This thesis aims to, with the aid of Anthony Gidden¡¦s and Stuart Hall¡¦s theories on modernity and identity, discuss the process of changes initiated by modernity in the societies of V. S. Naipaul¡¦s three Trinidad novels in his writing career: namely, The Mystic Masseur (1957), Miguel Street (1959), and A House for Mr. Biswas (1961). My argument is that in these Trinidad novels, the process of modernization is fragmenting the old and agrarian Trinidadian society, and therefore has caused rupture and discontinuities in people¡¦s life. This fragment is actually a pertinent chance for both the protagonists and Naipaul to regain their genuine self and cultural identity by escaping from the limiting environment. In Chapter One, there is basic historical background information of Trinidad and of V. S. Naipaul. I will list out some key concepts of Anthony Gidden¡¦s ideas of modernity, along with the ones of the importance of self-identity in a modern society. Moreover, Stuart Hall¡¦s concepts of modernity and identity will be presented as well. Chapter Two, with some comparisons with The Mystic Masseur and A House for Mr. Biswas, will mainly focus on Miguel Street and on the impact of modernity on it. The institutional and economical changes caused by modernity lead to rupture and discontinuity in people¡¦s life, and consequently, force them to search for self-identity. Chapter Three will move on to discussion of the self-identity formation of Mr. Biswas in A House for Mr. Biswas. During his growth and struggle in Trinidad, he finally gains his identity as an individual in a modern society. Moreover, his newly established sense of cultural identity will be inherited by his son, Anand. Anand serves an analogy to the boy narrator in Miguel Street whereas Ganesh in The Mystic Masseur is seen as an antithesis to Mr. Biswas. At last, I will define Naipaul¡¦s sense of identity as a Trinidad-born writer.

It has been estimated that by the year 2014 there will be a 12 per cent increase in the number of adults with at least one chronic illness condition (Carrier, 2009). The turn to caring for those with a chronic illness at home has resulted in carers having an increased risk of developing health problems (Ohman & Soderberg, 2004). As such there is a need to understand how families manage and cope with illness at home. This study has examined the effect chronic illness had on not only the woman with illness, but also the immediate family closely involved with her care. Additionally the study has sought to address the effect chronic illness had on the 'self' and 'identity' of these three women and to determine what extent and impact the illness process had on the relationships within this family. The study used open-ended biographic narrative interviews to elicit data. The research revealed that each woman experienced change and loss to both 'self' and 'identity' albeit in different ways. Interestingly and of significance is the way these women in their narrative accounts revisited their past lives in implicating and accounting for the present and the future (Freeman 2010). It was discovered that the past history and past relationships of these women affected how they each responded to illness and each other in their present circumstances.

This thesis examines immigrants' acculturation with a specific focus on adolescents and the development of their self-identity overtime as immigrants in Canada. Adolescence is already a period of change and transition; when it happens in concurrence with the immigrant experience there is another dimension at play. Narrative inquiry was used to find meaning in five personal stories of immigrants. Their stories are a valuable collection of information with insight into the personal, family and societal factors for immigrant adolescence and their identity formation. The findings are limited due to the subjectivity of acculturation and data analysis along with the size and scope of the respondents. Moving forward, an expanded range of interviewees and collaborative partnerships with other scholars and institutions would continue to yield valuable data in this important field.

This study examined how parental divorce impacts emerging adults’ familial relationships, romantic relationships, and development to build a basis for understanding emerging adult experiences. The participant sample consisted of 8 females between the ages of 19 and 24 (M = 21.6). A qualitative transcendental or psychological phenomenological research method was used. 90-minute interviews were conducted focusing on romantic relationships, family relationships, reactions and thoughts of parental divorce, and self-perception. NVIVO was used to allow a “bottom-up” design, emergent design, and interpretive inquiry for data analysis. Three themes emerged from the data: impacts of family dynamics, effects of developmental stage, and self-identity and interpersonal relationships. Results are relevant for Marriage and Family Therapists working within a systems perspective, by providing information on how the experience of parental divorce influences emerging adults’ state of homeostasis, as well as beliefs and attitudes about romantic relationships.

No description available.

No description available.

This project report accounts for my final MFA project, Traces of Existence. This body of work began as an exploration, partially borne of the love of genealogical research translated into visual art by exploring the things my ancestors touched, be it ephemera, the soil they lived on, or artifacts they left behind, and partly as a pathway through which I could learn to understand more about my own identity, all the while finding beauty in the mundane. Although the works are personal, it is my hope that the viewer will respond to them in his/her own way, and that considering them will create an interest in the viewer to discover more about his/her own lineage. I believe we are all a part of a global family, and because of this familial connection, it is my hope that many viewers will have a dual response; one of appreciation for the aesthetic qualities of the work, and a sense of belonging.

Nordström är J, Waldesten, S. En studie om äldre kvinnor och hur de påverkas av samhällets ideal skönhet. Examensarbete i socialt arbete 15 poäng. Malmö högskola. Hälsa och samhälle 2011. ABSTRAKT Syftet med denna uppsats är att utforska och fördjupa förståelsen av äldre kvinnors relationer till kroppsliga utseende. Problem: En förutfattad mening som vi båda kände att vi stötte på var att de gamla inte bryr sig om hur de ser ut. Varför skulle du sluta bry sig om sin kropp bara för att du blir gammal? Media visar ofta en bild av äldre som svaga och utsatta grupp. På nyheterna är det ofta äldre människor som har exponerats för något. Vi är intresserade av hur äldre kvinnor drabbas av samhällets skönhetsideal. Det är ett aktuellt ämne publicerar media ständigt artiklar och annonser om hur man kan uppnå sina kroppsuppfattning genom olika metoder. Rubriker kan ses i tidningarna är "ät dig smal", "hålla sig ung längre" och "träna dig till den perfekta kroppen". Metod: Kvaliativ, semi-strukturerade intervjuer med sju kvinnor har genomförts. De är 65-91 år gamla. Resultat: Resultatet av denna studie visar att äldre kvinnor känner kroppen ideal. de är mycket medvetna om hur de ska klä sig för att inte bryta mot några normer. de tar hand om sin kropp och är aktiva med sitt utseende. / Nordström, J, Waldesten, S. Youthful norms of beauty is prevailing in the society. A study about older women and how they affected of society ideal beauty. Degree project in social work 15 poäng. Malmö University. Health and Society 2011. ABSTRACTPurpose in this paper is to explore and deepen the understanding of older womens relations to bodily appearance. Problem: A bias that we both felt that we encountered was that of old do not care how they look. Why would you stop caring about their body just because you grow old? Media often show an image of the elderly as weak and vulnerable group. On the news, it is often older people who have been exposed to something. We are interested in how older women are affected by society's beauty ideals. It is a topical subject, the media constantly publishes articles and ads about how to achieve their body image through various methods. Headlines can be seen in the newspapers is "eat yourself thin", "stay young longer" and "train yourself to the perfect body". Method: Qualitive, semi-structured interviews with seven womens were conducted. They are 65-91 years old. Result: The result of this study shows that older women know the body ideals. they are very aware of how they should dress so as not to violate any standards. they care for their body and are active with their appearance.

An Acquired Brain Injury (ABI) can have lasting effects on the self-identity of the injured individual, but also on the self-identity of other family members. Using Contextual Family Stress Theory as a guiding theoretical framework, this qualitative study investigated how mothers experience changes and alterations in their self-identity and family identity, as well as the reconstruction of self-identity and family identity, after a child acquires an ABI. These experiences are important to capture so that clinicians and professionals may better understand the phenomenon of post-ABI self- and family identity and to help inform rehabilitation and professional services. Currently, research has been narrowly focused upon functional gains for individuals and families in rehabilitation while excluding changes in self-identity and family identity. Data were collected via semi-structured interviews and self-report measures of individual mothers' needs and perceptions of the injured child. A constructivist grounded theory analysis was used to analyze the data. Findings reveal the reconstruction processes of mothers' self-identity and family identity after a child receives an ABI, such as internal and external self-identity and intentionality in reconfiguring family identity. Furthermore, results suggest that positive adaptation in self-identity and family identity promote resilience to the changes from the child's ABI. Future research directions, theoretical, and clinical implications are discussed. / Doctor of Philosophy / An Acquired Brain Injury (ABI) can happen in many ways, such as a hard hit to the head or the brain not getting enough oxygen. Children and adolescents are among the age groups that have the highest rates of ABIs. The effects from an ABI are long lasting and impact the injured person in many ways, including their identity or sense of self. When a child receives an ABI, the parents' self-identity and the overall family identity is also affected. The goal of this study was to provide a better understanding of changes in self-identity and family identity for mothers who have a child or adolescent with an ABI. For this study, I recruited 14 mothers of a child with an ABI, and the mothers engaged in interviews and completed several short surveys. The mothers shared important information about changes in self-identity and family identity and made suggestions about how medical and rehabilitation services can better support families affected by ABIs. Findings revealed that families who are intentional about discussing changes to the family, such as role shifts or changes in routine, and expressing emotions adapt more effectively to the consequences from an ABI. Furthermore, the results suggest recommendations for rehabilitation professionals in supporting mothers and families. These include, educating the family about ABIs and involving mothers and families as part of the treatment process. Future directions for further research studies are identified as well as a discussion on best practices for clinicians.

This manuscript will explore the intersection of perceived disability due to limb loss and self-identity. The research is centered around the work in the Limbitless Solutions laboratory, where clinical research is providing children with customized prostheses. This research applies a focus on how customization can lead to positive identity construction. By facilitating active engagement in the design process a stronger connection is formed between the participant and their prosthetic device.