Destination USA examines the works of the travel writer William Least Heat-Moon and his place ·in the tradition of American travel writing. The study begins with an overview of the current scholarship and trends within contemporary American travel writing and then moves on to limit and to define its scope. Next an outline and an in-depth explanation of the structure and thematics of such works is presented. Contemporary American travel writing has two dominant structures: the on-the~road motif and the intimate journey Of~ place. Woven into these two structures are three main themes common to both. The first theme focuses on the role of selfdiscovery in travel writing. The second theme highlights the role of travel writing in discovering hidden or marginalised American voices. The third theme centres around travel writing's use as a warning about or an assessment of the current American situation. Next a historical overview of the roots of American travel writing is undertaken which highlights the role it has played in the foundation of the country as well as providing the basis for those structures and themes outlined above. From there the dissertation moves onto an analysis of the works of William Least Heat-Moon: Blue Highways (1982), PrairyErth (1991) and River-Horse (1999). Heat-Moan's works provide an effective focal point for the understanding of contemporary American travel writing as a whole. They are forward looking and experimental while retaining a continuity with the tradition of American travel writing. An in-depth analysis of his trilogy on the American landscape is supported by previously unpublished interviews by the author. His works are then examined to uncover how they point to travel writing's elision with naturalist prose and work together to form a multifaceted vision of America. !

Although the Mexican population continues to be the largest Hispanic group in the United States, educational attainment is not increasing at a proportionate rate. First generation, Mexican-American students continue to have low enrollment in higher education institutions and high levels of attrition. Socioeconomic variables and ethnicity have correlated highly with these outcomes for thirty years, and programs have proliferated to address them, without much impact. Perhaps we need new approaches. This study investigates the lived experience of students attempting a university education. The goal of this research was to take the topic of educational achievement one step further by exploring identity development factors for first generation, Mexican-American college students via personal narratives. Researchers have long observed that people come to make sense of life via stories (Bruner, 1990; McAdams, 1985; Sarbin, 1986). Personal stories help to make sense of the past as well as foresee the future while helping to define current identity via recalling and/or retelling stories, particularly for emerging adults. Identity creation and negation was explored via McAdams’ life story model of identity: identity is an ever changing life story that strives for psychosocial unity and seeks purpose in relation to the world. The data collected from sixteen first generation, Mexican-American students at one university revealed that factors such as familial connections, cultural capital, generational immigration status, and self-discovery opportunities contribute to the ongoing creation and negotiation of identity. The outcome was the development of an identity soundboard which provides a visual representation of identity factors, each with its own control button, which is constantly adjusted according to individual experiences and narratives. The significance of these results is two-fold. One, it provides students and educators with a new perspective on identity development which can translate into new ways to address academic retention, attrition, and success. And two, it provides identity researchers with a new, customizable model with which to explore a variety of identity development processes, adaptable to specific research interests. The Hispanic community is a key player to the nation’s economic future, making efforts to foster a well-educated workforce a priority. Colleges and universities stand to benefit from a tailored approach to outreach and retention of students. It is by obtaining a glimpse of students’ reality that we can, as faculty, staff, and administrators, make changes that can positively affect their educational experience and outcome. / text

viii, 61 p. A print copy of this thesis is available through the UO Libraries. Search the library catalog for the location and call number. / Set in the turbulence of 1968, Uwe Timm's novel, Heißer Sommer, focuses on two themes: self-discovery and the exploration of boundaries. The protagonist in Timm's novel is Ullrich, a university student who embodies the unrest of his time. Timm intertwines Ullrich's inner private sphere with the outer political sphere, which allows him to understand himself through the frame of his political activism. Moreover, Ullrich is used as an instrument by Timm to critique and shed an ironical light on the glamorization of the West German student movement. Timm illuminates several political (as well as personal) contradictions and criticisms through his protagonist's exposure to the revolutionary movement. / Adviser: Alexander Mathas

Hurricane Shoes and Other Stories is a collection of short stories that center on evolving and devolving relationships. The characters in these stories form tentative bonds with people in their lives while other relationships slip away. In "Hurricane Shoes," Katrina attempts to reinvent herself by ending an affair. Katrina's pregnancy and her mother's cancer pull the two women closer. "Da's Violets" is about Cheryl's changing relationship with her father. Just as he moves on from the wife who left him for her podiatrist, the wife returns with hopes to reconcile. These stories catch characters in moments when they must make difficult choices and endure the uncertainties and ambiguities of relationships. In "Lady Luck," Laurel is a cocaine addict and alcoholic on the verge of finalizing a divorce. She propositions a young man named River to exchange sex for money. River turns the table, and offers Laurel a deal where she'll have all the money and drugs she wants, as long as she helps him transport cocaine. "Bridges" is a coming of age story in which Linda and Kristin have a close call with a train, and Linda matures as she realizes love has limits. The catalyst for changing relationships is sometimes an exchange between characters. In "Special Son," Mark's father is dying of cancer. The father asks his son to take special care of his mother, and Mark needs his father to finally acknowledge Mark's sexuality. In "Swim or Sink," Doreen befriends her campground neighbor, Michael McBride. McBride has been living at the campground since he left his cheating wife, and he offers Doreen insight when she discovers her husband's infidelity. Together the stories function as a mosaic--each very different, but a complement to the others in forming a larger portrayal of relationships.

<p>The main purpose of this study is to analyse how the main themes of alienation and the search for identity is portrayed by Swedish author Inger Edelfeldt. I have applied the theories of Rita Felski concerning feminist novels of self-discovery, in which the development of the female identity is the main question. As Edelfeldt’s writing consists of literature for the young as well as adults, I have included material from both of these genres. I have also taken use of Ulla Lundqvists theories about Swedish juvenile books when examining aspects of the main character’s feelings of alienation and identity searching.</p><p>The results of my analysis show that the reading of my material as feminist novels of self-discovery has revealed pervading charachteristics of alienation, love, friendship and psychological development. The genre-crossing tendency of Edelfeldt’s writing shows in that the theme of identity crisis and the search for identity is an important issue in all of her novels, despite the protagonist’s age. Finally, I show in my study, that by rejecting the heterosexual love-story narrative, Edelfeldts novels put the woman’s own psychological development in focus.</p>

The main purpose of this study is to analyse how the main themes of alienation and the search for identity is portrayed by Swedish author Inger Edelfeldt. I have applied the theories of Rita Felski concerning feminist novels of self-discovery, in which the development of the female identity is the main question. As Edelfeldt’s writing consists of literature for the young as well as adults, I have included material from both of these genres. I have also taken use of Ulla Lundqvists theories about Swedish juvenile books when examining aspects of the main character’s feelings of alienation and identity searching. The results of my analysis show that the reading of my material as feminist novels of self-discovery has revealed pervading charachteristics of alienation, love, friendship and psychological development. The genre-crossing tendency of Edelfeldt’s writing shows in that the theme of identity crisis and the search for identity is an important issue in all of her novels, despite the protagonist’s age. Finally, I show in my study, that by rejecting the heterosexual love-story narrative, Edelfeldts novels put the woman’s own psychological development in focus.

This essay argues that The Awakening treats the 1890s “modern woman” that arose from feminist ideas and the women’s movement, challenging patriarchal society with an independent lifestyle. Following Ringe, this essay suggests that the novel has a purpose of showing the process and the development of the protagonist’s individual self. But rather than connect this theme to the transcendentalist notion of the self, as Ringe does, this essay looks at this theme in the light of the notion of the “modern woman”. By arguing that Edna develops into a modern woman during this process, the essay finds that she moves from the traditional position as a “patriarchal woman” towards the role of an “emancipated woman”. Further, the essay shows that Edna’s development and thereby her attempt to change her position fails as the process of self-discovery is conflicted, resulting in Edna’s suicide. Finally, by also arguing that the novel treats a woman’s self and the process of a development, the essay visualizes that the novel is built-up by seven steps that together constitute the process from “patriarchal woman” to “emancipated woman”. This process awakens a self-awareness and self-image within Edna that are strengthened with each of these step as she becomes a “modern woman”. / Denna uppsats argumenterar för att The Awakening skildrar 1890-talets “moderna kvinna” som uppstod från feministiska idéer samt kvinnorörelsen och utmanade det patriarkaliska samhället med en självständig livsstil. Då jag följer Ringe påvisar den här uppsatsen att romanen har ett syfte att visa processen och utvecklingen av huvudpersonens individuella jag. Men istället för att koppla detta till den transcendentalistiska uppfattningen av jaget som Ringe gör, så kopplar denna uppsats detta till begreppet den “moderna kvinnan”. Genom att argumentera för att Edna utvecklas till en modern kvinna under denna process finner uppsatsen att hon flyttar från den traditionella rollen som en “patriarkalisk kvinna” mot rollen som en “emanciperad kvinna”. Uppsatsen visar vidare att Ednas utveckling och således hennes försök att ändra sin roll misslyckas då självupptäcktsprocessen står under konflikt, vilket resulterar i att Edna tar självmord. Genom att också argumentera för att romanen skildrar en kvinnas jag och processen av en utveckling visar slutligen uppsatsen att romanen är uppbyggd av sju olika steg som tillsammans utgör processen från ”patriarkalisk kvinna” till ”emanciperad kvinna”. Denna process väcker en självmedvetenhet samt en självbild inom Edna som förstärks med varje steg medan hon blir en “modern kvinna”.

This thesis deals with the issue of mental hygiene of the construction engineering manager from various angles. The theoretical part defines and describes characteristics of management and mental hygiene. The practical part contains hypothesis related to mental hygiene. Based on the hypothesis, there was compiled and evaluated a questionnaire. That was the main basis for the evaluation of hypotheses. The result is a summary of findings about mental hygiene of the construction engineering managers.

Bistro Girls is an interconnected collection of short stories focusing on characters whose lives intertwine in the affluent Floridian town of Bellamy Park. In "Bistro Girls of Bellamy Park," a senior at a privileged college struggles to confront an old friend who has slipped into addiction. In "Bobby Blues," two women's stifling situations with live-in boyfriends give way to a small hope as Valerie casts aside her illusions and leaves to find a new apartment, temporarily freeing herself from the pattern of relying on a man. In these stories people wrestle with flawed concepts of personal identity that create outward limitations in their interactions with those they care about most. In "Disconnect," an eccentric millionaire struggles with spirituality and a romance spoiled by his inability to find satisfaction. In "The Coffee Shop," the emotionally removed Don leaves Valerie in the inevitable position to find contentment through self-reliance. Through trial and error, the obstacles of insecurity and disillusionment can at times be overcome. In "Scout's Honor," a young woman marries under the spell of fateful disillusionment, with tragic results. An annulment is the catalyst for her maturity, yet the road before her promises to be a long, painful one. As the characters come closer to acceptance of the imperfections and possibilities in themselves and the world around them, there is almost always some hope, no matter how difficult the means to get there.

"Transparency- the ability to see into and understand the inner workings of a landscape- is an absolutely essential ingredient to sustainability" -Robert Thayer from "Green World, Green Heart" Current land filling practices that bury waste and debris below layers of earth and synthetic caps do not take into account the potential of reclamation of the site after the landfill debris has become stable. As development and consumerism increases, the need for land reclamation grows stronger, as earth will succumb to overabundance of human excessiveness. Can a space be created that not only reclaims land, but also exposes what is hidden- in order to educate the public on the importance of recycling and sustainability? Is it possible to design a space that addresses the issues and culture of the past, present and future, particular to a geographic site? Can landscape architects use landscape as an educational medium for self-discovery? / Master of Landscape Architecture