5,118 research outputs found

    The Witcraft of Seeing Things Differently : Hyperdetermined Humor, Unusual Viewpoints, and Narrative Rhetoric in Terry Pratchett's Discworld Novels

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    Sir Terry Pratchettin maineikasta ja menestynyttĂ€ Discworld-romaanisarjaa luonnehditaan yleensĂ€ koomiseksi fantasiaksi, ja vaikka sitĂ€ on aiemmin tutkittu etupÀÀssĂ€ fantasiakirjallisuutena, niin fantasiamiljöön lisĂ€ksi toinen nĂ€iden kirjojen silmiinpistĂ€vĂ€ piirre on huumorin ylenpalttinen runsaus. TĂ€ssĂ€ vĂ€itöskirjassa olen valinnut harvinaisemman lĂ€hestymistavan tutkiessani Discworld-romaaneja ensisijaisesti humoristisena kirjallisuutena, ja sen mukaisesti vĂ€itöskirjani keskeisimpĂ€nĂ€ tavoitteena on tutkia Terry Pratchettin huumorin poetiikkaa. Tarkemmin sanottuna olen asettanut tĂ€ssĂ€ vĂ€itöskirjassa tehtĂ€vĂ€kseni kartoittaa Terry Pratchettin huumorille ominaisimmat komiikan keinot ja tutkia, mikĂ€ tekee Discworld-romaaneista hauskoja. Discworld-romaaneille ominainen huumorin runsaus koostuu humorististen kuvausten ja koomisten kohtausten tiheĂ€n esiintymisen lisĂ€ksi komiikan keinojen laajasta valikoimasta. TĂ€ssĂ€ vĂ€itöskirjassa vĂ€itĂ€n, ettĂ€ Terry Pratchettin huumori on hyperdeterminoitua, mikĂ€ tarkoittaa, ettĂ€ hĂ€n yhdistelee erilaisia komiikan keinoja samassa kuvauksessa tai kohtauksessa. Siksi Pratchettin huumorin poetiikkaa kĂ€sittelevĂ€ vĂ€itöskirjani on samalla myös tutkimus hyperdeterminoidun huumorin rakentumisesta. SelkeyttÀÀkseni huumorin hyperdeterminaation rakentumista jaottelen komiikan keinot neljÀÀn kategoriaan: tilanteellisiin, kontekstuaalisiin, rakenteellisiin ja tyylillisiin. Sovellan tĂ€tĂ€ jaottelua vĂ€ittĂ€mĂ€llĂ€, ettĂ€ humoristista kuvausta tai koomista kohtausta voidaan perustellusti sanoa hyperdeterminoiduksi silloin, kun siinĂ€ yhdistellÀÀn komiikan keinoja useammasta kuin yhdestĂ€ kategoriasta. PidĂ€n Pratchettin huumorille ominaisten komiikan keinojen kartoittamista yhtenĂ€ tĂ€mĂ€n vĂ€itöskirjan keskeisimmistĂ€ kontribuutioista kirjallisen huumorin tutkimukselle. Tilanteellisista komiikan keinoista tarkastelen Discworld-romaaneista löytĂ€miĂ€ni esimerkkejĂ€ draamallisesta ironiasta ja absurdista logiikasta. Kontekstuaalisista komiikan keinoista kĂ€sittelen Pratchettin parodiaa ja satiiria, kun taas rakenteellisista komiikan keinoista tutkin, kuinka Pratchett kĂ€yttÀÀ paraprosdokiania, bathosta, toistuvia piloja (”figgin”) ja koomisia alaviitteitĂ€. TyylillisistĂ€ komiikan keinoista tutkailen Pratchettin koomisia kielikuvia (hyperbolia, metaforia, vertauksia ja personifikaatioita), hĂ€nen sanaleikkejÀÀn (paronomasia, antanaklasis, sanataskut ja kaksikieliset sanaleikit) sekĂ€ Pratchettin koomisia eufemismeja. LisĂ€ksi osoitan vĂ€itöskirjassani, ettĂ€ Terry Pratchettin huumorille on ominaista kulttuuristen kliseiden (eli tuttujen kulttuuri-ilmiöiden, totunnaisten ajattelutapojen ja vakiintuneiden esittĂ€misen konventioiden) esittĂ€minen humoristisen epĂ€tavallisista nĂ€kökulmista kĂ€sin. Discworld-romaaneissa Pratchett siirtÀÀ erilaisia oman maailmamme kulttuuri-ilmiöitĂ€ Discworld-nimiseen (suom. Kiekkomaailma) fantasiamaailmaansa, ja tĂ€mĂ€n maailmojen törmĂ€yttĂ€misen seurauksena kulttuuriset kliseet nĂ€yttĂ€ytyvĂ€t lukijalle samanaikaisesti tuttuina ja koomisen outoina. TĂ€llaiset humoristiset nĂ€kökulmat vahvistavat osaltaan huumorin hyperdeterminaatiota. Samalla kun fantasiamiljöö mahdollistaa kahden maailman koomisen törmĂ€yttĂ€misen ja oman maailmamme kulttuuristen kliseiden peilaamisen toisen maailman avulla, huumori toisaalta mahdollistaa Kiekkomaailmassa normaalia fantasiaa vapaamman mielikuvituksen lennon, eikĂ€ monia Discworld-romaaneissa kuvattuja asioita, tapahtumia ja ilmiöitĂ€ voisi esiintyĂ€ maailmoissa, jotka eivĂ€t rakennu absurdin logiikan, kulttuurisilla kliseillĂ€ leikittelyn ja koomisen liioittelun kaltaisten todellisuuta vÀÀristĂ€vien periaatteiden luoman ”taikuuden” varaan. Komiikan keinojen moninaisuuden, hyperdeterminoidun huumorin ja epĂ€tavallisten nĂ€kökulmien lisĂ€ksi tutkin vĂ€itöskirjassani sitĂ€, millaisia arvottavia asenteita kertojan humoristiset nĂ€kökulmat ja humoristisiin kuvauksiin sisĂ€ltyvĂ€t henkilöhahmojen tunnereaktiot paljastavat. Tulkitsen tĂ€llaisen arvottavan huumorin kirjalliseksi retorisen vaikuttamisen keinoksi, jonka avulla kirjailija pyrkii ohjailemaan lukijansa hyvĂ€ksyviĂ€ ja paheksuvia asenteita. Useimmiten Pratchettin huumori on kulttuurikriittistĂ€, eli parodista ja satiirista, mutta toisinaan humoristiset nĂ€kökulmat esittĂ€vĂ€t todellisen maailman kulttuuri-ilmiöitĂ€ myönteisinĂ€ ja ihailtavina. VĂ€itĂ€n tutkimuksessani, ettĂ€ kirjallisuuden retoriikka perustuu tĂ€llaisten kielteisten ja myönteisten asenteiden esittĂ€miselle ja ettĂ€ huumori on yksi kertomuksen retoriikan vaikutuskeinoista.Sir Terry Pratchett’s bestselling Discworld series of novels has been commonly described as comic fantasy, and although it has been previously studied mainly as fantasy literature, another conspicuous feature in these novels, in addition to the fantasy milieu, is their rich and abundant humor. In this study, I have chosen the road less travelled by approaching the Discworld novels as humorous literature, and, consequently, my main goal here is to study the poetics of Terry Pratchett’s humor— his “witcraft”. To be more precise, in this dissertation I have set myself the task of mapping out the comic devices that are most characteristic for Terry Pratchett’s witcraft and investigating what makes the Discworld novels funny. The richness of humor that is characteristic for the Discworld novels consists partly of the frequent occurrences of humorous descriptions and comic scenes, but also of the numerous comic devices that Pratchett deploys. In this dissertation, I argue that Terry Pratchett’s humor is hyperdetermined, which means that he tends to combine numerous comic devices in the same description or scene. Consequently, this study on the poetics of Terry Pratchett’s humor is at the same time a study on the construction of hyperdetermined humor. To better understand how hyperdetermined humor is constructed, I have devised a taxonomy that divides comic devices into four categories: situational, contextual, structural, and stylistic. Based on this taxonomy, I argue that the humor of a humorous description or a comic scene can be said to be truly hyperdetermined whenever it combines comic devices from more than one of these categories. I consider mapping out the comic devices that are most characteristic for Terry Pratchett’s witcraft to be one of the major contributions of this dissertation to the academic study of humor in literature. Of situational comic devices, I discuss and analyze examples of dramatic irony and absurd logic that I have detected in the Discworld novels. Of contextual comic devices, I discuss Pratchett’s parody and satire; of structural comic devices, I study Pratchett’s use of paraprosdokian, bathos, figgins (or running gags), and comic footnotes. Of stylistic comic devices, I investigate Pratchett’s comic imagery (hyperboles, metaphors, similes, and personifications), his puns (paronomasia, antanaclasis, portmanteaux, and bilingual puns), as well as Pratchett’s comic euphemisms. In this dissertation, I also demonstrate that representing cultural clichĂ©s (i.e., familiar cultural phenomena, customary ways of thinking, and conventional ways of representing) from humorously unusual viewpoints is characteristic for Terry Pratchett’s witcraft. In the Discworld novels, Pratchett transfers various cultural phenomena from the real world, our “Roundworld”, to a fantasy world called the Discworld, and as a result of this interworldly resonance, the cultural clichĂ©s of our Roundworld appear to the reader simultaneously as familiar and comically strange. These humorous viewpoints can be viewed as an additional constituent of hyperdetermined humor. While the fantasy setting of the Discworld novels allows Pratchett to set up comic resonance between the worlds, Pratchett’s humor also makes the Discworld a more imaginative and fantastic place than typical fantasy worlds. Many events and phenomena that are represented in the Discworld novels can only exist in a world where reality is distorted and enhanced by the special “magic” of comically absurd logic, playing with cultural clichĂ©s, and humorous exaggerations. In addition to the abundance of comic devices, hyperdetermined humor, and humorously unusual viewpoints, I also study in this dissertation what kinds of evaluative attitudes the narrator’s humorous viewpoints and the characters’ emotional reactions reveal. According to my interpretation, such evaluative attitudes are means of narrative rhetoric, where the author attempts to guide the reader’s attitudes of approval or disapproval. Pratchett’s humor is often critical—parodical or satirical—although occasionally the narrator’s humorous viewpoints represent the cultural phenomena of our Roundworld in a positive light, as something admirable. In this dissertation, I argue that narrative rhetoric is based on representing negative and positive attitudes, and that humor is one possible means of narrative rhetoric

    Faludi Blogging

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    “Chasing Territorialism” gathers short texts by Emeritus Professor Andreas Faludi, originally written as blog posts over a period of two years. In Andreas’ words: “Stimulated by an, albeit brief, encounter with Albania celebrating Europe Day, I began blogging about the continuing relevance of criticising territorialism, as I’d done in The Poverty of Territorialism (Faludi 2018; Edgar Elgar), in particular - but not exclusively - in relation to European integration.” Here, territorialism stands for states claiming a monopoly on controlling their territories much as they try to control the loyalty of their citizens. As such, territorialism is a fundamental principle of political organisation. Continued reflection on the poverty of this principle has acquired urgent overtones with the resurgence of armed conflict in Europe and elsewhere. If anything, the general reaction to this and other continental and even global crises seems to be to further enforce territorialism. But, what if territorialism is the cause of, rather than the solution to our problems? If so, would heeding the call for determined state action not become a case of: ‘Out of the frying pan and into the fire’? This book does not give an answer. What it hopefully does is stimulate debate about what the answer should be

    Report of the International Narcotics Control Board for 2022.

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    The hijab between men and women in Saudi Society

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    Many studies by international organisations and non-Saudi researchers conclude that all Saudi women are forced to wear hijabs. This can now be questioned, particularly with the lifting of the requirement to wear hijab. Therefore, a comprehensive understanding of the hijab in Saudi Arabia is needed, especially in light of the monumental social reforms implemented in recent years. This study explores the concept of the hijab in Saudi thought, the social norms underpinning the wearing of the hijab within collectivist Saudi culture and the consequences of challenging these norms. The study also explores the views of Saudis on several stigmas linked to the hijab and the impact of specific declarations following the announcement of Saudi Vision 2030 on women’s hijab. This was achieved using a qualitative approach and semi-structured interviews to collect data on the studied topic. The findings of this study indicate that, according to Saudi thought, the hijab should cover a woman’s face and conceal her identity. These findings also reveal that there are three types of hijabs: the Sahwa hijab, the current generation’s hijab, and the hijab of new generation. These hijabs have varying degrees of modesty, and the study participants expressed different levels of acceptance for each type. Changing the rules around hijab is difficult, and it impacts the reputations of both men and women. The study findings show that Saudis reject the notion that the hijab is associated with oppression, thus invalidating the perceived stigma of oppression linked to the hijab in the West. Saudis have varying views on female freedom, with most supporting men’s prerogative to prescribe women’s behaviour regarding the hijab. Finally, participants expressed varying opinions on the recent changes in Saudi society, with most participants being aware of the impact of these changes on women’s wearing of the hijab

    Market bulletin

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    The South Carolina Department of Agriculture publishes the bi-monthly Market Bulletin newsletter. The Market Bulletin began in 1913 and was originally an insert in The State newspaper. Later it was added to other papers, and about 12 years later began as a stand-alone publication. The Market Bulletin has information about the agency, agriculture-related news, and free advertising available to farmers and consumers

    A geo-informatics approach to sustainability assessments of floatovoltaic technology in South African agricultural applications

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    South African project engineers recently pioneered the first agricultural floating solar photovoltaic tech nology systems in the Western Cape wine region. This effort prepared our country for an imminent large scale diffusion of this exciting new climate solver technology. However, hydro-embedded photovoltaic sys tems interact with environmentally sensitive underlying aquatic ecosystems, causing multiple project as sessment uncertainties (energy, land, air, water) compared to ground-mounted photovoltaics. The dissimi lar behaviour of floatovoltaic technologies delivers a broader and more diversified range of technical advan tages, environmental offset benefits, and economic co-benefits, causing analytical modelling imperfections and tooling mismatches in conventional analytical project assessment techniques. As a universal interna tional real-world problem of significance, the literature review identified critical knowledge and methodology gaps as the primary causes of modelling deficiencies and assessment uncertainties. By following a design thinking methodology, the thesis views the sustainability assessment and modelling problem through a geo graphical information systems lens, thus seeing an academic research opportunity to fill critical knowledge gaps through new theory formulation and geographical knowledge creation. To this end, this philosophi cal investigation proposes a novel object-oriented systems-thinking and climate modelling methodology to study the real-world geospatial behaviour of functioning floatovoltaic systems from a dynamical system thinking perspective. As an empirical feedback-driven object-process methodology, it inspired the thesis to create new knowledge by postulating a new multi-disciplinary sustainability theory to holistically characterise agricultural floatovoltaic projects through ecosystems-based quantitative sustainability profiling criteria. The study breaks new ground at the frontiers of energy geo-informatics by conceptualising a holistic theoretical framework designed for the theoretical characterisation of floatovoltaic technology ecosystem operations in terms of the technical energy, environmental and economic (3E) domain responses. It campaigns for a fully coupled model in ensemble analysis that advances the state-of-the-art by appropriating the 3E theo retical framework as underpinning computer program logic blueprint to synthesise the posited theory in a digital twin simulation. Driven by real-world geo-sensor data, this geospatial digital twin can mimic the geo dynamical behaviour of floatovoltaics through discrete-time computer simulations in real-time and lifetime digital project enactment exercises. The results show that the theoretical 3E framing enables project due diligence and environmental impact assessment reporting as it uniquely incorporates balanced scorecard performance metrics, such as the water-energy-land-food resource impacts, environmental offset benefits and financial feasibility of floatovoltaics. Embedded in a geoinformatics decision-support platform, the 3E theory, framework and model enable numerical project decision-supporting through an analytical hierarchy process. The experimental results obtained with the digital twin model and decision support system show that the desktop-based parametric floatovoltaic synthesis toolset can uniquely characterise the broad and diverse spectrum of performance benefits of floatovoltaics in a 3E sustainability profile. The model uniquely predicts important impact aspects of the technology’s land, air and water preservation qualities, quantifying these impacts in terms of the water, energy, land and food nexus parameters. The proposed GIS model can quantitatively predict most FPV technology unknowns, thus solving a contemporary real-world prob lem that currently jeopardises floating PV project licensing and approvals. Overall, the posited theoretical framework, methodology model, and reported results provide an improved understanding of floating PV renewable energy systems and their real-world behaviour. Amidst a rapidly growing international interest in floatovoltaic solutions, the research advances fresh philosophical ideas with novel theoretical principles that may have far-reaching implications for developing electronic, photovoltaic performance models worldwide.GeographyPh. D. (Geography

    Digital Inequality in a Rural Cornish Village: an Integrative Analysis

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    Over the last three decades, the development of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) has transformed human societies. This digitisation is commonly believed to make all residents’ lives easier, healthier, and more productive by reducing spatiotemporal constraints for accessing information or services. However, this optimistic view neglects the situation of disadvantaged populations who may not be able to access or use ICTs in the same way and are, therefore at risk of being left behind and excluded from an increasingly digitised society. Such inequalities in the access and use of digital technologies are referred to as the digital divide and have been studied extensively. Research on the digital divide is typically based on ‘Big Data’ from national surveys that are useful for revealing general trends and usage patterns but neglect the situation of small rural areas that are underrepresented in surveys. These areas are often structurally disadvantaged for several reasons, such as spatial isolation, poor infrastructure, low population density, or the out-migration of businesses and young people. Digitisation has the potential to mitigate some of those challenges, but despite recent efforts to investigate technology use in rural communities, very little is known about the role of ICTs in the everyday life of rural residents and about the practical barriers that may hinder their adoption. This thesis aimed to fill this data gap by developing an integrative bottom-up research approach that examined technology use in a rural Cornish area at multiple levels, with convergent methods and minimal preconceptions about normative forms of ICT use. This approach enabled the collection of ‘Small Data’ that portrays the use of technology in the inhabitants’ life context and delineates how personal characteristics of individuals, socio-cultural characteristics of the local community, and structural characteristics of the area collectively shape digital divides in the rural environment
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