This dissertation engages previous research in political science and psychology by arguing for the importance of oral arguments from a communication perspective, examining justices' rhetorical discursive interaction in oral arguments, introducing Sensemaking as a new model of judicial decision making, and discussing the legal and cultural impact of justices' rhetorical discursive interaction in Morse v. Frederick, Kennedy v. Louisiana, and District of Columbia v. Heller. In contrast to the aggregate behavioral models and longitudinal studies conducted by political scientists and psychologists, this study examines these specific cases in order to gauge each justice's individual interaction in oral argument and to determine how certain justices may have controlled the discursive flow of information within oral arguments, which in turn may have influenced the Court's decision making ability. The dissertation begins with an introduction, providing an overview of the development and study of legal rhetoric from the Greeks to present day. A review of prior literature in law, political science, and psychology displays how fields outside of communication view oral arguments and reveals where communication may provide valuable contributions to the study of Supreme Court oral arguments. Theoretical and methodological approaches adopted for the study of oral arguments are discussed. Analysis within the dissertation begins with an overview of the inherent complexity found within oral arguments and applies the previously discussed theoretical and methodological approaches to the case of Morse v. Frederick as a means of determining theoretical and methodological validity. Following analysis of Morse v. Frederick, a second case, Kennedy v. Louisiana is analyzed to determine if similar results will occur. Final consideration is given to a third case, District of Columbia v. Heller, to understand whether justices' behavior may deviate in more socially and politically sensitive cases. The dissertation concludes with suggestions for lawyers and judges based upon this study's findings and makes recommendations to scholars for further areas of research.

The aim of this dissertation is to reflect on economic methodology. To reflect means to think about the relationship between researcher and the object of research. The object in mainstream economics is fixed in market realm. When the object is fixed then the focus in economic study is the method. Mainstream economics used equilibrium analysis method in order to make the research outcome be certainty. In the process of pursuing certainty the ontology of the object is neglected. The de-centering strategy we applied is deconstruction concept. My main reason for taking Derrida¡¦s deconstruction as a starting point is to de-center the fixed center which operating mechanism is the invisible hand. In this dissertation the logic of deconstruction is ¡§neither..or..¡¨ form and the steps are to undo and displace. In order to emphasize the multiples means and the relation of knowledge and power we use the term discourse. In chapter four we undo ¡§the invisible hand¡¨ metaphor that is the center of market. The direct consequence of the undo process is the finding of the ontological implication. In chapter five we displace ¡§the invisible hand¡¨ metaphor. Through rereading Adam Smith¡¦s methodology we interpret invisible hand as causal relation and find the same ontological implication. Together with these two processes above we find out the inspiration for reflection of economic methodology that is to answer the most fundamental question about what is the economic object. In chapter six we call for discussion to bringing the ontology back into economics. We believe the study of economic ontology is a prerequisite for understanding economics as a scientific discipline. It is thus intended and hoped that this reflection will help to beyond the opposite between positivism and post-positivism. For the defined goal to coordinate the opposite we introduce philosopher Quine¡¦s ontological method called ontological commitment. After the reflection we claim ¡Gthe method such as formation and econometric is important, but if we can emphasize the ontology of research object then the study will be activity. The defense of this claim is the main subject of this dissertation. Finally we just point out that if the claim is accepted, then something along this line of the attention is essential to the practice researcher. That is to take more time to think the nature of the research object when he construes a model.

The standards of beauty always change in every generation in Taiwan, but there is only one standard still has strong impact on people, that is:¡¨ having white complexion¡¨. People say: ¡§A white complexion is powerful enough to hide seven faults.¡¨ The reason of ¡§whitening¡¨ is important because of the different powers which compete with each other to decide the meaning behind the discourse of ¡§whitening¡¨. The concept of ¡§Whitening¡¨ is from the promotion of beauty industry. What¡¦s more, this concept also made a strong impact through the media on people who live in Taiwan. Thus, to understand how the media delivery the ¡§whitening¡¨ concept is very important, especially through the most important media--- Internet in this generation. The main purpose of this research is to find out the process of developing the discourse of ¡§whitening¡¨ within the on-line Beauty Salon community and the context behind the discourse in Taiwan. Another purpose is to seek out the minority discourse which seldom appear within the mass media and also provide the ability of reflectivity thinking. The main structure of this research base on the critical concept of ¡§Knowledge/ Power¡¨ from the post-modern scholars: Gramsci, Foucault and the post-colonialism scholar---Said to discuss how the ¡§whitening¡¨ discourse is developed by the ¡§center¡¨(ex. doctor, expert and business ) and ¡§margin¡¨(ex.net pal)within the on-line beauty community. This research choose qualitative research method to do the context analysis in the most popular on-line community which is also the biggest BBS in Taiwan---¡§PTT ¡¨ and choose ¡§Beauty Salon¡¨ community within PTT as the research field. The results show that the ¡§Whitening ¡¨ discourse is a knowledge system within ¡§Beauty Salon¡¨ community and developed by the hierarchy relationship form doctors, skin-care experts, cosmetic businesses and cosmetic sales. What¡¦s more, the role of ¡§black skin¡¨ is ¡§the other¡¨ and has the inferiority within this knowledge system of whitening discourse. And the voice of supporting black skin also disappeared within Beauty Salon community. To compare with Beauty Salon community, there was another temporary skin-care on-line discussion bard founded by YAHOO in March 2008. And it has less limit and more open to express their opinions. This research found that there is the voice of supporting black skin appearing within this field and also using the strategy of different mimicry to ¡§write back¡¨ the discourse developed by majority. This research found that if there are only few powers to develop the discourse, the discourse will become one-dimension and hardly to see the different other opinion against the mainstream or the ¡§center¡¨ opinion. This also tells us that the limit of structure from the oligopoly powers in the Internet will expropriate people¡¦s chance and freedom to choose and contact the different voices, and this situation is worthy to reflect.

Thesis (M.A.)--California State University, Long Beach, 2007. / Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--UCLA, 2009. / Vita. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 295-309).

Thesis (EdD)--Open University. BLDSC no. DX220430.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--UCLA, 2009. / Vita. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 230-245).

Thesis (M.S.) -- Central Connecticut State University, 2009. / Thesis advisor: Matthew Ciscel. "... in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL)." Includes bibliographical references (leaves 47-48). Also available via the World Wide Web.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--York University, 2001. Graduate Programme in English. / Typescript. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 230-245). Also available on the Internet. MODE OF ACCESS via web browser by entering the following URL: http://wwwlib.umi.com/cr/yorku/fullcit?pNQ66355.

Thesis (M.A.)--York University, 1998. Graduate Programme in Psychology. / Typescript. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 253-263). Also available on the Internet. MODE OF ACCESS via web browser by entering the following URL:http://wwwlib.umi.com/cr/yorku/fullcit?pMQ27360.