published_or_final_version / English / Master / Master of Arts

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This discussion of chaos theory is concerned with two major issues. On the one hand, I explore what kind of knowledge is linked to chaos theory, and more specifically how as a science it informs the cultural discourses created by postindustrial societies. On the other hand, I probe chaos theory's potential as a model for challenging the existing conception of our world within the prevailing epistemologies of order and predictability. Both of these issues are addressed with in mind the broader framework and question concerning social relations, especially to the extent that those relations, in their spatial dimension, have become an object of scientific discourse. My approach to chaos theory is purposefully eclectic, conjoining the scientific with the social and the political. I believe that chaos theory points to a dynamic, intertextual, and multidimensional universe, and therefore, my interest lies in these connections, in bridging the various elements working together to create our contemporary, postmodern world. Science creates theories and images of nature that have been used to subordinate and control segments of the population through theories of race and sexuality. Thus, to recognize the existence of complexity and instability is to give away powerful conceptual means of political and social control, a strategy in which Western science has been an active participant.

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Abstract Syfte:Att med resultat baserade på World Value Surveys undersökningar, studera de postmoderna värderingarnas betydelse för befolkningars aggregerade beteenden och dess eventuella konsekvenser för politiken. Inledningsvis redogörs för problematiken kring postmoderna värderingar från ett politiskt-teoretiskt perspektiv. Därefter genomförs en teoriprövning med hjälp av regressionsanalyser för att se i hur hög grad värderingar samvarierar med utvalda beteendemönster, vilka kan tänkas vara signifikanta för befolkningar med postmoderna värderingar. Frågeställningar:Finns samband mellan graden av postmoderna värderingar befolkningar har, och följande fyra beteendemönster? 1. Hushållsskuld i förhållande till inkomst. 2. Andel enpersonshushåll.  3. Antal skönhetsoperationer.  4. Påverkan på miljön i form av globalt fotavtryck.  Finns eventuella samband kvar med kontroll för BNP/Capita? Resultat:Studien visar förhållandevis höga korrelationsgrader mellan värderingar och flera beteendemönster. Med kontroll för varandra, har dock BNP/Capita ofta en högre korrelationsgrad. Ingenting tyder på att befolkningar med postmoderna värderingar tar en större praktisk hänsyn till miljön än andra länders befolkningar, även med kontroll för BNP/Capita.

The study was prompted by the lack of existing research with regard to what people locally think and believe about dreams. The study aimed to uncover, explore, and describe current, local dream related beliefs, discourses, and practices (in the Vaal-Triangle area of South-Africa), using a postmodern, social constructivist, as well as a generally sociological approach. In support of this aim, a literature review of various religious, cultural, and psychological dream related discourses was executed. Semi-structured, qualitative interviews were conducted with twenty respondents who were purposively selected from the administrative database of a Vaal-Triangle University on the basis of culture and gender. The interviews were recorded and the edited transcriptions thus derived served as basis for a thematic qualitative analysis of the respondents' dream related beliefs and practices. The findings were also examined with regard to cultural and gender related patterns, as well as in relation to existing dream discourses. Findings included that dreams were accorded differing degrees of importance by the respondents, that dreams were believed to originate both from internal factors such as an individual's mental and emotional state and neurological processes, as well as from external factors such as daily events and experiences, deceased relatives, and God. Furthermore, dreams were believed to serve several different functions such as mental processing, releasing pent-up emotions, expressing fears or desires, predicting the future, or providing warnings and solutions to problems. Dreams also often served as basis for decisions and actions, most often in order to avoid a negative outcome, or actualize a positive scenario shown by a dream. Several types of unusual dream experiences were reported, including precognitive dreams, dreams that provided contact with a deceased relative or ancestor, spiritual experiences in dreams, as well as sleep paralysis. The most significant sociological findings included that dreams often influence the nature and content of social interaction between individuals, frequently serving as a source of humour and entertainment; that the mother often serves as the "keeper" of knowledge about dreams, and that local dream discourses and practices might in part be transmitted matrilineally. / Thesis (Ph.D. (Sociology))--North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2005

Das Marketing befindet sich in einem fundamentalen Umbruch. Es entwickelt sich von einem modernen Verständnis zu einer postmodernen Arena. Wer das postmoderne Marketing nicht versteht und nicht anwendet, wird definitiv ins Hintertreffen geraten. Dies zeigt sich bereits heute, da manche Unternehmen sehr erfolgreich in das postmoderne Marketing eingetreten sind. Wodurch zeichnet sich nun das postmoderne Marketing aus?

The church finds itself in an evangelical-sacral cocoon. However, this alienation is nothing new, but through the centuries shows the church’s inability to adapt and stay relevant during changing cultural situations (Regele 1995:48). It is however not strange that time and again when there was a big cultural shift, new denominations came into being. In the history, during every cultural revival the Christian theological discourse was reflected on. Postmodernism is the new intellectual climate which is descriptive of a new upcoming culture (Erickson 1998:13). This new intellectual climate caused the church and culture to become more and more estranged. Postmodernism set a “new” sacral-profane dichotomy within the church, which clashes with the modernistic imperialism of the church. Any effort to renewal would be futile if the new upcoming culture is not taken into account. The seeker-sensitive movement originated in the late sixties when an increase in post modernistic thinking in the culture came to life. The methodology was taken over by the Evangelical Reformers who were saturated with modern thinking. The seeker-sensitive model showed strong post-modernistic characteristics, but in its development became more and more closed towards the new upcoming post modernistic culture. I am of the opinion that in its core the seeker-sensitive model is modernistic and that it will not be able to communicate the gospel effectively to a post-modernistic generation. There are clear signs within the kerugma, diakonia, leitourgia and koinonia where the modernistic agenda is revealed. The accentuation of biased aesthetical preferences in any form of culture will lead to exclusivistic churchism which ignores the riches of the postmodern culture. We should rather talk of postmodern cultures and the multiple expressions of diakonia, koinonia and leitourgia which contextualise the gospel. If the seeker-sensitive model within a postmodern society does not move towards a post-dualistic, post-rationalistic, post-individualistic and post-noeticentric methodology, the model will become irrelevant within a postmodern society. The gospel cannot be packaged within a rational persuasive and marketing methodology, but the congregation must live the Missio Dei culture in a relevant way within cognitive, affective, visual, creative and interactive real relations. If the congregation cannot enter into discussion with the postmodern culture, the congregation stays a missiological centre where a person must be culturally circumcised to be able to hear the gospel. Not only the congregation, but the world as well, should become the missiological centre of the church. Most of the concepts were developed in the congregations of Randburg and Stellenbosch where I have ministered during the last 13 years. There we strove to practise praxis-theology where the normal church member could also do theological reflection. I have done a literature study about the subject and Stellenbosch Congregation is used as example to illustrate some of the transitions to the postmodern dispensation. The purpose is not to establish a new model, but to show principles for the development of a missionary relevant approach. There will be an endeavour to practise theology within the praxis of the congregation where members of the congregation can listen to the Word and the world believingly, to be a church that is not only in the world, but also with the world. The purpose of this study was to find parameters with the seeker-sensitive church model in a critical dialogue for the practical-theological ecclesiology which is free or less contaminated, with the ideological bases of modernism. / Dr. G.J. Bosman

This paper will seek to provide a detailed analysis of the creative and technical elements of the filmmaking process as they pertain to the thesis project, Notes on Forgiveness. Attention will be given to the conceptual framework of the project, specifically the genre the film seeks to work through and beyond, the theoretical aspects of the feminist gaze, and the post-modern elements that were initially incorporated into the screenwriting process. Further, details will be provided on the pre-production and production phases of the project, including creative aspects such as the cinematography, production design, sound design, and technology. A discussion of the logistical aspects, such as budget constraints, insurance concerns, and contract negotiations, will likewise be provided, as they constituted a large aspect of the production timetable. Throughout all of these discussions, analysis will be provided on the implementation of the original plot directives described in the screenwriting process.