Considering the unique cultural and political contexts through which spirituality emerges, this study investigates the lived-experience of spiritual life in USA, India, and China. In this study, culture was defined as geographic (primarily) and ethnically clustered groups of individuals with broad relative commonality in socio-cultural histories. Religion was considered an aspect of spirituality and spiritual life. A qualitative coding frame was formulated based on participants’ responses to open-ended questions regarding spirituality. The aim of this study was to clarify the qualitative content of spiritual life with the help of Dedoose, a mixed methods qualitative software. The exploratory approach of this study takes on a cross-culturally comparative lens, and has two primary questions: (1) What are the universal aspects of lived spirituality across cultures, and (2) How does culture shape spiritual experience (e.g., typology, and prevalence). A total of 6112 participants (41% women, mean age of 29 years, range 18–75 years) were recruited from crowdsourcing platforms. The primary thematic categories were religion (religious traditions, religious conversion, religious professionals, religious figures “theophany,” and religious forces “heirophany”), contemplative practice (meditation, mindful movement, prayer, and rituals), ancestors (ancestral worship, dreams about ancestors, and ancestors discussed), natural world (animals, and nature), and metaphysical phenomenon. Metaphysical categories were further parsed apart to include extrasensory perception (telepathy, clairvoyance, precognition, realistic dreams, and intuitive impressions), psychokinesis, survival hypothesis (near death experiences, out of body experiences, and apparitional experiences), and faith and energy healing (recovery/remission of illness, and spiritual practitioners).

This thesis tests the hypothesis that increasing public awareness of the anti-globalization movement fuels its growth. The independent variable in this thesis is public awareness of the anti-globalization movement and is operationalized/measured using a database of anti-globalization protest events covered by the global media created by Dr. Bruce Podobnik. The dependent variable in this thesis is the growth of the anti-globalization movement and is measured through a content analysis of anti-globalization related postings to an anti-corporate transnational advocacy network known as the Independent Media Center in 2002. It purports to measure such growth in two dimensions, action and discourse, using 11 different classifications of growth. The results of a bivariate linear regression conclude that it is not possible to disprove the null hypothesis that no relationship exists between the two variables as operationalized and measured herein and the central hypothesis is left unproven. Consequently, this thesis ends in an examination of its methodological construction with specific focus on the conceptualization and measures of the variables adopted and calls for future research utilizing more effective concepts and measures of the variables to test the hypothesis.

This thesis analyzes the presentation of organ donation organization on Weibo. This study used content analysis to find out the Love.Hope organ donation organization’s main content of Weibo’s content. The main content includes six themes. The theme of popularizing organ donation knowledge is the majority. Through analyzing the correlation of content of each themes with shares, likes, and comments. It is concluded that people are more inclined to engage with Weibo posts with popularization of organ donation knowledge and stories of organ donors and recipients, and people also concern about the organ supply and demand situation in China. It turns out that in China, knowledge about organ donation is still scarce, which may be one of the reasons for low donation rate. The organ donation organizations also tend to publish positive information or stories and people’s approval of this kind of information will also make a positive impression on organ donation. However, there are still lots of factors are restricting the development of organ donation in China. Our social media still has a long way to go in helping people to build up their values of organ donation.

This study establishes a comprehensive methodology for analyzing children's website content, based on both linguistic and rhetorical data, by employing defensible criteria to evaluate both qualitative and quantitative data. By employing genre theory as a prism for examining form, substance, and rhetorical action within children's websites, this study applies that methodology to a purposeful sample of five children's websites. Results of the analysis document the complex multimodal and multilinear nature of the websites studied and identify a possible new genre, the pop culture carousel website.

Sweeping financial management reforms occurred in New Zealand during the late 1980s and early 1990s which radically changed the face of the New Zealand public sector. These reforms sought to significantly restructure and reorganise local government thereby improving their effectiveness and efficiency and improving their accountability to their stakeholders. The principal vehicle for the discharge of this accountability is the annual report, which must be prepared according to Generally Accepted Accounting Practice (GAAP) and commercial principles. Organisations in the private sector are beginning to recognise the value of accounting for intellectual capital (IC) (see for example Quinn, 1992; Brooking, 1996; Sveiby, 1997; Edvinsson Malone, 1997; Bontis, Dragonetti, Jacobsen Roos, 1999; Guthrie, Petty Johanson, 2001; Bounfour, 2003). Studies on the measurement, management and reporting of IC have been undertaken internationally in Asia (Abeysekera Guthrie, 2005; Goh Lim, 2004; Ordenez de Pablos, 2002), Australia (Guthrie Petty, 2000), Europe (Bozzolan, Favotto and Ricceri, 2003; Olsson, 2001; Ordenez de Pablos, 2004), United Kingdom (Collier, 2001; Williams, 2001) and Ireland (Brennan, 2001). Despite the significant research interest in the field of intellectual capital internationally, scant attention has been paid to intellectual capital reporting by commercial organisations in New Zealand. An extensive review of the IC literature yielded only two New Zealand based studies (Miller Whiting, 2005; Wong Gardner, 2005). Further, no studies to date have addressed intellectual capital reporting by local governments in either New Zealand or internationally. This study aims to fill this gap through the development of an intellectual capital disclosure model that could be applied to local authorities. The research describes and explains the development of a disclosure index used to measure the extent and quality of current intellectual capital disclosure by local authorities in New Zealand. The index was developed through a consultative process with a panel of local government stakeholders which was used to establish the weightings for each item. The final index comprised 26 items divided into three categories: internal capital, external capital and human capital. The 2004/2005 annual reports of 82 New Zealand local authorities were scored for extent and quality of disclosure against the index. The results indicate that intellectual capital reporting by local authorities is varied. Manukau City Council scored the achieved the highest overall score (76%) out of the 82 reports analysed while Whakatane District Council scored the lowest with 33%. The most reported items were joint ventures/business collaborations and management processes. The least reported items were intellectual property and licensing agreements. The most reported category of intellectual capital was internal capital, followed by external capital. The least reported category was human capital. The findings indicate a number of areas of reporting that could be improved in order to meet with stakeholder disclosure expectations. In the internal capital category, intellectual property disclosures could be improved. In the external capital category disclosure concerning ratepayer demographics and licensing agreements could be improved. In the human capital category, disclosure of most items could be improved, in particular, entrepreneurial innovativeness and vocational qualifications. The study provided an insight into the current level and quality of intellectual capital disclosure by the NZ local government sector. The results indicated that local authorities are disclosing some aspects of intellectual capital in their annual report, however there is no consistent reporting framework, and many areas of IC disclosures are not meeting stakeholder expectations. More research is needed in the area of intellectual capital reporting in the public sector. This study provides a preliminary framework which can be used by local authorities to enhance intellectual capital disclosures in their annual reports.

<p>Background: Hypochondriasis is associated with marked impairments in physical and psychological functioning, work performance and increased health care utilization. The prevalence among medical outpatients is estimated to be between 4,2 % and 6,3 %. Notwithstanding there is deficient research in this area. Until recently no specific treatment has been clearly demonstrated to be effective. Objective: The aim was to investigate experiences of what it is like to live with hypochondriasis, but also to examine different treatment options. Methods: In order to illustrate the experiences a latent content analyses was made on a documentary named “Hypokondrikerna” and to examine the treatment options a systematic review was made. Result: The content analysis revealed three categories and nine sub-categories concerning the experiences. The three categories were “health anxiety”, “individual coping strategies” and “emotional consequences”. The systematic review revealed medical treatment which consisted of three different antidepressants as well as seven different kinds of psychological treatments and other interventions, which all reduced hypocondriacal symptoms. Discussion: The findings show that hypochondriasis causes a chronic suffering and indicates that potential treatments are available. Hypochondriasis causes an unproductive health care utilization. A more effective management could reduce the costs and ease the suffering. Therefore we suggest that this disease should be observed and treated. The nurse has an important function to maintain a positive relationship with the patient and create a therapeutic dialogue.</p>

<p>This BA thesis examines how the Swedish newspaper Aftonbladet writes about celebrities.Our questions were: How much does Aftonbladet write about celebrities? What kind ofcelebrities does Aftonbladet write about? In which context do celebrities appear inAftonbladet? We have also studied how these matters have changed since 1978.In our research we have used quantitative content analysis. We have analyzed a total of 956articles about celebrities from 1978, 1988, 1998 and 2008. We chose to analyze articles fromtwo synthetic weeks each year.We have used theories about celebrity culture, popularization and personalization and alsoabout public and private in our analyze.Our conclusions were that Aftonbladet has written a lot of articles about celebrities for a longtime, but the articles about celebrities in Aftonbladet have increased by 170 percent since1978.The number of articles that Aftonbladet has written dealing with the private life of celebritieshas not changed much at all since 1978. This was something that surprised us because weexpected that Aftonbladet would write more about the private life of celebrities in 2008 thanin 1978.</p>

The purpose of this study is to illuminate the presence and rhetorical effect of anecdotes in President Clinton's major health care address. It is the health care debate that shows most clearly how Clinton tries to direct a multi-level campaign that attempts to identify his interests (passage of the Health Security Act) with the interests of Congress and the American people. The analysis of his address and remarks during the week of his Joint Session of Congress appearance will demonstrate how Clinton uses anecdotes as a rhetorical tool to address different audiences, and will argue that this use of anecdotes functions to heighten emotional appeal while promoting identification with his audience. Clinton relies on the pathos of anecdotes to pass a health care bill, which will be analyzed according to Kenneth Burke's discussion of political rhetoric. This study adopts a Burkeian perspective on political rhetoric as a means for investigating the problems Clinton faced in confronting the complex and divisive issue of health care. / Graduation date: 1994

Background: Hypochondriasis is associated with marked impairments in physical and psychological functioning, work performance and increased health care utilization. The prevalence among medical outpatients is estimated to be between 4,2 % and 6,3 %. Notwithstanding there is deficient research in this area. Until recently no specific treatment has been clearly demonstrated to be effective. Objective: The aim was to investigate experiences of what it is like to live with hypochondriasis, but also to examine different treatment options. Methods: In order to illustrate the experiences a latent content analyses was made on a documentary named “Hypokondrikerna” and to examine the treatment options a systematic review was made. Result: The content analysis revealed three categories and nine sub-categories concerning the experiences. The three categories were “health anxiety”, “individual coping strategies” and “emotional consequences”. The systematic review revealed medical treatment which consisted of three different antidepressants as well as seven different kinds of psychological treatments and other interventions, which all reduced hypocondriacal symptoms. Discussion: The findings show that hypochondriasis causes a chronic suffering and indicates that potential treatments are available. Hypochondriasis causes an unproductive health care utilization. A more effective management could reduce the costs and ease the suffering. Therefore we suggest that this disease should be observed and treated. The nurse has an important function to maintain a positive relationship with the patient and create a therapeutic dialogue.

The overall purpose of this thesis is two-fold; to illuminate the meaning of living with ‘impurity’ in terms of malodorous exuding ulcers, and the meaning of caring for people with ‘impure’ bodies in institutions and in people’s homes. The thesis comprises four papers based on studies using qualitative methods. To illuminate nursing care as narrated by 27 retired care providers in northern Sweden, seven audio recorded group dialogues were performed (I). The transcribed group dialogues were analysed using a hermeneutic approach. The findings formulated as cleanliness, order and clear conscience point to purity. By cleaning patients and their surroundings repeatedly, by preserving order in various ways and by keeping a clear conscience, nurses committed to preserving purity. This study opened up for questions concerning the meaning of ‘impurity’ and‘purity’ in nursing today leading to papers II-IV. Learning about ‘purity’ is possible through studying ‘impurity’. Audio recorded narrative interviews were performed to illuminate the meaning of living with malodorous exuding ulcers (II) and the meaning of caring for people with malodorous exuding ulcers (III). A phenomenological-hermeneutic method was used to analyse the nine transcribed interviews with patients (II) and 10 transcribed interviews with nurses (III). The comprehensive understanding of living with malodorous exuding ulcers (II) was formulated as being trapped in a debilitating process that slowly strikes one down. There is a longing for wholeness and purity. When finding consolation, i.e., encountering genuineness and feeling loved, regarded and respected as fully human despite ulcers, patients feel purified. The comprehensive understanding of caring for people with malodorous exuding ulcers (III) was formulated as being exposed to, and overwhelmed by suffering that is invading. One runs the risk of experiencing desolation when one cannot make the ulcers and malodour disappear and fails to protect patients from additional suffering. To illuminate nurses’ reflections on obstacles and possibilities providing care as desired by people with malodorous ulcers (IV), six nurses from a previous study (III) were interviewed. An illustration with findings from paper II was shown and participants were asked to reflect on obstacles and possibilities providing the care desired by patients. The 12 audio recorded transcribed interviews were analysed using qualitative content analyses. The interpretations were presented as one theme ‘striving to do ‘good’ and be good’. The sub-themes related to the obstacles were ‘experiencing clinical competence constraints’, ‘experiencing organisational constraints’, ‘experiencing ineffective communication’, ‘fearing failure’ and ‘experiencing powerlessness’. The sub themes related to possibilities were ‘spreading knowledge on ulcer treatments’, ‘considering wholeness’ and ‘creating clear channels of communication’. The meaning of living with ‘impurity’ in terms of malodorous exuding ulcers, and the meaning of caring for people with ‘impure’ bodies in institutions and in patients’ homes is interpreted as striving for purity. Patients experience impurity when feeling dirty, losing hope, and not being respected and regarded as fully human. Nurses experience impurity when failing to shield patients’ vulnerability and their own defencelessness, and when facing obstacles preventing them from providing good care and being good nurses. Both patients and nurses may experience purity through consolation. For nurses, mediating consolation presupposes being consoled by being recognised for their challenging work, being respected and included in multiprofessional teams supported by the health care organisation and the leaders. Then patients can become consoled, and feel restored and fully human again despite their contaminated body.