There is a widespread conception that myths are false and manipulative which is why man must strive to move away from them. Simultaneously they affect our social lives to a high degree, especially political myths. With a starting point of the science of rhetoric needing to complement its understanding of how social meaning is produced, this essay will attempt to develop a theoretical understanding of how political myths functions and produce social meaning. The questions that guide the investigation are how the concept of myth is understood in other scientific contexts, which functions myth fulfills and in which way the concept of myth can supplement the science of rhetoric. The investigation is based on Roland Barthes’, Kenneth Burke’s and Ernst Cassirer’s perspective on political myth. The study concludes that myth often functions to oversimplify diversity to sustain the prevailing political order or to overthrow it. Furthermore, it shows that myth can be understood as a way for man to express emotion and that these myths can be activated by the utterance of a word or sentence. Based on this notion, I argue that one should view myth as a function rather than a definition. I further claim the importance of understanding that mythical expression cannot be met by ‘rational’ or ‘logical’ arguments. I rather propose that rhetorical myth analysis ought to be combined with theories of language’s ethical dimension to be interpreted in an accurate manner.

Résumé: Introduction : En raison du parcours de la maladie et de son traitement multimodal, les personnes âgées atteintes de cancer sont particulièrement exposées aux problèmes de fragmentation des soins. Les experts au niveau international s’entendent pour dire qu’il est nécessaire de mettre en œuvre une approche oncogériatrique intégrée (AOGI). Cette approche vise à offrir aux personnes âgées atteintes de cancer des soins de qualité. Or, la signification accordée à l’AOGI varie en fonction des disciplines, des acteurs et des contextes. Par ailleurs, la perspective des personnes âgées atteintes de cancer, premières concernées, par cette approche, n’est pas abordée dans les études. Objectif : L’objectif de cette étude est de comprendre la signification de l’approche oncogériatrique intégrée selon la perspective de la personne âgée atteinte de cancer. Méthode : L’étude phénoménologique herméneutique est basée sur la méthode de van Manen (1990) et s’appuie sur le cadre théorique de la théorie de l’Humain en devenir (Parse, 1992). Elle s’est effectuée auprès de 10 personnes âgées de plus de 70 ans, atteintes de divers cancers, avec différents parcours de soins et traitées dans un centre intégré de cancérologie. Les données ont été recueillies lors d’entrevues semi-structurées enregistrées en audio numériques. Les verbatim ont été transcrits. Les analyses qualitatives ont été interprétatives (unités de sens, catégories, thèmes). Résultats : Les résultats présentent la description riche des cinq thèmes essentiels de la signification accordée à l’AOGI: être avec la personne transformée, dans la singularité de l’expérience vécue, pour l’aider à composer avec les paradoxes liés au vieillissement, au cancer et à son traitement afin qu’elle puisse continuer d’être ce qu’elle est. Conclusion : Cette étude pose les balises, fondées sur la perspective des personnes âgées atteintes de cancer pour l’amélioration de la qualité et de l'intégration des soins dans un contexte où l’AOGI est émergente. / Abstract: Introduction: Due to the course of the disease and its multimodal treatment, elderly persons affected with cancer are particularly vulnerable to problems of fragmentation of care. Internationally, experts agree that it is essential to implement an integrated oncogeriatric approach (IOGA). This approach aims to provide quality of care to the elderly to meet the globality of their needs. However, the meaning attributed to IOGA varies between disciplines, stakeholders and contexts. Furthermore, there is limited information in the literature about the perspective of the elderly person affected with cancer, even though they are at the center of this approach. Objective: The objective of this study is to understand the meaning of an integrated oncogeriatric approach from the perspective of the elderly person affected with cancer. Method: The hermeneutic phenomenological study is based on van Manen (1990) and follows the theoretical frame of The human becoming theory (Parse, 1992). It was conducted among 10 elderly persons of 70 years and older, with different types of cancers, with different care pathways, treated at an integrated cancer center. Data was collected using semi-structured interviews and recorded in digital audio. Verbatim were transcribed. The qualitative analyses were interpretative (meaning units, categories, themes). Results: The results provide rich descriptions of the five key themes of the meaning attributed to AOGI: Being with the transformed individual in the singularity of the lived experience in order to help him/her deal with the paradoxes linked to aging, to cancer and its treatment in order for them to continue to be what he/she is. Conclusion: This study, based on the perspective of the elderly person treated for cancer, lays down the guidelines for the improvement of the quality and integration of cares he development of better care in a context where IOGA is emerging.

Thesis (MA (Psychology))--University of Stellenbosch, 2006. / This study had two main objectives: Firstly, to investigate the relationship between existential meaning-in-life and racial prejudice amongst students at Stellenbosch University; secondly to investigate how quantifiable aspects of existential meaning-inlife relate to each other to determine existential meaning-in-life in a clear, quantifiable way. The study was conducted on an ad hoc-sample of 149 students from Stellenbosch University. Relevant existential theories were reviewed in order to extract quantifiable aspects of existential meaning-in-life. The following Scales were used to measure these aspects: The Self-Transcendence Scale of the Temperament and Character Inventory; the Conformity Scale; the Self-Reflectivity subscale of the Self-Consciousness Scale; the Interpersonal Reactivity Index; the Allport-Vernon-Lindzey Study of Values; and the Purpose in Life Test. A principal components analysis revealed that conformity did not relate adequately to the other variables. The following underlying dimensions of existential meaning-in-life emerged: Self-Absolution, Life Appreciation and Existential Self-Transcendence. These dimensions were entered into multiple regression analyses to predict the respective subscales of the Color-Blind Racial Attitudes Scale (COBRAS), which was used to measure racial prejudice. Regression analyses showed Self-Absolution to predict scores on Subscale A of the COBRAS, Life Appreciation predicted scores on Subscale B, and all the dimensions predicted scores on Subscale C. Gender differences in the relationship between predictor variables and outcome variables emerged. It was found that this relationship was considerably weaker in women, if not absent: Only Self-Absolution was found to predict scores on Subscale C, while none of the underlying dimensions could predict scores on any of the other subscales. Gender differences on other variables also emerged, suggesting that the underlying dimensions of existential meaning-in-life may differ between genders. The results of this study, as well as its limitations are discussed, as are recommendations for further study.

The research I present within this thesis is a meaning analysis of contemporary shamanism for practitioners in the north of Norway and Sweden. I have used ethnographic research methods of observation, participation, conversations, interviews, context research and analysis of written texts. My aim has been to research the meaning of the sacred in the lives of contemporary shamanic practitioners, by using a theoretical framework from psychology of religion made by Paloutzian (2005). By using this frame I have focused on practitioners understanding of spiritual beliefs and ultimate concerns. As to view how these come forth in expressions of self-definition, values, goals, purposes and attitudes. My conclusions have been that contemporary shamanism is viewed as a spiritual understanding of the world that is expressing itself differently within cultural practices and geographical spaces. It is a worldview that is connecting people through shared beliefs and understandings. These understandings create strong values on how we should act with eachother, nature and our own self, as we are viewed as belonging to each other in a spiritual perspective. These values come in conflict with social and political structures built on other values and attitudes. Practitioners speak of a call for change in structures, the need of understanding our history and our belonging with eachother and nature for our own wellbeing and our world to survive. As some engage in social activism and other social engagements, others view their goal as to”walk in beauty”(Gaup 2007).

The overall interest of this thesis is to explore aesthetic experience in sport and its significance for learning in sport. The main purpose is to contribute to a theoretical and methodological development of studies relating to learning in sport. The exploration is undertaken within the field of pragmatism using the works of John Dewey and Ludwig Wittgenstein. The exploration consists of four case studies, consisting mainly of narrative analyses of people’s written stories of participating in different sporting activities. A practical epistemology analysis (PEA) with a focus on aesthetic experience is used in three of the studies. The theoretical contribution comprises exploring learning in sport as something that is connected to emotions and perceptions, where other elements of experience, such as the social, cultural, historical, physical and mental aspects, are also important. Examining learning in the light of aesthetic experience contributes to an examination of emotion s and perceptions as integral parts of sport, without reducing learning to only consisting of emotions and perceptions. The results of the study also contribute to the possibility of exploring values in sport-related learning and shed light on the importance of habits (feelings of familiarity) when learning sport. How people ‘bodying’ the world aesthetically as part of their participation in sport has also been shown in one of the studies. The methodological contributions of the thesis consist of the development of PEA to include the examination of written texts. Furthermore, one of the studies includes the development of aesthetic events as a tool for exploring aesthetic experience in sport. Finally, a methodological contribution is made by using PEA to examine sport, since in the past PEA has only been used in studies in science education.

Support groups for suicide loss survivors are a relatively common resource used by those who are left to cope in the aftermath of a suicide death. Though descriptive studies have been used to provide an overview of support groups in the past, there have been no efforts to understand nuances of these groups and the impact of these groups and differing facilitation styles on the bereavement experience for attendees. This study explores primary data collected between March 2015 and December 2015 with a sample of 138 survivor of suicide loss support group facilitators in the United States and several other countries. Meaning making and meaning reconstruction is presented as the primary theory used to examine the attitudes of support group facilitators. Basic analytic procedures were used to explore sample descriptives, and an Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) with an oblique rotation was used to identify the factors within the Survivor of Suicide Loss Support Group Facilitator Scale. Three factors were revealed with a simple structure, representing the latent themes of (1) Facilitator Perspective on the Role of the Story (α=.73), (2) Facilitator Perspective on the Role of the Facilitator (α=.63), and (3) Facilitator Perspective on Role of the Loss Survivor (α.59). Bivariate analyses revealed that factors 1 and 2 both had a significant relationship with length of time the facilitator had been leading the group, facilitator’s level of compassion satisfaction, and facilitator’s level of burnout. The findings of the EFA support the use of the scale as a tool to discern differences in attitudes about the role of meaning making and sharing of stories in the group as well as the role of the facilitator in aiding this process. The findings provide important information for understanding variation in support group facilitation styles and have implications for future exploration of outcomes for group attendees based on facilitator attitude and style. Implications for practice and future research are discussed.

This dissertation offers my personal exploration of the loss of my father through the eyes of multiple selves. Utilizing an arts-inspired autoethnographic narrative case study approach, I detail my journey of meaning making as I explore my personal transitions and self-discovery in the face of my bereavement, while also uncovering the potential for growth and development within my relationship with my dad. Throughout this dissertation, I incorporate a variety of mediums to capture the essence of the experience of my filial bereavement. Through this synthesis of form, it is my goal to invite witnesses to enter my experience, to have the opportunity to explore a different way of knowing by being able to look through the eyes of my multiple experiencing selves and their presentation of emotion, thought, and behaviour. Through blending of genre, this study provides a unique way of exploring a lived experience. It is meant to provide a specific view of a broad topic from multiple angles. Though it is situated within my personal bereavement, a daughter’s loss of her father, and inevitably my story will demonstrate the cultural influence of my Canadian background, it also aims to touch on aspects of the universality of loss, of bereavement, and what it means to be alive.

The aim of this study is to broaden existing theories on self-leadership in response to unprecedented challenges and job demands in the emerging economy of the 21st century. The Austrian marketing sector is used as an illustrative example for gaining a more nuanced conception of leaders’ understanding and enactment of self-leadership within a creative environment. The approximation with grounded theory allowed gauging the gap in scientific research with respect to studying self-leadership within organisational settings, as suggested by other scholars. Perceptions on the current work environment and implications for business dealings and leadership at a broader level are disclosed firstly. The study then approximates the concept of self-leadership, underlining some of the dominant notions thereto, as may also be found in prominent research and proposing a conceptualized model for the multiplex relationship of viewing oneself as a starting point in leading others. Possible elements thereto are subsumed into the rubrics of behavioural, emotional and cognitive strategies, continuous learning, authentic role modelling and critical reflection, all of which allow leaders to transcend to an external meaning and ultimately inspire self-leadership among their followers. In the near aftermath, selfleadership shows a positive influence on work performance of both leader and followers, on developing creative potential and deriving meaning for oneself. The findings shall serve as a source of inspiration for leaders within their intuitive learning journey of selfleadership and encouraging the same among their followers. Furthermore, this research constitutes the base for future studies that attempt to shed more light onto the practical applicability of self-leadership within a business context.

Thesis (MMus (Music))--University of Stellenbosch, 2010. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study concerns the widespread phenomenon that music is perceived as meaningful to the listener in some sense. The study adopts a style of conceptual clarification and investigation that is current in the analytic philosophy of language, and is further informed by recent research into the fundamental biology of human musicality, which suggests that musicality and language are neurologically related. The problem of musical meaning is approached as a problem of communicative behaviour, and is hence conceptually related to the concept of meaningfulness in the various modalities of linguistic communication. ‘Communication’ is defined in terms of the intended consequences of communicative acts – that is, a communicative act is an attempt on the behalf of the utterer to cause some sort of change in the listener’s mental states. From this premise, meaning in both musical and linguistic acts is defined in terms the mental states elicited in the mind of the listener. Two classes of mental state are identified: cognitive states, which are propositional in nature; and affective states, which are essentially nonpropositional. It is proposed that meaning in both music and language (as well as in other communicative acts) can be explained in terms of the elicitation of these classes of mental states in the minds of competent listeners, and that in any linguistic or musical act, a competent listener will entertain a composite of these mental states that will be perceived as meaning. The mechanisms responsible for the elicitation of these states are discussed, and it is concluded that the causal powers of the communicative act, as it is represented in the mind, are responsible for the elicitation of these mental states. Directly causal means are responsible for affective states: there is a relationship of direct causation between relevant features of the communicative act, as represented in the mind, and affective states. Affective states are nonpropositional, in that they cannot be subjected to deductive or propositional operations in the mind. By virtue of their being non-propositional, such states are also considered to be beyond verbal explication (‘ineffable’). Cognitive states, on the other hand, are propositional in nature. The mechanisms by which they are realised are complex in terms of propositional computation: the relevant propositional features of the communicative act, as represented in the mind of the listener, undergo manipulation by mental processes (for instance, the computational system for linguistic syntax). Cognitive states are expressible in propositional terms, and are hence expressible in language. Whereas linguistic communication is efficacious for the elicitation of cognitive states, musical utterances tend to elicit affective states to a far greater degree. Furthermore, whereas the syntax of language aids communication in the facilitation of semantics, the syntactic dimension of music is principally a means of implementing affective states in the listener. Therefore, any explanation of musical meaning must take the syntactical dimension of music into account. It is also argued that there are features of performance common to both language (in its spoken modality) and musical utterances that serve to elicit affective states. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie studie ondersoek die verskynsel dat musiek deur die meeste luisteraars as betekenisvol ervaar word. ’n Styl van konseptuele verduideliking en ondersoek word gebruik wat eie is aan die analitiese filosofie van taal. Terselfdertyd word die jongste navorsing op die gebied van die fundamentele biologie van menslike musikaliteit in aanmerking geneem, wat suggereer dat taal en musikale vermoë neurologies met mekaar verwant is. Die probleem van betekenis in musiek word as ʼn probleem van kommunikatiewe gedrag benader, en is dus konseptueel verbind aan die konsep van betekenisvolheid in die verskeie modaliteite van kommunikasie deur middel van taal. ‘Kommunikasie’ word in terme van die geïntendeerde uitkomste van kommunikatiewe aksies/dade gedefinieer. Met ander woorde, ʼn kommunikatiewe aksie/daad is ʼn poging deur die spreker om uiteindelik ʼn verandering in die geestesgesteldheid (‘mental state’) van die luisteraar teweeg te bring. Op hierdie basis word twee tipes geestesgesteldheid onderskei: ʼn kognitiewe gesteldheid, wat proposisioneel van aard is, en ʼn affektiewe gesteldheid, wat nie-proposisioneel is. Daar word voorgestel dat betekenis in beide musiek en taal, soos ook in ander vorme van kommunikasie, verduidelik kan word as die belewenis van sodanige geestesgesteldhede aan die kant van die bedrewe luisteraar. Dit impliseer dat die betekenis van enige uiting in taal of musiek as ʼn bepaalde kombinasie van hierdie twee geestesgesteldhede deur die bedrewe luisteraar ervaar word. Die meganismes wat hierdie geestesgesteldhede ontlok word bespreek, en die gevolgtrekking word gemaak dat dit die kousale mag van die kommunikatiewe daad is, soos dit in die bewussyn (‘mind’) neerslag vind, wat hierdie twee tipes geestesgesteldheid ontlok. Daar word beweer dat ʼn proses van direkte kousaliteit verantwoordelik is vir ʼn affektiewe gesteldheid: daar is ’n oorsaaklike verhouding tussen die onderskeie kenmerke van die kommunikatiewe daad, soos dit in die bewussyn voorgestel word, en die uiteindelike affektiewe geestesgesteldheid. ʼn Affektiewe geestesgesteldheid is nie-proposisioneel omdat dit nie in terme van deduktiewe of proposisionele prosesse in die bewussyn verstaan kan word nie. Omdat dit nie-proposisioneel is word die kenmerke van hierdie affektiewe geestesgesteldheid as onsegbaar (‘ineffable’) deur die luisteraar beleef. Daarteenoor is ʼn kognitiewe geestesgesteldheid proposisioneel van aard. Die meganismes wat veroorsaak dat hierdie geestesgesteldheid gerealiseer word is kompleks: die onderskeie kenmerke van die kommunikatiewe daad, soos dit in die bewussyn van die luisteraar voorgestel word, ondergaan manipulasie deur denkprosesse wat proposisioneel van aard is (bv., die denkproses wat die sintaktiese dimensie van taal moet verwerk). ʼn Kognitiewe geestesgesteldheid kan in proposisionele terme weergegee en gevolglik in taal verwoord word. Terwyl kommunikasie deur middel van taal effektief is om ʼn kognitiewe geestesgesteldheid te ontlok, is musikale uitdrukking veel eerder geskik om ʼn affektiewe geestesgesteldheid te ontlok. Verder, terwyl die sintaksis van taal bydra tot verwesenliking van semantiese betekenis, dra die sintaktiese dimensie van musiek eerder daartoe by om ʼn affektiewe geestesgesteldheid by die luisteraar te vestig. Dus moet elke verduideliking van musikale betekenis die sintaktiese dimensie van musiek in aanmerking neem. Verder word beweer dat daar algemene kenmerke in sowel taal (in die gesproke modaliteit) as musiek voorkom wat spesifiek ʼn affektiewe geestesgesteldheid tot stand bring.

This thesis takes its point of departure in the political dimension in Environmental and Sustainability Education (ESE). In the research field different views exist – containing both similarities and differences – regarding what is meant by ‘the political’ in the context of educational practice. What do different authors, policymakers, practitioners etc. mean when they refer to ´the political´ within the context of ESE? The ambiguity that characterises the discussions on the political dimension of (environmental and sustainability) education can impede and blur both research and professional reflection. This can create confusion, particularly amongst teachers, and a clarification of ‘the political’ through an investigation of how it appears in educational practice is vital. The thesis contributes with an educational typology and an analytical model of political moments to identify how the political dimension may emerge in different ways in educational practices. As part of these models the thesis also contributes with two theoretical-analytical concepts – educative moment and creativity – to be used to further discuss how education can use the political to explore new values and new behaviours regarding environmental and sustainable concerns. The theoretical frames of the thesis are poststructural and pragmatic theories, foremost by Chantal Mouffe and John Dewey. The thesis is especially built on a pragmatist and anti-essentialist approach, which argues that we socially construct the meaning of right and wrong, and of what works better in our lives in problematic situations. The thesis has four purposes and the results are presented in four studies. The first purpose examines how Environmental Sustainability Education (ESE) research literature conceptualize the political dimension, and how these findings impact the political dimension as educational content in teaching and learning activities in ESE practice. The second purpose examines different situations in which the political can be handled and experienced in environmental and sustainability education practice. This purpose is dealt with in the second study and the result is a didactical typology called the political tendency. The third purpose is to examine the political and politics in teaching and learning activities, both cognitive and emotional, about antagonism, conflicts, inclusion and exclusion. This purpose is dealt with in the third study and the results are illustrated by empirical examples. The fourth purpose examines the idea of creativity in relation to the political dimension, i. e. where new values can emerge or evolve. These purpose is dealt with in study 2, 3 and 4 and the results are presented as two theoretical-analytical concepts: educative moments and creativity concerning the political dimension in ESE. My ambition is that this thesis will contribute to the discussion about how teaching and learning activities that include a political dimension in ESE can use the presented models to identify educational content of the political dimension, and to further understand how individuals create their relation to their social and physical surroundings. Another ambition is to contribute to philosophical and methodological discussions about the relation between the political dimension, meaning making and embodiment within environmental and sustainability education.