Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Toronto, 2005. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 230-245).

Thesis (M. Phil.)--Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, 2004. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 132-137). Also available in electronic version. Access restricted to campus users.

Thesis (doctoral)-Universität, Zürich, 1999/00. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 106-118).

Διανύουμε μία εποχή όπου επιστήμονες διαφορετικών πεδίων καλούνται να συνεργαστούν για να ερμηνεύσουν τον αντίκτυπο και τις επιδράσεις του διαδικτύου στην καθημερινή ζωή. Η τεχνολογική επανάσταση των τελευταίων δεκαετιών στα πεδία της πληροφορικής και των επικοινωνιών συνέβαλε καθοριστικά στην αλλαγή του τρόπου οργάνωσης της εργασίας και του επιχειρείν, της επικοινωνίας, της διασύνδεσης και εν γένει της καθημερινής ζωής. Τα πληροφοριακά συστήματα εξελίχθηκαν και επεκτάθηκαν με ιλιγγιώδεις ρυθμούς. Καθημερινά, εκατομμύρια χρηστών, σε ολόκληρο τον κόσμο, απευθύνονται στο διαδίκτυο, χωρίς κάποιο συγκεκριμένο στόχο, με την ίδια ευκολία που ανοίγουν την τηλεόραση. Σε αντίθεση, όμως, με την τηλεόραση, οι χρήστες στο διαδίκτυο έχουν τη δυνατότητα αλληλεπίδρασης και παραγωγής περιεχομένου. Αυτό σημαίνει, ότι οι χρήστες επικοινωνούν, αλληλεπιδρούν και εκφράζουν την άποψή τους, που αυτόματα δημοσιοποιείται. Ταυτόχρονα, έχουν τη δυνατότητα να δημιουργούν οι ίδιοι ιστοσελίδες, ιστολόγια, διαφόρων ειδών ηλεκτρονικές εφαρμογές και κοινωνικά δίκτυα. Στη σύγχρονη εποχή, η χρήση του διαδικτύου αποτελεί το σημαντικότερο εργαλείο για τη δημιουργία πρόσφορου εδάφους με σκοπό την έκφραση απόψεων και την ανάπτυξη προβληματισμών σχετικά με όλα τα σύγχρονα κοινωνικά θέματα. Η βία αποτελεί μία κατ’ εξοχήν παραδειγματική περίπτωση έννοιας ευρύτερου δημοσίου ενδιαφέροντος, για την οποία εκφέρονται γνώμες, εκφράζονται απόψεις, υπαγορεύονται στάσεις και συμπεριφορές, από το σύνολο των σύγχρονων αναπτυγμένων κοινωνιών. Παράλληλα, όμως, αποτελεί ένα σύγχρονο γνωστικό πεδίο, με το οποίο ασχολείται ένα ευρύ φάσμα διεπιστημονικού ενδιαφέροντος, όπως οι κοινωνικές, ανθρωπιστικές και νομικές επιστήμες, καθώς και οι επιστήμες της πληροφορικής, της ψυχικής και της σωματικής υγείας. Σκοπός της παρούσας εργασίας είναι να αξιοποιηθεί η κοινωνική δικτύωση προς όφελος των ευάλωτων κοινωνικών ομάδων, και ιδιαίτερα όσων έχουν βιώσει και υφίστανται κακοποίηση, αλλά και, εν γένει, έχουν υποστεί διάφορες μορφές βίας. / We live in an era where scientists of different fields are called to cooperate in order to interpret the impact and the effects of internet in daily life. The technological revolution of the last decades at the fields of informatics and communication, contributed decisively and changed the way of organizing business and trade, communication, interconnection and generally daily life. The informative systems have developed and have extended at a lightning speed. Daily, hundreds of users, worldwide, enter the internet, without any particular target; with the same facility they open the television. But, in contrast to the TV, the internet users have the possibility to interact and product content. That means that the users communicate, interact and express their opinions, which are, automatically, published. At the same time, they have the possibility to create sites, blogs, different kinds of applications and social networks. In the recent era, the usage of internet constitutes the most important tool for the creation of proper field so as to express opinions and to develop speculations relatively to all the contemporary social issues. Violence constitutes one exemplary case of notion of wider public interest, for which opinions are expressed and attitudes are dictated, from the entirety of the contemporary developed societies. Simultaneously, violence constitutes a contemporary scientific field, with which a wide spectrum of scientists of different fields have treated, such as social, human and law sciences, as also sciences of informatics, mental and corporal health. Main purpose of this diplomatic research is to exploit the social networking at the advantage of the vulnerable social groups, and especially of those whose have suffered the abuse, but also, of those who have generally suffered different types of violence.

Humiliation is a negative, self-conscious emotion that is experienced because of a psychological discrepancy between an individual’s self-concept and how s/he perceives others as viewing him/her. The questions addressed in the present research were whether humiliation can be experienced as a group-based emotion, what are the emotional and behavioural consequences, and what role does ingroup identification play? In line with the intergroup emotion theory (Smith et al., 2007) and related research, three experiments were conducted to address these questions. The results showed that participants reported to feel humiliation on behalf of a humiliated ingroup member. The results further implied that the behavioural responses such as withdrawal and revenge to group-based humiliation depend on the accommodating emotions such as shame and anger. The results addressing the role of ingroup identification were rather ambiguous. The implications of the present research are outlined in detail with regard to the current discourse on intergroup emotions. / Unisa Grow Your Own Timber Programme / Psychology / M.A. (Psychology (Research Consultation))

This thesis examines the ways in which exile, both actual and metaphorical, informs the work of four path breaking female writers from South Africa and the American South: Carson McCullers, Bessie Head, Zoë Wicomb and Dorothy Allison. In this study, exilic consciousness is closely linked to postcolonial, nomadic feminisms which can best be understood as liminal, as fundamentally ‘out of place’. The border-crossings involved here are not only geographical, they also signify a change in critical consciousness, as the foundational texts of this thesis – Rosi Braidotti’s Nomadic Feminism and Francoise Lionnet and Shu-Mei Shih’s Minor Transnationalism – indicate. By exploring writers who problematise the categories of race, gender, sexuality and class I demonstrate how these writers offer new ways of reading the postcolonial condition as nomadic, and I examine the shared processes that nations and individuals undergo as they experience political and personal liberation struggles. My thesis is divided into four main parts. The opening section offers both an introduction to, and rationale for, the study, providing historical and sociocultural contextualisation linking South Africa and the American South; it goes on to establish my choices of Carson McCullers and Dorothy Allison as the southern US writers in this study and Bessie Head and Zoë Wicomb as the South Africans. In the opening chapter I interrogate self-representation and variations in autobiography by the four writers. Chapter 2 has as its focus body and exilic consciousness in selected work by all four writers. My final chapter examines identity formation as situated subjectivity in the work of Allison and Wicomb who are foregrounded here. I contend that transnationalism need not be seen as inevitably homogenising; rather, I show that minority individuals and groups can establish agency through transversal, lateral networks.

Este estudo de caráter exploratório teve como objetivo a identificação, análise e discussão de teorias e práticas de Recursos Humanos que possam oferecer às empresas brasileiras em processo de internacionalização suporte para o tratamento das questões de gênero na gestão de processos de expatriação. Este estudo originou-se da motivação em se obter uma melhor compreensão quanto à influência do gênero nos processos de expatriação, especialmente em função da constatação de que a participação de mulheres em expatriações ainda é muito menor do que a dos homens, e em função da relevância que a gestão de expatriações passou a ter diante do desafio de internacionalização que empresas brasileiras vêm enfrentando recentemente, o que as caracteriza como entrantes tardios no cenário competitivo global. No desenvolvimento do referencial teórico observou-se que a investigação da influência do gênero nos processos de expatriação representa uma parte menor dos estudos internacionais realizados a respeito dos processos de expatriação, e no âmbito nacional, não foram encontrados estudos específicos sobre a relação entre expatriação e gênero. Considerando tais descobertas iniciais, optou-se então pela realização de duas etapas de pesquisa. Na primeira etapa foi realizado um levantamento bibliográfico das principais pesquisas acadêmicas internacionais que relacionam gênero e processos de expatriação, além da análise de uma pesquisa brasileira sobre percepção de expatriados cujos dados puderam ser tratados a partir de um recorte de gênero. Na segunda etapa foi desenvolvida uma pesquisa empírica através da realização de um estudo de caso na Vale, uma empresa brasileira cujo recente processo de internacionalização a caracteriza como entrante tardia. Para tanto, foram realizadas quinze entrevistas semiestruturadas com profissionais de RH e com expatriados e repatriados brasileiros, homens e mulheres, todos relacionados ao projeto da empresa em Moçambique, além da realização de análises documentais. Os resultados das duas etapas da pesquisa foram submetidos à análise de conteúdo, categorizados e comparados. Os resultados encontrados na análise das pesquisas acadêmicas evidenciaram a inexistência de práticas de RH que suportassem adequadamente os processos de expatriação nas suas diferentes etapas, e que oferecessem suporte específico para os casos de expatriações de mulheres; a principal dificuldade parece encontrar-se na participação da mulher na etapa inicial do processo de expatriação, ou seja, na etapa de seleção. Em contrapartida, o desenvolvimento do estudo de caso na Vale contribuiu para a identificação de processos, políticas e práticas de RH destinadas à gestão das expatriações, porém sem a indicação de tratamento específico para os casos de expatriações de mulheres. Considerando-se as limitações decorrentes da realização de uma pesquisa qualitativa, sobretudo quanto ao método do estudo de caso, e quanto à utilização da técnica de entrevista, pode-se concluir que este foi um estudo inicial a respeito da relação entre gênero e expatriação. Os resultados contribuíram tanto para a indicação da necessidade do desenvolvimento, no âmbito nacional, de maiores estudos sobre o tema, como para o caso de empresas brasileiras que estão se internacionalizando, com a ilustração de políticas e práticas de RH destinadas a tratar estruturadamente os processos de expatriação em suas diferentes fases. / This exploratory research aimed the identification, analysis and discussion of theories and practices of Human Resources that can offer, to the Brazilian companies which are driving their internationalization processes, support for the treatment of gender issues in the management of expatriation processes. This study was originated from the motivation to understand the gender influence in the expatriation process, especially due the fact that womens participation in expatriations is significantly smaller than the mens participation, and also due to the expatriation managements relevance to the recent internationalization of Brazilian companies, which characterizes them as late movers in the global competitive scenario. During the theoretical referential development it was noted that the investigation of gender influence in the expatriation processes consists in a minor part of the international studies regarded to the expatriation processes and, at a national sphere, were not found specific studies about the relation between gender and expatriations. Whereas these initial discoveries, the decision was for the development of a two stages research. The first stage consisted of a literature review of the key international academic researches related to gender and expatriations, as well as the analysis of a Brazilian research about expatriates perceptions whose data could be reorganized from a gender perspective. In the second stage was developed an empirical research through a case study in Vale, a global late mover Brazilian company. Thus, fifteen semi-structured interviews were conducted with HR professionals and with Brazilian expatriates and repatriates, women and men, all related to the companys project in Mozambique, in addition to the realization of documents analysis. The results of these two research stages were subjected to content analysis, and were categorized and compared. The results of literature review stage showed the absence of HR practices to support adequately the expatriation processes in its different phases, and also to provide specific support for womens expatriations; the main difficulty seems to be the participation of women in the expatriation process initial phase the selection phase. In contrast, the case study development in Vale contributed to the identification of HR processes, policies and practices related to the expatriations management, however with no indications about the need for womens expatriations specific treatments. Considering the limitations deriving from qualitative researches, particularly regarding to the case study method, and also to the use of interviews, this study was an initial one about the relationship between gender and expatriations. The results contributed to indicate the need for development, at a national sphere, of broader studies about this subject, and also contributed, in the case of Brazilian companies internationalization processes, with illustration of HR policies and practices to manage, in a structured way, expatriation processes in its different phases.

Esta tese busca compreender a transformação da riqueza e da cultura material dos diferentes grupos sociais na transição do sistema escravista, em Minas Gerais. O vale do Paraopeba constitui o cenário principal da pesquisa realizada em 761 inventários postmortem. Outras fontes foram estudadas, como as listas nominativas de habitantes de 1831/32, o Censo Provincial de 1872, os relatórios de Presidentes de Províncias e os jornais contemporâneos. Um conjunto de fotografias referentes aos sobrados, fazendas, armazéns e utensílios de trabalho (rodas de fiar algodão, os teares e o carro-de-bois) também foi contemplado. Cabe ressaltar que a fiação e tecelagem desempenharam um papel fundamental, possibilitando à região um forte dinamismo no período escravista. Em função da presença expressiva de mulheres na indústria têxtil artesanal, a economia configura um diferencial que singularizou o tipo de produção e de mercado encontrados naquelas localidades. No entanto, outros ritmos e nuanças marcaram o final do século XIX brasileiro, em especial aqueles encontrados no Paraopeba. A mudança no sistema de mão de- obra, a dispersão da riqueza e, conseqüentemente, a alteração da cultura material constituem a problemática central que permeou toda a tese. Várias questões relacionadas à posse de escravos, à valorização das terras, ao fracionamento das propriedades, à dispersão das grandes fortunas depois de 1888, bem como alterações significativas no espaço interno e externo das moradias dos diferentes estratos sociais caracterizam as principais questões desenvolvidas neste trabalho. Para análise da cultura material considerou-se uma série de categorias, tais como o valor de uso, de troca, de posse e de seleção. Esses atributos permitiram perceber a representação cultural dos artefatos, a prática social, a simbologia, assim como permanências e alterações no padrão de conduta e no estilo de vida da sociedade paraopebana. Todas as análises desenvolvidas para o vale foram confrontadas com outras regiões, como a zona da mata mineira, as províncias (e depois estados) de São Paulo, do Rio de Janeiro, da Bahia, de Goiás e de Pernambuco. O estudo comparativo revelou singularidades e semelhanças que se estabeleceram na realidade mineira e brasileira antes e depois da Abolição dos escravos. / This thesis aims at understanding the transformation in wealth and material culture of different social groups during the transition of the slave system in Minas Gerais. The Paraopeba valley constitutes the main scenery of this research based on 761 post mortem inventories. Further sources such as the 1831/32 nominative lists of habitants, the Provincial Census, Province Presidents\' reports and contemporary newspapers have been addressed. A set of photographs of residencies, fazendas, storehouses and work tools (spinning wheels, looms and the oxcart) have also been considered. It should be highlighted that spinning and weaving played an essential role allowing the region to develop high dynamism in the period of slavery. Due to the significant presence of women in the textile handicraft industry the economy of the region presented a differential that distinguished the kind of production and market. However, other rhythms and nuances marked the end of the 19th century in Brazil, especially those found in the Paraopeba valley. The change in the labour system, the dispersion of wealth and the consequent change in material culture constitute the central issue of this thesis. Several questions related to the ownership of slaves, valorisation of land, subdivision of properties, dispersion of great fortunes after 1888, as well as the significant changes in the internal and external space of the residencies of the different social classes characterize the main issues addressed in this study. In order to analyze material culture, a series of categories have been considered, such as the values of use, exchange, ownership and selection. These attributes allow of perceiving the cultural representation of artefacts, social practice, symbology, as well as constancies and changes in behaviour patterns and life style in the Paraopeba valley. All the analyses with respect to the valley have been confronted with other regions, such as Minas Gerais\' wood zone and the (former) provinces of São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Bahia, Goiás and Pernambuco. This comparative study has revealed singularities and similarities established in Brazil\'s and Minas Gerais\' reality before and after Abolition.

Cette recherche vise à apporter une contribution à la controverse scientifique sur la variabilité des effets du soutien social, développée à partir d’études qui mettent en évidence des effets délétères du soutien social. Qu’est ce qui peut expliquer qu’un même soutien social puisse avoir des effets positifs pour certains de ses destinataires et des effets négatifs pour d’autres ?C’est au regard du modèle théorique d’une socialisation plurielle et active, que nous posons l’hypothèse du rôle des conduites d’appropriation du soutien dans l’explication de cette variabilité.Afin d’étudier les conduites d’appropriation dans leurs dimensions individuelle et collective, un dispositif de recherche-action a été mis en place dans le cadre de la consultation « Souffrance au Travail » du Service des Pathologies Professionnelles et Environnementales du CHU Purpan à Toulouse.L’approche longitudinale et la comparaison de deux Groupes d’Analyse des Situations de Travail ont permis d’analyser et de modéliser les conduites individuelles et collectives d’appropriation de ce soutien, mises en œuvre par les participants à ces deux groupes, à savoir des personnes en situation de souffrance au travail adressées à la Consultation et volontaires pour contribuer à cette recherche.Les relations observées entre appropriation individuelle, appropriation collective et effets du soutien étayent des propositions au plan théorique ainsi qu’au plan des pratiques de soutien en direction des personnes en situation de souffrance au travail. / This study aims at contributing to the scientific controversy about the variability of social support effects, based upon studies which highlight deleterious effects of social support. How can we explain that a same social support can generate positive effects for some of its recipients while generating negative effects for others? According to the plural and active socialization theoretical model, we assume that social support appropriation behaviors play a role in explaining this variability. In order to examine the appropriation behaviors in their individual and collective components, a research action program has been drawn within the Suffering at Work Counseling of the occupational and environmental pathologies service of Purpan’s University Hospital, in Toulouse. The longitudinal approach and the comparison of two ‘workplace situations analysis’ groups have enabled us to analyze and model the collective and individual social support appropriation behaviors processed by the members of both groups who volunteered to participate in the study. These individuals have been experiencing work-related suffering and were thus referred to the counseling service. The observed relationships between individual appropriation, collective appropriation and social support effects support theoretical and practical proposals about the prevention of work-related suffering.

M.A. / In this study it is assumed that psychological factors are playing an increasingly important role in the success of rugby teams in a professional era. One such a factor is that of group dynamics and specifically that of group cohesion. In this study, the use of another psychological construct, personality, in the improvement of cohesion is investigated. The personality profiles of the players in a particular team are analysed to determine the possible effects that the personalities of the players could have on the cohesion in the team. In this regard, the Jackson Personality Inventory —Revised is used to plot the personality profiles of all the players. Only scales of the inventory, that are relevant to cohesion, are being used. The relevancy of these particular scales are determined by the literary review of the cohesion construct, which includes the definition and essence of cohesion. Correlation studies would have to determine the true correlation between cohesion and the selected scales of the inventory. General tendencies in the team regarding the profiles and consequent influence on cohesion are discussed as well as the individual profiles of each one of the members of the team. In this regard, the possible influence that a particular player's personality profile could have on the cohesion in the team, is indicated and discussed. It is concluded that the use of personality profiles could be seen as a framework from which coaches and managers of rugbyteams could make use of in order to improve the cohesion in the team.