Francis Fukuyama s’est fait connaître aux yeux du grand public à la fin des années 1980 et au début des années 1990, suite à sa célèbre thèse controversée de « la fin de l’histoire ». Érigé comme un parfait défenseur du modèle politique et économique libéral occidental, le politologue fut régulièrement associé au néoconservatisme américain, cela jusqu’à sa rupture clairement affichée au milieu des années 2000. Si Fukuyama dénonce alors la vision « agressive » de la génération post-Guerre froide du mouvement en politique étrangère, on s’aperçoit par ailleurs également, avant cette période, de l’existence de certaines divergences avec les premiers néoconservateurs, notamment en politique intérieure. Dès lors, on peut s’interroger sur la place réelle qu’occupe l’auteur de « la fin de l’histoire » au sein du néoconservatisme américain. À ce titre, nous défendons la thèse selon laquelle l’œuvre fukuyamienne, loin d’être marginale, incarne au contraire pleinement le socle intellectuel du néoconservatisme. Preuve, au-delà de la diversité indéniable, d’une unité idéologique plus large au sein du courant. / Francis Fukuyama became known in the eyes of the general public in the late 1980s and early 1990s, following his famous controversial “End of History” thesis. Perceived as a perfect defender of the Western liberal political and economic model, the political scientist was regularly associated with American neoconservatism, until its break clearly displayed in the mid-2000s. If Fukuyama denounces the “aggressive” vision of the post-Cold War generation in foreign policy, we also notice, before this period, the existence of some divergences with the first neoconservatives, particularly in domestic policy. Consequently, one may question the real place occupied by the author of “The End of History” in American neoconservatism. As such, we defend the thesis that the Fukuyamian work, far from being marginal, fully embodies the intellectual base of neoconservatism. This is proof, beyond the undeniable diversity, of a broader ideological unity within the current.

Ce mémoire comparatiste s'applique à mettre en relation les poésies d'Hector de Saint-Denys Garneau (1912-1943) et de Francis Ponge (1899-1989) en y étudiant les rapports entre espace et subjectivité. À défaut de se laisser emporter par un lyrisme traditionnel, ces poètes expriment leur présence au monde, à la fois sensuelle et intellectuelle, à travers les paysages qui s'offrent à eux. En effet, fondamentalement moderne, l'écriture de l'espace, qui prend appui sur la matière du monde, du corps et des mots, effrite les frontières de la subjectivité poétique. Elle s'exprime différemment au sein des textes étudiés : alors que l'approche de l'espace chez Garneau semble s'effectuer par osmose, par imprégnation, dans une recherche de transparence, chez Ponge le paysage se présente comme objet à capturer pour mieux s'y affirmer. Néanmoins, dans leur goût pour la matérialité, pour une expression du soi qui prenne acte du dehors, Garneau et Ponge se retrouvent dans la peinture de Cézanne, dont le regard artistique devient une façon de percevoir l'espace. Le rapprochement de ces pratiques scripturale et picturale met en relief comment les oeuvres de Garneau et de Ponge permettent d'octroyer une valeur positive à la fragmentation du sujet, réconcilié dans l'art.

While throughout the ages prominent thinkers have denounced for various reasons mistreatment and killing of animals for food or sacrifice, the dominant western view has been that only rational beings merit moral respect and value. Augustine developed, from Aristotle‘s thought of a hierarchy of souls as well as from the Stoic concept of animals‘ irrationality, the idea that animals share no fellowship with humans and thus are to be excluded from moral consideration. In Aquinas‘ thinking the difference between rationality and irrationality became the difference between immortal and mortal souls. This view furthered the development of an instrumental view of animals. The perception that lower species are created to benefit the higher species has become a dominant part of western Christian thought. The main aim of this study is to investigate whether a respectful attitude towards animals, as lived by Francis of Assisi and Albert Schweitzer, has a mystical basis (following the model of Evelyn Underhill), and subsequently to consider whether and how mystical qualities as lived by Francis and Schweitzer may contribute to an animal spirituality. In this thesis I explore the moral valuation of animals in the Christian biblical and spiritual tradition, and further present the outcome of this exploration as an alternative to an anthropocentric tradition and as a contribution to contemporary protectionist approaches. Franciscan sources and Schweitzer‘s oeuvre have been examined while applying Underhill‘s concept of various characteristics and stages of the mystic way. I conclude that both Francis and Schweitzer in their own unique ways qualify to be categorized as ‗mystics‘. Not through rationality, but through experience and feeling, both have achieved real contact with other beings and attained to the Mystery of life. Through their purified view they have been able to perceive animals in a non-instrumental way and through their mystical experiences of union they have sensed the common ontological basis and kinship between humans and animals—our interdependency, utility, aesthetic value and theophany. On the basis of scrutiny of biblical texts which touch upon the relations of humans and animals with God I observe that an animal-inclusive moral concern, as demonstrated by Francis and Schweitzer, finds biblical support. Each creature, as created and animated by God‘s rûaḥ (‗Spirit‘) is transparent to God‘s glory and therefore able to reveal something of the Creator. The Bible proclaims animals as God‘s property, with their own relation with their Creator, not as created to satisfy human wants and wishes. A non-instrumental understanding of animals, as found in biblical texts and as realized by Francis‘ and Schweitzer‘s awe for life, has ethical implications for human-animal relations. Francis‘ and Schweitzer‘s views call us to question our use of animals as our property, therewith sacrificing animal interests for our own. A spirituality in which animals are contemplated as God‘s creatures, with their own worth and their own relation to God, may lead to a different attitude towards animals. To the various elucidated positions in the contemporary animal debate, with its emphasis on rights and reason, Francis and Schweitzer may contribute through their example of an approach calling for empathy, sympathy and compassion as an alternative point of departure. / PhD (Dogmatics), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus in cooperation with Greenwich School of Theology, 2015

While throughout the ages prominent thinkers have denounced for various reasons mistreatment and killing of animals for food or sacrifice, the dominant western view has been that only rational beings merit moral respect and value. Augustine developed, from Aristotle‘s thought of a hierarchy of souls as well as from the Stoic concept of animals‘ irrationality, the idea that animals share no fellowship with humans and thus are to be excluded from moral consideration. In Aquinas‘ thinking the difference between rationality and irrationality became the difference between immortal and mortal souls. This view furthered the development of an instrumental view of animals. The perception that lower species are created to benefit the higher species has become a dominant part of western Christian thought. The main aim of this study is to investigate whether a respectful attitude towards animals, as lived by Francis of Assisi and Albert Schweitzer, has a mystical basis (following the model of Evelyn Underhill), and subsequently to consider whether and how mystical qualities as lived by Francis and Schweitzer may contribute to an animal spirituality. In this thesis I explore the moral valuation of animals in the Christian biblical and spiritual tradition, and further present the outcome of this exploration as an alternative to an anthropocentric tradition and as a contribution to contemporary protectionist approaches. Franciscan sources and Schweitzer‘s oeuvre have been examined while applying Underhill‘s concept of various characteristics and stages of the mystic way. I conclude that both Francis and Schweitzer in their own unique ways qualify to be categorized as ‗mystics‘. Not through rationality, but through experience and feeling, both have achieved real contact with other beings and attained to the Mystery of life. Through their purified view they have been able to perceive animals in a non-instrumental way and through their mystical experiences of union they have sensed the common ontological basis and kinship between humans and animals—our interdependency, utility, aesthetic value and theophany. On the basis of scrutiny of biblical texts which touch upon the relations of humans and animals with God I observe that an animal-inclusive moral concern, as demonstrated by Francis and Schweitzer, finds biblical support. Each creature, as created and animated by God‘s rûaḥ (‗Spirit‘) is transparent to God‘s glory and therefore able to reveal something of the Creator. The Bible proclaims animals as God‘s property, with their own relation with their Creator, not as created to satisfy human wants and wishes. A non-instrumental understanding of animals, as found in biblical texts and as realized by Francis‘ and Schweitzer‘s awe for life, has ethical implications for human-animal relations. Francis‘ and Schweitzer‘s views call us to question our use of animals as our property, therewith sacrificing animal interests for our own. A spirituality in which animals are contemplated as God‘s creatures, with their own worth and their own relation to God, may lead to a different attitude towards animals. To the various elucidated positions in the contemporary animal debate, with its emphasis on rights and reason, Francis and Schweitzer may contribute through their example of an approach calling for empathy, sympathy and compassion as an alternative point of departure. / PhD (Dogmatics), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus in cooperation with Greenwich School of Theology, 2015

In 1959 French composer Francis Poulenc composed the opera La Voix humaine based on Jean Cocteau’s original play (1928). La Voix humaine is a one-act opera for soprano. The main character, Elle, spends the opera on the phone with her ex-lover who is marrying another the next day. Many musicians believe this opera is difficult or impossible to update, due to the use of the telephone and its dated operator system, which is a large aspect of the action and drama. This document provides the reader with a new interpretation of the opera with modern technology. Chapter One begins with a brief history of the creators of the play and opera, Jean Cocteau and Francis Poulenc. It delves into their early years, leading up to their time involved with Les Six. Chapter Two discusses Cocteau’s vision and creation of the play and continues to his collaboration with Poulenc on the opera. Chapter Three offers a view of how the phone plays a large part in the play, continues to the telephone’s function during the time period the play was written, and concludes with a look at how current technology may be applied to an updated interpretation of the opera. Chapter Four provides a look at the sections of the libretto that is linked to the telephone, thus making its use unavoidable in certain portions of the opera while providing musical examples. It also discusses how the libretto poses a problem with a modern-day telephone system and how to address these issues. Chapter Five presents ways to incorporate the use of an iPad into the second section of the opera, through analysis and interpretation of the text. Chapter Six gives a look into modern research on technology and its effects on mental health, following with how this research can be applied to a modern interpretation of the work and Elle’s untimely suicide due to effects of technology addiction. This chapter also discusses how the text and music support these ideas. Finally, the conclusion summarizes main ideas and their application into the opera.

This thesis is concerned with a critical analysis from a Moslem's point of view of Sir Richard Burton's works relating to the Arab World and Islam. The research will attempt to establish the merits and shortcomings of Burton's works in the light of the proposed research. It will, however, at the same time attempt to establish from internal evidence the extent and nature of Burton's knowledge of both Arabic and Islam. The thesis is divided into seven chapters, each of which deals with one or more of Burton's works. Chapter one deals with Burton's pilgrimage to Mecca and El-Medinah. Chapter two deals with the collection of proverbs "Proverbia Communia Syriaca." Chapter three covers Burton's Kasidah and discusses his interest in Sufism and spiritualism. Chapter four concentrates on his translation of The Arabian Nights paying particular attention to the annotations and "Terminal Essay." Chapter five deals with The Perfumed Garden and tries to make a comparison between Burton's translation and its Arabic original in order to estimate to what extent could Burton's Garden be taken as a representative of the original. Chapter six deals with Burton's three essays The Jew, The Gypsy and El-Islam. This chapter concentrates on Burton's religious loyalty and also points out the true reasons behind writing these essays. Chapter seven touches upon almost all his other works and translations. It attempts to establish and prove the fact that the study of the grabs and Islam and the interest in them was a life-long obsession with Burton rather than a temporary occupation. The conclusion attempts to put together the findings of all the other chapters. However, it will concentrate on pointing out where did really Burton's religious and racial loyalties lie as well as give a brief and concluding comment of the nature and extent of his knowledge of both the Arabic language and Islam. The eight appendixes that follow the research include technical data ranging from Burton's background reading to the listing of topics he studied or referred to in the Moslem religion.

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Through the process of retelling the ancient parables of the lives of three saints, I hope to revive their stories, presenting narratives on the subject of transformation to a contemporary audience.

The diploma thesis "The Chotek Family and Sophie Chotek" deals with the development of a traditional Czech noble family from the first historical record to the last members of the family who died in 70's of 20th century. Central person of the thesis is Sophie Chotek, the best known woman of the family, who lived from 1868 to 1914. We can read about her life of a single young noblewoman during her service in Bratislava, where she was as a maid-of-honour and where she met her future husband archduke Francis Ferdinand d'Este. They got married on 1st July 1900. The last part of the thesis speaks about fourteen years of marriage. The greater part of this happy time they spent in the Konopiště Castle in Central Bohemia. Sophie and Francis Ferdinand also had three children Sophie, Maxmilian and Ernst of Hohenberg, whose life stories are included, too.

Thesis advisor: Robert Faulkner / Over the past century we have witnessed and benefitted from a technological boom. Issues ranging from how science should progress to how it should be used continually gain prominence in public debates. This raises the question: what is the ideal relationship between the state and the scientific institutions? I attempt to explain how Francis Bacon, one of the founders of the modern era, answers this with his New Atlantis. Bacon’s realpolitik nature allows the New Atlantis to achieve what very few utopias can, actualization. By looking at New Atlantis’s fictionalized country, Bensalem, we can see Bacon’s ideal relationship between the scientific institution (Salomon’s House) and the state. First, I examine the state and Salomon’s House independently of each other, and then how they interact. Eventually, Bacon shows us that a strong and independent scientific institution is necessary to establish perpetuity to a well ordered state. / Thesis (MA) — Boston College, 2009. / Submitted to: Boston College. Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. / Discipline: Political Science.