American artist Lee Bontecou’s oeuvre is often described as difficult to categorize or “mysterious.” Her early work—a series of metal and canvas reliefs made between 1959 and 1965—is linked to a range of stylistic associations including such radically divergent movements as assemblage, minimalism and abstract expressionism. Alternately, contemporary art historian Mona Hadler cites a series of iconographic connections between Bontecou’s reliefs and the popular culture and politics of the late 1950’s and early ‘60s. Using historian Reinhardt Koselleck’s theorization of historical time where history is constituted by an amalgamation of “temporal layers” based on particular historical perspectives, this thesis will explore the varied stylistic associations of Bontecou’s early reliefs by investigating their artistic as well as social and political contexts. In doing so this thesis will demonstrate that these so-called “mysterious” forms were created and exhibited in relation to a several different historical perspectives or “temporal layers.”

The 2015 publication of Harper Lee’s Go Set a Watchman (2015) raised questions and concerns when it was read in the context of the author’s first novel, To Kill a Mockingbird (1960), a text with strong, direct statements related to civil rights and social injustice. This thesis examines textual similarities and differences between Watchman and Mockingbird, suggesting the likely influence of editor Thèrése “Tay” von Hohoff in Mockingbird’s published version. Additionally, the thesis examines Hohoff’s 1959 biography, A Ministry to Man: The Life of John Lovejoy Elliott, as a plausible inspiration for Lee’s Mockingbird hero, Atticus Finch. Containing corroboration from available correspondence, biographical information, interviews, and historical records, this thesis documents Hohoff’s editorial influence on Lee as the two worked together to create a lasting contribution to American literary history and culture.

The following thesis is a documentation of the production of Two Rooms, including analysis, research production book, script, documentation, and evaluation. The play was performed in New Orleans, Louisiana, at the University of New Orleans Performing Arts Center Lab Theatre on November 7th, 8th, 12th, 13th, 21st, and 22nd, 2015.

A evolução do aumento da expectativa de vida registrada nas últimas décadas foi uma conquista significativa para a sociedade e trouxe novos desafios em diversas áreas do conhecimento humano. Dentre os impactos do aumento da longevidade, destaca-se sua influência no equilíbrio técnico dos planos previdenciários. Nas entidades de previdência complementar, a identificação oportuna de possíveis desvios da premissa da mortalidade à realidade subjacente visa garantir a solvência e a manutenção dos benefícios de longo prazo. Assim, o presente estudo tem por objetivo estimar os fatores de improvement (fator redutor de mortalidade) para a população coberta por planos privados de aposentadoria, com base no método Lee-Carter e na abordagem CMI (Continuous Mortality Investigation), bem como analisar o impacto da incorporação da estimativa do aumento da expectativa de vida no fluxo de caixa atuarial em uma carteira de benefício definido. Em virtude da carência de informações históricas de tábuas de mortalidade para o Brasil, fez-se uso da técnica de pareamento (propensity score), o qual consiste na identificação do país que mais se assemelha ao Brasil no que se refere às variáveis socioeconômicas relevantes para prever a evolução da expectativa de vida. Essa técnica foi aplicada para uma amostra de 21 países da OCDE. As variáveis socioeconômicas consideradas no estudo foram: Fertilidade, PIB per capita, Crescimento anual do PIB, Saúde, Desemprego, Gini, Analfabetismo e Escolaridade. Diante dos testes efetuados, Portugal foi escolhido para servir de base para as projeções da mortalidade e obtenção dos fatores de improvement, em decorrência da técnica de pareamento e do teste de aderência realizado. Comparando-se as médias dos fluxos de caixa da AT-2000 com e sem improvement e levando-se em consideração os cenários de taxas de juros de 3%, 4%, 5% e 6% ao ano, observou-se que, não considerar o improvement, gera uma elevação do fluxo atuarial entre 7,15% a 10,51% para a carteira simulada. A projeção pelo método CMI forneceu resultado semelhante, sendo que o impacto variou entre 7,05% a 10,32%. Embora os métodos de improvement sejam bem diferentes, é importante destacar que os resultados foram bem semelhantes. Um ponto que merece preocupação é a questão da taxa de juros, pois com a tendência de queda, no longo prazo, maior será a sensibilidade do impacto da projeção do risco de longevidade. Adicionalmente, compararam-se os resultados obtidos com a Tábua Geracional RP-2000 e a Tábua SUSEP BR-EMS. Assim, os resultados anteriores mostram que não considerar a tendência de aumento da expectativa de vida na constituição das provisões técnicas pode expor as entidades de previdência a riscos pouco suportáveis no longo prazo. / The evolution of increased life expectancy recorded in recent decades has been a significant achievement for the society and brought new challenges in various areas of human knowledge. Among those, living longer has impacted the technical balance of the pension plans. In the private pension entities, the timely identification of possible deviations from the assumption of mortality to the underlying reality is to ensure the solvency and the maintenance of long-term benefits. Thus, based on Lee-Carter method and approach CMI (Continuous Mortality Investigation Bureau), this study aims to estimate the factors of improvement (reduction factor of mortality) for the population covered by pension plans as well as analyze the impact of incorporating an estimated longer life expectancy on actuarial cash flow into a portfolio of defined benefits. Due to a lack of historical information about mortality tables of Brazil, the matching technique (propensity score) was used to identify the country which is the most similar to Brazil concerning relevant socioeconomic variables, in order to predict the evolution of life expectancy. This technique was applied on 21 OECD sample countries. Socioeconomic variables considered were: Fertility, GDP per capita, annual growth of GDP, Health, Unemployment, Gini, Illiteracy and Schooling. According to test results, Portugal was chosen as the basis for projections of mortality and acquisition of factors of improvement, due to the matching technique and the adherence test performed. Comparing the averages of the cash flows of the AT-2000 with and without improvement and taking into account the scenarios of interest rates of 3%, 4%, 5% and 6% a year, it was observed that not considering the improvement generates an increased actuarial flow between 7.15% and 10.51% for the simulated portfolio. The CMI method provided similar projection, and the impact varied from 7.05% to 10.32%. Even though the methods of improvement are quite different, it is important to emphasize that the results were much the same. One point that deserves concern is the issue of interest rate since, due to the declining trend in the long run more sensitive will be the impact of the projection of longevity risk. Additionally, those results were compared with the table Generational RP-2000 and BRTable SUSEP EMS. Thus, previous results show that not considering the trend of increasing life expectancy in the establishment of technical provisions can expose the private pension entities to a little bearable risk in the long term.

The investigation concerns a 1982 suit brought by Texas novelist Benjamin Capps and his publishers against the author and publisher of an historical novel, Sacajawea, alleging that the book contained approximately 145 instances of copyright infringement. Parallel-column exhibits of passages from the novel by Anna Lee Waldo and from Capps's writings illustrate the evidence submitted in court. The publishing history of the novel, brought out by Avon Books, is related, as well as the story of readers' discoveries of suspicious material and the ultimate litigation. A comparison is made of the original novel and a revised edition published in 1984. Using the Sacajawea case as a reference point, the study considers the state of ethics in the contemporary literary world.

A evolução do aumento da expectativa de vida registrada nas últimas décadas foi uma conquista significativa para a sociedade e trouxe novos desafios em diversas áreas do conhecimento humano. Dentre os impactos do aumento da longevidade, destaca-se sua influência no equilíbrio técnico dos planos previdenciários. Nas entidades de previdência complementar, a identificação oportuna de possíveis desvios da premissa da mortalidade à realidade subjacente visa garantir a solvência e a manutenção dos benefícios de longo prazo. Assim, o presente estudo tem por objetivo estimar os fatores de improvement (fator redutor de mortalidade) para a população coberta por planos privados de aposentadoria, com base no método Lee-Carter e na abordagem CMI (Continuous Mortality Investigation), bem como analisar o impacto da incorporação da estimativa do aumento da expectativa de vida no fluxo de caixa atuarial em uma carteira de benefício definido. Em virtude da carência de informações históricas de tábuas de mortalidade para o Brasil, fez-se uso da técnica de pareamento (propensity score), o qual consiste na identificação do país que mais se assemelha ao Brasil no que se refere às variáveis socioeconômicas relevantes para prever a evolução da expectativa de vida. Essa técnica foi aplicada para uma amostra de 21 países da OCDE. As variáveis socioeconômicas consideradas no estudo foram: Fertilidade, PIB per capita, Crescimento anual do PIB, Saúde, Desemprego, Gini, Analfabetismo e Escolaridade. Diante dos testes efetuados, Portugal foi escolhido para servir de base para as projeções da mortalidade e obtenção dos fatores de improvement, em decorrência da técnica de pareamento e do teste de aderência realizado. Comparando-se as médias dos fluxos de caixa da AT-2000 com e sem improvement e levando-se em consideração os cenários de taxas de juros de 3%, 4%, 5% e 6% ao ano, observou-se que, não considerar o improvement, gera uma elevação do fluxo atuarial entre 7,15% a 10,51% para a carteira simulada. A projeção pelo método CMI forneceu resultado semelhante, sendo que o impacto variou entre 7,05% a 10,32%. Embora os métodos de improvement sejam bem diferentes, é importante destacar que os resultados foram bem semelhantes. Um ponto que merece preocupação é a questão da taxa de juros, pois com a tendência de queda, no longo prazo, maior será a sensibilidade do impacto da projeção do risco de longevidade. Adicionalmente, compararam-se os resultados obtidos com a Tábua Geracional RP-2000 e a Tábua SUSEP BR-EMS. Assim, os resultados anteriores mostram que não considerar a tendência de aumento da expectativa de vida na constituição das provisões técnicas pode expor as entidades de previdência a riscos pouco suportáveis no longo prazo. / The evolution of increased life expectancy recorded in recent decades has been a significant achievement for the society and brought new challenges in various areas of human knowledge. Among those, living longer has impacted the technical balance of the pension plans. In the private pension entities, the timely identification of possible deviations from the assumption of mortality to the underlying reality is to ensure the solvency and the maintenance of long-term benefits. Thus, based on Lee-Carter method and approach CMI (Continuous Mortality Investigation Bureau), this study aims to estimate the factors of improvement (reduction factor of mortality) for the population covered by pension plans as well as analyze the impact of incorporating an estimated longer life expectancy on actuarial cash flow into a portfolio of defined benefits. Due to a lack of historical information about mortality tables of Brazil, the matching technique (propensity score) was used to identify the country which is the most similar to Brazil concerning relevant socioeconomic variables, in order to predict the evolution of life expectancy. This technique was applied on 21 OECD sample countries. Socioeconomic variables considered were: Fertility, GDP per capita, annual growth of GDP, Health, Unemployment, Gini, Illiteracy and Schooling. According to test results, Portugal was chosen as the basis for projections of mortality and acquisition of factors of improvement, due to the matching technique and the adherence test performed. Comparing the averages of the cash flows of the AT-2000 with and without improvement and taking into account the scenarios of interest rates of 3%, 4%, 5% and 6% a year, it was observed that not considering the improvement generates an increased actuarial flow between 7.15% and 10.51% for the simulated portfolio. The CMI method provided similar projection, and the impact varied from 7.05% to 10.32%. Even though the methods of improvement are quite different, it is important to emphasize that the results were much the same. One point that deserves concern is the issue of interest rate since, due to the declining trend in the long run more sensitive will be the impact of the projection of longevity risk. Additionally, those results were compared with the table Generational RP-2000 and BRTable SUSEP EMS. Thus, previous results show that not considering the trend of increasing life expectancy in the establishment of technical provisions can expose the private pension entities to a little bearable risk in the long term.

This bachelor thesis discusses the concept of genre and the comic Gothic. It is an attempt to demonstrate the conflicts rooted in "genre" by discussing several scholars, such as Alistair Fowler and Mattias Fyhr with their works Kinds of Literature and De mörka labyrinterna respectively, and then problematise the "Gothic" as a genre and as a concept. Thus Avril Horner’s and Sue Zlosnik’s work Gothic and the Comic Turn is consulted through the discussion. The questions I ask are the following: What is a literary genre? How is the comic Gothic described by the researchers, and how does comic Gothic work in A. Lee Martinez’ novel Gil’s All Fright Diner (2005)? How can one use these questions in the classroom? The used methods in the thesis are genre analysis and close reading. I conclude that genre is a way to understand the relationship between a literary work and various conventions, such as environment and its contemporaries. Genre is also a tool for the reader to understand the traditions, history and other works the read text is related to. The comic inside the Gothic may appear and is as natural to the genre as horror and terror, since the Gothic is always close to self-parody. This can even be observed in the first Gothic novel, Horace Walpole’s Castle of Otranto (1764). Furthermore, Gil’s All Fright Diner uses both the repertoire of classic Gothic and Horner’s and Zlosnik’s findings of the comic turn in the Gothic. Finally, the question regarding the definition of literary genre can be used in the classroom to widen students’ views on both genre itself and the prose they read. The comic Gothic can be used as an example on how genre can appear in different modes. Gil’s All Fright Diner is a thankful text for classroom readings due to its comic and gothic nature, and its contemporary language, themes and styles can make it relatable to students. There is therefore a potential in the concept of genre and the comic Gothic as subjects of discussion in the classroom.

This research seeks to compare and contrast fictional Appalachian writings by Lee Smith and Mildred Haun to contemporary historical sources in an attempt to trace the development of Appalachian music between the mid-nineteenth century and the late twentieth century. The thesis examines two novels by Lee Smith (The Devil’s Dream and Oral History) and the collection The Hawk’s Done Gone by Mildred Haun, which includes a short novel and several short stories. Contemporary primary sources and scholarly secondary sources were used to compare the fictional works’ depictions of Appalachian music to their historical counterparts. Also included within the thesis is a discussion of Smith and Haun’s personal and research backgrounds and their connections to Appalachian music. Overall, the study found Smith and Haun’s works accurate and based in historical fact, in part due to both writers’ use of historical research and interviews to inform their fiction.

This thesis is an investigation of the emergence of democracy and its localized culture in Taiwan during the Lee Teng-hui era and its legacy, from 1988 to 2004. From a Leninist authoritarian system, Taiwan experienced a peaceful transition to representative democracy. The establishment of the first opposition party, the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), in 1986, and President Chiang Ching-kuo’s tolerance towards it, had signalled the commencement of Taiwan’s democratization. Various political opposition movements existed prior to 1986, especially between 1983 and 1986, indicating a gradual strengthening in the public’s political consciousness. The pivotal event to mark the democratization-localization movement in Taiwan was the emergence of a local Taiwanese, Lee Teng-hui, as President of the Republic of China and Chairman of the ruling party, the Chungkuo Kuomintang (KMT). This occurred when he succeeded Chiang Ching-kuo upon his death in 1988. Local politics henceforth emerged as a major force and KMT factional struggles had begun in earnest. During the democratic transformation that took place in Taiwan in the last quarter of the 20th century, the ruling power of the Waishengren political elite (that is, the Chinese who took over Taiwan in 1945) gradually transferred to local political leaders, and the suppressed issue of building an independent Taiwanese nation became politicized. Furthermore, the KMT itself was undergoing a far-reaching transformation, moving from liberalization, to democratization, to localization or Taiwanization. As a result, the issues of national recognition and the power redistribution of different national groups (from Chinese “Mainlanders” to local Taiwanese) had combined with democratization from the beginning. Democratization was assisted by institution-building through regular elections, an associated critical voice from opposition groups, a solid middle class, and the Taiwanization phenomenon itself. While the experience of colonial rule and an oppressive (rather than reformist) KMT may be said to be in the past, and hence less an impetus for action in the present, yet with the addition of a persistent military threat from People’s Republic of China seeking Taiwan’s “reunification” with the “motherland”, past, present and an anticipated future, combine contextually in the quest for Taiwan’s integrity – and hence the acquisition of an identity that is consciously Taiwanese rather than Chinese by default.

對於人口數不多的國家及地區，因為樣本數較少，死亡率的震盪較大，導致死亡率的估計值較不穩定。為解決此種問題，本研究以其他國家的死亡率資料輔助台灣，建構死亡率模型。首先，以群集分析方式選擇適合輔助台灣的國家，也就是死亡率性質相近之國家，本研究建議以死亡改善率做為主要的考量；其次，以主成分分析的方式分解多個國家死亡率，以負荷做為多個國家的共有係數，分數則是隨著資料和時間改變的變數，在研究結果中，5~6個成分個數即會有不錯的配適和預測效果，以五齡組死亡率配適模型為例，成分個數為6時，男性配適Lee-Carter模型全部國家的平均MAPE為5.40%，主成分分析則為4.13%，下降幅度將近24%，而Lee-Carter模型預測的整體MAPE為14.72%，主成分分析為12.22%，下降幅度約17%，因此主成分分析模型確實有明顯改善Lee-Carter模型。 而和台灣死亡率性質相近的國家，主要選入歐洲國家，像是奧地利、法國、愛爾蘭、挪威和西班牙，除了法國和西班牙人口數分別為六千多萬和四千多萬的國家外，其餘三個國家人口數皆不超過一千萬，這說明人口數多寡或許不是輔助小地區建構死亡率模型的唯一重點，應選取適合的國家作為輔助用途。