The Problems of Protest and the Persistence of Domination: Social Movement Theory and Bourdieu’s Economy of Practice is a normative intervention into social movement theory and debates about social movement goals, strategies and tactics. The project asks: what normative implications derive from incorporating Pierre Bourdieu’s sociological framework into social movement research? My core arguments are that Bourdieu’s framework has the potential to sensitize activists and analysts to the tension between conformity and failure and that escaping radical/reformist debates requires working through this tension. The dissertation intervenes in social movement theory from within the critical theory tradition by refusing to separate empirical and normative questions. I develop my argument using two strategies. First, I undertake a close reading of Bourdieu’s most important works and the debates they have provoked. Second I apply the conceptual tools this close reading offers to reconsider the logic behind two key social movement theory concepts: collective identity and repertoires of contention. Following a general introduction and literature review, I undertake a close consideration of habitus and an argument for how attention to the suffering produced by symbolic power constitutes grounds for normative justice claims. I then consider how collective identity formation in lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer mobilization indicates the presence of symbolic violence, primarily in the form of epistemic violence. Next I argue that the nature of neoliberal symbolic power creates political antinomies for representation and affinity-based segments of the alterglobalization movement. Finally I argue that Bourdieu needs to be balanced by Nietzsche and that an orientation toward ‘overcoming’ offers a way out of the tension between conformity and failure. My findings point to the need for more sophisticated instruments for understanding the relationship between objective interests and subjective perception, impositions of, and challenges to, ‘logical consensus’, and strategies for counter-training and other mechanisms to support activists in resisting symbolic violence. / Thesis (Ph.D, Political Studies) -- Queen's University, 2013-01-29 14:14:16.699

This study intends to gain understanding of how mothers in the two first years postpartum feel about and relate themselves to the ideal of thinness. The empirical material is based on new mothers’ perceptions and experiences. The data is collected through a qualitative method based on interviews.   The study is interpreted by a social constructive perspective and the theoretical framework has been objectification theory and Connell’s theory of gender. Some of the theoretical concepts we have used to understand the mothers’ experiences are “norms”, “normative femininity” and “social stigma”. We also have used the thematic concept “the social body”, which is an understanding of the body as a carrier of social meaning   The results of the study show that new mothers have a problematic relation to their own bodies. This problematic approach to the body arises from the constant presence of the ideal of thinness and comments from the surroundings, as the norms of interpersonal relationships are modified during pregnancy and the postpartum period. The bodies of the new mothers become objectified by the comments from the surroundings and their bodies are therefore under social control.   The ideal of thinness has a big impact on the new mothers’ body perception. We have therefore identified four strategies that the mothers use to manage the ideal: 1. With the help of clothes the new mothers precede the social pressure that the ideal of thinness generates by concealing their bodies that they experience does not comply with the ideal; 2. The new mothers adapt their bodies to the ideal by physical exercise; 3. The new mothers adapt their bodies to the ideal by diet; 4. The new mothers use cognitive strategies to feel more at ease with their postpartum bodies, by thinking kind thoughts about themselves and their own bodies.

The EU has experienced several terrorist attacks by Islamic fundamentalists since 2004 on its territory. Terrorism is threatening the fundamental rights that EU is based upon and has become not only a question of security but also a question of internal and external border security. This study seeks to examine the measures taken to fight terrorism by the EU and to see how terrorism has affected the security-, foreign-, and defence policies. The study is a theory consuming qualitative case study with both a descriptive and explanatory approach. The theoretical framework that the study is based on are theories about normative power, soft power and hard power but also the discussion about the external and internal security problem. The EU have taken several measures and policies in the fight against terrorism. The measures and policies are all influenced by the three theories in some way. The result of the study shows that EU has went from using only soft instruments and normative ways in the fight against terrorism towards harder instruments even if they still are using soft instruments in a harder way.

This dissertation focuses on the concept of authenticity and its implications for our projects of self-creation, particularly those involving the use of "enhancement technologies" (such as stimulant drugs, "mood brighteners", or brain stimulation). After an introduction to the concept of authenticity and the enhancement debate in the first part of the thesis, part 2 considers the main analyses of authenticity in the contemporary philosophical literature. It begins with those emphasizing self-creation, and shows that, despite their merits, such views cannot adequately deal with certain types of cases, which require a third option, “true self” accounts, emphasizing self-discovery. However, it is argued that in their existing versions, accounts of this third sort are also unsatisfactory. Part 3 of the thesis proposes a new account of the "true self" sort, intended to improve upon existing ones. Common problematic assumptions about the concept of the true self are critiqued, after which a new analysis of that concept is presented, based on seven different conditions. Two specific definitions of authenticity, respectively emphasizing self-expression and the preservation of one's true self, are provided, and its relation to various associated notions, such as integrity or sincerity, are examined. Finally, part 4 looks at the implications of the previous parts for the enhancement debate. In particular, it discusses the prospect of technologically enhancing our personality and mood dispositions. Do such interventions always threaten our authenticity, as some worry? A negative answer is provided to that question. Various potential pitfalls hinted at by the inauthenticity worry are discussed and acknowledged. It is, however, argued that such enhancements could still in principle be used in a fully authentic manner, and that they have the potential to bring about genuine improvements in our mood but also to our moral capacities and our affective rationality more generally.

Konformitet ses som att människor anpassar sitt beteende utifrån andra och betraktas ofta som något negativt i västerlänska samhällen. Syftet med undersökningen var att framhäva om konformitet gynnade människor när andra ansågs bidra med nyttig information, konstruera ett mätinstrument för normativ och informativ social influens samt undersöka samband mellan personlighetsindexar och konformitet. En enkätstudie genomfördes med totalt 83 deltagare från en högskola i Mellansverige. Deltagarna delades in i två grupper, där konformitetsgruppen fick, tillskillnad från kontrollgruppen, en procentsats vid varje kunskapsfråga. Resultaten visade att konformitet förekom och att det gynnade sig att följa strömmen vid lätta och medelsvåra kunskapsfrågor. Ytterligare förekom det inga samband mellan personlighetsindexarna och konformitet. Slutsatsen var att människor inte borde se konformitet som något negativt, utan bör ibland ta del av det majoriteten har att erbjuda i vardagliga situationer. Förhoppningsvis kommer det konstruerade mätinstrumentet användas i framtida forskningar.

Mémoire numérisé par la Direction des bibliothèques de l'Université de Montréal.

The thesis is concerned with internal normative acts in the field of tax procedural law. Theoretical part of this work is based on current literature and relevant case law of the Constitutional Court of the Czech Republic and the Supreme Administrative Court of the Czech Republic. All findings of the theoretical part are used and analysed in the practical part - in the field of tax procedural law. The thesis consists of five chapters. These chapters are subdivided into several parts to obtain comprehensibility of this thesis. The first chapter deals with the term tax procedural law and its classification in the system of law. Tax procedural law is a part of the legal area of tax law. Tax law is included in the legal branch of financial law and that is why both tax and financial law are defined in this chapter. Finally, this chapter focuses on subjects of tax administration (including description of basis of organization structure of Financial and Customs Administration of Czech Republic). The second chapter clarifies the definition of the sources of law. It is particularly focused on formal sources of law because the ability to recognise formal sources of law is crucial for further analysi in the third and the fifth chapter. Formal sources of tax law in the Czech Republic are described at the end...

Magister Artium - MA / Adolescence is a phase when youth engage in risk-taking behaviour, which could result in poor physical and psychological adjustment. Risk behaviour is a result of poor decision- making. Decision-making is associated with exploration and commitment, also referred to as identity styles. During the phase of developing an identity style, parenting is challenging; however, research reveals that parental involvement, as well as a more positive approaches to parenting, have been observed to influence child behaviour and outcomes. For parenting and identity styles, this is not very clear. Therefore, the aim of this current study was to assess the effect of parental involvement on the identity styles of adolescents. The study employed a quantitative, cross-sectional, correlational research design. The respondents were conveniently sampled. The final sample was Grade 10 learners in the Metro East Education District, with a mean age of 16.01 (SD=1.04). Data were collected through a self-reported questionnaire, which comprised three parts: demographic details of participants, Parent Involvement Mechanisms Measure, and Identity Styles Scale. Data were analysed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS). The results revealed that informational identity style was the most prevalent identity style, which was significantly and positively predicted, with 18% of variance. For mothers, maternal modelling and maternal instruction significantly predicted the informational style. For fathers, paternal reinforcement significantly and positively predicted commitment style, with 14% of variance. Recommendations are provided based on the findings of this current study.

Esta tese tem por finalidade analisar o movimento de processualização da atividade normativa da Administração Pública e a dinâmica do processo administrativo normativo no Brasil. Defende-se que o processo administrativo consiste em requisito de validade dos regulamentos editados pelo Poder Público, no exercício da competência normativa, na medida em que se reconhece no regime de direito administrativo o dever de a Administração Pública realizar processo para edição de seus atos normativos. A exposta tese contrapõe-se ao cenário tradicional de edição de regulamentos pelo Poder Público, desprovido de processo administrativo e sem contar com a participação administrativa. O estudo é dividido em quatro frentes de análise. Na primeira, o perene debate sobre o poder normativo é reconstruído com o objetivo principal de verificar as raízes da ausência de realização de processo para exercício desta competência pela Administração. Na sequência, o movimento de processualização da atividade administrativa no Brasil é descrito a partir de fontes primárias, em três fases: os antecedentes da processualidade administrativa, a constitucionalização do processo administrativo e a construção da jurisprudência constitucional sobre o tema, bem como a recente codificação do processo administrativo. A experiência do processo administrativo normativo é objeto de estudo empírico fundamentalmente pela análise do regime jurídico das Agências Reguladoras federais. Pretende-se apresentar um quadro geral de técnicas e debates que possa ser útil para futuras discussões sobre o instituto no Direito Administrativo brasileiro. Nessa linha, traça-se paralelo com o sistema norte-americano, já experimentado no estudo do processo normativo. Por fim, a dinâmica do processo administrativo normativo é apresentada considerando os valores de governança pública, tomados como parâmetros de interpretação das leis gerais de processo administrativo e demais normas correlatas. Assim, as seguintes fases do processo normativo são objeto de estudo: ato de instauração, instrução processual e fase deliberativa. Na conclusão, visão prospectiva sobre o processo administrativo normativo é apresentada com base nos achados de pesquisa da tese. / This dissertation aims to analyze the procedure movement of public normative action and the rulemaking dynamics in Brazil. It is argued that the administrative procedure is a requirement for Public Administration rulemaking as the exercise of legislative power, since administrative law establishes the duty of rulemaking. This thesis opposes the traditional scenario of enactment of rules by Agencies, which is characterized by the lack of both rulemaking and public participation. The analysis is organized in four chapters. The first chapter addresses the perennial debate on Public Administrations normative power and identifies the reasons of the absence of rulemaking. The second chapter focuses on the procedure movement of administrative action in Brazil, which is described through primary sources in three phases: the antecedents of administrative process; constitutionalization of the administrative process and development of its constitutional jurisprudence; and the late codification of administrative procedure. Chapter three presents the results of the empirical study on Regulatory Agencies rules; the study dealt specifically with the rulemaking practice. An overview of techniques and debates encompassed in this procedure is provided as well; this may be useful for future discussions regarding the issues of Brazilian administrative law. Furthermore, it draws a parallel with the system of American administrative law, indicating that the study of rulemaking in the American system is already well-developed. The final chapter presents the dynamic of rulemaking from the perspective of public governances values that are taken as interpretation parameters of the general administrative procedure acts, and other statutes. Therefore, the following stages of rulemaking are analyzed in the dissertation: initiating rulemaking, findings and reasons, and issuance of the rule. In the conclusion, it provides a prospective view of rulemaking based on the research findings in this dissertation.

ABSTRACT The textual representation of an instance of violence involves three principle considerations: a notion of representation, a conception of violence, and an inter-relationship between ethical and aesthetic evaluations. By investigating these considerations within the context of postmodern thought, a more sensitive perception of textual representations of violence becomes possible. Any representation, prior to being read and interpreted, has no predetermined meaning, and therefore no inherent value. It is only through a process of reading that verifiability, the principles of appraisal and personal cognition become actualised. As any text is necessarily iterable – subject to infinite (re)interpretation within an infinite number of future contexts – any interpretation is determined by the intersection of the iterable text and the historically situated reader. Violence, which is defined as an act of direct or indirect intentional harm against a person’s body or mind or property, may be experienced either as an event, or as a representation of an event. In instances of the representation of violence, the ethical perspective of the reader is influenced to a large extent by expectations of the text’s verifiability, the linguistic register of the text, and the inter-subjective ethical framework at the moment of reading the text. The aesthetic evaluation of the narrative, which is closely associated with its linguistic features, is also closely related to this ethical perspective. However, normative systems of ethics are often inadequate in the face of the plurality of meaning and possibilities inherent in representations of violence, and therefore a postmodern conception of ethical thought seems most appropriate. Textual instances of violence therefore have the potential for representing a multiplicity of experiences and ethical responses, without necessarily having to rely upon problematic normative obligations of systemisation or duty. A recognition of postmodern ethical ambiguity, combined with a flexibility of moral outlook, allows the reader to develop a more nuanced approach to the ethical predicaments suggested by the representation of violence.