This thesis is based on a qualitative research which followed the construction process of a self-sustaining house Earthship that is located in the larger centre of Prague. I am making use of Tim Ingold's approach of ecological anthropology which allows me to track the lines of the material flow and the exchange of materials which take place within the house and during the construction process of the Prague Earthship. Apart from humans there are other actants involved in these construction processes, that is non-human materials and elements of the natural environment which the building is an integral part of and which it is embedded in. With the help of the Ingold's concept of meshwork I interpret the Earthship as a living and dynamic organism, which is connected to its environment and which is through its becoming involved in various social processes. The materiality of the building navigates actions of its builders and residents and directs them to changing their life style and everyday practices towards more sustainable consumption.

Intresset för hållbarhetsfrågor har sedan 1990-talet ökat kraftigt i samhället och genom detta har även hållbarhetsredovisning blivit av allt större betydelse. Detta har påverkat företag, vilka alltmer hamnat under press att ta ansvar för verksamhetens sociala och miljömässiga konsekvenser. Genom hållbarhetsredovisning har företag möjlighet att kommunicera sitt hållbarhetsarbete till sina intressenter. För att säkerställa att hållbarhetsinformationen är tillförlitlig behöver denna granskas. Hållbarhetsredovisning är dock ett område under utveckling och vid bestyrkande av informationen finns många utmaningar, vilka granskaren måste hantera för att skapa komfort genom granskningsprocessen. I studien används begreppet granskare som ett samlingsbegrepp för revisorer, miljörevisorer hållbarhetskonsulter och hållbarhetsspecialister som utför granskning av hållbarhetsredovisning. Syftet är att utforska vilka utmaningar en granskare möter vid granskning av hållbarhetsredovisning samt vad det är som gör denne komfortabel i granskningsarbetet. Studien utgår från komfortteorin och en litteraturöversikt som identifierade tre huvudsakliga utmaningar i form av kvalitativ information, kunskap och kompetens samt tolkningsproblematik. Dessa ställs sedan mot studiens empiri som har samlats in genom nio semistrukturerade intervjuer. Respondenterna är revisorer, miljörevisorer, hållbarhetskonsulter och hållbarhetsspecialister med erfarenhet av att granska hållbarhetsredovisning. Studiens slutsatser är att de huvudsakliga utmaningarna granskaren möter vid granskning av hållbarhetsredovisning är kvalitativ information och tolkningsproblematik. Angående utmaningen om kunskap och kompetens fanns det åsiktsskillnader om utmaningens storlek och resultatet indikerar att den drivande faktorn för dessa skillnader är huruvida respondenten i fråga har en utbildningsbakgrund inom hållbarhet eller ekonomi. Vidare är studiens slutsats att komfort uppnås genom att granskaren samlar in bevis för att styrka hållbarhetsinformationen och på detta vis blir trygg i granskningen, vilken således är färdig när granskaren är komfortabel. / Interest in sustainability issues has increased vastly in society since the 1990s, and through this, sustainability reporting has also become increasingly important. This has affected companies, which are under increased pressure to take responsibility for the social and environmental consequences of their business. Through sustainability accounting, companies have the opportunity to communicate their sustainability work to their stakeholders. To ensure that the sustainability information is reliable, assurance is needed. However, sustainability accounting is an area under development where there are several challenges in assurance engagements, which reviewer must handle in order to create comfort through the assurance processes. In this study the word reviewer is used as a collective name for auditors, sustainability auditors, sustainability consultants and sustainability specialists who performs sustainability accounting assurance. The purpose of this study is to explore what challenges the reviewers face in sustainability accounting assurance, as well as how the reviewer produces comfort in the assurance process. The study is based on the comfort theory and a literature review that identifies three main challenges in the form of qualitative information, knowledge and competence as well as interpretation issues. These are compared to the empirical data of the study, collected through nine semi-structured interviews. The respondents are auditors, environmental auditors, sustainability consultants and sustainability specialists with experience in sustainability accounting assurance. The conclusions of the study are that the main challenges the reviewer faces in sustainability accounting assurance are qualitative information and interpretation issues. Regarding the challenge of knowledge and competence, there were differences of opinion about the extent of this challenge and it is indicated by the results that the driving factor for these differences of opinions is whether the respondents in question have an educational background in sustainability or economics. Furthermore the conclusions of the study shows that comfort is achieved through obtaining audit evidence which confirms the sustainability information and makes the reviewer secure. Thus the assurance is complete when the reviewer is comfortable.

This study set out to explore the strategising practices of middle managers and thereby expand the body of knowledge in terms of middle management practices in strategising in general, and makes an original contribution at the frontiers of middle management practices in a university context in South Africa. Although some research has been done on middle managers and strategy, a knowledge gap still exists, especially regarding strategising in emerging economies, such as South Africa. More specifically, the actions of middle managers at universities are open for exploration. Universities are increasingly exposed to new challenges in a competitive environment due to declining state funding, changing student demographics, new technological developments and increased market pressures. The sustainability of universities is also threatened by changes inside the universities, such as the drive for corporatisation and a changing internal focus. The way universities respond to and pre-empt dealing with these challenges will influence the sustainability and competitiveness of the university and subsequently the nations it serves. However, very little is known about the university managers who are powerful in terms of the administrative systems and decision processes. In order to understand strategy work viii and to know what enables or constrains it, it is necessary to look at middle managers at universities. This research puts forward three main arguments: firstly, strategy is dispersed throughout the entire organisation and includes middle managers’ strategising activities. Secondly, a need exists for practically relevant research founded in the organisational realities. Thirdly, universities present a relevant context within which to study strategising practices. An exploratory qualitative case study was followed to answer the research questions. Findings indicate that university middle managers, who operate within a machine bureaucracy, create systems within systems in order to cope with the organisational demands. Middle managers are mostly responsible for strategy implementation and the support role of university managers is prominent. Findings also indicate that the strategy loses its meaning and in an environment where the strategy textual artefacts and talk are abundant. In such an environment compliance takes precedence over buy-in. Finally, this study identified the enablers of and constraints on the strategy work of university middle managers. This research confirmed that strategy and strategising are human actions and confirmed that knowledge of what people do in relation to the strategies of organisations is required. / Economics / D. Com. (Business Management)

Företag och människor i dess omgivning ser utsläpp som genereras av företag som tillhörande deras verksamhet i allt större utsträckning. Det finns dock ingen självklar metod för att mäta utsläpp och det kan vara svårt att få in i det i de ekonomiska kalkylerna. Företag kan utföra väsentlighetsbedömningar på den interna verksamheten för att avgöra hur de ska bedriva sin verksamhet kopplat till miljöfrågor, vilket kan utmynna i miljöstrategier, vilket leder dem mot en cirkulär ekonomi. Att tillämpa standardkostnader för att prissätta koldioxidutsläpp är relativt outforskat. En intressant fråga som har beaktats är huruvida företag kan skapa koldioxidstandarder och tillämpa dem inom företaget via styrningsmetoder, eller om de använder sig av andra metoder för att styra mängden utsläpp som de genererar. Syfte: Studiens syfte är att undersöka hur företag utifrån väsentlighetsbedömningar skapar metoder för att minska koldioxidutsläpp och närma sig det som kallas cirkulär ekonomi. Metod: För att besvara syftet har två forskningsfrågor formulerats baserat på studiens teoretiska bakgrund. En kvalitativ ansats i form av explorativa intervjuer har genomförts för att söka svar på forskningsfrågorna. Detta gjordes genom sex intervjuer, där ett tiotal företag kontaktades. Av dessa var det sex företag som medverkade. Slutsats: Studien visar att standardkostnader för koldioxidutsläpp är en möjlig väg för företag att gå för att prissätta utsläpp. Svårigheter med vilken prisnivå standarden ska ligga på har dock identifierats. Vidare har studien givit förslag om olika metoder som företag kan applicera standarden i och alternativa metoder som inte berör standarder men som verkar för att minska utsläpp. Slutligen urskiljs väsentlighetsprincipen som en viktig del bakom företags utformande av miljöstrategier. Studiens bidrag: Studien har bidragit till att visa att väsentlighetsbedömningar utmynnar i strategier som berör hela företag, där aktiva val görs för att integrera miljö i finansiella styrmetoder. Detta pekar mot att ett cirkulärt tankesätt genomsyrar hela verksamheter och att miljöstrategier inte ses som en separat del av företag utan integreras i de traditionella styrningsmetoderna. / Companies and people surrounding them are increasingly seeing emissions generated by companies as a part of their operations. However, there is no obvious method for measuring emissions and it can be difficult to implement it into economic calculations. Companies can perform materiality assessments of the internal operations to assess how they should conduct their operations linked to sustainability issues, which can result in climate strategies, which leads them towards a circular economy. Applying standard costs to price carbon emissions is relatively unexplored. An interesting question that has been considered is whether companies can create carbon standards and apply it within the company through management methods, or whether they use other methods to control the amount of emission generated. Aim: The purpose of the study is to investigate how companies, based on the materiality assessment, create methods for reducing carbon emissions and approaching what is known as the circular economy. Method: To answer the purpose, two research questions have been formulated based on the study's theoretical background. A qualitative approach in the form of exploratory interviews has been carried out to seek answers to the research questions. This was done through six interviews, where about ten companies were contacted. Of these, six companies participated. Conclusion: The study shows that standard costs for carbon emissions are a possible way for companies to price their emissions. Difficulties with which price level the standard should be at have been identified. Furthermore, the study has given suggestions on different methods that companies can apply the standard in. Alternative methods that do not affect standards but that work to reduce emissions has been suggested. Finally, the principle of materiality is distinguished as an important part behind companies’ design of environmental strategies. Study contribution: The study has helped to show that materiality assessments result in strategies that affect entire companies, where active choices are made to integrate the environment into financial management methods. This shows that a circular way of thinking permeates entire operations and that environmental strategies are not seen as a separate part of companies but are integrated into the traditional management methods.

The monumental sculpture, especially the pulpits, of the father and son duo, Nicola and Giovanni Pisano, have often been compared to ancient Roman and early Christian sarcophagi. Giovanni produced a pulpit with two accompanying lecterns for the Pisa Cathedral, which is just a few steps away from the Camposanto, a “holy field”, or cemetery, built around sacred soil from Golgotha which serves to house a huge collection of sarcophagi. Iconography, composition, relief style, and even the materiality of Giovanni’s Pisa pulpit is in part governed by, and connected to, these sarcophagi. This influence is especially highlighted by the Epistles lectern, which depicts a half-length Christ as the Man of Sorrows encircled about and raised aloft by two angels. This unusual depiction of the Man of Sorrows seems to be appropriating a long tradition of the imago clipeata, or visual apotheosis. Giovanni borrows this classical imagery and updates it to reflect contemporary Christianity. The presence of the classical clipeata on the lectern underlines the two natures of Christ, which is a main characteristic of the iconography of the Man of Sorrows. The lectern’s clipeata and the reference to sarcophagi establishes a connection to ritual, but in this case Christian ritual, namely the sermon and the Eucharist. The imagery embodies an affective focus on the love and humanity of Christ as the crux of salvation, a characteristic of thirteenth- and fourteenth-century preaching. The drapery and textile, which act as the frame of the clipeata on the lectern, allude to the tramezzo, or choir screen, and liturgical cloths found at the high altar—both are liturgical accessories that aid the viewer during the consecration of the Eucharist. Giovanni Pisano adopts this antique imagery and recontextualizes it in an early-fourteenth century Christian setting as it becomes a creative commentary on the liturgy, devotion, and significance of place at the cathedral of Pisa.

The monumental sculpture, especially the pulpits, of the father and son duo, Nicola and Giovanni Pisano, have often been compared to ancient Roman and early Christian sarcophagi. Giovanni produced a pulpit with two accompanying lecterns for the Pisa Cathedral, which is just a few steps away from the Camposanto, a "holy field", or cemetery, built around sacred soil from Golgotha which serves to house a huge collection of sarcophagi. Iconography, composition, relief style, and even the materiality of Giovanni's Pisa pulpit is in part governed by, and connected to, these sarcophagi. This influence is especially highlighted by the Epistles lectern, which depicts a half-length Christ as the Man of Sorrows encircled about and raised aloft by two angels. This unusual depiction of the Man of Sorrows seems to be appropriating a long tradition of the imago clipeata, or visual apotheosis. Giovanni borrows this classical imagery and updates it to reflect contemporary Christianity. The presence of the classical clipeata on the lectern underlines the two natures of Christ, which is a main characteristic of the iconography of the Man of Sorrows. The lectern's clipeata and the reference to sarcophagi establishes a connection to ritual, but in this case Christian ritual, namely the sermon and the Eucharist. The imagery embodies an affective focus on the love and humanity of Christ as the crux of salvation, a characteristic of thirteenth- and fourteenth-century preaching. The drapery and textile, which act as the frame of the clipeata on the lectern, allude to the tramezzo, or choir screen, and liturgical cloths found at the high altar--both are liturgical accessories that aid the viewer during the consecration of the Eucharist. Giovanni Pisano adopts this antique imagery and recontextualizes it in an early-fourteenth century Christian setting as it becomes a creative commentary on the liturgy, devotion, and significance of place at the cathedral of Pisa.

Ce mémoire de recherche-création propose une recherche pratique et théorique dans le domaine du cinéma expérimental. Les notions d’autoexposition de performance et de matérialité y seront discutées à travers le prisme de l’appartenance en vue de proposer une approche autoethnographique du médium cinématographique. La position d’artiste-étudiant-immigrant que j’assume vient réfléchir ces concepts à travers une pratique autopoïétique. La première partie du mémoire se penche sur ma nécessité d’immigrer. En prenant exemple sur mes congénères marocains, comme Ahmed Bouanani, j’explique pourquoi rester au Maroc risque de mettre ma pratique en péril. La deuxième partie vise à décortiquer un enchevêtrement cinématographique en remontant le temps de ma pratique par l’entremise des outils cinématographiques qui ont façonné mon regard. Ainsi, je commence à dessiner une voix artistique. La troisième partie explique le processus par lequel mon corps d’artiste et l’appareillage cinématographique que j’emploie se couplent dans une sorte de va-et-vient théorico-pratique pour performer et s’exposer. La quatrième partie est l’explication d’une étape importante du processus de recherche-création, qui est la prise de conscience s’exprimant par la concrétisation du processus autopoïétique, soit par l’exécution, sur la place publique, de ma démarche : montrer comment je montre. Enfin, le mémoire se termine par la proposition du protocole de ma création, Translation cinématographique. / This works of research-creation offers practical and theoretical research in the field of experimental cinema. The ntions of self-exposure, performance and materiality will be discussed through the prism of belonging in order to make an autoethnographic approach to the cinematographic medium. The position of artist-student-immigrant that I assume reflects these concepts through an autopoietic practice. The first part of the thesis looks at my need to immigrate. By taking an example from my Moroccan counterparts, such as Ahmed Bouanani, I explain why staying in Morocco risks jeopardizing my practice. The second part aims to dissect a cinematographic entanglement by going back in time to my practice through the cinematographic tools that have shaped my gaze. So, I start to draw an artistic voice. The third part explains the process by which my body as an artist and the cinematographic equipment that I use are coupled in a kind of theoretical-practical back and forth to perform and exhibit. The fourth part is the explanation of an important stage of the research-creation process, which is the awareness expressed by the concretization of the autopoietic process, or by the execution, in the public place, of my approach: showing how I show. Finally, the thesis ends with the proposal of the protocol of my creation, Cinematographic Translation.

This thesis investigates three contemporary Canadian texts— Ruth Ozeki’s A Tale for the Time Being, Margaret Atwood’s Oryx and Crake, and Rita Wong’s forage—that treat information as an object that can be wasted and recuperated. Using information theory and a new sub-field of critical waste theory called “Discard Studies,” I explore how the authors studied in this thesis place these two lines of thought alongside one another to examine how the concept of recycling information challenges the material, cultural, and ideological structures that distance humans from their waste. Specifically, I read the event of recycling as an interruptive act that triggers a reassessment of the (im)material connections that tether humans to their waste, vast (inter)national networks of exchange, and environmental crises related to our garbage.

The artist discusses her Master of Fine Arts exhibition, Echoes of Home, held at the Tipton Gallery in Johnson City, Tennessee on display March 15 through April 8, 2022. The author provides insight into concepts and influences relating to the creation of the exhibition with perspective on her intimate connection with place and memory. The exhibit features five installations addressing home, elusive memory, and the change and continuity of cultural traditions over time. The works consist of a series of large-scale wild clay vessels, gestural clay bookends, a wall installation of cups with a line drawing, suspended porcelain slabs, and video projection of clay materials “being breathed”. All works explore how the passage of time and the elusiveness of memory affect psychological connection to place. This exhibit is the culmination of iterative exploration of materiality inspired by exchange among the artist, the landscape, and Appalachian culture.

Images of the Mater dolorosa, the weeping Mother of God mourning over her dead son, are plentiful art of Northern Europe during the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries and often foreground the shedding of effluvia—blood, sweat, and tears—in their depictions of the holy pair. This paper explores the visual themes of tears, blood, eyes, and wounds as vital actors in images that require close, meditative, and affective looking and engagement. Such image formats include small-scale pairings of the Man of Sorrows and Mater dolorosa as well as books of hours. In these contexts, the holy fluids and their bodily sources expand the images' narratives and allow for greater exegesis of their devotional prompts. This phenomenon of expansion via effluvia occurs throughout Flemish devotional culture of this period; this paper uses Albrecht Bouts's diptych panels of the Mater dolorosa and Man of Sorrows, produced between 1490 and 1525, as the chief case study to encapsulate and ground those ideas while still acknowledging that they also apply beyond this image. Considering the widespread commonalities between blood and tears in visual and textual representations of the early modern Flemish devotional culture and the visual similarities between weeping eyes and bleeding wounds, this paper argues that Mary's eyes act as the external manifestations of her internal wounds and become locus of her Compassion for Christ. Furthermore, pictorial blood and tears function as metonymic devices that, like the Man of Sorrows type, invoke the entirety of the Passion and Compassion. The multivalent functions of the blood and tears in Bouts's diptych expand it beyond just a representation of Mary and her son and allow it to become a window and mirror into which viewers could look to engage in penance and communion with Mary and Christ.