The era between the close of the nineteenth century and the onset of the First World War witnessed a marked increase in radical agitation among Indian and Irish nationalists. The most outspoken political leaders of the day founded a series of widely circulated newspapers in India and Ireland, placing these editors in the enviable position of both reporting and creating the news. Nationalist journalists were in the vanguard of those pressing vocally for an independent India and Ireland, and together constituted an increasingly problematic contingent for the British Empire. The advanced-nationalist press in Ireland and the nationalist press in India took the lead in facilitating the exchange of provocative ideas—raising awareness of perceived imperial injustices, offering strategic advice, and cementing international solidarity. Irish and Indian press coverage of Britain’s imperial wars constituted one of the premier weapons in the nationalists’ arsenal, permitting them to build support for their ideology and forward their agenda in a manner both rapid and definitive. Directing their readers’ attention to conflicts overseas proved instructive in how the Empire dealt with those who resisted its policies, and also showcased how it conducted its affairs with its allies. As such, critical press coverage of the Boxer Rebellion, Boer War, Russo-Japanese War, and World War I bred disaffection for the Empire, while attempts by the Empire to suppress the critiques further alienated the public. This dissertation offers the first comparative analysis of the major nationalist press organs in India and Ireland, using the prism of war to illustrate the increasingly persuasive role of the press in promoting resistance to the Empire. It focuses on how the leading Indian and Irish editors not only fostered a nationalist agenda within their own countries, but also worked in concert to construct a global anti-imperialist platform. By highlighting the anti-imperial rhetoric of the nationalist press in India and Ireland and illuminating their strategies for attaining self-government, this study deepens understanding of the seeds of nationalism, making a contribution to comparative imperial scholarship, and demonstrating the power of the media to alter imperial dynamics and effect political change.

The status, roles, and interactions of three dominant African ethnic groups and their descendants in Cuba significantly influenced the island’s cubanidad (national identity): the Lucumís (Yoruba), the Congos (Bantú speakers from Central West Africa), and the Carabalís (from the region of Calabar). These three groups, enslaved on the island, coexisted, each group confronting obstacles that threatened their way of life and cultural identities. Through covert resistance, cultural appropriation, and accommodation, all three, but especially the Lucumís, laid deep roots in the nineteenth century that came to fruition in the twentieth. During the early 1900s, Cuba confronted numerous pressures, internal and external. Under the pretense of a quest for national identity and modernity, Afro-Cubans and African cultures and religion came under political, social, and intellectual attack. Race was an undeniable element in these conflicts. While all three groups were oppressed equally, only the Lucumís fought back, contesting accusations of backwardness, human sacrifice, cannibalism, and brujería (witchcraft), exaggerated by the sensationalistic media, often with the police’s and legal system’s complicity. Unlike the covert character of earlier epochs’ responses to oppression, in the twentieth century Lucumí resistance was overt and outspoken, publically refuting the accusations levied against African religions. Although these struggles had unintended consequences for the Lucumís, they gave birth to cubanidad’s African component. With the help of Fernando Ortiz, the Lucumí were situated at the pinnacle of a hierarchical pyramid, stratifying African religious complexes based on civilizational advancement, but at a costly price. Social ascent denigrated Lucumí religion to the status of folklore, depriving it of its status as a bona fide religious complex. To the present, Lucumí religious descendants, in Cuba and, after 1959, in many other areas of the world, are still contesting this contradiction in terms: an elevated downgrade.

L'objectif de la thèse est de saisir, pour Rome en tant que capitale européenne de la musique, et dans la continuité des récents travaux historiques sur les capitales culturelles, les modalités et les temporalités d'une profonde transformation des milieux musicaux et des conditions sociales et culturelles de l'exercice de la musique au cours du XVIIIe siècle, phénomène qui a accompagné l'évolution des styles et des goûts musicaux en Europe. La recherche est centrée sur l'étude des « métiers de la musique » : elle analyse les lieux et institutions d'exercice, les pratiques observables dans chacun d'eux, en prenant en compte leurs singularités comme leurs imbrications ou porosités, ainsi que le déroulement des carrières, à partir d'évaluations quantitatives comme de la reconstitution de parcours individuels. Elle vise, grâce à des archives variées (archives de la Congrégation de Sainte-Cécile, archives privées des grandes familles aristocratiques, archives notariales, archives paroissiales, archives des chapelles et des théâtres), à appréhender les conditions sociales des musiciens, en s'attachant aux revenus, aux hiérarchies, aux protections et aux mobilités. Au cours du XVIIIe siècle, on assiste à une recomposition du paysage musical romain. Bien que la désaffection pour la musique sacrée fragilise le marché musical urbain, Rome reste l'un des principaux foyers musicaux européens. La ville se convertit progressivement, mais avec succès, à la musique profane, en particulier à l'opéra, ce qui conduit à modifier non seulement l'offre musicale, mais aussi l'organisation de la profession. / The aim of this thesis is to catch how and when musical circles as well as social and cultural conditions in musical practice deeply changed in Rome - as the European capital of music- during the 18th century ; and that, as part of the recent historical work on cultural capitals. This phenomenon went hand in hand with the evolution of musical styles and tastes in Europe.The research is based on the study of "musical professions": it is an analysis of the places and institutions in which music was practised, the different practices with their peculiarities as well as their abilities to mingle together. It also analyses how careers develop, using quantitative assessments and records of individual careers.It aims, thanks to various archives (from the Congregation of St Cecily, great aristocratic families, notary offices, parishes, choirs and theatres) at understanding the living conditions of the musicians: incomes, hierarchy, protections, mobility. It has been necessary to study the social network and the family environment of the musicians, as well as their relations with other people, and their professional environment. During the 18th century, a reshaping of the Roman musical landscape can be observed. In spite of the declining interest for sacred music, which weakens the market of music in town, Rome remains one of the most important musical places in Europe. The town slowly but successfully converts itself to secular music, and more especially to opera music; and this leads to a change, not only in musical offers, but also the organization of the profession. / Lo scopo della tesi è di capire, per Roma capitale musicale europea, nella continuità dei recenti lavori storici sulle capitale culturali, le modalità e le temporalità di una profonda trasformazione dei “milieux” musicali e delle condizioni sociali e culturali della prassi musicale nel corso del Settecento, fenomeno che ha accompagnato l’evoluzione dei stili e dei gusti musicali in Europa. La ricerca s’incentra sullo studio degli “mestieri della musica”: analizza i luoghi, le istituzioni legate alla musica e la prassi osservabile in ciascuna di loro, tenendo in conto la loro singolarità, i loro intrecci o le loro porosità, lo sviluppo delle carriere, a partire da valutazioni quantitative e dalla ricostituzione di percorsi individuali. Grazie all’analisi di vari archivi (archivi della Congregazione di Santa Cecilia, archivi privati di grandi famiglie aristocratiche, archivi notarili, archivi parocchiali, archivi di cappelle musicali e di teatri), mira a comprendere le condizioni sociali dei musicisti, facendo riferimento ai redditi, alle gerarchie, alle protezioni e alle mobilità. E’ stato necessario interrogare le rete sociali e l’entourage familiale, relazionale e professionale dei musicisti, localizzare i luoghi di residenza nel tessuto urbano e studiare le realtà istituzionali, economiche e sociali che facevano da sfondo alla loro vita professionale. L’adattamento degli individui o delle famiglie di musicisti alle diverse offerte e risorse della città, le dinamiche d’inserimento nel “mercato musicale” e la società urbana, sono stati al cuore di questa riflessione. Il discorso è partito, per quanto possibile, dalle prassi all’interno di questi mestieri, predendo in conto le loro singolarità. E’ quindi stato studiato l’insieme della comunità musicale nelle sue diverse componenti e i suoi multipli aspetti. Nel corso del Settecento, si assiste ad una ricomposizione del paesaggio musicale romano. Anche se la disaffezione per la musica sacra rende fragile il mercato musicale urbano, Roma rimane uno dei principali centri musicali europei. La città si convertì, progressivamente ma con successo, alla musica profana, in particolare all’opera, questo condusse a modificare non soltanto l’offerta musicale ma anche l’organizzazione della professione.

This research examines a sample of North Carolina Confederates as they transitioned from citizen to soldier between 1861 and 1863 during the American Civil War, and it questions how levels of commitment and devotion emerged during this transformation. North Carolina Confederates not only faced physical and emotional challenges as they transitioned from citizen to soldier, but also encountered social obstacles due to the strict social order of the Old South. Orthodoxy maintains this social dissent hindered any form of solidarity among North Carolina Confederates. The question remains, though, why did so many North Carolinians remain committed to the Confederacy until death or surrender? This thesis addresses that question. It acknowledges traditional works on North Carolina’s Civil War experience, however it focuses on the war front more closely. By examining soldiers’ personal reflections to experiences encountered during their transition more understanding concerning soldiers’ shifting perceptions emerge. This thesis encapsulates a soldier’s transition through three stages: camp, combat, and campaign. Each stage offers insight into how perceptions toward fellow men, the home front, combat, and camp-life changed over time. Soldiers were exposed to unprecedented levels of fear, sickness, death, and nostalgia that shook their foundations. Levels of commitment were questioned as men encountered each obstacle. The reflections herein indicate men’s devotion actually increased by 1863 by engaging the basic duties of soldiering and learning to function together in the midst of combat. Self-awareness for health and survival, hard work, and camp life activities took on new meanings by 1863. Furthermore, this sample offers an example of how the constant interactions of men whether in camp or on the battlefield ultimately strengthened solidarity among troops. This thesis pays particular attention to soldiers’ attachments to natural landscapes, and their abilities to materially alter landscapes for the purposes of survival and respite. These North Carolinians reveal how experiences during their transition from citizen to soldier ultimately laid a foundation to remain committed to the war.

The study is focused on the Old Norse "contemporary sagas" (texts composed with a short time distance from the events of the twelfth and thirteenth centuries that are recorded in them) and some of the bishops' sagas as images of the thirteenth- and fourteenth-century Icelanders' identity and their relationship to other lands, especially Norway. It aims at analysing the roles and meanings of various identity bearers portrayed in these sources - chieftains, royal representatives, ecclesiastical dignitaries, and saintly bishops. The approach to the sources is based on an analysis of how recent historical events were transformed into a narrative discourse, in which they were connected to the more distant past that formed the medieval Icelandic society's cultural memory. That way, these events themselves became a part of this society's cultural memory, and the given historical knowledge was endowed with specific meanings, which were not inherently present in the knowledge itself, but were based on its contextualization. The study shows how the narrativization of the recent events and their integration into the cultural memory creates a meaningful relationship between the past and the present. The objective of the study is to show how the narrative sources reflect the society's perception of its recent...

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Apparus en 1428 en Espagne, le Pas d’armes est un parfait exemple de l’indéniable intérêt porté par la noblesse, de la fin du Moyen Âge et du début de la Renaissance, aux arts martiaux, littéraires et théâtraux. Il s’agit, en réalité, d’une évolution de la joute et du tournoi au cours duquel un ou plusieurs chevaliers est volontaire pour garder un carrefour, une porte ou tout autre lieux symbolique. Pour différencier ces exercices des joutes, les organisateurs publient des chapitres, ou lettres d’armes, plusieurs mois en avance. Ils sont souvent constitués de deux parties, la première venant placer les chevaliers assaillants et défenseurs dans un univers magique et fantastique, le seconde présentant les règles du jeu. Notons également que la majeure partie des Pas plonge les chevaliers dans un monde fictionnel, en particulier inspire de la légende arthurienne, grâce aux chapitres, aux décors et, naturellement, aux costumes. Témoignages des contacts transculturels existent entre les cours d’Anjou et de Bourgogne avec celles d’Espagne, les Pas d’armes sont organisés à des moments décisifs pour les cours, qu’il s’agisse de mariages, de traités de paix ou d’un temps d’après-guerre ; et tous remplissent un rôle commun : mettre en lumière l’unité chevaleresque autour du Prince et de son pouvoir. Invariablement, c’est le Prince qui sort vainqueur des événements qui ont lieux au sein de sa cour. Il s’agit essentiellement pour le prince de mettre en scène son pouvoir dans ce « jeu-mimique » où l’important n’est pas tant le combat que le spectacle et la mise en lumière du pouvoir princier, tant culturel, financier que militaire. / Appearing in 1428 in Spain, the Pas d’Armes are a real example of the undeniable interest held by the nobility of the end of the Middle Ages and the beginning of the Renaissance in the arts of warfare, in literature, and theater. It is in reality an evolution of the joust and tournament in which one or several knights volunteer to keep a crossroad, a door or another symbolic place. To differ from the joust, the organizers publish chapters, or letters of weapons, several months in advance. They consisted of two parts, the first one coming to place the knights defenders and aggressors in a magic and fantastic universe, the second containing rules to be followed. It is also necessary to note that the great majority of Pas place the knights in a fictional world, in particular regarding Arthurian legend, by means of chapters, present scenery around the lists and, naturally, costumes. Testimonies of transcultural contacts between the Valois ‘courts of Anjou and Burgundy and Spanish courts, the Pas d’armes are organized at courtly decisive moments like marriages, treaties of peace or just after a war, all the Pas d’armes had a common role : to highlight the unity of knighthood around the Prince and his power. On each occasion is the Prince who emerges victorious from all the entertainment organized at his court. Essentially, it is a way for the prince to dramatize his power in this “game – mimicry” where the important thing was not so much the fighting but the scenery and the highlighting of cultural, financial and military power of the court.

Visual Reinterpretation of National Identity in the Public Space of Mexico Visual communication in public spaces of Mexico has been significantly shaping collective identity, from pre-Columbian times to nowadays. This PhD thesis analyzes the visual aspect of cultural and religious identity in pre-Columbian and colonial eras, later, the discussion is led through the development of the modern day national identity that followed while concurrently explaining how former structural characteristics were partially maintained. Those phenomena are explored from two vantage points: that of the cultural and political elites and that of the general population. However, these perspectives aren't presented in a sharp opposition, rather, as two conjugating cultural streams that have been continuously negotiating and shaping cultural and national identity in correlation with historical and cultural events, including influence from significant others. Accordingly, the thesis explores the official version of national identity, that is promoted by state power, but also how official identity is received into intimate spaces, the everydayness of the bearers of such identity, its reinterpretation and alternatively, the rejections. Since public art (mural art, popular graphics, graffiti, stencil art and other diverse means of...

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This thesis is an examination of English evocations of translatio studii et imperii during the Hundred Years War. According to the myth of translatio, intellectual and martial superiority were entwined and together moving ever-westwards, from Athens, to Rome, to Paris, and thence - the English claimed - to England. This study contributes to an understanding of how late-fourteenth- and fifteenth-century English aristocrats and clerics understood and legitimized their cultural struggle with France not only as a martial battle but also as an intellectual competition. It also explores how this struggle contributed to the cultural authority of libraries and book collections. The first chapter of this thesis traces the development of the translatio studii et imperii tradition from its ancient origins to its zenith in the reign King Charles V "the Wise" of France. This chapter serves to establish the historiographical implications of the translatio myth as well as the French translatio tradition to which the English responded. The second chapter of this study is devoted to a literary analysis of texts which explicitly evoke the translatio topos and which were composed or copied in England during the Hundred Years War, such as Bishop Richard de Bury's Philobiblon and Ranulf Higden's Polychronicon, as well as Oxford and Cambridge university foundation myths. The third chapter explores the extent to which late-medieval England's book culture resonated with English evocations of translatio. Central to this exploration is the underhanded acquisition of Charles V's monumental French royal library by the English regent of France, John, Duke of Bedford. As is attested in the writings of French court scholars, the monumental French royal library was held to symbolise France's cultural superiority over England during the Hundred Years War. Bedford's manoeuvre can be seen as a bid to transfer Europe's seat of learning, and by extant of power, to England. This thesis concludes with a consideration of the translatio myth's ambivalent implications for contentious master narratives such as the rise of nationalism and of the English language in late-medieval England.