This thesis is based on a field study conducted in Ghana's capital Accra between September and November 2010 where data, in the form of inter alia interviews with Ghanaian university students, was collected. The underlying aim for the study is to gain a deeper understanding for the many times troublesome nation-building process in the African context. The thesis' objective then is to gain a deeper understanding of a part of the "successful" Ghanaian nation-building process and the national identification in Ghana via the concept of national self-images: the affective and cognitive views of the own nation and people. The Ghanaian national identification is explored via the concept which here is divided into two wide dimensions (the Temporal and Relational - primarily based on the works by Bo Petersson and Noel Kaplowitz) and the data is then organised and analysed according to these. The national self-images are further divided into positive respective negative images with presumably disitnct influences on national and political stability. The result from this study is is that the interviewed university students hold predominantely positive images of their own nation, people and polity which may indicate a continued support for the nation-building process. Howeer also osome negative images exist which could hold the potential threat of weakening the support and trust for the national project among the students.

Pastaruoju metu mokslininkų tarpe vis labiau domimasi kūno įvaizdžiu. Tai nulėmė visuomenėje įsivyravę aukšti tobulo kūno standartai, kurių siekimas žmonėms tampa vis svarbesnis. Vis didesnį neramumą kelia paauglių požiūris į save ir santykį su išvaizda. Pastebima, kad jie yra linkę save vertinti kritiškai, vis dažniau yra nepatenkinti savo išvaizda. Įvairūs mokslininkai (Druxman, 2003; Grogan, 2008; Pruskus, 2008) pripažįsta neabejotiną socialinių veiksnių (šeimos, draugų, bendraamžių, žiniasklaidos) įtaką paauglių kūno savivaizdžiui. Tačiau ne visuomet sutariama, kurie veiksniai dažniausiai atlieka didžiausią vaidmenį. Dar svarbesniu klausimu tampa, kurie veiksniai lemia didžiausią neigiamą paauglių kūno vaizdo formavimąsi. / Recently, scientists are increasingly interested in body image. This was caused by high standards of the perfect body prevailing in the society, the pursuit of which is becoming more and more important to people. Adolescent attitude toward themselves and their relation with the appearance are the growing restlessness. It is observed that adolescents tend to evaluate themselves critically, that they are increasingly dissatisfied with their appearance. Various scientists (Druxman, 2003; Grogan, 2008; Pruskus, 2008) acknowledge that social factors (family, friends, peers, media) definitely influence adolescent physical self-images. However, it is not always agreed on what factors mostly play the greatest role. Another important issue is which factors determine the most negative adolescent body image formation.

OLIVEIRA, Klycia Fontenele de. Práxis comunicativa no Antônio Bezerra: das memórias do vivido às imagens do bairro e de si que os moradores constroem. 2015. 255f. – Dissertação (Mestrado) – Universidade Federal do Ceará, Programa de Pós-graduação em Comunicação Social, Fortaleza (CE), 2015. / Submitted by Márcia Araújo (marcia_m_bezerra@yahoo.com.br) on 2015-12-22T12:22:34Z No. of bitstreams: 1 2015_dis_kfoliveira.pdf: 2979086 bytes, checksum: 5635bf5347255f25daee5eca258ef971 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Márcia Araújo(marcia_m_bezerra@yahoo.com.br) on 2015-12-22T12:33:29Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 2015_dis_kfoliveira.pdf: 2979086 bytes, checksum: 5635bf5347255f25daee5eca258ef971 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2015-12-22T12:33:29Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 2015_dis_kfoliveira.pdf: 2979086 bytes, checksum: 5635bf5347255f25daee5eca258ef971 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2015 / This Master’s research discusses about how sociocultural practices are communicative praxis to thereby identify and understand the processes of construction of the images that the dwellers and communicators of Antonio Bezerra district make of the neighborhood, about their communicative experiences and about themselves. Last district of the northwest of Fortaleza and part of Regional Executive Office – SER III, Antonio Bezerra is the scenario of the website , the community radio station Costa Oeste 87,9 FM, and the old Radio Comunitaria Antonio Bezerra, 103,5 FM. Communicative experiences, lived by the neighborhood residents, who get far from the market-guided. As specific objectives, we aim to identify the processes that contribute to the construction of social identifications; understand how the images about the neighborhood, constructed by the residents, dialogue with the images they have about themselves, of the radiocom and the website and find the counterpoints and the similarities between these images and self images, reflecting on how the elaboration of these representations and the affective liaisons of the communicators with the place affect each other mutually. We chose a methodology that uses the cartography principles understanding that every research intervenes more than represents the reality investigated, given the lack of neutrality in knowledge. And to understand a given object, it’s necessary to be flexible before the phenomena studied, understanding that the scientific research is made of meetings that reach, provoke and transform the researcher and the object, especially when this object is made of people. We use the memory as the main methodological strategy, associated to the interview of oral story, conceived in a dialogical form when experienced as social interaction practice. The residues of the everyday actions, retained in memory, contribute to the elaboration of the self representations (and the others’) that guide the social identifications, define differences and identities. The reports by memory contribute, then, for the individual to define his place and the relationships that keep with the others and the things. Finally, although the scientific investigation is a continuous process, this study infers that the Antonio Bezerra residents – inhabitants whose families live in the district for a long time and who are part of a net of contacts of this research – keep a strong link of affect with the district, created by living together with people who live at the same place for decades. This link results in positive images of the district, contradicting the social stigma that reach the poor neighborhoods. In spite of the bad indices of criminality and low social indicators, the district is seen as a good and calm place to live, with features close to the country life, against the frenetic metropolitan rhythm. The communicators see themselves as residents who value and defend Antonio Bezerra neighborhood, whereas the communicative experiences carry different images. BAB and 103,5 are means that worry about the district issues, while the current phase of Costa Oeste has a negative image, as a radio station that got apart from the community. / Esta pesquisa de Mestrado reflete sobre como práticas socioculturais constituem-se como práxis comunicativa para, assim, identificar e compreender processos de construção das imagens que moradores e os comunicadores do Antônio Bezerra fazem sobre o bairro, sobre as experiências comunicativas e sobre si. Último bairro do lado noroeste de Fortaleza e integrante da Secretaria Executiva Regional – SER III, o Antônio Bezerra é o cenário do site BAB (), da rádio comunitária Costa Oeste 87,9 FM, e da antiga Rádio Comunitária Antônio Bezerra, 103,5 FM. Experiências comunicativas, vividas por moradores do bairro, que se distanciam da comunicação orientada pelo mercado. Como objetivos específicos, busca-se identificar os processos que contribuem para a construção de identificações sociais; compreender como as imagens sobre o bairro, que os moradores constroem, dialogam com as imagens que eles têm de si, das radiocom e do site e encontrar os contrapontos e aproximações entre essas imagens e autoimagens, refletindo sobre como a elaboração dessas representações e as ligações afetivas com o lugar afetam-se mutuamente. Para tanto, optou-se por uma metodologia que dialoga com os princípios da cartografia ao compreender que toda pesquisa mais intervém do que representa a realidade investigada; haja vista a inexistência de neutralidade no conhecimento. E que, para compreender um determinado objeto, é preciso ser flexível diante dos fenômenos estudados, entendendo que a pesquisa científica é feita de encontros que atingem, provocam e transformam tanto pesquisador como objeto, especialmente quando este objeto é formado por pessoas. Utiliza-se, ainda, a memória como principal estratégia metodológica, associada à entrevista de história oral, concebida de forma dialógica quando vivenciada como prática de interação social. Visto que os resíduos das ações cotidianas, retidos na memória, contribuem para a elaboração das representações de si (e do outro) que, por sua vez, guiam as identificações sociais, ou seja, definem diferenças e identidades. Os relatos de memória contribuem, então, para que o indivíduo defina seu lugar social e as relações que mantém com os outros e com as coisas do mundo. Por fim, embora se compreenda a investigação científica como um processo contínuo, este estudo infere que os moradores do Antônio Bezerra – no caso, moradores cujas famílias moram no bairro há tempos e que integram a rede de contatos desta pesquisa – mantêm forte elo de afetos com o bairro, criado pelo convívio de quem habita o mesmo lugar há décadas. Essa ligação resulta em imagens positivas sobre o bairro, contrariando os estigmas sociais que assolam um bairro de periferia. Apesar dos péssimos índices de criminalidade e baixos indicadores sociais, o bairro é visto como um bom lugar para viver, pacato, com características próximas à vida do interior, indo na contramão do frenético ritmo metropolitano. Já os comunicadores se percebem como moradores que valorizam e defendem o Antônio Bezerra, enquanto as experiências comunicativas carregam imagens distintas. O BAB e a 103,5 seriam veículos que se importam com as questões do bairro, enquanto a fase atual da Costa Oeste teria uma imagem negativa, de uma emissora que se distanciou da comunidade.

Syftet med studien var att undersöka människors upplevelser av emojis i textlig kommunikation. I studien tillämpades en kvalitativ metod för undersökningen i form av Braun och Clarkes (2006) Tematiska analys. Datainsamlingen bestod av tre fokusgrupper med fyra deltagare i varje grupp, varav elva deltagare var kvinnor och en delatagare var man. Den Tematiska analysen genererade tre teman: Första temat Emojikodens trygghet och osäkerhet beskriver deltagarna känslan av trygghet genom användning av specifika emojis som skapar en kod för att hantera olika relationer. Emojikoden kan även skapa osäkerhet då en relation utvecklas eftersom emojis kan tolkas på olika sätt. Andra temat Emojis förstärker eller mildrar budskap beskriver hur emojis upplevs påverka innebörden av budskapet. Det sista temat Emojis ersätter känslors ord beskriver effektiviteten genom emojis i textlig kommunikation men som också kan resultera i en överdrift. Emojis i textlig kommunikation är av stor betydelse då effekten av att använda den upplevs som möjligt att hantera relationer relationer och sociala roller. Hantering av relationer och sociala roller är viktigt för att stärka självkänslan och bibehålla självbilden. / The purpose of the study was to investigate people`s experiences of emojis in textual communication. The study used qualitative method for the study in the form of Braun and Clarkes (2006) Thematic analysis. The data collection consisted of three focus groups with four participants in each group, of witch eleven particpants were woman and one particpant was male. The Thematic analysis generated three themes: First theme The secuarity and uncertainty of the emojicode describes the particpants sense of security through the use of specific emojis that create a code to manage different relationship. The emojicode can also create uncertainty as a relationship developes because emojis can be interpreted in different ways. Other themes Emoji reinforce or mitigate messages describe how emojis are perceived to affect the meaning of the message. The last theme of Emoji replaces the words of emotion describing the effectiveness of emojis in textual communication but can also result in an exaggeration. Emoji in textual communication is of great importance as the effect of using them is perceived as possible to manage relationships and social roles. Managing relationships and social roles is important for strengthening self-esteem and maintaining self-image.

nÃo hà / Esta pesquisa de Mestrado reflete sobre como prÃticas socioculturais constituem-se como prÃxis comunicativa para, assim, identificar e compreender processos de construÃÃo das imagens que moradores e os comunicadores do AntÃnio Bezerra fazem sobre o bairro, sobre as experiÃncias comunicativas e sobre si. Ãltimo bairro do lado noroeste de Fortaleza e integrante da Secretaria Executiva Regional â SER III, o AntÃnio Bezerra à o cenÃrio do site BAB (<www.bairroantoniobezerra.com.br>), da rÃdio comunitÃria Costa Oeste 87,9 FM, e da antiga RÃdio ComunitÃria AntÃnio Bezerra, 103,5 FM. ExperiÃncias comunicativas, vividas por moradores do bairro, que se distanciam da comunicaÃÃo orientada pelo mercado. Como objetivos especÃficos, busca-se identificar os processos que contribuem para a construÃÃo de identificaÃÃes sociais; compreender como as imagens sobre o bairro, que os moradores constroem, dialogam com as imagens que eles tÃm de si, das radiocom e do site e encontrar os contrapontos e aproximaÃÃes entre essas imagens e autoimagens, refletindo sobre como a elaboraÃÃo dessas representaÃÃes e as ligaÃÃes afetivas com o lugar afetam-se mutuamente. Para tanto, optou-se por uma metodologia que dialoga com os princÃpios da cartografia ao compreender que toda pesquisa mais intervÃm do que representa a realidade investigada; haja vista a inexistÃncia de neutralidade no conhecimento. E que, para compreender um determinado objeto, à preciso ser flexÃvel diante dos fenÃmenos estudados, entendendo que a pesquisa cientÃfica à feita de encontros que atingem, provocam e transformam tanto pesquisador como objeto, especialmente quando este objeto à formado por pessoas. Utiliza-se, ainda, a memÃria como principal estratÃgia metodolÃgica, associada à entrevista de histÃria oral, concebida de forma dialÃgica quando vivenciada como prÃtica de interaÃÃo social. Visto que os resÃduos das aÃÃes cotidianas, retidos na memÃria, contribuem para a elaboraÃÃo das representaÃÃes de si (e do outro) que, por sua vez, guiam as identificaÃÃes sociais, ou seja, definem diferenÃas e identidades. Os relatos de memÃria contribuem, entÃo, para que o indivÃduo defina seu lugar social e as relaÃÃes que mantÃm com os outros e com as coisas do mundo. Por fim, embora se compreenda a investigaÃÃo cientÃfica como um processo contÃnuo, este estudo infere que os moradores do AntÃnio Bezerra â no caso, moradores cujas famÃlias moram no bairro hà tempos e que integram a rede de contatos desta pesquisa â mantÃm forte elo de afetos com o bairro, criado pelo convÃvio de quem habita o mesmo lugar hà dÃcadas. Essa ligaÃÃo resulta em imagens positivas sobre o bairro, contrariando os estigmas sociais que assolam um bairro de periferia. Apesar dos pÃssimos Ãndices de criminalidade e baixos indicadores sociais, o bairro à visto como um bom lugar para viver, pacato, com caracterÃsticas prÃximas à vida do interior, indo na contramÃo do frenÃtico ritmo metropolitano. Jà os comunicadores se percebem como moradores que valorizam e defendem o AntÃnio Bezerra, enquanto as experiÃncias comunicativas carregam imagens distintas. O BAB e a 103,5 seriam veÃculos que se importam com as questÃes do bairro, enquanto a fase atual da Costa Oeste teria uma imagem negativa, de uma emissora que se distanciou da comunidade. / This Masterâs research discusses about how sociocultural practices are communicative praxis to thereby identify and understand the processes of construction of the images that the dwellers and communicators of Antonio Bezerra district make of the neighborhood, about their communicative experiences and about themselves. Last district of the northwest of Fortaleza and part of Regional Executive Office â SER III, Antonio Bezerra is the scenario of the website <bairroantoniobezerra.com.br>, the community radio station Costa Oeste 87,9 FM, and the old Radio Comunitaria Antonio Bezerra, 103,5 FM. Communicative experiences, lived by the neighborhood residents, who get far from the market-guided. As specific objectives, we aim to identify the processes that contribute to the construction of social identifications; understand how the images about the neighborhood, constructed by the residents, dialogue with the images they have about themselves, of the radiocom and the website and find the counterpoints and the similarities between these images and self images, reflecting on how the elaboration of these representations and the affective liaisons of the communicators with the place affect each other mutually. We chose a methodology that uses the cartography principles understanding that every research intervenes more than represents the reality investigated, given the lack of neutrality in knowledge. And to understand a given object, itâs necessary to be flexible before the phenomena studied, understanding that the scientific research is made of meetings that reach, provoke and transform the researcher and the object, especially when this object is made of people. We use the memory as the main methodological strategy, associated to the interview of oral story, conceived in a dialogical form when experienced as social interaction practice. The residues of the everyday actions, retained in memory, contribute to the elaboration of the self representations (and the othersâ) that guide the social identifications, define differences and identities. The reports by memory contribute, then, for the individual to define his place and the relationships that keep with the others and the things. Finally, although the scientific investigation is a continuous process, this study infers that the Antonio Bezerra residents â inhabitants whose families live in the district for a long time and who are part of a net of contacts of this research â keep a strong link of affect with the district, created by living together with people who live at the same place for decades. This link results in positive images of the district, contradicting the social stigma that reach the poor neighborhoods. In spite of the bad indices of criminality and low social indicators, the district is seen as a good and calm place to live, with features close to the country life, against the frenetic metropolitan rhythm. The communicators see themselves as residents who value and defend Antonio Bezerra neighborhood, whereas the communicative experiences carry different images. BAB and 103,5 are means that worry about the district issues, while the current phase of Costa Oeste has a negative image, as a radio station that got apart from the community.