The social, geographical, and structural environments of minor noble residences in Angus, 1449-1542

Relying upon two common trends in modern castle studies, this exploratory study works to combine the landscape context and the spatial interaction of the main building to create an assessment of the spatial and social interaction between the main residential structure of a noble’s estate and the landscape features attached to surrounding property features. To explore questions about this kind of interaction this project has taken the sheriffdom of Angus, Scotland, between the year 1450 and 1542, to examine non-royal residences in an area that offered a diverse topography. This project aims to gain a better understanding of the surroundings of late fifteenth and early sixteenth century noble residences in Angus while contributing to the growing discussion of castles and their landscapes, and testing methods for addressing the spatial and social interaction between the main structure and the landscape features. Section A discusses the three source types used for compiling the dataset for this project within the context of three key categories needed to create a GIS dataset: location, object, and attributes. From the landscape features the mills and fishings were the most commonly mentioned and further details regarding the contents of the lordly landscapes were rare. Section B explores three methods of examining the relationships between the main residence and the landscape features: a modified RA and RRA values assessment, which measured levels of segregation within the noble residence site as a whole; a version of the gravity model, which helped identify the draw for interaction within the arrangement of the noble’s landscape; and network analysis questions, which facilitated a clear assessment of any connections between the use of structural terms and landscape features mentioned over both temporal and social contexts. This exploration of spatial and social interaction opens up a discussion about Scottish noble landscape creation and new methods for studying the relationship between the main structure and the wider complex of a noble residence

TRANSCENDENTAL IDEALISM’S THEORY OF SELFHOOD: FICHTE ON THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN KNOWING ONESELF AND MORAL DELIBERATION

In this dissertation, I take on an exegetical project of understanding how Fichte’s theory of the self influences his account of moral deliberation, and specifically, his account of conscience. I argue that moral action can only be understood within Fichte’s system as possible on the basis of the individual’s own cognitive awareness that they are not only bound by the moral law, but that they are so in virtue of their essential nature as selves. In other words, the feeling of conscience in Fichte’s work, and the decision to abide it, requires that the acting individual recognize that the ought behind the moral law is a product of nothing more than their own nature as free I’s. This recognition of the self-given nature of the moral law requires a specific reflective process, one that Fichte lays out clearly in the early part of The System of Ethics. This reflective process elevates the I – from first something only potentially conscious, to finally something fully so. But it is not always clear how this reflective work fits with his account of particular moral deliberations – is it a backdrop that creates humans capable of moral deliberation at all, or is it a feature of individual deliberative processes themselves? Below, I argue that it is the latter view – that reflection on the moral law’s self-givenness is a part of specific deliberative acts – that best makes sense of Fichte’s account of moral deliberation. Incorporating Fichte’s remarks on self-reflection into his account moral deliberation also offers a clear picture of how Fichte conceived of I-hood. In this project, I argue that I-hood for Fichte must be understood in two different ways; one, a ‘minimal’ form of I-hood that all humans capable of rational thought possess, and another ‘full’ form of I-hood that is found only when individuals choose to think and act freely

L’implication des missionnaires pentecôtistes dans l’aide au développement en Asie du Sud-Est

A noticeable shift has been recently observed in Western-based Pentecostal mission agencies&rsquo; activities in mainland Southeast Asia. Where once these organizations avoided a visible priority on social justice as being at odds with their understanding of mission, the funding for and implementation of such programs has increased dramatically for the last two decades. This shift in focus is best understood by considering the motivations for this work and the perceived differences between evangelism and development work. This paper explores the motivations of these agencies for engaging in international development, and in particular the extent to which development programs are seen by these agencies as a strategy for proselytization and the extent to which they are conducted out of other humanitarian motivations. The research is based on a phenomenological literature survey and new interview data exploring development operations of western-based Pentecostal mission organizations in mainland Southeast Asia. Analysis of these data challenges preconceived notions of a distinction between motives of evangelism and humanitarian concern. <br /

The Theme of Fortune in the Works of Christine de Pizan

This thesis explores one of the most interesting and central themes of Christine de Pizan's works, namely the theme of Fortune, a topic which raises key philosophical isssues in any debate on divine providence, free will and chance. As such, the theme has considerable light to shed on Christine's development as a thinker and a writer. Chapter I provides a general context and focus for this study by (a) examining those aspects of Christine's life which explain why she was prompted to reflect on the nature of the goddess Fortune, and by (b) defining the categories of belief regarding Fortune that Christine would have been familiar with through her reading. This latter section also includes a discussion of the traditional remedies to be adopted against the workings of this goddess. The thesis then examines in detail the theme of Fortune as it occurs in Christine's writings. Three successive chapters (II, III and IV) look respectively at Christine's early works composed from 1394-1403, the Livre de la mutacion de Fortune (a text devoted entirely to the theme of Fortune), and finally the works composed over the period 1403-1429. Incidences of Christine's use of the theme of Fortune were identified and analysed for any significance with regard to the form of writing, the type of work, and the category of the goddess, whether Pagan, Christian or Annihilated. These features were also studied to identify any trends or evolutions in Christine's treatment of the theme It was found that neither the form of writing, poetry or prose, nor the kind of writing, secular or didactic, had much significance on Christine's use of the theme. Christine did, however, quite consistently avoid the use of the theme of Fortune in religious works. This approach reflects the Church's attitude towards the goddess which was to deny her any power. The goddess was predominantly depicted as pagan in character and negative in influence. It was also found that Christine's attitude to the goddess did evolve over time. Initially, Christine used Fortune as a target for her grief and anger, seeing herself very much as an impotent victim of this capricious goddess. Eventually, after much reflection on the nature of the goddess Christine achieves a kind of philosophical mastery over Fortune through the use of stoic virtues such as personal strength, patience, and endurance, through the development of wisdom and prudence, and ultimately through the Christian virtues of hope and unquestioning faith in God's purpose and providence

“Mad, Bad and Dangerous to Know”: the pervasive socio-medical and spatial coding of mental health day centres

In a research area typically dominated by the biomedical field, this paper seeks to explore the emotional experiences of long-term, mental health service users who attend charitable day centres. Academic literature has predominantly focussed on a macro-analysis of the social, political and geographical position of those with mental health distress. Subsequently, service users have been positioned as a largely homogenous group who mainly reside on the boundaries of social integration due to the negative social representations of mental health impairment. These postulations can advocate a romanticised notion of how service users engage in consensual and non-judgemental social norms in terms of social inclusion of those within therapeutic spaces. Thus, indicating that a high level of mutual camaraderie exists within a day centre. However, this approach can negate the realities encountered by service users on a daily basis whereby differing medical ascriptions such as ‘depression’ and ‘schizophrenia’ can not only influence a service user’s own self-identity and behaviour but ultimately, the acceptance of other members. In conclusion, this work indicates that rather than a discrete linear position between the ‘otherness’ of mental health distress and ‘normative’ human geographies, this area remains a complex phenomenon with levels of diversity when linked to diagnostic criteria

Socialization and parenting in chinese cultural context

This paper describes the parenting characteristics and behaviour among Chinese families. Specifically it explores some alternative parenting concepts which may be culturally more accurate in describing the non-western parenting behaviour among Chinese parents and children. It outlines key research literature on Chinese parenting in relations to 1) parenting goals and beliefs among Chinese parents and, 2) the notion of Guan and ‘training’ as a parenting dimension in Chinese families. This paper concludes that a further exploration on non-western parenting is warranted for future family research and thus its findings are deemed to be resourceful for multicultural societies