This study focuses on the construction of American identity over time as it relates to U.S. foreign policy. It is based on the insights of poststructuralism and variants of discourse theory. In particular, the study depicts the historical development of identity representations within U.S. foreign policy discourse from 2008 to 2020, in order to demonstrate how the ongoing construction of identity enabled Donald Trump's disruptive foreign policy. Much of identity research in IR focuses on Self/Other relationships and understudies affirmative representations of identity. The current study fills this research gap by examining processes of affirmative linking in the construction of identity. The main results of the study found that the Trump administration's identity representations radically diverged from those of the Obama administration. The latter articulated America predominantly as a leader in the world, while the former reconstructed American identity as one of being a victim. However, two representations of American identity stayed constant: America as an inspiration to others and America as a force for good in the world.

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This thesis discusses the philosophy of positivism in nineteenth century France. Based on an empirical vision of society, positivism advocated values of rationality, progress, and secularization. In that way, it stood as one of the defining systems of thought of the modern era. I discuss, however, an undercurrent of anxiety about those same values. Positivism's founder, Auguste Comte, argued that all sciences would become unified and organized under universal principles and empirical standards. He viewed the human mind as becoming more rationalized throughout history. In his later career, however, he argued that rationalism was a destructive force and that a new form of secular religion as necessary to establish morality and order. I argue that this transition from science to religion represents an underlying anxiety of the nineteenth century. Intellectuals from different sides of the political spectrum viewed progress as positive, but also limited. They argued that something beyond science, in the realm of the religious, the metaphysical, or the subjective, was necessary for society. They expressed these concerns through the language of gender. Comte argued that women would be at the center of his religion. They would socialize and moralize men, making them part of a new unified, pacifist and orderly social whole. I also discuss two later intellectuals, social psychologist Gustave Le Bon and pioneering sociologist Emile Durkheim. Le Bon represented the fin-de-siecle rejection of positivism. He began with positivist principles, but later argued that humanity was irrational and violent. He viewed the modern masses as a powerful force which threatened to destroy civilization. The other figure, Durkheim, rejected Le Bon's form of nationalist right-wing thought and formed theories of social harmony, altruism, and a solidarity. He sought to reconcile egalitarian republican principles with positivist science. Despite their diverging theories, however, Le Bon and Durkheim employed similar assumptions about modernity and gender. Le Bon argued that European men were superior, and that all other groups shared an undeveloped mentality. Durkheim argued that men were social while women were simpler and mentally limited. Their views, far from establishing an unproblematic hierarchy of gender and race, in fact expressed anxieties about the state of modernity. They identified women, the lower classes, and other societies with values of simplicity, unity, and tradition. They identified the modern, Western male individual with the problems of modern society: excessive rationalization, instability, and secularization. This sense of ambivalence about modernity reveals the central importance of positivism to understanding nineteenth century thought. Positivism sought to reconcile seemingly antithetical principles of order with progress, individualism with social unity, and morality with rationalization. In doing so, it established anxieties about the forces of change. Positivists advocated the most modern of principles, and sought to further the progress of civilization, but also identified those rationalized forces as problems in need of control. Positivism thus established its own undoing, which would come at the beginning of the twentieth century. In that era, intellectuals rejected purely scientific visions of the world in favor of subjective thought. I locate the origins of that rejection at the very foundations of positivist theory.

<p>This dissertation explores the way in which different conceptions of human agency have helped to shape the course of jurisprudential thought. The overarching aim is to bring to the surface the deeper commitments of Hartian positivism in its various engagements with rival accounts of the nature of law. In particular, I argue that although contemporary positivists take their account of law to be metaphysically noncommittal, views of what it is to be a human agent continue to motivate, if implicitly, their positions on such enduring jurisprudential questions as the nature and source of law’s normativity, the relationship between law and morality, and so on. In order to better understand these debates, we must therefore understand better the relationship between a theory of law and the conception of human nature that drives it.</p> / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

[pt] Em que sentido pode-se considerar a psicanálise uma ciência? Esta é a questão que norteia este trabalho. Embora saiba-se que Freud, durante toda sua obra, tenha concebido a psicanálise como uma ciência, o estatuto epistemológico da psicanálise permaneceu controverso ao longo do debate filosófico das ciências no último século. Este debate orientou-se, em geral, pela diferenciação entre as ciências humanas e as ciências naturais, originada na segunda metade do século XIX. Contrapondo a teoria positivista das ciências à nova epistemologia proposta por Wilhelm Dilthey em sua Introdução às ciências do espírito, esta dissertação pretende mostrar que a noção freudiana de ciência se aproxima em alguns aspectos importantes da epistemologia das ciências do espírito pensada por Dilthey. / [en] In what sense may we regard psychoanalysis as a science? This is the question which leads this dissertation. Although its known that Freud, during all his works, has conceived psychoanalysis as a science, epistemological meaning of psychoanalysis remained controversial during last centurys philosophical debate on sciences. This debate has been generally oriented by differenciation between human sciences and nature sciences, which origins are to be sought in the second half of nineteenth century. Confronting positivisms theory of sciences and the new epistemology proposed by Wilhelm Dilthey in his Introduction on spirit sciences, this dissertation aims to demonstrate that Freuds notion of science approaches in some main aspects the epistemology of spirit sciences brought out by Dilthey.

This project, overall, involves a theory of law as dimensions. Throughout the history of the study of law, many different theoretical paradigms have emerged proffering different and competing ways to answer the question ‘what is law’? Traditionally, many of these paradigms have been at irreconcilable odds with one another. Notwithstanding this seeming reality, the goal of this project was to attempt to take three of the leading paradigms in legal theory and provide a way to explain how each might fit into a single coherent theory of law. I set out to accomplish this by drawing on the field of theoretical physics and that field’s use of spatial dimensions in explaining various physical phenomena. By engaging in a dimensional analysis of law, I found that I was able to place each paradigm within its own dimension with that dimension being defined by a specific element of time, and in doing so much of the conflict between the paradigms came to be ameliorated. The project has been divided into two main parts. PART I discusses the fundamentals of legal theory (Chapter 1) and the fundamentals of dimensions (Chapter 2). These fundamentals provide a foundation for a dimensional analysis of law which takes place throughout PART II. In Chapter 3, I argue that the three fundamental theses of Positivism coalesce with the 1st-dimension of law, which is defined as law as it exists at any one point in time. From there, I argue in Chapter 4 that the 2nd-dimension of law, being law as it exists between two points in time (i.e. when cases are adjudicated), is characterized by Pragmatism. I then turn, in Chapter 5, to argue that the 3rd-dimension of law, being law as it exists from the very first point in legal time to the ever changing present day, coalesces with the fundamental theses of Naturalism. Ultimately then, I argue that a theory of law as dimensions, through the vantage points of the specific elements of time, provides a more complete account of the nature of law.

Elève de Pradier, d’Ingres et de Duban le sculpteur, peintre et architecte Jean Antoine Étex (1808-1888) s'essayait à toutes les formes d'art laissant après son décès une œuvre abondante qui compte plus de 450 ouvrages. Déjà un nombre imposant de ses sculptures sont disséminées dans la capitale de la France. On les rencontre dans des endroits stratégiques de la métropole. Mais aussi beaucoup d’autres villes et musées de la France conservent des ouvrages importants de cet artiste. Parmis les œuvres les plus connues comptent les deux haut-reliefs « La Résistance » et « La Paix » à l’Arc de Triomphe de l’Étoile puis le groupe en marbre « Caïn et sa race maudits de Dieu », chef -d’œuvre de la sculpture romantique, conservé aujourd’hui au Musée de Lyon. En tant que républicain convaincu et adhérent du saint-simonisme, Étex participait activement aux révolutions de 1830 et de 1848 combattant incessamment pour l’instauration de la République. Sous la monarchie de juillet, il avait connu un grand succès et une grande célebrité mais son art fut peu estimé sous le second Empire. Gravement défavorisé par le gouvernement imperial, Étex perdait sa place parmi les premiers artistes de la France et ses œuvres tombaient aussitôt dans l’oubli. Ce présent thèse de doctorat fournit pour la première fois une biographie détaillée et un catalogue raisonné de l’œuvre de cet artiste important. Ses propres écrits (publications et correspondance), les documents dans les archives françaises ainsi que la critique d’art concernant ses œuvres y sont exploités. / Disciple of Pradier, Ingres and Duban the french sculptor, painter and architect Jean-Antoine Étex (1808-1888) created works in nearly all categories of art. He left after his death a highly impressive number of more than 450 works of art. A great deal of his sculptures are dispersed in the french capital city of Paris all placed at strategic locations. But also a lot of other french cities and museums conserve important works by this artist. Among the most famous sculptures made by him are certainly the two monumental reliefs “La Résistance” and “La Paix” at the Arc de Triomphe de l’Étoile as well as the marble group “Cain and his race coursed by God”, masterpice of the french romantic scuplture, conserved at the mueum of Lyon. As a convinced member of the republicain partie Étex took actively part in the revolutions of 1830 and 1848 fighting incessantly for the republic idea. During the monarchie de juillet his works achieved extreme success but after the instauration of the Empire his works were no more appreciated. Constantly ignored by the imperial government Étex lost his place among the first artists in France and his works were soon forgotten. This present dissertation constitutes for the first time a detailed biographie and a complete catalogue of the works of this important artist. His own writings (publications and correspondence), hundreds of documents from the french archives and the critiques of art concerning his works are seriously explored.

(Annotation) This thesis compares the orthodox approach to man to psychotherapeutics, especially with psychoanalysis, analytic psychology and logoterapy. These systems arise from positivistic backgrounds and approaches to man in this direction. In opposite to psychoanalysis analytic psychology and logoterapy think about spiritual aspect in life of man, but both systems mostly psychologize this aspect. The orthodox psychotherapy especially works with this spiritual aspect. It comes out from patristic anthropology referring that man is God's creature according to Genesis. The spirit aspect plays the cardinal role in the relationship between man and God. This relationship was corrupted by the rebellion of man against God. This rebellion has changed the ontological nature of man. According to the orthodox psychotherapy mental disorders are a result from this ontological change of man, which characterized by "garment of skin" done by God for man to revive in fallen state. The solution of mental disorders and then spiritual problems is to accept the state of "garments of skill" and in renewing of relationship with God.

La poésie et la cosmologie sont étroitement liées depuis l’Antiquité. Des traités d’astronomie didactiques en vers aux récits mythologiques, en passant par les hypothèses cosmologiques versifiées sur la structure de notre monde, les formes de ce dialogue sont aussi nombreuses que diverses. Or les échanges féconds entre poésie et cosmologie perdurent à travers les âges, pour culminer au XIXe siècle, dont les débuts marquent une promotion remarquable de la nuit dans l’imaginaire littéraire, à compter du premier Romantisme européen. Le cosmos, source inépuisable d’enchantement poétique, devient au XIXe siècle un sujet d’autant plus riche que les découvertes scientifiques bouleversent notre conception des cieux, ouvrant la voie à une cosmologie moderne gouvernée par les mathématiques et l’astrophysique. En France, poésie et cosmologie connaissent alors un ensemble de mutations dues à une crise de légitimité engagée par le discours positiviste. L’enquête montre comment le contexte de redéfinition des méthodes scientifiques et de renversement progressif de la hiérarchie des discours entre science et Belles-lettres a informé le dialogue entre la poésie et la cosmologie, dans le cadre d’une redéfinition parallèle de leurs formes, enjeux et valeurs. En étudiant le moment de cette transition, elle permet de porter un regard nouveau sur un ensemble de problématiques majeures qui traversent la poésie du second XIXe siècle : la forme totale et le problème du didactisme, la hiérarchie des discours de la science et de la poésie, et la question du sacerdoce poétique au regard d’un renouvellement du rapport à la mythologie. / Since Antiquity, there has been a close relationship between poetry and cosmology. We can perceive the coevolution of these two disciplines in a wide range of different poetic forms: mythological tales, versified didactic treatises, or versified cosmological hypotheses on the structure of worldly existence. Nineteenth-century France witnesses particularly intense debates about the nature of both poetry and cosmology, however, and the functions of these two disciplines increasingly merge, especially after Romanticism. The cosmos assumes a new relevance as both the subject of scientific investigation and poetic creation. In this period of history, crucial scientific discoveries change our perception of the skies and give rise to the modern science of cosmology, based on the principles of mathematics and astrophysics. The legitimacy of both poetry and cosmology is tested by positivist discourse, as the definition of scientific methods change and the hierarchy between science and literature is inverted. This study shows the importance of this historical context in the dialogue between poetry and cosmology. Focusing on this crucial historical turning point, this thesis sheds a new light on various major issues that French poets faced in the second half of the twentieth century: the poetic quest for a totalizing form, the difficulties posed by the didactic genre, the value of domains of knowledge and literature, the question of the religious mission of poetry, and the renewal of mythology at the time.

Bien que tout un chacun use du droit au quotidien, nul ne semble parvenir à s'accorder sur la juridicité. Pour approcher celle-ci, la phénoménologie-herméneutique, à la manière dont elle fut pratiquée par Ricoeur, offre de précieux jalons. D'abord, elle invite à entrer en dialogue avec les théories positivistes, afin de mieux expliquer la structure du droit, ses objets (les normes, les institutions), et son ordonnancement. Cependant, le positivisme est incapable d'expliquer ce qui fonde ou autorise une telle structure (I). Ensuite, la juridicité peut être approchée à travers ses modalités linguistiques et herméneutiques. Le droit se manifeste comme la formulation de significations sociales prioritaires qui, pour être appliquées, doivent être en permanence amendées et enrichies. L'herméneutique juridique se comprend comme la dialectique entre l'invention de la solution la plus juste et son acceptabilité par rattachement au droit existant. Toutefois, si la raison judiciaire est mieux comprise, il reste que ce n'est pas cette dernière seule qui valide l'existence d'un énoncé normatif, mais le dispositif conventionnel d'habilitation à dire le droit. Alors que le normativisme aboutissait à un primat de la loi, l'herméneutique judiciaire aboutit à un primat du juge. Or l'un présuppose l'autre et vice-versa (II). Enfin, l'herméneutique philosophique de Ricoeur permet de reconduire la juridicité aux paradoxes du politique et de l'éthique. Au regard du paradoxe politique, le droit s'entend du moyen pour une communauté historique de se doter de la capacité de décider et se trouve autorisé de rendre durable le concert d'action qui fonde ladite communauté. Au regard de la justice, le droit se comprend comme l'exception que le tiers peut opposer à la sollicitude illimitée due au prochain. Par suite, la raison de la validité instituée des énoncés juridiques tiendrait au tragique de l'action, de sorte qu'elle peut se comprendre comme une présomption de validité morale et politique (III). / Although everyone uses law in their daily life, no one seems to agree on juridicity. To approach juridicity, hermeneutic phenomenology, as practiced by Ricoeur, provides valuable milestones. On the one hand, hermeneutic phenomenology allows a dialogue with the positivist theories with the purpose of better explaining the structure of law, its objects (norms, institutions) and sequencing, though positivism remains incapable of explaining what establishes or authorizes such a structure (I). On the other, juridicity can be approached through its linguistic and hermeneutical modalities. In fact, law is the formulation of priority social meanings which, to be applied must be constantly amended and enriched. Legal hermeneutics is therefore understood as the dialectics between the invention of the fairest solution and its acceptability as per the existing law. However, if the legal reason is better understood, it cannot, on its own, validate the existence of a normative statement. To do that, it also requires the conventional device which enables to say what is law. Thus, whereas normativism leads to a primacy of law, legal hermeneutics lead to the primacy of the judge though the former presupposes the latter and vice versa (II). At the end, Ricoeur's philosophical hermeneutics brings back juridicity to the paradoxes of politics and ethics. Under political paradox, law is the means by which a historic community acquires the ability to decide. It is, thus, endowed with the authority to allow the sustainability of the concert of action which is at the heart of this community's existence. In the eyes of justice, on the other hand, law is understood as the exception that one can oppose to the indefinite solicitude which one owes to one's fellows. Hence the reason for the validity of the established legal statements is based on the tragedy of action, and can be understood as a presumption of moral and political validity (III).