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This paper has three chapters. In the first chapter, we develop a measure of housing sentiment for 24 cities in China by parsing through newspaper articles from 2006 to 2017.We find that the sentiment index has strong predictive power for future house prices even after controlling for past price changes and macroeconomic fundamentals. The index leads price movements by nearly 9 months, and it is highly correlated with other survey expectations measures that come with a significant time lag. In the second chapter, we show that short term house price movement is predictable by solely using newspaper and historical price change. In the last chapter, using the sentiment index constructed from newspaper, we got empirical results to show that some people are forward-looking when deciding default and a positive sentiment (anticipated house price appreciation) will lower the Z score of probability of default by 0.028. / Doctor of Philosophy / This paper has three chapters. In the first chapter, we develop a measure of housing sentiment for 24 cities in China by parsing through newspaper articles from 2006 to 2017. Two sentiment index were created using text mining method based on keywords matching and machine learning respectively.We find that the sentiment index has strong predictive power for future house prices even after controlling for past price changes and macroeconomic fundamentals. The index leads price movements by nearly 9 months, and it is highly correlated with other survey expectations measures that come with a significant time lag. In contrast, we find much weaker feedback coming from past prices to current sentiment. In the second chapter, we show that short term house price movement is predictable by solely using newspaper and historical price change. The accuracy of the prediction could be up to 0.96 for out of sample prediction. We first use a text mining method to transfer all the text information into numerical vector space, which is able to represent the extracted full information contained in a text. Then by adopting machine learning models of Neural networks, SVM, and random forest, we classified the newspaper into 1 (up) and 0 (down) group and constructed an index as the mean label accordingly. In the last chapter, by merging the Fannie Mae loan performance data with the sentiment index constructed from newspaper as well as the macro variables about local market, we got empirical results to show that some people are forward-looking when deciding default and a positive sentiment ( anticipated house price appreciation) will lower the Z score of probability of default by 0.028. We found that during the recession period, people access more information when they try to default, on top of the traditional econ conditions and historical house price, they also consider the future house price change. Moreover, borrowers with high income, high home value, and high FICO scores tend to pay more attention to future price change. However, for those who are less experienced in this game (first time home buyer), they only pay attention to the historical price change during the recession period.

Master of Arts / Department of Communication Studies, Theatre, and Dance / Charles J. Griffin / This study seeks to discover the loci, or themes, within the post-World War II books of Theodor Geisel, whom generations of American readers came to know as “Dr. Seuss.” A prolific children's author and social activist, Dr. Seuss penned more than 40 children’s books during the period under investigation. After World War II, Seuss’ books began to merge social themes with his entertaining storylines and trademark illustrations. This thesis applies a methodology that draws from both close textual analysis and topically-oriented critical approaches in order to illuminate loci in 10 selected works. Through Cicero’s critical process of invention, relationships between arguments and loci are established. Analysis of these “message books” reveals the complex political and ideological themes present in Dr. Seuss’ texts while situating his work within a larger American rhetorical tradition of didactic children’s literature.

The war in Vietnam was a conflict that happened during the Cold War. In the 1960s USA chose to join the war with the hope of stopping the spread of Communism. The war did not go as planned; instead the outcome was that the Americans lost. During and after the war in Vietnam several songs have been made. Some as protest of the war, others the opposite and had a positive attitude about USA and their participation in the war. In this thesis seven songs regarding the war in Vietnam have been analyzed. The aim of the thesis was to investigate the use of history in different lyrics about the war in Vietnam. An oriented interpretation textual analysis has been applied to the content. The theoretical part of the thesis that was chosen is the use of history as a theory. The theory of the thesis is based on Klas-Göran Karlsson’s typology where he list Scientific, Existential, Morally, Ideological, Non-use, Political-pedagogical and Commercial use of history. To search for the answer in how the artists applied a use of history, the typology of Karlsson and also added Robert Thorp’s four different ways which are Traditional, Exemplary, Critical and Genetic. The result of the thesis was that the war in Vietnam does not appear as clearly in the earlier songs as it did in the songs from the 1980s. Regarding the use of history the result showed that the songs apply the use of history in different ways to state their message.

Since the Swedish Democrats established in 1988, debates and discussions have occurred regarding the party's ideological foundation and affiliation. This study is based primarily on a qualitative textual analysis, an idea- and ideology analysis and ideal types. The study's purpose is to discover which of the following political ideas and ideologies; fascism, populism, conservatism and socialism are most prominent in the Swedish Democrats election manifesto (2014) respectively principle program (2011). At my disposal, the study consists of two research questions; To what extent are there general features of socialism, populism, fascism and conservatism in the Swedish Democrats principle program respectively election manifesto? Which ideology is more prominent in the principle program respectively election manifesto? The theoretical section summarises the different ideologies central themes/discussions and view of democratic governance, the nation, the economic system respectively international governance. When conducting the analysis, the focus is on the Swedish Democrats central themes/discussions and view of democratic governance, the nation, the economic system respectively international governance and how the party's views relate to the political ideologies and ideas. The conducted analysis reveals features of all four ideologies, especially conservatism and populism.

Corporate social responsibility (CSR) is an emerging concept that continues to play a controversial role in the business world. Different CSR theories and ethical foundations inform different approaches to embedding socially responsible behavior into today's business functions. As technology, globalization, and economic challenges change the corporate world, the meaning and application of CSR also changes. While no empirical evidence of CSR's impact on performance exists, many corporations operate under the assumption that CSR holds significant value. This study examines the framing of CSR in stories published by leading business magazines between 2008 and 2012. By examining the presentation of CSR concepts, the resulting analysis can provide important conclusions for corporations, public relations practitioners, mass media, and consumers. This study resulted in a hierarchical pyramid of frames that organizes the framing of CSR in business magazines into three layers: category, motivation, and classification as either responsible behavior or irresponsible behavior. These results lead to recommendations for future CSR research, including the need for quantitative evidence of a connection or disconnection between CSR and profitability.

This study is focused on a highly topical theme, which belongs to the pluralist practice of cultural studies, and aims at investigating a remarkable phenomenon of identity-shaping and cross-cultural exchange. Starting from an analysis of Dracula as the epitomized image of the Balkans (and of Romania, more specifically) abroad, this paper provides a comprehensive historical and (con)textual analysis of the myth, enlarged to incorporate it into the fictions of exile and to draw the reader's attention to the "demonic" dimension of the Balkan area in general, and the Romanian area in particular. The first chapter provides a theoretical overview meant to clarify the production of racial, ethnic, and gender stereotypes, as well as to suggest a more accurate delimitation of these from the generous (and generously used notion of) cultural encounters. While most stereotypes result from common experience, generally acquired in a direct way, due to education, geographic proximity, work relations, political alliances and hostilities, colonial domination, etc. the cultural stereotypes are imposed upon us in an indirect way, by means of oral or written literature, visual arts, music, and other widely-spread recording means. The second chapter aims at exemplifying their mechanism and spreading force by analyzing probably the oldest cultural stereotype, contemporary with the appearance of Guttenberg's printing press: the South-Eastern European myth of Dracula. With this goal in mind, I begin by considering the historical origins of the myth, and then explore closely its proliferation through German, Russian, Romanian, Italian, and Byzantine channels as early as Vlad the Impaler's lifetime. Moving across centuries to Bram Stoker's Dracula, I pay special attention to the cultural environment that made possible the instant success of his novel. I also offer a brief survey of the main directions taken by the impressive interpretive corpus on Bram Stoker's novel, with a particular focus on exploring the main ideas promoted by the Hibernian school of criticism. The chapter ends with an analysis of the Gothic romance and the current vogue of vampire stories in popular culture, be it written, cinematic, or electronic. In the last chapter, I broaden the discussion by analyzing Dracula's stereotypical correlation with the Transylvanian area as a cultural phenomenon reflecting the "oxymoronic image," half Oriental and half European, represented by the Balkans in the Western perception. I discuss this as part of a more general pattern that shapes directions for minor cultures that are dramatically "different" from the successful trajectories of the major ones. The painful knowledge of their peripheral position favors a phenomenon of "cultural Bovarism," describing, according to Sorin Antohi, the intellectuals' disposition to leapfrog into a better place in order to assert themselves. In this light, I try to shift attention from Dracula's exclusive association with Romania to the exceptional generation of Romanian intellectuals who left the country at the beginning of the 20th century and who initiated some of the most radical cultural renovations in the West. Constantin Brâncuşi, a pioneer of the abstract sculpture in Paris, Tristan Tzara, Marcel Iancu, and Victor Brauner, the founders of the Dadaist movement in Zürich, Ilarie Voronca, a founder of the surrealist movement in France, and Eugène Ionesco, the most distinguished representative of the Theater of the Absurd, are all figures of global relevance that chose exile as a means of spiritual survival. Finally, a brief historical survey underlines the Romanians' presence on the American continent, changing the focus from the Western stereotypical correlation of Romania with "Dracula's land," to the Eastern-European representation of America as the "the country of all opportunities" and the "land of the free." I draw attention to the fact that stereotypes depict a movement in a double direction: not only do cultures generate their own stereotypes, but they also perpetuate the stereotypes created by the "significant Other," urging us to reconsider the "central" and "marginal" notions from a more complex perspective.

<p>Prior empirical research has shown that forward-looking statements can be particularly informative to investors (Li 2010; Muslu et al. 2014). However, the inherent uncertainty surrounding forward-looking statements may contribute to a delayed price reaction. This paper examines the market reaction to backward-looking statements and to forward-looking statements across a 60 trading-day horizon. I did not find evidence suggesting the inherent uncertainty of forward-looking statements contributes to a delayed price reaction. However, backward-looking statements are associated with a delayed price response. This result is consistent with Bernard and Thomas’s (1990) suggestion that post-earnings announcement drift is caused by investors not fully understanding how current earnings map into future earnings. I also provide evidence that, for the prepared remarks, investors have a stronger price reaction to net backward-looking tone than to net forward-looking tone. However, for the question-and-answer session, the opposite is true. Investors have a stronger price reaction to net forward-looking tone than to net backward-looking tone. This result suggests that managers should focus their prepared remarks on the prior performance of the firm and focus their responses during the question-and-answer session on the future performance of the firm. </p>

Political speeches are powerful communicative capital. Speeches signal policy positions, preferences and priorities to other legislators, executives and constituents. Current literature diverges on the prime factor that influences political speech. One body of literature claims institutions influence speech. The authority and constraints of political offices condition speeches’ purpose. Legislators use speeches to credit claim and executives to agenda set. A second body focuses on gender. These authors unanimously find that female legislators speak with a “feminine style”, emphasizing traditional women’s issues including healthcare, education and social spending. The institutional literature that examines executive speech ignores gender. The gender-based literature only examines legislators, ignoring executives. The overlap, female executive speech, has not been studied. There has never been a female US national executive, but female executives on the state level, governors, are a valuable resource. Using an original data set of 668 State of the State addresses given by US governors 2001-2016, I attempt to answer whether gender conditions executive speech. My textual analysis suggests that institutions are more important, and that regardless of gender, governors emphasize similar issues in their speeches. However, male governors address national issues more frequently than female governors who tend to focus on state-specific issues.

Este estudo apresenta uma pesquisa sobre a ausência de laboratórios de ciências nas Escolas do Campo, o impacto que a falta deles causa na aprendizagem do ensino de ciências e que alternativas podem ser utilizadas para a melhoria da qualidade deste ensino. Para isso, o objetivo desde trabalho foi realizar a implantação de Clubes de Ciências nas Escolas do Campo como ferramenta complementar para o ensino de ciências, sendo este um espaço democrático de aprendizagem coletiva que possa contribuir na comunidade escolar e na formação dos sujeitos, tornando-os cidadãos atuantes na sociedade em que estão inseridos. Essa pesquisa surgiu diante a dificuldade que foi observada entre os alunos nas aulas de ciências, e do quão significativo é o ensino de ciências para o cotidiano das pessoas. A partir desse diagnóstico partimos para as intervenções práticas de microensino realizadas em cooperação entre universidade-escola, com os acadêmicos do curso de Ciências Biológicas – Licenciatura da UNIPAMPA, oportunizando aos alunos a vivência de aulas práticas de ciências em ambientes não formais de ensino, como os Clubes de Ciências. A abordagem dessa pesquisa foi de natureza empírica qualitativa com o uso de ferramenta de avaliação, a Análise Textual Discursiva – ATD de Roque e Galiazzi (2006), que proporciona a compreensão da realidade dos alunos sem que se quantifiquem dados. Ao final desse estudo, conclui-se que a implantação do Clube de Ciências na escola resultou na melhoria da qualidade do ensino de ciências, expresso na maior participação dos alunos nas aulas de ciências, melhora no rendimento escolar e envolvimento nas atividades extracurriculares da escola. Espera-se que com a adesão dessa primeira escola, todas as outras Escolas do Campo do Município de São Gabriel-RS, venham a aderir ao projeto como uma ferramenta complementar nos currículos de ciências dessas escolas / This study presents a research on the absence of science labs in the Field Schools, the impact that the lack of these laboratories causes in the learning of science education and what alternatives can be used to improve the quality of this education. Therefore, this study aimed to carry out the implementation of Science Clubs in Rural Schools as a complementary tool for science teaching, being this a democratic space of collective learning that can contribute in the school community and in the formation of the subjects, making them active citizens in the society in which they live. This research emerged from the difficulty that was observed among students in science classes, and how significant is the teaching of science to people's daily lives. Based on this diagnosis, we started with the practical interventions of teaching, carried out in cooperation between university-school, with the academics of the Biological Sciences course of UNIPAMPA, giving students the opportunity to experience practical science classes in non-formal teaching environments, such as the Science Clubs. The approach of this research was of qualitative empirical nature with the use of evaluation tool, the Discourse Textual Analysis - DTA of Roque and Galiazzi (2006), which provides an understanding of the reality of students without quantifying data. At the end of this study, it was concluded that the implementation of the Science Club in the school resulted in the improvement of the quality of science teaching, expressed in the greater participation of students in science classes, improvement in school performance and involvement in school extracurricular activities. It is expected that with the accession of this first school, all other rural schools of the Municipality of São Gabriel-RS will join the project as a complementary tool in the science curriculum of these schools.