Although the literary quality of women's poetry from the nineteenth century has long been criticized by literary scholars, recent work in reception studies has documented readers' aesthetic experiences with such poetry in order to appreciate its popularity and appeal (Stauffer). Extending this work in literary reception studies, I draw on scholarship in rhetorical studies, specifically rhetorical aesthetics (Clark), to demonstrate how conventional poetic forms and sentimental appeals can be used by marginalized communities to facilitate identification. I examine Songs and Flowers of the Wasatch, a collection of primarily Latter-day Saint women's poetry compiled by Emmaline B. Wells for the 1893 Chicago World's Fair, as a case study in rhetorical aesthetics. The collection was compiled with the intent to change popular opinion about Utah woman and foster community within women's movements of the time, including suffrage. By analyzing how these poems operated rhetorically--facilitating aesthetic experiences through familiar poetic forms and sentimental appeals--I conclude that the collection helped change negative public opinion of Latter-day Saint women. I argue that rhetorical aesthetics and reception studies offer an alternative way for literary and rhetorical scholars to reevaluate the value of women's nineteenth-century poetry. This project invites additional scholarly inquiry into how women and other historically marginalized groups have used art to create rhetorically powerful aesthetic experiences that prepare minds for change.

Entrepreneurship discourse constructs a specific sphere that prioritizes the dominance of the Western male perspective in Western dialogues. The discourse of how an entrepreneur comes into being has transformed from the perception that an entrepreneur is made from birth, to recognizing that an entrepreneur becomes, through life situations, opportunities and the social and political embeddedness.This study embraces the viewpoint that entrepreneurship is a pursuit infused with ethical and aesthetic dimensions, involving a departure from established norms of normalcy, naturalness, and necessity. The authors seekto explore the intersection of decolonizing pedagogy and EntrepreneurshipEducation within the Swedish university context. By examining the content and pedagogy of an entrepreneurship program through the lens of a norm critical pedagogical perspective, this study aims to contribute to the advancement of inclusive and socially responsible education within the Swedish higher education system. Further on, feminist perspective is used to critically analyze how scientific knowledge and practices have been influenced by and continue to perpetuate gender biases, inequalities, and male-dominated ideologies.The central question guiding this thesis is: How can decolonizing Entrepreneurship Education lead to social change? Using qualitative methods, this study provides a nuanced understanding of Entrepreneurship Education at Linnaeus University and its potential to foster social responsibility and inclusivity. To answer the research question, we conducted interviews with two teachers and a former Program Director at an entrepreneurship program. Additionally, we held a focus group interview with students and an individual interview with one student. With the current EE landscape often perpetuating gender biases, inequalities, and male-dominated ideologies, particularly within Western contexts, it poses significant challenges in creating an inclusive and socially responsible educational framework. The findings, derived from 2thematic analysis, indicate that Entrepreneurship Education is undergoing a transformation. This transformation is challenged by its capacity to drive social progress amidst enduring rigid structures of higher education hindering the implementation of norm-critical pedagogy, which further highlights the need for a deeper pedagogical shift towards decolonization and inclusivit

Boij, A. 2002: Jorden är mörk och svart. Vad som rör pastorer i Svenska Missionsförbundet när de ska predika om samhället. (The world is black and dark. What concerns pastors in the Mission Covenant Church of Sweden when they preach about society). Acta Universitatis Upsaliensis. Psychologia et Sociologia Religionum 16. 239 pp. Uppsala. ISBN 91-554-5488-7. The dissertation reflects a study of what pastors in the Mission Covenant Church in Sweden say in their sermons about society and social responsibility and represents an attempt at finding factors such as gender, education, age, values, and faith behind what has been said in the sermons. The results show that in general pastors have a negative picture of society irrespective of which of its aspects they are addressing. The pastors’ view of Christian responsibility for society is that it is primarily something for the individual to take, not for the congregation. Above all, Christian responsibility for society is about individual Christians' taking responsibility for her fellow human beings. For theoretical clarification the findings are discussed within the framework of the concept of secularisation, following Casanova (1994) sub-divided into differentiation, decline of religion and privatisation. In the study differentiation is identified when pastors do not relate theological reflection to their description and analysis of society. Thus they do not provide an integrated system of meaning for everyday life. As for privatisation, even when pastors are mainly speaking about public events, they are unable to place those events in a religiously interpreted context. According to the pastors social problems are to be met with private and individual solutions through Christians' actions to the benefit of their fellow men. The MCC is a part of what in Swedish can be called a popular movement, a kind of "social movement" or "voluntary organisation." The analysis shows that its pastors in their sermons do not embrace some of the central parts of the ideology that generally pertain to popular movements, namely concern with reforming society.

Text in Afrikaans / Die gesin word as die kemeenheid in die samelewing beskou en speel 'n belangrike rol in die opvoeding, versorging en sosialisering van die kind, asook in die instandhouding van die samelewing. In vele opsigte vertoon die eietydse gesinslewe tekens van disorganisasie, soos in die hoe egskeidingsyfer, gesinsverbrokkeling, gesinsmoord, hoe voorkoms van buite-egtelike verhoudinge en saamwonery weerspieel word, en bestaan daar tereg kommer oor die funksionering van en opvoedingsbegeleiding in die gesin. Eietydse samelewingsverskynsels oefen 'n wesenlike en belemmerende invloed op die opvoeding van die kind en jeugdige in die gesin uit en dra by tot die toenemende kwesbaarheid van die eietydse kemgesin. Vanwee die eise waaraan hedendaagse gesinsopvoeding onderwerp word, is dit nodig dat die erosie in die gesinslewe teegewerk moet word. Hierdie studie poog om die verband tussen gesinsopvoeding en eietydse samelewingsverskynsels so te interpreteer dat riglyne vir die instandhouding van 'n toereikende gesinslewe geformuleer kan word. / The family is regarded as the basic unit of society and it plays an important role in the education, care and socialisation of the child, and in the maintenance of society. In many instances, contemporary family life shows signs of disorganisation, such as the high divorce rate, family disintegration, family murders, high incidence of extramarital relationships and cohabitation, and arouse concern about the functioning of and educational guidance within family life. Modem-day societal phenomena have a detrimental effect on the education of the child and youth in the family and contribute to the vulnerability of the contemporary nuclear family. Given the stringent demands which face today's family education, it has become necessary to counteract the erosion of family life. This study attempts to determine the relation between family education and modern-day societal phenomena to such an extent that guidelines for the preservation of adequate family life can be formulated. / Educational Studies / M. Ed. (Sosio-Opvoedkunde)

Text in Afrikaans / Die navorsingsonderwerp van hierdie proefskrif is ondersoekende joernalistiek en die moontlike of waarskynlike invloed wat die spesifieke joernalistieke praktyk op die proses van sosiale verandering kan uitoefen. Daar word van die aanname uitgegaan dat koerantberigte weens ondersoekende joernalistiek in sommige gevalle kan lei tot die bewusmaking van ongeregtighede en/of onregmatige dade in die samelewing en dat die joernalistieke praktyk 'n bydraende faktor of soms 'n katalisator tot optredes van owerhede en uiteindelik sosiale verandering kan wees. Om die aanname toe te lig, word eerstens gekyk na die betekenis van sosiale verandering. Antwoorde word onder meer gesoek op vrae soos: (i) Wat is sosiale verandering? en (ii) Wat is die invloed van die media op sosiale verandering? Tweedens word daar gekyk na wat ondersoekende joernalistiek behels en hoe dit verskil van veral die konvensionele joernalistieke praktyk. Derdens word 'n profiel van Vrye Weekblad gegee ten einde die koerant as gevallestudie te regverdig. Vierdens word 'n model vir die kwalitatiewe inhoudsontleding van voorbeelde van ondersoekende joernalistiek geformuleer. Vyfdens word die model empiries getoets op ondersoeke wat deur Vrye Weekblad gedoen is. Laastens word gepoog om die teoretiese perspektiewe oor sosiale verandering en die invloed van die media te versoen met die empiriese ontledings van die voorbeelde van ondersoekende joernalistiek in Vrye Weekblad. / The research topic of this thesis is investigative journalism and the possible or probable influence that this specific journalistic practice may have on the process of social change. The study proceeds from the assumption that investigative newspaper reports can in some instances lead to an awareness of injustices and/or illegal actions in society. This form of journalistic practice could therefore be a contributing factor, and in some cases, a catalyst for government action and ultimately social change. To elaborate on this assumption, attention is firstly given to the meaning of social change. In this respect answers to the following questions are sought: (i) What is social change? and (ii) What is the influence of the media on social change? Secondly, attention is given to the characteristics of investigative journalism and how this practice differs from conventional journalism. Thirdly a profile of Vrye Weekblad is offered in order to justify the case study. Fourthly a model for the qualitative content analysis of instances of investigative journalism is formulated. Fifthly this model is tested empirically on investigations undertaken by Vrye Weekblad. Finally an attempt is made to reconcile the theoretical perspectives on social change and the influence of the media with the empirical analyses of investigative journalism in Vrye Weekblad. / Communication Science / D. Litt et Phil. (Kommunikasiekunde)

Text in Afrikaans / Die eerste hoofstuk omskryf die begrip ngano, daarna volg 'n uiteensetting hoe die Venda mondelinge tradisie in die verlede gefunksioneer het en word die huidige aard en posisie van die verskynsel in die lewe van die gemeenskap gedefinieer. Veranderende sosio-ekonomiese en politieke kragte het die tradisionele lewenswyse van die Venda-mense in so 'n mate versteur dat die mondelinge tradisie en die stem van die storieverteller nie meer hoog waardeer word deur die moderne geslag nie. Die teoretiese uitgangspunt van hierdie tesis aanvaar dat religie 'n radikaal integrerend funksie het wat chaos in sinvolle patrone inkorporeer. Dialekties verbind aan die eerste beginsel van religie is die inherente drang van die mens se gees om alle gegewe limiete te transendeer. Vanuit hierdie fokus kan ngano as religieuse artikulasies interpreteer word wat chaos in sinvolle patrone uitdruk, en waarin oak opstand teen bestaande orde en tradisionele aannames uitgespreek word. In bree trekke skets die tweede hoofstuk die historiese agtergrond van die Venda-mense vanaf 800 nC tot en met die resente politieke veranderinge van 1994 in die Noordelike Provinsie. Die tweede deel van die hoofstuk bied 'n uiteensetting van hul religio-filosofiese agtergrond en tesame met die geskiedkundige gebeure dien dit as interpretatiewe konteks vir hierdie oeroue verhale wat van die een geslag na die ander oorgelewer is. In die volgende nege hoofstukke verskyn vyftig volksverhale wat in agt verskillende areas in Venda gedokumenteer is. Elke verhaal is vooraf voorsien van 'n opsomming van die inhoud van die verhaal asook 'n interpretasie van die verhaal deur die verteller self of verduidelikings van haar helpers. Die oorspronklike Venda-teks word gegee in die presiese woorde van die verteller met daarby die Afrikaanse vertaling. 'n Terna wat hehaaldelik voorkom is die opstand van die magteloses (die kind, die vrou of niksseggende persoon) teen magtiges (die koning, die man, dominerende familielede of tradisionele strukture). Ander gewilde temas is die ellende van hongersnood, die aanwending en voorkoms van toorkragte en bonatuurlike transformasies. Ten slotte is daar drie Sankambe-verhale waarin die fantastiese avonture van hasie, die aartbedrieer, wat op grand van blote vernuf oorleef, humoristies vertel word. Ofskoon daar duidelike artikulasies van verset en kritiek teen die tradisionele orde en teen magtiges is, waag ngano dit selde buite die tradisioneel religieus-filosofiese grense. / The first chapter outlines the concept ngano, thereafter the function of the Venda oral tradition in the past is described and the present nature and position of the phenomenon in community living is defined. Changing socio-economic and political forces disturbed traditional Venda life-style to such an extent that the oral tradition and the voice of the storyteller are not highly regarded by the modern generation. The theoretical point of departure of this thesis accepts the radical integrative function of religion ordering chaos into meaningful patterns. Dialectically tied to this first principle of religion is the inherent urgency of the human spirit to transcend all given limits. Viewed thus, ngano can be interpreted as religious utterances in which chaos is expressed in meaningful patterns and where resistance is articulated against existing order and traditional assumptions. Chapter two sketches the historical background of the Venda people from 800 AD up to recent political changes of 1994 in the Northern Province. The second part of this chapter presents an exposition of their religio-philosophic background which, together with the historical events provide an interpretative context for these ancient stories handed down from one generation to the next. Fifty folk tales (ngano) appear in the following nine chapters documented in eight different areas in Venda. Every narrative is introduced by a summary of the content of the story together with an interpretation by narrator and assistants. The Venda text is given first adhering as closely as possible to the original words of the narrator. Every line is followed by an Afrikaans translation. A recurring theme in ngano is the powerless (child, wife or insignificant person) resisting the powerful (king, husband/man, dominating family members or unyielding traditional structures). Other popular themes are the misery of famine, application and occurrence of witchcraft and supernatural transformations. Lastly three Sankambe-stories are documented in which the fantastic antics of the hare, the trickster in Venda folk tales who survives by sheer cunning, are humorously narrated. Although there are distinct expressions of resistance and criticism against the existing order and dominating powers, ngano seldom ventures beyond traditional religious and philosophic boundaries. / Religious Studies & Arabic / D. Litt et Phil. (Religious Studies)

The original Yukpa are an indigenous community who have inhabited the lands of the Sierra de Perij a (mountain range of Perij a) in Venezuela since prehistoric times. The sovereignty of the Yukpa on their ancestral territories was protected from non-indigenous people until the arrival of Spanish Capuchin missionaries during the seventeenth century. The presence of the Capuchin missionaries furthered the entrance of non-indigenous people, who explored the area and discovered the fertility of the soil and a rich variety of natural resources. In the 1930s, ranch owners started the progressive occupation of Yukpas' ancestral lands, taking advantage of the Venezuelan government's indi erence to indigenous communities. The Yukpa started to resist the ranch owners. In retaliation, ranch owners responded with violence to intimidate and expel the Yukpa from what they claimed to be their property. The Yukpa have also been harassed by insurgent Colombian groups and drug dealers, who nd the Sierra de Perij a an ideal place to cultivate marijuana and opium poppy owers. To avoid the violence in the Sierra de Perij a, a signi cant number of Yukpa moved during the eighties to the city of Maracaibo in northwestern Venezuela. These displaced Yukpa have settled in lots located in the vicinities of the Hospital General del Sur, in Maracaibo, where they continue to live. For many indigenous communities, land and culture are interdependent. Land represents for many indigenous people their origin and continuity. Some authors claim that the forced displacement to areas distinct from their place of origin may disrupt the continuity of traditions which are the essence of their culture (Maybury-Lewis 2001:31; UNESCO 2009:207). This study examines ethnographically the Yukpa settled in Maracaibo in order to identify the extent to which the involuntary displacement from their ancestral territories has a ected their autochthonous land-based culture. Furthermore, this study provides a biographic pro le of the Yukpa settled in Maracaibo along with a discussion of their current needs, and some recommendations for further studies / Anthropology and Archaeology / M.A. (Anthropology)

Change directed at social justice has been partial at best because it leaves the larger unequal context and structures in place. Social work generally takes place in the context of unequal power relation on individual/cultural/structural levels. The inquiry’s aim is to broaden the perspective on change to facilitate social justice. A qualitative approach that is exploratory and descriptive with a flare of phenomenology was used. Anti-oppressive constructionist research is the point of departure. As such the research attempts to be consistent with values of equality where participants are partners and share in the creation of the inquiry. So in the beginning only preliminary questions designed to provide context and stimulate thought about change are explored. The goals and objectives of the inquiry are to discover and describe the perceptions of activists and literature thus expanding meanings of social justice and how it can be facilitated. In the inquiry, motivation to work for change, what is needed to facilitate social justice, what blocks change for social justice and the values and principles that underlie change for social justice are explored. The inquiry asks the question: How can social workers and the profession of social work facilitate change for social justice? / Social Work / D.Phil (Social Work)

The ongoing European Refugee Crisis has been one of the most popular trending topics on Twitter for the past 8 months. This paper applies topic modeling on bulks of tweets to discover the hidden patterns within these social media discussions. In particular, we perform topic analysis through solving Non-negative Matrix Factorization (NMF) as an Inexact Alternating Least Squares problem. We accelerate the computation using techniques including tweet sampling and augmented NMF, compare NMF results with different ranks and visualize the outputs through topic representation and frequency plots. We observe that supportive sentiments maintained a strong presence while negative sentiments such as safety concerns have emerged over time.

This thesis seeks to explore the ways in which gender and identity are imagined in times of war especially in the cases of women who participate in armed struggle within the Middle East. I focus particularly on how US and UK media's framing of these women's lives and experiences distort the ways in which we understand conflict within the contemporary Middle East. Through the case studies of female militants or supports of militancy in Palestine and the Islamic State I seek to highlight women's stories and lived realities in an attempt to understand what drives them to use particular model's of agency.