Thesis (M.S.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 2008. / The entire dissertation/thesis text is included in the research.pdf file; the official abstract appears in the short.pdf file (which also appears in the research.pdf); a non-technical general description, or public abstract, appears in the public.pdf file. Title from title screen of research.pdf file (viewed on September 15, 2008) Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--UCLA, 2007. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 216-225).

Thesis (M.Sc.). / Written for the Dept. of Geography. Title from title page of PDF (viewed 2009/06/19). Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (M. Div.)--St. Vladimir's Orthodox Theological Seminary, Crestwood, N.Y., 2003. / Abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 78-79).

Thesis (M. Div.)--St. Vladimir's Orthodox Theological Seminary, Crestwood, N.Y., 2003. / Abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 78-79).

Thesis (M.A.)--University of Toronto, 2009. / Source: Masters Abstracts International, Volume: 48-02, page: .

Thesis (M. Div.)--St. Vladimir's Orthodox Theological Seminary, Crestwood, N.Y., 2003. / Abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 78-79).

Thesis (M.S.)--University of Montana, 2007. / Title from title screen. Description based on contents viewed Aug. 27, 2007. Includes bibliographical references (p. 61-70).

In this thesis I explore human-animal relations amongst the Bebelibe of the Commune of Cobly, in the northwest of the Republic of Benin, West Africa, with a focus on how they relate to their tikedimɔmɔnte (true totem(s), literally “interdict(s)-true”). I start with an historical review of totemism, the debates it generated and how these contributed to the recent ontological turn in anthropology. I then explore the theoretical ideas I use for my analysis, which include “presencing” and the “ontological penumbra” (J. Merz 2017b; J. Merz and S. Merz 2017). Presencing builds on semiotics by explaining how people make meaning present through their engagement in and with the world around them, whilst ontological penumbras are the shadowy spaces of limbo that affect our whole being and that people need to negotiate as part of making sense of their engagement with the world. As part of these theoretical frameworks, I examine the “onton”, as introduced by Johannes Merz (2017b). Ontons are experiential, agentive and relational entities that are the result of presencing processes. Ontons, however, cannot be divided into representations (signifiers) and represented (signified) as signs can. An engagement in the world between different entities in an ontonic and thus nonrepresentational sense necessitates my introducing further notions including shared “ontonity” (instead of shared humanity) and “ontonhood” (rather than personhood). I demonstrate how these theoretical ideas work with reference to human-animal relations primarily amongst the Bebelibe in the Commune of Cobly. In order to do this, I provide an in-depth, “thick description” (Geertz 1973) ethnography that explores how people perceive and relate to animals through hunting, domestication, attitudes to eating meat, animal commodification, reincarnation, shapeshifting and totemism. As part of my analysis I also examine the impact of Christianity on human-animal relations by exploring several incidents involving Christians and their tikedimɔmɔnte.

Text in Afrikaans / Hierdie studie handel oor die ontwerp van 'n post traumatiese terapie deur die opvoedkundige sielkundige waar troeteldiere as fasiliteerder ingespan kan word. Dit fokus op getraumatiseerdes wat na afloop van 'n trauma in 'n post traumatiese situasie verkeer, en nie klinies aan die diagnose van post traumatiese stres versteuring voldoen nie. Die ontwerp van die terapie val in vier fases uiteen wat nie noodwendig streng chronologies in terapie hoef te verloop nie. Eerstens is daar die affektiewe fase wat handel oor die bantering van emosies. Tweedens fokus die kognitiewe fase op kognitiewe herstrukturering by die getraumatiseerde en veral die internalisering daarvan. Die fase van voorraadopname maak voorsiening vir die identifisering van psigologiese gestremdhede en sterker modaliteite van die getraumatiseerde. Die kompensatoriese fase handel oor die ontwerp van 'n aksieplan vir die sinvolle voortsetting van die getraumatiseerde se lewe asook inoefeningsaspekte daarvan. Die terapeutiese ontwerp het beslag gekry na 'n uitgebreide literatuurstudie van verskeie terapeutiese skole se post traumatiese terapiee en tegnieke. Oorhoofs word bogenoemde ontwerp in die relasieterapie ingebed. Hierdie terapie le besondere klem op die kompensatoriese fase met die oog op adekwate aktualisering van die getraumatiseerde in sy toekomstige gesitueerdheid. Alhoewel daar 'n uitgebreide beskrywing van troeteldier gefasiliteerde terapie volg, het die navorser slegs sekere getraumatiseerde kliente ge'identifiseer wat sat baat by troeteldier gefasiliteerde terapie. Daar is tydens die studie aandag gegee aan die ontwerp van 'n vraelys wat as operasionele metingsinstrument dien om die omvang van die trauma ten opsigte van die getraumatiseerde se filnksionering, selfgesprekke, belewenis, betekenisgewing, betrokkenheid, seltkonsep, relasies en selfaktualisering te bepaal. Fasiliteerders van die affektiewe fase sluit onder andere soos reeds genoem hierbo, troeteldiere in. Ondersoek is ingestel na die riglyne vir troeteldier gefasiliteerde terapie, en verskeie aspekte soos determinante by die getraumatiseerde vir troeteldier gefasiliteerde terapie, die aard van mens-dier interaksie, risiko's en menslike voorwaardes verbonde aan troeteldier gefasiliteerde terapie, is beskryf Tydens die empiriese ondersoek is gevind dat alhoewel die ontwerp beperkinge het, daar besliste ruimte vir troeteldier gefasiliteerde post traumatiese terapie op Sielkundige Opvoedkunde terrein bestaan / This study deals with the design of a post traumatic therapy that can be administered by the educational psychologist. Pets were used for the first time as facilitators in such a therapy. This therapy was primarily designed for persons in a post traumatic situation after an experienced trauma, who _do not ~fy foc!h<L~!i_ni~_ctl _ cri!~!"ia gf post traumatic _stress disorder. Four phases can be distinguished in the course of the therapy. This doesn't however imply a hierargical order. First of all the affective phase deals with the emotional side of the traumatised person. Secondly cognitive restructuring is taken up in the cognitive phase as well as internalization thereof The third phase of stock taking makes provision for the identification of psychological handicaps and stronger modalities of the traumatised person. A plan of action is developed in the final compensatory phase and it deals with optimal future actualization of the traumatised person. If necessary, opportunity is provided for excercising the newly required skills. This design was developed after extensive literature studies of post traumatic therapies and techniques, and it is embedded in the overall approach of relationship therapy. Strong emphasis is placed on the compensatory phase in view of the traumatised person's adequate future actualization. Although an extensive description of pet fasilitated therapy is given, only certain traumatised clients were identified who will benefit from this therapy. A questionnaire as operational measuring instrument was developed for the purpose of this study. Information as to the traumatised person's functioning, selftalk, experiences, allocation of meaning, involvement, selfconcept, relationship formation and selfactualization can be ascertained via this instrument. One of the facilitators of the affective phase, already mentioned, includes pets. A thorough study into guidelines for pet facilitated therapy, as well as aspects such as determinants of traumatised people as indication for this kind of therapy, the nature of human-animal interaction, risks and human conditions for pet facilitated therapy, was undertaken. The empirical study proved that in spite of limitations of pet facilitated post traumatic therapy, definite opportunity exists in the field of Psychology of Education for this kind of therapy / D.Ed. (Sielkundige Opvoedkunde)