1,191 research outputs found

    Humour in fifteenth-century France: a study of visual evidence

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    Humour in Fifteenth-Century France: A Study of Visual Evidence is an investigation of the development of humour in late medieval France, as expressed in the visual arts. The research identifies and examines comic themes in Valois visual culture through analysis of three case studies. The first is the new iconography for the comedies of Terence, created in the early fifteenth century for the Duke of Berry and the Valois Princes (BnF Lat. 7907A and Arsenal Ms-664 réserve). The second is the manuscript of René d’Anjou’s Livre du Coeur d’Amour Épris (ÖNB Cod. Vind. 2597). The third is the only extant fifteenth-century illuminated manuscript of the Cent Nouvelles Nouvelles (GUL Ms Hunter 252 [U.4.10]). The special emphasis on the arts of the book allows for a discussion of the illuminations in relation to the text they intend to illustrate. Each of these works offers a distinct contribution to the topic by presenting a rich variety of material and different shades, types and forms of humour expressed pictorially. Their nature as manuscripts involves a personal dimension, which narrows their intended audience to specific and well researched historic personalities, facilitating the reconstruction of their tastes, pleasures and sense of humour. Thus, these works permit insights into how humour was expressed, understood and appreciated, and they allow for a nuanced discussion on the comedic and the nature of visuality in late medieval France. Each of the investigated manuscripts has been studied previously, yet their visual humour has not been addressed as an independent and intentional artistic creation with the specific function of provoking amusement and laughter. This thesis is the first such investigation of humour in visual culture for this period, addressing the lacuna in scholarship and showing that there is a rich diversity of visual material that merits analysis. It argues that pictorial expressions of humour became an important focus for leading creative artists in France through the course of the fifteenth century, and it contextualises this art historical phenomenon within the intellectual, social and political history that surrounded it. The reconstruction of the circumstances in which works of art were made, displayed and understood highlights the changes in the prospective audiences for these works, and the ways different viewers engaged and appreciated humour expressed visually. As well as providing new insights into the patrons, this thesis discusses the artists’ approach towards their text of reference, their inventions, innovations and creative impulses. In doing so, the investigation highlights a close connection with theatre and performance, and it identifies the printing industry as a contributing factor for the diffusion of comic iconography. Studying humour is important because it determines social boundaries and functions as a barometer of social, political, sexual and ethical sensibilities. Humour in Fifteenth-Century France: A Study of Visual Evidence addresses a variety of media and permits a closer reading of the role of humour and its functions in Valois France and in Western Europe in the later Middle Ages, expanding our understanding of late medieval concepts of visuality and appreciation of the image

    A new global media order? : debates and policies on media and mass communication at UNESCO, 1960 to 1980

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    Defence date: 24 June 2019Examining Board: Professor Federico Romero, European University Institute (Supervisor); Professor Corinna Unger, European University Institute (Second Reader); Professor Iris Schröder, Universität Erfurt (External Advisor); Professor Sandrine Kott, Université de GenèveThe 1970s, a UNESCO report claimed, would be the “communication decade”. UNESCO had started research on new means of mass communication for development purposes in the 1960s. In the 1970s, the issue evolved into a debate on the so-called “New World Information and Communication Order” (NWICO) and the democratisation of global media. It led UNESCO itself into a major crisis in the 1980s. My project traces a dual trajectory that shaped this global debate on transnational media. The first follows communications from being seen as a tool and goal of national development in the 1960s, to communications seen as catalyst for recalibrated international political, cultural and economic relations. The second relates to the recurrent attempts, and eventual failure, of various actors to engage UNESCO as a platform to promote a new global order. I take UNESCO as an observation post to study national ambitions intersecting with internationalist claims to universality, changing understandings of the role of media in development and international affairs, and competing visions of world order. Looking at the modes of this debate, the project also sheds light on the evolving practices of internationalism. Located in the field of a new international history, this study relates to the recent rediscovery of the “new order”-discourses of the 1970s as well as to the increasingly diversified literature on internationalism. With its focus on international communications and attempts at regulating them, it also contributes to an international media history in the late twentieth century. The emphasis on the role of international organisations as well as on voices from the Global South will make contributions to our understanding of the historic macro-processes of decolonisation, globalisation and the Cold War

    Chatbots for Modelling, Modelling of Chatbots

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    Tesis Doctoral inédita leída en la Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Escuela Politécnica Superior, Departamento de Ingeniería Informática. Fecha de Lectura: 28-03-202

    Voces caleidoscópicas : sopranos de coloratura españolas en la Edad de Plata (1890-1930)

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    Tesis inédita de la Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Facultad de Geografía e Historia, leída el 04-11-2022Esta tesis doctoral se centra en siete sopranos de coloratura de la Edad de Plata española: Josefina Huguet (1871-1951), María Galvany (1878-1927), María Barrientos (1884-1946), Graziella Pareto (1889-1973), Elvira de Hidalgo (1891-1980), Ángeles Ottein (1895-1981) y Mercedes Capsir (1897-1969). El objetivo principal de este estudio es baremar su repercusión en la historia de la ópera nacional e internacional a nivel musical y cultural. Se trata de siete cantantes de repercusión internacional que actuaron en los mejores escenarios de ópera —como el Teatro alla Scala de Milán, el Teatro Colón de Buenos Aires o el Metropolitan Opera House de Nueva York— como protagonistas de las óperas que representaban. Estas prima donne, hoy prácticamente en la sombra del interés académico, fueron celebridades modernas y cosmopolitas que recorrieron los circuitos operísticos de la época y se granjearon grandes fortunas y éxitos. La tesis se focaliza en tres bloques para abarcar su labor: el primer bloque se centra en la consideración de estas cantantes y en su movilidad como artistas cosmopolitas. En otras palabras, se tratan los debates existentes en torno a esta tipología vocal y al futuro del bel canto como repertorio y como estilo vocal a nivel internacional; también se trata la primacía de la diva como figura escénica a comienzos de siglo y su tránsito por diversos escenarios, haciendo uso de los estudios de caso de estas cantantes...This PhD is focused on seven coloratura sopranos of the beggining of the twentieth century, namely Josefina Huguet (1871-1951), María Galvany (1878-1927), María Barrientos (1884-1946), Graziella Pareto (1889-1973), Elvira de Hidalgo (1891-1980), Ángeles Ottein (1895-1981) y Mercedes Capsir (1897-1969).These singers achieved an international resounding success at the best opera theatres of the world such as Teatro alla Scala in Milan, Metropolitan Opera House of New York or Teatro Colón in Buenos Aires. Despite having faded into the academic oblivion, they were in the limelight as they were prima donne and performed the main characters of most of the operas they sang at that time.The PhD is structured in three sections: the fist one is focused on the ongoing debates around opera, and mainly bel canto and the role played by the coloratura sopranos in that context. On the other hand, several study cases are shown to reflect on cosmopolitanism and mobility which were essential areas of coloratura sopranos’ careers...Fac. de Geografía e HistoriaTRUEunpu

    Método de identificación de activos de información y conocimiento críticos para la gestión y gobierno de las organizaciones en la era digital

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    El presente documento ha sido estructurado en seis secciones, donde: Sección 1, presenta una introducción a este trabajo de tesis doctoral donde se indica lo que ha motivado a sus autores a desarrollarla, los objetivos que persigue y las aportaciones que brinda a las organizaciones o grupos de investigación. Sección 2, presenta un estado de la cuestión en el que se examinan las principales contribuciones en áreas relacionadas con esta investigación. Sección 3, presenta el desarrollo de la solución propuesta, donde se describen los materiales y métodos que se han examinado y utilizado. Sección 4, presenta un análisis de la aplicación de esta propuesta en dos casos reales con información accesible. Sección 5, presenta las conclusiones y trabajos futuros relacionados con esta investigación. La sección 6 presenta las referencias bibliográficas utilizadas en este documentoPrograma de Doctorado en Ciencia y Tecnología Informática por la Universidad Carlos III de MadridPresidenta: Ana María Moreno Sánchez-Capuchino.- Secretario: Germán Lenin Dugarte Peña.- Vocal: Francisco Javier Gil Rubi

    Security Elites in Egypt and Jordan after the Arab Spring : A Case Study on Securocracies’ Role on National Security, Domestic Power Politics, Regional Order and Middle Eastern Alliance Making between 2011 and 2021

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    The doctoral dissertation studied changes in the balance of power, alliance making and the hegemonic struggles of security elites within a Middle Eastern regional context over a ten year reference period between 2011 and 2021. The study focused on two case study countries: Egypt and Jordan. The results were compared within a historical context to the pre-Arab Spring era. The theoretical approach combined the English School of Thought and Middle Eastern Studies with a conceptual model of securocracy developed by the author. The primary contribution of the research is the realization of the core importance of securocracy within autocratic state systems. Inside securocracies there exists rivalling groups and organisations that counterbalance each other. The study points to the fact that the power struggle between executive powers – either purely domestic one or supported by foreign involvement, is the main driver behind why case study countries were in varying degrees dragged into instability and turmoil in the aftermath of the Arab Spring. Securocracies can be divided into two main types: centralised and decentralised. The centralised model occurs when different elites groups have the same ”distance” to the ruler while having equal privileges and equal access to political power. The model predicts durability and stability of the regime (status quo). In the de-centralised model, there is an ongoing struggle amongst elite groups and “distances” to ruler are not equal, neither are the privileges. In Egypt the hegemonic struggle amongst elites took precedence over the interests and stability of the state after the Arab Spring and has continued since then. The situation at the end of 2021 is a de-centralised model where all executive powers are concentrated within President al-Sisi’s family dynasty (palace) and the leadership of military intelligence. This de-centralised type of securocracy makes Egypt’s situation fragile. Any impact from the outside, such as the Biden administration’s decision to impose additional conditions on U.S. financial military aid, could lead to a new hegemonic struggle challenging al-Sisi’s power. The securocracy’s survival strategy found in the study was the use of vertical power at all levels of the state hierarchy (” the winner takes it all”). In the situation of a power struggle, the ruler uses omni-balancing i.e., alliance making with powerful foreign states in order to gain an advantage against domestic rivals and revisionist regional states. The Egyptian example is al-Sisi’s rapprochement with Russia’s President Putin and his distancing of Egypt from its previous role of being the United States’ loyal Middle Eastern ally. The Jordanian example however, is the opposite, resulting in even closer relations with the United States since January 2021 when the two countries signed an updated Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA). The study also highlights that decisions concerning ruler succession in authoritarian states take place behind-the-scenes amongst the securocracy as it, per rule, prefers to choose a member inside its own interest group or alternatively a political figurehead that commits to protect securocracy’s privileged interests in exchange of their own power position. Within the Middle East, the recent U.S. pivot to Asia-Pacific created an opportunity for Russia to make a come-back. Russia, however, does not have the resources to compensate for the loss of U.S. financial military aid to the security elites. This in turn, and with Russia’s consent, has given space for regional state actors, particularly, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi-Arabia, to increase their influence. Gulf support to the regional clients is not free of charge: they request their clients adopt their own threat perceptions, take sides in armed conflicts and contribute to military capabilities which support the sponsors’ regional foreign and security policy goals.Väitöstutkimuksessa tarkasteltiin kymmenen vuoden ajanjaksolla voimatasapainon muutosta Lähi-idän alueellisessa valtarakenteessa, liittolaissuhteiden muutoksia sekä turvallisuuseliittien roolia maan sisäisessä valtataistelussa. Tuloksia verrattiin historiallisessa kontekstissa arabikevättä edeltävään aikaan kahdessa tapaustutkimusmaassa: Egyptissä ja Jordaniassa. Teoriaviitekehyksenä sovellettiin Englantilaisen koulukunnan ja Lähi-idän tutkimuksen teoriamalleja, sekä tutkijan kehittelemää sekurokratian konseptuaalista mallia. Tutkimuksen keskeinen tulos on havainto sekurokratian merkittävästä roolista osana autoritaarista valtiomallia. Sekurokratian sisälle on luotu useita toinen toistaan tasapainottavia ryhmittymiä. Tapaustutkimusmaiden arabikevään jälkeisen turvallisuustilanteen muutoksia selittävien tekijöiden joukossa turvallisuuseliittien valtakamppailu nousi merkittävään rooliin. Valtakamppailua käytiin eliittien kesken joko pelkästään maan sisällä tai vaihtoehtoisesti osin myös valtion ulkopuolisten voimien tukemana. Tutkimuksen perusteella sekurokratiat voidaan jakaa kahteen päätyyppiin: keskitettyyn ja hajautettuun malliin. Jos eri turvallisuuseliitti-ryhmien edut, vallankäyttö ja etäisyys vallan keskipisteeseen ovat tasapainossa puhutaan keskitetyn sekurokratian mallista, mikä ennustaa vallassa olevan regiimin pysyvyyttä ja vakautta. Jos taas sekurokratian rakenne on hajautetun mallin mukainen, sen valtakamppailu voi johtaa yhden osan pyrkimyksiin hegemonia-asemasta. Egyptin tapauksessa arabikevään jälkeinen turvallisuuseliittien valtakamppailu asetettiin maan vakauden edelle ja eliittien valtakamppailu on jatkunut tähän päivään. Tilanteessa vuoden 2021 lopussa valta on al-Sisin perhedynastialla ja sotilastiedustelun eliitillä (hajautettu malli). Hajautettu malli ei ennusta pitkäaikaista vallassa pysymistä; vahva ulkopuolinen heräte, esimerkiksi Bidenin hallinnon sotilaallisen talousavun lopettaminen voisi johtaa uuteen valtakamppailuun ja al-Sisin valta-aseman haastamiseen. Tutkimustulokset osoittavat, että sekurokratoiden selviytymisstrategiana on vallanvertikaalin käyttö valtiohallinnon eri tasoilla. Valtakamppailun tilanteessa käytetään tasapainotusstrategiaa (omni-balancing), missä alueellisia vahvoja valtioita ja suurvaltoja pyritään yhdistämään hallitsijan puolelle kilpailevia eliittiryhmittymiä tai revisionistisia ulkovaltoja vastaan. Egyptissä presidentti al-Sisin valtaannousu johti maan lähentymiseen presidentti Putinin Venäjän kanssa sekä etääntymiseen aiemmasta Yhdysvalloille uskollisen Lähi-idän liittolaisen roolista. Jordaniassa puolestaan maa on nyt entistä tiiviimmin liittoutunut Yhdysvaltojen kanssa. Esimerkkinä tästä on tammikuussa 2021 maiden kesken solmittu sotilasyhteistyötä ja jordanialaisten tukikohtien käyttöä säätelevä isäntämaatuki-sopimus. Tutkimustulosten valossa autoritaariselle vallanperimykselle tyypillistä on se, että julkisuuteen näkymättömän sisäisen valtakamppailun jälkeen uudeksi valtionpäämieheksi pyritään nostamaan sekurokratian sisältä sen oman intressiryhmän edustaja, tai vaihtoehtoisesti sekurokratian valitsema ulkopuolinen poliitikko, jonka vastuulle korporaation intressien vaaliminen lankeaa vastapalveluksena sekurokratian tuesta keulakuva-poliitikon vallassa pitämiseksi. Alueellisen turvallisuusjärjestyksen osalta tutkimuksen tulokset osoittavat sen, että Yhdysvaltojen painopisteen siirto Tyynellemerelle vii ja Aasiaan on antanut Venäjälle mahdollisuuden palauttaa vaikutusvaltaansa Lähiitään. Venäjällä ei kuitenkaan ole resursseja kompensoida Yhdysvaltojen arabivaltioiden turvallisuuseliiteille allokoimaa taloudellista tukea. Tämä on antanut tilaa alueellisten toimijoiden kuten Yhdistyneiden arabiemiirikuntien ja Saudi-Arabian vaikutusvallan kasvattamiselle - tosin Venäjän hyväksynnällä. Tuki ei myöskään tule ilmaiseksi, sillä sponsorit edellyttävät, että niille alisteisessa asemassa olevat maat omaksuvat tukijavaltioidensa uhkakuvat, sekä konfliktitilanteissa kontribuoivat sotilaallisia kyvykkyyksiä näiden valtioiden ulko- ja turvallisuuspoliittisten päämäärien saavuttamiseksi

    Régimen jurídico de los sistemas de solución de controversias en línea (ODR) en operaciones de comercio electrónico: el derecho a contar con un ODR

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    Programa de Doctorado en Derecho por la Universidad Carlos III de MadridPresidente: Lorenzo Mateo Bujosa Vadell.- Secretario: Manuel Alba Fernández.- Vocal: Juan Pablo Cortes Diégue

    II Simposio de Patrimonio Cultural ICOMOS España

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    Las actas recogen los trabajos expuestos en la Universidad Politécnica de Cartagena, sede principal del Simposio, por especialistas que generosamente compartieron su tiempo y conocimiento con más de 250 profesionales y personas estudiosas del patrimonio cultural que pudieron reunirse e intercambiar experiencias durante los tres días de duración del encuentro. Los 119 trabajos que conforman estas actas fueron cuidadosamente examinados por un Comité Científico formado exclusivamente por miembros de ICOMOS-España, personas expertas del más alto nivel en los diversos ámbitos del patrimonio cultural, que realizaron las tareas de supervisión de las comunicaciones de forma completamente voluntaria y altruista para garantizar su interés, vigencia y calidad. Los miembros de ICOMOS-España que la componen establecieron con gran acierto y sensibilidad unas líneas conceptuales transversales que, siempre respetando la diversidad temática de los trabajos presentados, sirvieran para poner de manifiesto las principales problemáticas que el patrimonio cultural afronta en la actualidad: éxitos y retos de la Convención del Patrimonio Mundial tras el 50 aniversario de andadura y los 40 de su adopción en España, energías renovables y cambio climático, patrimonios que merecen una atención especial como el agrícola o el industrial, etcHernández Navarro, Y. (2023). II Simposio de Patrimonio Cultural ICOMOS España. Editorial Universitat Politècnica de València. https://doi.org/10.4995/icomos2022.2022.1685
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