In what ways and under what circumstances can a movie be a resource for individuals and their thoughts about existential matters? This central research question has been investigated using a both quantitative and qualitative approach. First, a questionnaire was distributed amongst 179 Swedish students to provide a preliminary overview of film habits. The questionnaire was also used as a tool for selecting respondents to individual interviews. Second, thirteen interviews were conducted, with viewers choosing their favourite movie of all time. In the study socio-cognitive theory and a schema-based theoretical tool is adopted to analyze how different viewers make use of movies as cultural products in an interplay between culture and cognition in three contexts; a socio-historic process, a socio-cultural interaction with the world and inner psychological processes. Summarizing the interviews some existential matters dominated. Matters of immanent orientation were in the foreground. Transcendental questions received much less attention. Summarizing the schema-based theoretical question, assessing which cognitive schema structures the narratives were processed through, the study found an emphasis on a combination of two main cognitive structures, person schema and self schema. Detailed person schematic cognitive processes about fictitious characters on the screen and their role model behaviour were combined by the respondents with dynamic cross-references to detailed self schematic introspections about their own characteristics, related to existential matters at some very specific moments in their lives. The viewers in the study seem to be inspired by movies as a mediated cultural resource, promoting the development of a personal moral framework with references to values deeply fostered by a humanistic tradition. It is argued that these findings support theories discussing individualised meaning making, developing ‘self-expression values’ and ‘altruistic individualism’ in contemporary western society.

This master’s thesis presents a study on the mediated negotiation between radio broadcasting and digital media. During the last decade, digitalisation has become unanimous with changing media structures, and has fundamentally altered the way radio is mediated by broadcasters and perceived by listeners. This study delves deeper into specialist music radio, more specifically, the London-based UK club music station Rinse FM. The study investigates how developments in digital media have influenced the way Rinse FM is reached and utilised by listeners, and how its implementation of digital media has affected its position as a cultural intermediary within the UK club music community. The investigation was carried out though a survey, and subsequent interviews, with members of Dubstepforum; an online forum, host to a substantial quantity of UK club music listeners. The research provides interesting results on listeners’ contemporary experience of Rinse FM, and outlines pivotal functions of specialist music radio in a digital age of free-flowing music content. The results explore participants’ digital listening habits in relation to Rinse FM; as well as the role of Rinse FM as cultural intermediary and community institution, depicted through the mediated experiences of Dubstepforum members. The study concludes with reflections upon specialist music radio’s continued development, and cultural position in the digital media environment.

Language is the most common and crucial element newspapers apply to express meaning. Language is a system of linguistic signs combined by rules to create meaning. Newspapers use language, among other or sign systems (e.g. photographs, graphics, content and layout) to communicate. These systems support each other and perform as a unit to reflect a newspaper's character and function. South Africa has a diversity in language, culture, background and literacy levels and the media's target audiences differ significantly. The ways in which these systems are thus applied, diverge to satisfy the various needs of audiences. These needs include being informed, entertained, aesthetically pleased, emotionally involved and mobilized (persuaded). Audiences also seek a reflection of their values, views and cultures in the media. / Thesis (M.A. (Communication Studies))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2007.

This study is an attempt to investigate communicative and effective preaching. It suggests some guidelines for the praxis of communicative preaching for contemporary preachers in the light of Hebrews. Hebrews was written in an elevated rhetorical style and contains one of the longest sustained lines of argumentation in the New Testament. The research is expanded in order to arrive at the answers to the question: • How can a preacher effectively communicate his/her message to his/her audience in their situation in the light of Hebrews? In order to reach this aim, Hebrews and the rhetorical strategies used in this book are investigated to disclose basis-theoretical principles for communicative preaching. Communication principles are investigated in order to extract meta-theoretical principles that can be utilised in communicative preaching. In addition, three published sermons are analysed in order to evaluate the results of this study. After having scrutinised these elements, a final conclusion is deduced. Basis-theoretically, the research reveals the following guidelines: • Communicative preaching should provide the opportunity for hearers to listen to the real speakers, God the Father, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit, from the Scripture itself. • A preacher should have the ability to interpret and apply the Biblical texts in relation to people's situation and must testify his/her faith in Jesus Christ in his/her daily life. • A preacher should have the specific goal of his/her preaching in mind and use a literary style that is suitable for the level of his/her hearers' understanding. • A preacher must keep in touch with his/her hearers in their real-life situation in order to recognise their real problems and try to solve these in the course of preaching. • A sermon should be well structured by means of logical development. • A sermon should contain a transition or transitions that are created by digressions between two movements of sermon units in order to keep the hearers' attention. • A sermon should persuade the hearers not only by means of logos but also through the example of the preacher's own good character. • A sermon should employ the interplay of positive and negative feelings in order to establish emotional dynamics in the process of preaching. Meta-theoretically, the processes, forms of communication, and the principles of public speaking are investigated in order to understand the principles of communication. This research finds the following guidelines: • Communication is a transactional process in which source and receiver play interchangeable roles throughout the act of communication. • To communicate effectively, a sender has to understand his/her audience and adjust his/her message to the audience because public speaking is an audience-centred process. • A speaker's speech should suit his/her goal. Guidelines that were obtained as a result of the research include the following: • A preacher has to analyse both the Biblical text and his audience. • A preacher has to apply the goal and the theme of the text in relation to his/her audience's situation. • A preacher has to logically organise his/her sermon in order to win his/her audience's attention through the principles of effective communication. • A preacher should persuade his/her listeners not only by means of the logical development of the sermon, but also through the example of his/her own good character. • A preacher should employ emotional appeal to have an impact on his/her listeners. / Thesis (Ph.D. (Homiletics))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2007.

This thesis studies the structural transformation of public musical life in Stockholm during the period 1840–1890, with focus primarily on the classical musical sphere. The study is based on qualitative and quantitative analysis of a number of different sources such as newspapers, music magazines, offprints, and other archival material. Using Jürgen Habermas’s theory of structural transformation of the public sphere as a starting point, the thesis aims to elucidate the processes within the structural transformation of Stockholm’s public musical life. In particular, this study examines processes of institutionalisation and professionalisation within four main areas of public musical life: the music press market, concert life, performers, and audiences. The actions of individuals and institutions are also studied in order to highlight the priorities and proclivities underlying the identified changes to public musical life. The period in question saw the transition of concert life from representational culture to the bourgeois public sphere, as well as the gradual division between ‘classical’ and ‘popular’ musical spheres. The study shows that public musical life emerged and expanded within the bourgeois public sphere. Therefore, the ideas and demands of the bourgeoisie were crucial to structural transformation of Stockholm’s public musical life. The old Royal institutions still constituted the core of the public musical life but were adapted to the new bourgeois society. The process of institutionalisation within the musical life was characterized by organisational functions, but also by social institutionalisation of practices within the four main areas mentioned above. The bourgeois ideas of musical Bildung played a significant role in the processes of institutionalisation and professionalization, as it illuminates the priorities and proclivities underlying this process. Several aspects of this development are related to influences from early nineteenth-century musical idealism. The structural transformation of public musical life in Stockholm during the period 1840–1890 laid the foundation for the further developments in the 20th century, and its impact is in some respects evident still today.

New immigrants to Canada are identified as a vulnerable population in mental health and, as a result, organizations are signaling the need to enhance their mental health supports. The research uses focus groups and questions based on the messaging of a Canadian school mental health program to understand how new immigrant mothers interpret and develop key aspects of their mental health literacy and how they attain parent empowerment. A thematic assessment of the knowledge, interpretation, action and decision-making of the study participants (n=7), all recent immigrants to Canada and mothers of high school students, shows that new immigrant mothers are prepared to follow a path towards mental health literacy. At the same time, however, there are barriers that can block progression towards mental health literacy for this audience. These findings are supported by three umbrella themes: the first main theme “home as haven” espouses maternal roles in mental health maintenance such as protector and communicator, the second main theme “knowledge versus suspicions of mental health and mental illness” represents informed views and support of mental illness and myths and illusions of mental illness, and the third main theme, “additional barriers to mental health literacy” includes the hardships of immigration and fear of knowledge. The study concludes that new immigrant mothers appreciate the importance of fostering mental health understanding and discussion with their children at the same time that they encounter obstacles to the advancement of their mental health literacy. This study is relevant to the field of communication in that it demonstrates the experience of new immigrant mothers as a secondary audience in mental health programming. As the caregivers of their children, they are in position to enforce the messages and health maintenance behaviours of a school-based mental health program aimed at adolescents.

This thesis explores the components that are involved in the translation of a text that are interpretable by two distinct readerships. It examines: - theory that provides an understanding of dual-readership texts for children and adults; - examples of dual-readership texts, their translations, and analyses of these; - Bled by Daniel Danis and my English translation as a test case of a contemporary dual-readership source text and translation. The ultimate goal of this thesis is to shed light on what could be a new sub-domain of translation studies, namely, research on dual-readership translation. My translation of Bled provides insight into my own interpretation of dual-readership translation, namely, focusing on what is desirable and what is achievable in the translation of this type of text.

This project explores notions of seeing and knowing, underpinned by performative and phenomenological fields of enquiry that relate this exploration to the sensate experience of the viewer. A specific interest considers ideas of embodied vision with an aim at generating events that vacillate in the bodies of the audience. A primary focus is on the arena of encounter as a multi-sensory experiential event, and within this context this project proposes a temporal and spatial framework for exploration. Studio methods develop a cinematic-body of video work negotiating performative practice involving video projection and temporality. Pivotal goals are to explore the significance of the ‘chiasm’ between seeing and knowing, raising questions about how humans see, and how humans make how they see matter. Therefore, this thesis project progresses along experimental approaches to video installation, particularly in relation to the phenomena of encounter, the viewer, and film experience. The central motivation of this video practice is aimed at corporeal affect in the body/s of the audience. This thesis project is constituted as 80% practice-based work accompanied by a 20% exegesis.

Doctor of Philosophy / People gather. Everywhere. They gather to witness. To tell and to listen to stories. To show what was done, and how what is to be done might best be done. To perform the necessary procedures to make sure the gods are glorified and the world continues to be made as it should. To dance, to heal, to marry, to send away the dead, to entertain, to praise, to order the darkness, to affirm the self. People are gathering. As they always have—everywhere. Doctors, lawyers, bankers and politicians don evening wear to attend performances in which people sing in unearthly voices in languages they do not understand, to sit in rows, silent, and to measure the appropriate length of time they should join with each other in continuing to make light slapping noises by striking the palms of their hands together to show their appreciation at the end of the performance. One hundred thousand people gather on the last Saturday of September every year in a giant stadium in the city of Melbourne, Australia at the “hallowed turf” of the Melbourne Cricket Ground, to watch 36 men kick, punch and catch an oval shaped ball with each other, scoring points by kicking it between long sticks planted in the ground. The gathered multitude wears the same ritual colours as the men playing the game. They cry out, stand and sing anthems. This game is played and understood nowhere else in the world, but in the Melbourne cultural calendar it is the most important day of the year. It is what makes Melbourne Melbourne. Before the whitefella came, aborigines from the clans of the Yiatmathang, Waradjuri Dora Dora, Duduroa, Minjambutta, Pangerang, Kwatt Kwatta—the wombat, kangaroo, possum, Tasmanian tiger, echidna, koala and emu, would gather on the banks of the Murray River, near what is now the twin cities of Albury/Wodonga to organize marriages, perform initiations, to lay down weapons, to dance, to settle debts and disputes, to tell stories, to paint their bodies, and to request permission from the Yiatmathang to cross the river and make the climb to the top of Bogong High Plains in late spring, to feast on the Bogong moths arriving fully grown after their flight from Queensland, ready to be sung, danced and eaten. On the island of Sulawesi, a son of a family bears the responsibility of providing the largest possible number of buffalo to be sacrificed at the funeral of his father. A sacrifice which will condemn the son to a life of debt to pay for the animals which must be slaughtered in sufficient number to affirm the status of his family, provide enough meat to assure the correct distributions are made, and assure that his father has a sufficiently large herd in Puya, the afterworld. Temporary ritual buildings for song and dance must be constructed, effigies made, invitations issued. Months are spent in the preparations. And then the people will arrive, family, friends, colleagues and tourists, in great numbers, from surrounding villages, from Ujung Pandang, from Jakarta, from Australia, from Europe, from the USA, to sing, dance, talk, look and listen. And if the funeral is a success, the son will gain respect, status and honour for himself, and secure a wellprovided journey to the afterlife for his father. In a primary school playground, in an outer suburb of any Australian city, thirty parents sit in a couple of rows of metal and plastic chairs on a spring afternoon to watch their own and each other’s children sing together in hesitant or strident voices, in or out of time and tune versions of well-known popular songs praising simple virtues are applauded; the younger the children, the greater the effort, the longer and louder the applause. Some of these people are the same doctors, bankers and lawyers who had donned evening wear the night before at opera houses, now giving freely of the appreciative palm slapping sound held so precious in that other environment. And they will gather and disperse and regather, at times deemed appropriate, at the times when these gatherings have always occurred, these lawyers, doctors, sons, mothers, sports fans, when and where they can and should and must, to sing, to dance, to tell stories, to watch and listen, to be there with and among each other bearing witness to their faith, their belief, their belonging, their values. But what, in these superficially disparate, culturally diverse and dispersed groups of people, what draws them, what gathers an audience, what gathers in an audience, and what in an audience is salient for the audience members? What gathers, what gathers in an audience?

This study investigated the incorporation of student video production into Year 7 science classes and determined associated learning benefits. Availability of digital cameras and movie editing software make student in-class video production a possibility. However, the introduction of technology into classrooms often precedes an understanding of its effective utilisation. While the science classroom was ideal to utilise the audio/visual benefits of video production, a framework to streamline and guide students’ production was needed to ensure productive learning. The writing-to-learn in science model (Prain & Hand, 1996a) and Science Writing Heuristic (Hand & Keys, 1999) were selected to fulfil this role. The adaptation of the writing-to-learn in science model to include video production as a text type coincided with a call from Prain (2006) to extend research to determine the influence of “new technology-mediated, multimodal learning environments” (p. 79) on students’ science learning. Two intact Year 7 classes conducted the same science investigation following the writing-to-learn in science model, one class (Yr 7A, N = 21) used digital video to record and report their findings while the other class (Yr 7B, N = 22) used a traditional method of poster making. Students worked in mixed gender and ability groups of three. Data instruments included pretest, posttest, delayed posttest, a repeated question instruments, and content analysis of the students’ final products. Two groups from each class were video tracked throughout their investigations and were later interviewed. Video data were transcribed and analysed to determine patterns of learning behaviour. This study showed that video production fits comfortably into the writing-to-learn in science framework. Making videos in science delivered learning advantages through the audio/visual nature of video production and the learning behaviours the production process elicited. The nature of video, as a visual and oral medium, allowed students to capture their science investigations accurately and then continue to manipulate the content through reviewing and editing. Through video production, students demonstrated heightened awareness of, and responsibility for, the learning of their audience that led to rehearsal of science concepts before filming. Data analysis revealed that video students collaborated, used higher order thinking, and engaged in the underlying scientific concepts more than the poster makers. This study is significant as it explores in a science classroom context, an emerging technology, already widely utilised in students’ out-of-school lives. Science educators are calling for the broadening of what constitutes a scientific text, the greater inclusion and manipulation of multi-modal representations for science students, and an increased emphasis on socio-communicative approaches to science learning. Additionally, incorporation of technology and associated means of learning, authentic to many students’ out-of-school lives, is advocated for the classroom. Student video production in science answers these calls. It achieves this while delivering unique learning benefits that add significantly to student attainment in science. Video production is playing a greater role in acquisition and dissemination of science knowledge. The use of video production in science and society would seem destined to increase exponentially. This study has investigated one application of the use of video production in a middle years science class, however the implications for further research are vast as the technology develops, the societal usage increases, and the scientific applications of video production become more powerful and widespread.