spatiale chez les animaux susceptibles d'avoir un impact non négligeable au niveau de leur population. Pour des espèces migratrices, elles peuvent rendre un site d'hivernage inutilisable en raison d'un dérangement trop important, obligeant les individus à utiliser d'autres sites. Dans ces sites de report, le niveau d'interférence risque d'être plus élevé ce qui peut entraîner une diminution de l'efficacité alimentaire de tout ou partie des individus. Cependant, l'influence des activités humaines ne peut être évaluée correctement sans tenir compte, dans ce cas précis, des ressources alimentaires de l'espèce étudiée. Le travail de cette thèse a été d'intégrer le lien consommateur-ressource dans l'étude de l'influence des activités humaines. Le sujet a porté plus précisément sur l'hivernage de la bernache cravant Branta bernicla dans le golfe du Morbihan (Bretagne Sud), où elle s'alimente essentiellement de phanérogames marines : des zostères, dont la zostère naine Zostera noltii. Nous avons caractérisé la relation bernaches-Z. noltii, en termes de distribution essentiellement, à trois échelles spatiales et temporelles imbriquées. De l'évolution en trente ans de la distribution sur l'ensemble du golfe à la position par rapport à la lame d'eau lors d'un cycle tidal, nous avons montré que les ressources alimentaires conditionnaient largement la distribution des bernaches, ainsi que leur comportement à l'échelle du groupe. Nous avons également montré que les activités humaines sont susceptibles de modifier cette relation. En effet, selon leur type, leur position et la taille du groupe de bernaches, le coût énergétique potentiel qu'elles entraînent pourrait conduire certains individus à éviter certains herbiers, ce coût étant trop élevé pour être compensé par un temps d'alimentation plus long. Ce travail a donc contribué à une catégorisation plus générale et robuste des activités humaines en terme de coût potentiel sur les oiseaux hivernant. Si ce travail a permis de mieux comprendre le rôle majeur des ressources dans la distribution des bernaches en hivernage, ainsi que la façon dont les activités humaines peuvent influer sur cette relation, il s'est aussi inscrit dans une démarche de définition d'indicateur d'état des herbiers de zostères. Et nos résultats suggèrent que le comportement et la distribution des bernaches sont de bons indicateurs de l'état de ces herbiers à l'échelle locale mais également régionale.

Les organismes vivants utilisent des ressources pour vivre, croître et se reproduire.Derrière ce lieu commun se cache une théorie importante en Ecologie : la théorie desTraits d'Histoire de Vie (voir Stearns 1992, par exemple). Selon cette théorie, lesindividus optimisent l'utilisation de ressources limitées (ressources alimentaires,habitat, mais aussi partenaire sexuel entre autres) afin de maximiser des traits telsque la croissance, la survie ou la reproduction. Dans le cadre de la théorie de lasélection naturelle, les individus favorisés sont ceux qui adoptent les stratégiesd'acquisition des ressources les plus efficaces dans un environnement donné. Ceconcept très simple est extrêmement puissant pour comprendre l'écologie et lavariété des stratégies adoptées par les espèces, les populations ou les individus.Cette théorie est d'ailleurs centrale en Ecologie Evolutive (Stearns 1992).

<p><strong>Linnéuniversitetet Kalmar</strong></p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>Institutionen för samhällsvetenskaper</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Arbetets art:                   D-uppsats, 15 hp</p><p>                                     </p><p>                                      Lärarprogrammet</p><p>                                      Samhällsutveckling med ett internationellt perspektiv</p><p> </p><p>Titel:                              Hur sker implementering av förebyggande arbete gällande hiv och aids?</p><p> </p><p><em> </em></p><p>Författare:                      Nina Svenman</p><p> </p><p>Handledare:                   Gunnar Hansson</p><p> </p><p><strong>ABSTRACT</strong></p><p> </p><p>This study analyzes the prevention of HIV and AIDS around the region of Pretoria in South Africa. The study's starting point is the cultural, economic, social and health which is relevant when different levels of society affirms. The aim has been the basis of the representation levels of society discern what is valued and given priority as well as the measures and the strategies used in implementation. The empirical data underlying the study is qualitative studies with respondents from a university, a hospital, a school, the Swedish Embassy and an organization in order to create an image of different levels in society means to implement preventive measures on HIV and AIDS to their citizens.</p><p> </p><p>The result demonstrates that there are clear shortcomings in its implementation guidance on prevention measures for HIV and AIDS as lack of resources is based. The various respondents' strategies and priorities are benevolent, and in many cases their methods are working. However, there are also cases where the approach is not always the most effective. Respondents themselves are aware of their own problems and trying to maintain a critical approach to continuously improve their prevention work on HIV and AIDS. Reasons for this are as mentioned before, lack of resources but problems can also be found in all the country's inhabitant’s diverse of economic and cultural backgrounds. The work therefore needs to be done with the dynamic nature and allow a change to every area where prevention is done.</p><p>Something that affects everyone's work on HIV and AIDS is that South Africa's leaders are now responding to the problems that exist in the country and take responsibility, raising a great hope for its citizens. The study also shows that there are significant differences depending on whether people live in cities, suburbs or country. All respondents agree that the most important thing in the country’s HIV/ AIDS problem is to provide their citizens with knowledge and skills so that they are prepared for a life with HIV or AIDS but also to stop that the spread happens. In order to solve all the problems associated with the epidemic, it is a long way to go but thanks to the country's leaders are taking responsibility to grow faith in the future. Most importantly is that all citizens take their responsibility if the problems of HIV and AIDS is ever to be solved.</p><p><strong> </strong></p>