Student Number : 0009815Y - PhD thesis - School of Physics - Faculty of Science / Determining the properties of composites and how these relate to those of the components and the microstructure is extremely useful as it enables the understanding of existing materials and the design of new materials with a variety of applications. However, the link between the ac conductivity data and the microstructure and composition of the composite is not a simple one. Simulations of binary composites are presented which show that from relatively simple component properties arise complex composite properties. Accurate identi¯cation of the components of composites, using characteristic frequencies, is demonstrated for simulated and actual experimental data. The Maxwell-Wagner and Brick Layer Models, which are often applied beyond the range of their original derivation, are found to consistently ¯t the data of yttria-stabilized zirconia ceramics measured at various tempera- tures. The results from ¯tting single crystal and polycrystalline sample data indicate that accurate modeling of the properties of the polycrystalline sam- ples requires more theoretical work on the conduction mechanisms in single crystals and the grains of the ceramics. Data from a polyester-resin/silicon system is found to be best ¯tted us- ing the Single Exponent Phenomenological Percolation Equation (SEPPE) with experimentally measured component properties as input. The percola- tion threshold obtained suggests a system where the insulator tends coat the conductor. The results show that, with the actual component properties as input, the SEPPE can be used to qualitatively and semi-quantitatively model and ¯t composite ac conductivity data. Analysis of the ac conductivity of liquid-phase-sintered silicon carbide ce- ramics showed that for this system, the features often observed in the imped- ance spectra are all due to a multi-component grain bondary/binder phase and not the SiC grains. This multi-component grain boundary phase can be ¯tted accurately to the Brick Layer Model, indicating a microstructure where an insulating component coats a more conducting component.

Šiuo darbu siekiama nustatyti, kaip žiniasklaida formuoja šalies įvaizdį. Tam tikslui keliami šie uždaviniai: oNustatyti žiniasklaidos sampratą ir atskleisti, kaip žiniasklaida veikia visuomenę; oIšsiaiškinti, kaip žiniasklaida formuoja viešąją nuomonę; oPaaiškinti nacionalinio įvaizdžio sampratą ir apibrėžti, kas lemia nacionalinio įvaizdžio žiniasklaidoje formavimą; oNustatyti, kaip žiniasklaida formuojama nacionalinį įvaizdį; oTyrimu atskleisti, kaip Didžiosios Britanijos žiniasklaida formuoja Lietuvos įvaizdį. Darbas sudarytas iš trijų dalių: oPirmoje dalyje pateikiamos svarbiausios žiniasklaidos sąvokos, iš kurių išrenkama pagrindinė darbe naudojama sąvoka. Tam, kad būtų suprasta, kokiais kanalais informacija pasiekia auditoriją ir kokius vaidmenis atlieka žiniasklaida pateikdama informaciją supažindinama su pagrindinėmis žiniasklaidos rūšimis ir funkcijomis. Žiniasklaidos teorijomis nustatomas žiniasklaidos ir visuomenės ryšys. Tuo tarpu poveikio teorijomis aiškinama, kaip žiniasklaida veikia visuomenę: kokia informacija auditorijai teikiama ir kaip tai daroma. Išskiriamos tam tikros teorijos, turinčios įtakos įvaizdžio žiniasklaidoje formavimui. oAntroji dalis skirta šalies įvaizdžio sampratos analizei ir žiniasklaidos įtakai nacionalinio įvaizdžio sudarymui nustatyti. Išskiriant tam tikrus veiksnius, aiškinamas informacijos atrankos procesas: kaip ir kokia informacija atrenkama,- ir kas lemia žiniasklaidos pasirinkimą. Framing teorija nustatoma, kaip žiniasklaida... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / The purpose of this paper is to examine how the British press shapes the image of Lithuania. To achieve the result certain questions were raised: how often is Lithuania mentioned in the selected newspapers; what are the major topics/coverage that mention Lithuania; what is the role of Lithuania in those topics; what attitude is being formed towards Lithuania in those topics; what means are used in the image formation. Two major British newspapers The Times and The Guardian were taken for the analysis of the articles. For the research all articles between the period of the 1st January to the 31st December 2008 were used. The methods of content analysis were mostly applied though the comparison of different newspapers was also selected. The paper is divided into two main parts. The first part is used to present the general views on the media, theoretical approach, main research on national image that is formed by the media. The second part reveals the means of how and the reasons why certain sources for the reaseach were selected: the selection of the media, newspapers, articles and periods; defining the variables and formation of the code (coding schemata); gathering of information; data analysis; concluding remarks. The conclusion that was arrived is as follows. Both newspapers presented Lithuania in slightly different ways. The Times had less articles about Lithuania and the country was presented in a quite narrow context (home news) as one of the East European countries... [to full text]

Student Number : 9400560N - MA research report - School of Social Sciences - Faculty of Humanities / This research report critically analyses – through qualitative content analysis – how the Sowetan and the Mail&Guardian newspapers reported the alleged corruption in the arms deal in November 2001. The analysis includes a contextual discussion of factors shaping or influencing media coverage of important political topics in a transition to democracy. Theories of the role of the media in democratic transition inform the analysis of media coverage of the arms deal. ‘Transition’ in the context of this research report is used to refer to the process of South Africa’s ‘conversion’ from an undemocratic apartheid system based on unfair prejudices and practices grounded on class, race and gender to a ‘fair discrimination’ and application of remedial measures (political, social and economic) to correct the imbalances caused by apartheid policies. The research applies liberal pluralism, gatekeeping, public sphere, as well as Marxist-related media theories, including the critical political economy of the media approach and notes that it is not possible for a single approach to offer an absolute analysis of the role of the media in a transition to democracy. In addition, the research employs theories of news, language and society to show how social relations affect language used in news and ultimately affect notions of ‘bias’ and ‘objectivity’. The study observes that complete ‘objectivity’ as an ideal is unattainable, especially when one considers that news making processes are complex and influenced by diverse factors, some of which allow for anticipated processes of selection and inevitably, bias. This applies to the two publications under study. The report observes that through their reportage of alleged corruption in the arms deal during the month of November 2001, these newspapers attempted to open up, create and democratize the space for free inquiry. At the same time, however, it is noted that this space was dominated by certain voices and not representative of all civil society organizations and interests that had a stake in the arms deal. The report concludes that media should be encouraged to promote genuine diversity of voices. Diversity, within such a scheme, should be measured by equal and participatory dialogue from all the voices of all civil society institutions.

À l’orée des années soixante, la performance a cherché à imposer un art de l’action éphémère que n’entraverait aucun type de médiation, qu’il soit symbolique (la distance acteur/spectateur), technique (les médias), ou même linguistique (le langage, les signes). Enjeu de nombreux débats entre les années 1960 et 1990, ces tentatives ont trouvé de multiples formulations théoriques s’appuyant sur les outils du poststructuralisme en particulier, mais aussi sur des cadres de pensée différents, directement hérités du modernisme de Greenberg. On explore ici les étapes et enjeux de ce croisement, jusqu’à la rupture apportée dans les années 1990 et 2000 où les débats théoriques, toujours dirigés par des schémas poststructuralistes, redonnèrent une place centrale aux médiations, tout particulièrement au document. Or, la figure importante de la pratique artistique qu’est devenu le document depuis les années soixante s’avère mettre en question l’ontologie traditionnelle de la performance, orientée sur l’événement, autant que son épistémologie, qui valorise l’expérience directe. La prise en compte des dimensions instrumentales et artistiques du document nous conduit à réviser la poïétique traditionnelle de la performance et les théories de la communication qui lui sont liées, et à repenser par là même l’opposition entre objet et événement qui fonde la définition de la performance. C’est ainsi qu’on interroge le rapport de celle-ci à l’inscription, pour la redéfinir comme un art irréductible à son contexte d’exécution et travaillé en profondeur par la reproduction et la représentation, au travers notamment de l’étude de certaines figures exemplaires, Allan Kaprow, Chris Burden ou Tino Sehgal. / On the edge of the 1960’s, performance looked after imposing an art of ephemeral action that no kind of mediation would impede, be it symbolic (the distance between actor and spectator), technical (the medias), or even linguistical (language, signs). Those attempts led to numerous discussions between the 1960’s and the 1990’s, and have found numerous theoretical formulations using particularly the tools of poststructuralism, but also frames of thought directly inherited from Greenberg modernism. We explore here the stages and issues of this cross-over until the break of the 1990’s and 2000’s where the theoretical debates, always using poststructuralist schemes, gave a central role to mediations, particularly to the document. Documents have become an important figure of artistic practice since the 1960’s and turned out to question the traditional ontology of performance, based on the event, as well as its epistemology that promotes live experience. We try to consider the instrumental and artistic dimensions of the document ; this leads us to revise the traditional poetics of performance and theories of communication that are related to it, and to consider anew the opposition between object and event on which the definition of performance is based. Thus, we question the links between performance and inscription, redefined as an art that is irreducible to its context of execution and worked in depth by reproduction and representation, through the study of certain figureheads : Allan Kaprow, Chris Burden or Tino Sehgal.

Diploma thesis The Relationship between the Computer Game and its Audiovisual Pattern deals with the similarities and differences between the computer games and audiovisual works. The thesis presents some theories reflecting different points of view to the influence and blending of these media forms. Those theories are the base for a suggestion of typology of games and movies adaptations that were made according to a pattern. In each of three suggested categories, there are mentioned some particular examples of computer games that were inspired by movie or series and also examples of movies that were inspired by computer game. The final chapter is a case study which compares the computer game Lost: Via Domus to its audiovisual pattern - series Lost.