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In this study I examine the processes of assimilation and acculturation of Peace Corps Volunteers (PCVs) abroad and their potential confrontations with the "Ugly American" stereotype. PCVs consciously and unconsciously decide how to fit in overseas based on their identity and personal methods self presentation. If met with adversity based on being subjected to the Ugly American stereotype, they resist urges to either fight to defend one's identity or shed the associated idiosyncrasies and blend in to the foreign culture. PCVs must maintain a sense of self and purpose while on their assignment. By interviewing a small sample of Returned Peace Corps Volunteers (RPCVs) I gain insight into the potential hardships encountered during their first few months in the service. I also use literature from both critical and instructional sources on the topics to supplement my inquiry. These critique and demonstrate the various methods RPCVs use to acclimate and find a reasonable balance for themselves in their positions. The goals of this paper are to increase awareness and understanding of the difficulties and hardships faced by those who joined the Peace Corps with the aim of spreading knowledge abroad, not only in their areas of specialization, but about Americans in general. / Master of Science

In my final work I deal with the topic of handicap, disability and otherness. Any otherness causes fear in society, fear of ignorance. Being healthy, "normal," means the assumption of a full-fledged life of modern man. A disabled person, whether physically or mentally, does not meet these priorities and ideas of normality. I try to point out the handicap positively, not to hide it. I also work on the qualities of beauty and ugliness because they are very similar to health and disability issues. My final work is focused on the affected bodies. The result is a set of exposed objects that, in conjunction with the installation, can act as luxury goods. The work consists of about fifteen hand-sewn gloves of various shapes and materials. They are very extraordinary objects that only "sit" for the chosen. The aim of the work is to contribute to works that seek to promote disability in art or culture.

The state of the unfinished is something I am fascinated by, and in the course of this engagement my ambition has been to examine how an understanding of the unfinished can contribute to a re-evaluation in both planning habits and in our interaction with existing buildings. For example, can it help challenge our conception of aesthetics and completeness? At the storage site, I also became curious to investigate how we as a community store, what we store and how we can build connections around storage facilities. To study and also emphasize the historic layering of a site, I implemented the yellow/red method of drawing. Yellow represents the past, black the present and red is the future. Lastly, I have in debt studied the spaces through occasions. The occasions (a definition originally coined by Jan De Vylder) are born out of small observations that can give a decisive turn to the design. It’s a moment in which the thresholds between the existing and the new blurs. In that moment when a confrontation between the new and the old occurs, I believe permanence can emerge. The occasions I have depicted are often small acts of greater significance, perhaps neither more nor less than the mere rearrangement of what already existed. Can amplifying those small observations from a storage site generate a collective interest, consideration and appreciation for our built environment and its maintenance?

In Ancient Egypt, the concept of beauty is well-known and discussed by modern scholars. This concept is known from the old Egyptian language as ‘nfr’. In contrast to this, the term and concept of ancient Egyptian ugliness is neither understood nor analyzed. Since the Egyptians indeed had a perception of societal beauty, then logically, they would have had a perception of ugliness as well. This study aims to uncover the truth about the ugly and grotesque in ancient Egypt, questioning how this would have been expressed and manifested in Egyptian society. The research in this study is conducted through the hermeneutic method of comparison and analyzation, which of mostly is pictorial, however includes some textual evidence as well.

Approximately half of all wasted food is fruits and vegetables. One major cause of food waste is abnormal aesthetics; even if it is just as delicious as its normal counterpart. Food with a non-standard appearance (hereafter called ugly food) can be expelled by the markets. To reduce such waste, ugly food campaigns, which were developed in Europe and spread throughout the world, advocate for the consumption of ugly food. To study the problem of ugly food waste, this thesis examines ugly apples, since apples are the most common, representative, and readily accessible fruit. The objective of this thesis is to suggest marketing strategies and actions to facilitate the consumption and sales of ugly apples that can be expanded to other ugly fruits and vegetables. The data used for analysis are obtained from the Rural Development Administration in Korea. The findings of the thesis indicate that younger people and lower-income households are more likely to purchase ugly apples from online markets, non-stores such as food trucks and traditional markets compared with mega-scale discount stores. When advertising ugly apples, food quality should be emphasized rather than price.

Durant l’entre-deux-guerres, les figures de truand ont proliféré dans la production culturelle.Les conditions socio-économiques ont historiquement favorisé l’essor d’une criminalité qui a largement été représentée dans la culture de masse, les films, les romans policiers et les pièces de théâtre de cette période. Les figures de truands sont d’autant plus protéiformes que les relations de pouvoir ont été bouleversées : les autorités officielles ont été contestées,les frontières de la légalité redéfinies et, avec l’avènement du Troisième Reich, les anciens contestataires ont accédé au pouvoir. Les personnages criminels prennent ainsi des significations ambivalentes : ils peuvent servir le contrôle social, imposer des normes et justifier des mesures de surveillance auprès de la population, mais aussi incarner une résistance aux pouvoirs en place, indiquant des échappatoires dans les dispositifs de contrôle et de nouveaux modes de vie. Se fondant sur les théories de Michel Foucault, cette thèse examine les discours – sociaux,politiques, scientifiques – à l’œuvre dans la production culturelle et les instrumentalisations– idéologiques, esthétiques ou pratiques – de ces personnages. Elle fait apparaître que les truands participent de logiques punitives et disciplinaires qui assujettissent le public, mais qu’ils remettent également en cause les pouvoirs et les discours qui façonnent leurs représentations.Ce travail montre en outre que, la culture de masse s’adaptant aux désirs de ses consommateurs,les truands peuvent faire l’objet d’une réappropriation du public. Ces personnages se font les vecteurs de nouvelles pratiques culturelles et de nouveaux liens sociaux. / The cultural productions of the interwar years were marked by the proliferation of representations of the mobster figure. Historically, the socio-economic context facilitated the emergence of a certain criminality which started being widely depicted in mass culture including films, crimen ovels and drama. The mobster figure depicted in these productions turns out to be all the more versatile since power relations were going through profound changes at that time : the official authorities were being contested, the limits of legality were redefined and with the advent of the Third Reich, those who had once challenged power eventually acceded to it. The representations of mobsters therefore acquired ambiguous meanings. These characters could very well support social control by imposing norms and justifying measures of surveillance orembody resistance against the establishment, pointing out loopholes in control systems and promoting new life styles. Based on Michel Foucault’s works, this dissertation examines the social, scientific and political discourses featured in the cultural productions of that periodas well as the ideological, esthetical and practical instrumentalisation of these characters. This dissertation argues that mobsters may appear as participants of punitive and disciplinary systems which subdue the people, but may also be questioning the powers and discourses that shape their representations. This work further demonstrates that, because mass culture usually adapts itself to its consumers, the mobsters may also be taken on by the audience, being the promoters of new cultural practices and new social bonds.

Esta dissertação de mestrado, na área de literatura comparada, tem como objetivo estabelecer um paralelo crítico entre as diversas formas de utilização, na literatura e no cinema, da metáfora literária e da montagem cinematográfica como meios de expressão de temas e formas relacionados à estética do feio, desenvolvida pelo Expressionismo alemão. O trabalho de análise envolveu a análise e comparação entre a lírica expressionista de Georg Trakl (1887-1914) e a narrativa cinematográfica de Friedrich Wilhelm Murnau (1889-1931), especificamente no filme Nosferatu. Pretendemos mostrar como a justaposição dos elementos constituintes das metáforas de Trakl, num processo de construção de significação, se assemelha à técnica cinematográfica de corte e montagem postulada pelo cineasta russo Serguei Eisenstein (1898-1948), elaborada também no cinema do Expressionismo alemão. A estética do feio tornou-se um tema privilegiado, pois tanto a metáfora como a montagem expressionistas constituíram, no contexto do modernismo europeu, veículos impactantes da ideia de choque, buscando ao mesmo tempo aterrorizar e fascinar o público, recuperando assim em chave dialética alguns elementos da estética clássica aristotélica. / This study aims to establish a critical comparison between various forms of use, in literature and film, of literary metaphor and film editing as a means of expression of themes and forms related to the \"aesthetic of the ugly\", developed by German Expressionism. The work involves the analysis of and comparison between the expressionist lyric of Georg Trakl (1887-1914) and the filmic narrative of Friedrich Wilhelm Murnau (1889-1931), specifically in \"Nosferatu\". We intend to show how the juxtaposition of the elements of Trakl\'s metaphors, a meaning construction process, resembles the cinematic technique of cutting and assembly postulated by Russian filmmaker Sergei Eisenstein (1898-1948), also adopted in German Expressionist cinema. The aesthetic of the ugly has become a main theme because both expressionist metaphor and film editing constituted striking vehicles of the \"shock\" idea in the context of European modernism, seeking to terrify and fascinate the public, thus reprievingdialectically some elements of the Aristotelian classical aesthetic.

W pracy został przedstawiony innowacyjny sposób patrzenia na Europę Wschodnią, widoczny w twórczości Andrzeja Stasiuka odbiegający od klasycznego, czyli “równoleżnikowego” widzenia tej części kontynentu w odwiecznej konfrontacji i nieustannych porównań z Zachodem. Twórczość tego artysty skupia się na zaniedbanym ,,pasie południowym”. 1. Stan badań Twórczość pisarza cieszy się ogromną popularnością w kraju i za granicą. Krytyka literacka z wielką uwagą śledzi kolejno pojawiające się dzieła, niemniej jednak do tej pory stan badań jest stosunkowo niewielki. Nie powstało żadne kompendium wiedzy o wczesnej twórczości pisarza czy monograficzne opracowanie obejmujące ten sam okres twórczości artysty. Do tej pory uwaga krytyki i badaczy zwrócona została głównie na pierwsze utwory powstałe w latach dziewięćdziesiątych. 2. Cel pracy Głównym celem dysertacji była analiza twórczości Stasiuka w odniesieniu do zagadnień i problemów obecnych w filozofii i estetyce takich jak: kategoria piękna i brzydoty w ujęciu ontologicznym, metafizycznym i epistemologicznym, badanie wybranych utworów w kontekście niekonwencjonalnej autobiografii artystycznej, jak również nawiązanie do mityzacji Europy Wschodniej z odwołaniem się do prozy Brunona Schulza. Utworami łączącymi te zagadnienia ujmując chronologicznie są: „Opowieści galicyjskie”(1995), „Dukla”(1997), „Dziennik okrętowy”(2000), „Jadąc do Babadag”(2004). Teksty te łączy wspólny kontekst estetyczny, autobiograficzny, mityczny. 3. Podział i budowa pracy Niniejsza praca składa się z trzech części: pierwszej - „Estetyka brzydoty“, drugiej - „Homo geographicus Fascynacja geografią w kontekście autobiograficznym” stanowiącą pomost między kontekstem estetycznym i mitycznym oraz trzeciej: „Mityzacja Europy Wschodniej. Inspiracja Schulzem”. 4. Uwagi końcowe W zamykających na koniec wnioskach i uwagach warto podkreślić, że w pracy zostały poddane analizie problemy omijane przez wielu badaczy. Celem dysertacji było przedstawienie twórczości tego pisarza w niepodejmowanych do tej pory obszarach tematycznych. Spojrzenie na przedstawioną rzeczywistość i jej zjawiska tym razem w aspekcie estetycznym i mitycznym pozwoliły w zupełnie inny sposób spojrzeć na wybrane utwory Andrzeja Stasiuka. / The dissertation presents innovative way of perceiving Eastern Europe, noticeable in Andrzej Stasiuk’s works different from the classical one so called “parallel” perception of this part of the continent in everlasting confrontation and constant comparisons to the West. The works of this artist concentrate on neglected “southern zone”. Described corners of Poland, Slovakia, Ukraine, Hungary, Romania, Slovenia, Albania, Moldavia are the space that the writer mythisise in order to save them from oblivion. He gives them new aesthetic quality, changes typically ugly, uninteresting places into more interesting, he often subtilizes them. Andrzej Stasiuk, next to Marcin Świetlicki, Olga Tokarczuk, Magdalena Tulli and others, belongs to “bruLionu” generation born in the 60’s. 1. State of research Works of the writer are very popular both in Poland and abroad. Literary criticism carefully follows successive works, however as of yet the state of research is relatively low. There is no compendium of knowledge on early works of the writer or monographic essay containing the same period of the artist’s output. So far critics and researchers have paid attention mainly to the first works written in the 90’s. 2. The aim of dissertation The main aim of this dissertation was an analysis of Stasiuk’s output in relation to issues and problems present in philosophy and aesthetics, such as: the category of beauty and ugliness in ontological, metaphysical and epistemological depiction, examination of particular works in the context of unconventional artictic autobiography, as well as reference to mythization of Eastern Europe refering to the prose of Bruno Schulz. Works that join these issues are, in chronological order:”Opowieści galicyjskie”(1995), “Dukla”(1997), “Dziennik okrętowy”(2000), “Jadąc do Babadag”(2004). These texts are joined by common aesthetic, autobiographical and mythical context. Sometimes, the subsequent works are continuation of the prior ones. 3. Part and structure of the dissertation The present dissertation consists of three parts: the first – “Aesthetics of ugliness”, the second - “Homo geographicus fascination of geography in the autobiographical context” establishing connection between aesthetic and mythical context, and the third one: “Mythization of Eastern Europe. Inspired by Schulz”. 4. Final remarks In final findings and remarks it must be stressed that the present dissertation includes the analysis of problems omitted by many researchers. The aim of the dissertation was to present the output of this writer in new thematic areas. Preception on presented reality and its phenpmenon, this time in aesthetic and mythical aspect, allowed to look at selected works of Andrzej Stasiuk in a different way.

Esta dissertação de mestrado, na área de literatura comparada, tem como objetivo estabelecer um paralelo crítico entre as diversas formas de utilização, na literatura e no cinema, da metáfora literária e da montagem cinematográfica como meios de expressão de temas e formas relacionados à estética do feio, desenvolvida pelo Expressionismo alemão. O trabalho de análise envolveu a análise e comparação entre a lírica expressionista de Georg Trakl (1887-1914) e a narrativa cinematográfica de Friedrich Wilhelm Murnau (1889-1931), especificamente no filme Nosferatu. Pretendemos mostrar como a justaposição dos elementos constituintes das metáforas de Trakl, num processo de construção de significação, se assemelha à técnica cinematográfica de corte e montagem postulada pelo cineasta russo Serguei Eisenstein (1898-1948), elaborada também no cinema do Expressionismo alemão. A estética do feio tornou-se um tema privilegiado, pois tanto a metáfora como a montagem expressionistas constituíram, no contexto do modernismo europeu, veículos impactantes da ideia de choque, buscando ao mesmo tempo aterrorizar e fascinar o público, recuperando assim em chave dialética alguns elementos da estética clássica aristotélica. / This study aims to establish a critical comparison between various forms of use, in literature and film, of literary metaphor and film editing as a means of expression of themes and forms related to the \"aesthetic of the ugly\", developed by German Expressionism. The work involves the analysis of and comparison between the expressionist lyric of Georg Trakl (1887-1914) and the filmic narrative of Friedrich Wilhelm Murnau (1889-1931), specifically in \"Nosferatu\". We intend to show how the juxtaposition of the elements of Trakl\'s metaphors, a meaning construction process, resembles the cinematic technique of cutting and assembly postulated by Russian filmmaker Sergei Eisenstein (1898-1948), also adopted in German Expressionist cinema. The aesthetic of the ugly has become a main theme because both expressionist metaphor and film editing constituted striking vehicles of the \"shock\" idea in the context of European modernism, seeking to terrify and fascinate the public, thus reprievingdialectically some elements of the Aristotelian classical aesthetic.