My Master Thesis will focus on comparing two works of fiction, Virginia Woolf’s 1928 novel Orlando: A Biography and Charlie Kaufman’s 2020 film, I’m Thinking of Ending Things. These two seemingly...Show moreMy Master Thesis will focus on comparing two works of fiction, Virginia Woolf’s 1928 novel Orlando: A Biography and Charlie Kaufman’s 2020 film, I’m Thinking of Ending Things. These two seemingly unrelated and temporally distant works find common ground in their complex interpretation of the theme of Time. Both Woolf’s writing and Kaufman’s cinematography manage to capture the intricacy of non-linear time, and history through the lens of subjectivity and individual consciousness. This Thesis's main aim is to thoroughly analyze how both works destabilize the commonly misunderstood concept of Time and in turn, highlight a different, more philosophical side of it. To do so effectively, I will utilize Henri Bergson’s philosophy and specifically his concept of “la durée” (duration), which he extensively theorizes upon in his books “Creative Evolution” and “Time and Free Will”. Themes of Subjectivity, gender, as well as rebirth/creation, will all be inspected in various ways through Bergson’s theories.Show less
This paper examines the role of defensible space theory - efforts to design buildings and public spaces in a way that reduces the ability to commit crime - within the Irish planning system, and to...Show moreThis paper examines the role of defensible space theory - efforts to design buildings and public spaces in a way that reduces the ability to commit crime - within the Irish planning system, and to what extent that the Irish anti-social behaviour strategies include and adapt such theories. Across analysis of municipal and national level planning strategies within recent decades, this paper tracks the inclusion and non-inclusion of defensible space and related topics within government literature, as well as the research gap into defensible space within Ireland. Three Dublin case studies with a strong historic presence of anti-social behaviour - the Fatima Mansions, O’Connell Street, and Portobello Plaza - are examined, and to what extent redesigns of these areas have included urban design efforts to reduce criminological capacity. These case studies identify a far less rigorous implementation of defensible space than in countries such as the United Kingdom, with the absence of guidelines generally resulting in a less thorough and more flexible application of such efforts. When defensible space efforts are applied, they typically stem from architect-led efforts, or are a by-product of improved planning processes, such as creating permeability and mixed-use development. Through additional engagement with planners, this ultimately paints a picture of a country that has utilised social impacts, not defensible space, towards a reduction in anti-social behaviour, though still possesses the ability to integrate some defensible space elements to improve this system.Show less
Food studies are an increasingly prominent field of study for studying various socioeconomic processes in the urban environment. This paper explores the sociocultural usage of food studies through...Show moreFood studies are an increasingly prominent field of study for studying various socioeconomic processes in the urban environment. This paper explores the sociocultural usage of food studies through the study of foodscapes. Food is not merely a source of sustenance, but can also function as a method of expressing or experiencing a sense of identity. Foodscapes, which concern the manner in which people relate to the food they consume, is thus an important concept for sociocultural food studies. Foodscapes are additionally one of the major factors able to contribute to a distinctly urban sense of identity, but are as of yet understudied. This thesis will explore the relation between a city’s foodscape and the feeling of urban identity through the lens of Rotterdam’s Cape Verdean community, using semi-structured interviews.Show less
The following thesis incorporated and developed a unified framework based on the theories of Henri Lefebvre and Frantz Fanon to amplify existing scholarship’s narratives and offer a new perspective...Show moreThe following thesis incorporated and developed a unified framework based on the theories of Henri Lefebvre and Frantz Fanon to amplify existing scholarship’s narratives and offer a new perspective and method of assessing the historical experience of urban spaces, with the primary case study of Seneca Village. The identified crossovers between Lefebvre’s theory of “Production of Space” and Frantz Fanon’s theory of “Decolonization”, formed the backbone of the unified framework, which was applied to a series of publicly available, digitalised primary sources from municipal archives of New York City. The topographical maps, population census, report, newspapers, and political posters analysed through the unified framework have provided several conclusions. Firstly, the historical experience of Seneca strongly coincides with the physical and representational violence in the form of the material destruction of the village and inducing social barriers to isolate the African American community of Seneca Village from the general social fabric of the city. Secondly, the power specialisation within Seneca falls in between the dwellers of the village and the Board of Commissioners for Central Park. Through the legitimization of authority, the Board of Commissioners have expanded their overarching control of the space of the village and subjected it to manipulations beneficial to the board itself. Hence, it formed a one-sided power dynamic at the expense of the village’s dwellers. Thirdly, the paradoxical conundrum was identified where authority, granting freedom through the 1799 Gradual Slavery Abolishment Act, continued to establish discriminatory practices against the Seneca’s dwellers through manipulation and redefinition of the space; developing further injustice in the matter. In conclusion, the application of the unified framework in supplement to existing scholarship has put forward a new, theoretical perspective on re-assessing the historical experience of Seneca Village.Show less
This thesis examines the role of filial piety (xiào 孝) in the broader moral framework from Confucius’ 孔子 and Mengzi’s 孟子 perspectives on moral cultivation, focusing primarily on the original texts...Show moreThis thesis examines the role of filial piety (xiào 孝) in the broader moral framework from Confucius’ 孔子 and Mengzi’s 孟子 perspectives on moral cultivation, focusing primarily on the original texts such as the Analects ( 論語 Lúnyǔ) and Mengzi (Mèngzǐ 孟子) in the Confucian canon. After Confucius’ primary teachings, Mengzi was the most notable follower and further progressed the development of the Confucian tradition. Confucius proposed that the root of all virtues was filial piety and emphasised the practical extension of filial piety in the form of roles and rituals to promote his socio-political ideal of social order. Mengzi similarly emphasised social order amidst a time of social unrest, however approached the virtue of filial piety from a different theoretical perspective. Confucius presents a methodological top-down approach in his educational approach, aiming to ground filial piety as a fundamental virtue to cultivate potential political rulers. Mengzi on the other hand, approaches virtues from a bottom-up perspective, starting from the sentiments residing in our human nature. Mengzi exhibits filial piety as a natural expression of intrinsic goodness residing in human nature, positioning filial piety as a virtue that develops naturally. Confucius approaches virtues from a different perspective by focusing on the externalities and rituals grounded in filial piety. Hence, both Confucian philosophers operate within the same conceptual framework yet portray a fundamentally distinct perspective towards the central virtue of filial piety as the locus of the Confucian tradition.Show less
This essay explores the use of music as a distinctive philosophical tool through epochs and cultural areas to ascertain whether music is more than a melodic form of entertainment and whether there...Show moreThis essay explores the use of music as a distinctive philosophical tool through epochs and cultural areas to ascertain whether music is more than a melodic form of entertainment and whether there is a consensus as far as music as a philosophical medium is concerned. It compares the attitudes of Plato, Xunzi and the Wesley brothers, (the founders of Methodism). The research focused on two apparently diverse philosophies and compared them with that of Plato. The writings of the philosophers were studied to identify attitudes towards the use of music. The research discovered similar attitudes towards music in all three philosophies studied: that music is influential and affects people’s behaviours. It would appear that music as an educational and controlling tool is a recognised phenomenon acknowledged in all three philosophies researched. This essay has revealed an interesting and unexpected convergence of ideas and opinions across the diverse philosophies researched. It exposed lesser-studied philosophers to scrutiny when compared to a foundational philosopher such as Plato to expose similar attitudes towards the use of music. This research has demonstrated the link between philosophy and religious and ceremonial music and identified other musical genres that could be explored for similar links. It has also identified similar ideas about music in all three authors studied; Plato, Xunzi and the Wesley brothers were all convinced of the value of music and approved of the use of music to impact the behaviour of the listener. However, there are conflicting views from philosophers such as Kant who believed that music was merely agreeable. Also, the censorship of music approved by Plato and Xunzi, that occurs in some countries such as the Russian censoring of Pussy Riot, is generally condemned by the lovers of music. This warrants further investigation as the suppression of music is contrary to the beliefs of many artists and the recipients of their art. The conclusion drawn from this research is that music has been recognised as an educational and controlling tool that has been used as such throughout history and in diverse cultures.Show less
My thesis focuses on a specific Dehua porcelain Guanyin statue in the Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A 19-1886), a mother-like Guanyin holding a boy-like child in her arms with Buddhist symbols...Show moreMy thesis focuses on a specific Dehua porcelain Guanyin statue in the Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A 19-1886), a mother-like Guanyin holding a boy-like child in her arms with Buddhist symbols around them. This statue and its variations flooded into Europe in the eighteenth century, arousing discussions about the iconography of Child-giving Guanyin. Their popularity in Europe has been generally attributed to the resemblance to Madonna and Child. This thesis disagrees with the conventional interpretation, and explores Buddhist images in the context of transcultural objects from the 15th to the 18th century. This approach highlights the interactions between material change, religious representations and transcultural objects. Porcelain Guanyin statues worked as mediators between the deity and worshippers. V&A 19-1886 depicts Guanyin of the South Sea holding a child, which represents compassion and nurturing. Such Buddhist images emerged in the late Ming, when the cult of Guanyin underwent popularization and secularization, and attracted a universal appeal in the transcultural context. Instead of reducing the Child-giving Guanyin porcelain statues to mere visual parallels with Madonna and Child, this analysis underscores the significance of contextual shifts in transforming religious objects across diverse cultural landscapes, and enriches our understanding of the dynamic process.Show less
