At the centre of the current paper is the battle between e-book formats, which will be discussed from different perspectives. The first two chapters directly deal with the issues of formats by...Show moreAt the centre of the current paper is the battle between e-book formats, which will be discussed from different perspectives. The first two chapters directly deal with the issues of formats by discussing their suitability to being used as formats for academic e-books. The last chapter debates the challenges digital academic publishing is facing today (pricing models for different formats, publishers’ choice of a suitable format, and changes in academic publishing caused by the development of technologies and formats in particular).Show less
The purpose of this study is to investigate the influence of digital technologies such as computers, iPads and digital textbooks on the authority of the teacher in Dutch primary schools. The used...Show moreThe purpose of this study is to investigate the influence of digital technologies such as computers, iPads and digital textbooks on the authority of the teacher in Dutch primary schools. The used methods were a research of the available literature and a simplified version a Delphi Panel. It was concluded that the authority of the teacher is undermined by the use of digital technologies in the classroom, because the teacher is at risk of losing control over the classroom and it is hard for the teacher to keep up with the increasing pace at which digital technologies are introduced.Show less
This BA thesis focuses on marketing strategies employed by designer and publisher to promote themselves as insiders of the popular Yoshiwara entertainment quarters and its brothels in Edo....Show moreThis BA thesis focuses on marketing strategies employed by designer and publisher to promote themselves as insiders of the popular Yoshiwara entertainment quarters and its brothels in Edo. According to research by Julie Nelson Davis , designer Kitagawa Utamaro (1753-1806) and publisher Tsutaya Jûzaburô (1750-1797) deliberately tried to create an “Utamaro persona” that would make Utamaro look like the ultimate insider of the abovementioned district in order to make more sales. I will elaborate on Davis’ thesis and analyze the main strategies that promoted Utamaro. Then works of other artists will be analyzed to see whether similar promotion can be found in their work as well. Davis indicates this possibility in her research as well, yet she focuses mainly on Utamaro and leaves other important artists by the wayside. In short, my main research focus will be the main self-promotional strategies of the Utamaro persona and whether these were unique in the commercial world of ukiyo-e publishing or whether they were tricks of the trade?Show less
After a summary of Old English poetic techniques and the use of these in the Old English poems "Beowulf" and "Judith", this thesis will aim to determine how well these poetic techniques were used...Show moreAfter a summary of Old English poetic techniques and the use of these in the Old English poems "Beowulf" and "Judith", this thesis will aim to determine how well these poetic techniques were used by J.R.R. Tolkien in his long poems "The Homecoming of Beorhtnoth" and "The Fall of Arthur", in order to determine which of these poems was written (mostly) last.Show less
A critical analysis of Charles Brockden Brown’s Wieland: or, The Transformation: An American Tale (1798) and James Hogg’s Private Memoirs and Confessions of a Justified Sinner (1824). Through...Show moreA critical analysis of Charles Brockden Brown’s Wieland: or, The Transformation: An American Tale (1798) and James Hogg’s Private Memoirs and Confessions of a Justified Sinner (1824). Through psychoanalytical and dialectic models, this thesis compares and contrasts Brown and Hogg's critique of religious fanaticism in two separate (British and American) contexts. The focus is on the Gothic trope 'the Double' used by both authors to unfold their criticism.Show less
Homosexuality has been a controversial topic globally for the last decade. Many countries have slowly accepted the emergence of homosexual relationships, some more than others, but in some...Show moreHomosexuality has been a controversial topic globally for the last decade. Many countries have slowly accepted the emergence of homosexual relationships, some more than others, but in some countries it remains a sensitive subject. For mainland China, it is generally believed that the Chinese government adopts a ‘3-no’ policy – no approval, no disapproval, and no promotion.1 Homosexuality has mainly been developing as an underground phenomena. Homosexuality in Hong Kong on the other hand is much more visible and relatively more accepted than in mainland China. Taiwan has been the most progressive region, developing a visible homosexual subculture and literary movement. In this thesis I look at the historical development and the cinematic development of homosexuality in Mainland China, Hong Kong and Taiwan and specifically at the portrayal of homosexuality in two Chinese-language films, Stanley Kwan's Lan Yu and Zero Chou's Ci Qing.Show less
At the end of the twentieth century, George R. R. Martin rose to success with his fantasy. Martin’s series shares a similar setting to J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings, but there is a...Show moreAt the end of the twentieth century, George R. R. Martin rose to success with his fantasy. Martin’s series shares a similar setting to J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings, but there is a difference in Martin’s work compared to that of traditional medievalist fantasy authors. Martin himself has stated on multiple occasions that he, just like Tolkien had done, based the setting of his books on medieval Britain and Europe. The critical acclaim the series has received partly seems to stem from the fact that Martin’s characters appeal to a broad audience. Many major characters of the books are clearly derived from character types present in medieval literature, but Martin has added certain qualities to them which make these characters more human, instead of being the same stock figures that characters from medieval literature mostly are. I will be researching why Martin’s characters appeal to such a broad audience while being based on traditional medievalist character roles by doing close reading of the text. I will also look at Sir Thomas Malory's Le Morte Darthur to research how much Martin has been influenced by character roles from medieval literature, and how these roles were perceived in their own time, also by doing close reading. To this purpose I will be looking into two character roles, that of the king and of the queen. I will look into the characters of King Arthur Pendragon and King Robert Baratheon in the first chapter, and Queen Guinevere and Queen Cersei Lannister in the second chapter.Show less
Deze bachelorscriptie onderzoekt hoe de Chinese regisseuse Li Yu uitdrukking geeft aan genderrelaties in haar films, en daarbij wat haar eigen kijk is op vrouwen in de moderne Chinese samenleving....Show moreDeze bachelorscriptie onderzoekt hoe de Chinese regisseuse Li Yu uitdrukking geeft aan genderrelaties in haar films, en daarbij wat haar eigen kijk is op vrouwen in de moderne Chinese samenleving. De nadruk ligt op het beeld dat geschetst wordt van vrouwen in Li Yu’s films, en of er overeenkomsten te vinden zijn tussen de verschillende vrouwelijke hoofdpersonages in haar films.Show less
In deze scriptie wordt er gekeken naar de referentiële patronen bij RTL Boulevard. Er wordt een onderscheid gemaakt tussen spontane, gesproken taal aan de balie, en de voice-overs, wat vooraf...Show moreIn deze scriptie wordt er gekeken naar de referentiële patronen bij RTL Boulevard. Er wordt een onderscheid gemaakt tussen spontane, gesproken taal aan de balie, en de voice-overs, wat vooraf bedachte geschreven taal is. Vooral in de voice-overs van het programma wordt er vaak verwezen met lange naamwoordgroepen, de surplus NP's. Hier worden mogelijke verklaringen voor geboden en er wordt een vergelijking gemaakt met de spontane spraak.Show less
This thesis examines how a memorial’s narration, stakeholders, and assigned purposes have led to the creation of the National September 11 Memorial. This thesis argues that the stakeholders, the...Show moreThis thesis examines how a memorial’s narration, stakeholders, and assigned purposes have led to the creation of the National September 11 Memorial. This thesis argues that the stakeholders, the creators (the LDMC and the designers), financers, family advocacy groups, and politicians, have constructed a complex memorial that not only serves a cathartic or political purpose, but that also raises questions about the current state of memorialization, its purpose and urgency, in modern American society. By defining the National 9/11 Memorial as a cathartic memorial, a narrative of healing has been created. At the same time, a narrative of victimization has been assigned to the memorial. This victimization offers political capital to the American political apparatus, but also proves to be problematic for certain family advocacy groups of firefighters and policemen who perished in the attacks; these family members desire a heroic memorial to remember their loved ones. These conflicting narratives raise questions about how the memorial will be used and interpreted in the future.Show less
The Old English poem Wulf and Eadwacer is famous for its ambiguity, mystery, and difficulty of interpretation. According to Elaine Treharne, “it is one of the most challenging Old English poems to...Show moreThe Old English poem Wulf and Eadwacer is famous for its ambiguity, mystery, and difficulty of interpretation. According to Elaine Treharne, “it is one of the most challenging Old English poems to translate satisfactorily.” There are various ways to interpret and translate Wulf and Eadwacer, and many different translations have already been published. Throughout the twentieth and twenty-first centuries, translators have tried their best to create translations of Wulf and Eadwacer that reflect their opinions, serve their purposes, and appeal to their particular audiences. John Adams believes Wulf and Eadwacer must be seen as a riddle, and has translated it as such, while others, like Treharne, consider the poem a woman’s song. The choices that translators make show how they interpret the poem, and the examination in this thesis will show what might have influenced the translators to create their particular translation, and how their choices and interpretations of Wulf and Eadwacer have influenced their translations.Show less
Het wereldwijd toenemend aantal mensen met obesitas wordt steeds vaker als zorgwekkend gekarakteriseerd en als serieus probleem beschouwd. Samenlevingen noemen obesitas tegenwoordig in een adem met...Show moreHet wereldwijd toenemend aantal mensen met obesitas wordt steeds vaker als zorgwekkend gekarakteriseerd en als serieus probleem beschouwd. Samenlevingen noemen obesitas tegenwoordig in een adem met sociale problemen als armoede en verslaving. Daar waar de obesitas-aantallen stijgen, groeit ook de mate van media-aandacht voor de kwestie. Media schilderen het obesitasprobleem op diverse manieren af, door het op een bepaalde manier te framen. Framing heeft bewezen effecten op culturele attitudes: zo zorgt de framing van obesitas in Amerikaanse reality-tv als een moreel en dus individueel probleem, voor een toenemende negatieve houding jegens dikke mensen. Met die reden is het relevant inzicht te verkrijgen in de framing van obesitas in ook de Nederlandse media, waar tot op heden nog geen onderzoek naar is verricht. Onderhavig onderzoek richt zich hierop, focust op het genre van reality-tv en geeft antwoord op de volgende vraag: hoe wordt obesitas geframed in realityprogramma ‘Obese’? Een speciale interesse is er voor de vraag wie het populaire transformatieve lifestyleprogramma als verantwoordelijke voor - zowel de oorzaak als de oplossing van – het obesitasprobleem presenteert. In totaal zijn drie van de zes afleveringen uit het tweede seizoen uit 2013 geselecteerd, getranscribeerd en geanalyseerd middels een kwalitatief-interpreterende inhoudsanalyse. Bevindingen uit eerder onderzoek tonen aan dat het een specifieke eigenschap van reality-tv is om zich tot een individualistisch frame te beperken. De resultaten van de analyse bevestigen inderdaad de verwachting van onderhavig onderzoek dat dit in ‘Obese’ niet anders is en laten zien waar het dit onderzoek vooral om te doen is: hoe dit frame in een andere nationale context dan tot dusver onderzocht, wordt ingevuld. ‘Obese’ spreekt met een alarmerende toon over obesitas. Het realityprogramma gaat in op de gevolgen die het excessieve overgewicht voor de deel-nemers ervan heeft en definieert obesitas als een risico voor de gezondheid, een praktisch en ook een psychosociaal probleem. De verantwoordelijkheid hiervoor ligt volgens het programma bij het individu: ‘Obese’ presenteert de oorzaak als een kwestie van eet- en beweeggewoonten (levensstijl) die samenhangen met denk- en gedragspatronen (mentaliteit) en negeert sociale, politieke en economische factoren. ‘Obese’ heeft een duidelijke boodschap: dik zijn is een keuze. In de manier waarop het de deelnemers behandelt en in beeld brengt zitten aspecten van straf en vernedering, wat bij de kijker gevoelens van walging en afschuw opwekt. Om het probleem op te lossen moeten de deelnemers de strijd aangaan. Tegen het overgewicht, maar volgens de realityshow vooral tegen zichzelf. De oplossing is volgens ‘Obese’ simpel; zolang de eigenaar daartoe bereid is, kan het lichaam bestuurd worden als een machine. Wanneer de deelnemers hierin slagen, is ook ruimte voor beloning en bewondering. De Nederlandse programmamakers kleuren het individualistische frame subtieler in dan hun Amerikaanse en Engelse collega’s: terwijl de laatste zich niet inhouden voeren de makers van ‘Obese’ met grote zorg een balanceeract op waarbij ze continu het evenwicht bewaren tussen veroordeling van en sympathie voor het individu. Maar hoewel verzachtende omstandigheden het scherpe randje eraf halen, blijft het idee dat het probleem de eigen schuld van de deelnemers is bestaan. Individuele verantwoordelijkheid wat betreft obesitas is sterk verankerd in onze maatschappij en discriminatie van dikke mensen is erg makkelijk. ‘Obese’ versterkt het idee dat het individu voor het obesitasprobleem verantwoordelijk is en maakt het mogelijk nog makkelijker mensen met obesitas af te keuren. Vervolgonderzoek, waarbij meer programma’s, andere genres en ook andere bronnen worden betrokken, is nodig om het beeld completer te maken en uitspraken te kunnen doen over ‘de framing van obesitas in de Nederlandse media’ in het algemeen.Show less
Analysis of the Bolivian film Yvy Maraey and the representation of the contemporary mestizo in Bolivia and Latin America. Approaching to the guarani culture and its historical struggle within the...Show moreAnalysis of the Bolivian film Yvy Maraey and the representation of the contemporary mestizo in Bolivia and Latin America. Approaching to the guarani culture and its historical struggle within the modern state, and the resulting mestizo ch'ixi, as a theoretical response to the Bolivian reality today.Show less
Solid waste management is one of the main problems worldwide. Especially in developing countries, different factors such as rapid population growth, migration to urban areas, and lack of financial...Show moreSolid waste management is one of the main problems worldwide. Especially in developing countries, different factors such as rapid population growth, migration to urban areas, and lack of financial resources make difficult to implement an efficient system of collection. Waste–pickers have an important role in the solid waste management but they normally work under hazardous and precarious conditions. In Brazil, in particular, although most of scavengers work informally, there are also many formal cooperatives of waste pickers that collaborate each other and contribute significantly to clean the cities and reduce the volume of solid waste destined to the dumps. Nevertheless, solid waste management is still a complex issue in the country and there is still a lot do in order to integrate waste–pickers within the society and in the waste management system. This study analyzes the social impact of waste–pickers’ cooperatives in the cities of Rio de Janeiro and Duque de Caxias, using data collected in five cooperatives during five weeks fieldwork research.Show less
