Paul Bonnetain (1858-1899) is a French author whose work has been largely forgotten. While the literary merit of much of his output is another matter, this thesis will show that the value of Bonnetains work is of considerable historical significance as a record of the ways in which the apparently contradictory notions of republican universalism and racial hierarchy were combined to form the French mission civilisatrice. The focus will be on Bonnetains two books gleaned from his time spent in Indochina as a correspondent for Le Figaro during 1884-1885, the compiled journalism of Au Tonkin (1884) and the Naturalist colonial novel LOpium. Both books exemplify the historical interest of Bonnetains work, which lies in its Naturalist quest for scientifically accurate literature and in its belief in the phenomenon of racial degeneration. This belief is coupled with a strongly implied materialist adherence to polygenism the belief that human races represent different species with distinct origins. However, these aspects of his work are brought into even greater relief by their juxtaposition with Bonnetains strongly leftist, anti-clerical, and materialist republican universalism. This thesis describes how his enthusiasm for miscegenation and métissage, as expressed in Au Tonkin and LOpium, allowed him to maintain a belief in racial hierarchy while also enthusiastically subscribing to republican universalism. In this way, métissage served as a framework in which these two seemingly contradictory positions could be held together.

The subject of this thesis is the historical relation between tradition and modernity in Chile in its transition from the XVIIIth century to Independence and its immediate aftermath. In order to study this relation, the thesis begins by analysing the effects that Bourbon reformism —the first attempt to modernize the state institutionally— had in Chile. Special emphasis is placed on the attitude of the ruling èlite vis-à-vis these reforms (Part I). Subsequently, the thesis centres its attention on the last thirty years of Spanish dominion and the repercussions brought about by the collapse of monarchy. Why a traditional society chose liberal-republicanism as a new legitimating order is the principal question analysed in Part II. The last section —Part III— is concerned with the immediate effects produced by this political option, in particular the emergence of a new consolidated government order and nationalist state during the 1820s. How liberal-republicanism reinforced a predisposition towards political change in addition to preparing the ground for further changes is also dealt with in this last part. Finally, the thesis contains an analysis of the main historiographical interpretations which have been put forward concerning Independence. Overall, the dissertation attempts to demonstrate that Chilean Independence is part of a process of long duration of an emancipatory nature, starting in the XVIIIth century, and which entails a gradual change towards modernity. The thesis affirms that a conjunctural change such as Independence, involving basically a political-ideological transformation of the traditional legitimating order, was to be of crucial importance for the later evolution of the country towards a broader form of modernization, even if the latter was not always foreseen or necessarily wanted. The thesis, thus, challenges conventional conservative interpretations which view Independence as a merely epiphenomenal or frustrated revolution, while questioning also voluntarist explanations of a liberal sort which tend to exaggerate the omniscience of the process.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Texas at Austin, 2007. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (doctoral)--Université Paul Cézanne-Aix-Marseille III, 2006. / At head of title: Université Paul Cézanne - Aix Marseille III, Centre d'études et de recherches d'histoire des idées et des institutions politiques. Includes bibliographical references (p. [585]-633) and index.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Chicago, Dept. of English Language and Literature, June 2000. / Includes bibliographical references. Also available on the Internet.

Thesis (M.A.)--Catholic Theological Union at Chicago, 1991. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 106-112).

Title from PDF of title page (University of Missouri--Columbia, viewed on February 24, 2010). The entire thesis text is included in the research.pdf file; the official abstract appears in the short.pdf file; a non-technical public abstract appears in the public.pdf file. Dissertation advisor: Dr. John Wigger. Vita. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (doctoral)--Université Paul Cézanne-Aix-Marseille III, 2006. / At head of title: Université Paul Cézanne - Aix Marseille III, Centre d'études et de recherches d'histoire des idées et des institutions politiques. Includes bibliographical references (p. [585]-633) and index.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of California, San Diego, 2001. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 516-576).

Debates about the use of torture in order to protect democracy have become increasingly prevalent in the wake of September 11, 2001 and the war on terror. This thesis examines pro-torture arguments based on considerations of national security. Recently these arguments have had the most traction when advanced within the republican mode of democratic theory. I argue that torture undermines democratic legitimacy because of the secrecy it involves when used for interrogational purposes. Publicity about acts committed in the name of the demos is an essential aspect of democratic legitimacy. For interrogational torture to be effective, major features of its use must be kept secret. This secrecy is incompatible with classical republicanism and the theory of collective responsibility it entails because it interferes with the ability of the people to participate meaningfully in democracy, which is an essential feature of republicanism. / Graduate