This essay is about exploring the rhetorical business negotiation process. The aim has been to find out how skilled salespeople stand out, and what rhetorical means they use to convince the other party. For this study, a qualitative research interview was applied and altogether five vendors in three different industries were interviewed. The fundamental theory of the essay is based on classical rhetoric. From that I have chosen the specific parts that I have found useful to discuss negotiation and sales processes. The results show that there is not a one single rhetorical approach that is essential to convince the other party. Instead, it is the combination of the rhetorical strategies that make the other party feel that the decision they make is good. The most prevalent and also the most favorable strategies that the sellers were using when they managed to convince the other party was: aptum, actio and active silence.

Public opinion polls sometimes overestimate the majority and underestimate the minority, such as Taipei and Kaohsiung Mayoral Election of 2006. On one hand the study is based on spiral of silence theory to analyze the phenomenon, and on the other it tries to explore the other factors that may affect the voters¡¦ willingness to express opinion in Taipei and Kaohsiung city. According to findings, social integration effect isn¡¦t a main factor to affect people¡¦s willingness to express opinion in Taipei and Kaohsiung city. On the contrary, people¡¦s level of interpersonal communication, political efficacy and education in Taipei and interpersonal communication, political participation, political confidence and political efficacy in Kaohsiung city are important factors to increase people¡¦s willingness to express opinion. In addition, the study uses interactive variables to go a step further to explore social integration effect. The results show that the spiral of silence effect supports voters¡¦ behavior in Kaohsiung city, but doesn¡¦t in Taipei city.

Thèse de doctorat : Littérature : Paris 12 : 2005. / Version électronique uniquement consultable au sein de l'Université Paris 12 (Intranet). Titre provenant de l'écran-titre. Bibliogr. : 78 réf. Index.

After the Mexican-American war, the educational experience of Mexican and Mexican -American students was one of segregation, discrimination, and inequalities. Latina/o histories and funds of knowledge have not been historically part of the classroom curriculum. Although scholars, educators, and social movements have challenged such inequalities, they still persist. Students became objects of the educational process. New theories and educational practices, such as critical pedagogy, have helped empowered students to become aware of their situation and encouraged students to become social agents of change. Literature circles, an educational practice of critical pedagogy, enable educators to provide students with an educational experience where they become the Subjects of their own learning; thus, transforming their educational experiences. / text

Šiame darbe, remiantis šiuolaikinėmis komunikacijos teorijomis (Agenda-setting, „tylos spiralės“ bei įvaizdžio), nagrinėjama Lietuvos ir kitų Baltijos šalių įvaizdžio dinamika Ispanijos dienraščiuose „El País“ bei „El Mundo“ 1987–2007 m. laikotarpiu, analizuojami Ispanijos dienraščių dienotvarkės konstravimo ypatumai. Žiniasklaidoje apgalvotai teikiama informacija apie kiekvieną šalį. Šios žinios gali skatinti ekonomikos augimą, politikos procesus, turizmo plėtrą. Bet kurios šalies ar jos gyventojo paveikslas formuojamas ir atskirų individų. Šio darbo objektu pasirinkti didžiausi populiariausi Ispanijos dienraščiai „El País“ ir „El Mundo“. Atliekama kokybinė ir kiekybinė dviejų didžiausių Ispanijos dienraščių „El País“ bei „El Mundo“ atrinktų publikacijų turinio analizė. Lietuvos įvaizdis lyginamas su Latvijos bei Estijos įvaizdžiais. Taip pat gilinamasi į Agenda-setting, „tylos spiralės“ teorijos modelius įvaizdžio formavimo procese. Aptariami verslo, studijų ir turizmo klausimai. Pateikiamas straipsnių statistinis bei teminis paskirstymas, literatūros analizė bei apžvelgiama vienintelės tarptautinės Ispanijos žinių agentūros EFE veikla. Lietuvių emigruoja daugiau nei latvių ar estų, todėl lietuviai dažniau patenka į Ispanijos spaudos dienotvarkę. Aiškinamasi, kokios naujienos skelbiamos apie Lietuvą ir lietuvius dviejuose skirtinguose dienraščiuose, kokie atgarsiai apie lietuvius migrantus Ispanijoje pasirodo spaudoje, ar labai skiriasi informacijos kiekis dienraščiuose... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / On the grounds of modern communication theories (agenda-setting, „spiral of silence“ and image), this paper studies the image dynamics of Lithuania and other Baltic countries in Spanish newspapers “El País“ and “El Mundo“ of 1987-2007, analyses peculiarities of Spanish daily agenda setting. Mass media presents information about every country in a very deliberate manner. This information may promote economical growth, political processes, development of tourism. The image of any country or its inhabitants is formed by separate individuals. Chosen objects of the paper are the most popular newspapers of Spain “El País“and „El Mundo“. The study presents qualitative and quantitative analysis of the contents of selected publications of the aforementioned newspapers. Lithuanian image was found to be compared with Latvian and Estonian images. The paper also goes deep into the models of agenda-setting and spiral of silence in the image formation process, examines the issues of culture, migration, business, studies and tourism. Moreover, a statistical and thematic allocation of the articles and literary analysis is introduced, as well as the review of the activity of the international Spanish news agency EFE is presented. Lithuanians more often find a way into Spanish press than Latvians or Estonians because of greater migration. The paper examines the announcements about Lithuania and its people in the two different newspapers, studies the responses of... [to full text]

Savo diplominiame darbe svarstau Heideggerio požiūrį į kalbą kaip į neobjektinę ir kartu pateikiu oponuojantį pirmajam objektinės kalbos požiūrį. Neobjektinio požiūrio į kalbą esmė yra įvairių filosofinių klausimų apmąstymas remiantis filosofo vaizduote ir kritiniu filosofiniu konkretaus klausimo apmąstymu. Originaliai filosofinio klausimo plėtotei neobjektiniame požiūryje į kalbą būtinas mąstytojo susikaupimas ties konkrečiu filosofiniu klausimu ir mąsli ramybė. Priešingas nei Heideggerio filosofinis požiūris yra vadinamas objektiniu požiūriu į kalbą. Logikas Rudolfas Carnapas, vokiečių filosofas Immanuelis Kantas atstovauja objektinės kalbos filosofinei pozicijai. Abu mąstytojai kalbą apmąsto kaip kalbos faktų rinkinį. Antrojo filosofinio požiūrio į kalbą esmė: mąstytojas savo darbe taiko tik techninius įgūdžius, dėl to jam nereikia arba reikia tik labai minimaliai asmeninės vaizduotės. Dėl to šiuolaikinėje filosofijoje yra daug “mirusių” tekstų (be filosofinės vaizduotės jėgos). Rašto ir šnekos skirtis reiškia, kad filosofiniame diskurse pirmenybė yra teikiama arba raštui, arba šnekai. Prancūzų filosofas Jacques Derrida teigė, kad raštas kalboje yra pirmapradis. Kitaip nei raštas, šneka nėra pirmapradė kalbos diskurso dalis Derrida filosofijoje. Vokiečių filosofas Martinas Heideggeris šneką suvokia kaip filosofinio apmąstymo plėtojimo būdą. Šis būdas kyla iš sokratiškojo dialogo formos. Mano nuomone, pati rašto ir šnekos skirtis yra sąlyginė. Tekste Heideggerio mintys... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / In my graduation dissertation I discuss the non – objective language conception of Martin Heidegger and the opposite philosophical view. The essence of this philosophical conception is a contemplation of various philosophical questions. An elaboration of the philosophical thinking consists of the philosophical imagination and the critical reflection on the particular question. It has generally been needed for the cogitative tranquility and concentration by the thinker. The opposite philosophical view to the language conception by Heidegger is the objectification of the language. The logician Rudolf Carnap and German philosopher Immanuel Kant represent the position of the objective language. The language is cogitated by both thinkers as a set of language facts. The essence of the second philosophical view: the thinker needs the knowledge of the philosophical technique without use of his own imagination. There are eventually a lot of „dead“ texts (without a power of the philosophical imagination) in the present philosophy. The distinction between the writing and the speech means that the philosophical priority belongs either to the writing or to the speech. French philosopher Jacques Derrida suggests the primeval writing is in the language. According to the philosophy of Derrida, contrary to the writing, the speech is not a primeval part of the philosophical discourse. German philosopher Martin Heidegger perceives the speech as a way for the development of the philosophical... [to full text]

This qualitative research study aims to investigate how eight members of the Society of Friends (also known as Quakers) experience a divine presence in their Meeting for Worship. The purpose is also to find out how their identity as Quakers has been created, and to see how they look at their Meeting of Worship when it comes to ritual as a concept. The method used in this study is individual, semi-structured interviews and observations of Meeting of Worship. The results show a relatively homogeneous group of individuals from a secular upbringing who as adults sought out a community where silence is appreciated and used to achieve an experience of a divine presence. Berger and Luckmann's theories of socialization have been applied to the results and the discussion reveals how the secondary socialization has been essential in the process of forming the individual into being a Quaker. There is however one exception, in the form of one participant who grew up in the Society of Friends. Catherine Bell’s ritual theory, that no ritual can be defined without its context, can be applied to the Quaker’s view of a ritual. The view Bell has on rituals can be used to understand the views shared by the participants in the study.

The purpose of this investigation is to further an understanding of the spiral of silence theory as it functions within both face-to-face (FtF) and computer-mediated contexts. Computer-mediated communication (CMC is often touted for being an empowering medium as it affords its users anonymity. This finding could have an impact on whether the spiral of silence occurs within CMC. Previous studies have relied upon hypothetical scenarios and have established weak support for the theory. Despite this study’s utilization of a within-subjects experimental design, however, no significant differences in minority opinion holders’ fear of isolation were found. Similarly, no significant relationship was found between minority opinion holders’ attention paid to news and fear of isolation. In regards to both majority and minority opinion holders, no significant differences in perceptions of opinions expressed in either condition were found. Reasons for such unexpected findings, as well as strengths, limitations, and directions for future research are discussed.

Analyser l'ensemble de l'œuvre dramatique disponible de Maurice Maeterlinck, soit trente et une pièces de théâtre, en se laissant guider par le fil rouge majeur, son rapport avec les textes sacrés du christianisme, tel est l'objet de cette thèse. Les deux premiers théâtres maeterlinckiens apparaissent nettement comme deux tablettes antithétiques d'un même dyptique représentant respectivement l'enfer et le paradis. Aussi la notion biblique du libre arbitre s'impose-t-elle comme un facteur différentiel pertinent entre le théâtre du silence et d'aliénation et le théâtre de la parole et de libération. Des principes bibliques tels que la loi de la croyance, la puissance de la confession, le contraste entre les ténèbres et la lumière, la guerre et la paix, la perdition et la rédemption, la justice humaine et la justice divine, la mort et la résurrection des morts semblent s'ériger en métaphores obsédantes et en thématiques transversales unissant les quatre principaux moments du théâtre maeterlinckien.

The particular characteristics of Pinter’s theatre such as the theme of violence, the competitive interpersonal relationships, the implied unwillingness in communication between the characters and the distinctive use of silences and pauses, distinguish his work from the writers of the absurd. Pinter makes particular use of “Silences” and “Pauses” as theatrical techniques that present a non-verbal way of communication in his plays. The frequent use of these particular techniques in Pinter’s dialogue has urged some critics to coin new expressions such as “Pinteresque” or “Pinter Pause” in the vocabulary of drama to specify Pinter’s technique. One of the important objectives in this essay is to point out the fundamental significance and function of the “Silences” and “Pauses” in Pinter’s work and point out their distinction. I will discuss how the silences and pauses function in Pinter’s theatre as a non-verbal way of communication by creating fragments in the dialogue.   The plays which will be analyzed in this essay are: The Room, The Dumb Waiter, The Birthday Party and The Caretaker. My objective in this essay is to explore the context of these plays with regards to the theme of menace. In the first chapter, I mainly aim to explore the menacing context of these plays regarding the structure of menace and the ways it takes place in each play separately. This analysis will be presented in relation to the spatial territory in which the characters are confined. My aim is also to describe why menace is presented in a theatrical sense. I have chosen to quote some significant passages of each play in each section to illustrate my purposes in the first chapter. The aim of the second chapter is to define the character types involved in the presentation of menace, “The Intruders” and “The Victims”, and to analyze the strategies their use in encounters with each other. After describing the character types I will explore in detail how “The Intruders” use linguistic strategies to confuse and subdue their victims and finally victimize them and how “The Victims” use strategies to cope with menace in order to survive. There are some passages quoted from the plays to facilitate the purpose of the second chapter. The objective in the third chapter is to define “Silences” and “Pauses” as theatrical techniques used in form of non-verbal communication between the characters. I will discuss, based on Peter Hall’s definition, how these techniques are significant in understanding a Pinter play for the readers and the actors who perform them on stage, and will further explore the function of “Silences” and “Pauses” and their distinction in the context of the plays in question in this essay.