Thesis (MFA)--Montana State University--Bozeman, 2009. / Typescript. Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Dennis Aig. Never Wash Away is DVD accompanying the thesis. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 50-53).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Washington, 1996. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves [182]-193).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Texas at Austin, 2006. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references. Includes filmography and discography.

Thesis (M.A.)--University of Melbourne, Faculty of Arts, School of Culture and Communication, 2009. By research. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 115-125)

Analisa as influências e as transformações promovidas pelas produções cinematográficas Disney, a partir das mudanças da estrutura corporativa, resultando numa descentralização do processo de produção e a criação de uma nova dinâmica na indústria cultural. Para seu desenvolvimento, utilizou-se o método funcionalista com pesquisa bibliográfica e visita técnica de campo. Com um viés tecnológico, a pesquisa transdisciplinar teve como objetivos analisar o atual processo de produção nas histórias em quadrinhos e animação Disney, com ênfase a partir da década de 1990. O trabalho baseia-se em duas hipóteses: 1) a produção cultural Disney passa por um momento de transição criativa, levando em consideração que o processo é cíclico quando compreendemos o processo histórico Disney e a expansão do universo de personagens; 2) em segundo plano, lançamentos da indústria cultural no início desta década apontam para uma nova dinâmica na produção. Há uma sinergia econômica, tecnológica e cultural na construção do universo Disney, em que as histórias em quadrinhos se colocam em posição privilegiada como matéria-prima em relação as produções audiovisuais. A tese é iniciada com um panorama histórico de diversas perspectivas sobre a produção Disney discutidas por autores como Adorno, Benjamin, Dorfman, Mattelart, Eco, Baudrillard, Swingewood e Watts. A pesquisa apresenta as origens e convergências dos quadrinhos e animação Disney, seguido de um levantamento de dados de produção histórica. Há uma discussão sobre \"o que é arte\" na indústria cultural no contexto da inovação e sua relação com os estúdios de Hollywood. Para compreender a dinâmica dos universos expandidos, analisamos os quadrinhos de Don Rosa e Casty. Duas gestões da Disney (Michael Eisner e Bob Iger) são analisadas em suas diferentes filosofias e estratégias de produção. A análise comprovou a existência do que chamamos de saturação e estagnação da produção do estúdio durante os períodos de transição ocorridos entre os anos 1990 e 2010, e o resultante efeito de \"meltdown\" (colapso) do mercado dos produtores culturais. Na década de 2010, os efeitos da cultura digital e da cultura de fã foram fundamentais para compreender os fenômenos culturais dos super-herois da Marvel e da saga \"Star Wars\". Constatou-se que o storytelling transmídia e os universos expandidos tornaram-se fundamentais para o negócio do entretenimento. / Analyzes the influences and the transformation promoted by the Disney film productions, beginning with the changes of corporate structure, resulting in decentralization of the production process and creating a new dynamic in the cultural industry. For its development, we used the functional method with bibliographic research and field trip. Using a technological approach, the transdisciplinary research aimed at analyzing the current production process in comic books and Disney animation, with emphasis from the 1990s. This thesis is based on two assumptions: 1) the Disney cultural production is suffering a moment of creative transition, taking into account that the process is cyclical when we understand the historical process and the expansion of Disney characters universe; 2) beginning in the 2010\'s the cultural industry points to a new dynamic in production. There is an economic, technological and cultural synergy in building the Disney universe, where the comics are placed in a privileged position as a raw material for audiovisual productions. The thesis begins with a historical overview of different perspectives on the Disney production discussed by authors such as Adorno, Benjamin, Dorfman, Mattelart, Eco, Baudrillard, Swingewood and Watts. The research presents the origins and similarities of Disney comics and animation, followed by a survey of historical production data. There is a discussion about \"what is art\" in the cultural industry in the context of innovation and its relationship with the Hollywood studios. To understand the dynamics of the expanded universe, we analyze the comic stories by Don Rosa and Casty. Two terms of Disney management (Michael Eisner and Bob Iger) are analyzed in their different philosophies and production strategies. The analysis confirmed the existence of what we call saturation and production stagnation during the transitional periods that occurred between 1990 and 2010, and the resulting effect of a market \"meltdown\" for cultural producers. In the 2010s, the effects of digital culture and fan culture were fundamental to understanding the cultural phenomena of Marvel superheroes and the \"Star Wars\" saga. It was found that transmedia storytelling and expanded universes have become central to the entertainment business.

This study examines the contribution of popular culture and artefacts in the narratives of the James Bond films and postulates that these narratives in turn become popular cultures of their own. In the audiovisual industry the actuality and novelty of the content and the production thereof relates directly to the success of the production. The main reason is because of actuality of the theme, topic and the popular culture portrayed in the production. The popular culture products at the time of production is set to change rapidly within weeks from the time the premiere has been broadcast. These products include technologies like colour, grain and resolution which are quite evident even to the untrained eye. Furthermore, and as the aim of this study, social products like fashion, hairstyles, language, décor, cars, watches, slang, paradigms, narrative schemes and actuality news stories will have rapidly changed and might not be accepted and embraced by the viewers. The unique way in which all of these elements are incorporated into the narrative scheme for the production can proclaim a stake in box-office income for a film. These popular culture elements are usually developed with a short term and immediate goal of success in mind. For the purposes of this study though, and as a result of its success, the James Bond 007 films by Eon Productions are studied as a unique case study of a sustainable popular cultural phenomenon. Although initially thought of as too popular for academic inquests Ian Fleming’s James Bond novels soon attracted the attention of academics like Kingsley Amis and Umberto Eco. In the years to follow numerous theorists the likes of Roland Barthes, Robin Wood, Tony Bennett, Janet Woollacot and James Chapman investigated the academic and socio-cultural implications of Bond. According to Chapman (1999:4-13) the main reason that the James Bond “phenomenon” is still not receiving much academic attention is because it is merely “unfashionable in the present intellectual climate”. Trahair (1976:1) states that merchandising the hero’s image is important in creating a popular hero. He adds that this is only possible if you have a “saleable” item, in this case Bond. Not only is the Bond phenomenon well marketed but also well accepted by audiences. It is estimated that almost half the world’s population has seen at least one Bond film (Chapman, 1999:14; Smith & Lavington, 2002:1). According to Smith and Lavington (2002:1) the Bond franchise is seen as: “the longest-running, most commercially successful and perhaps most recognisable film series in the history of the medium”. Bond raked in record breaking audiences and or box-office income for almost every newly released James Bond film over a period of forty years. It is also recorded as the highest grossing film franchise in the world with added grosses of more than $3 billion until 1999 (Chapman, 1999:14). This gives an indication of the acceptance of the holistic concept that is James Bond 007. It leads to the question of why James Bond works in a world that has changed enormously in the last forty years. What is presently in fashion and technologically advanced could be easily outdated and succeeded by the time it is sold. It is then the popular nature of the franchise as created through the narrative scheme and popular culture elements within this narrative recipe that lead to this enquiry. After branding Bond as being extremely popular, Smith and Lavington (2002:1) remarks that: “We know that. Everyone knows that. And that’s the point.” They are referring to the fact that Bond is so well known and accepted that an inquiry into its popularity is inevitable. Although many such enquiries have been made this study will focus on the use of popular commodities or popular culture artefacts to popularise the narratives of the James Bond films. These narratives in turn commodify the films as a popular franchise. / Dr. F.P. Duvenage

Please read the abstract in the section, 00front of this document Copyright / Thesis (PhD (Psychology))--University of Pretoria, 2008. / Psychology / unrestricted

This dissertation explores the use of new mass-media forms and technologies in early twentieth-century China to preserve and disseminate Chinese cultural heritage. It focuses on the contributions of Di Baoxian (狄葆賢 1873–1941), a publisher of art and Buddhist texts who established one of the earliest photography studios in Shanghai and a publishing house for art, the Youzheng Press (有正書局). Di pioneered the use of collotype reproduction to publish traditional Chinese art and founded the major newspaper Shibao, through which he preserved traditional literary genres in the form of newspaper columns. He was also interested in the practice of ghost photography to investigate supernatural elements associated with Buddhism and provide scientific evidence for these phenomena. This study situates Di’s work within the context of other art and Buddhist publishers and examines the emerging public art arena and political press as key sites for legitimizing Chinese Buddhism and creating new images of China’s past at a pivotal moment in the country’s history. The turn of the nineteenth century saw China’s territory partitioned among imperial powers, leading to the plundering of artistic treasures by rampaging armies and art collectors. Meanwhile, political reformers advocated art education to combat what they saw as superstitious Chinese religions obstructing China’s emergence as a powerful modern state. Despite these challenges, Buddhist literati like Di saw the miraculous aspects of Chinese religions as fully compatible with art education, modern science, and technology. Engaging with Victorian science and spiritualism, they used new technologies like photography to investigate supernatural phenomena associated with Buddhism, seeking to explain and substantiate them with evidence. Visualizing the seemingly invisible through practices like ghost photography became central to their efforts to preserve China’s cultural heritage amid the fall of the Qing empire (1644–1911). This dissertation argues that visual media became the preferred mode of authenticating the past and establishing a common Chinese culture in the early Republic, marking a shift away from a text-based literati culture. It brings Buddhist studies into dialogue with histories of art, print culture, and science and technology to explain how mass media and public art culture emerged in early twentieth-century China, how the preservation of art and literature became linked to Buddhist culture, and how Buddhist literati engaged with global trends of spiritualism, science, and media technologies.

Within the context of debates concerning the impact of global media on local youth, this study explores how a sample of South African youth responds to texts which were produced internationally, but distributed locally. Recognising the profound rootedness of media consumption in everyday life, the research examines the way these youth, differentially embedded in the South African economic and ideological formation, use these texts as part of their ongoing attempts to make sense of their lives. The study rejects the 'either/or' formulations that often accompany competing structuralist and culturalist approaches to text/audience relationships. Instead, using a combination of quantitative and qualitative research methods, it seeks to highlight the interplay between agency and structure, between individual choice and the structuring of experience by wider social and historical factors. The findings of the study point to the complex individual and social reasons that lie behind media consumption choices, and the diverse (and socially patterned) reasons why local audiences are either attracted to, or reject, global media. These and other findings, the study argues, highlight the deficiencies of the media imperialism thesis with its definitive claims for cultural homogenisation, seen as the primary, or most politically significant, effect of the globalisation of media. As such, this study should be read as a dialogue with those schools of thought that take a more unequivocal point of view on the impact of globalised media culture.

Thesis (MTh)--Stellenbosch University, 2013. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The goal of this study was to investigate the driving force behind family conflicts, its relation to change in gender roles, male power abuse, and their impact on Ovawambo family life. Firstly, this research indicates that Ovawambo males are trained to be breadwinners, heads of families, owners of family properties, supervisors for their wives and children, and protectors of their families and the entire community. Secondly, the research indicates that both have also influenced the masculine identity of these males. The missionaries, as well as colonialism, promoted Western patriarchy, justified male dominance and reinforced the power of the male as the head of the family and exclusive holder of authority in the family, community and the state. The direct and indirect participation of men in the struggle for Namibian independence also possibly influenced them to apply power and threats. However, this study also indicates that Ovawambo males are under the influence of the modern mass media, which reflect and reinforce gender stereotypes and portray males as controlling or leading characters who tend to dominate women in relationships. Thirdly, this study indicates that the rapid socio-economic and political change, which took place in Namibia after independence, also directly affected Ovawambo male and female relationships. Through law reforms, gender roles were redefined and laws for gender equality were introduced. These laws (the Married Persons' Equality Act, Family Law on Rape and Domestic Violence and Maintenance Act) challenged the male-dominant norms; thus, the men feel that law reforms favoured only the women. The second purpose of this study was to examine whether a pastoral-anthropological and theological understanding of God's vulnerability could help pastoral care to address the problem of the Ovawambo male identity within the cultural setting of Namibian males and the notion of power abuse. In order to reframe male identity through a theological understanding of God‟s power, the researcher selected the theopaschitic interpretation of the theology of the cross. The theopaschitic approach renders God's power, in terms of the Pauline notion of astheneia, as weakness and compassionate vulnerability. The value of theopaschitic thinking, in terms of God's praxis, is based on a shift from the substantial approach in theological reflection to the relational and encounter paradigm. Through appropriate understanding of the fatherhood of God, Ovawambo men can appreciate their power and ability to enrich relationships, rather than destroy. It is argued that, the power of God interpreted as “weakness” and “vulnerability”, can contribute to a paradigm change in the interpretation of male identity within the cultural setting of the Ovawambo. The paradigm shift emanating from this theological understanding of power, is from “threat power” (the need to control, to abuse, to dominate) to “intimate power” (the need to comfort, to be compassionate and understanding and to bestow intimacy and love within the dynamics of family and social relationships). The study concluded that the church has a major role to play in helping families to survive the intrusiveness of modern family crises through a holistic systematic pastoral care model. The pastoral ministry of the church should help men to shift from selfishness, enmeshment, domination, dissociation and rejection, towards a healing family environment wherein intimacy, caring, trust, openness, understanding, supportive guidance and respect prevail. The church should fulfil this through models for relational, educational and therapeutic family enrichment programs. Pastoral care is one of the basic ways to promote, not only physical, but also spiritual well-being. It has been argued that an understanding of God‟s power in terms of a theopaschitic interpretation of a theologia crucis can play a fundamental role as regards a theological reframing of the existing patriarchal and hierarchical paradigms. Instead of male dominance, a disposition and attitude of compassionate intimacy is proposed. Such a disposition should reflect a kind of diakonia position within the dynamics of family life. In terms of a Christian spiritual understanding of fatherhood, males should represent the sacrificial ethics of diakonic outreach as well as a stance of unconditional love. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die hoofdoel van die studie is om daardie faktore wat aanleiding gee tot gesinskonflik binne die kultuurkonteks van die Ovavambo te bepaal. Wat is die verband tussen gesinskonflik en gender-rolfunksies, die tradisionele siening van manlikheid en die geweldsfaktor (magsmisbruik) en die invloed hiervan op gesinsinteraksie? Die navorsing dui aan dat Ovavambo mans binne die kultuurtradisie opgevoed word wat daartoe lei dat gevestigde idees oor manlike rolfunksies vasgelê word. (a) Die rolfunksie van die man is om broodwinner te wees; die man is die hoof van die gesin; die eienaar van familie-eiendom; die een wat toesig hou oor vrou en kinders; optree as beskermheer van die gesin asook van die hele gemeenskap. (b) Die konsep van patriargaat bepaal deurslaggewend manlikheid en identiteit. Hierdie perspektief is verder aangewakker en versterk deur sendelinge wat binne die raamwerk van Westerse kolonialisme geopereer het. 'n Westerse verstaan van die patriargaat het daartoe bygedra dat manlike dominansie gepropageer is sodat die man steeds die oorheersende faktor in gesinsaangeleenthede gebly het. Gesag is eksklusief gesetel in manlike funksies in beide die gesin, en gemeenskapstrukture. Die feit dat mans die oorheersende rol in die stryd vir onafhanklikheid in Namibië gespeel het, het verder die persepsie versterk dat mans die leiersfigure in die samelewing is en aldus, direk en indirek, met gesag beklee is. Die studie dui verder aan dat Ovavambomans sterk deur die hedendaagse massa-media beïnvloed is. Die media projekteer manlike stereotipes wat daartoe bydra dat vroue steeds in 'n ondersgekikte rol gesien word. Die man word voorgestel as die dominante figuur in verhoudingsaangeleenthede. Dit blyk voorts dat ingrypende verskuiwings op sosio-ekonomiese gebied en radikale veranderinge binne politieke stelsels na die onafhanklikheidswording van Namibië, 'n direkte invloed op die man-vrouverhoudings in die Ovavambokultuur gehad het. Wetlike hervormings het gender-rolfunksies sterk bepaal. Op juridiese gebied is gender-gelykheid wetlik verskans. Nuwe wette rakende gelykwaardigheid en gelykheid, gesinswette oor verkragting en gesinsgeweld, het bestaande geykte norme oor manlike oorheersing gedekonstrueer. Dit het daartoe gelei dat mans al meer bedreig begin voel het en van mening was dat die nuwe wette eintlik net vrouens bevoordeel. 'n Verdere doel van die studie was om te bepaal wat die moontlike impak van 'n pastorale antropologie kan wees op die proses om stereotipe persepsies oor manlikheid te verander. Die teologiese vraagstuk duik dan op of 'n bepaalde Godskonsep daartoe kan bydra om kultuur-paradigmas oor manlikheid te wysig. Daar word gekies vir 'n teopasgitiese benadering tot die Godssvestaan met 'n besondere voorkeur vir die weerloosheid van God as teologies-paradigmatiese raamwerk vir die verstaan van gesag en mag. Die hipotese word ondersoek dat 'n dergelike Godsverstaan manlike indentiteit kan verskuif vanaf patriargale oorheersing na 'n liefdesintimiteit wat manlikheid transponeer na deernisvolle sensitiwiteit. Manlike identiteit word dan bepaal deur 'n kruishermeneutiek; mag word geherdefinieer deur medelye en deernisvolle omgee vir die weerloosheid van die ander. Binne hierdie hermeneutiek speel die Pauliniese konsep van die swakheid (astheneia) van God 'n deurslaggewende rol. Die waarde van die teopasgitiese paradigma in die gender-debat is dat dit die fokus vir 'n Godsverstaan verskuif vanaf 'n substansiële interpretasieraamwerk na 'n relasionele en ontmoetingsparadigma. Die praxis van God en die Vaderskap van God moet dan nie in terme van kultuurkonvensies oor manlikheid en vroulikheid bepaal word nie, maar in terme van 'n teopasgitiese verstaan van mag as medelye. Hierdie teologiese konstruk kan aangewend word om die patriargaat te deurbreek en manlikheid binne die kultuurkonvensies van die Ovavambo te help herdefinieer. Ovavambomans kan dan manlikheid gebruik om verhoudinge te verryk en die vrou te bemagtig in plaas daarvan om die vrou te verkneg en op geweldadige wyse te oorheers. Die waarde van 'n kruisteologie is dat dit die paradigmatiese raamwerk aangaande mag verskuif vanaf 'n bedreigende magspel na 'n verrykende intimiteitspel. Dominering maak plek vir medelye; magsmisbruik maak plek vir deernis, intimiteit en omgee (sorg). Die teopasgitiese skema van interpretasie kan van toepasing gemaak word op alle vorme van menseverhoudinge, ook in die sosiale lewensbestel. Die studie konkludeer dat binne die voorgestelde, teologiese verstaan van mag, die kerklike bediening 'n belangrike rol kan speel om deur middel van gesinspastoraat, en veral gesinsverrykingsprogramme, die vraagstuk van manlike oorheersing aan te spreek. Vir dié doel moet gesinpastoraat gebruik maak van 'n sistemiese gesinsmodel ten einde die hedendaagse sogenaamde gesinskrisis aan te spreek. Gesinsbediening en gesinspastoraat het ten doel om die man te laat skuif vanaf selfsugtigheid, 'n dominerende houding wat andere versmoor, ontrekking en uitbuiting en verwerping, na intimiteit, sorg, vertroue, openhartigheid, begrip, ondersteunende begeleiding en respek. Op hierdie wyse kan mans daartoe bydra om die gesin weer heel en gesond te maak. Dit is dan ook die rede waarom die navorsing die aanbied van gesinsverrykingsprogramme sterk wil propageer. Dergelike programme moet dan naas die fisieke en sosiale behoeftes binne gesinsverband veral ook die spirituele dimensie van gesinsinteraksie bevorder. Met verwysing na die rol van 'n theologia crucis, is dit die tese van die navorsing dat mans 'n diakonia-posisie en omgee-houding sal internaliseer ten einde uit te reik na al die fasette van gesinsbehoeftes. Vaderskap moet die offerkarakter van die kruisliefde demonstreer en aldus 'n etos van opoffering in plaas van manipulering en hiërargiese oorheering reflekteer. 'n Diakonia-posisie inkarneer die werklikheid van 'n kruis-intimiteit, naamlik onvoorwaardelike liefde.