title: Women at stake: ideological cross-currents in misogyny and philogyny

authors: Seymour, Rosemary

abstract: This thesis investigates some relationships between a sociological population which manifests misogynous and philogynous behaviour, the sociological population towards which this behaviour is directed, and a third population which mediates relations between the first two. These populations are designated ‘ecclesiasticals’, ‘women’, and ‘new philosophers’, respectively. The focal period is the late Middle Ages, but extends backwards into remoter times.

The approach is interdisciplinary - especially through New History (particularly Women’s History); Philosophy (particularly developments in epistemology in this period); Literature (particularly aspects of metaphor and the genre of tragedy); and Sociology (particularly sociology of literature, sociology of women, and historical sociology). 

The method draws mainly on Lucien Goldmann’s genetic structuralism in sociology of literature and historical sociology. This interpretative method begins with an isolated empirical event (designated ‘abstract’); and proceeds to make it ‘concrete’ by relating it to other events, and to smaller and greater dynamic social structures. The process is oscillatory between two aspects of research: ‘comprehension’ of a selected event in terms of a latent structure discernible in it; and ‘understanding’ the structure discerned in terms of its dynamic, homologous relationship to contextual structures, and to an over-arching structure.

Two empirical events were the points of departure: persecution of women as witches/heretics and survival of goddess-worship. The event with a structure relating to both was Malleus Maleficarum [c1486, by Henry Kramer and James Sprenger). This was comprehended as a defensive reaction in a dogmatic structure; and understood in relation to threats in new developments in philosophy (especially nominalism, dialectic, and the new content), in women’s oral culture, and in over-arching structuration processes of transition from pre-modern to emergent modern.
 
There are six chapters.

CHAPTER ONE, INTRODUCTION outlines the substance and methods.

CHAPTER TWO, CONCEPTUAL PROLOGUE explicates the conceptual tools. 

CHAPTER THREE, COMPREHENSION presents a close reading of certain passages of Malleus Maleficarum, which reveals the latent structure. The main points in this are: women’s critical multiplicity, barrenness of theology, and fear of nature.

CHAPTER FOUR, UNDERSTANDING - (A) VIRTUALITY relates this structure to the theologians’ ‘virtuality’ of women and associated developments in philosophy.

CHAPTER FIVE, UNDERSTANDING - (B) POTENTIAL CONSCIOUSNESS looks at women in terms of facilitators and interceptors of their ‘potential consciousness’.

CHAPTER SIX, CONCLUSION summarises the links that have been discerned among the three populations, and suggests their relationships to the over-arching context.

The contribution made by this thesis is the construction of a theoretical framework for imaginative retrieval in an undocumented area, and the testing of its components. These components are: Goldmann’s basic hypothesis that all human behaviour tends towards consistent rational responses; the general hypothesis that women were agonist in history not passive; and the particular hypothesis that at least some aspects of the phenomenon of persecution of women as witches did not have a dispositional or hysterical base, but a rational one related to changes in content and methods of thought within the wider context of change from pre-modern to emergent modern.

It is concluded that use of this framework has illuminated empirical events and relationships; and that it may be used for further research in this and other obscure areas.

text: Women at stake: ideological cross-currents in misogyny and philogyny This thesis investigates some relationships between a sociological population which manifests misogynous and philogynous behaviour, the sociological population towards which this behaviour is directed, and a third population which mediates relations between the first two. These populations are designated ‘ecclesiasticals’, ‘women’, and ‘new philosophers’, respectively. The focal period is the late Middle Ages, but extends backwards into remoter times.

The approach is interdisciplinary - especially through New History (particularly Women’s History); Philosophy (particularly developments in epistemology in this period); Literature (particularly aspects of metaphor and the genre of tragedy); and Sociology (particularly sociology of literature, sociology of women, and historical sociology). 

The method draws mainly on Lucien Goldmann’s genetic structuralism in sociology of literature and historical sociology. This interpretative method begins with an isolated empirical event (designated ‘abstract’); and proceeds to make it ‘concrete’ by relating it to other events, and to smaller and greater dynamic social structures. The process is oscillatory between two aspects of research: ‘comprehension’ of a selected event in terms of a latent structure discernible in it; and ‘understanding’ the structure discerned in terms of its dynamic, homologous relationship to contextual structures, and to an over-arching structure.

Two empirical events were the points of departure: persecution of women as witches/heretics and survival of goddess-worship. The event with a structure relating to both was Malleus Maleficarum [c1486, by Henry Kramer and James Sprenger). This was comprehended as a defensive reaction in a dogmatic structure; and understood in relation to threats in new developments in philosophy (especially nominalism, dialectic, and the new content), in women’s oral culture, and in over-arching structuration processes of transition from pre-modern to emergent modern.
 
There are six chapters.

CHAPTER ONE, INTRODUCTION outlines the substance and methods.

CHAPTER TWO, CONCEPTUAL PROLOGUE explicates the conceptual tools. 

CHAPTER THREE, COMPREHENSION presents a close reading of certain passages of Malleus Maleficarum, which reveals the latent structure. The main points in this are: women’s critical multiplicity, barrenness of theology, and fear of nature.

CHAPTER FOUR, UNDERSTANDING - (A) VIRTUALITY relates this structure to the theologians’ ‘virtuality’ of women and associated developments in philosophy.

CHAPTER FIVE, UNDERSTANDING - (B) POTENTIAL CONSCIOUSNESS looks at women in terms of facilitators and interceptors of their ‘potential consciousness’.

CHAPTER SIX, CONCLUSION summarises the links that have been discerned among the three populations, and suggests their relationships to the over-arching context.

The contribution made by this thesis is the construction of a theoretical framework for imaginative retrieval in an undocumented area, and the testing of its components. These components are: Goldmann’s basic hypothesis that all human behaviour tends towards consistent rational responses; the general hypothesis that women were agonist in history not passive; and the particular hypothesis that at least some aspects of the phenomenon of persecution of women as witches did not have a dispositional or hysterical base, but a rational one related to changes in content and methods of thought within the wider context of change from pre-modern to emergent modern.

It is concluded that use of this framework has illuminated empirical events and relationships; and that it may be used for further research in this and other obscure areas.

year: 1981

title: Development of an integrated sacrificial sensor for damage detection and monitoring in composite materials and adhesively bonded joints

authors: Ólafsson, G.

abstract: Quality assurance of adhesively bonded joints is of vital importance if their benefits are to be exploited across a wide range of industrial applications. A novel lightweight, low-cost, non-invasive embedded sacrificial sensor is proposed, capable of detecting damage within an adhesively bonded joint, which could also be used in a laminated composite structure. The sensor operation uses changes in electrical resistance, increasing as the sensing material area diminishes with damage progression. Initial tests prove the sensor concept by showing that the electrical resistance of the sensor increases proportionally with material removal, mimicking the sensor operation. Thermography is used to verify the current flow through the sensor and that any localised heating caused by the sensor is minimal. Short beam interlaminar shear strength tests show that embedding sensors in a composite laminates did not cause a reduction in material interfacial structural performance. Finally, the in-situ performance of the sensor is demonstrated in quasi-static tensile tests to failure of adhesively bonded Single Lap Joints (SLJs) with sensors embedded in the bond line. Prior to crack initiation an electrical response occurs that correlates with increasing applied load, suggesting scope for secondary uses of the sensor for load monitoring and cycle counting. Crack initiation is accompanied by a rapid increase in electrical resistance, providing an indication of failure ahead of crack propagation and an opportunity for timely repair. As the crack damage propagated, the electrical response of the sensor increased proportionally. The effect of the sensor on the overall structural performance was assessed by comparing the failure load of joints with and without the embedded sensor with no measurable difference in ultimate strength. The research presented in the paper serves as an important first step in developing a simple yet promising new technology for structural health monitoring with numerous potential applications.

text: Development of an integrated sacrificial sensor for damage detection and monitoring in composite materials and adhesively bonded joints Quality assurance of adhesively bonded joints is of vital importance if their benefits are to be exploited across a wide range of industrial applications. A novel lightweight, low-cost, non-invasive embedded sacrificial sensor is proposed, capable of detecting damage within an adhesively bonded joint, which could also be used in a laminated composite structure. The sensor operation uses changes in electrical resistance, increasing as the sensing material area diminishes with damage progression. Initial tests prove the sensor concept by showing that the electrical resistance of the sensor increases proportionally with material removal, mimicking the sensor operation. Thermography is used to verify the current flow through the sensor and that any localised heating caused by the sensor is minimal. Short beam interlaminar shear strength tests show that embedding sensors in a composite laminates did not cause a reduction in material interfacial structural performance. Finally, the in-situ performance of the sensor is demonstrated in quasi-static tensile tests to failure of adhesively bonded Single Lap Joints (SLJs) with sensors embedded in the bond line. Prior to crack initiation an electrical response occurs that correlates with increasing applied load, suggesting scope for secondary uses of the sensor for load monitoring and cycle counting. Crack initiation is accompanied by a rapid increase in electrical resistance, providing an indication of failure ahead of crack propagation and an opportunity for timely repair. As the crack damage propagated, the electrical response of the sensor increased proportionally. The effect of the sensor on the overall structural performance was assessed by comparing the failure load of joints with and without the embedded sensor with no measurable difference in ultimate strength. The research presented in the paper serves as an important first step in developing a simple yet promising new technology for structural health monitoring with numerous potential applications.

year: 2021

title: Chief’s Mana in action; a study investigating the team’s perspective.

authors: Howarth, Joelene

subjects: Sports psychology

abstract: Team culture, and its relevance to performance behaviour and attitudes, has recently gained increased focus in sport psychology research and practice (Schroeder, 2010; Cruickshank & Collins 2012; Morgan, Fletcher & Sarkar, 2014). Cruickshank and Collins (2012) state that“high performing cultures prevail when the shared perception and action of the elite team environment members; (a) supports sustained optimal performance; (b) persists across time in the face of variable results(i.e. wins, losses, ties); and most importantly, (c) leads to consistently high performance” (p.340). Spink et al. (2013) found preliminary evidence that a positive psychological climate, as defined by the significance and meaning of the work environment to the individual, is also linked to increased athlete effort. Various researchers suggests that it is a difficult task to change, cultivate and maintain a team culture, that is the social and psychological environment, which promotes best performance (Cruickshank & Collins 2012; Schroeder, 2010).

text: Chief’s Mana in action; a study investigating the team’s perspective. Team culture, and its relevance to performance behaviour and attitudes, has recently gained increased focus in sport psychology research and practice (Schroeder, 2010; Cruickshank & Collins 2012; Morgan, Fletcher & Sarkar, 2014). Cruickshank and Collins (2012) state that“high performing cultures prevail when the shared perception and action of the elite team environment members; (a) supports sustained optimal performance; (b) persists across time in the face of variable results(i.e. wins, losses, ties); and most importantly, (c) leads to consistently high performance” (p.340). Spink et al. (2013) found preliminary evidence that a positive psychological climate, as defined by the significance and meaning of the work environment to the individual, is also linked to increased athlete effort. Various researchers suggests that it is a difficult task to change, cultivate and maintain a team culture, that is the social and psychological environment, which promotes best performance (Cruickshank & Collins 2012; Schroeder, 2010).

year: 2016