In this study I apply social constructionism as propounded by Vivian Burr (1998) to show that although J. K. Rowling uses stereotypes in the Harry Potter series as a reflection of how gender is constructed across a wide range of societal institutions in contemporary Britain, she created complex characters who on an individual level subvert social constructs and thereby offers her readers alternatives to culturally defined concepts of gender. I explore the all-pervasive social phenomenon of gender and examine how it is constructed in present-day Britain and reflected in the series (bearing in mind that the first book was published in 1997 and the last one in 2007). My analysis of female and male characters in the books, and their interpersonal relationships, shows that Rowling's often tricky portrayal of femininities and masculinities gives us an honest view of teenagers’ lives and contemporary gender relations in an ever-changing, complex world. / English Studies / M. A. (English)

The aim of this study is to explore the importance of love in its various manifestations in the lives of the Harry Potter characters and its power to consequently influence the paths that they eventually choose to walk. Love is investigated as the reason behind the choice between good and evil as well as paradoxically both a fortifying as well as a destructive force. Furthermore, it attempts to examine the importance that love plays in the healthy or dysfunctional development of the characters. Numerous philosophies and theories that span two different eras will form the theoretical framework of this research paper. There will be a constant interplay between the theories and the main text, that is, the seven Harry Potter books that together represent the Harry Potter series. Additionally, the author‟s opinion acquired from invaluable fan interviews will be utilized in order to improve the understanding of the characters motivations. The introduction is a brief explanation of key terms and theories that are essential to the exploration of love in the Harry Potter series. The study comprises five chapters. The first three chapters are concerned with the three main manifestations of love represented in the series, namely; parental love, friendship and romance respectively. Chapter Four focuses on the adaptation of the novels into movies and the subsequent result that this has on the depiction of love. Chapter Five highlights the finding of the study conducted. / English Studies / M.A. (English)

In this study I apply social constructionism as propounded by Vivian Burr (1998) to show that although J. K. Rowling uses stereotypes in the Harry Potter series as a reflection of how gender is constructed across a wide range of societal institutions in contemporary Britain, she created complex characters who on an individual level subvert social constructs and thereby offers her readers alternatives to culturally defined concepts of gender. I explore the all-pervasive social phenomenon of gender and examine how it is constructed in present-day Britain and reflected in the series (bearing in mind that the first book was published in 1997 and the last one in 2007). My analysis of female and male characters in the books, and their interpersonal relationships, shows that Rowling's often tricky portrayal of femininities and masculinities gives us an honest view of teenagers’ lives and contemporary gender relations in an ever-changing, complex world. / English Studies / M. A. (English)

The aim of this study is to explore the importance of love in its various manifestations in the lives of the Harry Potter characters and its power to consequently influence the paths that they eventually choose to walk. Love is investigated as the reason behind the choice between good and evil as well as paradoxically both a fortifying as well as a destructive force. Furthermore, it attempts to examine the importance that love plays in the healthy or dysfunctional development of the characters. Numerous philosophies and theories that span two different eras will form the theoretical framework of this research paper. There will be a constant interplay between the theories and the main text, that is, the seven Harry Potter books that together represent the Harry Potter series. Additionally, the author‟s opinion acquired from invaluable fan interviews will be utilized in order to improve the understanding of the characters motivations. The introduction is a brief explanation of key terms and theories that are essential to the exploration of love in the Harry Potter series. The study comprises five chapters. The first three chapters are concerned with the three main manifestations of love represented in the series, namely; parental love, friendship and romance respectively. Chapter Four focuses on the adaptation of the novels into movies and the subsequent result that this has on the depiction of love. Chapter Five highlights the finding of the study conducted. / English Studies / M.A. (English)

Made available in DSpace on 2011-05-04T12:36:24Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2009 / Como é feita a assistência às pessoas em situação de crise nos novos serviços advindos do processo de Reforma Psiquiátrica Brasileira? Esta foi a questão que inspirou este estudo. Buscando investigar tal questão em um serviço substitutivo, este estudo contemplou a análise da experiência assistencial de um dos Centros de Referência em Saúde Mental CERSAM do município de Belo Horizonte, tendo como via de acesso o cotidiano e as narrativas dos profissionais sobre suas práticas assistenciais. A contento, orico e complexo cotidiano assistencial do CERSAM foi analisado por meio das lentes da Psicossociologia Francesa, vertente da Psicologia Social, de inspiração psicanalítica, que sededica ao estudo dos sujeitos em situações cotidianas, em seus grupos, organizações e comunidades. De natureza qualitativa, este estudo privilegiou, em seu desenho metodológico, a articulação de duas estratégias quando realizada a pesquisa de campo: a observação participante e as entrevistas em profundidade. A análise da experiência assistencial do CERSAM pesquisado permitiu compreender o imaginário dos profissionais sobre o próprio CERSAM e sua proposta assistencial, além das representações de crise que perpassam as práticas assistenciais destes profissionais. Junto à dimensão imaginária, a configuração dos processos de trabalho, o funcionamento dos dispositivos assistenciais do serviço e o trabalho em equipe permitiram apreender os desafios cotidianos encontrados pelos profissionais que se dedicam ao árduo trabalho de oferecer uma assistência às pessoas em situação de crise conforme os princípios e valores do ideal que norteia o projeto assistencial da equipe: o ideal antimanicomial. / How is the assistance to people in crisis in the new services from the process of the Brazilian Psychiatric Reform? This was the question that inspired this study. Order to further investigate this issue in a substitutive service, this study included the analysis of the care experience of one of the Centers of Reference in Mental Health - CERSAM - the city of Belo Horizonte, with the route to daily life and the narratives of professionals about their practice assistance. The satisfaction, the rich and complex daily care of the CERSAM was examined through the lens of French Psychosociology, part of the social psychology of psychoanalytic inspiration, dedicated to the study of subjects in everyday situations in their groups, organizations and communities. Qualitative, this study focused on methodological design for a combination of two strategies when performed field research: participant observation and interviews in depth. The analysis of the care experience of the CERSAM studied enabled us to understand the imaginary of professionals about the CERSAM and their own healthcare proposal, and the representations of crisis that pervades the healthcare practices of these professionals. Along the imaginary dimension, the configuration of work processes, the operation of the service of caring and teamwork possible to grasp the daily challenges encountered by professionals who are dedicated to the hard work of providing assistance to people in crisis according to the principles and values of the ideal that guides the care project team: the ideal anti-asylum.