This thesis aims to research the art of Swedish painter Stina Forssell (1906-1970) with a special focus on her paintings of interiors from the early half of the 20th century. The theoretical starting point is the interior as an expression of self-definition as proposed by the cultural critic Walter Benjamin in The Arcades Project. The method used is an in-depth analysis of the selected paintings adopted from Tamar Garbs contextual and in-depth analysis in Bodies of modernity: figure and flesh in fin-de-siècle France combined with archival research. The thesis show that the artist’s interior paintings can be understood as expressions relating to the new objectivity, but also that her motives are deeply rooted in the art history. The analysis further shows that Forssells representations of her home and studio paintings can be understood as ”a room of one’s own” in line with Virginia Woolf, and as manifestations of her professional identity. / Den här uppsatsen undersöker den svenska konstnären Stina Forssell (1906–1970) med ett särskilt fokus på hennes interiörer från 1930- och 40-talen. Den teoretiska utgångspunkten för studien är Walter Benjamins teorier om interiören som en skådeplats för individens självdefiniering som den kommer till uttryck i hans bok Passagearbetet. Metoden för studien är djupgående bildanalyser med inspiration från Tamar Garbs metod i Bodies of modernity: figure and flesh in fin-de-siècle France kombinerat med arkivforskning. Resultatet visar att Forssells detaljerade och omsorgsfulla gestaltningar dels kan relateras till strömningen den nya sakligheten men också att hennes gestaltningar är djupt rotade i en konsthistorisk tradition. I arbetet visar jag att konstnärens interiörer från hemmet och ateljén kan förstås som bilden av ett eget rum och som manifestationer av konstnärens professionella identitet. På grund av att konstnären är knapphändigt hanterad i konsthistorieskrivningen finns i uppsatsen också en biografi, som även är tänkt att underlätta för framtida forskning.

The subject of this thesis is an exegetical study on chapter thirty-eight of the book Genesis; a narrative of the story about Judah and Tamar. The thesis begins with a critical analysis of the original Hebrew text. In the second section, a critical examination of the text is undertaken using synchronous and diachronous methods, followed by a verse-by-verse commentary which includes three excursuses. The first excursus discusses levirate marriage. The second is concerned with Hebrew word הקדש and with its meaning and translation. The theme of the third excursus is the understanding of righteousness as social solidarity in the Old Testament. Subsequently, in the final section of the thesis, the reception of Genesis 38 in the Old and New Testaments is considered. Furthermore, four examples of reception and interpretation throughout Christian history are presented: The Book of Jubilees, Commentary on Genesis by Ephrem the Syrian, Martin Luther's Lectures on Genesis and an interpretation by Dorothee Sölle as an example of feminism and liberation theology. Lastly, to conclude, the application of the story is proposed, which could serve as a starting point for subsequent theological work.

This work provides financial analysis and comparison of two oil companies: Chevron and ExxonMobil, with bigger accent on practise rather than theory. It could be divided into two main parts: history and financial analysis itself. In the first part history of both oil giant was provided, from the beginning until nowadays. Second part was divided into chapters: single-criterion analysis and multiple-criteria comparison. In single-criterion analysis I applied horizontal and vertical analysis on balance sheet, income statements and cash flows statements of both companies. Then analysis of financial ratios was done: profitability, liquidity, debt, asset management, capital market and work productivity. Moreover, economic value added was calculated. In multiple-criteria comparison method of a simple division and prosperous (Tamari) and bankruptcy models (Z-score and Beerman) were calculated. In conclusion the main and the most significant results and comparison and comments were provided.

Thesis (DTh (Old and New Testament))--University of Stellenbosch, 2010. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie studie ondersoek die rol wat mag en ideologie speel in die konkrete interkulturele gespreksruimte wat tot stand kom as individue vanuit diverse kontekste mekaar ontmoet rondom Bybeltekste. Die interkulturele gespreksruimte word teoreties gefundeer vanuit die gesamentlike uitgangspunte van die Feminisme en 'n Afrika-hermeneutiek. Die kommunale ruimte bied hiervolgens teoreties die ruimte waarbinne individue vanuit diverse kontekste tot hulle reg kan kom in die kollektief. In Hoofstuk 2 van hierdie studie word die hermeneutiese raamwerk waaruit die studie sy vertrekpunte vind, omskryf wanneer die uitgangspunte van beide die Feminisme en 'n Afrika-hermeneutiek bespreek word. Die Feminisme beklemtoon die belang van die kontekstuele stem van die individu en Afrika-hermeneutiek stel die kommunale ruimte voor waarin die stemme tot hulle reg kan kom. Die interkulturele gesprek wat in hierdie studie ondersoek word, vind plaas met 2 Samuel 13:1-22 as gespreksdokument. In Hoofstuk 3 word 'n multidimensionele eksegetiese raamwerk beskryf wat gebruik word ten einde ‘n deurdagte interpretasie van 2 Samuel 13:1-22 te bied. ‘n In-diepte lesing van die teks word gedoen, sowel as ideologies(retories)-kritiese en leserrespons-kritiese analises. Ten slotte word in dié hoofstuk verwys na die interpretasiegeskiedenis van die teks vanuit ‘n dominant Westerse perspektief asook vanuit die Feminisme en ‘n Afrika-hermeneutiese konteks. Met die tweeledige hermeneutiese raamwerk as uitganspunt, en 2 Samuel 13:1-22 as gespreksdokument, word die empiriese komponent van die studie dan in die volgende hoofstukke beskryf. In die empiriese studie word die teoreties-geformuleerde interkulturele ruimte dan ‘n konkrete realiteit as kultureel-diverse vroue mekaar ontmoet in gesprek rondom die Tamar-verhaal van 2 Samuel 13. Die ontwerp van die empiriese studie wat in Hoofstuk 5 bespreek word, word in die vorige hoofstuk, Hoofstuk 4, gefundeer deur aandag te gee aan, onder andere, die omskrywing van sleutelterme soos kultuur, ideologie en mag. Die kwalitatiewe data wat ingewin is tydens die konkrete interkulturele gesprekke, word daarna geanaliseer en bespreek in Hoofstuk 6. Al die data wat ingewin is tydens die studie word as Bylae tot die proefskrif beskikbaar gestel in ‘n aparte meegaande bundel ten einde die lees-envergelyk- proses te vergemaklik. Die gevolgtrekking van die studie, in Hoofstuk 7, bring al die diverse besprekings soos dit in die argument hanteer is, bymekaar en poog om ‘n sinvolle interpretasie te bied van hoe mag en ideologie funksioneer in die interkulturele Bybelleesproses. Die teoretiese interkulturele ruimte wat deur die Feminisme en 'n Afrikahermeneutiek as oogmerk gestel word, word dus in die studie geproblematiseer deur te vra na die funksionering van mag en ideologie in daardie ruimte. Vanuit 'n kwalitatiewe analise van die data wat ingewin is tydens die empiriese komponent van die studie, word dit duidelik dat die interkulturele ruimte ‘n besondere spasie bied waarin individue tot hulle reg kom en waarin verandering gefasiliteer kan word. Dit wil egter verder blyk dat hierdie ruimte nie sonder uitdaging is nie aangesien die interkulturele ruimte nie die invloed van die magsdinamika vryspring nie. Daar is bevind dat die interkulturele gespreksruimte ‘n besondere instrument is wat ingespan kan word ten einde sosiale transformasie te fasiliteer, maar dit moet met groot omsigtigheid hanteer word. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study examines the role of power and ideology in a concrete intercultural conversation space which is established when individuals from diverse contexts meet one another to discuss Biblical texts. The intercultural conversation space is theoretically based on the joint presuppositions of Feminism and an African hermeneutics. The communal space provides a theoretical space in which individuals from diverse contexts are given an opportunity to express themselves in the collective. The hermenetical framework of the study is discussed in chapter 2 where the fundamental presuppositions of both Feminism and African hermeunetics are explored. Feminism emphasises the importance of the contextual voice of the individual, whereas African hermeneutics highlights the communal space where individual voices are given expression. The intercultural conversation in this study is conducted with 2 Samuel 13:1-22 as conversation document. Chapter 3 discusses a multidimensional exegetical framework that is applied in order to offer a reflective interpretation of 2 Samuel 13:1-22. A close reading of the text, as well as ideological (rhetorical) critical and reader response critical analyses, are conducted. A reference to the interpretation history of the text concludes this chapter. The dominant Western perspective is discussed and is supplemented with Feminist and African hermeneutical readings of the text. The empirical component of this study is discussed in the chapters that follow, based on the two-tiered hermeunetical framework and 2 Samuel 13:1-22 as conversation document. The theoretically formulated intercultural space becomes a concrete reality as culturally diverse women meet one another to discuss the story of Tamar as found in 2 Samuel 13. Chapter 5 explains the research design of the empirical study based on key terms such as culture, ideology and power. These are illuminated in Chapter 4. The data that is collected in the concrete intercultural conversation is then analised qualitatively and in Chapter 6. The collected data is presented as a separate Appendix to the dissertation in order to assist the reader in the read and compare process. In the conclusion to this study, as presented in Chapter 7, all the diverse discussions converge and an attempt is offered towards a reflective interpretation of how power and ideology function in the intercultural Bible reading process.

Science fiction is particularly apt as bioethical thought experiment. In considering the theories of James R. Brown, John D. Norton and Marco Buzzoni, I suggest that mental-modeling theories afford the best explanation for what thought experiments can do. I propose a version of mental modeling that has the flexible modalities of experience found in Nancy J. Nersessian's account, combined with Nenad Miš?evi?'s compelling vision of how existing knowledge is used to create mental models, and Tamar Gendler's use of schemas to understand ethical thought experiments. Bioethics makes use of thought experiments' capacity to move from abstraction to discrete instances. Sometimes thought experiments will be better, and sometimes real cases will be unavailable. Given the cognitive advantages that access to mental models provides, thought experiments will be of use in the field of bioethics. To identify literature that is thought-experimental I look to Geordie McComb's family resemblance theory, and consider accounts of literary thought experiments by Noel Carroll and Edward Davenport. Extended narratives will in some cases be more useful for ethical understanding than philosophical thought experiments. Science fiction has this same advantage: as ethical narrative it is detailed and humanized. In addition the specula-tive nature of science fiction lends itself to the exploration of new and emerging sciences and technologies including those in the field of bioethics.