This thesis aims to answer the question of how the library is represented in the Librarian franchise, not only focusing on the films/tv-series but also how it is represented in print. The analysis of the library representation uses a background of the theory and method found in semiotics and iconography, as well as qualitative content analysis, to examine not only the literal/denoted representation, but also the symbolic/connoted, and then compar-ing these findings to the representation of libraries and librarians (with a focus on the stereotypes) found in former research on the subject. The libraries depicted in this franchise all adhere to the stereotypes in some ways, especially the grandeur or spaciousness, at times labyrinthine but there is always someone experienced to ask to help find what you are looking for. The library is represented in a positive light, it is not a place to be feared, it is a place of knowledge and adventure. The characters see these libraries as home or as a social “hub” for the community, they are signs of safety, comfort, and peaceful entertainment. A world without libraries is depicted as a dystopian nightmare. In the franchise there are some characters that can be interpreted as personification of the Library, in this thesis I am focusing on Judson, Charlene, and Ray (the spirit of the library), all of which embody several of the librarian stereotypes, such as intelligence and order, these characters signify in various ways how much the library depends on librarians. In conclusion, this franchise, although unrealistic, shows that the library does not have to be a boring place, and neither does the librarian profession. This is a two years master’s thesis in Library and Information Science. / Målet med denna uppsats är att besvara frågan hur biblioteket representeras i Librarian-franchisen, inte bara hur det representeras i filmerna/tv-serien men också hur det representeras i de tryckta berättelserna. I analysen av biblioteksrepresentationen använder jag mig av teoretiska utgångspunkter och metodik från semiotik och ikonografi samt kvalitativ innehållsanalys, för att utforska både den bokstavliga/denoterade representationen och den symboliska/konnoterade, och sedan jämföra resultatet med hur tidigare forskning beskrivit biblioteks- och bibliotekarierepresentationen (med fokus på stereotyper) i fiktion. Alla biblioteken som representeras i denna franchise kopplas till viss del ihop med biblioteksstereotyperna, speciellt prakt och rymlighet, och ibland även labyrinter men det finns alltid någon erfaren att fråga om hjälp för att hitta det du söker. Biblioteken är positivt representerade i denna franchise, biblioteket är inte en skrämmande plats, det är en plats som symboliserar kunskap och äventyr. Karaktärerna ser biblioteket som ett hem eller ett socialt nav, biblioteket symboliserar säkerhet, bekvämlighet och stillsam underhållning. En värld utan biblioteken representeras i serien som en dystopisk mardröm. I denna franchise går det att finna några karaktärer som inte bara är bibliotekarierepresentationer men också agerar som personifikationer av biblioteket, i denna uppsats har jag valt att fokusera på Judson, Charlene och Ray (bibliotekets ande), som alla faller in i flera bibliotekariestereotyper, exempelvis intelligens och ordningsamhet. Dessa karaktärer signifierar även på olika sätt hur mycket biblioteket är beroende av bibliotekarier. Slutligen visar denna franchise, trots dess surrealism, att biblioteket inte måste vara en tråkig plats, och bib-liotekarieyrket behöver inte heller vara tråkigt. Detta är en två års masteruppsats i biblioteks- och informationsvetenskap.

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Architecture and Film - A Symbiotic Relationship. This project is not intented to be revolutionary, but rather exploratory. To delve deeper into ones interests and better understand them. My architectural studies are five years young, and my passion for film has been with me for as long as I can remember. That is why I see my diplomaproject as an opportunity to bring both worlds that fuel my creativity together. I do not see myself as an architect without being a filmmaker and I cannot create worlds as a filmmaker without exploring architecture. An anomaly was detected in the northern region of Europe. Satellite images show an island not included in any of our maps on which monolithic structures are resting. The clean geometry and the elusive dimensions show monuments difficult to specify in time. These monuments seem ancient, but they are not primitive. They show advanced knowledge of our celestial bodies from however long ago. These are The Monuments of The Ones Before. Once, before our time. To you the reader: We have made a startling discovery. This is the birthplace of astronomy.

Religion is a broad topic and serves as a great foundation for narratives in severallarge game titles. In this study we investigate how to create game assets with a religiousconnotation to build the feeling of an existing religion within the game. Using our previousproject, Martyr of Carnage (Studio F15, 2024), as a foundation, our goal is to have playersperceive a religion without a clear association to any real-world belief systems. To achievethis, we mainly investigated semiology, ritual theory, diegetic sound, and symbolism andiconography. During the iterative design process of our three prototypes, each tested by acontrol and randomised group of play testers, we focussed on asset creation, visual andauditory communication, and narratively valuable mechanics, while staying within theboundaries of non-verbal communication. We conducted surveys and interviews incombination with playtesting for data gathering. As a result, we found the importance ofconsidering immersion, contextualization and white space when attempting a study of thiskind.

This study aims to explore the mosaics in the Sala delle Palestrite at Villa Romana del Casale in Piazza Armerina, Sicily. These mosaics depict women wearing garments that resemble modern bikinis. However, upon closer examination of the roles of these ten women, it becomes evident that their attire is a form of Roman underwear, worn in an athletic context. Rather than being bikini-dressed figures, the women in the mosaic are athletes engaged in various sports activities from both ancient Greek and Roman cultures. The concept of aretḗ, which celebrates the ideal combination of strength, beauty, and harmony, often explains why Greek athletes are depicted nude. In contrast, the clothed female athletes in the mosaic suggest a different interpretation of female aretḗ, highlighting a paradox between the ideal representations of male and female athletic bodies. This depiction may however also signal an increase in women's autonomy during the 4th century AD, possibly resulting from broader cultural and social changes that reduced restrictions on women during this period. Furthermore, this study argues that these female athletes embody not only progressive but also aristocratic values. The mosaic reflects the upper class's interest in using artistic expressions to convey social status and intellectuality within their homes. With the increased social freedoms of the period, including women's rights to own land, the mosaic could represent the villa's domina attempt to portray a new image of women, diverging from traditional roles. Although the mosaic indicates greater social freedom for aristocratic women, it also reveals the persistence of traditional values in its stylistic expression. Given the historical association between women, fertility, and physical activity, the athletes' bodies might serve to communicate female aretḗ, often linked with fertility and reproduction. Alternatively, this could also highlight a recurring issue in art history; the limited representation of the female body, especially in contexts like athleticism, which did not conform to traditional portrayals of women. In conclusion, the mosaics offer a complex portrayal of female athletes that reflect both progressive and traditional values, illustrating broader social changes and the evolving roles of women in ancient society. It is thus unique evidence of the early female liberation.

The Order of the Seraphim is Sweden's foremost order of chivalry and is conferred upon members of the Swedish Royal House, foreign heads of state or individuals of equal merits. Each new knight of the order is expected to submit a proposal for a heraldic coat of arms, a Seraphim Coat of Arms, which is then painted. Heraldry has traditional and often strict rules, and the sole function of a coat of arms is to identify its owner. However, this does not prevent a coat of arms from conveying idea-content, such as specific messages and identities. This essay is a qualitative analysis of the Seraphim Coats of Arms of Finnish and Icelandic presidents, where the aim is to analyze symbols and idea-content, heraldic style as well as style development and national differences. The investigation analyzes the Seraphim Coats of Arms of eight Finnish presidents and five Icelandic presidents between the years 1925 and 2018. The essay employs semiotics as its theoretical framework and iconographic and iconological analysis as method. The results show that the weapons not only identify their owner, but also convey messages and identity – idea-content that can be intentional, but not always obvious. Symbols, idea-content and heraldic style vary. The majority represent the office of president and national symbols, such as the flag or coat of arms of the country. The Seraphim Coats of Arms of the Finnish presidents, with few exceptions, follow the strict tradition of heraldry and are generally archaically simple in their design. Among Finnish presidents, for example, policies and statements are more frequent, where the image of the president as a unifying figure is conveyed in the coats of arms. The coats of arms of the Icelandic presidents are more varied in both idea-content and style. In both countries there are examples of canting arms, arms that represent the bearer's name. The coats of arms of the Finnish and Icelandic heads of state represent a distinct heraldic time frame. The Finnish arms cover a period of just under a century, the Icelandic somewhat shorter. Together they form a unique insight into Nordic heraldry for almost 100 years.

Syfte med uppsatsen har varit att undersöka färgens och gestikens påverkan på altarskåpets iscensättning av berättelserna och därmed även budskapet. Uppsatsen har ett bildsemiotiskt perspektiv som en utgångspunkt. Materialet för undersökningen är ett flandriskt altarskåp från Skånela kyrka som finns idag i Uppsala domkyrka. Skåpet är tillägnat Joakim och Sankta Anna. Undersökningen har avgränsats till att enbart analysera de sex skulpterade scenerna i korpusen. Analyserna har utförts genom en formell beskrivning och diskussion med hjälp av Lena Liepes lågikonografiska analys och med Norbert Ottos trestegsmetod för gestfunktioner. Lena Liepes metod och teori används som underlag för undersökningen. Undersökningen ansluter till Virginia Nixons forskningsarbete om Jesu mormor i kyrkokonsten. Det har konstaterats att färg- och gestikanalyserna möjliggör en nyanserad tolkning. Undersökningen har visat att färgen och gestiken är ett påverkningsmedel i syfte att leda betraktaren mot ett dolt budskap i bilden. Och att det finns en koppling mellan Skånelaskåpets budskap och den medeltida kvinnofientlighet som var rådande då. Annaskåpet innehåller budskap som präglas av den dåvarande barn- och kvinnosyner. / Purpose of this essay has been to examine the color's and gesticulation's impact on the altarpiece staging of the stories and thus the message. The essay has a semiotic perspective as a starting point. The material for the study is a flemish altarpiece from Skånela church that exists today in Uppsala Cathedral. The altarpiece is dedicated to Joachim and St. Anne. The study has been limited to only analyze the six sculptured scenes in the corpus. The analyzes have been performed through a formal description and discussion by Lena Liepes low iconographycal analysis and with Norbert Otto's three-step approach for gesture features. Lena Liepe's method and theory was used as a basis for the investigation. The study connects to Virginia Nixon's research on Jesus' grandmother in church art. It was found that the color and gesticulation analyzes enables a nuanced interpretation. The investigation has shown that the color and gestures are an actuation in order to lead the viewer towards a hidden message in the picture. And that there is a link between Skånela altarpiece's messages and the medieval misogyny that prevailed then. Anne-altarpiece contains messages that are characterized by the contemporary child and female visions.

Text in Afrikaans / Die proefskrif ondersoek die funksie van fonteine en putte in die religie van ou Israel. Die religie van die Hebreeuse Bybel word tradisioneel beskryf as 'n historiese religie waarin Jahwe, die god van Israel, fundamenteel gemoeid is met die verlossing van sy volk in die gang van die geskiedenis, terwyl die wêreld van die natuur van marginale belang is. Dit is egter duidelik dat die natuur in die vorm van haar grondwaterbronne 'n belangrike rol in ou Israel se leefwerêld gespeel het, nie alleen as lewegewende bronne in die droē fisiese Palestynse landskap nie, maar ook in hulle narratiewe en simboliese wêrelde. Fonteine en putte was kultiese plekke en heilige ruimtes waar teofanieē plaasgevind het, konings gekroon is, regsgedinge gevoer is, voorvadergeeste opgeroep is en die nageslag van ou Israel verseker is toe die voorvaders hulle toekomstige bruide by putte ontmoet het. Deur middel van die ou Nabye Oosterse ikonografie as hulpwetenskap in die interpretasieproses, is gevind dat die rede vir die sakrale waarde wat aan die waterbronne geheg is, opgesluit is in ou Israel se kosmologie wat hulle met hulle mitologies-gesinde en natuurvererende bure gedeel het. Daarvolgens ontspring fonteine uit die kosmiese onderaardse oeroseaan om lewe en vrugbaarheid te bring aan alles wat lewe. Die beeld het daartoe aanleiding gegee dat fonteine en putte metafories vir vroulike seksualiteit en vrugbaarheid gedien het. Die waterbronne tree ook as draers van hoop op. In verhale oor die wonderbaarlike ontstaan van fonteine in die wildernis deur lewensonderhoud aan die Israetiete tydens hulle woestynomswerwinge te voorsien. Ons kan met sekerheid aanneem dat ou Israel hulle watergate as lokaliteite van integrasie, sin en orde teen die aanslae van die chaosmagte ervaar het. Deur die eeue het die mensdom nagedink oor eksistensiele kwessles soos lewe en dood, vrugbaarheid en steriliteit, die redes vir rampe en oor wat die toekoms inhou. Dit is ten diepste religieuse vrae wat die vervloe bybelskrywers vir hulle tyd en omstandighede aangespreek het deur 'n refigurasie van Palestina se waterbronne. Grondliggend aan hierdie studie as 'n herevaluering van die natuur in die Hebreeuse Bybel om menslike wesens as deel van die natuur op te stel en nie as staande bo die natuur nie. / The dissertation investigates the function of springs and wells in the religion of ancient Israel. The religion of the Hebrew Bible has traditionally been descibed as a historical religion in which Yahweh, the god of Israel, was fundamentally concerned with the salvation of Yahweh's people In history in which the world of nature is of marginal interest. However, it is evident that nature in the form of its groundwater sources played an important role, not only as life giving sources in the arid physical environment of Palestine, but also in their narrative and symbolic worlds. Springs and wells served as cultic centres and sacred places where theophanies took place, kings were crowned, lawsuits conducted, ancestral spirits conjured up and the future progeny of Israel was ensured when patriarchs betrothed their future brides at wells. By means of ancient Near Eastern iconography as an interpretation aid, this study finds the reason for the sacred value attributed to groundwater sources in the cosmology of ancient Israel which she shared with her mythically-minded and nature-worshipping neighbours. Springs were believed to arise from the cosmic subterranean ooean to bring life and fertility to all living things. This image caused springs and wells to serve as metaphor of female sexuality and fertility. They also act as agents of hope in stories of miraculous springs in the desert which provide sustenance during the Israelites' desert wanderings. We can safely conclude that ancient Israel experienced their springs and wells as localities of integration, meaning and order amidst the threatening forces of chaos. Through the ages humankind reflected on existential questions regarding life and death, fertility and sterility, the reasons for disasters and what the future holds. These are profoundly religious questions addressed by the biblical authors for their time and circumstances by implementing a refiguration of the groundwater sources of Palestine. Ultimately this study serves to re-evaluate nature in the Hebrew Bible and to construe human beings not as standing above nature, but as part of nature. / Religious Studies and Arabic / D. Litt. et Phil. (Religious Studies)