This thesis examines the legend of the Italian virgin martyr, Saint Maria Goretti (1890-1902). Her legend states that she died at the age of eleven protecting her virginity from her assailant Alessandro Serenelli who stabbed her numerous times, and that she granted him forgiveness before she died. Hence, she has been promoted as an example of purity and mercy. The continued relevance of Saint Maria Goretti is demonstrated by the fact that her figure was used to promote the Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy proclaimed by Pope Francis and first announced in March 2015. The aim of the current study is to examine how Maria Goretti has been portrayed in the Catholic tradition. This is done by analysing Maria Goretti’s official representation found in the papal discourse about her (which consists of homilies, discourses, Angelus, messages and a letter), as well as by analysing the devotional discourse which in this study is comprised of two books that belong to the genre of hagiography. The chosen books: St. Maria Goretti, by Marie Cecilia Buehrle (1950), and St. Maria Goretti: In garments all red, by Fr. Godfrey Poage, C.P. (1950) can be included among the classics written about Saint Maria Goretti in English. I deploy a thematic narrative analysis as method in which I’m concerned with content in terms of themes, and with the ways in which characters are represented. Uncovering the themes that are discussed in the papal discourse and the devotional discourse about Saint Maria Goretti contributes to a better understanding of her representation and, in some measure, to a reconsideration of what she represents. A part of this thesis focuses on the aspects of Maria Goretti’s representation that can be considered problematic because of the claim that it is preferable to choose to be killed rather than to be raped. Therefore, it becomes necessary to include the discourse that treats Goretti’s story from a critical point of view which in this study embraces ethical, psychological, and feminist perspectives. The legend of Maria Goretti has been the object of arguably many studies. This thesis, nonetheless, contributes with a more detailed analysis of the discourse about Maria Goretti at the official level as well as the devotional level. I also seek to give insight into the genre of hagiography and to elucidate that the edeavour of portraying a wholly virtuous individual does not come without it’s complications in terms of the interpretations that can be made of the images that are conveyed. The analysis shows, among other things, that the representation of Maria Goretti misses aspects of reality and the complexity and multifariousness of the subject of sexual violence. I argue that a wholesome and more comprehensive representation of Saint Maria Goretti should include expert knowledge of sexual violence, especially that which can be found within the field of psychology.

Liberal thinkers have suggested different theories that legitimise the state's various processes, institutions, and use of coercive power. However, their theories cannot account for those motivations that cause men to put their lives in danger when standing against political oppression. The study of Montesquieu's theory of government can aid liberalism's incomplete account of the political motivations that incline men to defend their liberty. Toward this end, this thesis studies Montesquieu's notions of virtue and honour, and challenges the meaning they have been accorded in previous studies. This thesis suggests that Montesquieu combined these notions in order to conceive a type of motivation that inclines individuals to defend their liberty against encroachment. In order to recover this type of motivation, this study will adopt an approach of close textual analysis with attention to the context. Virtue and honour play a crucial role in Montesquieu's political thought because they foster the preservation of government. Virtue inclines citizens in republics to act with self-sacrifice. However, that virtue does not aim toward the attainment of excellence or of God's grace; rather, Montesquieu conceived virtue in relation to public utility. Honour inclines the subjects of monarchy to pursue their selfish desires in order to derive public benefits. However, Montesquieu did not conceive honour in connection with the liberal motif of the invisible hand; rather, he conceived honour in connection with the pursuit of glory. By combining honour and virtue, Montesquieu conceived a type of motivation that can foster the preservation of liberty in modernity. This motivation enables individuals to enjoy their liberty in times of peace by pursuing their selfish desires; in times of crisis, it inclines them to perform great actions in order to defend that liberty against political oppression. Considering Montesquieu's type can aid liberalism's account of political motivations in the contemporary debate.

The focus of this study was to investigate what makes the Mazabuka Municipal Council (hereafter regularly referred to as “the Council”) in Zambia attractive as an employer to the respondents by embedding it into a person-institution fit framework. Against this background, the main aim was to determine the PSM levels of employees at the Council. The quantitative research design was chosen as the most appropriate while, the post-positivist paradigm was adopted as the interpretive framework for this study. Triangulation was used thus, a mix of research methods particularly, a literature review, document analysis and a closed-ended self-administered questionnaire. Out of a population of 174 full-time employees targeted at the Council only 150 questionnaires were returned and used in the analysis. Results showed high PSM levels among majority of employees. Nonetheless, only the gender category showed differences in mean values, with males being more inclined to all the three PSM antecedents (public interest, self-sacrifice, compassion) than females. The findings could serve as an important instrument for the Council to consider in order to maintain the high PSM levels existing among its employees. Conversely, the Council may adopt certain recommendations (practical insights) derived from the study such as: to consider PSM as an important aspect in future recruitments and to develop an incentive system in order to maintain the high PSM levels that employees have when joining the Council as a preferred employer. By exploring the PSM levels of employees at a local authority in Zambia, such as the Mazabuka Municipal Council, the study endeavoured to make a contribution to the current literature on PSM theory in this context. / Public Administration and Management / M. P. A. (Public Administration)

The advent of social media has provided an arena where barriers to entry are low. Individuals may persuade, question others and defend both their philosophies and their actions. This study examines the classic role of rhetorical criticism as it may apply in new media venues. A blog written by a public figure was examined through a synthesis of rhetorical criticism analyses derived from Ware and Linkugel, Vartabedian, and Downey. Four strategies and associated positioning in the practice of apologia were identified in selected blog posts, indicating the genre of apologia applies to social media apologies and extends the genre of apologia. Rhetorical criticism was found to be an effective tool in identifying rhetorical postures and strategies used in social media.

The thesis deals with a problem whether it is ethical to end one´s own life. It reflects various situations where life is at stake, such as suicide, self-killing, martyrdom and euthanasia. The thesis is structured to reflect individual phenomena. In the same time, it opines about suicide problems from a point of view of social work and it describes how an individual with suicidal tendencies can be helped.

This dissertation deals with the interpretation of four myths from early medieval Scandinavia, in which the main role is played by the god Óðinn. All four myths narrate how he achieved a state of permanent increase of his numinous knowledge. Based on the fact that the outcome of all of the narratives is the acquisition of the Mead of Poetry (or its equivalent), they can be percieved as "four reports on the same event". The analysis of myths itself has been executed in two steps: firstly the separate inquiry of the two more central myths and introduction of the other two followed by thorough analysis of the four together. All four myths demonstrate to a certain degree a presence of motifs and structures associated with the religious phenomena of sacrifice and initiation. By the means of said analysis the study reviews the systematic relations of the sacrificial and initiatory structures and postulates a common core which is subsequently named "monomyth".