L'éducation à la citoyenneté comme forme de socialisation juridique est un moyen parmi d'autres qui nous permet de concevoir un possible dépassement de la «raison paresseuse» dans laquelle sont engagés les modèles politiques occidentaux. Les bases d'un nouveau code moral proposant à la fois une identité individuelle et collective pour le citoyen sont nécessaires. Ainsi, les énergies consacrées à la meilleure formation possible des futurs acteurs de la société québécoise, au partage d'idées et de perceptions dans une perspective contemporaine, ne peuvent être que bénéfiques pour l'avancement et l'avènement d'une société où l'équité coexiste avec la différence. C'est en réfléchissant et en échangeant sur le sujet avec notre entourage que nous avons décidé de concentrer nos recherches dans le domaine de 1'« éducation à la citoyenneté» avec comme contenu le droit. Naturellement, l'analyse à proprement positiviste du droit est ici mise de côté. Comme nous le verrons plus loin, une étude qui aborde la vision que se font les jeunes de l'univers juridique qui les entoure commande plutôt une approche sociologique. Les conclusions tirées de notre projet de recherche contribueront au débat entourant les concepts de citoyenneté, de droits fondamentaux et de responsabilités sociales dans une dynamique d'apprentissage. En tenant compte de la dimension culturelle de la citoyenneté, nous décrirons les différences d'interprétation et de représentation des droits fondamentaux et des responsabilités sociales dans la conscience d'« initiés» et de « non initiés» à une activité de socialisation juridique organisée par le Centre de développement pour l'exercice de la citoyenneté (CDEC), Débats de citoyens. Ce n'est qu'une fois cet exercice complété que nous tenterons d'évaluer le bienfondé et la validité d'une telle approche pédagogique. Mots clés: Éducation, citoyenneté, droits, responsabilités, socialisation, culture, débat, différence. / Citizenship education as a form of legal socialization is a way to conceive a possible overtaking of the «lazy reason » that embodies western political paradigms. The basis of a new moral code proposing an individual and collective identity for each citizen is necessary. Thus, the efforts invested in the best possible development of future actors in the province of Québec, in the sharing of ideas and views in a contemporary perspective, can only benefit the promotion and the upcoming of a society where equity coexists with difference. It is through reflection and while exchanging on the subject with others that we decided to concentrate our research on citizenship education with law as its content. Naturally, a positivistic analysis of the law is absent in such work. As we will see, a study that tackles young individuals' view of the legal universe they live in, rather commands a sociological approach. The conclusions we reached will contribute to the debate on the concepts of citizenship, fundamental rights and social responsibilities in a learning environment. Taking into account the cultural dimension of citizenship, we describe the differences in the interpretation and the representation of fundamental rights and social responsibilities in the conscience of "initiated" and "non-initiated" to a legal socialization activity organized by the Centre de développement pour l'exercice de la citoyenneté (CDEC). This activity is called Débats de citoyens, which translates to Citizens' debate. Only once this work is done will we attempt to evaluate the value and worth of such a pedagogical approach.

In the field of second language acquisition, there are few studies focusing on Chinese English-as-an-additional-language (EAL) graduate students’ communication strategy use, strategy use across different disciplines, and the relationships between communication strategy use and learners’ speaking performance. To fill the gap identified in the literature reviewed, this study examined the communication strategies used by 11 Chinese EAL graduate students from the Departments of Electrical Engineering and Education in the completion of two informal debate tasks with a questionnaire adapted from Nakatani’s (2006) Oral Communication Strategy Inventory and two post-task communication strategy recall questionnaires. Results from the study indicate that participants used eight categories of communication strategies, with fluency-oriented strategies the most frequently used strategy category and translation the least frequently used strategy category. Advanced English-language proficiency level learners used more social affective, message reduction and alteration, and negotiation of meaning strategies than learners at high-intermediate proficiency levels, to a degree that was statistically significant. No significant difference was identified in the overall communication strategy use but in one instance of individual strategy use (i.e., clarifying stance) across two disciplines. Significantly positive relationships were identified among certain categories of communication strategies (i.e., social affective, negotiation of meaning, accuracy-oriented strategies, and message reduction and alteration strategies), individual strategies (i.e., turn yielding, exemplifying, clarifying meaning, correcting others, referring to notes for accuracy/fluency, message reduction and alteration), and participants’ speaking performance. In addition, the retrospective results from the post-task strategy recall questionnaires suggest that participants in this study are not fully aware of their communication strategy use. The findings in this study can inform language practitioners’ of communication strategies used by Chinese graduate students majoring in Electrical Engineering and Education. Implications and future research directions are discussed in light of the findings derived from the present study that can further contribute to research about EAL learners’ communication strategies used at the graduate level. / Graduate / 0290 / cihangzh@uvic.ca

In the field of second language acquisition, there are few studies focusing on Chinese English-as-an-additional-language (EAL) graduate students’ communication strategy use, strategy use across different disciplines, and the relationships between communication strategy use and learners’ speaking performance. To fill the gap identified in the literature reviewed, this study examined the communication strategies used by 11 Chinese EAL graduate students from the Departments of Electrical Engineering and Education in the completion of two informal debate tasks with a questionnaire adapted from Nakatani’s (2006) Oral Communication Strategy Inventory and two post-task communication strategy recall questionnaires. Results from the study indicate that participants used eight categories of communication strategies, with fluency-oriented strategies the most frequently used strategy category and translation the least frequently used strategy category. Advanced English-language proficiency level learners used more social affective, message reduction and alteration, and negotiation of meaning strategies than learners at high-intermediate proficiency levels, to a degree that was statistically significant. No significant difference was identified in the overall communication strategy use but in one instance of individual strategy use (i.e., clarifying stance) across two disciplines. Significantly positive relationships were identified among certain categories of communication strategies (i.e., social affective, negotiation of meaning, accuracy-oriented strategies, and message reduction and alteration strategies), individual strategies (i.e., turn yielding, exemplifying, clarifying meaning, correcting others, referring to notes for accuracy/fluency, message reduction and alteration), and participants’ speaking performance. In addition, the retrospective results from the post-task strategy recall questionnaires suggest that participants in this study are not fully aware of their communication strategy use. The findings in this study can inform language practitioners’ of communication strategies used by Chinese graduate students majoring in Electrical Engineering and Education. Implications and future research directions are discussed in light of the findings derived from the present study that can further contribute to research about EAL learners’ communication strategies used at the graduate level. / Graduate / 0290 / cihangzh@uvic.ca

This thesis provides a sociological exploration of the politics of new agricultural technologies in the United Kingdom. It addresses some of the key issues involved in these politics, as well as how they are discussed and fought over. Conceptually it addresses these questions by focussing on issues of risk, science and governance. In doing so, this thesis situates the politics of GM crops and foods in relation to wider normative concerns about the cultural values, relationships and institutions shaping agriculture, and British society more generally. Empirically, this thesis applies a qualitative methodology, primarily relying on data generated from a series of in-depth interviews. Through these interviews active participants in the debate were able to express a variety of opinions about the risks and benefits of agricultural biotechnology. The interview data is further supplemented by some documentary evidence, particularly as relates to several government led initiatives addressing agricultural debates in terms of contestations over risk and knowledge. Key chapters in this thesis look at the way in which the debate over GM crops and foods has been shaped by perceptions of the role and values of the life-industry, science and the Government in developing and regulating biotechnology. Finally, this thesis also addresses how society, and practices of governance in particular, are able to accommodate these political issues in managing risk and regulating technological change.

Julia Rolandsdotter, Idéer om samhälle och individ: Abortdebatten under 1960- och 1970-tal med inriktning på realpolitik och ideologi, Uppsala Universitet: Institutionen för idé- och lärdomshistoria, C-uppsats, HT 2013. This essay aims to investigate and scrutinize the debate surrounding abortion during the years of 1964 and 1974 respectively. By analyzing elements of different opinions in the debate from daily press, a wide range of aspects concerning the issues of free abortion have been distinguishable. This analysis shows that the abortion debate was, to a high degree, a question of Realpolitik and ideology whereas the differences over time have been visible rather than the differences between parties of varying opinion. By applying the theories of Ian Hacking concerning the effects of categorization, ideas surrounding people and society among others, have been highlighted in the debate. In 1964 we see ideas about the woman as motherly or a victim and the society as defective or exposed among other factors. In 1974 on the other hand discussion about the free woman and the irresponsible society is very common.

This study introduces empirical data essential to our understanding of the relationship between suicidal individuals and the internet. Strong support was found for hypotheses that suicidal individuals purposely use the internet to resolve suicidal problems, whether for life or for death, and actively engage in an internal suicidal debate. A computer-administered survey (N = 64), and a multinational online survey (N = 1016), provided data on suicide-risk factors, online help-seeking, and internet use. Results from the computer-administered survey showed negative problem-solving approach, using phone helplines, and reluctance to seek professional mental health services, predicted online help-seeking for suicidal ideation. Results from the online survey demonstrated suicide-risk individuals form a unique online population. Suicide-risk participants were more likely, than nonsuicidal, to use online forums, while suicide-risk females, compared to nonsuicidal females, were more likely to create original online content (e.g., blogs, social networking), and spend time surfing/browsing. Suicide-risk participants, particularly females, were more likely to go online in search of new interpersonal relationships (as evidenced by the author-developed Online Relationship Building scale), and demonstrated some acceptance of online help sources. Suicide surfers (suicide-risk individuals who reported going online for suicide-related purposes) were compared with suicide-risk online users (who did not report such experience). Suicide surfers were found to be a higher risk group, reporting more severe suicidal and depressive symptoms, and less social support. Surfers reported higher satisfaction with unmoderated online forums, compared with helpsites and online mental health professionals. Online, they also found more support, felt less alienated, and had more satisfying communications. Results showed strong support for the internal suicidal debate hypotheses. In addition, reasons for living and dying significantly differed between highly suicidal and not suicidal participants, and most highly suicidal participants reported using the internet to look for and/or confirm their reasons for living and dying. Implications include a need for helpsites to be more user and communication oriented. Research implications include new directions for exploring the spectrum of suicidal ideation, and further examining online suicide-related behaviors.

Thesis (M. Communication Pathology)--University of Pretoria, 2005. / Summary in English and Afrikaans. Includes bibliographical references.

There is a debate about clearcutting versus continuous-cover forestry in Sweden. In other studies forest owners and the general public have been seen to prefer different values. The aim of this study was to compare how members of various associations value clearcutting and continuous-cover forestry due to its effects on environmental-, social- and economical values. And also to understand the members motives for clearcutting and continuous-cover forestry, respectively. Through a web-based questionnaire this study found that members of all associations valued continuous cover forestry the highest, but members of Södra ranked clearcutting almost as high.  It was also found that Södra-members differed by favoring clearcutting, whilst members of Friluftsfrämjandet and Svenska Naturskyddsföreningen instead preferred continuous-cover forestry. Clearcutting had mostly economical motives and continous-cover forestry had mostly environmental- and social motives. This confirms former studies and points out a need for dialogues and exchange of knowledge when striving for sustainable development.

Esta dissertação descreve e analisa o debate público sobre o projeto do Pontal do Estaleiro entre as esferas pública, política e midiática. O terreno referente ao Pontal do Estaleiro se tornou uma polêmica durante a revisão do Plano Diretor de Desenvolvimento Urbano e Ambiental de Porto Alegre. Este projeto monopolizou um debate entre novembro de 2008 e agosto de 2009, ao sair do escopo da revisão do plano diretor e solicitar alteração da Lei Complementar 470 de 02/01/2002 (LC 470/2002) para permitir edificações residenciais em espaço de orla às margens do Guaíba. A polêmica rendeu duas aprovações do projeto, veto do prefeito e audiências públicas na Câmara de Vereadores. Acabou resultando em deliberação pública através da realização de uma consulta à população. O trabalho aborda a circularidade das questões nas cinco principais fases do debate, a partir das especificidades de cada instância. Na esfera política, analisaram-se os movimentos de accountability (prestação de contas) em notícias publicadas pela Câmara de Vereadores e Prefeitura Municipal nos respectivos sites. Na esfera pública, foram identificados os argumentos da arena de interlocução através da observação participante de uma audiência pública, duas reuniões do Fórum de Entidades e de entrevistas realizadas no dia da consulta pública. Na esfera midiática, foram examinadas as questões enquadradas nas principais coberturas jornalísticas sobre o Pontal, realizadas pelos jornais Zero Hora, Correio do Povo e Jornal do Comércio. Concluiu-se que as esferas realizam diferentes tipos de comunicação no debate. A esfera pública substanciou os principais argumentos que foram discutidos no debate público. Juntamente com a esfera política, foi mais permeável à circulação de questões em debate, mas ambas não conseguiram agendar a esfera midiática na exposição argumentativa. Assim, a mídia se mostrou menos permeável aos argumentos reduzindo a amplitude do debate público. / This thesis describes and analyzes the public debate on the development proposal for Pontal do Estaleiro between the public, politics and media spheres. Pontal do Estaleiro’s property became controversial during the revision of the Master Plan for Urban and Environmental Development of Porto Alegre. This project was the main focus of a debate between the months of November 2008 and August 2009, when it left the scope of the Master Plan review and a change of the Complementary Law 470 of 01/02/2002 (LC 470/2002) was requested in order to allow residential buildings to be built on the coast of Guaíba Lake. The controversy was such that the project had two approvals, the mayor's veto and public hearings at the City Council. It eventually was resolved through public deliberation by a query within the population. This work addresses the issues of circularity in the five main stages of the debate considering the specificities of each instance. In the public sphere, the arguments of the arena for dialogue were identified through participant observation of a public hearing, two meetings of the Forum of Entities and interviews done during the public consultation. In the political sphere, the movements of accountability were analyzed in reports published by the City Council and City Hall on their websites. In the media sphere, issues framed in the main news coverage on the Pontal made by Zero Hora, Correio do Povo and Jornal do Comércio were examined. It was concluded that the spheres carry different types of communication throughout the debate. The public sphere has substantiated the main arguments that have been discussed in public debate. Along with the political sphere, it was more open to the circulation of issues under discussion, but both failed to influence the media sphere's agenda towards the explanatory argument. Thus, the media showed itself less susceptible to arguments, reducing the extent of public debate.

This thesis examines how national identities are discursively constructed in online discussions around immigration in Finland. The discursive construction of Finnish national identities is analyzed both in the light of the construction of ‘sameness’ and of ‘otherness’, drawing upon critical discourse analysis and the notion of a nation as an imagined community. The analyzed data is from a Finnish discussion forum, Suomi24. The discussions analyzed generally construct an exclusionary identity: Finnishness is often represented as something inherent and impossible to combine with, for example, Islam or Russianness. Elite discourses as well as discourses previously identified in Hommaforum, a Finnish ‘immigration critical’ forum, were reproduced in the discussions, implying that online discussions, in addition to reproducing elite discourses, can also foster them. The prevalence of exclusionary discourses and stereotypical representations in a moderated discussion forum speaks for the normalization of such ways of talking about immigration, ‘us’ and ‘others’.