This dissertation examines the representation of ethnic origins in Antonio Skármeta’s fiction. My hypothesis is that exile in Europe and return to Chile led the author to rethink his Dalmatian-Croatian roots and his sense of self in response to prevailing discourses of national identity. I assess Chile’s immigration history as well as the development of the idea of a homogeneous national identity. Blending concepts of ethnic narrative with theories of memory, identity, and literature, I trace Skármeta’s literary shift towards reclaiming his roots and initiating a critical dialogue with established notions of Chilean identity. I further argue that he grounds himself in literary tradition to inscribe immigrant stories into two major foundational genres, the historical novel and the family romance. I also show that, instead of accepting the truth-telling claims of historical fiction, Skármeta employs historiographic metafiction and intertextuality to emphasize the literary nature of fictional discourse and the role of literary figures in inventing the nation. Finally, I contend that these narratives constitute literary lieux de mémoire (Pierre Nora), which incorporate a subjective memory into the evolving discourses on Chilean identity, thereby recognizing pluralism and fostering mutual understanding.

The Trinitarian Perspectives of the Theology of Religions. The Outline of the Approache to the Non-christian Religions in Gavin D'Costa. This thesis presents an analysis of the theological work of British Catholic theologian Gavin D'Costa in the field of theology of religions. The goal of this study is the presentation of D'Costa's huge contribution to the theology of religions and critical examination of his constructive theological concept of Trinitarian Theology of Religions. In the first chapter we provide an introduction to the thought of Gavin D'Costa. We point out his philosophical and theological presuppositions, we go through his most important books and above all we introduce preliminary remarks about his theology of religions, i.e. conception of the relationship between systematic theology, theology of religions and religious studies and the notion of religion in D'Costa. The second chapter classifies D'Costa's approach within the context of contemporary theology of religions. We deal with D'Costa's critique of pluralism, inclusivism and exclusivism. Especially, the D'Costa's polemic with his former teacher John Hick is at the centre of our attention. In the third chapter we consider D'Costa's own paradigm of theology of religion which is based on the Trinitarian faith as well as respectful...

Precis The Political philosophy of John Gray touches a number of topics and also has gone thrue a couple of modifications. However this thesis aims to show that there can be found a consistent political doctrine of agonistic liberalism in Gray's thought that arises from his critigue of rationalistic theories of liberalism. Agonistic liberalism is based on the naturalistic ethical theory of value-pluralism which Gray adopted whit some modifications from Isaiah Berlin. On the ground of incommensurability and uncombinability of some values within individuel lives as well as within life forms Gray comes to conclusion that the conflict of values is ineradicable part of our lives. And that's the reason why any legel or political theory cannot set up a set of liberal principles that could claim universal validity. That is why Gray sets up the concept of modus vivendi, political ideal of coexistence of individuals, groups and societies based on mutual toleration. With regard to the rational indeterminacy of conflicts over values, according to agonistic liberalism these conflict has to by resolved by political means.

The text deals with the issue of changes in immigration and integration policies of the United Kingdom, Canada and Australia during last twenty years. At first, it summarizes the theoretical opinions on immigration, integration, multiculturalism and pluralism and makes that so from the point of view of liberalism and communitarianism. Then it focuses on the development of immigration and integration policies in each country in given time period and especially on their qualitative change. Attention is paid to their key principles, legal basis and real practice. Finally, these three approaches are mutually compared and there are outlined their future perspectives.

While the literature on Black-white differences in major depressive disorder (MDD) and depressive symptoms is robust, less robust is the literature on how these outcomes are patterned within the US Black population and why differences exist. Given increasing numbers of first-generation immigrants from the Caribbean, sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America, among other regions of the world, as well as increasing numbers of second- and third-generation immigrants, continued aggregation has the potential to mask intra-racial differences between these ethnic-immigrant groups and Black Americans with more distant ancestral ties to Africa (i.e., African Americans). Among these subgroups, the extremely limited data disaggregating the US Black population suggest the following patterns. First, foreign-born Black immigrants have lower levels of MDD and related symptoms relative to US-born Black Americans, a finding which is consistent with theories of foreign-born health advantage. Second, among the US-born, Caribbean adults have higher levels of MDD and related symptoms relative to all other Black Americans, a finding which is inconsistent with theories related to intergenerational declines in health toward convergence to native-born levels. Lastly, and contrary to results among adults, first- and second-generation Caribbeans have lower levels of depressive symptoms relative to all other Black youth. This dissertation sought to better understand how depression and its related symptoms are patterned within the US Black population, as well as how mechanisms causing these outcomes may vary across subgroups defined by domains related to immigration. Chapter 1 was a systematic review, which comprehensively synthesized depression and related symptoms within the US Black population across these domains, including a summary of mechanisms proposed toward explaining intra-racial variation. Using longitudinal data, Chapter 2 examined whether, and if so when, growth curve models of depressive symptoms varied by immigrant generation contrasts among a representative sample of Black youth followed into adulthood. And using representative data from the largest study of Black mental health, Chapter 3 examined whether the relationship between racial identity, a presumed protective factor against depression and related symptoms, and MDD varied between US-born Caribbeans and all other US-born Black Americans. The systematic review of Chapter 1 revealed substantial variation in the prevalence of depression and its related symptoms within the US Black population by nativity, region of birth, age at immigration, and Caribbean ethnic origin. Results additionally confirmed that much of what is known about intra-racial heterogeneity comes from a single data source, the National Study of American Life (NSAL). Using longitudinal data of youth followed into adulthood, Chapter 2 found evidence of diverging depressive symptoms trajectories among Black respondents by immigrant generation (first/second-generation compared with third and higher generations); notably, contrasts among Black respondents varied from those of other racial/ethnic groups (Asian, Hispanic/Latinx, non-Hispanic white). Lastly, results from Chapter 3 suggest aspects of racial identity may not be protective for US-born Caribbeans, pointing to variations in racialization experiences as a distal cause. Additional research using larger sample sizes, more diverse subgroups of Black ethnic immigrants, as well as longitudinal data, is needed to further understand patterns of and additional sources underlying heterogeneity of depression and its related symptoms within the US Black population.

This exploratory and original research project examined the Cultural Mapping & Navigation Assessment (CMN) in order to evaluate it as an intercultural training tool. This instrument was designed by KnowledgeWorkx's multicultural team to assist people in understanding cultural dimensions and developing cultural self-awareness, which are foundational to a person developing intercultural competence. The instrument was evaluated in several ways. The theoretical constructs being measured were reviewed in the literature. The questions used in the CMN were subjected to multilingual and multicultural reviewers and the instrument was statistically analyzed for reliability and validity. Based on that data, changes were made and the revised instrument was administered to a new group. Unstructured interviews were conducted with 10 of the respondents and analyzed for three themes: the degree to which respondents thought their CMN results 4 reflected them; the effects on the participants' cultural self-awareness; and helpfulness as identified by the participants. According to the interviews, the desired outcomes of in creased cultural self- and other-awareness were achieved, as was growth in understanding of cultural dimensions. Content validity is suggested by the strong theoretical foundation. Future research with a larger population will continue to provide important understanding of this valuable intercultural training tool. Finally, information is provided regarding CMN availability, training, support, and cost in order to make it easy for trainers and consultants to evaluate the instrument for their purposes.

No description available.

No description available.

No description available.

No description available.