The thesis analyses the continuously changing discourse of cultural diversity. The focus of this study is the ways in which this discourse is shaped within contemporary Swedish cultural politics in general, and how it unfolds and further changes through the specific activities performed by a cultural institution in Stockholm – Södra teatern. Where as the cultural diversity inspired cultural politics seems to be caught in the tension between defending the autonomous position of culture in society and arguing for the supposed positive integrative consequences of such a perspective the Södra teatern mirrors a similar complexity in their ways of performing cultural diversity. This complexity is expressed through the three aspects of cultural diversity the thesis analyses – the real, the good and the cool cultural diversity. Each of the three aspects expresses a search for authenticity as well as a resistance towards the very same notion; a belief in the enlightenment of knowledge at the same time as the content of the very same knowledge is questioned; and finally that ethnic differences some times is enforced through utterances that stresses tradition where as the supposed hybrid forms in other situations is celebrated. The three aspects of cultural diversity analysed here all express how cultural diversity works as a hyper complex concept within cultural policy where no single possible meaning erases other potential meanings. On the contrary: different and even contradictory meanings of the concept exist side by side. Thus the thesis argues that the discourse of cultural diversity expresses a hyper complex problem. / Avhandlingen analyserer hvordan mangfoldsdiskursen formes på det kulturpolitiske området ved å studere hvordan denne formes i så vel Södra teaterns virksomhet som i den statlige kulturpolitikken. Mens den statlige mangfoldsorienterte kulturpolitikken preges av en spenning mellom på den ene siden å forsvare kulturens autonome stilling og på en andre siden å forsvare det man kan kalle for integrasjonspolitiske hensyn, så uttrykker Södra teaterns arbeid med kulturelt mangfold en lignende kompleksitet. Denne kompleksiteten uttrykks gjennom de tre ulike aspekter av den mangfoldsdiskursen avhandlingen analyserer – det ekte, det gode og det coole mangfoldet. De tre aspektene uttrykker hver for seg både en søken etter autentisitet og en motstand mot autentisitet; en opplysningstro så vel som en selvrefleksivitet i forhold til hva det opplyses om; og til slutt at etnisitetsforskjeller i visse situasjoner forsterkes gjennom ytringer som vektlegger tradisjon, mens andre ytringer snarere hyller det som oppfattes som hybride uttrykk. Disse tre delanalysene visere hvordan kulturelt mangfold fungerer som et hyperkomplekst begrep innenfor kulturpolitikken da tilsynelatende ulike og motsigelsesfulle tolkninger kan eksistere side ved side. Således argumenterer avhandlingen for at mangfoldsdiskursen uttrykker et hyperkomplekst problem.

This study focuses on Charles Taylor’s educational thought with a view to understanding his contributions to the discipline of Philosophy of Education. No comprehensive study of Charles Taylor’s educational thought has been attempted. There is a single dissertation and a dozen or so published periodical articles that do take Taylor’s educational views into consideration, to be sure. Yet these studies, which limit themselves to Taylor’s account of the recognition and/or non-recognition of identity in multicultural societies, are insufficient on five accounts: i) they are indifferent to the historical nature of Taylor’s scholarly work; ii) they neglect the philosophical sources of his educational thought; iii) they fail to highlight the interconnections between the key educational themes he takes up; iv) they disregard his major critics and the dialectical tensions raised by these critics; and v) they are somewhat dated in that they do not consider his more recent scholarship. My dissertation seeks to fill these scholarly gaps. My thesis is that an inner logic is implicit in Charles Taylor’s educational thought. I argue that Taylor’s views on the modern condition, (i.e. in his readings of Descartes, Kant, Herder, and Hegel), are closely interwoven with his views on modern education, and that interconnected currents in the modern history of ideas elucidated by Taylor, (i.e. scientific rationality, exclusive humanism, and the ethics of authenticity), have contributed to the rise of, and the sensitivity toward, both the theory and the practice of the politics of recognition in contemporary educational institutions. I conclude that an education for culturally diverse minds and hearts, anchored in human, historical, and epistemological recognition, and democratically open to both immanence and transcendence, is the true calling of Taylor’s educational thought.

The research question addressed by this dissertation is: How is the tourist experience formed and what constitutes the authenticity of the tourist experience for two market segments (motivated and not motivated by learning) of tourists visiting (political) cultural heritage sites in South Africa. The study explores the correlation between three types of authenticity, namely objective, constructed and existential on two independent tourist samples, motivated and not motivated by learning. This research was initiated for three reasons. The first reason forms part of the research problem; South African cultural experiences received the lowest ratings from the international tourists despite the fact that culture and heritage play a role in reimaging South Africa from Big 5 destination into ‘It’s possible’ and ‘Leave ordinary behind’. It was suspected that not all types of cultural heritage products justify such a low ratings, especially not the political cultural heritage sites South Africa is famous for. The second reason emerged from the academic literature on authenticity theories and calls from the influential group of postmodernist scholars to declare the objective authenticity obsolete and replace it with the existential authenticity. The argument that; the hyperreal nature of the postmodern experience and its detachment from reality makes the authenticity of the site redundant, seemed inapt for cultural heritage sites exclusively dependent on their historical and authentic values. The third reason was the inability of the postmodern paradigm to explain the new tourism phenomenon driven by the tourists search for selfdevelopment through authentic experiences. The new emerging paradigm, transmodernity seemed to offer better theoretical framework in explaining the omnivorouessness of tourists’ consumption and the authentic nature of tourist experiences. The correlational character of the research question required a descriptive correlational design and quantitative methodology. The selected research instrument for primary data collection is a self–administered questionnaire. The sampling strategy is a non–probability sampling, and the sampling method is a convenience or accidental sample. The data was collected from November 2010 to February 2011 at the Constitutional Hill National Heritage Site in Johannesburg. The final sample (436) consists of 254 foreign and 182 domestic tourists. The questionnaire was designed to identify the variables pertinent to each type of authenticity of tourists experience and of the resultant tourist experience. The data analysis provided very interesting results. Firstly, the results of crosstabulation proved that more than half (56%) of the tourists expressed strong agreement that the Constitution Hill provided them with authentic experience, hence a proof that political heritage sites are not responsible for the overall low experiential ratings of the country’s culture and heritage. Secondly, the results of the Spearman’s correlation coefficient proved that objective authenticity as an independent variable have strong positive correlation with constructed and existential authenticity hence a proof that objective authenticity cannot be declared obsolete and replaced with existential authenticity. Finally, the results of the t–test proved that motivation for learning and place of birth do not play an important role in how tourist evaluate and experience the authenticity of the site pointing to the omnivorous nature of tourist consumption. In line with the transmodern paradigm, motivation for learning plays a critical role in triggering the transformative, authentic experience distinctive of the existential authenticity. The results of the study also showed that 32% of tourists are in fact the purposeful, New Age, transmodern Cultural Creatives. Proposed theoretical model of authenticity of tourists experience presents a theoretical platform for future research studies. / Thesis (M.A. (Tourism))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2012.

The research question addressed by this dissertation is: How is the tourist experience formed and what constitutes the authenticity of the tourist experience for two market segments (motivated and not motivated by learning) of tourists visiting (political) cultural heritage sites in South Africa. The study explores the correlation between three types of authenticity, namely objective, constructed and existential on two independent tourist samples, motivated and not motivated by learning. This research was initiated for three reasons. The first reason forms part of the research problem; South African cultural experiences received the lowest ratings from the international tourists despite the fact that culture and heritage play a role in reimaging South Africa from Big 5 destination into ‘It’s possible’ and ‘Leave ordinary behind’. It was suspected that not all types of cultural heritage products justify such a low ratings, especially not the political cultural heritage sites South Africa is famous for. The second reason emerged from the academic literature on authenticity theories and calls from the influential group of postmodernist scholars to declare the objective authenticity obsolete and replace it with the existential authenticity. The argument that; the hyperreal nature of the postmodern experience and its detachment from reality makes the authenticity of the site redundant, seemed inapt for cultural heritage sites exclusively dependent on their historical and authentic values. The third reason was the inability of the postmodern paradigm to explain the new tourism phenomenon driven by the tourists search for selfdevelopment through authentic experiences. The new emerging paradigm, transmodernity seemed to offer better theoretical framework in explaining the omnivorouessness of tourists’ consumption and the authentic nature of tourist experiences. The correlational character of the research question required a descriptive correlational design and quantitative methodology. The selected research instrument for primary data collection is a self–administered questionnaire. The sampling strategy is a non–probability sampling, and the sampling method is a convenience or accidental sample. The data was collected from November 2010 to February 2011 at the Constitutional Hill National Heritage Site in Johannesburg. The final sample (436) consists of 254 foreign and 182 domestic tourists. The questionnaire was designed to identify the variables pertinent to each type of authenticity of tourists experience and of the resultant tourist experience. The data analysis provided very interesting results. Firstly, the results of crosstabulation proved that more than half (56%) of the tourists expressed strong agreement that the Constitution Hill provided them with authentic experience, hence a proof that political heritage sites are not responsible for the overall low experiential ratings of the country’s culture and heritage. Secondly, the results of the Spearman’s correlation coefficient proved that objective authenticity as an independent variable have strong positive correlation with constructed and existential authenticity hence a proof that objective authenticity cannot be declared obsolete and replaced with existential authenticity. Finally, the results of the t–test proved that motivation for learning and place of birth do not play an important role in how tourist evaluate and experience the authenticity of the site pointing to the omnivorous nature of tourist consumption. In line with the transmodern paradigm, motivation for learning plays a critical role in triggering the transformative, authentic experience distinctive of the existential authenticity. The results of the study also showed that 32% of tourists are in fact the purposeful, New Age, transmodern Cultural Creatives. Proposed theoretical model of authenticity of tourists experience presents a theoretical platform for future research studies. / Thesis (M.A. (Tourism))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2012.

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Cette thèse porte sur la fabrique visuelle identitaire dans l’art contemporain, en Tunisie postcoloniale, de 1956 à 1987. Période coïncidant avec la construction d’un État-nation moderne, sur le modèle occidental. Dans une première partie, la recherche focalise sur la mise en place d’une iconographie académique figurative célébrant les us et coutumes ainsi que les scènes populaires. Ce qui a généré une esthétique officielle, véhiculant une image de la nouvelle nation tunisienne, conforme au discours politique exaltant le sentiment national de la tunisianité. Avec le constat d’échec de l’expérience socialiste, en 1969, le changement d’orientation idéologique imposait une recomposition identitaire qui visait la réhabilitation de la dimension arabe de l’identité nationale, et ce, afin de ressusciter l’enthousiasme populaire né avec l’Indépendance. La deuxième partie met en évidence la corrélation entre la crise politique et l’apparition d’une nouvelle esthétique de « l’authenticité » qui célèbre un nouveau principe fédérateur : celui de l’arabité. La thèse retrace la chronologie des manifestations artistiques panarabes, organisées sous la tutelle de l’Union nationale des artistes plasticiens arabes et auxquelles la Tunisie a pris part de façon active. La volonté d’« arabiser » l’art, s’est alors incarnée, outre dans les recherches picturales sur les signes et symboles populaires, dans un courant artistique panarabe baptisé hurûfiyya (lettrisme). / This thesis focuses on identity visual factory of contemporary art, in post-colonial Tunisia, from 1956 to 1987. This period coincides with the building of modern nation-State, in compliance with western pattern. In the first part, the research focuses on the setting of a representational academic iconography, celebrating the traditions as well as the popular scenes. This has generated an official aesthetic, conveying a new image of the Tunisian nation, in accordance with the political discourse exalting the national feeling of tunisianity. With the admission of failure of the socialist experience in 1969, the ideological shift imposed a rethinking of identity the aim of which was to rehabilitate the Arabic dimension of the national identity, in order to resuscitate the popular enthusiasm of the early years of the independence. The second part shows the correlation between the political crisis and the appearance of a new aesthetic of “authenticity”, celebrating a new federative principle: the arabity. The thesis traces the chronology of the pan-arab artistic manifestations, organized under the supervision of the national union of plastic arab artists and to which Tunisia took an active part. The willingness to “arabize” the art was then embodied in a pan-arab artistic current, baptized hurûfiyya (lettrism) in addition to researchs on pictorial popular signs and symbols.

A l’ère moderne, se soigner par soi-même c’est répondre à des situations créées par la médecine. Son efficacité, ses limites, ses interventions, sa pratique, sa propension à médicaliser les existences, son inscription dans l’économie de marché sont autant de facteurs qui interagissent avec la capacité auto-soignante de la personne comme l’attestent la désorganisation du schéma identitaire du patient lors d’interventions visant à réparer des traumatismes physiques, le malade chronique délégataire de la médecine, la médicalisation de l’avancée en âge. Aussi, la tâche impartie à l’homme moderne est de s’affranchir des asservissements, des effets de désagrégation, des interférences que génèrent les activités médicales. En ce sens, se soigner par soi-même c’est, d’une part, décrypter les buts poursuivis par la médecine et déterminer si son action répond avec pertinence à sa problématique de santé ; et, d’autre part, élaborer des réponses non contraintes et innovantes aux situations déstabilisantes. En se soignant par lui-même, c’est-à-dire en étant capable de faire apparaître, en temps de crise, des modalités adaptatives à une réalité déstabilisatrice, l’homme moderne s’affirme en tant qu’authentique sujet créateur de sa vie. / In the modern era, self healing is to respond to situations created by medicine. Its effectiveness, its limits, its interventions, its practice, its tendency to medicalize existences, its inclusion in market economy are as many factors that interact with the self healing ability as attest the disruption of the patient's identity schema during interventions to repair physical trauma, chronic patient which depends on medicine, the medicalization of the aging. As well the task assigned to the modern man is to escape from enslavements, weathering effects, interferences generated by medical activities. In this sense, self healing is, on the one hand, to decrypt the aims of medicine and to determine if its action responds with relevance to its problem of health; and, on the other hand to develop non-constraints and innovative answers to destabilizing situations. By treating himself, i.e., being able to show in times of crisis, adaptive manner to a destabilizing reality, modern man asserts itself as an authentic subject creator of his life.

[pt] Esta tese apresenta um estudo sobre o contexto contemporâneo de valorização do sujeito comum que, no âmbito das práticas publicitárias e de consumo, engendra processos de construção e afirmação de identidade e estilo de vida, visibilidade, performance de autenticidade e dinâmicas de reconhecimento e prestígio, relacionados a aspectos da Comunicação. Nesta via, traz como foco de investigação estratégias de marcas que promovem engajamento e relacionamento com influenciadores, em especial embaixadores de marca, estabelecendo uma afiliação com estes sujeitos que, embora comuns, são dotados de um significativo potencial de influência dentro do seu grupo. Tais práticas criam um tipo de mensagem hibridizada que ganha corpo e amplitude expositiva, sobretudo, nos sites de redes sociais, ao se concretizar nas narrativas de si construídas - espera-se - de maneira autêntica por esse potencial consumidor, elemento chave no processo. O objetivo principal deste estudo é, portanto, compreender quem é, como se define e o que representa para os outros um sujeito comum que empresta sua vida, no limite, sua própria identidade para a marca. Defende-se a ideia de uma natureza paradoxal própria dessa figura emblemática que pode ser entendida como um sujeito comum-extraordinário, que se torna destacável por sua ordinariedade, e também uma representação-mídia, já que é familiaridade e ancoragem de identidade acessível e estilo de vida distintivo, interessante para aqueles que o seguem pelo aspecto comum e para a marca pela possibilidade de enunciação de mensagens e estabelecimento de elo de conexão com os demais consumidores. Nesse contexto, a autenticidade se revela como valor importante, sendo garantida e gerenciada através de performance de si de qualidade dupla, porém extremamente imbricada: no âmbito subjetivo e no papel de influenciador. A análise do fenômeno a partir de um objeto empírico, como os projetos observados, além das entrevistas em profundidade realizadas com embaixadores de marca permitiram inferir que as práticas publicitárias e o consumo têm contribuição especial no processo de conformação desse sujeito comum extraordinário, garantindo-lhe a chancela que atribui distinção e notoriedade. Somam-se a isso a atuação reflexiva de apresentação de si para o outro, tanto nas redes (digitais) com nas rodas (de conversa), nas ruas, e as possibilidades oferecidas pelo ferramental tecnológico, resultando no reconhecimento e prestígio (esperados) que acabam por legitimar esse mesmo sujeito. Este estudo busca, por fim, contribuir com reflexões acerca de temas que envolvem o fenômeno, tais como: modelos publicitários adequados à cultura participativa, na qual sujeitos comuns adquirem grande relevância; práticas de consumo e maneiras de se estabelecerem as trocas simbólicas por ele mediadas na contemporaneidade; processos comunicacionais e de construção identitária que subjazem às práticas de exposição de si, gerenciamento de impressões, negociações e articulações de propósitos diversos. / [en] This doctoral thesis presents a study on the acclamation of ordinary subjects in the contemporary context. Within the scope of advertising and consumption practices, this acclamation is the starting point for different processes of construction and affirmation of one’s identity, lifestyle, visibility, authenticity performance, as well as recognition and prestige dynamics, all related to Communication aspects. Hence, we herein investigate brand strategies that are geared towards promoting partnerships between brands and influencers, especially those labeled brand ambassadors. Brands establish an affiliation with these subjects that, albeit ordinary, have the significant power to influence others in their group. In doing so, brands create a type of hybrid message that expands in size and exposure (mainly on social media) when it is reflected on self-narratives constructed—we hope—in an authentic manner by the consumer in potential, key element in the process. Thus, the main objective of this study is to understand who are these ordinary subjects who lend their lives, even their own identity, to a brand, how they define themselves and what they represent to others. We support the idea of these individuals as paradoxical nature emblematic characters who can be perceived as ordinary-extraordinary, since what makes them remarkable is precisely being ordinary. Influencers can also be perceived in light of the pair representation-media, because they represent familiarity and anchorage of an accessible identity and a distinctive lifestyle, interesting to those who follow them, and interesting to the brand itself for the possibility of message enunciations and the establishment of a bond with other consumers. In this context, authenticity is an important asset, being assured and managed through dual-quality selfperformance, though extremely imbricated in the subjective scope and in the influencer role. The analysis of the phenomenon from an empirical object (the observed projects, for instance), and in-depth interviews with brand ambassadors allow us to infer that advertising and consumption practices have a special contribution on these ordinary-extraordinary subjects conformation process, assuring them distinction and notoriety. In addition, it is possible to identify the reflexive self-presentation to others on digital network, on conversations, on the streets, and the many possibilities of technology tools, resulting in the (expected) recognition and prestige that legitimize these subjects. Finally, this study aims to contribute with considerations on themes regarding the phenomenon, such as: advertising models suitable for participatory culture, in which ordinary subjects gain great relevance; consumption practices and ways to establish symbolic exchanges in contemporaneity; communication and identity-building processes that underlie self-exposure practices, management of impressions, negotiations and articulations of different purposes.

This thesis explores the significance of contemporary Christian spirituality for authentic Christian ministry. To this end an extensive survey of contemporary academic literature is conducted. The research bears in mind the almost unprecedented contemporary interest in `spirituality,' both for academics and laypersons alike, and presupposes the need to redefine and understand spirituality for our times. The study yields the finding that contemporary academic spirituality contributes a newfound authenticity to Christian ministry. Spirituality achieves such authenticity for ministry through highlighting and realising a number of outstanding features. These features include: a new global awareness, and an appreciation of spiritual diversity; a `this-worldly' embodiment or `materialism' as integral to spirituality; a rediscovery of the experiential dimension of ministry; a re-awakening of the contemplative spirit as permeative of every dimension of life and activity, and a new inter-disciplinary appreciation of the metaphors, means and stages for spiritual formation and maturation. The hermeneutically sound and convincing contribution of spirituality is ascribed to its growing academic credibility, its utilisation of its own historical tradition and documented experience, and its discriminative deployment of postmodernism's amenability to Christian spirituality. Finally, the thesis is not concerned with distilling practical ministerial activities from spirituality. It strives, rather, for an understanding of ministry at the ontological level, where self-understanding, vocational awareness and a desire for God realise the essence and dynamic of ministry. / Christian Spirituality, Church History and Missiology / Thesis (D.Th.)

The main aim of the study is to make a historical-biographical analysis of four selected Northern Sotho dramatic texts. Chapter one illustrates that the texts we have selected are historical dramas since they deal with the life histories of historical characters. In order to comprehend these texts, it is important to view them as evidence of oral history. The chapter also discusses the approach used by Fleischman which consists of the following parameters: authenticity, intention, reception, social function, narrative syntax and finally narrator involvement. Chapter two discusses the play Marangrang as a reflection of the consequences of Shaka's imperialism and how this affected the Eastern Transvaal in 1820. The chapter illustrates that in order to understand the life history of Marangrang, it is important to discuss it in relation to this period, popularly known as difaqane. It is clear that information about Marangrang has been deliberately distorted because of fear. Chapter three deals with the destructive consequences of Western religion on the traditional African religion. The chapter is based on the life history of Kgasane, who was murdered in 1884, allegedly for his devotion to Christianity. The chapter shows the importance of the need to make a re-interpretation of missionary writings, specifically those surrounding the Berlin Mission Society in South Africa. Chapter four focuses on the role of formal education in the destruction of the Bakgaga ba GaMphahlele history. The chapter is based on the life history of Kgosi Mmutle Ill in bringing formal education to the people of Mphahlele and how this destroyed certain traditional institutions such as chieftainship. Chapter five deals with the problems experienced by mineworkers and also shows the sufferings of Africans at the hands of the government. The chapter is based on the life of Serogole Mathobela, who once worked in the mine. Chapter six is a conclusion where the findings of the previous chapters are made. The reasons why the authors of these texts suspended certain information while highlighting other information varies from fear to propaganda. In conclusion, it is observed that in order to do justice to oral history more financial support is needed. / African Languages / D.Litt. et Phil. (African Languages)