The first aim of this work has been to analyse and understand the ways in which a group of ANC-women politicians reason about bridewealth/lobola – an institution about which they express differing views, in particular about whether or not it is oppressive to women. The main body of the empirical material is based on 27 interviews conducted in South Africa in the period 1996-1998. One finding of the study is that there are explicit defining discourses on lobola as well as more implicitly expressed understandings. The explicit discourses make a distinction between ’good lobola’ – which is expressed in a family-related discourse as ’a bond between families’ – and ’bad lobola’ which is expressed in, for instance, an economic discourse about ’the purchase of women’. The family-related discourse is interpreted as part of a discursive strategy to create spaces for action with respect to relations of gender-related power. (Re)definitions of lobola may be used not only to counter men’s abuse of monetary lobola but also to counter ’traditional’ gender meanings associated with lobola. Furthermore, explicit discourses on lobola are interpreted as a ‘political discourse’ which is formed both in relation to pragmatic ‘political realities’ but also in relation to hegemonic Western discourses. The political discourse on lobola in connection with ‘African identity’ constitutes a discursive strategy to provide discursive space in order for ’Africans’ to be able to (re)interpret a cherished but also controversial institution. A second aim of the study has been of a self-reflexive character. It consitutes a critique of a ‘doing gender’ theoretical perspective as well as an attempt to transcend the ‘actor/structure dichotomy’ in sociological analysis.

Abstract In accordance with several scholars in the field of human resource management, developing employee commitment towards the employing organization is valuable due to the assumption that it increases their satisfaction, productivity and adaptability. By taking a pedagogical perspective focusing on impact processes, the aim of this master thesis is primarily to identify the constructions and functions of interpretive repertoires, of a few employees, in their descriptions of how the experience of Nynas’ Corporate Group Induction has influenced their commitment to Nynas, but also to categorize the constructions and functions of interpretive repertoires in a booklet underlined during the Corporate Group Induction, which I refer to as “This is Nynas”. In addition, the aim is to identify if other employees at Nynas share similar experiences, regarding the influence of the Corporate Group Induction. Moreover, the primary methodological approach used and theoretical perspective taken in this study is discursive psychology, based upon the premises of social constructionism. The empirical material is mainly consisting of interviews with six employees at Nynas, as well as of an analysis of the booklet “This is Nynas”. Additionally, the empirical material consists of a web-survey, based upon a five-point Likert scale, containing a sample of 25 employees. The study has identified two main interpretive repertoires in the booklet “This is Nynas”, explicitly the identity and the internalize repertoires, as well as subversions of these repertoires. In relation to this, the study has found that the interviewees in their language use to a large extent emphasize the interpretive repertoires constructed in “This is Nynas”. Furthermore, this master thesis have identified that the interviewees constructed certain interpretive repertoires when describing the experience of the Corporate Group Induction, and its influence on their commitment to Nynas, namely: the enhancement, the involvement, the development, the reciprocity and the constancy repertoires. Moreover, the study illustrates that the interviewees generally highlighted the Corporate Group Induction as having a strengthening influence on their commitment to Nynas, especially in relation to feelings of being a part of the company, due to the fact that they experienced themselves as active participants during the program. Furthermore, the result shows that the interviewees perceived the Corporate Group Induction as a sign of reciprocal dedication between themselves and Nynas, particularly on the subject of their integration into the company. Finally, the study has found that the experience of those who participated in the survey corresponded to a high extent with the interviewee’s experience of the Corporate Group Induction, and its influence on their commitment.      Keywords: induction program, Corporate Group Induction, social constructionism, discourse analysis, discursive psychology, discursively constructed, reflexivity, commitment, affective, continuance, normative, Likert scale, late modernity, strategic sampling.

Der Zusammenhang von technischer Entwicklung und gesellschaftlicher Modernisierung wird mit Mitteln der systemtheoretischen Soziologie untersucht. Zu diesem Zweck werden die Konzepte "Technik" und "soziale Evolution" reformuliert. "Technik" ist ein spezieller Typ der Grenzbildung von Systemen, die Ereignisse ihrer Umwelt als kausal verknüpft beobachten; Technik wird demnach definiert als fixierte Erwartung, die sich auf kausal verknüpfte Umweltereignisse bezieht. "Soziale Evolution" ist der Typ des Strukturwandels von sozialen Systemen, der sich aus der Selektion und Restabilisierung von Strukturvariationen ergibt. Aus soziologischer Sicht ist jede technische Entwicklung als ein spezifischer Aspekt der sozialen Evolution zu verstehen. Dies wird mit der Konfrontation des Begriff des "Fortschritts" mit dem der "Modernisierung" gezeigt. Eine Gesellschaft versucht durch das Verwenden und das Beschränken von Technik über ihre eigene Evolution zu verfügen. Es erweist sich, daß diese Versuche zwar komplexer, aber nicht unbedingt erfolgreicher werden. Die einer jeden Evolution eigene Entwicklungsoffenheit kann nicht außer Kraft gesetzt werden, auch dann nicht, wenn eine Gesellschaft Evolutionstheorien entwickelt und reflexiv auf sich selbst anwendet. Anders als vormoderne Gesellschaften zeichnet sich die moderne Gesellschaft durch ihre hochgradig frei kontextualisierbare und damit riskante Technik aus. Kontextualisierungen und Entscheidungsnotwendigkeiten im Umgang mit moderner Technik bedingen Reflexivität. Technische Entwicklungen lassen Determinationen und Optionen in gleichem Maße wachsen. Komplex ist die soziale Seite von Technik, nicht die Kompliziertheit ihrer technischen Komponenten. Reflexive Technologiepolitik und Technikfolgenabschätzung sind gezwungen, die soziale Dynamik technischer Entwicklungen zu berücksichtigen. / There are several means to analyse the intrinsic connection of technological development and social evolution in sociology today. The thesis examines technology and its development as part of social evolution from a system-theoretical point of view. Using this approach, terms like "technology" and "social evolution" are reformulated. "Technology" is a particular type of border of social systems, using the mode of causality in observing its environment; thus Technology is defined as the fixation of causal expectations. "Social evolution" is a social systems' structural change by the selection and reinforcement of variations, creating a singular history. In terms of sociology, any technological development is part of a wider developing social context. This is visualized by confronting the terms "progress" and "modernization"; both being concepts of sociology as well as of debates on technology and social development. By using technology, by giving way to innovation, and by limiting the use of technology, a given society tries to monitor and influence its own evolution. The thesis shows that these attempts become more complex, but not necessarily more effective. The fundamental properties of any evolution cannot be annulated --- the social evolution always remains unpredictable, even when evolutionary theories allow reflexive observations. In contrast to its predecessors the modern society constitutes a type of technology which is highly independent of any given social context. But this freedom is risky. Contextualizations and decision-makings imply a higher degree of reflexivity. In the case of technological development, both determinations and options increase at the same time. What is complex in technological development is its social, not its mere technical side. Any reflexive debate on technology has to reflect technology as a social issue.

Title from second page of PDF document. Includes bibliographical references (p. 228-234).

This thesis examines Leadership Development in both a corporate setting and an expedition-based setting. The assumptions that are the foundations of current Leadership Development originate, and are informed by, aspects of the natural sciences. These methods are critiqued in terms of usability and applicability in the context of human relating. An alternative approach is investigated based on nonlinear causality and the complex responsive process of relating using the work of Stacey (2003, 2007, 2010), Stacey and Griffin (2005), Stacey et al. (2000). What is explored is the Leader as expert and the ability through communication, decision making, and planning to create certainty. What is problematized is the fantasy that this creates in ongoing day-to-day interactions. The work explores interactions between a leadership consultant/coach and clients in varied domains: the role of the practitioner in the delivery and creation of theory, models, best practices and standard operating procedures; and the reflections of both the practitioner and clients that what is emerging cannot be foreseen. This leads to a further exploration cycle of the human experience in organizations and how reification, the uncanny, and the struggle for recognition might offer other ways of making sense of the experience. The work examines the role of the consultant/teacher and the client/student and the emergence of knowledge. It further investigates the relationship of time and causality and how this is connected to theoretical knowledge and knowledge in action. This leads to a further connection of thinking, reflecting and reflexivity and what this means as practice for leadership development. Using the context of leadership coaching for management teams and connecting the reflexive aspect of knowledge, what is argued is that sensemaking as developed by Weick (1995, 2001, 2009), Weick and Sutcliffe (2007) is not a sufficient practice to explain and create best practices, standard operating procedures, models, and theories. What is also necessary, and is identified as sensemaking and connected to Elias (1987) work, is our own involvement and detachment as we abstract to understand what is happening in the moment between human agents. It is argued that paying attention to these aspects of ongoing human relating offer the possibility of thicker and a more contextualized understanding of the emergent unpredictable outcomes that leaders deal with every day.

暢銷書是人們學習愛情資訊的重要管道，其內含有小說、散文與劇本等文類。它們不僅提供多樣的愛情論述，更是讀者吸收、學習愛情經驗的重要摹本。能夠出版暢銷書的作家們具備強烈的社會影響力與能見度，因此暢銷書反映了社會大眾的愛情觀念，同時也提供人們在愛情生活中該如何自處與面對愛情的生活倫理與準則。本研究亟欲透過暢銷書的研究來理解社會的主流愛情觀念，並從中分析出各種愛情困境的行動導引，最後將之統整並與社會理論家對話。為了研究愛情類的暢銷書，本研究以TPI暢銷排行榜(2004/1~2013/8)的資料作為取樣對象，並以暢銷度為首要考量後挑選適合書籍進行研究。根據研究發現，暢銷作家在許多方面與社會理論家看法一致。然而，暢銷作家比理論家專注於個人於愛情中所遭遇的困境，以及愛情困境所能實行的解決方案。愛情類暢銷書的論述呈現高度理性化、自我反思、自我實現等正向積極的現代性特徵，其中「愛自己」的論述更是它們對現代愛情的主要看法。對暢銷書而言，「愛自己」顯然是避免「浪漫愛陷阱」的最佳方式。暢銷書透過「愛自己」的論述將愛情理性化，並且從自我出發，重新建構正向積極的愛情心態。正是這種積極向上的論述重新建立起讀者對愛情的希望，並且成為讀者持續相信、進入愛情的重要原因。 / Bestselling books serve as the very way of getting love information. It contains novel, essay and drama kinds of literatures. They supply various love discourse to help readers to absorb and learn love experiences as such. Those who can publish best seller books are authors with strong social influence and visibility, therefore, books of these authors have the capacity of reflecting love ideas of general public and giving instructions for readers to deal love matters with ethical principles. The goal of the study is to use the best seller books to understand main stream ideas of love, summarizing instructions of hurdles in love and, finally, compile them into a compact form to discuss with theorists. In order to research best seller books of love, we choose the ranking list of best seller books in TPI (Taiwan Publisher Information) website as a target population to sample from, and using the degree of selling as the main sampling factor to select proper samples to research on. Based on our research findings, bestselling authors share same opinions with theorists in many aspects, however, bestselling authors are more focusing on personal struggles in love and the solutions that one can take to deal with. The discourse of best seller books present positive and active modernity portrait, for examples: highly rationalization, self-reflexivity and self-realization. Among these features, “Love Thyself”is the main concept of their way to perceive modern love. For best seller books, “Love Thyself”seems to be the best way to avoid “Traps of Romance” as such. Through the ideas of self-loving, best seller books is able to rationalize love with discourse and start from the point of self to re-construct positive and active mentality. It is from this positive and active discourse that readers can re-establish their hope to love and convince themselves to continually believe or enter into the sphere of love. Keywords: Best Selling Books, Sociology of Love, Reflexivity, Self-Love, Hope.

L’école et les programmes de formation à l’enseignement ont connu beaucoup de transformations au cours des dernières décennies. Ces changements sont notamment associés au mouvement de la professionnalisation de l’enseignement qui met l’accent, entre autres, sur l’importance de développer une réflexivité critique chez les futurs enseignants à travers des cours théoriques et des stages. Dans cette optique, le Ministère de l’éducation, des loisirs et du sport (MELS) et les institutions universitaires ont la responsabilité d’interpréter les caractéristiques propres à une pensée critique et de les intégrer à la formation initiale des enseignants. Cependant, bien que le concept de pensée critique ait fait l’objet de nombreuses recherches théoriques et empiriques depuis les travaux sur la pensée réfléchie de Dewey, il n’existe toujours pas une définition consensuelle du concept. Néanmoins les philosophes « classiques » (Ennis, McPeck, Paul, Siegel, Lipman) s’entendent pour soutenir qu’une pensée critique présuppose un doute méthodique qui conduit à la mobilisation d’habiletés et d’attitudes intellectuelles complexes, reliées à l’évaluation des faits et des situations. De leur côté, des épistémologues issus du champ de la psychologie développementale (King & Kitchener, Kuhn, Perry, et d’autres) ont élaboré des modèles de développement d’une pensée critique basés sur l’identification de stades. L’un des plus récents modèles est issu des sciences de l’éducation (Daniel et al.) et sera utilisé comme grille pour analyser nos données. Il présuppose quatre modes de pensée (logique, métacognitif, créatif et responsable) et leur complexification à partir de trois perspectives épistémologiques (égocentrisme, relativisme et intersubjectivité). La présente étude, de nature qualitative, cherche à d’identifier la réflexivité (simple ou critique) visée par les textes officiels du MELS, stimulée par l’Université de Montréal (UdeM) dans le cadre de la formation initiale des étudiants inscrits en Éducation physique et à la santé (ÉPS) et manifestée par ces étudiants en fin de formation. Pour ce faire, nous avons eu recours à une analyse de contenu, et à une analyse basée sur le modèle développemental de Daniel et ses collègues. Ces analyses ont été conduites sur le référentiel de compétences du MELS, sur les indicateurs de compétences et les consignes de rédaction des rapports synthèses de l’UdeM, ainsi que sur des verbatim d’entrevues individuelles et de groupe et sur les rapports synthèses des participants (au nombre de neuf). Les résultats d’analyse du référentiel de compétences et des indicateurs de compétences montrent que les réflexivités visée et stimulée sont de l’ordre d’une pensée réfléchie mais pas nécessairement d’une pensée critique. Parallèlement, la réflexivité manifestée par les stagiaires lors des entrevues ainsi que dans leurs rapports synthèse s’est révélée être de l’ordre d’une pensée réfléchie pas nécessairement critique même si des manifestations d’une pensée critique ont occasionnellement pu être observées. / Schools and Teacher Training Programs have undergone several transformations over the past decades. In particular, these transformations have been associated to the teaching professionalization movement that emphasizes, among others, the importance of developing reflexivity, and especially critical reflexivity, in future teachers through theoretical classes and practicum. To this end, the Ministère de l’éducation, des loisirs et du sport (MELS) and universities are responsible for interpreting the characteristics that are specific to Critical Thinking (CT) and to integrate these characteristics in Initial Teacher Training. However, although the concept of CT has been the subject of considerable theoretical and empirical research since the works of Dewey on Reflective Thinking (RT), a consensual definition of the concept has yet to be reached. Nevertheless, “classical” philosophers (Ennis, McPeck, Paul, Siegel, Lipman) agree in sustaining that CT implies methodological doubt, which leads to the mobilisation of complex intellectual attitudes and skills, related to the evaluation of facts and situations. For their part, epistemologists from the field of developmental psychology (King & Kitchener, Kuhn, Perry, and other) have elaborated CT development models based on the identification of stages. One of the more recent models stems from Education Science (Daniel et al.) and will be used as a grid to analyse our data. It presupposes four thinking modes (logical, metacognitive, creative, and responsible) and their increasing complexity based on three epistemological perspectives (egocentricity, relativism, and inter-subjectivity). The present study, of a qualitative nature, attempts to identify the reflexivity (simple or critical) outlined in the MELS’s official texts, as stimulated by Université de Montréal (UdeM) with its Initial Teacher Training for students registered in the Physical Education and Health program, and as manifested by these students at the end of their training. To do so, we relied on content analyses, and on an analysis based on the developmental model of Daniel and colleagues. These analyses were conducted on the MELS’s competency dictionary, on competency indicators and UdeM writing guidelines for summary reports, as well as on transcripts of individual and group interviews, and on the participants’ summary reports (nine in total). Results from our analysis of the competency dictionary and competency indicators show that the reflexivity intended and stimulated is in the range of RT but not necessarily of CT. In parallel, the reflexivity manifested by trainees during the interviews and in their summary reports proved to be of a RT nature not necessary critic even if some manifestations of CT were observed.

<p>The aim of the research was to establish the factors relevant to the delivery of education support to the Khomani San school community, and to propose a model for appropriate education support to the Khomani San school community. In order to reach this aim I strove to answer the following questions: What ethics need to be considered to guide research with this indigenous community? What are the key policy guidelines for education support services in South Africa? Is there a link between community psychology and education support services in the South African context? How are education support services understood and currently delivered to the Khomani San school community? What suggestions can be proposed for relevant education support services delivery to the Khomani San school community? </p>

Mémoire numérisé par la Division de la gestion de documents et des archives de l'Université de Montréal

Scopo del contributo è descrivere la costruzione e rappresentazione dell’identità nel corso della transizione adolescenziale. Ipotizzata circolarità e reciproca determinazione tra individui e società, lo studio tratta il tema dell’identità come frutto di riflessività e di chances di vita offerte dal contesto. Il fuoco dell’attenzione è sugli adolescenti di origine straniera, scelti come oggetto di studio perché chiamati a vivere la transizione identitaria in maniera amplificata dall’esperienza migratoria ed esemplificativa di traiettorie di costruzione del Sé percorse anche dai pari italiani. L’analisi sottolinea dunque l’analogia generazionale tra adolescenti italiani e stranieri e la pluralità di definizioni identitarie, anche prescindendo dall’eventuale esperienza migratoria. Lo studio ha seguito l’approccio della sociologia visuale, sia nei riferimenti teorici ed analitici, sia sul piano della ricerca empirica. Sono stati intervistati 12 adolescenti, italiani e stranieri, che hanno narrato di sé presentando immagini e video. A partire da ciò sono state individuate 3 tipologie di costruzione identitaria, quella dei relazionali, quella dei progettisti e quella dei sognatori, e si è confermata la reciproca connessione tra individui e società e la pluralità di traiettorie nella transizione alla vita adulta. / The study’s aim is to describe the construction and representation of identity during the adolescent transition. Hypothesizing circularity and reciprocal determination between individuals and society, the study deals with the topic of identity as the result of reflexivity and lifetime chances which are offered by the context. Attention is focused on adolescents with foreign origins, chosen as the subject of study because they are called to experience identity transition in a way which is broadened due to their migratory experiences, and exemplified by paths involving Self-construction which their Italian peers also follow. The analysis thus underscores the generational analogy between Italian and foreign adolescents and the plurality of definitions of identity, also irrespective of any migratory experience. The study followed the visual sociology approach, both in theoretical and analytical terms as well as at the level of empirical research. The 12 Italian and foreign adolescents who were interviewed spoke about themselves through images and videos. 3 types of identity construction were identified thanks to these presentations: relational, planners and dreamers, and a reciprocal connection between individuals and society, and the plurality of paths in the transition to adult life were confirmed.