This thesis examines the practice of an Argentine Tango dance community in the East Midlands, England. It is an ethnographic study whose objectives are to investigate this instance of a local transcultural dance practice in order to learn about participants’ motivations; their experience of and identification with Argentine Tango; and the meanings produced in the process of their participation. As a social dancer, teacher and insider researcher, I employ embodiment as a key methodological strategy in order to engage with and share the experience of dancing with participants; to gain sensory understanding and bodily knowledge of the practice; and in the process to gain access to further avenues of meaning-making amongst participants. The study considers questions arising directly from my teaching role to do with the transmission and reproduction of the dance, authenticity, the production of meaning, the construction and performance of identity and the imaginative construction of post-modern cultural practices. The nature of space and place is considered, as is Turner’s distinction between liminoid and liminal activity with regard to ritual and communitas in relation to Argentine Tango. Alongside participant discussions, I explore various perspectives on the cosmopolitan appropriation and exoticisation of Argentine Tango; the diffusion, re-territorialisation and globalisation of Argentine Tango since the late 1980s. Data was produced using ethnographic tools, including video recording, shared reviewing and feedback from participants. The thesis analyses findings to show how participants project narratives of the imagination into their dancing, thereby providing frameworks of meaning which crucially underpin and sustain this practice. These imagined narratives are compared to journeys, both literal and of the imagination, enabling the creative construction of new identities, the exploration of self in relation to others and an escape from everyday life in postmodernity.

The aim of this thesis is to analyze the impacts of the falsification of paintings on the art market and on individuals. Another aim of the thesis is to identify the risk factors of buying art works on the Czech market. The partial aim is to bring to readers a comprehensive view of the issue of the falsification of paintings on the domestic art market. The theoretical part is based on the literature that has not been published so far and maps the basic mechanisms of falsification of paintings. The practical part is based on interviews with experts, criminologists and collectors who have a personal experience of buying a forger. Based on the results of the interviews, the issues of falsification of painting works are answered, the most frequently falsified Czech artists are identified and the risk factors that lead to the purchase of counterfeit. Three artists demonstrate an analysis of expertise and forensic technique in determining the authenticity of the art work.

This dissertation investigates the process of translating contemporary African choir music for non-African choirs, as performed by African choirs themselves, in the Gauteng area, and mostly as part of the ‘traditional’ section of their repertoires, through the process of negotiation. The aim of this research is to contextualize relevant material and problematize the issues that arise when the music from an African choir culture is translated for non- African choirs in order for these choirs to perform this music as part of their repertoires. Issues that develop from the contextualization of the main problem of the research, namely translation as negotiation, are problematized and notions of hegemony, identity and cultural relationships are addressed and the compatibility of cultural systems within a performance context is explored. The methodology focuses on fieldwork, processing and publishing of the Choral Music from South Africa Series, a multimedia package of contemporary African choir music, for performance by non-African choirs as published by the researcher. The research is located within the theoretical framework of postcolonial studies, and concepts flowing from the study will be discussed, based on the works by prominent scholars in the field: firstly, the notion of difference, experienced as ‘otherness’, will refer to the world acclaimed work, Orientalism, by Edward Said (1978). Secondly, the notion of change, as expressed by Jean Comaroff (1985), in Body of Power Spirit of Resistance: Culture, Consciousness, and Structural Transformation, as well as thirdly, the negotiational aspect of dialogue between cultures as expressed by Bakhtin (1981) in The Dialogic Imagination: Four Essays by M.M. Bakhtin, will be addressed. Fourthly, boundaries and cultural hybridity viewed by Homi Bhabha (1994) as a concept of ‘third space’ in his work The Location of Culture and lastly the impact of commerce and technology on African music with reference to Walter Benjamin (1973), in The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction, as well as its significance in/for publication will be explored. The researcher argues that the translation of contemporary African music for choirs can only be brought about by means of cultural dialogue, within cultures and between cultures. / Dissertation (MMus (Music Education))--University of Pretoria, 2008. / Music / unrestricted

The objective of this study was to explore the authentic knowledge that evolved from a spontaneously written personal diary and other texts of a person who committed a crime of passion. I attempted to demonstrate how spontaneous linguistic forms could be used to gain a better understanding of the dynamics underlying and precipitating a crime of passion. A crime of passion represents a part of reality where both the suffering individual and the therapeutic or researching community seem to be either out of control or very vague understanding and explaining this seemingly paradoxical phenomenon. The main question is: why is the knowing (loving a person) in such cases not revealed in their way of being (killing that person)? An existential-phenomenological approach was adopted to explicate the apparently paradoxical phenomenon of a crime of passion. I explored the complicated hidden meanings (knowledge) in the diary of a person who murdered his fiancée, to unravel these assumed paradoxes, and found that the knowledge (epistemology) in the subject spontaneous self-expression provided a key for a better understanding of his way of existence or being (ontology) within a specific context, time and part of his life. Exploratory, descriptive, conceptual and semantic questions were explored by adopting an existential-hermeneutical orientation that allowed me to explicate the paradoxes both at primary and secondary levels. Working from a qualitative research perspective and phenomenological methodology, an in-depth analysis of meaning units and conceptual categories clarified underlying and hidden meanings in the texts. Theoretical linkages between different conceptual categories were explicated, highlighting the gaps in our previous understanding and theorising about crimes of passion. In this I could reveal how the person s existence gradually changed from inauthentic (insincere) and pretending to a more authentic (sincere) life of caring and responsibility after the crime. The main contribution of this project can thus be described as providing new insights to the therapeutic and research community concerning the complexity of the paradoxical existence of a person who committed a crime of passion. / Thesis (PhD (Psychotherapy))--University of Pretoria, 2005. / Psychology / unrestricted

AFRIKAANS: Die Christendom is steeds die grootste religieuse beweging en die ontstaan daarvan word aan die historiese persoon, Jesus Christus, toegeskryf. Alhoewel talle Hom steeds as Verlosser en Here aanbid, bestaan alternatiewe opvattinge wat Hom tot ʼn mens reduseer wat tot ʼn verhewe geestelike vlak beweeg het. Vir die mensdom dien Hy dus slegs as voorbeeld en is teenstellend tot die tradisionele beskouing eeuelank deur die ortodokse Christendom voorgehou. Navorsers wat hierdie oorwegend ebionitiese opvatting jeens Jesus huldig, beweer dat die Nuwe Testament verkeerdelik goddelikheid aan Jesus toeskryf. Die wonderwerke aan Hom toegedig – veral sy geboorte uit ʼn maagd asook sy liggaamlike opstanding – word veral sedert die Verligting bevraagteken of selfs verwerp. Die betroubaarheid van die Nuwe Testament, en veral die evangelies, kom dus in die gedrang. Die bewering word ook gemaak dat rasionele persone nie meer aan so ʼn argaïese boodskap gehoor kan gee nie. Dié Christus in die vroeë kerk se geloof en verkondiging verwoord, is dus nie dieselfde persoon as dié een wat in die eerste eeu geleef het nie. Die Christus wat tans verkondig word, het dus nooit bestaan nie en die werklike historiese Jesus lê agter hierdie kerugmatiese Christus versluier en moet daarvan verlos word. Die ontstaan van die Skrifkritiek het ook tot die ondersoek na die historiese Jesus gelei. In die twintigste eeu het Barth, Bultmann, Moltmann en Pannenberg nuwere sistematies teologiese bydraes gelewer wat veral op die interpretasie van die opstanding van Jesus Christus gefokus het. Barth en Bultmann het hierin radikaal van mekaar verskil met eersgenoemde wat die belang van die liggaamlike opstanding van Jesus Christus, asook die leë graf as bevestiging daarvan, beklemtoon het. Met hierdie gebeure is Hy ook as die Seun van God aangetoon. Bultmann, aan die anderkant, het heelwat gegewens in die evangelies as van mitologiese aard beskou. Die opstanding is dus nie ʼn gebeurtenis in die geskiedenis van die wêreld nie en Jesus het slegs in die bewussyn van die dissipels opgestaan. Sy invloed het teologie-beoefening daarna drasties beïnvloed. Moltmann en Pannenberg beklemtoon die belang van die liggaamlike opstanding van Jesus as gebeure in die wêreldgeskiedenis en dus vir historiese navorsing oop. Beide beklemtoon ook die kosmiese belang van die Jesusgebeure. Die brandpunte in die teologiese debat rakende die opstanding behels wonderwerke asook die belang van historiese navorsing. Die bewerings in die evangelies aangaande die leë graf asook Jesus se verskynings, is dus in die spervuur. ʼn Fundamentele vraag is wat tot die ontstaan van die Christendom gelei het, asook die bepaalde vorm wat dit aangeneem het. Die historiese probleem bly steeds dat Jesus Christus se impak op die wêreldgeskiedenis die afgelope twee duisend jaar ongeëwenaard is. Die paradoksaliteit hiervan hang met die historiese feit saam dat Jesus na sowat drie tot vier jaar van sy bediening op ʼn aaklige wyse aan ʼn Romeinse kruishout gesterf het. Die verrassende was dat hy binne ʼn paar dae daarna deur veral Jode as God vereer is en hierdie beweging het binne ʼn kort tyd duisende volgelinge gehad. Die deurslaggewende rede vir hierdie drastiese verandering was dat ʼn aantal persone vanaf die derde dag na sy kruisdood beweer het dat hulle hom lewend ervaar en met hom oor ʼn periode van veertig dae ontmoetings gehad het. Hierdie persone het binne sewe weke hierdie gebeure as sentraal in hulle verkondiging beskou en dit het tot die ontstaan van die Christendom gelei. Hierdie drastiese gevolg vra na ʼn buitengewone oorsaak. Die tradisionele Christelike apologetiek aangaande die identiteit en betekenis van Jesus Christus as Seun van God is tot ʼn groot mate op die getuienis rakende wonderwerke in die evangelies, met die opstanding as hoogtepunt, gefundeer. Sedert die Verligting is die moontlikheid van wonderwerke egter bevraagteken en hiertoe het veral Spinoza en Hume bydraes gelewer. Die naturalistiese uitgangspunt het voorkeur geniet en daartoe gelei dat die moontlikheid van wonderwerke apriories uitgeskakel is. Die wetenskap het veral die Newtoniaanse meganiese ordening van die heelal aangehang. Aangesien wonderwerke ʼn verbreking hiervan is, is dit bevraagteken en selfs verwerp. Die betroubaarheid en die aard van die evangelies is dus aan die orde aangesien dit hierdie gebeure rapporteer. Die strewe na gelykvormigheid op alle gebiede in die wetenskap het daartoe gelei dat die opstanding van Jesus apriories uitgeskakel is aangesien ons tans geen ervaring het van dooie mense wat opstaan nie. Gevolglik is die evangelies histories onbetroubaar en heelwat gegewens daarin as van mitologiese aard beskou. Geskiedenis word egter deur onvoorspelbaarheid gekenmerk en uit die rapportering in die evangelies blyk die opstanding van Jesus Christus histories te wees. Die Joodse wêreldbeskouing waarbinne hierdie Jesusgebeure plaasgevind het, word juis deur God se optrede in die eskiedenis gekenmerk. Aangesien die opstanding as historiese gebeurtenis oorgedra word, blyk dit vir ondersoek oop te wees. Die literêre aard van die evangelies vergelyk met dié van Grieks-Romeinse biografieë van daardie tydperk – al is hulle met teologiese en kerugmatiese aspekte vermeng. Aangesien die Nuwe Testament en spesifiek die evangelieverhale in die Joodse wêreldbeeld veranker is, blyk die historiese betroubaarheid daarvan voorop te wees en rapporteer hulle dié Jesus van die geskiedenis. Veral die ooggetuie-aard daarvan, asook nabyheid aan die gebeure, maak hierdie dokumente betroubaar. Die opstandingsparadigma het met verloop van tyd in die Joodse gedagtegang ontwikkel en het deurentyd met liggaamlikheid te make gehad. Die Skepper- en Verbondsgod is lief vir sy skepping en algaande het die opvatting posgevat dat Hy nie sou toelaat dat sy skepping en veral die mense met wie Hy in ʼn verhouding getree het, tot niet sou gaan nie. Die term “opstanding” het in die eerste eeu vir beide Jood asook heiden liggaamlikheid beteken. Laasgenoemde het liggaamlike opstanding egter as onmoontlik beskou, maar die vroegste Christene, wat veral uit die Judaïsme gekom het, het dit aangaande Jesus Christus gesê. Met hul opmerking: “Hy is op die derde dag opgewek,” is die liggaamlike interpretasie voorop en laat reg aan die opstandingsverhale in die evangelies geskied. Die direkte, oftewel spesifieke, historiese getuienis rakende die opstanding van Jesus Christus fokus op die leë graf, asook die ontmoetings wat talle persone daarna met Jesus gehad het. Hulle het Hom opnuut lewend ervaar, alhoewel sy liggaam verandering ondergaan het. Die eerste Christene was egter nie op hierdie gebeure voorberei nie. Enige alternatiewe verklarings vir die leë graf asook ontmoetings daarna, lei tot allerlei ingewikkelde hipoteses wat die historiese gebeure nie op koherent eenvoudige wyse verklaar nie. Van belang, egter, is dat enige historiese ondersoek nie met absolute sekerheid nie, maar met waarskynlikheid gepaardgaan. Die indirekte historiese getuienis (omstandigheidsgetuienis) aangaande die opstanding van Jesus Christus het onder andere met die verandering van die eerste dissipels, asook die ontstaan van die Christendom te make. Joodse tradisies wat vir eeue gekoester en van lewensbelang beskou is, het binne ʼn kort tyd onder die eerste Christene, meestal Jode, drasties verander. ʼn Hoë Christologie het ook vroeg sy beslag gekry en die Nuwe Testament reflekteer hierdie teologiese benadering tot Jesus Christus as Logos en dus deel van die Drie-eenheid – veral die vroeë formule in 1 Korintiërs 15:3-7 onderstreep dit. Jesus se sterwe is ook op hierdie vroeë stadium as soteriologies aangedui. Verdere omstandigheidsgetuienis behels die herdefiniëring van die Joodse messiaanse verwagting asook die Joodse Godbeskouing. In Jesus het die God van Israel en die kosmos tussen sy skepsele kom woon. Gefundeerde historiese opstandingsnavorsing is tans van fundamentele belang en lei tot identifisering van die historiese Jesus. Dit identifiseer Hom ook as die vertrekpunt en historiese verwysing rakende die Godvraag. Met sy opstanding het Jesus die nuwe skepping en God se koninkryk ingelei wat die vernietiging van die dood impliseer. Die soteriologie sluit ook die totale materiële werklikheid in en die liggaamlike opstanding van Jesus beklemtoon dit juis. Die opstanding van Jesus Christus is koherent met ʼn Christelik-teïstiese wêreldbeskouing en lei noodwendig tot die herdefiniëring van enige wêreldbeskouing. Die Christosentriese benadering tot God toon ook God se aard aan ons. Veral die dienskneggestalte, asook die beoefening van geregtigheid, was by Hom voorop en toon aan dat navolging van Hom hieraan voorkeur behoort te gee. Hiermee word die navolging van Christus gekonkretiseer en die Heilige Gees speel hierin ʼn fundamentele rol. Verwondering en sinvolheid van die lewe word deur die opstanding van Jesus Christus daargestel. Die opstanding van Jesus bied dus ʼn fundamentele uitdaging aan enige wêreldbeskouing aangesien die mees aanvaarbare historiese verklaring vir hierdie gebeurtenis is dat Jesus liggaamlik uit die dood opgestaan het – dus ‘n unieke gebeurtenis van fundamentele en kosmiese belang. Die hipotese dat Jesus van Nasaret uit die dood opgewek is, was in die eerste eeu net so kontroversieel as tans en word nie slegs deur die moderne mens bevraagteken nie. Dit verskaf egter die mees koherente en bevredigende verklaring vir die ontstaan van die Christendom asook die spesifieke vorm wat dit aangeneem het. ENGLISH: Christianity remains the largest religious movement and its origin is ascribed to the historical person of Jesus Christ. Although many still worship him as Saviour and Lord, alternative viewpoints reduce him to a mere human being that evolved to a highly developed spiritual plane. To humankind he is therefore nothing more than an example and contradicts the traditional viewpoint held by orthodox Christianity throughout the centuries. Researchers subscribing to this ebionitical viewpoint, is of the opinion that the New Testament wrongly depicts him as God. Since the Enlightenment, especially the miracles ascribed to him – his virginal conception and bodily resurrection – are questioned, or plainly rejected. The reliability of the New Testament, and the gospels specifically, is questioned. It is maintained that a rational person can no more adhere to such an archaic message. Therefore, the Christ of the early faith and proclamation of the church, is not the same person who lived in the first century. The Christ presently proclaimed thus never existed and the real historical Jesus should be released from captivity. The commencement of Scriptural criticism led to the search for the historical Jesus. In the twentieth century Barth, Bultmann, Moltmann and Pannenberg produced newer systematic theological contributions that focused on the interpretation of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. In this regard Barth and Bultmann differ substantially. Barth emphasises the importance of the bodily resurrection as well as the empty tomb of Jesus Christ as its corroboration, thereby confirming Him as the Son of God. Bultmann, on the other hand, regards much of the gospels as mythology. The resurrection, therefore, is not an event in the history of the world and Jesus only arose in the minds and memories of the apostles. Bultmann had an immense influence on theological research in the twentieth century. Moltmann and Pannenberg emphasise the importance of the bodily resurrection of Jesus as an event in world history and thus open to historical verification. Both emphasise the cosmic importance of the Jesus event. The issues in the theological debate regarding the resurrection are miracles and the importance of historical research thereof. The assertions in the gospels regarding the empty tomb and Jesus’ appearances are under scrutiny. A fundamental question is what led to the origin of Christianity as well as its specific features. The historical problem remains that the impact Jesus Christ made on world history the past two thousand years, is without parallel. Paradoxically it coheres with the historical fact that Jesus, after two to three years of ministry, was crucified by the Romans. The amazing development, however, is that within a few days mostly Jews worshipped him as God and within a short time this movement grew to multitudes praying to Jesus. The reason for this dramatic change was the announcement by a few people that on the third day after his crucifixion they had experiences of Jesus being alive and this continued for forty days. Within seven weeks these people announced this event as central to their faith and praxis and led to the origin of Christianity. Such a drastic effect cries out for a drastic cause. The traditional Christian apologetic regarding the identity and meaning of Jesus Christ as the Son of God is to a great extent founded on miracles in the gospels with the resurrection as the ultimate example thereof. Since the Enlightenment the possibility of miracles were questioned and Spinoza, as well as Hume, played a role in this. The naturalistic viewpoint enjoyed preference and led to the prior exclusion of miracles. The Newtonian mechanical ordering of the universe was the chosen scientific paradigm. Due to the fact that miracles represent a violation thereof, it was questioned and even rejected. Thereby the reliability as well as the nature of the gospels are questioned because they report these events. The quest towards uniformity in all aspects of science led to the prior exclusion of the resurrection of Jesus because of the contemporary lack of experience of deceased people rising from the dead. Therefore the gospels are regarded as later additions to the historical Jesus and interpreted as mythology. History is contingent and the gospels report the resurrection of Jesus as historical. The Jewish worldview that provided the setting for the events surrounding Jesus, had fundamentally been moulded by God’s involvement in history. Because the resurrection is reported as an historical event, it is open to research. The literary character of the gospels resembles biographies of that time although mixed with theological and kerygmatic aspects. Due to the fact that the New Testament, and specifically the gospels, are rooted in the Jewish worldview it seems that their historical reliability is above question and they represent the Jesus of history. Their eyewitness testimony and nearness to the events, specifically, establish these documents as reliable. Jesus’ selfconsciousness also comes to the fore and contributes to the religious-historical context that signifies the high probability of the bodily resurrection and meaningfully explains it. The resurrection paradigm developed in the Jewish mindset over time and had to do with corporeality. The Creator and God of the covenant loves his creation and the viewpoint gradually developed that He would not allow his creation, and especially the people to whom He relates, to perish. “Resurrection” in the first century to both Jew and gentile had to do with bodies. The gentiles regarded bodily resurrection as impossible, but the earliest Christians – mostly Jews – proclaimed it regarding Jesus. With their remark: “He is risen on the third day,” corporeality was foremost and reflected the resurrection narratives in the gospels. The direct, or specific historical witness regarding the resurrection of Jesus Christ, focuses on the empty tomb, as well as meetings with Jesus following the discovery of the empty tomb. They experienced him alive again, although his body had changed. The first Christians were not prepared for these events. Any alternative explanation for the empty tomb and meetings afterwards, leads to complicated hypotheses that do not reflect the historical events in a coherent and simple way. Of importance, however, is that historical research does not lead to absolute certainty but probability. The indirect historical evidence (circumstantial evidence) regarding the resurrection of Jesus Christ, focuses on the change the first disciples underwent, as well as the origin of Christianity. Jewish tradition for centuries regarded as of fundamental and life importance, changed dramatically within a short time period amongst Christians, mostly Jews. A high Christology developed within a very short time and the New Testament reflects this theological viewpoint with regard to Jesus Christ as Logos and thus part of the Trinity. The early formula in 1 Corinthians 15:3-7 highlights this. At an early stage Jesus’ death was also indicated to be of soteriological nature. Further circumstantial evidence consists of the redefinition of the Jewish messianic expectation as well as the Jewish view about God. In Jesus the God of Israel and the cosmos came to dwell amongst his creatures. Thorough historical research is of fundamental importance and leads to identifying the historical Jesus. This establishes him as the historical reference point regarding the question about God. With his resurrection Jesus initiated the new creation as well as God’s kingdom and implies the annihilation of death. Soteriology has to do with the total universe, including its materiality, and the bodily resurrection of Jesus accentuates this. The resurrection of Jesus is coherent with a Christian-theistic worldview and necessarily leads to redefining any worldview. The Christological approach to God also shows his character. Servanthood, as well as righteousness, especially, was fundamental in his conduct. This implies that his followers should give this special attention. In this way the imitation of Christ becomes visible and the Holy Spirit plays a fundamental part. The resurrection of Christ accomplishes a sense of wonder as well as meaning to life. The resurrection of Jesus challenges any worldview fundamentally because the most acceptable historical explanation for this event is that Jesus rose bodily from the dead. This signifies a unique event of cosmic importance. The hypothesis that Jesus of Nazareth rose from the dead, was in the first century just as controversial as today and not only questioned by modern man. It still provides the most coherent and satisfying explanation for the origin of Christianity as well as the specific form it took. / Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2010. / Dogmatics and Christian Ethics / unrestricted

This thesis examines the use and promotion of shamanic themes in contemporary Canadian Inuit art, being the principle venue in which Inuit identity is presented to non-Inuit in Canada and internationally. The image of Inuit identity promoted through the arts since the mid-twentieth century is arguably the product of non-Inuit state authorities, but Inuit artists themselves are increasingly asserting their voice in their arts and crafts, thereby challenging the image of Inuit identity to non-Inuit. This project first problematizes the history of contemporary Inuit art, where the construction of Inuit identity was heavily prescribed, and then turns to the shifts occurring in Inuit art to highlight the process of identity construction and the agency of Inuit within it. In the process, this project challenges the static conceptualization of minority identities in diverse societies by both state authorities and majority populations. This dissertation contends that Inuit art and identity are fluid concepts and there must be an emphasis made to permit for their fluidity, to avoid affirming a static minority identity in a diverse society, whether in the public or state forums. Consequently, the effort to assert the authenticity of these intangible concepts is contrary to the ideals of diversity and equality promoted in Canada.

Syfte: Syftet med studien är att undersöka om autentisk CSR leder till större lönsamhet än opportunistisk CSR. Metod: I föreliggande studie antas en positivistisk forskningsfilosofi med en hypotetisk-deduktiv ansats. Studien är kvantitativ och sekundärdata har samlats in från databasen Thomson Reuters Datastream. En longitudinell design har använts där data som sträcker sig över tio år har inhämtats för studiens urval om 525 publika bolag, inhämtad data har analyserats statistiskt. Resultat & slutsats: Studiens resultat visar att en positiv relation mellan CSR och finansiell prestation föreligger. Av studien framgår även att autentisk CSR kan ha större påverkan på det finansiella resultatet än opportunistiskt beroende på vilka variabler för autenticitet som används. Förslag till fortsatt forskning: Föreliggande studie är av longitudinell design och sträcker sig över tio år. En studie som undersöker en kortare period kan vara intressant för vidare forskning då detta kan innebära ett större urval av bolag. Forskning som vidareutvecklar begreppet autenticitet och autentisk CSR konceptuellt och hur detta kan mätas är även något som vidare forskning kan fokusera på. Uppsatsens bidrag: Ur ett teoretiskt perspektiv bidrar studien till redovisningslitteraturen genom att diskutera om autentisk CSR leder till bättre finansiell prestation, via genomförda mätningar avseende autenticitet i relation till CSR och utvecklingen av hur detta kan operationaliseras. Ur ett praktiskt perspektiv bidrar föreliggande studie till ökad förståelse för företag om vikten av att verka autentiskt i sitt CSR-arbete. / Aim: The aim of this study is to investigate whether authentic CSR leads to greater profitability than opportunistic CSR. Method: In this study, a positivistic researchphilosophy is assumed with a hypothetical deductive approach. The study is quantitative and secondary data has beencollected from the Thomson Reuters Datastream. A longitudinal design has been used where data covering ten years has been obtained for the study's selection of 525 public companies, collected data has been statistically analyzed. Result & Conclusions: The results show that when a company pursues authentic CSR the positive effect of its CSR initiatives on company performance is stronger than for those who pursues opportunistic CSR, however the result depends on the variables used to measure authenticity. Suggestions for future research: The present study is of longitudinal design and extends over ten years. A study that examines a shorter period may be interesting for further research as this may obtain a larger selection of companies. Research that further develops the concept of authenticity and authentic CSR conceptually and how this can be measured is also something that further research can focus on. Contribution of the thesis: From a theoretical perspective this study contributes to the accounting literature by discussing whether authentic CSR leads to better financial performance, as well as through completed measurements regarding authenticity in relation to CSR and the development of how this can be operationalized. From a practical perspective, the present study contributes to increased understanding for companies about the importance of acting authentically in their CSR work.

In 1939, composer Julia Smith's first opera Cynthia Parker dramatized the story of a Texas legend. Smith manipulated music, text, and visual images to make the opera accessible for the audience in accordance with compositional and institutional practices in American opera of the 1930s. Transparent musical themes and common Native Americans stereotypes are used to define characters. Folk music is presented as diegetic, creating a sense of authenticity that places the audience into the opera's Western setting. The opera is codified for the audience using popular idioms, resulting in initial but not lasting success.

This master's thesis addresses TED, the global phenomenon dedicated to spreading revolutionary ideas worldwide. The aim of this thesis is to find and show correlations between interesting ideas from TED talks - under the tags 'education' and 'teaching', and their potential implementations among the Czech society. Through monographic method I investigate the most significant attributes/trends of the current crisis of the educational systems worldwide and their impact on a teacher - their role as a whole and the perception and acceptance of the goals of their work. These issues are addressed in a discourse about the changes in educational systems in 21st century worldwide and in the Czech Republic. It also explores the interconnections between problems in education and the state of society, its values and philosophical superstructures. One of the sections shows reader a compilation of categorize analyses of individual talks from TED based on their topic and content. The final part revolves around the most common topics from the talks that have direct connection to the current state of the Czech educational system which have been identified through educational research. The analyses of the talks are part of the appendix. KEYWORDS educational development, core values, authenticity, inovation,...

The trend to take a stand in campaigns has been identified as an upcoming phenomenon and the term brand activism has been discovered in the context. One of the challenges that brands are facing is to keep the core identity and at the same time communicate responsible positions that consumers demand without getting inauthentic. Since little or no research has been done from the brand's perspective the study has found a research gap that could be filled by examining how their brand identity and political or social messages affect their campaigns. The purpose of the study is to look at three brands and their campaigns in relation to their brand identity and their role within the campaigns. Furthermore, the study investigates if there are any connections between brands taking a stand and brand activism. To achieve the aim of this research, a qualitative method has been conducted based on semi-structured interviews with three types of brands and an expert in communication. The results showed that brand activism in some cases has been used as a tool for brands to challenge structures and cause a dialogue, but the result also identified how brands manage to stay authentic while communicating societal issues.