<p>Symbols in the hands of politicians can be a powerful tool of manipulation. The usage of symbols in speeches or texts can change a person’s will, without him or her ever knowing it.</p><p>We have compared the usage of symbols in the articles surrounding the ratification of the constitution in 18th century America with that of today’s European Union, to see if any similarities between these two cases exists, and what implications this could have for the future of the EU. We have divided the symbols in both cases into different categories so as to enable us to compare the cases to each other. With the help of Masters Theory and the writings of Benedict Anderson and Murray Edelman we have concluded that there indeed exist some similarities between 18th century America and the EU. There seem have been some manipulation on the part of the politicians in order to rebuild the respective unions on more solid foundations. Could the European Union, on the basis of these findings, be assumed to take a course comparable with that of 18th century America?</p>

There has been a recent increase in the use of graphic symbols in school settings (Abbott and Lucey, 2003). However, the use of graphic symbols in schools remains, to date, an under-researched area. In order to address this and develop understanding of practitioners’ experiences of using graphic symbols in school settings, exploratory research was conducted investigating the experiences of a range of practitioners using symbols in Foundation Stage school settings. A qualitative research design was used drawing upon an interpretive phenomenological philosophical framework. The research sample consisted of three groups of practitioners; teachers, early years practitioners (teaching assistants, learning support assistants and nursery nurses) and speech and language therapists. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews which were conducted face-to-face by the researcher. In the interviews participants were encouraged to explore their experiences of using graphic symbols and their associated beliefs and attitudes about this topic. Interview data was analysed using thematic analysis which was facilitated by the use of qualitative data management software QSR NVivo2. Prolonged engagement with the data led to the development of a theoretical framework based on a set of themes and subthemes. Four major themes were identified: practitioners’ beliefs about which children to use symbols with; practitioners’ thoughts about children’s understanding of symbols; practitioners’ accounts of the ways symbols are used; and, practitioners’ experiences of the implementation of symbols. Interpretations of the data were extended further to develop two original theoretical constructs; ‘models of reasoning’ and ‘perceptions of professional roles’. These constructs were developed to provide an over-arching framework depicting the researcher’s interpretations of the data set as a whole. The findings suggest that practitioners go through a process of reasoning and decision making surrounding the use of symbols. Practitioners in this study also appeared to be influenced by their perceptions of their own professional role and those of others in their decisions surrounding the implementation of symbols. The theoretical model may provide some explanation for the ways in which individual practitioners interact and work alongside practitioners from the same and different professional groups. The findings of the research were related to existing literature in the fields of symbolic development, symbols and literacy, and, collaborative working. The findings led to the development of five suggestions for future research.

Spelling is a tool by which one records his thoughts and ideas; therefore it is a vital part of life. To fulfill its task successfully, spelling must be accurate. Spelling is that tool by which the happenings of the past are revealed to the present and are preserved for the future. For any individual who attempts to transfer his thoughts and words by symbols onto paper, correct spelling is a prime essential. It follows, then, that to develop perfect habits of spelling in order that perfect transcriptions of thoughts might be made is the duty of the teacher. This duty has been attempted by teachers for many generations. But it is an established fact that the goal has not been reached, for there is a stupendous number of misspellings in the written work of students in high schools. Many methods have been advanced for correcting this incompetence in spelling; when these were tried, they have failed to secure the coveted goal. In some instances the cure has aggravated the disease. Successful abolishment of this handicap baffles the teaching profession. In a course in American pronunciation recently conducted at North Texas State College, the teacher presented the fact that there are factors in the English language which tend to become stumbling-blocks to the attainment of perfect spelling. For the first time it became evident to this writer that certain elements within the language might be the cause of the spelling problem. Therefore, the readings for this thesis were undertaken for the purpose of finding the logical causes for poor spelling habits and with the hope of discovering a workable remedy.

Internal-external locus of control was studied in relationship to the religious phenomena "glossolalia." Contrary to the main hypothesis formulated, glossolalics were found significantly more internal in locus of control than non-tongues speakers. Intercorrelations were studied between the variables of I-E, age, length of church membership, income level, educational level, and perceived control by God, for tongue-speaker and non-tongue-speaker groups. Chisquare comparisons were made between the groups on educational level, income level, and perceived control by God, with significant differences being found in educational level. Additional analysis was made between I-E and the variables of educational levels, income levels, and perceived control by God. Historical and current interpretations of the personality of glossolalics are challenged. The construct validity of the Rotter scale for use with religious populations is challenged.

Versailles au Grand Siècle était le foyer d’où rayonnait la gloire du Roi-Soleil. Toutes les institutions du Royaume, tout comme les Arts, les Sciences et les Lettres y jouaient un rôle en décor de fond des trois grandes scènes où se produisait la majesté royale : le château, les jardins et le Grand Canal. La Marine y participait, conformément à la politique de développement élaborée par Colbert. Le Grand Canal fut alors une annexe des arsenaux, un site d’exposition navale, où, à côté de bateaux dédiés aux loisirs nautiques appréciés par la Cour, des innovations, des prototypes et des bâtiments de combat furent présentés au Roi et concoururent à l’image de sa puissance. Au-dessus de cette flottille de Versailles régnait un bâtiment d’exception, superbe héritier de vingt cinq siècles d’histoire maritime des peuples de la Méditerranée : la galère réale du Grand Canal construite en 1685. A l’époque, la galère – parvenue à son apogée conceptuelle et technique – constituait toujours le navire emblématique de la domination navale du Roi. Bien que surclassée dans les batailles par l’artillerie des vaisseaux, elle conservait un prestige exceptionnel qui tenait notamment à sa magnificence et à son influence dans la communication politique et diplomatique de Louis XIV. Servir sur les galères, tant pour les officiers que pour les sous-officiers, les marins ou les soldats, conférait une haute dignité, très recherchée, sous l’égide de la Foi, de la Justice, de la grandeur et de la puissance du Roi. Une galère à Versailles, une réale, bien sûr, était ainsi dans l’ordre des choses. Elle y fut construite en 1685. Sa renaissance se situerait aujourd’hui dans la logique des restaurations menées depuis plus d’un siècle dans le château et son Domaine pour en retrouver l’apparence et l’atmosphère. Il n’en reste que deux panneaux décoratifs latéraux, et quelques rares informations d’archives. Rien qui renseigne directement sur les cotes de ce navire d’exception. Il a donc été nécessaire de reconstituer d’abord les méthodes de conception et de construction des galères. Il fallut ensuite adapter les résultats obtenus, parfois incompatibles entre eux, à la fonction du bâtiment, afin de parvenir à ressusciter son architecture générale dans laquelle convergent en cohérence toutes les sources et analyses historiques sur ce sujet. / In the 17th century, the Palace of Versailles was the centre of the Sun King’s brilliance and glory. In the kingdom of France, every institution -be it Art, Science or Literature- was staged on the scenes depicting the King’s majesty: the Palace, the Gardens, and the Grand Canal. In accordance with Colbert’s development policy, the Navy had a part in this representation. The Grand Canal became an annex of the arsenals, a place for naval representation, where the leisure ships praised by the Court went alongside with innovations, prototypes and battle ships presented to the King as demonstrations of his power. The highlight of this flotilla was an exceptional vessel, inheriting from twenty-five centuries of Mediterranean naval history: the Grand Canal’s royal galley, built in 1685. At the time, galleys were at their conceptual and technical climax, and were the symbols of the King’s naval domination. Even though underpowered when compared to the vessels’ naval guns, the galleys outshone the latter with prestige: these magnificent ships were key elements in Louis XIV’s influence on politics and diplomacy. Serving on a galley as an officer or not, as a soldier or as a sailor, was a quite enviable dignity, under the aegis of Glory, Justice and Faith.Thus, building a royal galley in Versailles was in the natural order of things. This took place in 1685. For more than a century, several projects to restore the Palace and its estate’s original appearance have been undertook, and a revival of this galley could be a logical outcome. Only two decorative panels of the galley and a few archive records remain, nothing that could account for the actual measurements and technical details of this exceptional ship. The first step of this work was to piece together the methods and knowledge of the galleys’ designers. Then, adapting these –sometimes conflicting- results with the ship’s function in mind allowed to bring back its overall architecture, consistently with every source and historical study on this subject.

Thesis advisor: Thomas Groome / What is at the root of the struggles in faith of today’s American Catholics? What can Catholic religious educators do to promote faith in the present postmodern context? In an effort to address these pressing questions, this dissertation argues for the central role of the imagination in human cognition and living, faith, and religious education. Following an initial survey of sociological data that points to disruption of traditional Christian patterns of imagining as a major factor in Catholics’ current struggles in faith, subsequent chapters analyze how the human imagination functions and malfunctions and how religious education can help to reintegrate it when it is disrupted. Building upon these findings, later chapters lay out an imagination-centered pedagogical process whereby religious educators can invite learners to participation in the reign of God and to greater integration in their lives. / Thesis (PhD) — Boston College, 2015. / Submitted to: Boston College. Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. / Discipline: Religious Education and Pastoral Ministry.

Submitted by Filipe dos Santos (fsantos@pucsp.br) on 2017-07-11T12:41:33Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Damião Costa de Oliveira.pdf: 2873947 bytes, checksum: f1793569720ce6aca890370cd2b853f2 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-07-11T12:41:33Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Damião Costa de Oliveira.pdf: 2873947 bytes, checksum: f1793569720ce6aca890370cd2b853f2 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2017-06-19 / Pontifícia Universidade Católica de São Paulo - PUCSP / This dissertation aims to reflect on the term myth. The purpose is to identify, analyze and establish relations between the various forms of myth and Nazism, in order to understand to what extent the myth was the cause of the social disturbances in Germany and consequently in other societies. We will try to show that the rise of Nazism between 1933 and 1945 came partly from the unresolved problems of the end of World War I, which involved a complex chain of events, such as revanchism, nationalism, military alliances and territorial expansionism. In this context, myth has found the ideal conditions for causing social disorder. The myth has often been overlooked by some authors, which proved to be a great mistake since it has been one of the main factors throughout the social and political history of humanity and, unnoticed by societies, revealed all its power in the thirties and forties resulting in World War II. The human inability to deal with the consequences of myth - that are strengthened in periods of threat and overlap other social forces and reason - were able to change the history of humanity and the lives of millions of people / Esta dissertação tem como proposta refletir sobre o uso do mito em episódios históricos e avaliar suas consequências. O objetivo é identificar, analisar e estabelecer relações entre as várias formas de mito e o nazismo. Compreender em que medida o mito foi o causador das perturbações sociais na Alemanha e em outras sociedades. Tentaremos demonstrar que ascensão do nazismo em 1933 à 1945, aconteceu, em parte, devido aos problemas mal resolvidos durante o fim da Primeira Guerra Mundial, o que envolveu uma complexa cadeia de eventos, como o revanchismo, o nacionalismo, alianças militares e o expansionismo territorial. Nesse contexto, o mito encontrou as condições ideais para causar desordem social. O mito, muitas vezes, não foi levado em consideração por muitos autores, o que se revelou um grande erro, pois ele foi um dos principais atores durante toda a história social e política da humanidade e que nas décadas de trinta e quarenta, revelou todo o seu poder sem que as sociedades dessem conta, resultando na Segunda Guerra Mundial. A incapacidade humana de lidar com as forças míticas, que em momentos de perigo sobrepõem às demais forças sociais e a razão, foi capaz de mudar a história da humanidade e a vida de milhões de pessoas

A Shoá (calamidade, em hebraico) é um dos temas mais pesquisados de todos os tempos, seja por seu caráter perverso, seja por ter modificado a maneira segundo a qual a sociedade lida com a violência. Diante disso, há um tópico especial que chama a atenção: as vítimas e as conseqüências sofridas por elas. É nesse universo que surge The Shawl (1989), o aclamado livro da norte-americana Cynthia Ozick. Tendo em vista a grande complexidade do livro, o presente trabalho examinará a maneira que a autora encontrou para representar tal condição de quem foi exposto à loucura e à violência, e que acabou por criar novas relações entre o seu passado e seu presente, principalmente através de símbolos já conhecidos e de imagens que vão além da cristalização. Nossa hipótese é de verificar, através do estudo dos elementos do texto que vão desde as relações entre os elementos lingüísticos, até a composição das personagens como, no caos aparente, a narrativa encontra sua especificidade estética, por meio do caminho inverso que vai do símbolo às imagens na construção do Real. / The Shoah (which means calamity in Hebrew) is one of the most researched topics of all times, either by its perverse character, either because it has modified the way in which society deals with violence. Therefore, there is a special topic that draws societys attention: the victims and the consequences suffered by them. It is in this atmosphere that The Shawl (1989), Cynthia Ozicks acclaimed book, arises. Having in mind the complexity of the book, this work will examine the way the author found to represent the condition of who was exposed to madness and violence, and eventually create new relations between their past and their present, mainly through known symbols and images that go beyond crystallization. Our hypothesis is to verify, through the study of the text elements - from the relationship between the linguistic elements to the composition of the characters - how the narrative finds its aesthetic specificity through the reverse path that goes from symbol to images in the construction of the Real, in the apparent chaos.

During the early modern period, practitioners in oftentimes unrelated arts and sciences began to experiment with transcribing and disseminating technical information by means of new symbolic notations. Algebra, music, chemistry, dance—whole fields of knowledge were quite literally rewritten with plus signs, treble clefs, affinity tables, and step symbols. “The Art of Signs” examines why early modern people working within and across disciplinary boundaries converged on the idea that developing complex symbolic notations would ultimately be worthwhile by reconstructing the reasons that they gave for doing so. It argues that symbolic notations appealed because they enabled powerful techniques of “visual thinking” that had no analogue in more conventional methods of inquiry. Notations transformed problems of information into problems of visualization whose solutions could then be derived by manipulating the properties of the drawn, two-dimensional plane. Indeed, early modern proponents of notations frequently described them in terms of vision, of being able to “see” things with them that they had not recognized before. However, because established methods of reasoning were predominantly verbal or empirical, symbolic notations and the visual thinking that they entailed necessarily challenged received ideas about how information ought to be represented and how knowledge ought to be discovered. Critics of the new notations argued that, at best, they amounted to a form of intellectual obscurantism that stymied rather than facilitated the circulation of knowledge. At worst, notations harbored disturbing implications for human ingenuity if the generation of new ideas truly could be reduced to the ranging and rearranging of symbols on a piece of paper. All told, “The Art of Signs” argues that early modern debates about the use and abuse of symbolic notations represent an underappreciated component of the epistemological ruptures that characterize the Scientific Revolution. Moreover, by recovering early modern understandings of symbolic notation, this dissertation demonstrates that a historical treatment of early modern semiotic thought can be leveraged to take a fresh look at perennial questions of representation that concern scholars across the humanities.

A travers l’étude isotopique de la trilogie de William Ospina, et des poèmes des représentants de « l’oralitture » latinoaméricaine, elle témoigne du processus d’acculturation et certainement de ce système de représentations que l’on désigne par Andin. La question de « l’andinité » est mise en évidence à travers les répétitions des sèmes et des termes construisant les symboles mythiques de l’eau et de la montagne que nous analysons en tant qu’isotopies. La problématisation concerne l’adoption de symboles, l’adaptation ou le transfert, mais aussi la résistance et le rejet des symboles mythiques issus du bagage symbolique chrétien. Or, si le monde des cordillères et ses eaux transparait le substrat précolombien, il y a aussi des liens entre le sens que la tradition européenne partage avec les cultures andines. / Through the isotopic study of the trilogy written by William Ospina, as well as the poems of the representatives of the Latin-American “oralitura”, it gives evidence of an acculturation process and a representation system that we designed as Andean. The question of “andinity” is manifested by repetitions of semes and terms which build up the mythical symbols of the water and the mountain that we analyze as isotopies. The research question concerns the adoption, adaptation or transfer of symbols, but also the resistance and rejection of the symbols coming from a Christian symbolic background. Nevertheless, if the world of the hills and the water lets the pre-Columbian substratum show itself, there are also links between the sens European tradition shares with Andean cultures.