本篇論文是以鄉鎮為範圍的民間信仰研究，亦談及祭祀圈遠跨至鶯歌的他鄉鎮大廟，筆者深受恩師林修澈教授及林美容教授對民間信仰研究的影響，選擇以一個開發、變遷快速的台北縣邊緣鄉鎮為研究地點，期待倚仗著前輩的研究基礎，進一步更深入、紮實地研究民間信仰，為民間信仰的研究作進一步的努力，也為歷史文化寫下記錄。 　　本論文的題目為「鶯歌鎮的民間信仰與地方發展」，第一個目標在探討鶯歌的發展史，第二個目標是觀察記錄鶯歌六十八個公眾性質信仰，並找出民間信仰與地方發展的關係。論文採用質化研究，以普查的田野調查方式進行，研究對象包括：七座跨庄頭廟，五十三座土地公廟，三個神明會，二個大墓公，三個特殊信仰。得到研究成果簡述如下： 　　1. 地方發展史：鶯歌鎮依地理地勢可分為平原、山地、台地三個生活區，東南部為大漢溪畔的平原，西北部近龜山山區及桃園台地。民族分布上南閩北客，且以泉州人為多（三峽祖師廟信仰），有許多同姓聚落，從農業、工業（【石回】仔）、到觀光業，逐步成長。 　　2. 大廟信仰：因為交通（河運、鐵路）、行政（區劃、地方政府）、經濟（【石回】仔）的發展、獨立，鶯歌碧龍宮與三峽祖師廟的勢力消長間，發生微妙的轉變。 　　3. 信仰概況：鶯歌鎮土地廟佔了全鎮的78%。其中又以鶯歌鎮西北部「廟分布」的密度較大。在清朝時代、日本時代、民國時代，「廟增加」的數目相當；目前「廟規模」以單開間廟為主，表示鶯歌處於村落形成與發展期的階段。 　　4. 跨庄頭信仰：以鶯歌鎮東南、西北為界，可以看到兩群跨庄頭的信仰勢力兩兩相對，如景美尪公vs.林口十八手觀音；三峽祖師公vs.嶺頂觀音媽；鶯歌大墓公vs.福安大墓公；八股媽vs.三界公。（見【圖5-1：全鶯歌鎮的跨庄頭信仰祭祀圈概念圖】）。 　　5. 信仰與發展：廟的組織形態，依著歷史的因素、距離的遠近，會產生各種變通的替代方案；廟的發展也會與地方相互呼應，不但反映民族文化，亦反映地方的發展狀況。

This MA thesis deals with the topic of the cult of Mother Goddesses in Vietnam with special reference to South Vietnam. The subject is discussed from the point of view of cultural anthropology and special attention is paid to some specific aspects, which differentiate this popular belief from other religions. The cult of Mother Goddesses is characterised in greater detail on the basis of certain hypotheses and is viewed through the prism of various ethnologically oriented paradigms. The first part of the work describes the development of this cult, its Vietnamese specifics and its position in the context of the local religious milieu. Furthermore, the work discusses the characters of the individual Mother Goddesses and the collected theoretical knowledge is compared with the results of empirical research. On the background of the example of Mother Goddess Bà Chúa Xứ, the work elucidates certain topics, which are related to the cult of Mother Goddesses, but are considerably differentiated regionally. It is therefore necessary to present these aspects by way of concrete examples and to see them in the cultural-historical context. The second part of the work is based especially on the analyses of the results of the field research and it attempts to clarify the extent of the public knowledge about this...

This study, Death shadowed by life: Accountability in popular interpretations of suicide in Sweden 1850–1900, draws inspiration from the perspective of new cultural history, exploring ideas of accountability and the relationship between life and death in interpretations of suicide in late 19th century rural Sweden. The sources used in this study consist of records of popular belief and practice that were collected in the early 20th century. In historical writings suicide is often treated as an isolated act which was by default morally condemned. In this work the perspective is broadened, analysing the self-killing act in relation to understandings of the self-murderer’s earlier life as well as to related types of death. I argue that the definition of suicide, in the context here examined, had less to do with the intention and agency of the person who killed themself than with the context of the person’s earlier life. The main aspect when classifying deaths, both accidental and intentional, as suicides was the presence of sinful acts in the past. Furthermore, suicide was part of an even wider category of deaths caused by sinful acts in life. However, as opposed to these other kinds of death, suicide was understood as the ultimate proof of sinful behaviour. Finally, I suggest that sin in this context had a pragmatic facet that intertwined with, but did not depend on, moral judgment. This study thus sheds new light on the stigmatization of suicide.

Au Québec, la mémoire de la Grande Guerre renvoie automatiquement à une vision douloureuse de l’événement. Créée et alimentée par des souvenirs à forte charge émotive tels la crise de la conscription, les émeutes de Pâques et l’inhospitalité de l’Armée canadienne envers les combattants canadiens-français, cette mémoire est non seulement négative, mais également victimisante. Dans leur récit du conflit, les Québécois ont pris pour vérité une version qui les dépeint comme boucs émissaires des Canadiens anglais. Acceptée et intégrée autant dans l’historiographie que dans la croyance collective, cette thèse du Canadien français opprimé n’a jamais été questionnée. Ce mémoire entend donc revisiter cette version en la confrontant aux sources laissées par les contemporains. En utilisant la presse anglophone et les témoignages de combattants, il lève le voile sur le regard anglo-saxon envers les Canadiens français et dans une plus large mesure, sur les relations interethniques pendant la guerre. Il témoigne de la réalité du front intérieur comme de celle du champ de bataille pour ainsi proposer une réinterprétation de cette victimisation si profondément ancrée dans le souvenir québécois. / The First World War inevitably brings back painful memories in the province of Quebec. Quebeckers have a negative recollection of the war, viewing themselves as victims. Events related to the Great War such as the conscription crisis, the Easter riots and the inhospitality expressed by the Canadian Forces towards French Canadians are emotionally-charged memories that have nurtured this conception. When writing about the war, Quebeckers depict themselves as the scapegoats of English Canadians and present this notion as a truth. Integrated in both the historiography and popular beliefs, the idea of the oppressed French Canadian has never been questioned. This thesis aims at re-examining this idea by surveying contemporary sources: the Anglophone press and testimonies from soldiers. Its objective is to reassess the attitude and perception of Canadian Anglophones towards French Canadians, and more broadly the nature of interethnic relationships in the army during World War I, both on the home front and on the battlefield. It presents a reinterpretation of the victimisation that is deeply ingrained in the remembrance Quebeckers have of the conflict.