title: Breasts are not just battlefields: Breast cancer and metaphors

authors: Malik, Sara

abstract: We analyse how breast cancer patients use metaphor with respect to their illness. The medical humanities (Whitehead and Woods, 2016) already has a rich tradition of coming to appreciate how cancer is discussed by clinicians, patients, survivors, and others. Our research hopes to extend this ongoing discussion by looking within and across two languages: English and Urdu. This research is part of a larger project (a PhD thesis) and in this presentation, we introduce preliminary corpus data and some initial findings from it. We take a corpus linguistics approach to examine how frequent metaphors are used, and we subject them to analysis through the lens of conceptual metaphor theory (Lakoff and Johnson, 1980; Lakoff, 2006). Our corpus is collected from two different languages: Urdu (as spoken in Pakistan) and English (as spoken in New Zealand). It consists of social media language: four YouTube videos (two from each country), transcribed and translated (for Urdu). Our initial findings suggest that, as argued in previous research (Guité-Verret and Vachon, 2021), breast cancer is often framed with reference to war metaphors. However, we also reveal a number of previously undocumented metaphors, for example part-whole relationships, such as ‘if spread from breast then it has the whole body’, which refer to generic level metaphor-miscellaneous metaphors (GenM-MM) Lakoff (2006).

text: Breasts are not just battlefields: Breast cancer and metaphors We analyse how breast cancer patients use metaphor with respect to their illness. The medical humanities (Whitehead and Woods, 2016) already has a rich tradition of coming to appreciate how cancer is discussed by clinicians, patients, survivors, and others. Our research hopes to extend this ongoing discussion by looking within and across two languages: English and Urdu. This research is part of a larger project (a PhD thesis) and in this presentation, we introduce preliminary corpus data and some initial findings from it. We take a corpus linguistics approach to examine how frequent metaphors are used, and we subject them to analysis through the lens of conceptual metaphor theory (Lakoff and Johnson, 1980; Lakoff, 2006). Our corpus is collected from two different languages: Urdu (as spoken in Pakistan) and English (as spoken in New Zealand). It consists of social media language: four YouTube videos (two from each country), transcribed and translated (for Urdu). Our initial findings suggest that, as argued in previous research (Guité-Verret and Vachon, 2021), breast cancer is often framed with reference to war metaphors. However, we also reveal a number of previously undocumented metaphors, for example part-whole relationships, such as ‘if spread from breast then it has the whole body’, which refer to generic level metaphor-miscellaneous metaphors (GenM-MM) Lakoff (2006).

year: 2023-11-29

title: Representations and Manifestations of Madness in Victorian Fiction

authors: Bennett, Susanna

subjects: Victorian

abstract: This thesis explores the complex ways in which mental illness was portrayed in Victorian fiction. It situates the literature within historical contexts, but primarily focuses on fictional representations of madness. At times the fiction studied replicates the dominant attitudes towards mental illness in the period. On other occasions the literature forms a dialogue with the historical record, challenging Victorian attitudes and assumptions. 
These texts form the core of my discussion: Jane Eyre, Far From the Madding Crowd, The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde and He Knew He Was Right. Some of these are best described as sensation and Gothic fiction, the authors dawn to the sensational and dramatic narrative opportunities provided by madness. Other authors depict madness in a more understated way in keeping with their social realist mode. Thus a range of perspectives on and attitudes towards madness are discussed.
The analysis focuses on three distinct, but at times interconnected, themes. In the first chapter issues of gender and madness in Victorian literature are addressed, the analysis highlighting the particular association between women and madness but also considering depictions of male madness. Next, the thesis turns to questions of race and class, exploring the relationship between racial and socio-economic identity and madness. Here, the multiple fictional examples of professional, middle and upper-class men who are afflicted with madness forms a counter narrative to the historical coupling of madness with racial and class otherness. Finally, the thesis turns to the behaviour of fictional characters described as being mad. Madness frequently manifests in violent and destructive ways in Victorian fiction and thus the connection between madness and criminality is a necessary avenue of analysis.

text: Representations and Manifestations of Madness in Victorian Fiction This thesis explores the complex ways in which mental illness was portrayed in Victorian fiction. It situates the literature within historical contexts, but primarily focuses on fictional representations of madness. At times the fiction studied replicates the dominant attitudes towards mental illness in the period. On other occasions the literature forms a dialogue with the historical record, challenging Victorian attitudes and assumptions. 
These texts form the core of my discussion: Jane Eyre, Far From the Madding Crowd, The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde and He Knew He Was Right. Some of these are best described as sensation and Gothic fiction, the authors dawn to the sensational and dramatic narrative opportunities provided by madness. Other authors depict madness in a more understated way in keeping with their social realist mode. Thus a range of perspectives on and attitudes towards madness are discussed.
The analysis focuses on three distinct, but at times interconnected, themes. In the first chapter issues of gender and madness in Victorian literature are addressed, the analysis highlighting the particular association between women and madness but also considering depictions of male madness. Next, the thesis turns to questions of race and class, exploring the relationship between racial and socio-economic identity and madness. Here, the multiple fictional examples of professional, middle and upper-class men who are afflicted with madness forms a counter narrative to the historical coupling of madness with racial and class otherness. Finally, the thesis turns to the behaviour of fictional characters described as being mad. Madness frequently manifests in violent and destructive ways in Victorian fiction and thus the connection between madness and criminality is a necessary avenue of analysis.

year: 2015

title: A trans-national analysis of equitable utilisation and minimisation of environmental harm under environmental laws at international, federal and national levels

authors: Hasan, Qaraman

subjects: International Environmental Law

abstract: Due to increasing demand for various human needs and climate change issues, rivers are now under enormous pressure. With increasing pressure on these valuable natural resources, responses among state and non-state actors are insufficient in the Anthropocene. To fill the gap, International Environmental Law (IEL) provides several principles for better management of these resources. Equitable utilisation and minimisation of environmental harm are among the most important principles of the IEL. From a theoretical perspective, these principles should lead to the sustainability of these resources and promote cooperation among relevant actors.

However, many river basins are still not allocated equitably and suffer from environmental damage. By using comparative, doctrinal, and empirical research methods, this thesis evaluates the two principles at the international level in Tigris and Euphrates River Basin, the federal level in Murray Darling Basin and at the local level in the Waikato River catchment. The research discovered major challenges for implementing the two principles. One major challenge is sovereignty, another is a lack or weakness of local voices and transparency. As the nature and status of all basins are different, the challenges are not exactly the same. For example, hearing local voices and better information transparency have significantly improved in the Waikato River.

As the challenges for implementing the two principles are not purely legal, the responses should blend legal solutions with political and socio-economic solutions. Therefore, this thesis strongly supports shared sovereignty among states at the international level as well as shared sovereignty with indigenous and minority groups at the national level. Cooperation among national and international actors in the river basins is also crucial for implementing the two principles effectively. Finally, there is the opportunity to establish basin institutions or organisations to manage river basins integrated and sustainable. This is vital in the case of TE-RB because the basin still lacks an institution. Furthermore, the basin institution in the MDB requires more robust compliance and monitoring power because the provisions of the Water Act 2007 and the basin plan still have not been implemented effectively.

Finally, the thesis concludes with two common lessons in comparing these cases. The first lesson is that equitable utilisation cannot be implemented effectively if it is not accepted by the local community in a broad and deep meaning. It means that the equitable allocation should be extended from only the riparian states to equitable allocation among the people within each state. The second lesson is that the minimisation of environmental harm cannot be implemented without determining the minimum flow of rivers, particularly transboundary rivers. Determining an environmental impact assessment for water projects and taking advantage of available solutions of nature contributes significantly in implementing the two principles and sustainable management of our rivers.

text: A trans-national analysis of equitable utilisation and minimisation of environmental harm under environmental laws at international, federal and national levels Due to increasing demand for various human needs and climate change issues, rivers are now under enormous pressure. With increasing pressure on these valuable natural resources, responses among state and non-state actors are insufficient in the Anthropocene. To fill the gap, International Environmental Law (IEL) provides several principles for better management of these resources. Equitable utilisation and minimisation of environmental harm are among the most important principles of the IEL. From a theoretical perspective, these principles should lead to the sustainability of these resources and promote cooperation among relevant actors.

However, many river basins are still not allocated equitably and suffer from environmental damage. By using comparative, doctrinal, and empirical research methods, this thesis evaluates the two principles at the international level in Tigris and Euphrates River Basin, the federal level in Murray Darling Basin and at the local level in the Waikato River catchment. The research discovered major challenges for implementing the two principles. One major challenge is sovereignty, another is a lack or weakness of local voices and transparency. As the nature and status of all basins are different, the challenges are not exactly the same. For example, hearing local voices and better information transparency have significantly improved in the Waikato River.

As the challenges for implementing the two principles are not purely legal, the responses should blend legal solutions with political and socio-economic solutions. Therefore, this thesis strongly supports shared sovereignty among states at the international level as well as shared sovereignty with indigenous and minority groups at the national level. Cooperation among national and international actors in the river basins is also crucial for implementing the two principles effectively. Finally, there is the opportunity to establish basin institutions or organisations to manage river basins integrated and sustainable. This is vital in the case of TE-RB because the basin still lacks an institution. Furthermore, the basin institution in the MDB requires more robust compliance and monitoring power because the provisions of the Water Act 2007 and the basin plan still have not been implemented effectively.

Finally, the thesis concludes with two common lessons in comparing these cases. The first lesson is that equitable utilisation cannot be implemented effectively if it is not accepted by the local community in a broad and deep meaning. It means that the equitable allocation should be extended from only the riparian states to equitable allocation among the people within each state. The second lesson is that the minimisation of environmental harm cannot be implemented without determining the minimum flow of rivers, particularly transboundary rivers. Determining an environmental impact assessment for water projects and taking advantage of available solutions of nature contributes significantly in implementing the two principles and sustainable management of our rivers.

year: 2023