Exploring both political aesthetics and the politics of aesthetics to outline an environmental ruralism for art in public spaces, this practice lead research project postulates a “complemental practice”, outlining its methodology and contexts for operation, the rural, spaces of leisure and the public realm. It is a response to threats to spatial and environmental commons from heritage, place-making and nostalgia, psychological inhibition such as a sense of global contingency and widespread economic exploitation. Responses by artists to this situation can be characterised as a binary of dialogism (Kester, 2004) and relational antagonism (Bishop, 2004), i.e. consensual/collaborative or antagonistic/autonomous practices. Informing both is the work of Jacques Rancière who theorises an ethical and social turn in the arts. Through both commissioned and self-initiated projects this thesis offers an interpretation of Jacques Rancière’s conception of dissensus (Rancière, 2010) modulated through an application of the work of philosopher Slajov Žižek on environmental politics and complementarity - the inscription of the universal within the particular (Žižek, 2011). The thesis’ originality lies in this theoretical synthesis which sets out a complemental practice based on dissensus and the undecidability of subject and context, but which dismisses any inflexible schema of either aesthetic autonomy or ethico-political egalitarianism. In addition it suggests an approach to practice in this field and a situation for this - a dissensual infrastructure for the common public realm which is socially relational and evolutionary over time.

Dans cette thèse nous étudions les sémantiques ludothéoriques, conçues comme les altérnatives à la sémantique traditionelle de Tarski, qui metent en marche le princip Meaning is in use et l’idée des jeux de language de second Wittgenstein: le sens des constantes logiques est donné par les règles qui en fixent l’usage et qui apparaissent dans les interactions social que sont les jeux de langage. Deux traditions ludotheorique sont présentées: Game Theoretical Semantics (GTS), proposé par Hintikka et Sandu en 1968 et Dialogical logic, proposé initialement par Paul Lorenzen et Kuno Lorenz en 1955 et developé à partir de 1993 par Shahid Rahman et ses collègues. En 1989 Hintikka et Sandu ont arrivé à l’idée des jeux avec des informations imparfaits qui les a emmené à Independence Friendly Logique (IF logic), logique du premiere ordre qui dépasse en expressivité la logique classique. Deux chapitres de cette thèse sont consacrés à l’axiom de choix et au traitement de l’anaphore, deux sujets choisis par Hintikka pour démontrer la fécondité de la logique IF et de GTS. Le but de cette thèse et de montrer que’il est possible de rendre compte aussi bien et à moindre frais dans le cadre dialogique. Plus précisément, la logique IF est comparée avec la théorie constructive des types dans la forme dialogique pour conclure à la supériorité de cette dernière qui a le même pouvoir explicatif qu’IF sans sacrifier pour autant la dimension inférentielle de la logique. / This thesis studies game-theoretically oriented semantics which provide an alternative to traditional Tarski-style semantics, implementing Wittgenstein’s idea of the meaning as use. Two different game theoretical traditions are presented: Game Theoretical Semantics (GTS), developed by Jaako Hintikka and Gabriel Sandu, and Dialogical logic, first introduced by Paul Lorenzen and Kuno Lorenz and further developed by Shahid Rahman and his associates. In 1989 Hintikka and Sandu came up with games with imperfect information. Those games yielded Independence friendly first-order logic (IF logic), exceeding the expressive power of classical first-order logic. It is expressive enough to enable formulating linearly, and at the first-order level, sentences containing branching quantification. Because of this characteristic, Hintikka claims that IF logic is most suitable for at least two main purposes: to be the logic of the first-order fragment of natural language; and to be the medium for the foundation of mathematics. This thesis aims to explore the above uses of IF logic. The properties of IF logic are discussed, as well as the advantages of this approach such as the possibility of taking account of (in)dependency relations among variables; GTS-account of two different notions of scope of quantifiers; the “outside–in” direction in approaching the meaning, which turns out to be advantageous over the traditional “inside-out” approach; the usefulness of game-theoretic reasoning in mathematics; the expressiveness of IF language, which allows formulating branching quantifiers on the first-order level, as well as defining the truth predicate in the language itself. We defend Hintikka’s stance on the first-order character of IF logic against some criticisms of this point. The weak points are also discussed: first and foremost, the lack of a full axiomatization for IF logic and second, the problem of signalling, a problematic phenomenon related to the possibility of imperfect information in a game. We turn to another game-theoretically oriented semantics, that of Dialogical Logic linked with Constructive Type Theory, in which dependency relations can be accounted for, but without using more means than constructive logic and the dialogical approach to meaning have to offer. This framework is used first to analyse and confront Hintikka’s take on the axiom of choice, and second to analyse the GTS account of anaphora.

Magister Educationis - MEd (Mathematics and Science Education) / The study catered for empirical and metaphysical dimensions of science and IKS. The study employed a quasi-experimental design as well as a qualitative research design. Two cohorts of students from a fictitiously named Culture Secondary School have been used in this study. The list of instruments for data collection were as follows: Conceptions of Fermentation (COF) questionnaire which was used to elicit learnerss pre- and post-test conceptions of fermentation with special reference to traditional beer or Umqombothi an Attitudes to Science (ATS) questionnaire which was used to find out the learners' worldviews, a Science Achievement Test (SAT) which was used to assess the learners' generalised knowledge of fermentation, a classroom observation schedule as well as a focus group interview schedule to gather additional qualitative data. All the instruments were in English with all technical and difficult terms in both English and isiXhosa (the learners’ home language). Both groups were exposed to Science/IKS-based lessons. The only difference between the two groups was that, the experimental group (E group) was exposed to a Dialogical Argumentation Teaching Model (DAIM) and the comparison group (C group) to a traditional teaching approach. The data gathered were both analyzed in terms of qualitative and quantitative descriptions. / South Africa

Summaries in English and Afrikaans / This thesis embarked with the problem within the liturgy that tension exists in trying to minister justly according to the current context and trying to minister faithful to Scripture. A departing perspective is that the liturgy is the heartbeat in the congregation whereto and from where every aspect is networking. Also, that the emphasis can be on both proclaiming and celebrating in Protestant liturgies. Dialogical communication was chosen as theoretical approach together with communicative action for the sake of the gospel of Jesus Christ. The first and last chapters illustrate what is meant with the term liturgy. The problem is stated (and investigated) that liturgy is a complicated and central phenomenon, which ought to let Reformed theology as well as a postmodern context come to their own. It is also indicated that liturgical spirituality, liturgical communication and liturgical pastorate can better be used and improved during Sunday liturgies. For the liturgy in order to serve the Reformed tradition and the postmodern context, and to uplift the three liturgical aspects of spirituality, communication and pastorate, liturgical symbols and rituals are posed as timeless agents to better the liturgy. Attention was also given to symbolism in Scripture. This led to a model of application as a theory of praxis for the liturgical use of symbols and rituals. The core of this model or theory of praxis, is: I. The highest priority in liturgical symbolism will always be to promote the holy Trinity and Biblical principles. II. The supplementary use of right-brain components, such as experience, emotion and music. III. A high premium on active participation and repetition. IV. An approach of simplicity and soberness. V. Relevance to the culture and context of the day. VI. Services that take hold of total persons and focus on multiple senses and corporeality (bodily involvement). i VII. Room for transendence, imagination and mystic worship of God. VIII. Actions and services that embrace diversity, pluralism and generative variety. IX. Meetings where pastoral and therapeutic dimensions are included. X. Celebration and positive experiences in meetings. XI. The use of images, stories, metaphors and icons. XII. The use of meta-communicative principles such as attitude, intention and high validation of other people. / Hierdie proefskrif het vertrek met die probleem vanuit die liturgie dat daar binne die huidige konteks en die deurlopende poging tot getrouheid aan die Skrif toenemend spanning groei in die eredienspraktyk. Die proefskrif vertrek ook vanuit die perspektief dat die liturgie die hartklop en voedingsaar van die gemeente is van waaruit en waarheen die totale gemeente netwerk en dat die verkondigingsbenadering en die vierings-benadering altwee 'n legitieme plek in die Protestantse liturgiese tradisie het. As teoretiese vertrekpunt vir die liturgiese handelinge word dialogiese kommunikasie gekies saam met kommunikatiewe handelinge ter wille van die evangelie van Jesus Christus. In die eerste en laaste hoofstukke word verduidelik wat met die begrip liturgie bedoel word. Die probleem word gestel dat die liturgie 'n komplekse handeling en kardinale fenomeen is wat reg moet laat geskied aan die Gereformeerde teologie en aan 'n postmoderne konteks. Verder word uitgewys dat liturgiese spiritualiteit, liturgiese kommunikasie en liturgiese pastoraat in ons huidige tydgleuf meer benut en uitgebou kan word tydens die weeklikse liturgiee. Ten einde die liturgie in haar Gereformeerde tradisie en postmoderne konteks te dien en om die drie liturgiese fasette van spiritualiteit, kommunikasie en pastoraat te bevorder, word liturgiese simbole en rituele aangebied as tydlose en tydige agente om die liturgie mee te verryk. Om die ondersoeke af te rond, is daar ook aan simboliek in die Bybel aandag gegee. 'n Werkswyse is gevolg waar die Gereformeerde teologie en postmoderniteit ontleed is en in verband gebring is met simbole en rituele. Liturgiese spiritualiteit, liturgiese kommunikasie en liturgiese pastoraat is ook gedissekteer, ten einde dit beter te begryp, en in verband te bring met liturgiese simbole en rituele. Daarna het simboliek aan die beurt gekom en is simbole en rituele gedefinieer, ontleed en na aard, wese en toepassing bestudeer. Simboliek in die Bybel is afgetas om gewig te verleen aan die ondersoeke. Uit al die genoemde ontledings en bevindings wys die proefskrif uit dat simbole en rituele inderdaad uitnemend geskik is om die liturgie eer aan te doen in die eiesoortige soeke na voortreflike vlakke van spiritualiteit, kommunikasie en pastoraat binne Gereformeerde en postmoderne kontekste. Hieruit is 'n toepassingsmodel as omvattende praktykteorie aangebied vir die liturgiese gebruik van simbole en rituele as die bydrae van hierdie proefskrif. (5.4 en 5.5). Die kern van die model of praktykteorie vir die liturgiese toepassing van simboliek is: I. Dat die hoogste doelstelling en swaarwigtigste vergestalting met simboliek in die erediens altyd God Drie-Enig en Bybelse waardes en beginsels is. II. Dat aanvullende gebruikmaking en verrekening van regterbreinkomponente soos ervaring, emosie en musiek noodsaaklik is. Ill. 'n Doelbewuste hoe premie op handelende deelname en herhaling. IV. 'n Benadering van eenvoud en soberheid. V. Handelinge en momente wat spreek tot die kultuur en konteks van die dag. VI. Erediensmomente wat die totale mens betrek en infokus op veelsintuiglikheid en liggaamlikheid. VII. Ruimte vir transendensie, verbeelding en mistiek om God te aanbid. VIII. Handelinge wat diversiteit, pluralisme en generatiewe verskeidenheid omhels en vier. IX. Byeenkomste wat pastorale en terapeutiese roepings insluit. X. Samekomste waar feestelikheid en aangename ervarings beleef word. XI. Kommunikeerders wat beelde, verhale, metafore en ikone gebruik. XII. Handelinge waar ag geslaan word op metakommunikatiewe beginsels soos gesindheid, intensie en hoe waardetoekennings aan die ander persoon. / Practial Theology / D. Th. (Practical Theology)

Cette thèse porte sur la compréhension de processus de conception de systèmes de travail d’agriculteurs engagés dans une transition agroécologique. Elle s’appuie sur la mise en œuvre d’une méthode : la Chronique du Changement. En proposant aux agriculteurs de construire des récits de conception, elle révèle le processus de conception global dans lequel ils sont engagés. Ce processus est analysé à partir d’un modèle dialogique de la conception (e.g. Béguin, 2010) qui met en tension les pôles du virtuel et du réel, auxquels nous ajoutons un pôle du concevable pour donner à voir les mouvements entre passé – présent – futur en jeu dans le processus. Ces récits rendent visible l’objet en cours de conception : le système de travail composé de sous-systèmes.L’expérience que fait l’agriculteur de ces sous-systèmes participe à la progression du processus de conception et à la construction par l’agriculteur d’une approche systémique de son objet.En perspective, cette thèse ouvre sur le rôle de la narration pour l’élaboration de l’expérience d’un processus de conception et sur la notion de conception de systèmes de travail durables. / This thesis focuses on understanding the processes of designing work systems of farmers engaged in an agroecologicaltransition. It is based on the implementation of a method: the Chronicle of Change. By offering farmers to build design narratives, it reveals the overall design process in which they are involved. This process is analyzed on the basis of a dialogical model of design (e.g. Béguin, 2010) that puts the poles of virtual and real into tension, to which we add a pole of designable to show the movements between past – present – future, which are at work in the process.These narratives make visible the object being designed: the working system composed of subsystems. The farmer's experience with these subsystems contributes to the progress of the design process and the farmer's construction of a systemic approach to his purpose.In perspective, this thesis opens on the role of narrative in the development of the experience of a design process and on the notion of designing sustainable work systems.

Philosophiae Doctor - PhD / This research study examines those aspects of Indigenous Knowledge (IK) that could be socially and culturally relevant in the Western Cape Province, South Africa, for teaching meteorological science concepts in a grade 9 Social Science (Geography) classroom using dialogical argumentation as an instructional model (DAIM). The literature reviewed in this study explains the use of argumentation as an instructional method of classroom teaching in particular dialogical argumentation, combined with IKS (Indigenous Knowledge Systems), which in this study is seen as a powerful tool both in enhancing learners’ views and positively identifying indigenous knowledge systems within their own cultures and communities, and as tool that facilitates the learning of (meteorological) literacy and science concepts. With the development of the New Curriculum Statements (NCS) and the Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statements (CAPS) for schools, the Department of Basic Education (DBE) of South Africa acknowledges a strong drive towards recognising and affirming the critical role of IK, especially with respect to science and technology education. The policy suggests that the Department of Education take steps to begin the phased integration of IK into curricula and relevant accreditation frameworks. Using a quasi-experimental research design model, the study employed both quantitative and qualitative methods (mixed-methods) to collect data in two public secondary schools in Cape Town, in the Western Cape Province, South Africa. A survey questionnaire on attitudes towards, and perceptions of high school, of a group of grade 9 learners, as well as their conceptions of weather, was administered before the main study to give the researcher baseline information and to develop pilot instruments to use in the main study. An experimental group (E-group) of learners were exposed to an intervention - the results were recorded against a control group (C-group) that were exposed to no intervention. Both the E-group and C-group were exposed to a Meteorological Literacy Test (MLT) evaluation before and after the DAIM intervention. The results from the two groups were then compared and analysed according to the two theoretical frameworks underpinning the study, namely, Toulmin’s Argumentation Pattern - TAP (Toulmin, 1958) and Contiguity Argumentation Theory - CAT (Ogunniyi, 1997). The findings of this study revealed that: Firstly, the socio-cultural background of learners has an influence on their conceptions of weather prediction and there was a significant difference between boy’s and girls’ pre-test conceptions about the existence of indigenous knowledge systems within the community they live in. For instance, from the learners’ excerpts, it emerged that the girls presented predominantly rural experiences as opposed to those of the boys which were predominantly from urban settings. Secondly, those E-group learners exposed to the DAIM intervention shifted from being predominantly equipollent to the school science to emergent stances and they found a way of connecting their IK to the school science. The DAIM model which allowed argumentation to occur amongst learners seemed to have enhanced their understanding of the relevance of IK and how its underlying scientific claims relate to that of school science. Thirdly, the argumentation-based instructional model was found to be effective to a certain extent in equipping the in-service teachers with the necessary argumentation skills that could enable them to take part in a meaningful discourse. The study drew on the personal experiences and encounters from a variety of sources. These included storytelling-and sharing, academic talks with local community members recorded during the research journey, formal round table discussion and talks at international and local conferences, conference presentations, informal interviews, indigenous chats at social event-meetings, and shared experiences at IKS training workshops as a facilitator. These encounters lead to the formulation of the research study and occurred throughout the country in various parts of the Southern African continent including: Namibia, Zimbabwe, Malawi, Botswana, Tanzania and Mozambique.

The subject of this diploma thesis is Dialogical acting with the inner partner, which understands itself as psychosomatic introspective and self-developing discipline founded by Ivan Vyskočil. I approach dialogical acting through three conceptualizations of objects - as networks, fluid objects and fire objects. With these I explore different ways in which dialogical acting holds its shape as a discipline. I focus on the creation and continuous re-enactment of dialogical acting and its ambiguous relation to its founder Ivan Vyskočil. I analyze the stability and fluidity of rules that shape and define boundaries of the discipline and describe dialogical acting as a set of relations of changing entities and realities that are present and absent, and as passages that are enacted by the rearrangements of multiple specificities. I try to capture tensions that constitute the discipline. Dialogical acting aims at being an open discipline without rules. As rules re-emerge and tend to stabilize, the discipline develops strategies in the process of transferring knowledge that seek to destabilize the rules. Findings and conclusions of this thesis are based on participative observation of dialogical acting in the courses that take place on The Theatre Faculty of the Academy of Performing Arts in Prague, on...

The fields of psychology and rhetoric share the goal of improving human mental health and behavior through persuasion. This thesis traces the history of rhetoric and psychology theory, focusing on the parallel theories of Nienkamp's internal rhetoric and Herman's dialogical self. Both theories model the human mind as having multiple psyches that actively interact to interpret human experience and project human behavior. I conclude with a case study of anorexic patients using ethos, pathos, and logos in dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), arguing that principles of rhetoric can help patients with mental disorders cognitively realign their thinking more effectively than drug treatments can.

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This dissertation addresses the complex challenge of communicating knowledge about environmental risks from toxic chemicals. Modern environmental risks are often invisible and technically complex, making the management of these risks highly dependent on data and information. Reliance on risk knowledge necessitates effective dissemination and communication by government agencies, yet the public's engagement with this information remains unclear due to limited real-world studies. This dissertation is comprised of three standalone papers bridging this gap. Each focuses on different aspects of risk knowledge communication using news dialogues as data sources. The first paper investigates the communication of location-specific risk information through a case study of the Radford Army Ammunition Plant (RAAP). Using content analysis and logistic regression, the study examines how scientific information about local environmental issues is presented in news articles and what factors influence its inclusion. Findings highlight the varying capacities among different stakeholder groups to access and utilize scientific information, underscoring the need for governmental and research support for less-resourced groups. The second paper explores chemical-specific risk knowledge, focusing on the environmental risks associated with per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). Employing a structural topic model (STM) and multinomial logistic regression, the study assesses the impact of the United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA)'s Draft Toxicity Assessment for GenX, one of the PFAS chemicals, on news topics. Results indicate that the influence of new risk knowledge on news topics varies depending on community context, with significant impacts observed when communities are ready for governmental action or legislation using the new assessment. The third paper examines the use of the US EPA's Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) database in news media. Through exploratory analysis, it reveals how different stakeholders use TRI data to make claims about environmental risks, highlighting that environmental organizations are primary users who often reconstruct TRI data to make it more relevant to the public. This suggests their potential role as intermediaries in risk knowledge communication. This dissertation provides empirical evidence of the limited news coverage of environmental risk knowledge, the dominance of government sources, and the significant role of intermediary groups. The findings suggest policy implications for government agencies and other organizations, highlighting the need to improve the conveyance and communication of risk knowledge. Recommendations include providing more contextual information and training for communities and intermediary groups on interpreting and utilizing risk data and information. These aim to bolster public comprehension and responsiveness to environmental risks, thereby protecting public safety and health. / Doctor of Philosophy / Toxic chemicals in our environment pose serious risks, but these dangers are often invisible and complex, making them hard to understand and manage without data and information about them. This dissertation explores how information about these risks is shared with the public through printed and online news coverage, aiming to enhance communication and our understanding of these environmental threats. This dissertation presents findings from three studies, each focusing on different types of risk information. The first looks at scientific information about local environmental risks at the Radford Army Ammunition Plant communicated in the news. It shows that not all groups have the same ability to access and use scientific data, and people tend to or feel compelled to bring up scientific information when they claim that risks exist, while the same level of scientific proof is not deemed necessary when denying the risks. The second study identifies topics in the news coverage of a specific chemical risk, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) contamination across the United States. This study also reveals how the publication of a new risk assessment for GenX – one type of PFAS chemical that was found to be more harmful than previously thought – changes the topics covered in the news. It finds that the impact of the new risk assessment depends on the readiness of communities to engage with the information and take action. The third study examines how a broad database of toxic chemical releases – the United States Environmental Protection Agency's Toxics Release Inventory – is used by various groups speaking in the news. It finds that environmental organizations play a crucial role in making complex data understandable and relevant to the public. Overall, this dissertation highlights the challenges and importance of effectively sharing information about toxic chemicals. It suggests ways for government agencies and other organizations to improve how they communicate these risk data and information, such as providing more context and training for those who advocate or report on these issues. By doing so, we can help the public better understand and respond to environmental risks, ultimately protecting our health and the planet.