The primary objective of this dissertation is to contribute to the contemporary theory of metaphor from the viewpoint of Chinese, so as to help place the theory into a wider cross-linguistic and cross-cultural perspective. Aiming at this primary objective, it explores two major questions faced by the contemporary theory: (1) if abstract reasoning is at least partially metaphorical in nature; and (2) what conceptual metaphors are universal, widespread, or culture-specific. It focuses on two conceptual metaphors--the scTIME-AS-SPACE metaphor and the Event Structure Metaphor--which have been proposed as candidates for metaphorical universals. The study shows how time in Chinese is conceptualized in terms of space and motion, fit into the two-case model proposed by Lakoff for English. In case 1, time is conceptualized as moving objects toward and past a stationary Observer; in case 2, time is conceptualized as bounded locations through which the Observer travels. It also suggests that a third case, in which the Observer travels along with a time-object through time-locations, is necessary for both Chinese and English. It is shown that Chinese and English not only follow the same principle of spatialization of time, but also share the same directionality parameter: the future is ahead of, and the past is behind, the Observer. This study also shows that in Chinese various aspects of event structure such as states, changes, causes, actions, purposes, means, and difficulties are conceptualized metaphorically in terms of space, motion, and force, just as in English. The conceptual mappings at a high hierarchical level of the metaphor system are found the same in both English and Chinese, whereas the specific linguistic instantiations of those conceptual mappings may be similar or different between the two languages. This study reinforces the view that metaphor is the main mechanism through which we comprehend abstract concepts and perform abstract reasoning. It also supports the candidacy of the scTIME-AS-SPACE metaphor and the Event Structure Metaphor for metaphorical universals. These two conceptual metaphors are grounded in some basic human experiences that may be universal to all human beings.

As women have increasingly entered what have been traditionally male-dominated industries, there has been a corresponding increase in "fetal protection policies" implemented by those same industries, based on the premise that toxins in the workplace can be harmful to the "potential fetus." The assumption is that these toxins are transported to the fetus exclusively through the mother and that only by removing the mother from the hazardous environment can the fetus be protected. Some of these companies have been taken to court as women have challenged these policies as infringements of their constitutional rights. This paper analyzes court cases in which this issue has been argued and demonstrates how the courts maintain the patriarchal ideologies of both law and industry through the use of legal precedent and unsubstantiated "science," to uphold policies that prohibit women from working in high-paying "male" industries and maintain women's subordinate position in capitalist society.

In attempting to compare the definition of the word "regular" as perceived by a group of middle class, Jewish, American senior citizens and a group of students from the University of Arizona, it is suggested that an individuals' "central case" of the definition of a word is dependent on life experience. Further, in trying to interpret the reason of the existence of a "central case", social theory will be utilized for both explanation of the existence of the "central case" as well as to display individual negotiation with an exterior societal structure. By linking the work of cognitive anthropology with social theory, the researcher is better able to explain change and negotiation between an individual and the social world within which they live.

Patterns of water resource management are affected by the social structures of indigenous societies. The social structures of many indigenous groups, and in particular tribal groups, are kin-based. Water resource development projects which focus on kin-based societies may be affected by the characteristics of a society's kinship system. Three case studies of irrigating tribal societies were analyzed to determine the effects of kinship systems on water management. Results of the analysis indicate that in these societies water management was conducted under the auspices of kinship systems and according to norms consistent with kinship relationships. Each society's kinship system adapted as necessary to the environmental and physical constraints of irrigation. Following major political and water resource development changes, the role of kinship systems tended to decrease, but continued to influence patterns of water resource use.

The traditional Hopi house is a manifestation of the society's place within a larger landscape. The plaza and the Kiva represent the spiritual communal spaces whereas the house is a more pragmatic domain for daily household activities. However, within the house itself there seem to be realms of both the spiritual and the pragmatic. Prior to the late 1800s, Hopi houses were two, three or four stories high. Generally the ground floors and subterranean levels were for the storage of grain and religious artifacts. The upper stories contained habitation rooms and roof terraces used for the more pragmatic chores of the household. Towards the turn of the century, due to numerous influences, the most prevalent living space became the one story house. Analysis of the interviews and observations of existing traditional houses and modern HUD houses shows that Hopi dwellings are still divided into two domains, the pragmatic daily chores in the main habitation room and the storage and/or bedrooms. This fact shows a continued, distinct Hopi use of space. Guidelines are proposed to incorporate these patterns for future housing. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)

This paper examines ritual in Classic Maya art of the Usamacinta River drainage, focusing on blood sacrifice, its iconography and symbolism, then looks at contemporary Maya ritual in highland Chiapas, Mexico. Connections between the two are made, emphasizing the continuity of Maya culture in Mesoamerica, and suggestions are made for current archaeological investigations in the Maya area.

This thesis examines the impact of emigration and return migration on sending communities of northwestern Portugal. Literature about recent trends in Portuguese emigration to central Europe is reviewed. Historical, political, economic and social factors are considered "push" and "pull" forces for both emigration and return migration. I demonstrate that emigration has resulted in altering the traditional social structure. I argue there are two cohort groups, first and second generation emigrants, which have different economic interests and which must be treated differently by policy makers concerned with agriculture. This thesis also contributes to the dialogue about the World systems Paradigm by demonstrating that emigration to a "core" has long term, substantial gains for the "periphery".

<p> The purpose of the study was to address a gap in the scholarly literature about one of the factors related to the Global Digital Divide by expanding the body of generalizable knowledge about the relationship between national culture attitudes about information and communications technology (ICT) acceptance and use (A&amp;U) and national ICT use behavior across time. A quantitative quasi-experimental non-equivalent groups design was used as the basis for this research. Bivariate correlation analysis was conducted for 64 combinations of use behaviors and attitudes that were drawn from two secondary data sources; the first source was the World Values Survey database, and the second source the International Telecommunications Union ICT database. The study findings consistently suggest that there is a significant relationship between national culture attitudes about ICT A&amp;U and national ICT use behavior across time and within specific periods. Furthermore, the findings suggest that at any point in time, where national culture attitudes about ICT A&amp;U are the strongest, national ICT use behaviors will be the lowest, and where national culture attitudes about ICT A&amp;U are the most neutral, national ICT use behaviors will be the highest.</p>

<p> Interest in virtual worlds has grown within academia and popular culture. Virtual worlds are persistent, technologically-mediated, social spaces. Academic literature focuses on issues such as identity, sociality, economics, and governance. However studies of governance focus on internal or external modes of control; less attention has been paid to institutions of governance that operate within both the virtual and real worlds. </p><p> In EVE Online, the Council of Stellar Management (CSM) represents a joint venture between developers and users to shape the direction of EVE's virtual society. As a group of elected representatives, the CSM represents societal interests to the game's developer, Crowd Control Productions (CCP). The CSM structures the relationship between CCP and the player base, and shapes how these institutions manage the development process. At the same time, cultural and political conventions of EVE's players at times work against these structures as CCP and the CSM seek to attend to their own interests. </p><p> In this thesis, I examine the intersection of culture, power, and governance, and illustrate the consequences these negotiations of power have for the inhabitants of EVE Online. The historical circumstances that led to the CSM's creation shape its reception among the community. As a model of governance, the CSM was designed as a deliberative democracy to generate community consensus. This feedback is channeled to developers through elected representatives. However, these channels of information hindered discussions necessary for true democracy. I examine how power is generated, leveraged, and mediated by the two cultures in which the CSM is embedded: EVE and Icelandic cultures. I also illustrate the authority and legitimacy of the CSM from the standpoint of its constituents. The CSM is understood within the same cultural frameworks as in-game power structures. </p><p> Primary research was carried out during a one-year period in 2012. During this time, I joined SKULL SQUADRON, a large corporation with a neutral diplomatic mission. Snowball sampling was used to find informants. Three main methods were used to interview participants: face-to-face interviews, text-based interviews through EVE's communication channels, and voice interviews conducted over Skype, an internet-based communications program.</p>

<p> As the popularity of Web 2.0 grows, the relationship between the users generating the content of the site and the groups and companies that own these sites is coming into focus. While in previous years, users often were passive users of websites, now they are actively involved in the sites, providing the content that is consumed. This creates a relationship that can be fraught with conflict as all involved have differing ideas of how these sites should function.</p><p> By analyzing three incidents in the history of LiveJournal, an online blogging and social communication site, this thesis explored how these communities of users and the organizations that own these sites interact. The information for this analysis was gathered through online participant observation, survey, and systematic archival mining, covering the time period from the founding of the site in 1999 until early 2012. I analyzed how the term "community" is operationalized by these stakeholders, how these communities formed and functioned, and how ideas of ownership impacted these interactions and relationships. By understanding these issues, companies and communities can find ways to build partnerships to sustain and improve their sites rather than being locked in ongoing conflict.</p>