Exegesis (MA--Art and Design) -- AUT University, 2008. / Includes bibliographical references. Also held in print (64 leaves : col. ill. ; 22 x 30 cm. + 3 DVDs + 3 DVD-ROMs) in the Archive at the City Campus (T 778.59 GAO)

Thesis (M.A.)--University of Hong Kong, 1997. / Includes bibliographical references (leaf 92-100).

Thesis (M.A.)--University of Hong Kong, 1997. / Includes bibliographical references (leaf 92-100.) Also available in print.

The subject matter of this thesis is a particular form of individualism - anti-collectivist individualism. To be differentiated from more collectivist, humanist strands of individualism, anti-collectivist individualism can readily be equated wi th the classic liberal creed that accompanied a new stress on the indi vidual and the emergence of a capitalist market economy in the West in the post-feudal period. The thesis places anti-collectivist individualism within the classic liberal tradition. It addresses anti-collectivist individualism both as an issue of substantive relevance to people and to politics and as an issue within sociological explanation, from the perspective of that atomism which underlies it, and through an examination of the .. :atomistic view of humankind, of history and of social causation. Specifically addressed in relation to the anti-collectivist framework are: the presumed atomistic relations of exteriority between individuals. the presumption that nothing exists in the phenomenal world other than individuals in aggregate and that explanatory power therefore rests with individuals. the presumption that to provide people with the conditions for self-reliance is a contradiction in terms. the presumption that human individuals lack the rationality to construct a 'good' society and should relinquish 'constructivist' rationalism in favour of 'evolutionary I rationalism. The question of whether capitalism and individualism are merely historically contingent (as per Abercrombie et al 1986) or are mutually defining (Friedman 1962, 1980) is also considered, it being concluded that they are not mutually defining but have entered into a second order symbiotic relation of dependence which may prove difficult to deconstruct. The ontology underlying anti-collectivist individualism is rigorously criticised, but it is suggested that individualism, far from no longer featuring in dominant discourse, as Abercrombie et al claim, remains the pivotal underlying premise of social and economic activity in the West, and indeed, being a historically evolved, even though particular manifestation of important and necessary elements of the human psyche for security, identity and self-actualisation, is likely to remain a prime mode of orientation in the West. It is claimed that this acceptance is not incompatible with communitarian and/or socialist forms of organisation.

No description available.

No description available.

World of Warcraft (WoW) is the most successful massively multi-player role-playing game (MMO). It currently consists of over ten million players world-wide. This study focuses on how American players use the game to play with the meanings of individuality and community. This tension between individualism and community is one of the key elements of American culture. Too much individualism leads to a loss of community. The same occurs in WoW. Player-run guilds, which operate as a community of memory, begin to suffer from players who operate on individualistic terms. Ultimately, players play WoW because they get the chance to experience what a strong community commitment can be like. / Department of Anthropology

Boston University. University Professors Program Senior theses. / PLEASE NOTE: Boston University Libraries did not receive an Authorization To Manage form for this thesis. It is therefore not openly accessible, though it may be available by request. If you are the author or principal advisor of this work and would like to request open access for it, please contact us at open-help@bu.edu. Thank you. / 2031-01-02

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Hong Kong, 2007. / Title proper from title frame. Also available in printed format.

<p>Abstract</p><p>Syftet med denna uppsats är att belysa eventuella motsättningar som parrelationer utsätts för i och med dagens individualistiska samhälle då individualism och tvåsamhet kan ses som motsatspar. Vi vill med detta få ökad förståelse för hur parrelationer präglas av samhället och vi har utgått ifrån fyra övergripande frågeställningar nämligen:</p><p>1. Hur är det att leva i en parrelation idag?</p><p>2. Hur yttrar sig eventuell motsättning mellan individuellt självförverkligande kontra att anpassa sig till en annan människa?</p><p>3. Är långsiktighet i dagen samhälle eftersträvansvärt?</p><p>4. Vilka förväntningar finns på parrelationen och hur påverkar familj eller omgivning dessa förväntningar?</p><p>För att få klarhet i vårt område gjorde vi intervjuer med 10 personer som är sambos samt analyserade intervjusvaren utifrån teorier som berör individualism och relationer. Det som tydligt framkom som uppvisar individualismens inverkan var att samtliga påpekade betydelsen av att få vara för sig själv och inte bara vara ett par. Dessutom ville individerna gärna bestämma de gemensamma drömmarna själva. Samtliga syftade till att deras relation skulle vara länge men vissa menade att de skulle ske genom att leva för stunden och andra menade att det skulle bli genom långsiktigt tänkande och planering.</p>