published_or_final_version / Architecture / Master / Master of Landscape Architecture

published_or_final_version / Sociology / Master / Master of Philosophy

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No description available.

In Montreal, salsa dancing is both an expression of Latin identity and a cultural commodity. Many Montrealers of Latin descent adopt salsa dance as part of their cultural heritage only after arriving in Canada, connecting, through salsa, to a transnational Latin identity that crosses the Americas. This situation illustrates how cultural affiliations are not necessarily fixed, but can be acquired in response to changing circumstances. Since salsa is not indigenous to the city, residents of Montreal can only access it through cultural institutions and community media outlets. This commodification influences the manner in which salsa expresses Latin identity in the city. At the same time that salsa dancing proclaims Latin identity for certain individuals in the city, the practice thrives in a multicultural context: the Montreal salsa scene comprises diverse individuals who promote, teach, and dance salsa. This dissertation addresses points of division and cooperation among diverse cultures, ethnicities, races, and both sexes, as they are played out in aspects of salsa dancing in the city. The unfolding of these relationships is influenced by both the commodification of salsa dancing and its link to Latin culture. This analysis seeks to provide a theoretical account of the tension between salsa's expression of identity and its status as a commodified cultural practice. This perspective integrates various approaches to the study of dance and culture stemming from anthropology, sociology and cultural studies. Analyzing the Montreal salsa scene, I draw from in-depth interviews with individuals involved in the promotion of Latin dance and music, as well as participant observations in salsa dance classes, clubs and events. The methodology of this research combines ethnography with various areas of concern: the history of salsa, Latin immigration patterns in Montreal, theories of multiculturalism, transnationalism and diaspora, the Latin influence in ballroom dance, Europe

A large body of research literature connects the concept of community with schools and other educational organizations. This study: 1. Drew from that educational literature: (a) a typology of the different senses in which the term community is conceptualized; (b) guiding principles for building community. 2. Interviewed thirteen educators from Calgary (Alberta, Canada) Public Board of Education to ascertain: (a) how these educators conceptualize the concept of community; (b) their views on how the concept of community could be operationalized in schools. 3. Analyzed how (1) and (2) do and do not complement each other. 4. Drew conclusions and made recommendations for future study, policy and action which will allow the idea of community in schools to become more attainable. The concept of community, as applied to schools, identifies two types of realtionships: territorial and relational. However, an optimal sense of community will not be experienced until people within territorial stuctures begin to interact with and relate to one another. Such an enlarged notion of community would speak to the caring and trust that exists between people; individuals' faith in process; and a sense of ownership in, commitment to, and shared responsibility for, what occurs between people within lateral structures. Another element would be the valuing of all people; valuing their place in the community, their growth as learners, and the qualities they bring and contributions they make to the community. Finally,larger connections would be made which extend beyond the smaller territorial structures, into the larger school community and beyond into larger communities outside the school. This study may also serve as an heuristic springboard for future research in at least five major areas: 1. How value systems are developed by educators and educational leaders. 2. How educators and eduactional leaders come to value shared leadership and shared responsibility in lateral structures. 3. The potential for one type of community serving as a foundation for others. 4. How currently vague and abstract concepts of community may be expressed in language that is clear, precise and practical. 5. Longitudinal studies of educators and educational leaders addressing the assumptions of what learning communities and communities of leaders are and should be. / xi, 137 leaves ; 28 cm.

This work examines the socio-economic context of the small town of Eichelborn in the Westphalia region of Germany. There, a local and 'moral' economy existed until the end of the 1960's that resisted the forces of integration into a wider self-regulatory market system for an exceptionally long time, continuing to rely primarily on simple craft production and small-scale farming for the local market. Employing mainly qualitative methods, the aim of research was to describe the economic and social structure of this place as well as to determine whether it functioned according to the principles of a pre-market society as indicated in Karl Polanyi's writings. The findings of my research show that one can, indeed, understand Eichelborn as a Polanyi-type community and as a 'moral' economy in which a strong interrelation and unity between the social and economic realms result in the reconciliation between 'personal self-interest' and 'morality'.

This cross-cultural study examines eating disorders, Anorexia nervosa, Bulimia, and compulsive overeating in Japanese and Canadian women. Through qualitative interviews with nine Japanese and nine Canadian women with eating disorders, it was found that factors contributing to the onset of eating disorders were similar in the two groups. Similarities included the value placed upon thinness by society which is widely perpetuated by the media, being told they were fat and made to feel they needed to lose weight, wanting attention for their eating disorder, and a history of sexual abuse. The Canadian women interviewed, revealed that their mothers also had eating disorders. On the other hand, the Japanese women reported stress from the education system, which led to abnormal eating behavior. Japanese women also reported gender-role conflicts as a cause. / A questionnaire regarding attitudes towards food and weight was given to 100 Japanese and 55 Canadian female university students. It was found that the women's desire to lose weight was strong in both samples. Sixty-six percent of the Japanese women and 38.1 percent of the Canadian women reported that they are "always," "usually," or "often" terrified that their weight will increase. This study postulates that the women with eating disorders want to empower themselves by controlling their food intake and their body weight. The implication is that any factor that creates a sense of ineffectiveness in the woman may trigger an eating disorder if the woman believes the only thing she can control is her food intake. Evidence to support this argument will be shown through discussions of actual experiences of women with eating disorders.

Sport is a particularly ideologically-charged terrain within contemporary gender relations because it is centered on the body. The body is our most 'natural' marker of sexual identity, and thus, in our socio-cultural imaginations, of gender identity. Accordingly, gendered boundaries in sport have traditionally constructed and promoted an ideology of 'natural' gender differences, and sport is a site--a microcosm--where traditional beliefs and assumptions about female weakness and male strength are promoted and maintained. Sport is understood to be both reflective as well as indicative of the female/male dichotomy which exists in the more general social mythology. Gendered boundaries are constructed, and work to ideologically contain the female athlete. However, these boundaries are also the ideological seams, through which one can potentially challenge the normalizing processes of sport.

<p>The overall aim of the study was to determine the opportunities and challenges NGOs encounter when using sport as a vehicle for development within the education system, in post-apartheid South Africa. A case study design has been chosen since it will offer real insight, showing how specific sports programmes work in specific contexts. Two NGOs, Grassroot Soccer (GRS) and the Extra-Mural Education Project (EMEP) constitute the cases, with an in-depth exploration of their work and the challenges they face. The study population includes employees of GRS, EMEP, target groups of the organisations and officials in the Department of Education. Key informants, including the head of research, managing directors, coaching/training staff at each organisation, officials in the Department of Education and community leaders were purposively selected to participate in the study. Data was collected by means of in-depth interviews, document reviews and observations. In-depth interviews were conducted with the head of research, managing directors, coaching and training staff at each organisation, principals and teachers of selected schools and community leaders. The analysis of the interviews started with the transcription of information from audio-tape recordings. Both pre-determined and emerging themes were noted. The results illustrated that although certain challenges were common to both organisations, others are unique.</p>