Middagsbjudningen är en grupp och ett konstprojekt. Middagsbjudningen är feministiska händelser, rumsligheter och samtal. Middagsbjudningen är snälla men skeva gemenskaper. I den bästa av tjejvärldar är en scenisk triptyk som uppfördes parallellt, och i olika städer, under våren 2014. Scenkonstkollektivet PotatoPotato har bjudit upp Teater Trots och Maria – som i sin tur bjöd med Middagsbjudningen – för att utifrån ett akut behov av att undfly all patriarkal och kapitalistisk skit istället undersöka hur det skulle vara om vi omkullkastat samhällets värdesystem där strävan efter makt, vinst och effektivitet slagit rot. Kan vi istället gro en värld där feminina värden – det mjuka, det sinnliga, det icke-framstegsinriktade och det kollektiva - är rådande norm? Vi hänger oss åt misslyckanden och sårbarhet samt dricker rosa bubbel på en kulle under soluppgången. I den bästa av tjejvärldar eller Femininiteter som potential är den sjunde Middagbjudningen och genomfördes 26-28 mars 2014 i Stockholm. / [Abstract till utställningen: (Some) Legendary Lesbians / Akt 2 / Middagsbjudningen: I den bästa av tjejvärldar]: (SOME) LEGENDARY LESBIANS är pub-quiz, arkiv och glitterscen. Sedan hösten 2013 har jag begärligt cruisat Storbrittaniens lesbiska arkiv. Allra längst in öppnar jag en kartong märkt ’JF’. Från vykort, foton och en opublicerad självbiografi skriven på baksidan av gasräkningar tar en delvis dold berättelse om ’JF’ – Jackie Forster, Mega Being, Jacqueline McKenzie, Straight Thespian och Roaring Leasbian – form.Performance 45 minAffischer MIDDAGSBJUDNINGEN: I den bästa av tjejvärldar. Urlessa att tvingas svara på frågor vi inte har formulerat låter vi nu varma värden skölja över oss. Hårda bakgator blir till mjuka mattor. Kalla lysrör blir till en rituell ljussammankomst. Det doftar honung och vanilj. I Middagsbjudningen känntänker vi kring kring de värden som ofta inte får ta plats: Det sinnliga, det kollektiva, det icke-resultatinriktade och det oekonomiska. Installation och dokumentation AKT 2. Lukta på väggarna! En 11 min lång ljudguide. [Material: Sirap, video, glitter, akryl, tusch, tequila rose, dofthängen, ipods, handspeglar, liggunderlag, textil etc.] [Teknik: Performance, installation, affisch, ljud, text] / <p>Text av Louise Blad. Form av Andrea Berglund, Filippa Hanzon, Louise Blad och Maria Jennefelt. Essän finns i två original som har skannats och printats. [I examensarbetet ingår utställningen: (Some) Legendary Lesbians / Akt 2 / Middagsbjudningen: I den bästa av tjejvärldar].</p>

Woman monks are not uncommon to find in Coptic and other hagiographic literature. They were described to dress into male attire and travel to anchoritic monasteries where they would get a single cell to devote their lives to God through seclusion, prayers, fasting, meditation, studies, and other daily chores, all the while not being known as women by most of the men in their brethren. It was a tough life for a man and it would have been a tough life for a woman. In this study, five hagiographies about woman monks will be examined: three Coptic, one Christian, and one found in both traditions. These women performed miracles and went through changes in both body and mind. The woman Hilaria is one of the most popular saints in Coptic belief and her story is the corner stone of this thesis. Her legend is also considered to be one of the oldest and might be the origin of these kinds of stories, which makes it remarkable on its own. Nonetheless, four other female saints will be examined to find what this essay seeks to answer: What are these women, as women, doing and why? What is the meaning of these stories? Why do they go to anchoritic monasteries? Are we dealing with portraying ideals on Coptic and Christian women? These are some of the questions that this essay is based upon. It combines Egyptological, Christian, literary, as well as gender research for a relevant and fresh view on these texts and their meaning. / Kvinnliga munkar är inte ovanliga att hitta i koptisk och annan hagiografisk litteratur. De klädde sig i manliga kläder och reste till anakoretiska kloster där de fick en cell för att viga sitt liv åt Gud genom avskildhet, böner, fastande, meditation, studier och andra vardagliga sysslor, allt medan de flesta av männen i deras brödraskap inte visste att de var kvinnor. Det var ett hårt liv för en man och det var ett hårt liv för en kvinna. I den här studien kommer fem hagiografier om kvinnomunkar att undersökas: tre koptiska, en kristen och en som återfinns i både traditioner. Dessa kvinnor utfärdade mirakel och gick igenom förändringar i både kropp och sinne. Kvinnan Hilaria är ett av de mest populära helgonen inom koptiskt trosväsende, och hennes historia är hörnpelaren i denna uppsats. Hennes legend anses också vara en av de äldsta och kanske ursprunget till dessa sorts historier, vilket gör den enastående i sig själv. Trots det kommer fyra andra kvinnliga helgon att undersökas för att hitta de svar som denna uppsats söker: Vad gör dessa kvinnor som kvinnor, och varför? Vad betyder dessa historier? Varför går de till anakoretiska kloster? Har vi att göra med porträtterande av ideal för koptiska och kristna kvinnor? Dessa är några av de frågor som denna uppsats bygger på. Den kombinerar egyptologiska, kristna, litteratur- och genusstudier för ett relevant och färskt perspektiv på dessa texter och deras betydelse.

L’œuvre poétique d’Alfred Tennyson est cyclique. La répétition des mots, des thèmes et des personnages lui confère une dimension autoréférentielle. Le retour des refrains crée un effet de ressassement formel. Cette œuvre se concentre sur elle-même au point de s’affranchir des formes et des genres poétiques existants, à la recherche d’un langage qui lui est propre. L’écriture se prend elle-même pour objet et pour fin. La mélancolie au cœur de bien des poèmes devient un prétexte à écrire toujours plus car la dynamique de la sublimation mélancolique s’apparente au fonctionnement même du langage poétique, déploiement de signes autour d’un centre absent. Derrière la magie de la griserie du verbe, point pourtant le regard critique du poète qui se pose sur la société de son temps et se cristallise autour de la figure de la femme. Le texte poétique se redéfinit finalement comme un espace de différence où se donne à voir et à entendre la capacité (pro)créatrice d’une écriture « au féminin ». / Alfred Tennyson’s poetical work is cyclical. The recurrence of words, themes and characters confers a self-referential dimension on it. The return of refrains creates a sense of formal repetitiousness. As they concentrate on their own working, the texts free themselves from existing poetical forms and genres, looking for a language of their own. The recurring theme of melancholy becomes a pretext to keep writing: the sublimation of the impossible work of mourning reveals something of the essence of poetical language as the proliferation of signs around a void. The poet’s critical vision of his society nevertheless appears behind his delight in the resources of language as he focuses on feminine characters. The poetical text is finally redefined as a space of difference where the feminine (pro)creative power of Tennyson’s poetical language can be heard and seen.

Les romanciers français de la première moitié du dix-huitième siècle, en privilégiant ledéveloppement de la figure féminine, participent à l’évolution du motif héroïque hérité des sièclesprécédents.L’héroïne de roman est confrontée, au même titre que le héros, aux circonstances dans lesquellesun comportement d’ordre héroïque se décide. Mais il se révèle intéressant de constater l’illustrationambiguë de ce nouveau mérite : la peinture d’une élite féminine côtoie l’évocation d’une immoralitécondamnable. La difficulté est alors de distinguer les sources de cette ambiguïté : réside-t-elle dans lecomportement de l’héroïne ou dans sa représentation dans le récit ?Examiner l’existence d’un héroïsme au féminin, c’est avant tout essayer de mettre en évidence lemode de création du personnage féminin et s’interroger sur son identité romanesque. Le personnageféminin dans le roman de la première moitié du dix-huitième siècle est, en effet, à découvrir au-delàdes contradictions et des incohérences qui nourrissent son portrait.C’est à travers la découverte des constantes, des parentés et des rapprochements entre desromanciers comme Challe, Prévost, Marivaux et Crébillon que l’on peut envisager la problématiquehéroïque du personnage féminin : l’héroïne, d’origine incertaine, séduite, trompée (ou croyant l’être),est toujours victime de sa condition. Une esthétique de la figure féminine que l’on peut retrouver chezcertains romanciers contemporains de ces auteurs par exemple Madame de Tencin, Madame deGraffigny, Montesquieu, Duclos et Mouhy / The French novelists of the first half of the eighteenth century, emphasizing the development of thefeminine, play an important role in the evolution of the heroic pattern inherited from previous centuries.The heroine of the novel, as well as the hero, faces circumstances which require a heroic response.This new merit is, however, ambiguously illustrated: the painting of a female elite includes a hint ofcondemnable immorality. The difficulty is then to distinguish the sources of this ambiguity: does itbelong to the heroine’s behavior or does it reside in its representation in the narrative?To examine the existence of a feminine heroism is first of all to try to highlight the mode of creationof the female character and to question its novelistic identity. The female character in the French novelof the early eighteenth century leaves much to be discovered beyond her portrait’s contradictions andincoherences.By examining the constants, relationships and parallels between novelists such as Challe, Prévost,Marivaux and Crébillon we can better understand the problem of the heroic female character: theheroine, of uncertain origins, seduced, deceived (or believing to be), is always a victim of hercondition. An aesthetics of the female figure is also found in the works of Madame de Tencin, Madamede Graffigny, Montesquieu, Duclos and Mouhy

This research study primarily explored the experiences and views of people with personal experience of adoption who have used post-adoption services delivered by a user-led organisation, the West Midlands Post Adoption Service (WMPAS). It sought to answer a number of questions about the work of a post-adoption agency. The key theoretical perspectives that informed the study were feminist, indigenous, Black and critical anti-racist, lesbian, emancipatory (research that is designed to enhance the power of service users), child-centred and evaluative research. This led to making WMPAS users' perceptions and experiences central to the research, and a commitment to hearing a range of different voices, in particular those who have hitherto been silenced. The study used a multi-method approach comprising qualitative methods, in the main. A design stage of user involvement was followed by: an analysis of initial enquiries; collecting data on the use of the WMPAS Support Groups; a postal survey of support group users; in-depth interviews with 41 WMPAS users; and specially designed work with an adopted child who had used WMPAS services. In addition, two focus groups with actual and potential users belonging to two marginalised groups were held: lesbian, gay and bisexual users and Black birth relatives. Key findings include that most users described great difficulty in accessing appropriate post-adoption services. However, the majority evaluated WMPAS services positively, particularly valuing the quality of relationship with WMPAS workers. Many said that the service had helped significantly with their mental health and with feelings about self. They identified multiple ways in which receiving a service had made a difference to their lives. The study highlighted the perspectives of several silenced groups: adoptees abused within their adoptive families: disabled, lesbian, gay and bisexual users: transracially adopted adults and Black birth relatives. It suggested ways for refining and developing service provision.

The sense of humour is a uniquely human skill and understanding humour is an important and rewarding part of social interaction. This thesis begins by discussing the definition of humour, followed by a review of the evidence we have that humour is an evolved and adaptive behaviour. Humour may play an important role in helping individuals to bond and signal cooperation, which may be further communicated by the humour style which is used to communicate. Research has also demonstrated that humour is an attractive quality in a mate, though the precise reasons for this are currently debated (Chapter 1). Empirical work in the first section of the thesis is consistent with evidence demonstrating that humour is attractive and sexually selected for. Chapter 2 tests the influence of modality and relationship context in an effort to further our understanding of why humour is attractive and provides evidence that more attractive people are rated as being funnier than less attractive people. Humour was also found to be more attractive for short-term relationships than long-term relationships, possibly due to the similarity between funniness and flirtatiousness. In Chapter 3, attractiveness ratings of vignettes in the style of personal advertisements, which contained either aggressive or affiliative humour, demonstrated the importance of humour style. An affiliative humour style was more attractive for long-term relationships whereas an aggressive humour style was more attractive for short-term relationships. Further testing provided evidence that humour styles were associated with personality traits which are highly relevant in a mating context, helping to explain the functions of different humour styles. The second section of the thesis examines the relationship between humour, cooperation, and dominance as an alternative explanation for the evolution of humour. Chapter 4 contains an extended introduction to the physical, verbal, and nonverbal cues to dominance and the sex differences that exist in expressive behaviours. Chapter 5 continues this theme and elaborates further on the function of humour in group situations, before providing empirical evidence of how humour is used in the context of a competitive ‘desert-island’ style conversation between same-sex dyads. Chapter 6 further expands on this line of research as empirical evidence presented in this chapter demonstrates that males may be using humour as a way of communicating the desire to cooperate with other males who are of a similar level of dominance. The communication of dominance is further examined in Chapter 7, where ethological evidence showed that males who were more physically dominant tended to knock doors with greater frequency than males who were less physically dominant. In the final chapter of the thesis (Chapter 8), the evolution of humour is discussed in light of the evidence presented in Chapters 2-7. The thesis presents evidence to suggest that humour production is an important skill for males for two reasons. Firstly, a good sense of humour is a highly attractive quality to females and may be a cue to genetic quality or good partner qualities, depending on the humour style used. Secondly, it may be important for males to use humour to signal cooperation to other males in order to form alliances. In females, the evidence presented in the thesis suggests that humour production may be a way for females to demonstrate romantic interest or flirtatiousness but the function of humour use between females remains largely inconclusive.

The purpose of the present study was to investigate the relationship between ease of discussion of sexual likes and dislikes with a sexual partner and religious, expressive, and affectional influences in the family of origin.

Battered women's perceptions of gender roles within the family were studied. Twenty white, working-class women who were victims of domestic violence were interviewed. It was determined that battered women have very traditional views of gender roles in the family and these views affected the choices that they made within their relationships and their ability to escape these abusive relationships.

This thesis examined student-participants' self-reported use of romantic relational maintenance strategies and their partners' reports of relational satisfaction. Additionally, individuals outside the romantic relationship reported on student-participants' general communicator style. The research proposed that general style reports would be predictive of relational maintenance strategy usage and of romantic partners' relational satisfaction. The study found that general style behaviors may not be indicative of relational maintenance strategy usage or romantic partners' relational satisfaction. Tests of sex differences revealed that females' expression of various relational maintenance strategies and style behaviors are associated with male partners' relational satisfaction; however, no results were obtained indicating specific behaviors expressed by males result in female partners' relational satisfaction.

This thesis examined 199 college students' reported use of relational maintenance strategies and their reports of the occurrence of sexual communication strategies within the relationship with their partners' reported relational satisfaction.