Accounting Historians notebook, 2012, Vol. 35, no. 2 (October) [whole issue]

October issu

Romantic Metasubjectivity: Rethinking the Romantic Subject Through Schelling and Jung

This thesis takes up Friedrich Schelling’s philosophy and Carl Jung’s analytical psychology to develop Romantic metasubjectivity, a model of the subject absorbing more of the vast compass of Romantic thinking on subjectivity than what prevails in Romantic criticism. Romantic criticism tends to be dominated by psychoanalysis as well as deconstruction and poststructuralist theory, which see the subject as either a linguistic phenomenon or simply a locus of difference without a unified “I.” In response to this critical tradition, Romantic metasubjectivity discerns a notion of Self which is neither a linguistic fantasy nor a transcendental essence which is or becomes fully present to itself. The Introduction supplies historical and theoretical parameters for what follows, explaining why Schelling and Jung are crucial to the concept of Romantic metasubjectivity. The first chapter establishes analytical psychology as a Schellingian Naturphilosophie après la lettre, with the latter illuminating analytical psychology’s differences from psychoanalysis (particularly Jung’s rethinking of libido). The second chapter focuses on analytical psychology and Naturphilosophie to develop the topography of the Romantic metasubjective unconscious as a dissociative economy of energy. I establish Schelling’s actant and Jung’s archetype as isomorphic dynamisms which create this economy in Nature and the psyche, to articulate the uniquely Romantic historicity and materiality which resists coagulation into history and materialist notions of the subject. Chapter Three articulates the experience of Romantic metasubjectivity as a limit-experience of this dissociative historicity via Schelling’s idea of intellectual intuition (later ecstasy) and Jung’s development of synchronicity as an acausal connecting principle. Chapter Four focuses on the individuation of Romantic metasubjectivity as a radically non-teleological, purposively driven force of self-organisation which informs the person’s experience in the world. Paradoxically, it is Romantic metasubjectivity’s traumatic experience of historicity which both makes this individuation possible and guarantees its interminability. Chapter Five turns to Romantic literature, examining William Wordsworth’s The Prelude and Percy Shelley’s Prometheus Unbound as “case studies” of the Romantic metasubjective psyche. The Conclusion touches on John Caputo’s Against Ethics and the contemporary hit TV series Breaking Bad to question the possibility of a Romantic metasubjective ethics

„I Have Become a Stranger in My Own Homeland.“ The Symbolic Stakes of Swiss Converts to Islam In Shaping Muslim Selves in Public and Muslim Arenas. A Performative Reconstruction of the Swiss Muslim Debate Between 2008 & 2011.

In the immediate aftermath of the approval of the ban on constructing minarets in a national referendum in late 2009 initiated by right wing populist parties to support their anti-immigration politics, the Swiss Muslim debate took an ironic turn, as a number of Swiss converts to Islam entered public arenas in an ostentative salafi guise, triggering heated debates on the “integratedness” of Switzerland’s Muslim “minority. Dominating news coverage on Muslims and Islam in Switzerland in the first half of 2010, the Swiss converts heading the newly founded Muslim organization, the Islamischer Zentralrat Schweiz, were to replace the minarets as nodal points of problematizing a perceived lack of common symbolic ground between Swiss society and the Muslim migrant population. This thesis places the symbolic stakes of Swiss converts to Islam in both public and Muslim arenas into the centre of its analytical focus in order to reconstruct the Swiss Muslim debate and the shaping of Muslim selves as interrelated processes by the analysis of media coverage on the IZRS and ethnographic data gained in Muslim fields between 2008 and 2011. To do this, the symbolic stakes of Swiss converts to Islam of either gender are reconstructed before the epistemic background of what is often rhetorically invoked as a „crisis of multiculturalism“ (see for example Grillo 2003; Turner 2006; Lentin and Titley 2001; Van Reedom, Dyuvenadak and Bertossi 2012; Vertovec 2011) fuelled by a global „hyperdiscourse“ on Islam that has undergirded public debates on immigration, integration, nationalism and secularism in Swiss public debates just as in other national European contexts. The analytical focus chosen brings together a range of research perspectives and conceptual outlooks. Differing from existing research on European converts to Islam that focusses on questions developed in the field of religious sociology or phenomenological sociology, this study adopts a performative approach on conversion to Islam as a paradigmatic form of subjectivation in line with a Foucauldian discourse analytical perspective. To do this, it develops a deconstructive reading on subjectivation that draws on approaches developed in the field (post)structuralism, psycholanalysis and gender studies which it combines with narratological perspectives on religious conversion as a theme and dramaturgy

Cappadocian kinship

Cappadocian kinship systems are very interesting from a sociolinguistic and anthropological perspective because of the mixture of inherited Greek and borrowed Turkish kinship terms. Precisely because the number of Turkish kinship terms differs from one variety to another, it is necessary to talk about Cappadocian kinship systems in the plural rather than about the Cappadocian kinship system in the singular. Although reference will be made to other Cappadocian varieties, this paper will focus on the kinship systems of Mišotika and Aksenitika, the two Central Cappadocian dialects still spoken today in several communities in Greece. Particular attention will be given to the use of borrowed Turkish kinship terms, which sometimes seem to co-exist together with their inherited Greek counterparts, e.g. mána vs. néne ‘mother’, ailfó/aelfó vs. γardáš ‘brother’ etc. In the final part of the paper some kinship terms with obscure or hitherto unknown etymology will be discussed, e.g. káka ‘grandmother’, ižá ‘aunt’, lúva ‘uncle (father’s brother)’ etc

Wine communication in a global market: a study of metaphor through the genre of Australian wine reviews

This thesis is a report on wine communication focused on metaphoric language identified in the genre of wine reviews. Specifically, the research centred on Australian wine reviews written by Australian wine critics about Australian wines currently exported to the greater China region. In the genre of wine reviews, metaphoric expressions are frequently used to talk about wine (Caballero & Suárez-Toste, 2008). The thesis developed understanding of the influence of metaphoric language and its potential to constrain or motivate people’s sensory and affective responses to wine and highlighted the need to consider congruency of metaphoric language in terms of wine communication and education. The research was theoretically framed by the conceptual metaphor theory (CMT) of Lakoff and Johnson (1980) and took a cognitive linguistic perspective to metaphor analysis (Croft & Cruse, 2004). Wine appreciation was argued to be a social event in contrast to an observational event. From this perspective, wine appreciation is concerned with influencing audience perceptions in contrast to a spontaneous commentary of an event. The thesis presents the findings of two qualitative studies that used a corpus approach to metaphor use and understanding in the genre of wine reviews. The investigation identified metaphoric expressions in Australian wine reviews and went on to explore their understanding and transfer by wine educators in Australia and China. Metaphor identification used the Metaphor Identification Procedure Vrije Universiteit (Steen et al., 2010) and the UCREL Semantic Annotation System (Archer et al., 2004) for semantic and conceptual analysis. Results indicated six underpinning metaphoric themes (i.e., AN OBJECT, A THREE DIMENSIONAL ARTEFACT, AN INSTITUTIONAL ARTEFACT, A TEXTILE, A LIVING ORGANISM, and A PERSON) of which spatial and temporal properties were often integrated. A comparison of wine educator responses to interpretation and transmission tasks showed that anthropomorphic metaphor (i.e., WINE IS A PERSON) tended to be conceptualized similarly by participants more often than other metaphoric themes. In conclusion, the cultural artefact of language used in the genre of wine reviews and the metaphoric potential of linguistic choices on sensory and affective perceptions indicates a need for the consideration of congruency when wine communication crosses cultural and linguistic borders

A conceptual framework for social media brand communication in non- profit organisations in South Africa: An integrated communication perspective

Text in English with abstracts in English, Afrikaans and isiZuluPropelled by increased competition with the private sector and other similar organisations, the non-profit sector increasingly faces challenges to create meaningful interactions with stakeholders which, among other benefits, allow for differentiation and the creation of favourable and lasting impressions of the corporate brand. The main research aim of this study was to propose possible elements for a conceptual framework for the integration of non-profit organisations’ social media brand communication. The point of departure was that the achievement of a favourable corporate brand in the non-profit sector could, inter alia, be realised by following an integrated communication approach when utilising social media to communicate with stakeholders. The study is different from prior studies because of its specific interdisciplinary focus on the corporate brand, social media and integrated communication (IC), and the fact that it is merged into one study. The research into the main contribution of the study was based on a thorough literature review focusing on the following objectives: to explore corporate branding and social media; and to describe elements that could constitute an integrated approach to social media brand communication. During the investigation into the topic, the social media focus of the study was framed on the basis of classical theoretical views, and the theory of and perspectives on human action, symbolic interaction and social presence. The absence of a single set of theoretical assumptions of social media necessitated an inductive reasoning process based on identified key elements of social media. Subsequent to the literature review, the empirical research gathered invaluable insights from communication professionals in South African non-profit organisations, and who are responsible for communication by means of social media. Finally, and following the measurement of the proposed elements, the objective of proposing possible elements for the integration of social media brand communication and presenting it in a conceptual framework was achieved. The conceptual framework was based on three foundational principles, namely a corporate brand focus and a philosophy of communication integration, underpinned by social media. The proposed conceptual framework should provide new insights into and contribute to the existing body of knowledge on organisational communication.Toenemende mededinging in die privaatsektor en tussen ander soortgelyke organisasies, rig ‘n grotewordende uitdaging aan die niewinsgerigte sektor om betekenisvolle wisselwerking met belangegroepe te bewerkstellig, iets wat dit onder andere moontlik maak om te differensieer en om gunstige en blywende indrukke van die korporatiewe handelsmerk te skep. Die belangrikste navorsingsoogmerk van hierdie studie was om moontlike elemente aan die hand te doen vir ʼn konsepsuele raamwerk vir die integrasie van niewinsgerigte organisasies se kommunikasie in sosiale media. Die vertrekpunt was dat ʼn gunstige korporatiewe handelsmerk in die niewinsgerigte sektor onder andere gerealiseer kan word deur middel van ʼn geïntegreerde kommunikasiebenadering wanneer sosiale media gebruik word om met belanghebbendes te kommunikeer. Die studie verskil van vorige studies weens die spesifieke interdissiplinêre fokus op die korporatiewe handelsmerk, sosiale media en geïntegreerde kommunikasie, asook die feit dat dit in een studie geïntegreer is. Die navorsing vir hierdie studie se belangrikste bydrae was gegrond op ʼn deurtastende literatuuroorsig, toegespits daarop om die gebruik van korporatiewe handelsmerke en sosiale media te verken; en om elemente wat ʼn geïntegreerde benadering tot handelsmerkkommunikasie in sosiale media sou kon daarstel, te beskryf. Gedurende die ondersoek na die tema het die studie se sosialemediafokus gerus op klassieke teoretiese sienings en die teorie van en perspektiewe op menslike aksie, simboliese wisselwerking en sosiale teenwoordigheid. Die gebrek aan ʼn enkele stel teoretiese aannames van sosiale media het ʼn proses van induktiewe redenering, gegrond op geïdentifiseerde sleutelelemente van sosiale media, genoodsaak. Voortspruitend uit die literatuuroorsig het die empiriese navorsing uiters waardevolle insigte bekom van kommunikasiekundiges in Suid-Afrikaanse niewinsgerigte organisasies wat deur middel van sosiale media moet kommunikeer. Laastens en na afloop van die meting van die voorgestelde elemente is die oogmerk om moontlike elemente vir die integrasie van kommunikasie van ʼn handelsmerk in sosiale media en die aanbieding daarvan in ʼn konsepsuele raamwerk, bereik. Die konsepsuele raamwerk is op drie beginsels gegrond, naamlik ʼn fokus op die korporatiewe handelsmerk en ʼn filosofie van kommunikasieintegrasie, ondersteun deur sosiale media. Die voorgestelde konsepsuele raamwerk behoort nuwe insigte in en bydraes tot die bestaande kenniskorpus oor organisasiekommunikasie te bied.Ngokugqugquzelwa ukwanda kokuncitisana kwemikhakha ezimele nezinye izinhlangano ezifanayo, umkhakha ongenzi inzuzo uyaqhubeka njalo nokubhekana nezinselelo zokwenza ukuthi ukuxhumana kahle nabanye ababambe iqhaza okuwukuthi, phakathi kokunye okungazuzwa, kuvumele ukwahlukaniswa kanye nokwakhiwa kwezimpawu zemifanekiso yenkampani ezikahle futhi eziyohlala isikhathi eside. Injongo enkulu yocwaningo lwalesi sifundo kwakuwukuhlongoza imikhakha engaseyenzeke yohlaka olungakapheleli lokuhlanganiswa kophawu lokuxhumana ezinkundleni zokuxhumana zezinhlangano ezingenzi inzuzo. Iphuzu elalisemqoka kwakuwukufeza umgomo wokuthi kwakhiwe uphawu olufanele lwenkampani emkhakheni ongayenzi inzuzo, phakathi kwezinye izinto, ufezeke ngokulandela indlela edidiyelwe yezokuxhumana uma kusetshenziswa izinkundla zokuxhumana ukuxoxisana nababambe iqhaza. Lesi sifundo sihlukile kwezinye esezike zenziwa ngaphambilini ngenxa yokuthi sigxile ngokukhethekile ekusetshenzisweni kophawu lwenkampani, izinkundla zokuxhumana kanye nezindlela zokuxhumana ezididiyelwe, i-integrated communication (i-IC), kanye nephuzu lokuthi kudidiyelwe kwaba ucwaningo olulodwa. Lolu cwaningo kulokho okusemqoka okuwumthelela walesi sifundo lwalugxile kakhulu ekubuyekezweni okujulile kwemibhalo kubhekwe kakhulu kulezi zinjongo ezilandelayo: ukuhlaziya uphawu lwenkampani nezinkundla zokuxhumana; nokuchaza amaphuzu angase akhombise indlela edidiyelwe ekuxhumaneni ngophawu lwezinkundla zokuxhumana. Ngesikhathi kuphenywa ngesihloko, ukugxila ezinkundleni zokuxhumana kulesi sifundo kwabalulwa esizindeni semibono yezinto ezingaphatheki, kanye nethiyori nemiqondo yokwenza komuntu, ukuxhumana ngezimpawu nokubakhona kwabantu basemphakathini. Ukungabibikho kweqoqo elilodwa lokucatshangelwa ngokwenzeka emiqondweni ngokwezinkundla zokuxhumana kwenza ukuthi kube nesidingo senqubo yokuqala ukucabanga ezinze emaphuzwini asemqoka ezinkundla zokuxhumana. Ukulandela ukubuyekezwa kwemibhalo, lolu cwaningo oluphethe ubufakazi obuphathekayo luqoqe ulwazi olusemqoka oluvela kosolwazi bezokuxhumana ezinhlanganweni ezingenzi nzuzo zaseNingizimu Afrika, futhi ezinomsebenzi wokuxhumana ngokusebenzisa izinkundla zokuxhumana. Ekugcineni, futhi ngokulandela izilinganiso zamaphuzu ahlongozwayo, yafezeka injongo yokuhlongoza okungase kube amaphuzu okudidiyela ukuxhumana ngokusebenzisa uphawu lwezinkundla zokuxhumana kanye nokuluveza njengohlaka lokusemqondweni. Uhlaka lokusemqondweni lwalugxile emigomeni eyisisekelo emithathu, okuwukugxila kuphawu lwenkampani nenzululwazi yokudidiyelwa kokuxhumana, nokusekelwe yizinkundla zokuxhumana. Uhlaka olusahlongozwa olungakapheleli kumele luhlinzeke ngemiqondo emisha futhi lube nomthelela esakhiweni solwazi esikhona ekuxhumaneni ngokwenhlangano.Communication ScienceD. Litt. et Phil. (Communication

Sustainability in design: now! Challenges and opportunities for design research, education and practice in the XXI century

Copyright @ 2010 Greenleaf PublicationsLeNS project funded by the Asia Link Programme, EuropeAid, European Commission

Corporate social reporting in the Arab Spring region

Using two primary research methods (a) critical discourse analysis (CDA), and (b) semi-structured interviews, this study explores the corporate social reporting practice in the Arab Spring region. It examines how this practice is took place under the changing political, economic and political landscapes that have accompanied the event of the Arab Spring, and the role of culture in shaping this practice. Drawing on a novel theoretical framing to the accounting field the ‘Culture Toolkit’ helps the researcher to highlight the unarticulated social accounting’s nature of producing and organising lines of action in re-building an absent/ broken socio-cognitive scaffolding structure through navigating cultural patterns. Further, Culture Toolkit articulates the way in which growing community involvements in the social accounting practice shape and localise this scaffolding structure. Looking into the textual and media outcomes of this corporate social reporting practice via the lens of Wodak and Meyer (2015) CDA approach, I argue that corporate social reporting within a fluctuating context (the Arab Spring) is a philological spectrum in which Arab companies (re) produce their corporate images, representing stability and continuity. This practice deploys an intense set of linguistic strategies – argumentation, exemplification and magnification – to transform the corporate social reporting practice into a hybrid textual/ media space whereby the changes in political, economic and societal positions are justified. At a different linguistic level, the choice of words and grammar is crucial in constructing corporate social reporting topics and stakeholder engagements, and introducing new contents. Further, this study frames corporate social reporting as a practice that is operated under externalised cultural patterns, while it used to manage and shape the relations between the Arab companies and their stakeholders. Different forms of the corporate social reporting practice were motivated by the embedded cultural meanings in the region. However, exercising this practice under a socio-cognitive scaffolding that is empowered by political and economic ties strained these cultural meanings to produce and organise lines of action. Yet, a breakdown in the socio-cognitive scaffolding does not principally activate these cultural meanings but rather uncovers a reflexive practice that relies on the ideologies and vocabularies of this scaffolding. The activation of these cultural meanings comes as a result of realising the breakdown whereby the lines of action were no longer supported by this scaffolding. The study argues that Culture Toolkit theoretical framing helps the analysis to provide a comprehensive understanding of the mechanism that generates a demand for supporting cultural system to guide the social accounting practice as the old practice triggers a series of violations of expectation for the future