Tiny House. Tell Me a Secret. is a poetry manuscript that deals with establishing identity based on the relationships one is involved in, the loss of someone significant, and then coping with that loss. In the book, the speaker who grows up in the care of women becomes sensitive to their pains and questions the necessity of the overt ideas of machismo in his culture and deliberately cultivates chivalry in his romantic relationship as a result. The speaker loses his wife early in their marriage and must cope with her death while continuing to re-learn/establish the identity that she played such a large part in shaping. The poems attempt to clarify identity and heighten poetic energy in the poetic forms of free verse and prose poetry. I hope my collection embodies multiple representations of manhood as macho, tender, and everything in between. The collection attempts a complex identification with multiple types of identities. For me, the reality of identities is in their fluidity. The speakers of my poems ultimately find themselves at ease in their roles and in their understanding of others’ roles and lives beyond their own. My speakers do not yearn to just be one identity, however fully. Instead, each man can easily exist in the world as both an adult and still very much the child of his father; the lover of grand romantic gestures and still the loner of deep self-intimacy. While the collection as a whole destabilizes accepted notions of patriarchy, it also, I hope, provides a stable level at which we can understand the speaker of the entire manuscript.

Many scholars in the field believe that identities are fluid without question. Butler’s “fluidity of identities,” for instance, describes the numerous variations in gender identities that denaturalize gender, but not consider its racial dimensions (179). Butler analyzes drag performance as a model to show how gender identities are fluid, suggesting agency and social mobility in everyday life. But what is most striking to me about fluidity of identities is the assumption that everyone has fluid identities with scarcely any regard for how racialized stereotypes fix identities (Hall 1997, 258). Fixity is the repetition of colonial power over racialized subjects rendering them without agency and access (Bhabha 94). Fixity uses stereotyping, which is a process of constructing “composite images” about groups of people, and that hold certain identities within “symbolic boundaries” (Brantlinger 306). As a result, this dissertation challenges the universality in a fluidity of identities by examining three case studies in Caribbean racialized gender identities, often thought to be fluid because of multi-ethnicity, but discriminate against, and erase blackness or “Africanness,” in race theories of “whitening” (blanquemiento), “darkening” (negreado), color-casting, and colonial stereotypes of “miscegenation” throughout Latin America and the Caribbean. Through performance analyses of three black and "miscegenated" Anglophone Caribbean performers Denise “Saucy Wow” Belfon in Trinidad carnival crossdressing, Carlene “The Dancehall Queen” Smith in Jamaican dancehall transvestism, and Staceyann Chin in American performance poetry with racialized “androgyny,” I examine the figures of Creole, La Mulata, Dougla and “half-Chiney” by these women in their performance genres in order to investigate whether identities are as fluid as Butler suggests, and to chart their fixities. Focusing on fluidity alone risks denying inequalities and the lack of social mobility restricting access to marginalized people. Belfon, Smith and Chin manipulate racialized “drag” by simultaneously crossing race and gender in masquerade traditions of Trinidad carnival, Jamaican dancehall, and in the orality and embodiment in American performance poetry in performances I call black liminal displacements, defined as self-stereotyping and self-caricaturing. However fluid racialized gender identities may appear to be, I argue that racialized gender identities are not definitively fluid because racial stereotypes fix identities. / text

This thesis investigates how New Zealand fashion designers construct and communicate a unique and fluid identity. There are two main focuses of the research. The first is how New Zealand fashion designers build and maintain a unique brand identity in the New Zealand market. This includes an in-depth analysis of the public relations and communication strategies both emerging and established fashion designers use. The second focus is how New Zealand designers communicate their brand identity to export markets. This includes an examination of how the New Zealand national identity has an effect on the communication of their identity in international markets. This research is important as there is little scholarly research on the creative industries in New Zealand, and none on the New Zealand designer fashion industry. Therefore, this research study has been developed to advance literature in this area and provide a basis for further research. While this research study will focus on the New Zealand designer fashion industry, it is hoped that the research will be applicable to other creative industries in New Zealand. A key element of this research is to use the in-depth analysis of the designer fashion industry to provide recommendations on identity management for the New Zealand designer fashion industry and creative industries. Ultimately, this research provides these industries with a practical guide to create and communicate a unique identity in both domestic and export markets. A collective case study method is used to collate the data and is analysed through an interpretive framework. The New Zealand fashion designers that comprise the case studies are Annah Stretton, Robyn Brooks, Jo Robertson, and Cyb le Wiren. Key conclusions are that organisations in the creative industries need to put together an in-depth communications plan as early as possible in their business. This should focus on the creation and communication of a unique and fluid identity in order to differentiate themselves from their competitors and allow them to actively respond to their environment. Industry bodies and New Zealand Trade Enterprise play a key role in the development and export of creative organisations. These organisations need to develop better resources and support systems for the creative industries in order for them to reach their maximum potential.

<p>Предмет истраживања у овом раду представља одређивање чворишних тачака<br />око којих се образује идентитет у поетици Растка Петровића. Циљ је доказивања тезе<br />да његово стваралаштво антиципира савремено схватање и разумевање идентитета<br />као конструкције, која се одвија унутар дискурса моћи, а он настоји да регулише<br />идентификацијске процесе унутар субјекта. Дело Растка Петровића указује на<br />чињеницу да идентитет представља сложену и динамичну мрежу сачињену од<br />идентитетских конституената који се непрекидно укрштају, те се на местима укрштаја<br />образују амбивалентне субјекатске позиције из којих аутор исповеда своју онтолошку<br />стрепњу и свест о конститутивној амбиваленцији. Укључивањем методолошких<br />премиса из области студија културе (маргинализација, трансгресија, лиминалност) у<br />проучавање аутентичних авангардних поетичких стратегија Растка Петровића, указали<br />смо на чињеницу да је аутор трагајући за собом остваривао своје поетско биће. На тај<br />начин образовао се хибридни и лиминални идентитет у динамичком пољу<br />антагонистичких дискурса, који се непрекидно међусобно пресецају.<br />Реч је, дакле, о томе да поетичко-естетско-филозофско исходиште<br />стваралаштва Растка Петровића чини идеја да се биће (оно што јесте), као и<br />конституенти његовог идентитета (пол, род, раса, нација, класна, верска и<br />професионална припадност...) разумевају као процесуалне категорије које су<br />непрекидно изложене променама. Петровић, заправо, отвара пут савременом<br />антиесенцијалном тумачењу бића као флукса (оно што је ток и што се мења) унутар<br />симболичких мрежа, односно дискурзивних пракси. На тај начин, ствара се могућност<br />да се појам, односно концепт идентитета тумачи као стратегијски и позицијски, те је у<br />Петровићевом делу идентитет увек релационо конструисан и изратито обележен не-<br />припадањем. Истовремено, идентитет сугерише истост и подржава неки облик<br />заједништва који варљиво испуњава онтолошку празнину.<br />Овај рад своје методолошко утемељење проналази у претпоставци да је<br />плуралитет у теоријским приступима и критичким праксама нужан, управо због<br />2<br />сложености и амбивалентности појма идентитет, који је интердисциплинаран по своме<br />досегу. Истовремено, овај рад се бави различитим аспектима идентитета са циљем да<br />се сачува и истакне свест о интеракцији између конституената идентитета и теоријско-<br />критичких пракси које се њима баве. У фокусу нашег истраживања налази се културни,<br />родни и наративни идентитет, тачније, модуси њихових конструкција. У том смислу,<br />ова студија доказује да поетика, али и живот Растка Петровића представљају<br />парадигму културолошке и родне лиминалности. Сходно томе, путујући модел<br />егзистенције показује се као пресудан у творби идентитета који се формира као<br />хибридни, услед седиментације различитих култура.<br />Исцрпна анлиза родног идентитета, односно маскулинитета, истиче<br />субверзивни потенцијал Петровићевог дела у односу на патријархалну<br />фалогоцентричну бинарну културолошку матрицу. Растко Петровић несумњиво<br />исказује свест о идеолошком карактеру родне улоге која му је намењена, те је процес<br />&bdquo;постајања&ldquo; мушкарцем изузетно сложен, обележен противуречностима и стрепњом.<br />Посебан комплекс питања која се нужно намећу када је у питању ауторефлексија<br />представља језик, јер је писац принуђен да доказ властитог постојања тражи у језику, у<br />појмовима који су такође производ дискурса који не одобрава алтернативну мушкост.<br />Тумачење наративног иденитета као ипсеитета које смо користили у раду,<br />дакле, упознавање и конституисање себе као метакатегоријалног Другог, маркирало је<br />значај културног дијалога коме је Растко Петровић несумњиво стремио. У питању је<br />дијалог у коме припадници мањинских/маргиналних култура и субкултура постају<br />равноправни саговорници. Истовремено, размена културних дарова обезбеђивала би<br />потенцијал за, из данашње перспективе посматрано, повлашћен статус агенса у<br />стварању сопствене културе, као и активно учешће у мапирању културе у свету.</p> / <p>Predmet istraživanja u ovom radu predstavlja određivanje čvorišnih tačaka<br />oko kojih se obrazuje identitet u poetici Rastka Petrovića. Cilj je dokazivanja teze<br />da njegovo stvaralaštvo anticipira savremeno shvatanje i razumevanje identiteta<br />kao konstrukcije, koja se odvija unutar diskursa moći, a on nastoji da reguliše<br />identifikacijske procese unutar subjekta. Delo Rastka Petrovića ukazuje na<br />činjenicu da identitet predstavlja složenu i dinamičnu mrežu sačinjenu od<br />identitetskih konstituenata koji se neprekidno ukrštaju, te se na mestima ukrštaja<br />obrazuju ambivalentne subjekatske pozicije iz kojih autor ispoveda svoju ontološku<br />strepnju i svest o konstitutivnoj ambivalenciji. Uključivanjem metodoloških<br />premisa iz oblasti studija kulture (marginalizacija, transgresija, liminalnost) u<br />proučavanje autentičnih avangardnih poetičkih strategija Rastka Petrovića, ukazali<br />smo na činjenicu da je autor tragajući za sobom ostvarivao svoje poetsko biće. Na taj<br />način obrazovao se hibridni i liminalni identitet u dinamičkom polju<br />antagonističkih diskursa, koji se neprekidno međusobno presecaju.<br />Reč je, dakle, o tome da poetičko-estetsko-filozofsko ishodište<br />stvaralaštva Rastka Petrovića čini ideja da se biće (ono što jeste), kao i<br />konstituenti njegovog identiteta (pol, rod, rasa, nacija, klasna, verska i<br />profesionalna pripadnost...) razumevaju kao procesualne kategorije koje su<br />neprekidno izložene promenama. Petrović, zapravo, otvara put savremenom<br />antiesencijalnom tumačenju bića kao fluksa (ono što je tok i što se menja) unutar<br />simboličkih mreža, odnosno diskurzivnih praksi. Na taj način, stvara se mogućnost<br />da se pojam, odnosno koncept identiteta tumači kao strategijski i pozicijski, te je u<br />Petrovićevom delu identitet uvek relaciono konstruisan i izratito obeležen ne-<br />pripadanjem. Istovremeno, identitet sugeriše istost i podržava neki oblik<br />zajedništva koji varljivo ispunjava ontološku prazninu.<br />Ovaj rad svoje metodološko utemeljenje pronalazi u pretpostavci da je<br />pluralitet u teorijskim pristupima i kritičkim praksama nužan, upravo zbog<br />2<br />složenosti i ambivalentnosti pojma identitet, koji je interdisciplinaran po svome<br />dosegu. Istovremeno, ovaj rad se bavi različitim aspektima identiteta sa ciljem da<br />se sačuva i istakne svest o interakciji između konstituenata identiteta i teorijsko-<br />kritičkih praksi koje se njima bave. U fokusu našeg istraživanja nalazi se kulturni,<br />rodni i narativni identitet, tačnije, modusi njihovih konstrukcija. U tom smislu,<br />ova studija dokazuje da poetika, ali i život Rastka Petrovića predstavljaju<br />paradigmu kulturološke i rodne liminalnosti. Shodno tome, putujući model<br />egzistencije pokazuje se kao presudan u tvorbi identiteta koji se formira kao<br />hibridni, usled sedimentacije različitih kultura.<br />Iscrpna anliza rodnog identiteta, odnosno maskuliniteta, ističe<br />subverzivni potencijal Petrovićevog dela u odnosu na patrijarhalnu<br />falogocentričnu binarnu kulturološku matricu. Rastko Petrović nesumnjivo<br />iskazuje svest o ideološkom karakteru rodne uloge koja mu je namenjena, te je proces<br />&bdquo;postajanja&ldquo; muškarcem izuzetno složen, obeležen protivurečnostima i strepnjom.<br />Poseban kompleks pitanja koja se nužno nameću kada je u pitanju autorefleksija<br />predstavlja jezik, jer je pisac prinuđen da dokaz vlastitog postojanja traži u jeziku, u<br />pojmovima koji su takođe proizvod diskursa koji ne odobrava alternativnu muškost.<br />Tumačenje narativnog ideniteta kao ipseiteta koje smo koristili u radu,<br />dakle, upoznavanje i konstituisanje sebe kao metakategorijalnog Drugog, markiralo je<br />značaj kulturnog dijaloga kome je Rastko Petrović nesumnjivo stremio. U pitanju je<br />dijalog u kome pripadnici manjinskih/marginalnih kultura i subkultura postaju<br />ravnopravni sagovornici. Istovremeno, razmena kulturnih darova obezbeđivala bi<br />potencijal za, iz današnje perspektive posmatrano, povlašćen status agensa u<br />stvaranju sopstvene kulture, kao i aktivno učešće u mapiranju kulture u svetu.</p> / <p>This thesis aims to determine the crucial points of identity formation in Rastko<br />Petrović&rsquo;s poetics with the intention to verify the idea that Rastko Petrović&rsquo;s work<br />anticipates the modern understanding of identity as a construct which emerges from the<br />discourse of power with its identificational processes within the subject. Rastko Petrović&rsquo;s<br />oeuvre is an excellent example of the fact that identity represents a complex and dynamic<br />network of identity constituents that constantly intertwine, and, in the places where the<br />contacts happen, they form ambivalent subject positions from which the author narrates his<br />ontological fear and the awareness of the constitutive ambivalence. By including some of<br />the methodological premises from the field of cultural studies (such as marginalization,<br />transgression, liminality) into the research of Petrović&rsquo;s authentic avant-garde poetic<br />strategies, the thesis shows that, while searching for his inner self, Petrović was epitomizing<br />his poetical self, thus forming a hybrid and liminal identity in the dynamic field of<br />antagonistic discourses that constantly intersect.<br />Therefore, we can say that the poetic, philosophical and aesthetic sources of<br />Petrović&rsquo;s work are found in the idea that self (what is), as well as the constituents of his<br />identity (sex, gender, race, nation, class, religious beliefs, professional orientation&hellip;) are<br />understood as processing cathegories constantly exposed to changes. What is more, it can<br />be said that Rastko Petrović clears the path for the modern, antiessetialist interpretations of<br />self as flux (that which is a flow, which changes constantly) within the symbolic network, i.e.<br />discoursive practices. In this way, arises the possiblity of interpretation of the notion, or the<br />idea of identity, as strategic, or positional, meaning that in Petrović&rsquo;s works identity is<br />always relationally constructed and strongly marked by non-belonging. At the same time,<br />identity means sameness and supports at least some kind of unity feebly fulfilling the<br />onthological void.<br />Methodological foundation of this thesis is found in the assumption that the plurality<br />in critical and theoretical approaches is necessary, precisely because of the complexity and<br />ambivalence of identity, the term whose scope and range are interdisciplinary positioned. At<br />the same time, the thesis examines various aspects of identity with the objective to<br />preserve and enhance the awareness about the interaction between the constituents of<br />4<br />identity and theoretical and critical practices that deal with it. Cultural, gender and narrative<br />identities or, more precisely, the modes of their constructions, form the central part of the<br />thesis. In this sense, this thesis shows that the poetics, but also the life of Rastko Petrović,<br />represent a paradigm of cultural and gender liminality, while the life on the constant move<br />proves to be crucial in the creation of identity which is formed as a hybrid one because of<br />many layers coming from various cultures. A detailed analysis of gender identity or, more<br />precisely, masculinity, stresses the subversive potential of Petrović&rsquo;s work when juxtaposed<br />to patriarchal, logocentric, binary cultural matrix. Rastko Petrović expresses an awareness of<br />the ideological character of the gender role he was assigned with; therefore, the process of<br />&ldquo;becoming&rdquo; a man is a highly complex one, marked with contradictions and fear. A separate<br />cluster of questions that inevitably appear with introspection is found in language, since<br />writer is compelled to search for the proofs of his existence in the language and in the<br />notions which are also a product of discourse that does not approve of the alternative<br />masculinity.<br />The interpretation of narrative identity as ipseity, used in this work, as well as the<br />introduction and constitution of self as a meta-categorical Other, marked the importance of<br />cultural dialog which Rastko Petrović undoubtedly strived for. It is a dialog where the<br />members of minority cultures and subcultures are equal participants. At the same time, the<br />exchange of cultural gifts provides the potential for a privileged status of agens in creation<br />of one&rsquo;s own culture, and also in active mapping of the world culture.</p>

The dissertation connects areas of critical-animal studies and feminist studies over the question of picturing bodies of animals and women including visual violence. In particular it addresses the use of mentioned picturing methods by an animal rights movement. I understand women and animals to be marginalised groups in patriarchal society on which is represented the power of hegemonic masculinity by denigrating, violent and sexual representation, even though each group has its specifics. The method of representation serves as means of confirmation and embedding of hegemonic masculinity, anthropocentric system built on binary oppositions man/woman, human/animal, and with them related discourse of difference. The aim of the dissertation is to point out common characteristics of denigrating representation including violence (with sexual meaning) on animals and women who are reduced to objects, on which visualisation of violence is socially accepted. The initial point comes from feminist theories of Carol J. Adams and her concept of absent referent. Further it works with concept of intersectionality and fluid identity according to Rosi Braidotti, which enables consideration of assigning a claim of personal identity also to animals. From the methodological position, the dissertation is based on...