From the beginning of the twenty first century vampires begin to appear in other genres other than the horror and their image in popular media starts to change. The changes begin not only in the image but also the perception of vampire in popular media shifts into new directions. These changes are interconnected and influence each other. The thesis will analyse the ways vampires are portrayed in films and TV series from the end of the twenties century until recent times. The changes happening will be explored across different genres and across time. The thesis will then attempt to examine whether there is a pattern of trends within the observed forms, and whether these trends are common across the different genres.

The mobility of low-income students who do not have access to stable housing creates numerous challenges both at home and in school. Among these challenges, academic performance certainly is one of the most important. The lack of a more permanent, familiar, and safe environment is presumed to impact home life as well as students' performance in the classroom. This research compares two groups of current and former students of Orange County Public Schools (OCPS) in Florida (1) children of families who are Habitat for Humanity (HFH) homeowners, and (2) a matched socioeconomic control group. The HFH program is designed to provide a stable, affordable housing for families who cannot acquire it through standard means. The research question is: Does stability in housing make an impact on academic performance in the particular area of FCAT scores and attendance? Data were gathered from OCPS and the HFH homeowners themselves. This data were used to evaluate the impact of HFH homeownership on students' academic environment. Results showed better attendance at school, but HFH students fared worse in FCAT performance when compared to control group especially in reading.

The question of how "humanitarianism" became possible, and whether humanitarianism is a factor of power in today's world, and possible in the future, is answered against the backdrop of the problem of the world's moral indifference, and the difficulty of mobilizing empathy and commitment to other people's suffering in humanitarian disasters. A genealogical discourse analysis examines historical breakthroughs for humanitarianism, and how humanitarianism relates to human rights, in a moral-philosophical and sociological perspective, in a historical exposition, with the aim of tracing violations and leaps in the development of conditions and possibilities, which enabled the construction of a discourse of humanitarianism. Important prerequisites for humanitarianism to become possible, and the ideas of human rights, are a changed view of man during enlightenment, and her self-understanding, as an "ethical subject", as ground to rights, and that "humanity" was imagined to be a legal community that entails a moral responsibility of universal solidarity. A discourse of humanitarianism has been constructed which has become a factor of power in international politics to meet needs, that it costs to deviate from. A danger to the future is that humanitarianism, as an active protest against the world's suffering, is politicized and abused as a pretext for power ambitions. Whether humanitarianism is possible depends on the social and moral preconditions of international cooperation and idealism, and the belief that human progression is possible, and the attitude: ”We become more fully human via the manner in which we treat our fellows”.

In a rapidly changing world, sustainability is becoming more and more of a priority for organizations. This paper evaluates the possibility of using the Doughnut Economics Model (DEM) as a tool to implement sustainability within an organization on the firm-level, highlighting the potential opportunities and limitations that it poses. Through case studies conducted with two organizations (Apotea AB & Proton Group), both common and firm-specific gaps within sustainability strategies are identified, and the applicability of the DEM is appraised as a tool to help fill these gaps. A qualitative research method was employed, and interviews were held with sustainability managers from Apotea AB and Proton Group. A qualitative thematic analysis process led to the generation of initial codes, themes, and patterns that emerged throughout the interviews held. The results from this study highlighted the illustrative and visual nature of the DEM, and how it could help firms view sustainability from different perspectives. The visualisation of the model helps stimulate conversations about sustainability within the firm, and raising awareness on the topic of sustainability, promoting it within organizational culture. This study additionally concluded that the implementation of the DEM in only a firm-specific, directly impacted area, could help the firm with pinpointing niche areas where the enterprise can make its largest contribution towards a safe and just space for humanity. On the other hand, this study found and supported existing claims through past research on the model’s limitations in terms of its downscaling, as the planetary boundaries are designed for a global scale. Moreover, the model lacks in defining policies, indicators, or measurements regarding areas of improvement. The opportunities that lie in the DEM are plentiful, however, the downscaling process on a firm-scale is extremely challenging, and little-to-no existing research or literature exists on the topic.

The purpose of this thesis is to analyze and compare a Christian and transhumanist worldview, particularly with regard to the compatibility between their views on humanity and human nature. The analysis utilizes Leslie Stevenson's analytical framework of what constitutes a theory of human nature, coupled with the philosophical method of analyzing the contents of ideas, advocated by Carl-Henric Grenholm. Through examination of articles authored by transhumanists and representatives of the Swedish church, the thesis examines how, and in what way, transhumanist visions of the technological advancements of humanity could be argued to harmonize with the Christian notions of Imago Dei and co-creation. The analysis concludes by summarizing which arguments for or against compatibility prove to be most convincing and argues that, given certain essential conditions, there could be compatibility between a Christian and transhumanist view of humanity.

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<p>This thesis assessed the effectiveness of the Special Court in relation to the impact is has made in cultivating the rudiments of a human rights culture, dispensing justice, ending a culture of impunity, effecting unity and national reconciliation in post war Sierra Leone.</p>

教育學傳記研究乃是19世紀初期發跡於德國教育學的新興派典。2001年，在臺灣教育學傳記研究學者的專業旨趣下，於政治大學的教育學院中以一門研究所層級的課程型態現身。研究者在修習該課堂的學習歷程中，開展出不同視域的世界觀，發生內在思想及學習樣態的轉變，原生命存有的傷痛經驗也逐漸舒緩治癒。同時，在修習課堂滿兩年，體察到課堂群體他者亦產生相似的學習轉變歷程，生發過往受教經驗中不曾有過的「美」之體驗。作為中等教育的師資培育生，基於對現今教育現況「苦難」的體悟，進而欲探究教育學傳記研究課堂的美學價值，它對師資培育歷程將存在何種教育意涵與啟示。 本研究以政治大學教育學院於2014年開設的「教育學傳記研究」課堂作為美學文本，採美學探究取向進行實徵性的研究。透過爬梳教育學傳記研究領域在德國的發展，及其蘊涵的學理內涵，以勾勒其美學的價值，並解讀與詮釋課堂中三位學習者學習體驗的口述經驗資料，最後綜合美學論述觀點以及學習者於教育學傳記研究課室中的互動經驗，探討該課程在臺灣高等學府脈絡下呈顯「悟」、「變」、「識」的美學樣貌;同時揭露傳記性經驗陶養的知識觀、以「生命的理解」作為教育行動的基礎、對人性關懷的教育行動三面向的教育意涵。整體而言，教育學傳記研究課堂的存在正朝向還原長久以來在「人力資源」論述中人被異化的教育本質，企圖孕育一種能變革社會的深化動能，在陶養的循環歷程中開顯出「人性關懷」的教育使命。 / Pedagogical Biography Study has become a research paradigm for educational studies in Germany since the 19th century. Its values, principles and significance were put into practice as a graduate-level course in National Chengchi University in Taipei, Taiwan in 2001. The author, who also participated in this academic journey, has developed a different perspective of viewing the world throughout the learning process. The course has contributed to a changed outlook on life for me, including the change of learning attitude and the consolation for the loss of my cousin. Most importantly, with the two-year-long participation in the course, it became self-evident that I share similar transitional experiences with my classmates, which brought about an unprecedented aesthetic experience. As a student in junior high school teacher education, I am well aware that the current situation of education in Taiwan is “suffering.” Therefore, I attempted to inquire the aesthetic value of the “Pedagogical Biography Study” course and explore its pedagogical implications in teacher education. This research is conducted based on an aesthetic inquiry into the “Pedagogical Biography Study” course, which was offered in Fall, 2014. Individual oral narratives as well as the conversation among class members were treated as aesthetic texts. Through the analysis of the documents concerning the development and implications of Pedagogical Biography Study in Germany, this research constructed its aesthetic significance. Besides, I analyzed and interpreted three class members’ narratives of their learning process throughout the semester. At the end, I integrated the aesthetic discourse and the learners’ interactional experience to discuss three kinds of aesthetic conceptions, Awareness, Change and Consciousness. Furthermore, three elements of pedagogical implication were found: 1) the conception of knowledge constructed by biographical experiences, 2) an educational practice agency of understanding the life and 3) taking educational practice with the concern for humanity. In conclusion, this research unraveled the existence of the Pedagogical Biography Study course in the university and discovered the possibility of restoring the essence of education which has long been ignored in the social discourse of “human resources.” It attempted to provoke social transformation and to launch the educational mission of raising the concern for humanity in the Bildung process.

Récente dans l’histoire des inventions technologiques, l’intelligence artificielle s’est néanmoins rapidement imposée dans la société, bouleversant à cette occasion l’économie comme le marché de l’emploi. Toutes les professions semblent exposées à la concurrence des agents artificiels ; rares sont les domaines d’activités épargnés. Pourtant, il apparaît que ces deux formes d’intelligences ne peuvent pas être tenues pour équivalentes. Si l’intelligence artificielle emprunte certains aspects de l’intelligence humaine, de nombreux autres lui font défaut. La conscience, la raison comme les émotions sont étrangères aux machines, même intelligentes. Dans ces circonstances, l’application à un système informatique intelligent de règles pensées en considération des personnes humaines peut s’avérer inadaptée. En effet, la confrontation entre le droit et l’intelligence artificielle révèle l’existence d’un paradigme sur lequel se fonde le droit positif. Le droit français s’appuie pour une large part sur la subjectivité inhérente à la personne humaine. Toutes les branches du droit semblent concernées, le droit civil comme le droit pénal ou encore le droit de la propriété intellectuelle. L’objet de cette étude est donc de dissiper les doutes qui entourent la nature de l’intelligence artificielle en vue de la distinguer clairement de l’intelligence humaine. Le constat de l’absence d’identité de ces deux formes d’intelligences induit la reconnaissance d’un ordre public de l’Humanité qui permet la préservation d’un domaine exclusif de l’intelligence humaine. Il est alors utile de formuler des principes généraux du droit de l’intelligence artificielle applicables en toutes circonstances / Even if its appearance is recent among technological inventions history, artificial intelligence has nevertheless quickly established itself, disrupting economy and the job market. Yet, upon assessment, it seems that these two forms of intelligence cannot be regarded as equivalent. Even if artificial intelligence borrows some aspects of human intelligence, many others are missing. Conscience, reason and emotions are unknown to machines, even intelligent ones. Yet, law rests upon such qualities. Hence, applying rules created for human to intelligent computer systems may be inappropriate. Indeed, the confrontation between law and artificial intelligence reveals the existence of a paradigm on which positive law is based. To a large extent, French law relies on the subjectivity proper to humans. All branches of law appear to be concerned, civil law as well as criminal law or intellectual property law. Therefore, the legal regime of artificial intelligence seems very uncertain. Consequently, the purpose of this study is to clear up the doubts surrounding the nature of artificial intelligence in order to neatly distinguish it from human intelligence. Eventually, the acknowledgment of the fundamental difference opposing these two forms of intelligence should lead to the recognition of a new public order of humanity and the preservation of an exclusive field for human intelligence