VictorJuiz/thesis huggingface dataset:
Dissidence by Design: Literary Renovations of the &quot;Good Taste&quot; Movement

This dissertation examines the literary responses to the British “good taste” movement in the work of Aldous Huxley, Evelyn Waugh, and John Betjeman. Bolstered by the increased prominence and influence of design experts in the early-twentieth century, critics and designers sought to improve public taste in Britain. The didactic and rhetorical strategies these taste reformers employed gradually convinced Britons that their nation, which lagged behind its European neighbours in accepting modern design, was in the throes of a “taste crisis.” The increased authority of design experts, the public enthusiasm for decoration, and the growth of the market for household goods led not only to a widespread fascination with design, but also to the formulation of an increasingly narrow and orthodox definition of “good taste.” I analyze these authors’ critical and literary writing, relying, in many cases, on their unpublished or neglected work in order to reveal the development of their taste theories. I argue that these writers, dissatisfied with what they perceived to be the “good taste” movement’s stultifying and homogenizing effects, produced a “dissident” taste theory in reaction to the consensual and codified notion of “good taste.” Chapter One considers Huxley’s often overlooked role as the editor of House & Garden magazine in the context of his early fiction and his gradual conversion to mysticism. Chapter Two examines the architectural novels of Evelyn Waugh, noting, in particular, the inherent tensions he navigated between modernity and tradition, Philistinism and theory, theology and aesthetics. Chapter Three studies John Betjeman’s roles as critic, poet, guide-book writer, and preservationist, charting the development of his tastes from international modernism to local eclecticism. Rather than accepting the easy distinctions between “good and bad” taste, Huxley, Waugh, and Betjeman—themselves so often criticized for being unyieldingly absolute in their worldviews—attempted instead to articulate a “taste between,” one that fused the aesthetic, ethical, and psychic components of taste in an imaginative spectrum, rather than an orthodox system.

Keywords: modernism
literature
taste
design
architecture
Advisor: Greene, Richard
Plagiarism and Proprietary Authorship in Early Modern England, 1590-1640

The first rule of writing is an important one: writers should not plagiarize; what they write should be their own. It is taken for granted. But who made the rule? Why? And how is it enforced? This dissertation traces the history of proprietary authorship from the earliest distinctions between imitation and misappropriation in the humanist schoolroom, through the first recorded uses in English of the Latin legal term plagiary (kidnapper) as a metaphor for literary misappropriation, to an inchoate conception of literary property among a coterie of writers in early modern England. It argues that the recognition of literary misappropriation emerged as a result of the instrumental reading habits of early humanist scholars and that the subsequent distinction between authors and plagiarists depended more upon the maturity of the writer than has been previously recognized. Accusations of plagiarism were a means of discrediting a rival, although in this capacity their import also depended largely upon one’s perspective. In the absence of established trade customs, writers had to subscribe to the proprieties of the institutions with which they were affiliated. They were deemed plagiarists only when their actions were found to be out of place. These proprieties not only informed early modern definitions of plagiarism; they also helped define the perimeters of proprietary authorship. Authors who wished to make a fair profit from labours in print had to conform to the regulations of the Stationer’s Company, just as authors who maintained a proprietary interest in their manuscripts had to draw upon legal rhetoric, such as plagiary, in the absence of a legally recognized notion of authorial property. With new information technologies expanding the boundaries of proprietary authorship everyday, the proprieties according to which these boundaries were first defined should help teachers and researchers not only better to understand the nature of Renaissance authorship but also to equip their students for the future.

Keywords: Renaissance Studies
Early Modern English Literature
History of the Book
Law and Literature
Authorship Studies
Composition Studies
Plagiarism
History of Copyright
Intellectual Property
Metaphor
Advisor: Galbraith, David
Interprofessional Team Learning and Leaders in an Academic Health Care Organization

The purpose of this study is to explore leadership and interprofessional team learning in well-established specialist teams in an academic health care organization. It also illuminates the data with more precise team leadership theories to help advance interprofessional health care practice. Employing an interactionist ethnographic approach, the study focuses on exploring team leaders’ role, their perceptions, meanings, and behaviours within the culture of two teams in the department of nephrology in an academic health care organization. Qualitative data derived from interviews, observations, and documents were gathered over a two-year period to obtain a comprehensive understanding of the workings of the teams. The research is also informed by the experiences of the researcher who had been a member of the department of nephrology under study. Data analysis involved an inductive thematic analysis of observations, reflections, and interview transcripts. The three broad themes of this dissertation reflect the characteristics and activities of leaders of team learning: first, situational team leadership, as a process, affects the social context of interprofessional team-learning relationships, interactions, and activities within the complex culture of an academic health care organization. Second, team learning embodies the collective praxis of its members. The members inform the role of leading learning through the social construction of meaning in dialogue and their reflective practices. Third, effective team leadership ensures the transfer of collective knowledge to students and trainees. Effective leaders also help team members deal with the challenge of learning how to work within a well-established, specialized health care team as community of practice. Such a team has special capabilities that enable interprofessional team learning. Hence, a leader who learns how to use team learning to create new and collective knowledge will be able to create a learning experience for students, trainees, and team members who are focused on interprofessional practice and care. This study offers a contribution to the interprofessional education literature in two ways. First, the study’s use of theoretical perspectives provides new ways of thinking about leaders and learning in interprofessional communities of practice. Second, the study provides a rare empirical in-depth account of, interprofessional team leadership within well-established specialized teams in an academic health care organization.

Keywords: interprofessional team learning
team leadership
interprofessional
interactionist ethnographic
Advisor: Laiken, Marilyn
Reeves, Scott
Jackson, Nancy
Enveloped by Ocean Life: Experiences of Scuba Diving

This arts-informed, phenomenological, and heuristic inquiry focuses on what it means to immerse deeply into experiences within the natural world. Through attention and reflection on emotional and somatic aspects of my own ocean SCUBA diving experiences, and those of beginner and practiced divers, a method and the significance of learning through personal experiences and others’ shared stories is illuminated. Readers are invited to imagine or revisit what it is like to be enveloped by ocean life through an artful narrative account of the ocean diving experience. Crafted in meandering ways, through the aesthetics of photographic images, divers’ evocative descriptions and poetic text, and interspersed with remembrances and imaginations and contemplations of self and world, the narrative reflects the diversity, richness and resonance of divers’ shared stories, and the reverberating and nurturing beauty and mystery of the ocean world. Through five narrative sections that embody a sense of movement deeper into the experience – into relations with the natural world, (‘Immersing’ ‘Opening Pathways of Exploration’, ‘Widening Circles of Compassion’, ‘Nature Reveals Her Open Secret’ and ‘Surfacing’), I encourage readers to wander amongst ocean life to expand ways of experiencing the natural world. It is important to look for new, creative ways that allow space for explorations of self and world, to uncover new ways to reconcile both the mind-body connection as well as the human-nature connection. This inquiry brings the notion of connectedness with nature to the forefront as humans’ alienation from the natural world is recognized as a significant contributor to the present ecological crisis. The exploration of ocean experiences was also a search for ways to encourage and sustain a lifelong inquiry into the relations with the non-human world as a way to continually build and reinforce a strong bond with the natural world for psychological, social and ecological wellbeing. The immersive nature of research methods and representation illuminated how ocean life and artful expressions of remembrances and imaginations build lasting impressions, further adding vitality to what is perceived in both aquatic and terrestrial worlds – enhancing a sense of connectedness with the natural world.

Keywords: arts-informed
phenomenology
heuristic
SCUBA
diving
nature
ocean
connectedness
human-nature
mind-body
environment
somatic
experiential
emotion
ecological identity
embodied
reflective
Advisor: Knowles, J. Gary
Interpenetrating Polymer Networks Templated on Bicontinuous Microemulsions Containing Silicone Oil, Methacrylic Acid and Hydroxyethyl Methacrylate

Interest in microemulsions as potential platforms for polymerization stems from the wide range of phase behaviour dependant morphologies and domain sizes that can be generated in a low viscosity environment. By introducing polymerizable components into the oil and aqueous phases of a microemulsion, we may essentially create a low viscosity, low interfacial tension, bicontinuous template with nanostructured morphologies and narrow domain size distributions analogous to those generated through conventional interpenetrating polymer network (IPN) synthesis and spinodal decomposition. The main objective of this dissertation is to test the application of bicontinuous microemulsion templates to the formulation and polymerization of a silicone-hydrogel IPN. In addition, the project expands on the classical definition of IPNs to a scale of entanglement at the level of groups of polymer chains, as opposed to molecular or chain-level entanglement. This study is divided into two main parts. In the first part, silicone microemulsions were developed and characterized according to the Hydrophilic-Lipophilic Difference (HLD) framework. The hydrophobicity of silicone oils, the characteristic curvature of silicone surfactants and the co-surfactant contribution of methacrylic acid (MAA) and hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA) were quantified. These findings led to the successful formulation of bicontinuous microemulsions (μEs) containing silicone oil, silicone alkyl polyether and reactive monomers in aqueous solution. Ternary phase diagrams of these systems revealed the potential for silicone-containing polymer composites with bicontinuous morphologies. In the second part of this study, the formulation and simultaneous polymerization of polydimethylsiloxane-poly(methacrylic acid – hydroxyethyl methacrylate), (PDMS-P(MAA-HEMA) IPNs from bicontinuous microemulsions was demonstrated. Laser scanning confocal microscopy (LSCM) on swollen polymers highlights aqueous pathways, and indicates the formation of bicontinuous morphologies with domain sizes at equilibrium swelling ranging from ~100 nm to 1 μm. Incorporating polymerizable surfactants into the microemulsion aided in stabilizing the initial microemulsion structure during polymerization. The process developed demonstrates a simple, single-step polymerization approach to forming IPNs from low viscosity microemulsion templates, and could potentially be extended to a variety of hydrophilic and hydrophobic monomers.

Keywords: Microemulsion
Polymerization
Hydrophilic Lipophilic Difference
Silicone Microemulsion
Interpenetrating Polymer Network
Advisor: Cheng, Yu-Ling
Leonardo's Literary Writings: History, Genre, Philosophy

This dissertation examines Leonardo da Vinci’s literary writings, namely those known as the Bestiario, Favole, Facezie, and Profezia, as compelling expressions of how Leonardo envisioned the role and influence of morality in human life. Through an analysis of these four literary collections from the perspective of their genre history, literariness, and philosophical dimension, it aims to bring to light the depth with which Leonardo reflected upon the human condition. The Bestiario, Favole, Facezie, and Profezia are writings that have considerable literary value in their own right but can also be examined in a wider historical, literary, and philosophical context so as to reveal the ethical ideas that they convey. By studying them from a historical perspective, it is possible to contextualize Leonardo’s four collections within the tradition of their respective genres (the bestiary, fable, facetia, and riddle) and thus recognize their adherence as well as contribution to these traditions. The literary context brings to light Leonardo’s intentionality and ingenuity as a writer who uses generic conventions in order to voice his ethical views. Assessed from a philosophical standpoint, these four literary collections prove to be meaningful reflections on the moral state of humanity, thereby justifying the characterization of Leonardo as a moral philosopher. Current scholarship on the Bestiario, Favole, Facezie, and Profezia generally views these writings as minor Leonardo works and treats them as ancillary parts of his production. This dissertation, conceiving Leonardo as a moral philosopher, provides interpretations that lead to the conclusion that his thought pervades both his major and minor works and that these literary writings must be viewed as an extension (and result) of Leonardo’s greater notions of the world and of how all parts relate to one another. The Bestiario, Favole, Facezie, and Profezia are works that deserve greater attention reflecting as they do the thought of this Renaissance man.

Keywords: Leonardo da Vinci
Renaissance Italian Literature
Advisor: Pugliese, Olga
The Regulation of Neuronal Excitability and Nociception by Tonic GABAergic Inhibition

The mammalian central nervous system maintains a delicate balance between neuronal excitation and inhibition. Conventional synaptic inhibition is mediated through the transient activity of postsynaptic γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) at type A GABA (GABAA) receptors. A subset of GABAA receptors is also located outside of inhibitory synapses. These extrasynaptic receptors generate a tonic inhibitory conductance in response to low concentrations of extracellular GABA. Tonic inhibition broadly suppresses neuronal activity and regulates many vital processes such as sleep, consciousness and memory formation. This thesis examines the physiological effects of tonic inhibition at the cellular level and in the behaving animal. This thesis also explores whether gabapentin, a commonly used sedative, anxiolytic, and analgesic drug, enhances tonic GABAergic inhibition. I hypothesize that: (1) tonic GABAA receptor activity reduces the intrinsic excitability of neurons; (2) the activity of tonically active GABAA receptors in spinal pain pathways attenuates nociception; and (3) tonic inhibition can be upregulated by gabapentin. The results show that a tonic inhibitory current generated by α5 subunit-containing GABAA (α5GABAA) receptors reduces the excitability of hippocampal pyramidal neurons excitability by increasing the rheobase, but does not change the gain of action potential firing. A similar shunting inhibition is present in spinal cord lamina II neurons that is generated by δ subunit-containing GABAA receptors. The activity of these receptors in spinal nociceptive pathways reduces acute thermal nociception and may constrain central sensitization in a behavioural model of persistent pain. Finally, gabapentin increases a tonic inhibitory current in cultured hippocampal neurons independent from changes in the expression of α5GABAA receptors or in the concentration of GABAA receptor ligands. The results of this thesis demonstrate that tonically active GABAA receptors play an important role in the regulation of neuronal activity and nociception, and that tonic inhibition represents a novel target of therapeutic drugs.

Keywords: GABA
neuronal excitability
dorsal horn
tonic inhibition
nociception
gabapentin
Advisor: Orser, Beverley
Sonido y sentido en escena: El papel de la musica en la comedia espa&ntilde;ola del Siglo de Oro y el teatro politico latinoamericano de la segunda mitad del siglo XX.

The academic analysis of drama often tends to privilege the written word over those sensory elements that are such critical aspects of live theatre. Rhythm, music, dialect, and silence – all these auditory features contribute significantly to the impact and meaning of a play, and they allow playwrights – together with the actors and stage directors who realize their dramatic visions – to convey political messages and address specific political issues without having to necessarily state them overtly within the dialogue. As Augusto Boal stated in his Theatre of the Oppressed, drama is a weapon to fight against oppressive regimes. Thus this dissertation analyzes the role of the senses – especially those related to hearing – in developing the themes and intentions of political plays from Latin America and Spain. The aim is to explore how this has – or has not – changed throughout the centuries, with the ultimate objective of finding common musical and sensory elements, as well as possible affinities in the use of auditory features, to further enable a deeper understanding of how theatre is different from other literary genres. To facilitate the analysis, this dissertation explores a total of six dramas: three Latin American political plays written in the second half of the 20th century and three Early Modern Spanish comedias that depict political scenes or themes. These plays are treated by pairs in each chapter and analyzed according to their use of auditory features in concert with written stage directions and dialogue as a means to reflect or denounce social problems pertaining to the different historical periods in which the plays were initially staged. Specifically, the dramatic pairings are as follows: Chapter 1: Death and the Maiden by Ariel Dorfman (1991) The Mayor of Zalamea by Pedro Calderón de la Barca (ca.1640) Chapter 2: Information for Foreigners, by Griselda Gambaro (1971) Fuenteovejuna, by Lope de Vega (ca.1610) Chapter 3: The Extentionist, by Felipe Santander (1978) Cruelty for Honour, by Juan Ruiz de Alarcón (ca.1621-22). Each play is analyzed according to the theoretical frames that better serve its specific needs and particularities. However, the theories of Giorgio Agamben, Augusto Boal, José Antonio Maravall, Angel Rama, Walter Ong, and especially Bertolt Brecht, form the spinal chord that sustain this study and tie the three chapters to one another. The attention given to each one of these critics and their theories is explained in each chapter’s introduction. As the conclusions show, these plays rely on sensory, linguistic and musical elements to denounce social and political problems of their time, and to try to move their different audiences towards reflection or action, in order to improve the society in which they lived.

Keywords: Latin American AND theatre
Early Modern Spanish AND Spanish American comedia
Music
Violence
Sensory elements
Advisor: Rupp, Stephen
The Justification of Deontology

Agent-centered restrictions are widely accepted both in commonsense morality and across social and legal institutions, making it all the more striking that we have yet to ground them in a compelling theoretical rationale. This dissertation amounts to an effort to fill that gap by seeking out a new principled basis for justifying such constraints. I devote each of the first three chapters, respectively, to the three established deontological normative ethical theories: Rossian intuitionism, Kantianism, and Neo-Thomism. In each of these chapters, I lay out the relevant portion of the view’s deontological apparatus, analyzing it both for its plausibility as a whole and for its ability to justify constraints of the appropriate shape. After assessing and rejecting all three approaches, I devote the next two chapters to developing a new rationale for grounding constraints—one that avoids the pitfalls indicated in the prominent historical alternatives. Specifically, I anchor constraints in the distinction between the agent-neutral and agent-relative points of view, basing them in the widely accepted psychological fact of the natural independence of the personal point of view.

Keywords: Deontology
Agent-Centered Restrictions
Consequentialism
Constraints
Advisor: Hurka, Thomas
Anti-Utilitarians: Kant, Schopenhauer and Nietzsche on Motivation, Agency and the Formation of a Higher Self

This thesis examines the moral philosophical commitments that Kant, Schopenhauer and Nietzsche advance in their respective oppositions to utilitarianism. Though not always under that title, all three reject the claim that promoting happiness is the ultimate end that we pursue, or ought to pursue, through moral principles and values. Kant, Schopenhauer and Nietzsche see this rejection reflected in human nature itself. Each develops a distinctive conception of 'higher self,' or of higher purposes already belonging, in some sense, to each of us, in accordance with which we ought to shape our character. Self-formation, not the mere pursuit of happiness (whether our own or that of others), is thus our true moral project. I focus on each philosopher's account of agency and motivation as the locus in which this view of morality is developed, highlighting the differences that emerge from the details of their respective accounts. This thesis shows that a tight relation between cognition and motive feeling is central, though in different ways, for Kant, Schopenhauer and Nietzsche, to the motivational structure of those actions through which we develop moral character. According to Kant, recognition of being bound by the moral law (our 'practical cognition' of freedom) is indissolubly linked to the feeling of respect for it, which in turn is explicable only through such recognition. For Schopenhauer, the 'intuitive cognition' that our existence as distinct individuals is illusory is the feeling of compassion. Nietzsche radically expands this point, arguing that, in every act of will, the motive feeling and guiding cognition are uniquely linked. Only a superficial grasp of human motivation supports the idea that pleasure and pain are the common motive forces underlying all our actions. The inner conflict in human nature, the creative tension in self-formation, is not, for Nietzsche, that between a uniquely moral form of motivation and a 'lower' instrumental pursuit of pleasure. Rather, this inner tension, expressed most strikingly and distressingly in extreme ascetic and guilt-ridden strands of Christian morality, is the product of a complex historical conflict between two different modes of behavioural selection – our evolutionary development and the processes of socialization.

Keywords: Nietzsche
Kant
Schopenhauer
motivation
moral philosophy
agency
self-formation
utilitarianism
genealogy
will to power
autonomy
freedom
determinism
truth
Advisor: Mullin, Amy