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This single case study was created to investigate one lesbian parented family's experiences in family, social, and educational systems to gain perspective on their overall happiness. In depth face-to-face interviews were conducted with two lesbian parents currently raising three children. After data collection and analysis, the researcher constructed six findings based on the primary research questions. The study determined that regardless of minor discrimination in the systems, the parents and their children have positive experiences in their family, social, and educational systems. The parents also offered ideas about political and social changes that would improve their lives. Overall, the study determined that regardless of negative experiences based on their sexual orientation, the parents believe that all members of the family are happy and proud of their family unit. / School of Education / Community Counseling / MS / Thesis

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This diploma thesis is concerned with the analysis of famous novels written by the English writer George Orwell. It is confronted with ethical concept represented by Emmanuel Lévinas. The thesis is about a social evil in all aspects. It observes the roots of historical events and searches for the crucial solutions why evil is still present in the human society and can be a threat for the society anytime. The thesis discusses the elements like demagogy, physical and psychological terror towards the humans in any possible dictatorships. At the end of the thesis, the author is drawing on Orwell´s and Lévinas´s ideas, which should be respected in the correct functioning of any social system.

Le corps social, ce vaste ensemble d’organes interdépendants, participe à l’élaboration de l’œuvre littéraire, laquelle est le produit de trois sous-systèmes principaux : politico-économique (responsable de l’adaptation aux conditions environnementales), culturel (visant à maintenir les normes et les valeurs) et sociétal (relatif à l’intégration collective). Ce schéma analytique, librement inspiré de la théorie de Talcott Parsons, s’applique particulièrement bien aux récits pilchiens et houellebecquiens dont la diégèse fait ressortir les traits caractéristiques du contexte extérieur dans lequel elle a été conçue. La première partie de cette thèse explore la tension entre le système économico-politique et la production fictionnelle de Pilch et de Houellebecq. Cet examen ambitionne de démontrer combien la réalité sociale et marchande détermine l’inscription de certaines questions thématiques et formelles présentes dans l’écriture des deux auteurs : la description du paraître, la représentation des échanges interpersonnels, le fonctionnement des référents discursifs propres à l’économie, ainsi que l’appréhension du travail. La deuxième partie aborde l’influence des transformations sociohistoriques sur le maintien des modèles culturels et sur la reproduction des valeurs traditionnelles. Il s’agira de déterminer dans quelle mesure la révolution des moeurs en France et l’occidentalisation progressive de la société polonaise opèrent sur la conception de la famille et les relations amoureuses. La dernière partie traite du rôle de la religion et de l’identité dans le processus d’enracinement social, mais elle expose aussi les différents moyens de se retrancher de la société. / Social body, as a large connection of interdependent organisms, takes part in elaboration of a literary work, which is the product of three main subsystems: politico-economical (responsible for the adaptation to environmental conditions), cultural (concerning the maintenance of standards and values) and social (referring to integration). This analytical scheme, loosely based on the theory of Talcott Parsons, relates specifically to stories of Pilch and Houellebecq, whose stories,together with the world depicted, reveal the characteristics of the external context in which they were designed. The first part of this paper examines the tension between the economic system and political and fictional productions by Jerzy Pilch and Michel Houellebecq. This study aims to demonstrate how the social reality and the market determine the recording of certain thematic and formal concerns presented in the works of these two authors: the description of the appearance, thepresentation of interpersonal exchanges, the functioning of discursive symbols appropriate for the economy, and concerns about work. The second part deals with the influence of socio-historical changes on the maintenance of cultural patterns and restoration of traditional values. The main objective will be to determine the extent to which the moral revolution in France and the gradual Westernization of Polish society affects the concept of the family and the love relationships. The lastpart concerns the role of religion and identity in the process of social rootedness, and presents various ways of cutting off from the society.

The attention of information, communications, and technology (ICT) designers, developers, implementers, consultants, and venture capitalists, in the banking arena, has been focused on the corporate sector and on the commercial and corporate applications of ICT. Banking technology usage such as those by lower-income communities, have been marginalised and largely left unattended. During the past five years, activities, behaviours, and attitudes of the financial services industry increased, in favour of the under-serviced mass market. Global growth of electronic payment banking systems and usage has brought about a considerable amount of technological advancement. The low-income market has become a subject of interest by ICT solution providers, banks and credit-offering incumbents , academics, government, and alternative non-banks and non-governmental organisations (NGO’s). Despite the global increase in interest and technology usage, the inability to act on the augment, within the borders of Swaziland, is the primal focus of this research. Swaziland’s mass market can be transformed and banked through the proper deployment of ICTs. The ability to bank the un-banked, in viewing ICT as the enabler of the small society along with its various communities; those excluded because of cultural and educational restrictions; physical location and low income constraints; the disabled etc., can be achieved. This dissertation investigates and analyses the present situation of banking in Swaziland, the related entities involved, and attempts to formulate an appropriate strategy for the successful implementation of a suitable banking solution in the Swazi context. This includes the recognition that access, to any ICT, in itself is insufficient, and illustrates, through the use of community informatics (CI), systems theory, change management theory, and the essential pre-study towards the utilisation of ICT deployed on a grand scale. / Dissertation (MCom)--University of Pretoria, 2008. / Informatics / unrestricted

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Czech School of Social Policy This thesis deals with the most famous representatives of the Czech school of social policy, their main attitudes and contributions. The thesis is composed of six main chapters. Chapter One is introductory and defines the term of "social policy" and basic goals of this thesis. Chapter Two deals with the historical evolution of Czech social services. The analysis begins in the period of Bismarck's Germany, which had an effect on social provisions in a lot of other states. One of them was Austria-Hungary including the Czech country. Thus, the first social laws introduced in the independent state of Czechoslovakia formed after World War One were based on the legislation of the former monarchy. But Czechoslovakia started to implement its own laws very early. Therefore, the final part of Chapter Two focuses on this social development and the establishment of the Czech Social Institute. This part also describes the most important laws in the social field. Chapter Three characterises some of the main representatives of the First- Republic social system. It attempts to sketch their private lives through short biographies. This part of the thesis also tackles their work with the aim to introduce their opinions and ways of thinking in the social field. The very first...

The question of social systems is a topical issue today. In this thesis I consider the social system in Austria. The Austrian social system is very generously funded, but at the same time very carefully planned, and its social benefits are distributed in the same way. In the first part of my thesis I will deal with the historical development of the Austrian social system. In the next section, I focus on the functioning of the current social system, especially in crucial areas - pension, health and social insurance. I also describe the implemented reforms of the pension and health insurance. Austria, in respect of these reform measures, has made significant strides to maintain long-term financial sustainability of its pension and health system. The aim of this thesis is to determine whether it would be appropriate to implement the selected elements of the Austrian social system into the Czech social system. In my thesis I also look at the current manifestations of crisis of the social state, particularly demographic factors and the problem of legitimacy.