PROBLEMS INVESTIGATED:This thesis responds to a significant gap in modern Greek literary scholarship in relation to the Darwinian, post-Darwinian and other evolutionary theories and ideas in the works of Greek writers. My preliminary investigations show that there have been Greek writers who were influenced by Darwinian ideas. However, histories of modern Greek literature do not include Darwinism as a distinct influence in its own right, instead it only appears within the Greek naturalist school of the late 19th century; even when they discuss naturalist works influenced by evolutionary thought. This thesis primarily examines the Darwinian and post- Darwinian influence in select writings of Grigorios Xenopoulos in the period from 1900 to at least 1930. In doing so it attempts to reassess the status of these works and to argue for their importance in the context of other Greek and non-Greek literature. PROCEDURES FOLLOWED: This thesis takes on a cross-disciplinary approach drawing on the histories of science and of literature, on the biological sciences and other sciences. So as to establish a context for Xenopoulos' work, I discuss the themes and issues associated with evolutionary ideas and draw on Greek and non-Greek writers from the 19th century first wave of Darwinism to the first decades of the twentieth century. GENERAL RESULTS: I am able to document that while there appears to have been a general delay in the transmission of Darwinian ideas to Greek creative writers, certain themes in their writings arise, responding to Darwinism, which are common to those of non-Greek writers. While there are differences in the treatments of these themes amongst writers, there are a number of main issues which arise from them which include class, gender and race, and are shown to be important in Greek society at the time. In addition, the direct implications of Darwin's theory of evolution are debated in Greece by science and religion, and are discussed in the writings of Xenopoulos and his peers. MAJOR CONCLUSIONS: My examination of responses to Darwinism by Xenopoulos in the context of other Greek and non-Greek writers aims, firstly, to emphasise the importance of Xenopoulos and his work as a key literary influence in Greek society at the time; and secondly, to play a part in bringing modern Greek literature into the mainstream of European culture. The responses to Darwinism in literature, fiction and non-fiction, past and present, encompass a fascinating and controversial field of investigation which, in view of our scientific knowledge today, continues to address issues such as the nature-nurture debate, creationism versus evolution and man's place in nature. Hence it is important that literary responses to the Darwinism of the late 19th and early 20th centuries in Greece be documented as a foundation for present literary responses.

This thesis is a biography of Walter Scott, first Premier of Saskatchewan. He was a populist and had a vision for the new province, the fastest growing province in the Dominion. Agricultural and educational institutions were created to serve this growing population. Walter Scott combined his ability to collect strong people around him with his talent to sense the public mood. Scott was a newspaperman, entrepreneur, land speculator, and distributor of federal Liberal patronage in the North-West before being elected to the House of Commons in 1900. By 1905, Scott became leader of the Saskatchewan Liberal Party and Premier. Contrary to currently held beliefs, this thesis argues that the four months between when Scott became Premier and the first election, the government was neither restructured nor was it rife with patronage. This was a time for campaigning. The political machine was built much later. After the 1905 election, the Scott government embarked on a program to build the new province's infrastructuresuch as the Legislative Building and the University of Saskatchewan. For Scott and his government, agriculture was the vital component in the fabric of Saskatchewan life. By including farm leadership in cabinet and creating a political climate founded on agriculture, Walter Scott built a power base that withstood the United Farmers' Movement that unseated governments in neighbouring provinces. During the First World War, which created a climate of social change in Saskatchewan, the Scott Government banned the bar and established female suffrage. This thesis also examines when Walter Scott first exhibited signs of mental illness. His health became a primary focus as he searched for a cure for depression. It will be argued that it was the battle with Rev. Murdock MacKinnon over minority rights in the school system that brought Scott's mental health to the point that he had to resign. After his death, the memory of Walter Scott faded. Yet his legacy of democracy, education and agriculture continue until today. The fruits of Walter Scott's labours continue to be harvested in Saskatchewan but few remember who planted the original seeds.

Extr. de: Dissertazione per il dottorato--Facoltà di Scienze Sociali--Romae--Pontificia università gregoriana, 2007. / Bibliogr. p. 351-377.

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The life and fate of Maximilian I, the last emperor of Mexico, has attracted a substantial amount of research since his death in 1867. However, these works either only deal with the last few years of Maximilian’s life, from his candidature for the Mexican throne to his death at the hands of the Mexican liberals, or with other aspects of his life such as his time as governor of Lombardy-Venetia. Thus the main aim of this thesis is to offer a biography of Maximilian, which will not only look at Maximilian’s reign as emperor of Mexico but will also examine the Habsburg aspect of the story. It is thus necessary to look at the extent to which his Habsburg upbringing, his education and his experiences as governor of Lombardy-Venetia shaped his idea of kingship; how his travels and his time in Italy conditioned him to regard the “other” in a certain imperial way; and how all these essentially Habsburg experiences and ideas played a part in his failure and demise in Mexico. This thesis will thus aim to give a rounded picture the life and death of Maximilian I by examining his upbringing, his education, and his experiences in the navy and in Lombardy-Venetia. For without an understanding of these it is impossible to fully comprehend Maximilian’s actions in Mexico.

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This thesis is dedicated to the study of the relationship between the solitude of the Poet and the multitude of Paris in les Petits poemes en prose by Baudelaire (also known as Le Spleen de Paris ). This study shows how the Poet decided to move closer to mankind, thus sacrificing the solitude that he enjoys so much. We examine a Baudelairian theme that strongly appears in the prose poetry: the artist's prostitution. Our aim was to show that the Poet is always standing by mankind even in his most absolute solitude.