For centuries utopian and science fiction has allowed women to engage with dominant discourses, especially those which have been defined as the “domain” of men. Feminist scholars have often characterized this genealogy as one which begins with the destabilization of Enlightenment ideals of the rational subject in the Romantic Revolution, with the publication of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein (1818) in particular. This thesis demonstrates that there has in fact been an enduring history of women’s cognitive and rational attempts to explore key discourses such as science, technology and architecture through Reason, as opposed to rage. This is a genealogy of women writing utopian science fiction that is best illuminated through Darko Suvin’s of the novum. Chapter One reveals how the innovative utopian visions of Margaret Cavendish (1626-1673) proffer a highly rational and feminist critique of seventeenth-century experimental science. Chapter Two demonstrates how Sarah Scott’s Millenium Hall (1762) explored the socio-political significance of the monstrous-looking “human” body some fifty years before Shelley’s Frankenstein. Following this, Chapter Three re-reads Frankenstein in light of the early nineteenth century zeitgeist of laissez-faire economics, technological advancement and global imperialism and argues that these were also the concerns of other utopian science fiction works by women, such as Jane Loudon’s The Mummy! (1827). Chapter Four analyses how the function of the novum is integral to L.T. Meade’s (1854-1915) depictions of male/female interaction in the scientific field. Chapter Five considers how important it is to acknowledge the materialist concern with popular science that informs texts such as Joanna Russ’s The Female Man (1975) and Pat Cadigan’s cyberpunk novel Synners (1991). This is the history of how women have used the form of utopian science fiction as a means with which to present a rational female voice. In addition to the historical works by women, it employs a range of utopian and science fiction theory from Suvin and Fredric Jameson to historical and contemporary feminism.

Essa dissertação é o resultado dos questionamentos e das inquietações suscitadas a partir do encontro das narrativas de ficções científicas e das ideias feministas. Esses pulsares teóricos transpassam em alguns momentos minha trajetória acadêmica, tentando, concomitantemente, conciliar e incorporar essas duas formas literárias. A discussão basilar advém da leitura de The Female Man, de Joanna Russ, em um encadeamento sutil com a minha perspectiva enquanto sujeito mulher em contato com esses universos. Por fim, busca-se desvendar os fragmentos narrativos que estão impregnados de poderosas imagens subversivas e palavras transgressoras que convocam as leitoras e leitores a repensar, resistir e reformular a realidade ao seu redor. / This thesis is the result of questioning and restlessness raised by the encounter of science fiction narratives and feminist ideas. These theoretical pulses trespass at some moments my academic trajectory, trying concomitantly to harmonize and to embody these two literary types. The underlying discussion comes from the reading of The Female Man, by Joanna Russ, inside a sutil chaining with my perspective as woman subject in contact with these universes. Lastly, It seeks to unravel the narrative fragments that are impregnated with powerful subversive images and transgressive words that invite male and female readers to rethink, resist and reshape the reality around them

Zugl.: Karlsruhe, Universiẗat, Diss., 2008.

Thesis (M.A.)--Villanova University, 2006. / English Dept. Includes bibliographical references.

Essa dissertação é o resultado dos questionamentos e das inquietações suscitadas a partir do encontro das narrativas de ficções científicas e das ideias feministas. Esses pulsares teóricos transpassam em alguns momentos minha trajetória acadêmica, tentando, concomitantemente, conciliar e incorporar essas duas formas literárias. A discussão basilar advém da leitura de The Female Man, de Joanna Russ, em um encadeamento sutil com a minha perspectiva enquanto sujeito mulher em contato com esses universos. Por fim, busca-se desvendar os fragmentos narrativos que estão impregnados de poderosas imagens subversivas e palavras transgressoras que convocam as leitoras e leitores a repensar, resistir e reformular a realidade ao seu redor. / This thesis is the result of questioning and restlessness raised by the encounter of science fiction narratives and feminist ideas. These theoretical pulses trespass at some moments my academic trajectory, trying concomitantly to harmonize and to embody these two literary types. The underlying discussion comes from the reading of The Female Man, by Joanna Russ, inside a sutil chaining with my perspective as woman subject in contact with these universes. Lastly, It seeks to unravel the narrative fragments that are impregnated with powerful subversive images and transgressive words that invite male and female readers to rethink, resist and reshape the reality around them

Essa dissertação é o resultado dos questionamentos e das inquietações suscitadas a partir do encontro das narrativas de ficções científicas e das ideias feministas. Esses pulsares teóricos transpassam em alguns momentos minha trajetória acadêmica, tentando, concomitantemente, conciliar e incorporar essas duas formas literárias. A discussão basilar advém da leitura de The Female Man, de Joanna Russ, em um encadeamento sutil com a minha perspectiva enquanto sujeito mulher em contato com esses universos. Por fim, busca-se desvendar os fragmentos narrativos que estão impregnados de poderosas imagens subversivas e palavras transgressoras que convocam as leitoras e leitores a repensar, resistir e reformular a realidade ao seu redor. / This thesis is the result of questioning and restlessness raised by the encounter of science fiction narratives and feminist ideas. These theoretical pulses trespass at some moments my academic trajectory, trying concomitantly to harmonize and to embody these two literary types. The underlying discussion comes from the reading of The Female Man, by Joanna Russ, inside a sutil chaining with my perspective as woman subject in contact with these universes. Lastly, It seeks to unravel the narrative fragments that are impregnated with powerful subversive images and transgressive words that invite male and female readers to rethink, resist and reshape the reality around them

While acknowledging that Russ’s work is problematic in some regards, the aim of this thesis is to counter the criticism of Russ’s oeuvre as outdated and sometimes stuck in second-wave feminist positions, instead demonstrating how Russ’s use of sci-fi strategies such as cyborgism, possible-worlds theory, utopianism, and concretised metaphors in The Female Man and The Adventures of Alyx enables her to move beyond second-wave feminist positions and anticipate third-wave feminism in ways that are still relevant today.

No description available.

This thesis investigates the acquisition of the copula be in present Simple Tense in English by native speakers of Russian. The aim of the study is to determine whether or not Russian students with different levels of English proficiency encounter any problems while using the copula be in Present Simple Tense in English. The study also identifies the domains related to the use of the copula be that appear to be most problematic for native speakers of Russian. To carry out the current research two diagnostic tests measuring receptive and productive skills related to the use of the copula be in Present Simple Tense in English were developed. The data were collected from three groups of Russian students who were in the first, fourth and eighth years of learning English. The data in each of the domains related to the use of the copula be in Present Simple Tense in English were classified under four main categories: (i) correct use, (ii) omission, (iii) misinformation, (iv) addition. Both, quantitative and qualitative analyses were used in the study. The results of the study indicated that all the native speakers of Russian who participated in the study had difficulties with the acquisition of the copula be in Present Simple Tense in English. The findings of the study revealed that along with the developmental mistakes/errors (i.e., omissions of the copula be and misuse of the forms of the copula be), which seem to disappear with the lasting exposure to English, there are other mistakes/errors in the performance of the native speakers of Russian which are persistent. Negative transfer at the morphological level and incomplete understanding and application of the rule are suggested as the underlying reasons for the persistent mistakes/errors made by the Russian learners.

The purpose of this dissertation is to analyze how four Southern Baptist scholars: E.Y. Mullins, John Newport, Richard Cunningham, and L. Russ Bush, understood--whether explicitly or implicitly--the nature of philosophy. Three issues will be explored as a result of their metaphilosophical views. First, what is the relationship between faith and reason? Second, is a Christian philosophy possible? And third, what role does philosophy serve in the life of the believer? Chapter 1 sets the historical context regarding the issue of metaphilosophy. Philosophy has been traditionally understood as the love of wisdom. However, since the Enlightenment and the dawning of modern Western philosophy, how thinkers understood the nature of philosophy changed dramatically. As the natural sciences progressed rapidly in the advancement of knowledge, thinkers increasingly viewed philosophy as being in need of change regarding its method and purpose. By the time of the twentieth century, philosophy's identity was in a state of confusion and uncertainty. Chapter 2 analyzes the metaphilosophy of E. Y. Mullins. For Mullins, philosophy investigated the foundational questions of human existence and operated autonomously from science and religion. The data of philosophy included all of life, including the findings of the various fields of knowledge, and sought to unify all truth into a cohesive unit. The value of philosophy is found in its ability to go beyond the descriptions of science in order to interpret the world in which one lives. Chapter 3 analyzes the metaphilosophy of John Newport. According to Newport, philosophy is identified with worldview--the structure of one's beliefs about the world. One's worldview affects how one lives and operates within the world. Philosophy includes not only the analytic task of critiquing and clarifying ideas and beliefs, but also the synthetic task of incorporating beliefs into a coherent structure. Philosophy also involves analyzing the key-principles that underlie one's belief structure--those principles that are basic to an individual. Philosophy, or worldview, is valuable to the individual by helping one to make sense of life and to avoid bad decisions. Chapter 4 focuses on the metaphilosophy of Richard Cunningham. Cunningham views philosophy as one's attempt to understand his experience in all its facets. It is a deliberate action on the part of the individual, one that leads to the development of his worldview. Philosophy involves the traditional tasks of analysis and synthesis, and its value is found in its ability to afford one to live more effectively. Chapter 5 presents the metaphilosophy of L. Russ Bush. Bush's definition of philosophy is methodological in nature as he views philosophy more as an activity than as a way of life. One employs the laws of logic and other philosophical tasks when analyzing one's own or competing worldviews in order to judge between their similarities or differences, and their strengths or weaknesses. In a day and age where many individuals lazily accept their beliefs without deep reflection, philosophy helps one to hold to beliefs that are more consistent and it helps one to better dialogue with others of differing worldviews. Chapter 6 concludes the dissertation by highlighting the strengths and weaknesses of the four thinkers presented in the preceding chapters. Suggestions are provided on how to strengthen a Baptist view of metaphilosophy in light of the weaknesses provided. Finally, the current state of philosophy in the Southern Baptist Convention is provided.