La thèse analyse les différents usages du secret et de la clandestinité politique au Royaume de Naples de 1799 à 1721. A partir de la fin de l'expérience de la République napolitaine jusqu'au retour de l'absolutisme de Ferdinand 1 en 1821, la présence et l'action de différentes sociétés secrètes est l'un des traits typiques de la vie politique napolitaine. A travers l'analyse des deux formations les plus connues et répandues la franc-maçonnerie et la Carboneria ainsi que de plusieurs groupes mineurs, ce travail s'interroge sur l'efficacité de l'action politique cachée autant comme moyen de défense contre la répression que comme lieu d'élaboration politique et de sauvegarde de contenus non déclarables au grand jour. D'un autre point de vue, ce travail de recherche montre comment le choix de la clandestinité politique n'est pas exclusif du champ révolutionnaire et, étant considéré comme un instrument parmi d'autres pour s'emparer du pouvoir ou pour l'influencer, le secret est aussi adopté par les réactionnaires et les légitimistes, qui vont donner vie à leurs propres sociétés secrètes. En ce qui concerne l'efficacité de cet instrument, enfin, force est de constater que, bien qu'utile comme moyen d'élaboration à l'intérieur du groupe qui a choisi de s'en servir, la clandestinité s'avère insuffisante pour influencer le pouvoir et, encore plus, pour préparer dans l'ombre le bouleversement de ce dernier. / The thesis aims to analyse the different utilisations of secret and clandestinity in the political life of the Kingdom Of Naples from 1799 to 1821. From the fall of the Napolitan Republic to the end of the constitution al period in 1821, the action of secret societies is one of the characteristics of the political system of southem Italy. The cases of the two main societies - the free-masonry and the carbonari - and of some minor groups, face the problem of the effectiveness of hidden political actions on both bands of self-defence instrument against repression and "place" to elaborate new policies and to keep the memory of the Revolution. Moreover, the form of the secret society is not used only by republicans and liberals but, from the very beginning, absolutists as well create their own secret societies.

The Book of Mormon and the Book of Moses, sacred scripture of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints have woven into their pages a brief history of secret combinations on the "American" continent. Secret combinations have caused the destruction of three previous civilizations that have existed on this continent. The prophet Moroni warned the Latter-day American inhabitants that "This secret combination... shall be among you..." (Ether 8:24). The evidence summarized in this study leads one to the conclusion that the American Mafia Organization (Cosa Nostra) is the same organization warned against in sacred scripture.

Modern freemasonry emerged in Britain during the eighteenth century, combining earlier stonemason customs and methods of organization with the popular passion for clubs and societies. Although by no means unique in its ideology and constitution, freemasonry established itself after 1700 as a prominent fixture in both British communal and social life. Some mocked masonic lodges and their rituals, but they were an accepted feature on the social scene and, given that they avoided political and religious discussion and swore loyalty to the existing regime, their position was largely uncontroversial. The French Revolution, however, caused a severe backlash against the masons in Britain and Europe. During the 1790s, masonic lodges which were once viewed simply as charitable and convivial organizations were now seen as convenient vehicles for allowing radical groups to pursue covert revolutionary activities. As a result, legislation was passed which attempted to regulate these societies and eradicate any traces of secrecy. Despite its commitment to the establishment, freemasonry came under suspicion. This thesis examines the structure, nature, and characteristics of Scottish freemasonry in its wider British and European contexts between the years 1725 and 1810. As we shall see, masonic lodges and their members changed and adapted as these contexts evolved. The Enlightenment effectively crafted the modern mason and propelled freemasonry into a new era marked by increasing membership and the creation of the Grand Lodge of Scotland, with the institution becoming part of the contemporary fashion for associated activity.

Nyau Masquerades have been studied by missionaries, anthropologists and religious specialists, but have seldom been documented by theatre and performance specialists. This dissertation argues for the acceptance of Ny au performance as a contemporary world theatre form rooted in tradition. Charting the uneasy relationship between the Nyau and those who have sought to record their performances, the author delineates a vivid dramaturgy of this art form. In doing so, the boundaries of what define theatre as it has traditionally been understood in dominant discourses are made more fluid. Nyau performances have been affected by Colonial processes in varied ways. They were banned by the former government of Northern Rhodesia and severely censored by Catholic Mission teachings in the former Nyasaland. Other forms of vilification have been more subtle. Information about performance in Africa has often been collected and arranged in ways which limit the understanding of these genres. Images of Africa which cluster around the notion of the 'Primitive Other' have enabled a representation of Ny au masking as a superstitious and outdated practice with no relevance for contemporary Africa. This work calls for a new examination of the Nyau, through the lens of local discourse as well as contemporary global understandings of performance. Chapter One examines the issue of primitivism and the ways in which Africa has historically been posited as the exotic Other to Europe. Chapter Two examines the Nyau ih terms of specific dramaturgical elements, adjusting previous misconceptions surrounding the theatr~ forms of Chewa and Nyanja people. Chapter Three is devoted to a discussion of space in ritual theatre and Nyau performance, while Chapter Four explores masking and questions of transformation and liminality. In conclusion, it is seen that the use of the mask is a metaphor for the suspension of rigid boundaries separating subject/object, self/other, ritual/theatre, a suspension which needs to take place before an enriched understanding of performance in Africa can be reached.

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A travers le concordat et les Articles organiques l’État contrôle l’Église. En revanche, les congrégations bénéficient d’une certaine autonomie. En effet, grâce à la tolérance des pouvoirs publics pendant une bonne partie du XIXe siècle, elles se sont affranchies pour la plupart de la législation existante, dont l’application est peu à peu tombée en désuétude. A partir de 1879, les Républicains majoritaires au Parlement, veulent promouvoir les valeurs républicaines dont, à leur sens, la plus importante d’entre elles : la laïcité. Tous les politiques ont conscience de la nécessité d’octroyer une liberté d’association la plus large possible en préservant les libertés individuelles. Le principal obstacle réside dans les congrégations qui aliènent ces libertés par des vœux. Comment les inclure dans une loi d’ensemble tout en contrôlant étroitement leurs activités ? Que leur reproche-t-on ? D’une part, en raison de leur prosélytisme teinté de conservatisme, les congrégations sont soupçonnées de mettre en péril l’existence de la République naissante par leur action dans l’enseignement et tout particulièrement l’enseignement secondaire et supérieur supposé former l’élite de la nation. D’autre part, elles accaparent des biens à travers la constitution d’une mainmorte supposée très conséquente. Pendant trente ans, les nombreux gouvernements successifs tentent de légaliser le droit d’association avec une forme de reconnaissance réglementée des congrégations à travers de nombreux projets et propositions de lois qui n’aboutissent pas avant la fin du siècle. La loi du premier juillet 1901 est donc la conclusion d’un long processus d’élaboration qui conduit à une loi de liberté accolée à une loi d’exception qui exclut les congrégations religieuses du droit commun très libéral applicable aux associations civiles. / Through the Concordat and the Articles of the organic law, the Sate keeps the Church under control. In return, the congregations have the benefit of a certain autonomy. In fact, thanks to the tolerance of the authorities during a large part of the 19th century, the congregations are liberated from the majority of existing legislation, which gradually fell into disuse. From the year 1879, the Republicans, representing the majority in Parliament, want to promote the republican values, among which according to them, the most important is secularity All the politicians are aware of the necessity of granting the widest possible freedom of association, while preserving individual liberties. The main obstacle to this lies with the congregations who alienate these liberties because of the monastic vows. How to include them in a general law yet keep a tight control of their activities ? What are they blamed for ? On the one hand, because of their proselytism tinged with conservatism, congregations are suspected to put in peril the newly born Republic due to their action in education, especially in secondary classes and superior ones expected to form the elite of the nation. On the other hand, they monopolize goods by establishing a probably important mortmain. For thirty years, the successive governments tried to legalize the right of association with a type of controlled recognition of the congregations via many projects and propositions of laws which led to something only at the end of the century. The law passed on the first of July 1901, is thus the conclusion of a long process of elaboration which led to a law of freedom coupled with an exception which excludes religious congregations from very the liberal common law applied to civil associations.

Thesis (M.A.)--Indiana University, 2009. / Title from screen (viewed on February 1, 2010). Department of History, Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI). Advisor(s): Marianne S. Wokeck, Jason M. Kelly, Anita J. Morgan. Includes vitae. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 106-114).

The dissertation explores the imbricated nature of race, gender, and class in the field of insurance within the political economy of the New South. It considers how enterprising black women navigated tensions between New South rhetoric and Jim Crow reality as well as sexism and racism within the industry and among their industry peers. It complicates the narrative of black southern labor history that focuses more on women as agricultural laborers, domestics, and factory workers than as enterprising risk takers who sought to counterbalance personal ambition and self-interest with communal empowerment. Insurance organizations within black-run secret fraternal societies and formal black-owned insurance companies emerged as not only powerful symbols of black business achievement by the early decades of the twentieth century but also the most lucrative business sector of the separate black economy. Negro Captains of Industry, a coterie of successful, influential, self-made men, stood at the forefront; they represented the keystone of black economic, social, and political progress. The term invoked a decidedly masculinist image of “legitimate” leadership of black business. Considering fraternal and formal insurance, gender-inscribed rhetoric, shaped by racism and New South ideology, imagined black men as the ideal protectors and providers; women became the objects of protection rather than agents of economic development, job creation, and financial security. The dissertation explores how women operated creatively within and outside of normative expectations of their role in the insurance business. The dissertation considers the role of state regulation and zealous regulators who often targeted insurance organizations and companies, the primary symbols of black business success; in other ways, regulation dramatically improved profitability and stability. The dissertation identifies three key periods: the Pre-Regulatory Era, 1890s to 1906; the Era of Regulation, 1907-World War I; and the Professionalization of Black Insurance, Post-WWI to the Great Depression. It also considers the barriers to black women’s involvement in professional organizations. By the late 1930s, enterprising women in insurance lost ground as fraternal insurance waned in influence and as the strongest proponents of the black separate economy promoted a vision that embraced women as consumers rather than business owners. / text

Dans notre recherche, le premier volume inclut une composante linguistique comportant une analyse textométrique du corpus afin de compléter la vision d’ensemble dans une optique statistique servant à élargir le regard porté sur le discours de Jules Verne. En nous appuyant sur les possibilités offertes par les nouvelles technologies, nous avons fait un travail détaillé portant sur presque l’intégralité du corpus Verne.Le deuxième volume vise à explorer l’influence de la Franc-maçonnerie dans l’écriture vernienne. À cet égard, nous pouvons dire que depuis quelques années, de nouvelles tendances dans l’interprétation de ses textes viennent ajouter un ingrédient supplémentaire à l’éventail de recettes nous permettant d’interpréter autrement l’écrivain nantais. La critique littéraire pose ses regards sur un Jules Verne différent et dont l’œuvre est influencée par l’ésotérisme, conception bien éloignée de la vision que la tradition lui avait accordée. Nous trouvons capital de signaler qu’une composante philosophique proche de certaines sociétés secrètes imprègne l’œuvre de Verne au point de mériter une étude plus approfondie. / In this work, a first volume includes a linguistic component involving a textometric analysis of Jules Verne’s writings that provides an overview of his work from a statistical perspective; this analysis has allowed us to enhance our vision of his discourse. Taking advantage of new possibilities offered by recent technologies, we have performed a detailed study of nearly all of the corpus of Verne.The second volume explores the influence of Freemasonry on Verne’s work. This volume relates to new trends that have been explored in recent years, providing an additional element that has permitted a new interpretation of the writer. This body of literary criticism has examined Jules Verne under a different light, viewing his work as being influenced by esotericism, a perspective significantly removed from the traditional conception of his writings. It is important to emphasize that a philosophical component, close to certain secret societies such as Freemasonry, permeates the work of Verne and deserves further study. / En nuestra investigación, el primer volumen incluye un componente lingüístico que contiene básicamente un análisis textométrico del corpus, con el propósito de completar el panorama desde la óptica de la estadística a fin de ampliar la imagen que se tiene sobre el discurso de Verne. Sobre la base de las posibilidades que ofrecen las nuevas tecnologías, hemos hecho un trabajo detallado de casi todo el corpus Verne.El segundo volumen explora la influencia de la Franmasonería en los escritura verniana. A este respecto, podemos decir que en los últimos años, nuevas tendencias en la interpretación de sus textos vienen a agregar un ingrediente complementario al abanico de recetas que nos permiten interpretar de otra manera al autor nacido en Nantes. La crítica literaria pone sus ojos en un Jules Verne diferente, autor cuya obra está influenciada por el esoterismo, reception ésta muy alejada de la visión que la tradición le había dado. Creemos capital señalar que un componente filosófico, cercano de algunas sociedades secretas, impregna la obra de Verne como para merecer un estudio más profundo.

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) / In the 1830s, Indiana undertook an ambitious internal improvements program, building the state’s first railroad and multiple canals. To complete the projects, Indiana used Irish immigrant laborers. The Irish laborers developed a reputation for brawling amongst themselves, highlighted by a riot involving 600 laborers working on the Wabash and Erie Canal in 1835. Multiple volumes of Indiana history identify the Wabash and Erie riot as a one-time event inspired by Protestant and Catholic animosity imported from Ireland. A review of the historical record, however, contradicts these long-held assumptions. Inspired by Irish traditions of faction fighting and peasant secret societies, Irish immigrant laborers formed secret societies that used violence against competitors in hopes of securing access to internal improvement jobs for their own membership. The rival secret societies, the Corkonians and the Fardowns, organized based on their provincial origins in Ireland. Examples of Corkonian and Fardown violence occurred throughout the country. In Indiana, a pattern of Corkonian and Fardown conflict resulted in skirmishes on at least three different construction sites between 1835 and 1837. In contrast to the traditional narrative, the Corkonians and Fardowns were both pioneers of the first wave of large-scale Irish Catholic immigration whose rivalry centered on job protection and economic grievances.