This dissertation applies anthropology analysis to study a specie of a tree frog, living in the northern Amazonia, called Kambo. The wax-like substance, which the frog releases upon irritation, is used for its healing potential around the world. A basic conceptual framework is used to analyse the frog from the perspective of modernity, globalisation, and diffusion of cultural dimensions. The dissertation anticipates their influences on multiple parties. The geographical scope of the dissertation is limited on Amazonia and the Czech Republic. Kambo is a host of numerous biochemical interactions; in addition, it is used in socio-material context; in rituals; for gaining, or circulation of experience; or it is part of various techniques of understanding oneself, as described in later works of Michel Foucault. Due to Kambo's alleged participation on creation of human's subjective thinking, the dissertation answers the question on the extent to which Kambo could be responsible, through ethnographic lens. The results show that for those respondents who were experienced Kambo users; using the substance as a potion for treating physiological and mental issues and who were subsequently influenced by New Age movement; Kambo stands as a milestone in their life trajectories. Through the ethnographic research,...

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(in English) This Master's Thesis focuses on the analysis of the issue of production and maintenance of authenticity as subculture capital. Analyzing the case of a decline of interest of participation in the Czech Freetekno subculture, this Thesis shows how analytically grasp the issue of authenticity and subcultural capital. The research is methodologically built on a combination of in-depth interviews and participant field observation. Primary data are then complemented with an analysis of secondary data in the form of media articles, flyers, and social networks. The main argument of this Master's Thesis is that apart from a distinctive dimension, authenticity also has a substantive dimension. Authenticity does not represent only a distinctive element that internally and externally differentiates the field of a subculture. It is also an element that gives a subculture its inner content, meaning, and sense for both current and new members. Authenticity is not only a resource used in the competition of status but is also a source of the content of a subculture and the pleasure of participating in it. Through an explanation of the decline of interest of participation in the Czech Freetekno scene, this Master's Thesis concludes that in the field of subculture studies the formalist perspective of...

Network and cultural bridge theories predict the source and durability of cultural boundaries, including how cultural boundaries are overcome in order for differing groups to have meaningful exchanges. Ethnographic interview data with three research subjects in Northern Mexico reveals the strengths and weaknesses of each theory. Minita Bustillos, Juan Daniel Villalobos, and Horacio Echeverrí­a contribute to bridging ties between the closed indigenous community of the Tarahumara and outside Mexican and American groups. Their positions elucidate the veracity of theoretical propositions found in network and cultural bridge theories. Findings suggest that though useful in understanding several aspects of network structure and bridging, network theory does not fully explain how a person becomes part of a network bridge or what social capabilities may be useful for someone in that position. Cultural bridge theories extend the explanation by showing the importance of relationship building in bridging, but rely too heavily on the notion that a single individual can provide the cultural capital and resources necessary to be a cross-cultural bridge in and of themselves. The additional concepts of habitus and cultural tool-kits supplement these perspectives by explaining how respondents acquired cultural and social knowledge that allows them to make connections in multiple distinct networks and how the respondents can so naturally say and do things to garner trust from members of both groups. This research shows how the theoretical concepts can be used in application to a specific social context. It also provides support for the possible use of the concepts of habitus, network bridging, and tool-kits for training members of grass roots organizations attempting to bridge between distinct, and even opposing, social groups.

[ES] El propósito de esta tesis es documentar el cambio de la máscara de vejigante, de objeto folklórico a icono contemporáneo. La investigación se centra en un mayor entendimiento de la máscara, magnificada a través de las tradiciones y el patrimonio, en la misma también se utilizó la investigación etnográfica. La investigación postula la teoría que presenta el efecto de culturas en conflicto, analizando el impacto que los Estados Unidos de América han tenido en Puerto Rico a través de la asimilación cultural. Junto con la investigación, completé una experimentación con mi obra personal en la cual se emplearon medios no convencionales y combinaciones de técnicas clásicas y contemporáneas. Esto ha proporcionado una plataforma en la que se abarca la apreciación y las secuelas del encuentro del vejigante en contextos contemporáneos. La documentación escrita sobre el tema es limitada. Se realizaron entrevistas para añadir información a la investigación donde escaseaba la literatura. Se entrevistó a historiadores del arte, artesanos y artistas, quienes presentaron una perspectiva local y una respuesta a los innegables cambios que se han producido en el Carnaval. Esto proporcionó otra forma de investigación derivada de la historia oral que ha sido necesaria para obtener una perspectiva mas amplia del vejigante. Es importante incluir estas historias transmitidas de generación en generación, ya que permiten que una historia cultural prospere aun cuando la información escrita disponible es limitada. Los resultados muestran que la máscara de vejigante experimentó un cambio en su representación física y cultural debido a la influencia y presencia de los Estados Unidos de América en la isla. Con la introducción de la cultura Americana, el concepto de vejigante ha logrado transformarse y evolucionar de las tradiciones carnavalescas a contextos contemporáneos. / [CA] El propòsit d'aquesta tesi es documentar el canvi de la màscara de vejigante, d'objecte folklòric a icona contemporània. La investigació se centra en un major enteniment de la màscara, magnificada a través de les tradicions i el patrimoni, en la mateixa també es va utilitzar la investigació etnogràfica. La investigació postula la teoria que presenta l'efecte de cultures en conflicte, analitzant l'impacte que els Estats Units d'Amèrica han tingut en Puerto Rico a través de l'assimilació cultural. Junt amb la investigació, hem completat la experimentació amb la meua obra personal en la qual es van emprar mitjans no convencionals i combinacions de tècniques clàssiques i contemporànies. Açò ha proporcionat una plataforma en la que es comprèn l'apreciació i les seqüeles de la trobada del vejigante en contextos contemporanis. La documentació escrita sobre el tema és limitada. Es van realitzar entrevistes per afegir informació a la investigació on escassejava la literatura. Es van entrevistar historiadors de l'art, artesans i artistes, que van presentar una perspectiva local i una resposta als innegables canvis que s'han produït en els Carnestoltes. Açò va proporcionar una altra forma d'investigació derivada de la història oral que ha sigut necessària per a obtindre una perspectiva mes àmplia del vejigante. És important incloure estes històries transmeses de generació en generació, ja que permeten que una història cultural prospere encara que la informació escrita disponible és limitada. Els resultats mostren que la màscara de vejigante va experimentar un canvi en la seua representació física i cultural a causa de la influència i presència dels Estats Units d'Amèrica en l'illa. Tot i la introducció de la cultura Americana, el concepte de vejigante ha aconseguit transformar-se i evolucionar de les tradicions carnavalesques a contextos contemporanis. / [EN] The purpose of this thesis is to document the change of the vejigante mask, from a folkloric object to a contemporary icon. The research focuses on a further understanding of the mask, magnified through traditions and heritage, executed with an advanced examination of ethnographic research. The investigation theorizes the impact of clashing cultures by analyzing the impact the United States of America has had on Puerto Rico through the use of cultural assimilation. In conjunction with the research, an experimentation with my personal artwork was completed by using unconventional mediums and combinations of classical and contemporary techniques. This provided the platform to encompass the appreciation and the aftereffects of the vejigante's encounter in contemporary contexts. Documentation on the subject is insufficient. Interviews were conducted to contribute evidence to the investigation where the literature lacked. Art historians, artisans, and artists were interviewed, and presented a local perspective and response to the undeniable changes that have taken place in the Carnival. This provided another form of research known as word-of-mouth, which is necessary in the contribution to the history of the vejigante. It is important to include the oral history that derives from word-of-mouth, stories passed down generation to generation, allowing a cultural history to thrive with limited information on the subject. The results display the vejigante mask experienced a shift in cultural depiction and representation due to the United States of America. Although, with the introduction to American culture, the concept of the vejigante was enabled to transform from Carnival traditions to contemporary contexts. / Glidden, CM. (2021). Vejigantes: from Traditional to Contemporary [Tesis doctoral]. Universitat Politècnica de València. https://doi.org/10.4995/Thesis/10251/167074

System of performance evaluation is an essential part of performance management and a major source of organizational control. Discussion about motivational/demotivational power of the formal and informal systems of performance evaluation for different personality types of employees opens a new page in the studies of human resource management. The following research question reflects the core of this thesis “To what extent the informal system of performance evaluation exists beside the formal system of performance evaluation and how do they operate as work motivators/demotivators for civil servants of different psychological types?”. The formal and informal systems of performance evaluation in the Office of the Prime Minister of Lithuania (OPML) are analysed using the theoretical research framework based on three different perspectives: sociology of law, human resource management and psychology. An ethnographic research, supplemented by the psychometric instrument HEXACO PI-R, is conducted to unfold the informal system of performance evaluation and to investigate its motivational/demotivation impact on two different personality types of OPML advisers (ORGANIZED and FLEXIBLE). The formal system is found to be a motivator for the ORGANIZED civil servants and demotivator for the FLEXIBLE advisers, while the informal system served as demotivator for all of the advisers who admitted its existence. In-depth interpretations of the doctoral dissertation research results are provided... [to full text] / Veiklos vertinimo sistema yra neatskiriama veiklos valdymo dalis ir svarbus organizacinės kontrolės įrankis. Diskusijos apie formalios ir neformalios vertinimo sistemų motyvavimo / demotyvavimo galią skirtingų asmenybės tipų darbuotojams atveria naujas perspektyvas žmogiškųjų išteklių valdymo tyrimuose. Šios disertacijos esmę atspindi tyrimo klausimas „Kiek neformali veiklos vertinimo sistema egzistuoja šalia formalios veiklos vertinimo sistemos, ir kaip jos, kaip darbo motyvatoriai / demotyvatoriai, veikia skirtingų asmenybės tipų viešojo sektoriaus darbuotojus?“. Formali ir neformali veiklos vertinimo sistemos Lietuvos Respublikos Ministro Pirmininko tarnyboje (MPT) analizuojamos pasitelkiant teorinį tyrimo pagrindą, kuris yra paremtas trimis skirtingomis perspektyvomis: teisės sociologija, žmogiškųjų išteklių valdymu ir psichologija. Etnografinis tyrimas, kurį papildo psichometrinis įrankis HEXACO PI-R, atliktas siekiant identifikuoti neformalią veiklos vertinimo sistemą ir ištirti jos motyvacinį / demotyvacinį poveikį dviejų skirtingų asmenybės tipų(ORGANIZUOTIESIEMS ir LANKSTIESIEMS) MPT patarėjams. Nustatyta, kad formali sistema veikia kaip motyvatorius ORGANIZUOTIESIEMS patarėjams ir kaip demotyvatorius LANKSTIESIEMS valstybės tarnautojams, o neformali sistema demotyvuoja visus patarėjus, kurie pripažino, kad tokia sistema egzistuoja. Darbe analizuojami atlikto tyrimo rezultatai ir pateikiamos išvados.

Drawing from observation, autoethnography, ethnographic research and audio-taped interviews, this thesis explores the complicated and emotionally charged relationship between homosexuality and Christianity. The current culture war being waged in the media between the Religious Right and members of the LGBT community often results in the isolation and rejection of those who would define themselves as gay Christians. This thesis explores the role of the Bible as it informs and catalyzes this war and other foundational beliefs used as weapons in this rhetorical conflict. Additionally, this thesis analyzes the current battle between the church and the social movement for change in light of the historical battles fought over similar movements. The rhetoric of Christianity, specifically Fundamentalist rhetoric, has been emphatically defended and then dramatically changed in every such battle. Is this a possible resolution for today’s current battle? The thesis explores the historical basis and current application of rhetorical effects on this conflict through the author’s insight as a veteran of both worlds, interviews with major players in the battle such as Randy Thomas and Kristin Tremba of Exodus International and interviews with people who step on the battlefield everyday as pastors, congregants or observers in the fight. With each interview or rhetorical analysis, the viability of dialogue between these two groups is questioned and investigated.

O presente trabalho tem como objetivo investigar cinco contextos de ensino de língua inglesa nos níveis fundamental e médio de escolas públicas e particulares. Trata-se de uma pesquisa qualitativa de caráter etnográfico que se realizou a partir de entrevistas com coordenadores, professores e monitores das escolas participantes deste estudo; de gravações de aulas feitas em áudio onde atuei como pesquisadora-observadora; de notas de campo e material coletado durante a pesquisa (trabalhos de alunos, material didático utilizado pelos professores, folhetos informativos sobre as escolas). O estudo destes contextos revelou que língua inglesa é interpretada como disciplinaproblema e, portanto, tende a receber um tratamento diferenciado por parte das escolas que procuram ministrar tal disciplina a partir do estabelecimento de formas alternativas de ensino: a parceria entre um colégio particular de ensino fundamental e médio e uma escola de línguas, a criação de um Centro de Línguas próprio dentro de um colégio, a terceirização do ensino de inglês em um colégio de ensino fundamental e médio, a utilização de uma Disciplina-Projeto de inglês para o ensino médio em uma escola da rede pública e Aulas de Revisão para alunos do terceiro ano do ensino médio de escolas públicas visando o aprendizado de leitura. A partir do diagnóstico de inglês como disciplina-problema, houve a percepção de que há um embate entre o tradicional e o novo no ensino de inglês. Tal conflito reside no fato de que as escolas buscam inovações pedagógicas que as situem como mais adequadas e eficientes às propostas educacionais contemporâneas, porém, ao mesmo tempo, parecem sofrer abalos na sustentabilidade de seus próprios projetos devido às inevitáveis influências presentes nas sociedades pós-modernas: por exemplo, a atribuição de se \"dominar\" o idioma estrangeiro inglês como exigência para se tornar parte do mundo globalizado e de se conseguir um bom emprego no futuro. Os dados deste estudo igualmente assinalaram a questão da mercantilização do ensino de inglês decorrente das demandas globais e em um grupo de comunidades educacionais locais onde, nos bastidores, inglês é percebido como disciplina-problema. / The purpose of this study is to investigate five contexts of English language teaching and learning within the scope of elementary and high school levels of public and private institutions. This is a qualitative research with ethnographic characteristics which was conducted through interviews with coordinators, teachers, and monitors from schools; audiorecordings of classes where I acted as an observer-researcher; classroom notes; and material gathered during the research (students\' homework assignments, didactic material used by teachers, leaflets concerning those schools). The study of these contexts has revealed that the English language is interpreted as a synonym of a \"subject of problems\", and therefore it may be handled in a different manner by schools which try to teach it by establishing alternative ways: the partnership between a private elementary and high school and a language school; a private school which created its own language center; an outsourcing of English language teaching adopted by a private elementary and high school; a special subject where students are supposed to learn English through projects in a public high school; and English revision classes for third-year secondary students of public schools which focus on teaching reading. According to the diagnosis of English as a \"subject of problems\" there is a \"clash\" between the traditional and the new in English teaching and learning. Such conflict is aroused from the searching for new pedagogic innovations used by schools in order to become more efficient and adequate for contemporary educational propositions. However, at the same time, these alternatives chosen by schools cannot sustain their own projects owing to the inevitable influences in post-modern societies: for instance, to \"master\" English as a foreign language as a requirement for taking part in a globalized world, as well as for getting a good job in the future. The data of this study have equally stressed the question of English as a \"market product\" in view of global demands in local educational communities, the background of which includes the interpretation of English as a \"subject of problems\".

Cette thèse porte sur le processus de décision, exécution, régulation et évaluation des projets d'école réalisés par des enseignants des écoles en France. Cette recherche, géographiquement située dans le département du Val d'Oise, a été menée sous les principes de la recherche ethnographique. Toutes les informations recueillies ont été analysées selon les préceptes de la méthode de la Théorie enracinée. Cela a permis de décrire la portée des travaux des enseignants lors de l'exécution de cette tâche imposée par le ministère de l'Education nationale depuis 1989. Ainsi l’usage que les enseignants font de ce dispositif révèle de nombreux paradoxes. Alors que pour beaucoup d’enseignants, il n’est rien de plus qu'un exercice bureaucratique, le projet est également une opportunité pour innover sur le plan pédagogique et d’installer de nouvelles formes d'interaction sociale au sein de la communauté éducative. La principale difficulté réside dans le fait que le processus projet d'école met en lumière un certain nombre de questions transversales pours lesquelles les enseignants ne se considèrent guère compétents. Cela motive, dans de nombreux cas, une série d'initiatives, une sorte d’activisme, que par la suite les enseignants ne parvenaient plus à évaluer. Le sentiment d’expérimenter en aveugle et de ne pas alimenter les processus de changement laisse chez les enseignants une forte frustration professionnelle et une grande démotivation à l’heure d’envisager des nouvelles actions. Le projet d’école met en évidence la nécessité des enseignants de disposer des outils professionnels pour, d’une part, interpréter les différents aspects de phénomènes éducatifs auxquels ils sont confrontés et, d'autre part, être en mesure de construire leurs propres dispositifs pédagogiques et évaluatifs. L'autonomie des enseignants est plus que l’autorisation institutionnelle à entreprendre des actions au sein de chaque école, elle revient plutôt à la capacité à comprendre et à rendre intelligibles leurs propres processus de travail pour améliorer la qualité de l'apprentissage et la vie à l'école. Cette thèse prône la nécessité d'associer la formation continue des enseignants et les activités réelles – la réflexion et la prise de décisions - qui concourent dans le lieu de travail des enseignants. / This thesis deals with the process of decision, execution, control and evaluation of educational projects in schools - les projets d'école - conducted by French primary education teachers. This research, geographically located in the department of Val d'Oise, was conducted under the principles of ethnographic research. The data collected was analyzed according to the precepts of the Grounded Theory Method. This allows describing the scope of teachers work when performing this mandatory task imposed by the Ministry of National Education since 1989. The teacher’s use of this obligation reveals many paradoxes. While for many teachers it is nothing more than a bureaucratic exercise, the project is also an opportunity to innovate pedagogically and install new forms of social interaction within the educational community. The main difficulty lies in the fact that the school project process brings to light a number of cross-cutting issues in which teachers do not feel competent. This motivates, in many cases, a series of initiatives, a kind of activism which teachers aren't able to later evaluate. The feeling of experimenting blindly not to feed the change process and leaves a strong professional frustration that declines motivation when teacher are to consider to engage in new activities. The educational project highlights the need for teachers to have professional tools, in order to both interpret the various aspects of the educational phenomena they face, and be able to build their own pedagogical and evaluative settings. The teacher’s autonomy is fare more than the mere institutional authorization to take action, it rather refers to the ability to understand their own work processes to improve the quality of learning and life at school. This thesis advocates the need to associate the continuous training of teachers to the actual activities - reflection and decision-making-that take place in the teacher’s workplace. / Esta tesis aborda el proceso de realización, ejecución, regulación y evaluación de los proyectos educativos de las escuelas – les projets d’école - llevados a cabo por los profesores de la educación primaria en Francia. Esta investigación situada geográficamente en el departamento de Val d'Oise, se realizó bajo los principios de la investigación etnográfica. El conjunto de las informaciones recogidas fueron analizadas según los preceptos de la metodología fundamentada en los hechos. Esto permite describir el panorama de trabajo de los profesores a la hora de realizar esta tarea impuesta por el ministerio de la Educación nacional desde el año 1989. La utilización que los profesores hacen de este dispositivos revela numerosas paradojas. Si bien para muchos no es más que una actividad burocrática, el proyecto es también la oportunidad de innovar a nivel pedagógico y de instalar nuevas formas de interacción social en el seno de la comunidad educativa. La principal dificultad reside en el hecho que el proceso projet d'école saca a luz una serie de problemáticas transversales para las cuales los profesores no se consideran competentes. Esto motiva, en numerosas ocasiones, una serie iniciativas, una especie de activismo, que posteriormente los docentes logran apenas evaluar. El sentimiento de experimentar a ciegas y de no retroalimentar los procesos de cambio dejan en los profesores una fuerte frustración profesional y una consecuente desmotivación para emprender nuevas acciones. El proyecto educativo pone en relieve la necesidad de los profesores de contar con las herramientas profesionales que les permitan por un lado interpretar las distintas dimensiones de los fenómenos educativos a los que se enfrentan y por otro, ser capaces de construir sus propios dispositivos pedagógicos y evaluativos. La autonomía de los docentes es más que la autorización institucional para realizar acciones, ésta se refiere más bien a la capacidad de entender y volver inteligibles sus propios procesos de trabajo para la mejora de la calidad de los aprendizajes y de la vida en la escuela. Esta tesis preconiza la necesidad de asociar la formación continua de los profesores a las actividades reales - a la reflexión y a la toma de decisiones- que se llevan a cabo en el lugar de trabajo de los maestros.

CoordenaÃÃo de AperfeiÃoamento de Pessoal de NÃvel Superior / A implantaÃÃo dos Centros de Atendimento Educacional Especializado (AEEs) pelo governo ocasionou mudanÃas nas identidades profissionais da equipe multiprofissional, e reconfigurou as identidades maternas. Os profissionais e as profissionais das diversas Ãreas que antes prestavam atendimento de forma isolada tiveram que desenvolver um trabalho conjunto. Nesse contexto, as identidades profissionais foram sendo reconstruÃdas e influenciadas, em grande parte, pelas prÃticas de letramento das diversas Ãreas profissionais presentes nos centros. Quanto Ãs mÃes, viram diante de si o desafio de terem que matricular seus filhos e filhas na escola regular a fim de continuarem a ter direito aos atendimentos da equipe multidisciplinar. Isso foi fonte de grande ansiedade e inseguranÃa, visto nÃo considerarem o modelo da escola regular atual apropriado Ãs suas crianÃas. Para pesquisar sobre identidades, adoto nesta tese a Teoria Social do Letramento (BARTON; HAMILTON, 1998; BARTON, 2009), que entende o letramento como um conjunto de prÃticas sociais que tÃm relaÃÃo direta com valores e crenÃas existentes nas diversas comunidades e grupos sociais e que estÃo, assim, intimamente relacionadas Ãs identidades das pessoas. Adoto tambÃm a proposta teÃrico/metodolÃgica de Gee (2000 â 2001, 2003) de anÃlise das identidades em contextos educacionais. AlÃm disso, a abordagem teÃrico-metodolÃgica da AnÃlise de Discurso CrÃtica (CHOULIARAKI; FAIRCLOUGH, 1999; FAIRCLOUGH, 2003), fornece subsÃdios para o estudo das identidades a partir de duas categorias, a saber: o Significado Representacional (Discursos) e o Significado Identificacional (Estilos). Por meio da pesquisa etnogrÃfica reflexiva, os dados indicam a existÃncia de uma assimetria de poder nas relaÃÃes entre os profissionais e as profissionais oriunda, em sua maioria, da predominÃncia dos letramentos da Ãrea da saÃde em detrimento aos letramentos relativos à Ãrea educacional, o que acaba por afetar, de forma negativa, os atendimentos. Ao considerar as concepÃÃes e representaÃÃes das mÃes em torno do letramento, foi possÃvel perceber como esses aspectos foram importantes na formaÃÃo de suas identidades maternas no sentido de serem parÃmetros que pautam suas escolhas em relaÃÃo a que atendimentos sÃo apropriados ou nÃo para seus filhos e filhas. / The implementation of Specialized Educational Care (SEC) Centers by the Central government brought about changes in the multidisciplinary team practitioner identities, and reshaped maternal identities. Practitioners from diverse fields that used to provide treatment in isolation had to develop joint work. In this context, professional identities were rebuilt, influenced largely by the literacy practices of the various professional fields present in the centers. In relation to the mothers, they had to face the challenge of having to enroll their children in mainstream schools in order to continue to be entitled to the multidisciplinary team care. This was a source of great anxiety and insecurity, as they do not consider current mainstream schools as appropriate to their children. To research about identities, I adopted in this thesis the Social Theory of Literacy (BARTON and HAMILTON, 1998; BARTON, 2009), which considers literacy as a set of social practices that are directly related to existing values and beliefs in different communities and social groups who are thus closely related to the membersâ identities. I also adopted Geeâs (2000 - 2001, 2003) theoretical and methodological proposal on identities in educational contexts. In addition, theoretical and methodological approach of Critical Discourse Analysis (CHOULIARAKI; FAIRCLOUGH, 1999; FAIRCLOUGH, 2003) provides support for the study of identities with two categories, namely: Representational Meaning (Discourses) and Identificational Meaning (Styles). Through the reflexive ethnographic research, the data indicated the existence of power asymmetry in the relations among the practitioners originated, mostly, from the predominance of literacies related to the health area over the literacies in the educational area, which ultimately affect in a negative way the educational care. By taking into account the motherâs views and representations around literacy, it was possible to see how these aspects were important in the construction of their maternal identities in relation to their choices regarding the appropriate care to their children.