Master of Arts - English / This paper takes as its base premise the idea that Douglas Coupland has both shaped generation X thought fundamentally while at the same time is continuously shaped by generation X cultural production. Through a postmodern lens, the paper goes on to look at the ways in which notions of identity, and apocalypse have come to play a central role in the thinking of generation X and then looks at the ways in which these themes and generation X as a whole have been affected by technology. The paper looks at three of Coupland’s novels: Generation X: Tales for an Accelerated Culture; Microserfs and Girlfriend in a Coma.

Comment écrire à l’ère du post-humain sans avoir recours à une apocalypse postmoderne qui aurait déjà rompu avec ses origines bibliques ? Si nous sommes désormais familiers avec la manière dont les romans de Martin Amis et de Will Self assument pleinement un discours apocalyptique radical, nous explorons les possibilités d’arguer en faveur d’une esthétique apocalyptique plus complexe avec ses formes diverses et ses variations thématiques allant de la menace nucléaire à des révélations plus intimes. Les deux textes de notre corpus, London Fields de Martin Amis et How the Dead Live de Will Self, sont donc unis dans ce travail par la présence fantasmagorique de la mort (dont le meurtre de l’amour) et par la "spectacularisation" de la mort. Dans la perspective d’une fin sans cesse rejouée, le personnage est autant l’avatar de ses propres contingences - le temps, le trafic urbain, le simulacre et la mort - que la cible d’une langue qui se délite. / In this resolutely post-human era how can literature disregard the appeal of a postmodern apocalypse that has long left behind its biblical origins? We argue that not only do the novels of Martin Amis and Will Self clearly engage in a radical apocalyptic discourse with all its various forms and thematic variations - from the nuclear threat to more intimate revelations - but also designate the intricate workings of a wider apocalyptic aesthetics. This is what joins the two novels of our corpus: London Fields and How the Dead Live, with the phantasmatic death or murder of love, on one side and the "spectacularity" of death on the other. With the future consisting of the endless repetition of their “end”, the characters are as much their own avatars conditioned by the contingencies of time, urban congestion, simulacrum and death, as they are the targets of an eroded language.

By means of a peculiar magic, insurance preserves the quantified value of capital through destructive, contingent events. The principal subjects of this project, global reinsurers, stand at the end of a long line of loss claims, holding capital together as forces threaten to tear it apart. The apocalyptic imaginaries of climate change portend events that will be increasingly destructive to capital, and insurers counter with new products and narratives. In examining reinsurers and the catastrophes they protect against, this project questions how novelty emerges from the eternal return of the same. I show how power is inscribed in the landscape, maintained through the ritual of daily reproduction, and protected from looming outliers to build a long inheritance. Using Walter Benjamin's meditations on violence, I then explore the swerves and breaks that might make the world otherwise.

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Thesis (M.A.). / Written for the Dept. of Russian and Slavic Studies. Title from title page of PDF (viewed 2007/08/29). Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (M.A.)--Liberty University, 2009. / Includes bibliographical references.

This thesis presents the written documentation and evaluation of the development of the original play Bananapocalypse from conception to realized production at Southern Illinois University Carbondale. I wrote this play to exist as a unique, live theatrical experience that utilizes the theatre audience in ways that other media, such as television and film, simply cannot, but doing so in a potent and purposeful way connected to the play's plot and ideas. In doing so, I wrote a play that existed to primarily be a comedy, using its humor to reflect on our society and satirically to poke holes in our national identity. Chapter One is a detailed exploration of the play's origins, plot and character creation, goals of the production, and script development through its selection as part of the 2010-2011 Season. Chapter Two discusses the production process, following the play's continuing evolution as it was brought to the stage in collaboration with a director, actors, and designers. Chapter Three focuses entirely on the audience, detailing their reactions to the play in performance. Chapter Four serves as my evaluation of the process, the performance, and the audience reaction, discovering what these aspects and my journey says about the play and how it needs to further develop. The final chapter is the production draft of the full play script. Recording of original music is included in supplementary material.

The Book of Revelation is the climax of all themes that are in the entire Scriptures. It is the fulfillment and zenith of all prophecies. The Apocalypse of John is perceived, especially among the African Christians, as a veiled text, irrelevant for our times, riddled with obscure, indecipherable symbols, mysterious visions and prophetic language. The Book of Revelation is often used sparingly and selectively to enrich worship and sermon material. The primary purpose of this work is to stimulate fresh interest among those traditional Africans who view the Book of Revelation as a thick bush and a terrain for New Testament scholars and their students. This research also intends inviting Africans to view the songs found in the Book of Revelation as the vehicle to reveal the Kingship of God as a theological motif in the same hymns or songs. This study will follow a pyramid format – wherein the general concept of the “Kingship of God” will be traced within the entire Scriptures (both Old and New Testaments), and then zoom in on the “Kingship of God” in the Book of Revelation, with special emphasis on the hymns found in the Book of Revelation. The Kingship of God will emerge as a thread that spirals throughout the entire Scriptures, and specifically as an organizing principle, and the theology of the Book of Revelation as depicted in the hymns of the same book. This work has critically evaluated the primary and popular approaches to interpreting the Book of Revelation, and opted for the historical approach because of its sensitivity to the immediate audience, and for being germane to different and difficult situations affecting Christians, but similar to those of the primary, intended audience. The historical approach rests on and depends on its tool – the “year-day principle” for the purpose of locating the prophetic time frames within the Christian history. The Old Testament writings do not use the phrase “Kingship of God,” or “Kingdom of God,” or “Kingdom of heaven.” While all those phrases carry the same meaning, they are not used nor appear in the Old Testament text, but the concept of the “Kingship of God” permeates the entire Old Testament writings. In the Book of Genesis, God creates a dominion or a kingdom, and then populates it with His created creatures. The Book of Genesis reveals that God shared His dominion with humankind or first couple – Adam and Eve. The great controversy between the forces of evil and good, hinged on the concept of “kingship.” The fundamental question was: “Who, between God and Satan, should receive homage, and rule the entire universe?” The aim of Satan’s rebellion against God was to usurp God’s Kingship, and dethrone Him – and then occupy a seat higher than to God’s throne. Isaiah, referring to Satan, prophetically wrote, “How you are fallen from heaven, O Day Star, son of Dawn! How you are cut down to the ground, you who laid the nations low! You said in your heart, ‘I will ascend to heaven; above the stars of God I will set my throne on high; I will sit on the mount of assembly in the far north; I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will make myself like the Most High.’ But you are brought down to Sheol, to the depths of the Pit,” (Isa. 14: 12-15). God demonstrated His Kingship within the first five Books of the Old Testament in that He miraculously liberated His chosen nation (the Israelites) from the kingdom of Pharaoh, and then settled them in Canaan under His theocracy. The Coronation Psalms allude to the Kingship of God and that of Jesus Christ. The Book of Daniel discusses the Kingship of God within the framework of Babylonian captivity wherein God’s subjects were subjected to or under the kingship of Nebuchadnezzar. The Kingship of God surfaced and demonstrated in the Book of Daniel in that God revealed the future-demise of the earthly kingships and kingdoms, and ultimately climaxing in the establishment of the universal, eternal “Kingdom of God.” In the Apocalypse of Daniel God proved that He is still seated on His throne when He appointed and deposed the earthly kings and rulers and their regimes. The concept of the “Kingship of God” permeated the Old Testament historical and prophetic writings. The “Kingdom of God” or “Kingdom of heaven” was the content, ethos, and power of the proclamation and mission of the Jesus Christ, together with His New Testament Church. The New Testament text referred to the “Kingdom of God” or “Kingship of God” as an event that has already and is invisibly operating in the world, in that the miracles freed the captives from the kingdom of Satan. The ethics of the “Kingdom of God” regulated, and is still regulating the lives of the saints. The “Kingdom of God” or “Kingship of God” is also understood as an eschatological reality wherein the inhabitants of earth will finally acknowledge the “Kingship of God,” un-controverted and un-contested at Parousia. The “Kingship of God” is expressed through the preaching of the New Testament, Primitive Church with the sole aim of bringing everyone under the “Kingdom of God.” Although the New Testament Church shifted its emphasis from the “Kingdom of God” to Jesus Christ’s event at the Cross as an interpretation of the mission and message of the Old Testament ceremonial systems, and also perceived Jesus Christ as the very agent of our salvation because of His death and resurrection, but the concept of the “Kingdom of God” permeated their preaching and regulated their daily lives. The ethics of the “Kingdom of God” formed the basis and ethos of the Epistles of Paul, Peter, John and Jude – and it was connected to and was informed by the expectation of the Parousia. The “Kingship of God” in the Book of Revelation is established through the instrumentality of the life, death, resurrection, and Parousia of Jesus Christ. The witness of the saints through their word and life, the guidance and invitation of the Holy Spirit, serve as another indirect means of establishing God’s Kingship on earth. The teachings of the “two witnesses” – defined and interpreted as the Old and New Testaments, constitute a text that contributed to, defined, explained and pointed to the means and modes of establishing God’s Kingship. The hymns of Rev. 4 elevate the “Kingship of God” in that they point to the truth that God should receive homage because He is Holy – we worship Him for Who He is. He is the King who not only rule, but also created His own domain or dominion from nothing. The history of this world unfolds theothronicly. The existence of God, as a Creator, challenges the theories of atheism, pantheism, deism, and humanism - theories that explain the issues of origin outside and independent of God. He (God) spoke, and creation came into existence. The 24 elders represent the terrestrial redeemed, resurrected saints of Matt. 27: 51-53. It is unlikely that those resurrected saints of Matt. 27: 51-53 went back to their tombs, but ascended with Him to heaven to constitute the first fruits of salvation. The possible explanation and background of the 24 elders is Matt. 27: 51-53. The 4 living creatures play a role of an imbongi (in Xhosa and Zulu languages) or seroki (in Sesotho). The izimbongi or diroki (or 4 living creatures) set a pace for worship in the Book of Revelation. God on His throne is the context and centre of worship in the Book of Revelation. The songs Rev. 5 not only ease the tension in the throne room, but also concentrate their limelight on Jesus Christ as an agent of our salvation, Who established God’s Kingship through His Blood. Jesus Christ becomes worthy of receiving worship because of His death; this becomes the very reason for the newness of the song. He shares in the Godhead and receives worship not only because of His death, but also because of His pre-existence and His life that is un-derived and un-borrowed. The songs of Rev. 7 and 14 reveal the Kingship of God in that He rewards His saints through meting judgment on their oppressors. The concepts of the Old Testament “first fruits” and “tithes” are instrumental in unlocking the identity of the 144, 000, together with their relationship with “a great multitude.” The liberative plagues in Exodus and also in Revelation point to the Kingship of God in establishing both His heavenly and earthly Kingdoms for His followers. Judgment and salvation are twin sisters. Whenever God judges His enemies, He also saves His faithful followers. The songs of Rev. 11 and 12 demonstrate God’s Kingship in that God reigns forever in Rev. 11, and that His Kingship has been acknowledged and accepted in heaven, Rev. 12, but remains invisible and contested on earth. The establishment and restoration of God’s Kingship in heaven guaranteed the establishment of God’s Kingship on earth at Parousia. The songs of Rev. 15, 16, 18, and 19 point to the Kingship of God in that God righteously and fairly judges His and saints’ enemies. The judgment of God’s enemies paves way for the salvation of God’s children. The themes of judgment and creation interact and interlink in the Book of Revelation. In His patience, God warns His children to make a decisive stance against His enemies before He executes judgment. The songs of Rev. 19 acquit God in the way He handled and dealt with Satan’s rebellion. The 24 elders, the 4 living creatures, the heavenly hosts, the figurative souls under the altar, and the entire creation all sing Hallelujah and declare “Amen” to God’s judgment on His enemies. They finally understand that God is love and just even in His dealings with His enemies. The Marriage Supper of the Lamb has a parallel within many African traditions relating to marriage. Jesus Christ, the Bridegroom paid His dowry or lobolo (in Xhosa and Zulu languages), bohadi (in Sesotho, Setswana and Sepedi). The white flag flies higher as an announcement and invitation to everyone to attend the marriage feast. The Terrestrial family flies its white flag through their witness of the word and their lives as a way of inviting others to accept the Lamb on His altar before they could welcome Him as their King on the throne. The Celestial family has started singing songs of victory while the Terrestrial family anticipates the Marriage Supper of the Lamb. The death and Blood of Jesus Christ on the Cross brought together the Celestial and Terrestrial families. Jesus Christ hanged between heaven and earth – meeting the requirements of the broken law and saving and reconciling humankind back to God. The nature of singing and songs of Revelation not only provide context, content and meaning for the African liturgy, but they also serve as a carrier of a rich theology of God’s Kingship. The Marriage Supper of the Lord, premised on the Hebrew traditions of contracting marriage, provides a home for Africans in the Book of Revelation. Therefore, the text of Revelation is relevant today as it was then. In deed, the entire universe will join and sing and say, “… Hallelujah! For the Lord our God the Almighty reigns.” (Rev. 19: 6b). / Prof. Jan Du Rand

The thesis examines the relationship between sovereignty and eschatology in Carl Schmitt’s political theology. Schmitt is seen as an important political theorist of sovereignty but the contemporary understanding of his sovereignty lacks an eschatological dimension. As a political theologian, Schmitt notices that sovereignty and eschatology are in tension: if the apocalypse is near, the earthly sovereign order has no legitimacy to exist. According to him, this tension was rooted in Christianity but radicalized by 20th century Marxism which destructs the sovereign order by extremizing the class contradiction to negate the class enemy and creating a universal unity of humanity at the end of human history. This thesis interprets Schmitt’s concept of sovereignty as a response to the Marxist apocalypticism and argues that Schmitt’s political theology is a project to revive the sovereign as a Katechontic power which perpetuates but simultaneously restrains enmity to delay the apocalypse and continually legitimate sovereignty as the earthly order. / Graduate / 2023-04-28

In general, the project I am going to present has two parts, the first part was finished in my first master year (2020.05) and further improved during past days, while the second part is what I have been focused on during the thesis. together, they worked as a complete circle in the project. From the reality perspective, what caught my attention was the two opposite trends during urban development – growing and shrinking.      -The cities in growth nowadays, especially megacities, are facing huge challenges on housing shortages, transportation pressures, overpopulation issues etc. for centuries, while these problems are still unsolved? Why?     -The cities in shrinkage are in a totally different scenario, there is no housing shortages, no transportation pressures, no overpopulation issues, but why people are still leaving? My answer to these questions is that some parts of our societal system have been ‘unevolved’ for too long, such as the economical system. In this sci-fi project, I imagined the world after a catastrophe will be provided with a chance to reform……