[pt] Essa tese buscou identificar os sentidos construídos (sensemaking) por intermédio das narrativas (storytelling) dos fundadores, voluntários e funcionários de organizações do Terceiro Setor em relação à identidade dessas instituições. Para esse fim, foram feitas uma análise temática e uma análise das narrativas colhidas em três organizações de Petrópolis, na região serrana do Rio de Janeiro. Foram entrevistados os fundadores, voluntários e funcionários que atuam nessas instituições, identificando-se quatro sentidos que preservam e fortalecem as lógicas institucionais, as quais se manifestam nas práticas, suposições, crenças e valores embutidos nessas organizações, moldando seu propósito organizacional e informando seus atores sobre as ações esperadas, comportamentos e objetivos a serem alcançados. Os quatro sentidos estão relacionados à formalização e sustentabilidade dessas instituições, ao mesmo tempo em que se ligam à cidadania e aos aspectos divinos que dão significado à atuação das pessoas pela causa que defendem. A pesquisa identificou as diversas histórias que circulam por essas organizações, analisando seus enredos, formatos e recursos retóricos para demonstrar como suas narrativas funcionam para motivar os atores das organizações do Terceiro Setor a continuarem, em conjunto, atuando pela causa em que estão engajados. / [en] This thesis sought to identify the meanings constructed (sensemaking) through the narratives (storytelling) of founders, volunteers and employees of NonProfit Organizations in relation to the identity of these institutions. To this end, a thematic analysis and a narrative analysis collected from three organizations in Petrópolis, in the mountainous region of Rio de Janeiro, were carried out. The founders, volunteers and employees who work in these institutions were interviewed, identifying four meanings that preserve and strengthen institutional logics, which are manifested in the practices, assumptions, beliefs and values embedded in these organizations, shaping their organizational purpose and informing their actors about the expected actions, behaviors and objectives to be achieved. The four senses are related to the formalization and sustainability of these institutions, at the same time as they are linked to citizenship and the divine aspects that give meaning to people s actions for the cause they defend. The research identified the different stories that circulate through these organizations, analyzing their plots, formats and rhetorical resources to demonstrate how their narratives work to motivate actors in Non-Profit Organizations to continue, together, acting for the cause in which they are engaged.

Denna uppsats utforskar förändringar i styrning och ledning inom svensk offentlig förvaltning, med särskilt fokus på ansvarsprincipen i kontexten kring krishantering. Genom en narrativ analys av Myndigheten för samhällsskydd och beredskaps policydokument undersöks hur ansvarsprincipen har formulerats och utvecklats under perioden 2014 till 2024. Resultaten visar att ansvarsprincipen har genomgått betydande förändringar. Före Covid-19-pandemin präglades den svenska förvaltningen av decentralisering och ett starkt fokus på kommunalt självstyre. Pandemin blottade dock allvarliga brister i denna modell, såsom fragmentering, bristande samordning och otydlig ansvarsfördelning. Studien identifierar att under pandemin och andra kriser har det funnits en ökad betoning på samverkan och tydligare ansvarsfördelning. MSB:s roll som samordnande myndighet har blivit alltmer central, med ett starkare fokus på att bygga resiliens och effektiv krisberedskap. Trots detta kvarstår utmaningar, särskilt när det gäller att implementera en mer integrerad och adaptiv styrningsmodell som kan hantera framtida kriser effektivt. Slutsatsen är att en effektiv krishantering inom svensk offentlig förvaltning kräver en balanserad integration av både centraliserade och decentraliserade styrningsmodeller. En sådan balanserad modell innebär en tydlig ansvarstagande nationell strategi, där både formella strukturer och institutioner samt bredare processer för styrning inkluderas. Detta gör det möjligt att bättre hantera komplexa och varierande kriser genom att utnyttja fördelarna med både samordning och flexibilitet. Trots att samhällsfrågor har blivit alltmer komplexa och kräver ökad expertis, kvarstår statens roll som central. Detta innebär att en blandad modell av styrning är nödvändig för att möta samtidens utmaningar effektivt genom att säkerställa en omfattande och inkluderande styrning. / This thesis explores changes in governance and management within Swedish public administration, with a particular focus on the principle of responsibility in the context of crisis management. Through a narrative analysis of the Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency's (MSB)policy documents, the formulation and evolution of the responsibility principle from 2014 to 2024 are examined. The results show that the responsibility principle has undergone significant changes. Prior to the Covid-19 pandemic, Swedish administration was characterized by decentralization and a strong focus on municipal self-governance. However, the pandemic exposed serious flaws in this model, such as fragmentation, lack of coordination, and unclear allocation of responsibilities. The study identifies that during the pandemic and other crises, there has been an increased emphasis on collaboration and clearer allocation of responsibilities. MSB's role as a coordinating authority has become increasingly central, with a stronger focus on building resilience and effective crisis preparedness. Despite this, challenges remain, particularly in implementing a more integrated and adaptive governance model capable of effectively managing future crises. The conclusion is that effective crisis management within Swedish public administration requires a balanced integration of both centralized and decentralized governance models. Such a balanced model entails a clear, responsible national strategy that includes both formal structures and institutions as well as broader governance processes. This approach enables better handling of complex and varied crises by leveraging the advantages of both coordination and flexibility. Although societal issues have become increasingly complex and require greater expertise, the state's role remains central. This implies that a mixed model of governance is necessary to effectively address contemporary challenges by ensuring comprehensive and inclusive governance.

This essay handles municipal cultural planning practices in suburban areas and compares Sollentuna and Huddinge municipality in the Stockholm Region. Citizens' accessibility to culture serves as an important catalyst in regional growth strategies. Sollentuna and Huddinge municipality are two municipalities within the region of Stockholm, yet are not integrated with the City of Stockholms cultural core. In this essay I aim to analyze disparities in how these municipalities conceive, manage, and implement cultural policies.  This research focuses on the often-overlooked domain of 'general culture' (allmänkultur) which is entirely voluntary for municipalities to administer and is thus driven solely by local policies. Through the lens of intermediary cultural actors involved in municipal planning, the study investigates prevalent narratives shaping cultural practices and collaborations with local community groups. Furthermore, narratives articulated by planners and cultural actors can uncover the challenges and aspirations unique to each municipality. The study underscores the importance of understanding local contexts and dynamics in shaping cultural planning practices, challenging conventional urban-rural dichotomies in land-use management. Key findings reveal differing approaches in cultural planning between Huddinge and Sollentuna municipalities, despite sharing similar overarching goals. While both municipalities prioritize accessibility and support for local cultural activities, their strategies differ. Huddinge emphasizes governance strategies and collaborative partnerships with community organizations, whereas Sollentuna focuses on placemaking initiatives and fostering a cultural cluster with cross-boundary appeal.  In conclusion, this research advocates for a nuanced understanding of municipal cultural planning, emphasizing qualitative assessments over quantitative metrics to capture the social impact and significance of cultural investments. By examining suburban municipalities, the study contributes to expanding perspectives on Swedish municipal cultural planning, highlighting the role of intermediary cultural actors in shaping local cultural policy.

[pt] Motivada pelo processo crítico-reflexivo do fazer pedagógico, nesta pesquisa, tenho como objetivo construir entendimentos sobre as reflexões, afetos e crenças sócio-construídos por mim e mais duas professoras em relação aos materiais didáticos de ensino-aprendizagem de língua inglesa, destinados a crianças e adotados compulsoriamente em nossos contextos de atuação. Proponho-me, assim, a analisar a construção discursiva das emoções e crenças docentes em nossas falas, a fim de compreender quais são as implicações da imposição destes materiais didáticos. Para tal, recorro aos pressupostos teóricos do campo da Linguística Aplicada Contemporânea/Crítica, Transdisciplinar/Indisciplinar, em interface com a Prática Exploratória e a perspectiva pedagógica freireana. Os estudos de Narrativas contribuem para a investigação das experiências profissionais, a partir de perspectivas interacionais e socioconstrucionistas. Assim, orientada pelo paradigma de pesquisa qualitativo-interpretativista, realizamos uma conversa exploratória na qual compartilhamos experiências sobre o uso de livros didáticos em nossos contextos profissionais, a saber: escolas pública e privada, e cursos livres de idiomas. Além disso, esta pesquisa se alinha aos estudos sobre Emoções e Crenças Docentes, com o intuito de investigar como nós interpretamos tais experiências, isto é, sócio-construímos avaliações. Este estudo oportunizou uma reflexão crítica acerca da obrigatoriedade de materiais didáticos e das implicações desta imposição na nossa prática pedagógica, colaborando para a qualidade da vida em sala de aula, a partir da ressignificação desta prática. Os resultados indicam que nossa conversa possibilitou: (i) investigarmos quais crenças, relacionadas ao uso do livro didático, emergiram em nossa interação e suas contribuições para a nossa visão de ensino-aprendizagem, bem como (ii) compartilharmos (des)alinhamentos e relações de poder que permeiam esta adoção compulsória, ilustrando emoções de insatisfação, desânimo, frustração, dentre outras. / [en] Motivated by a critical-reflexive pedagogical process, this research aims to develop understandings about the reflections, emotions and beliefs socially constructed by me and two other teachers in relation to English teaching materials to young learners, compulsorily adopted in our working contexts. Considering our conversation, I propose the analysis of the discursive construction of emotions and teaching beliefs with the intention to understand the implications of the materials imposition. In order to do this, the theoretical concepts of Critical Applied Linguistics are adopted, in an interface with Exploratory Practice and Freire s pedagogical perspective. Narrative studies contribute to the investigation of professional experiences, from interactional and social-constructionist perspectives. Thus, guided by the qualitative-interpretative research paradigm, we held an exploratory conversation in which we shared experiences about the use of textbooks in our professional contexts, namely: public and private schools, and language courses. In addition, this research is aligned with studies on Emotions and Teaching Beliefs, intending to investigate how we interpret such experiences, in other words, how we socially construct evaluations. This study contributed to a critical reflection on the mandatory use of teaching materials and the implications of their imposition on our pedagogical practice, contributing to the quality of life in the classroom by re-signifying this practice. The results indicate that our conversation enabled us to: (i) investigate which beliefs, related to the use of textbooks, emerged in our interaction as well as their contributions to our understanding of teaching-learning process, and (ii) share (dis)alignments and power relations that permeate this compulsory adoption, illustrating emotions of dissatisfaction, discouragement, frustration, among others.

[pt] Em suas operações, companhias abertas devem se comunicar com seus investidores e toda a comunidade financeira. Para isso devem articular estrategicamente suas narrativas de modo que atendam conjuntamente às necessidades de divulgação da empresa e necessidades de informação do mercado, de maneira simétrica. Para uma empresa estatal e de combustível fóssil, em virtude das características inerentes à sua composição societária e ao segmento onde atua, os desafios de comunicação podem se mostrar ainda maiores. O objetivo do presente trabalho é analisar as comunicações oficiais da área de Relações com Investidores da Petrobras para compreender: (1) Quais principais temas emergem das narrativas e (2) Como os temas são articulados e aplicados narrativamente para viabilizar o sensemaking estratégico para seus investidores. A pesquisa foi qualitativa com paradigma intepretativista. O design de pesquisa utilizado foi o Estudo de Caso. A unidade de análise foi o departamento de relações com investidores da empresa estudada. O corpus de pesquisa compreendeu material público de 2012 até 2022, disponível no site de relações com investidores da empresa. Os dados utilizados são dados públicos e provenientes de fontes documentais. Os dados coletados foram analisados pelo método de análise de narrativa temática de Riessman (2008) e a operacionalização da análise temática foi elaborada conforme metodologia proposta por Braun e Clarke (2021). Foram identificados e mapeados nove eixos temáticos presentes na comunicação da Petrobras com seus investidores: Petrobras Protagonista, Petrobras Competitiva, Petrobras Responsável, Petrobras Realizadora, Petrobras – Fatores fora de Controle, Petrobras Brasil, Petrobras Confiante, Petrobras Resiliente e Nova Petrobras. / [en] In their operations, publicly traded companies must communicate with their investors and the entire financial community. To do this, they must strategically articulate their narratives in such a way that they jointly meet the company s disclosure needs and the market s information needs, in a symmetrical manner. For a state-owned fossil fuel company, due to the inherent characteristics of its corporate composition and the segment in which it operates, the communication challenges can be even greater. The aim of this study is to analyze the official communications of Petrobras Investor Relations department in order to understand: (1) which main themes emerge from the narratives and (2) how the themes are articulated and applied narratively to enable strategic sensemaking for its investors. The research was qualitative with an interpretivist paradigm. The research design used was a case study. The unit of analysis was the investor relations department of the company studied. The research corpus comprised public material from 2012 to 2022, available on the company s investor relations website. The data used is public data and comes from documentary sources. The data collected was analyzed using Riessman s (2008) thematic narrative analysis method and the operationalization of the thematic analysis was carried out according to the methodology proposed by Braun and Clarke (2021). Nine thematic axes present in Petrobras communication with its investors were identified and mapped: Petrobras Protagonist, Petrobras Competitive, Petrobras Responsible, Petrobras Achiever, Petrobras - Factors Out of Control, Petrobras Brazil, Petrobras Confident, Petrobras Resilient and New Petrobras.

This study explores how gay Christian men in the pentecostal/charismatic movement reinterpret their spirituality as a reaction to the discourse about homosexuality in this movement. The spiritual experience of gay men is contextualized within the particular emphasis on individual experience found in pentecostal/charismatic spirituality. Practical theological research is conducted within a postmodern discourse set in context of a Participatory Action Research project. A narrative therapeutical approach served to identify harmful discourses and encourage the continuing deconstruction of such discourses. The extent to which power/knowledge relationships affect gay Christians' spiritual relationships became apparent. Conflict between the church's discourse about homosexuality and the gay Christian appears to start a process of deconstruction of fundamentalist pentecostal/charismatic hermeneutical approaches to the Bible. The research process facilitated a process of reconstruction of gay spirituality and created opportunities for spiritual and social growth. This research may inspire gay Christian voices in pentecostal/charismatic circles to become heard. / Practical Theology / M.Th.

The research on "The healing touch of Nature in the context of pastoral therapy" illustrated the role of Nature in bringing healing to individual people in an urban context in South Africa. The role Nature plays in connecting the participants with God and how this positively affects their daily lives, has been central in the research. Through their interaction with Nature, the participants lead richer, more meaningful lives and experience a greater sense of well-being. Nature stimulates and elicits response as the digital world is set against the calm energy and "warmth of the earth". Through connection with God in Nature, the participants translate the healing metaphor into more tangible "language" – the "beautifying effect" of Nature. It is not the words that captivate, but the thoughts which the words carry. Mostly the research tells the story of the experiential knowledge of living in the intimate presence of God and the healing power of God‘s presence. This narrative is about a kind of knowing that can only come through Nature. The research offers a way of seeing Nature that could influence pastoral care today. / Practical Theology / M. Th. (Practical Theology with specialisation in Pastoral Therapy)

Thesis (DPhil (Psychology))—University of Stellenbosch, 2006. / This study has two purposes which are complementary: Firstly, an alternative prevention intervention was developed in order to introduce narrative group therapy as a therapeutical practice within preventative interventions in South Africa. Secondly, a training protocol was developed which can be used to train psychologists, counsellors, social workers, teachers and relevant persons to apply narrative group therapy as an alternative preventative intervention in their communities. In the context of this study, the personal stories of the adolescents who took part in this study reflect the problem stories of the Jamestown and Cloetesville community near Stellenbosch. After identifying 20 adolescents who experience problem stories with high-risk themes at two secondary schools in the respective communities, ten narrative group sessions were held, with social constructionism as philosophical approach. The training protocol was primarily of an experiential nature, consisting of 40 hours of training and 12 hours of supervision, with special focus on the personal stories of the four master’s degree psychology students who underwent training and facilitated the group therapy with the adolescents. For the purpose of this study qualitative research was done. During the development of the alternative preventative intervention, a qualitative description was given of the content of the personal stories of the adolescents within the interactional space of narrative group therapy and personal stories. The focus during this qualitative description was the following: • to establish whether the therapeutic process facilitated change, • to develop a new understanding of the therapeutic process by specifically focusing on applying narrative therapy in a group, and • to train and empower narrative-group-therapy facilitators to facilitate the narrative- group-therapy process. In this study two narrative-analytical research methods were used. Firstly, a qualitative narrative-analysis method was used to evaluate the psychotherapeutical transcripts. A part of these sessions was dedicated to this purpose and is presented in transcribed format. Secondly, the content-analysis method was applied: session data was examined, categories of the adolescents’ and students’ narratives were defined and thematic statements were extracted from the text, classified and sorted into categories or groups. This study provides supportive evidence that narrative group therapy as an alternative preventative intervention can be introduced as a therapeutic practice in South Africa. In addition, an effective training protocol was developed which can be used to train psychologists, counsellors, social workers, teachers and other relevant individuals to use narrative group therapy as an alternative preventative intervention in their communities.

Uppsatsen tar sig – med utgångspunkt i en analys av spelet Tomb Raider (2013) – an frågan om hur karakterisering genomförs inom interaktiva dataspel. Wahlsten väljer att använda sig dels av Sonja K Foss metod för narrativ analys, dels av Ian Bogosts procedurala retorik för att visa hur karaktären Lara Croft konstrueras under loppet av spelet. Dessa två metoder används för att kartlägga verktygen med vilka spelets narrativ presenteras, såväl de interaktiva som de icke-interaktiva. Uppsatsen visar tydligt och med många exempel att det finns en spänning mellan narrativets krav och spelarens intressen som ifrågasätter idén om att interaktiva spel i första hand påverkar genom immersion - tvärt om är spelen uppbyggda på så sätt att spelaren förutsätts dels identifiera sig med huvudkaraktären, dels ta avstånd från och använda denna som ’en virtuell leksak’ under loppet av spelet. Därmed pekar också Wahlsten ut ett tämligen okänt men mycket intressant forskningsområde för retorikvetenskapen. Wahlsten är medveten om att hans val av studieobjekt inte är självklart inom retoriken, men argumenterar väl för behovet av att studier av spel/Virtual Reality är och i synnerhet i framtiden bör vara, ett centralt område inom retorikforskningen / The essay asks the question how characterization in video games is accomplished, with the subject of analysis being the video game Tomb Raider (2013). Wahlsten chooses to use the methodology of Sonja K Foss for the narrative analysis, in addition to Procedural Rhetoric coined by Ian Bogost. These two methodologies are used to map out the tools used to construct the narrative of the game, which includes interactive one as well as non-interactive ones.   The essay clearly shows that there is a definite tension between the demands of the narrative on the player that puts into question the idea of interactive games mainly influencing through immersion. On the contrary, the game is constructed in such a way that the player is expected to identify with the playable character, while also motivating the player to distance itself from the character and use it as a sort of “virtual plaything”. Wahlsten thus highlights a fairly obscure but also highly interesting field of study within the Rhetorical sciences. Wahlsten is aware the object of study is not an obvious one within the field Rhetoric, but argues for the need of studies of games and Virtual Reality, and the importance of them for Rhetorical sciences in the future.

Master thesis "Discursive approach to natural science in Czech media in 2013" is focused on natural science and its presentation in Czech media in 2013. Main objectives of this master thesis are an interpretation of media picture of natural science and presentation of current communication trends which are typical for this topic. Moreover the master thesis is written for purpose to interpret the main discourse of natural science, narrative frames and structures which are used by media. Another part of the study aims to determine an existence of metanarrative of natural science, the big story of natural science. The master thesis is based on complex approach to analyzed theme - natural science. For purpose to achieve the objectives this master thesis analyses natural science from perspective of quantitative and qualitative research. First of all is made a pilot study and second of all quantitative content analysis. The topic is analyzed from perspective of discourse analysis and narrative analysis in qualitative part. Finally, there are presented some recommendations, how to improve science communication. Recommendations are proposed on a base of research results. This master thesis provides a complex research study, which enables me to interpret a media picture of natural science in Czech Republic...