This thesis examines how Boohoo, Shein, and Zara communicate their sustainability efforts on Instagram and how users react. Despite increased global awareness of sustainability, the fast fashion industry's rapid trend turnover, driven by social media and influencers, fuels consumption and environmental harm. Guided by theories of strategic communication, organizational legitimation, CSR communication, and transparency, the research used critical visual methods, including semiotic and qualitative text analysis. The analysis found that these companies use visual content to appear transparent, shift environmental responsibility onto individuals and the industry, make vague sustainability claims, and partner with influencers for legitimacy. User comments reveal concerns about worker treatment, skepticism towards sustainability efforts as greenwashing, and criticism of influencer partnerships. However, some users legitimize these practices, believing all businesses are equally culpable. The study concludes that while fashion companies recognize the risks they pose and attempt to address them, users are unimpressed by superficial efforts. The gap between companies' staged transparency and users' demand for real change highlights the need for genuine commitment to sustainability. Companies must be transparent and accountable to avoid greenwashing accusations and maintain consumer trust. This growing consumer awareness and empowerment suggest that critical examination by users and authentic sustainability efforts by companies are essential for future legitimacy.

Since software and hardware is well available for automated text analysis and since a large data that describes real projects submitted to grant program is opened up, there is a possibility to follow phenomena of behavioral economics and psycholinguistics which evidence particularities in textual descriptions may be statistically associated with a reader's behavior or with a reader's decision-taking, which, in this case, involves an influence on final allocation of grant funds. The thesis uses forenamed areas as a starting-point and also employs quantitative indicators from the field of forensic linguistics in order to perform a computer-aided quantitative text analysis. The main goal is to evaluate from correlation perspective, if there in real operational programmes were present any associable relationships between the quantitative features of a proposed project's textual description and the amount of grant allocated to a project. The thesis is divided into four chapters, where it introduces basis, describes analyzed data and used methods, comments on made analyses and found relations, and all the performed research is summarized and evaluated in the last chapter.

In a project called "A Library of a Billion Words" we needed an implementation of the CTS protocol that is capable of handling a text collection containing at least 1 billion words. Because the existing solutions did not work for this scale or were still in development I started an implementation of the CTS protocol using methods that MySQL provides. Last year we published a paper that introduced a prototype with the core functionalities without being compliant with the specifications of CTS (Tiepmar et al., 2013). The purpose of this paper is to describe and evaluate the MySQL based implementa-tion now that it is fulfilling the specifications version 5.0 rc.1 and mark it as finished and ready to use. Fur-ther information, online instances of CTS for all de-scribed datasets and binaries can be accessed via the projects website1. Reference Tiepmar J, Teichmann C, Heyer G, Berti M and Crane G. 2013. A new Implementation for Canonical Text Services. in Proceedings of the 8th Workshop on Language Technology for Cultural Heritage, Social Sciences, and Humanities (LaTeCH).

I denna masteruppsats studeras ett antal rektorers uppleveda effekter av utbildningen vid Rektorsprogrammet efter år1. Fokus ligger på hur det pedagogiska ledarskapet påverkas när rektor går utbildningen. Med rektor avses i denna uppsats den person på skolan/förskolan som är chef för lärarna/förskolelärarna och övrig personal, och som har uppdraget att leda verksamheten så att lärarna kan genomföra sitt uppdrag, d.v.s. att utifrån skolans mål säkerställa att eleverna når målen. Detta kan alltså även vara en biträdande rektor, en förskolechef eller en biträdande förskolechef. Med upplevda effekter avses den upplevelse av förändring vad gäller erfarenheter, kunskaper och lärdomar som rektorerna tar med sig från utbildningen. Studien undersöker inte de faktiska effekter som rektors utbildning leder till ute på skolorna eller om den leder till förbättrade resultat. Denna uppsats baseras på textanalys av reflekterande brev som skrivits av deltagare som påbörjade Rektorsprogrammet vid två lärosäten våren 2014. Detta görs genom ett hermeneutiskt förhållningssätt med en narrativ ansats. Den narrativa ansatsen innebär att, genom rektorernas brev, försöka fånga den betydelse rektorerna tillskriver sina erfarenheter från utbildningen. Dessa brev är förankrade i rektorernas kontext som skapats genom deras interaktion med sin omgivning i vardagen. Den narrativa ansatsen ökar förståelsen för rektorernas subjektiva upplevelse av utbildningen. Med hjälp av två perspektiv: pedagogiskt ledarskap och vuxnas lärande har empirin sedan analyserats med hjälp av ett raster i form av en ledarskapsmodell som bygger på en teoretisk modell där ledarskap förstås som något som tar gestalt relationellt i skärningspunkten där Ledare, Följare och Situation möts. Denna analys av breven visar att det första året av rektorsutbildningen primärt ger rektorerna allmänt ökad kunskap som de tillämpar i sina skolor och använder/sprider i verksamheten och att detta gör att rektorerna känner sig säkrare i rollen som ledare. Under det första året på Rektorsprogrammet handlar detta primärt om juridiska aspekter av ledarskapet. Det är tydligt att rektorerna upplever att de har stärkts i rollen som pedagogiska ledare under år 1 vid Rektorsprogrammet. Resultatet av denna studie visar att det inte primärt handlar om att via utbildningen ge rektorerna ökade ämneskunskaper utan snarare om att utveckla det pedagogiska ledarskapet och därmed skapa säkrare och bättre rektorer. / This thesis investigates what effects a number of Swedish school principals experience during the first year of the National School Leadarship Training Programme, focusing on how the educational leadership is affected by the education. The term principal refers to the person at a school/pre-school designated to lead the organization and enabling the teachers/pre-school teachers and staff to do their work, i.e. to make the students reach the educational goals. The term experienced effects refers to the sense of change in experiences and knowledge that the principals gain from the education. The thesis does not take into account the actual effects of the education at the principal’s organizations or if it leads to improved school results. This thesis is based on the analysis of reflective letters written by participants who started the programme at two different universities during the spring of 2014. This is done by applying a hermeneutic and narrative approach. The narrative approach means that, by analyzing the principals’ letters, try to capture the meaning that they attribute to their experiences from the education. These letters are based in the context of each principal which has been created through their interaction with the surrounding environment in the daily work. The narrative approach increases the understanding for the principals’ subjective experience of the education. By using two different perspectives: educational leadership and adult education, the material has been analyzed by using a raster in the shape of a leadership model based on the assumption that leadership can be understood as something that is taking relational form at the point of intersection between Leader, Follower and Situation. This analysis shows that the first year of the education primarily provides the principals with increased general knowledge which they apply in practice in their respective organizations and that this increased knowledge makes the principals feel stronger in their role as leaders. During the first year of the programme this general knowledge primarily relates to legal aspects of leadership. It is evident that the principals experience that they have developed as educational leaders during the first year of the National School Leadership Training Programme. This thesis indicates that the main effect of the program is not to increase the principals’ knowledge in specific areas, but to develop the educational leadership and thus create more confident and better principals.

本篇論文藉由探討主題推進類型 (thematic progression patterns)與凝結關係 (cohesive ties) 在高中英文教科書課文的呈現以及在英文大學入學考試試題 (綜合測驗，文意選填，篇章結構) 上的應用，來提倡篇章結構的閱讀方法；希望在英文閱讀方面能有啟發的功效。首先，高中英文教科書中敘述文和說明文類型的文章被挑選出來作分析。為了解釋文章的主題發展，功能語法觀點 (Functional Sentence Perspective) 的語言學家Daneš提出四個主題推進類型，分別為Type 1: Simple Linear TP，Type 2: TP with a continuous (constant) theme，Type 3: TP with derived T’s，Type 4: Exposition of a Split Rheme。Cloran另外建議兩個主題推進類型Type 5: Theme > Rheme 和Type 6: Rheme > Rheme。這六種主題推進類型再加上由Halliday and Hasan所提出的五種凝結關係 (cohesive ties, i.e. reference, substitution, ellipsis, conjunction, and lexical cohesion) 被用來分析上述的文章並且應用在英文大學入學考試試題的解題。研究發現除了上述六種預設的主題推進類型之外，第七種類型被歸為Referential Type，涉及指稱詞 this和that 的使用。其他的發現敘述如下：在高中英文教科書文章分析方面，Type 1和Type 2出現的頻率最多，第二多是Type 5 and Type 6；Referential Type排名出現頻率的第三名，而Type 4少見，Type 3最罕見.。另外，在英文大學入學考試試題的應用方面，結果亦大致符合上述。至於凝結關係 (cohesive ties) 的頻率，指稱詞 (reference)，尤其是人稱代名詞出現最多次，字彙 (lexicon) 次之，然而大部份都是相同字 (same word or repetition) 的一再重複出現；其他字彙的呈現，如同義詞 (synonym)、反義詞 (antonym)、搭配詞 (collocation)、統領詞 (superordinate) 等稍嫌不足。 / Because little attention has been paid to the explicit teaching of text structure in local senior high schools, this present study analyzes the reading texts to explore how students are exposed to expositive and narrative text types and how the text is structured. Reading texts are selected from textbooks for senior high school students and then theme categories, thematic progression types and cohesive devices are analyzed. Combined Daneš’s theory with Cloran’s suggestion, the following six types of thematic progression (TP) are identified: Type 1, Rheme>Theme pattern (> means ‘followed by’); Type 2, Theme>Theme pattern; Type 3, Split Theme; Type 4, Split Rheme; Type 5, Theme>Rheme pattern; and Type 6, Rheme>Rheme pattern. Besides, five cohesive ties (i.e. reference, substitution, ellipsis, conjunction, and lexical cohesion) proposed by Halliday and Hasan are identified as clue to trace the progression. Next, evidence is found to decode gapped passages in Integrative Test (綜合測驗, i.e. Cloze Test), Semantic Choice (文意選填), and Discourse Structure (篇章結構). Besides the presupposed six progression patterns mentioned above, one more type is found and categorized as Referential Type. The progression of Referential Type involves the use of cohesive device this or that. The findings are presented as follows: In the analysis of reading texts in EFL textbooks, thematic progression of Type 1 R>T and Type 2 T>T predominates the frequency of occurrence, while thematic progression of Type 5 T>R and Type 6 R>R follows behind, and Referential Type ranks third in terms of frequency, followed by Type 4 Split R outnumbering Type 3 Split T. Furthermore, while applying to the analysis of test passages, the outcome of progression types is roughly correspondent with what is mentioned above. As for cohesive ties, reference predominates the frequency of occurrence, followed by lexicon. Of all the cohesive devices, items of personal reference are found to appear most frequently, and then the second most are items of the same word. Through the exploration and analysis of thematic progression and cohesive devices, it is hoped that students’ awareness of textual organization will be enhanced and thus help activate efficient reading.

Our cultural orientation informs our fundamental understandings of health. It has the potential to guide how we define health, how we understand the determinants of well-being, and how we respond to illness. For researchers, the recognition of this reality is central to not only how we interpret our findings, but also to the ways in which we develop the approach, questions, and methods central to our research. The Old Order Mennonites and Amish are a culturally, ethnically, and religiously distinct population existing within the North American society. This thesis sought to improve upon previous health-related research on this population by asking several basic questions: Among Old Order Mennonites and Amish, how is health perceived and 'good health' understood? What are the perceptions of the determinants of health? How is illness perceived? What is the response to illness? And how does culture relate to health in the Old Order community? A hermeneutical approach was adopted to address these questions and a qualitative textual analysis of an Old Order magazine, <i>Family Life</i>, completed. To allow the voices of community members to guide understandings, a broad approach to health was adopted throughout the examination of two years of the publication (2001, 2000). Findings indicate that in the <i>Family Life</i> writings health is primarily defined by an individual's ability to fulfill his or her role. A focus on nutrition and reproduction dominated discussions of the determinants of physical health and an individual's relationship with God was viewed by many as the central source of mental health or illness. Emotionally, analysis suggests that individuals may have a range of responses to illness including a desire to accept the experience of illness as a part of God's plan, a struggle to find this acceptance, and the incorporation of community and Divine support throughout this pursuit. Behaviourally, health information appears to be transferred through a variety of mediums including health practitioners, community members, and advertisements. Individuals expressed concern with appearing too quick to seek professional medical care and may incorporate a range of considerations into the decision of whether to begin, continue, or end medical treatments. The textual analysis indicated that a mixture of methods may be adopted for achieving health. Individuals appear to care for themselves through home remedies or non-medical measures (including alternative treatments) for as long as possible. In situations of acute physical illness, however, there appears to be comfort with seeking formal medical care. Amidst limited discussion of a physiological root of mental illness, analysis suggested that the main method of treating mental illness is refocusing concentration toward God rather than the self. In consideration of the cultural understandings guiding these submissions related to health and illness, there were two primary themes. The first is that God determines life and is an active and present force in the lives of individuals. The second theme is that the community responds to this belief in God's defining role in particular ways. More specifically, the Old Order orientation to life which includes a deferment of individual will to that of the authority of God and Community (<i>Gelassenheit</i>) and appreciation for a set of rules guiding behaviour (<i>Ordnung</i>), directs discussions and understandings of health in culturally-unique ways. Overall, this study highlighted the distinct ways in which cultural perspective guides understandings of health and illness within the Old Order community.

La tesi intende fornire un contributo agli studi sulle modalità di lettura e di analisi dei testi messe in atto dagli autori cristiani del secondo secolo, in costante confronto con le stesse pratiche applicate dai contemporanei rappresentanti delle élites intellettuali non cristiane. La testualità riveste un ruolo centrale nel processo di formazione di un’identità cristiana e nella costruzione di un discorso che ne sia espressione e legittimazione. Ci si propone, dunque, di approfondire se e quanto la definizione di una normatività testuale, specificamente cristiana, sia debitrice a un confronto che si svolge a livello della lettura come base per l’interpretazione di un testo. I passi selezionati seguono la scansione dei diversi momenti di analisi testuale propri della τέχνη γραμματική: i dibattiti in merito alle variae lectiones, agli errori grafici e alle interpolazioni volontarie dei copisti, l’uso della tropologia, le riflessioni sulla dispositio e sull’ordo verborum, lo studio degli etimi, le valutazioni morfologiche e sintattiche. Questo metodo favorisce un tentativo di campionatura dei testi volto a far emergere l’utilizzo delle modalità di lettura tradizionali nelle opere degli autori cristiani del secondo secolo. / This thesis aims at contributing to the studies on reading practices of text analysis applied in the second century by Christian authors, in comparison with the same tools used by contemporary non-Christian intellectuals. Textuality had a key role in the process of formation of Christian identity and construction of the discourse through which Christianism was expressed and legitimized. It is therefore important to examine how textual debates influenced the constitution of a normative canon of Scriptures. The selected passages are gathered according to the different steps of text analysis in ancient grammar: discussions on variae lectiones, graphic errors and voluntary interpolations made by copyists, the use of tropology, reflections on dispositio and ordo verborum, studies in etymology, morphological and syntactic analysis. This method fosters an attempt to textual sampling in order to identify the use of traditional reading practices in the works of second-century Christian authors.

The Volkswagen emissions scandal is one of the largest CSR crises in recent times given its scope and severity. From the outset, the manner in which Volkswagen has addressed the crisis and how it is going to be solved has been subject to public scrutiny. This study set out to examine the crisis communication in Volkswagen’s sustainability magazine Shift from 2016 featuring Volkswagen together with some of its internal and external stakeholders like the management and customers to find out what strategies were used by the company to repair its reputation and to assess the success of these strategies. Additionally, of interest was to compare the viewpoints of external stakeholders to that of Volkswagen, while also to investigate what kind of actors and opinions of the crisis that were presented. To answer these questions, a strategic selection of texts from the magazine were analysed through a qualitative text analysis. The theoretical perspectives consisted of the two crisis communication theories of image repair theory and situational crisis communication theory. The findings of the study indicate that the strategies used by Volkswagen to address the crisis do not seem very successful in general. Even if the most common strategy by Volkswagen is to discuss potential solutions to the crisis, these solutions are mainly oriented towards solving the crisis in a long-term perspective through a development of new vehicles. The biggest difference in comparison to external stakeholders is that they instead seem more concerned with solving the crisis in a shorter perspective through increased compensation to customers, for instance. Another finding is that a preference for more elitist stakeholders in the magazine could be due to a strategic choice by Volkswagen to avoid unfavourable reviews and use leaders as a tool for inspiring change. The main conclusion of the study is that work still needs to be done before Volkswagen can claim to have achieved a shift in the company’s sustainability communication. To do so, Volkswagen needs to take more responsibility for the crisis and to pay even more attention to the opinions of its different stakeholder groups.

This essay is an analysis of Brian Wood's Viking epic Northlanders, published by Vertigo/DC between the years of 2007-2012. The aim is to identify how Old Norse faith and Christianity are portrayed. This is done by using the theory of representation as developed by Stuart Hall and putting them into the historical context of a postmodern, secular western world of thought. The research shows a wide variety of religiosity in both Norse and Christian characters. Some common trends have been identified though, and these are a general appreciation of physical strength within the Norse religion and a general tendency in Norse religion to explain natural phenomena and to have fatalistic leanings while Christianity rather seeks to offer comfort in times of need. The results also show that one of the greater roles Christianity plays in Northlanders is contributing to, or sometimes forcing a societal change, while the practitioners of the Norse faith tend to lean toward stability. There is also a tendency to present the northerners as outcasts, while the Christian counterparts are part of an establishment.

Color (sub)Conscious explores the African American female's experience with colorism. Divided into three distinct sections. The first section is a literary analysis of such works as Toni Morrison's The Bluest Eye, Gloria Naylor's The Women of Brewster Place, Maya Angelou's I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings and Alice Walker's "If the Present Looks Like the Past, What Does the Future Look Like?" an essay from her collection In Search of Our Mothers' Gardens. The second section is a research project based on data gathered from 12 African American females willing to share their own experiences and insights on colorism. The final section is a creative non-fiction piece of the author's own personal pain growing up and living with the lasting effects of colorism.