Background. This thesis directs attention to how attitudes towards immigrants evolve under different contextual circumstances. Unlike previous research that primarily focuses on contextual factors related to the availability of material resources, the included studies explore the influence of less tangible aspects of our surroundings, brought together under the term immaterial contexts. Three kinds of immaterial contexts are in focus: political representatives’ use of nationalistic rhetoric, the parliamentary presence of the extreme right, and the religious context. The studies examine the direct effects of these contexts, but also how individuals’ beliefs, loyalties, and experiences interact with the contextual factors to shape peoples’ attitudes. Methods. The thesis takes a comparative approach where countries serve as the main contextual unit. Data on attitudes and other individual features are gathered from the European Social Survey 2002-2012. To be able to analyze these data in the same model as used for country-level data, the thesis applies multi-level models. Results. The findings support a theoretical expectation that immaterial contexts influence anti-immigrant attitudes. How people perceive immigrants and immigration can be traced to political and religious aspects of their surroundings. Also, it is found that individuals are not passive recipients of contextual influences as their reactions depend on their preferences and experiences. While political representatives influence anti-immigrant attitudes, these effects are strongly conditional both on features of the representatives themselves, and on characteristics and experiences of individuals. For example, individuals respond to political rhetoric by traditional political parties but are not influenced by the same kind of message if conveyed by a party belonging to the extreme right. Conclusion. The thesis is an attempt to widen the very notion of contexts in empirical research, and as such, it is a contribution to the literature on anti-immigrant attitudes. It shows that anti-immigrant attitudes depend not only on material circumstances, but also on immaterial circumstances tied to the political and religious arena. Further, the thesis demonstrates how combining the theoretical perspectives of group threat theory and framing theory implies greater possibilities to conceive of the link between contexts and attitudes, as well as improved theoretical tools to understand when and why such effects do not occur. It signals that research on immaterial contexts is necessary to further advance the comparative scholarship on anti-immigrant attitudes and reach a deeper understanding of how such attitudes emerge and evolve.

Thesis (MTh (Old and New Testament))--University of Stellenbosch, 2010. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This thesis interacts with the generally held view that Ephesians is a general epistle with no concrete historical context and contingency, by arguing that this letter addresses particular religious concerns and beliefs of the believers of Ephesus and surrounds. A focussed literary survey of the religious-historical material of the western Mediterranean region in the first century AD is conducted, with particular attention paid to the cult of the Ephesian Artemis and the prevalence of magic. Special focus is placed upon Ephesians 1:15-23, which is exegeted using both grammatical-historical and socio-rhetorical methods of interpretation to gain insights into how the author employed and reformulated contemporary terms and concepts to demonstrate the lordship of Jesus Christ. Serious consideration of the religious and magical context of the first century Greco-Roman world when interpreting this letter to the Ephesians may open many possible avenues for future study, particularly in the area of understanding the letter in an African context. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie studie tree in dialoog met die algemene opvatting dat die Efesiërs-brief ’n algemene brief of omsendskrywe was, wat geen besondere historiese konteks of dringende saak aangespreek het nie. Die studie oordeel dat die brief spesifieke religieuse sake en oortuigings van die gelowiges in Efese en omgewing aangespreek het. Deur ’n literêre oorsig is daar gefokus op die religieushistoriese materiaal van die westelike Mediterreense area in die eerste eeu nC, met besondere nadruk op die Artemis-kultus en wydverspreide magie. Spesiale klem is geplaas op Efesiërs 1:15-23, wat met behulp van beide grammatikaalhistoriese en sosio-retoriese metodes geëksegetiseer is ten einde te bepaal hoe die outeur kontemporêre terme en konsepte wat die heerskap van Jesus Christus demonstreer, gebruik en herformuleer het. Noukeurige oorweging van die religieuse en magiese konteks van die eerste-eeuse Grieks-Romeinse wêreld ten tyde van die interpretasie van Efesiërs mag deure open vir moontlike verdere areas van studie, veral met die oog op die verstaan van die brief in ’n Afrika konteks.

Submitted by Morgana Silva (morgana_linhares@yahoo.com.br) on 2016-07-21T16:39:09Z No. of bitstreams: 1 arquivototal.pdf: 11677330 bytes, checksum: 6d04d33e8783570ff539ebd0f5bb1e7c (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-07-21T16:39:09Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 arquivototal.pdf: 11677330 bytes, checksum: 6d04d33e8783570ff539ebd0f5bb1e7c (MD5) Previous issue date: 2015-04-30 / This study deals with a master's research in the music education area in the subject field of music education and religion. The overall objective of the research is to understand the ways in which the musical training of the individuals surveyed is concretized at the First Presbyterian Church of João Pessoa - Paraiba. The chosen method was the case study in a qualitative approach, using as techniques for the collection of data: document sources, interviews and observations. The research has as theoretical basis the conception of musical practices as social practices supported in the music sociology (KRAMER, 2000; SOUZA, 2000, 2014, etc). The Church, locus of this investigation, has four musical groups: the Youth Choir, Camerata, the Coral Society and Band. From a total of eighty-one participants in these groups, twelve people were interviewed . The results reveal that the songs practices that take place in the Church offer different possibilities and strategies of musical learning, which are established starting from the relationship between the group members. It is a musical learning that is intertwined with the other spaces, such as family, school, friends, Internet and media. Regarding the value assigned to the musical experience, in the interviewees reports three points emerged : strengthening of interpersonal relations among group participants; consider that musical practices contribute to a rapprochement with the divine; the pleasure of communicating with yourself and with one another through music. / O presente estudo versa sobre uma pesquisa de mestrado na área de educação musical no campo temático da educação musical e religiosidade. O objetivo geral da pesquisa consiste em compreender as formas pelas quais a formação musical dos sujeitos pesquisados se concretiza na Primeira Igreja Presbiteriana de João Pessoa - Paraíba. O método escolhido foi o estudo de caso em uma abordagem qualitativa, utilizando como técnicas para o levantamento dos dados: fonte documental, entrevistas e observações. A pesquisa tem como fundamentação teórica a concepção de práticas musicais como práticas sociais apoiadas na sociologia da música (KRAMER, 2000; SOUZA, 2000, 2014, entre outros). A Igreja, locus dessa investigação, tem quatro grupos musicais: o Coral Jovem, a Camerata, a Sociedade Coral e a Banda. De um total de oitenta e um participantes desses grupos, foram entrevistados doze pessoas. Os resultados revelam que as práticas musicas que acontecem na Igreja oferecem diferentes possibilidades e estratégias de aprendizagens musicais, que se estabelecem a partir das relações entre os integrantes dos grupos. É uma aprendizagem musical que está imbricada com os outros espaços, como a família, escola, amigos, Internet e as mídias. Em relação ao valor atribuído à experiência musical, nos relatos dos sujeitos entrevistados emergiram três pontos: fortalecimento das relações interpessoais entre os participantes dos grupos; considerar que as práticas musicais contribuem para uma aproximação com o divino; o prazer de se comunicar consigo e com o outro através da música.