Master of Arts, The Ohio State University, 1970, Graduate School

Committee: Not Provided (Other) Subjects:

Master of Arts (MA), Bowling Green State University, 2022, English/Literature

Images have always played an integral role in the formation of identity throughout courtly love literature. This can be seen through the first look between the servant and his Lady as it becomes the foundation for their mutual identities both in relation to one another and apart. They become centered around only truly knowing the self once they have known one another. This initial moment of recognition, following the path of the Hegelian master-slave dialectic, is the moment when self-consciousness is formed by a confrontation with the other (Hegel 541-547). The first look is a pivotal moment that sets the stage for the way the subject perceives the world as he now views himself as merely a part with the image reflected back being the promised ‘whole' he has come to anticipate. When this becomes the central driving force behind the servant's motivations, it becomes a phenomenon that must be examined to better understand the characters and the possible implications of their actions. This thesis investigates the role that identity formation plays within courtly love literature using Jacques Lacan's mirror stage theory and a new framework designed to assist in literary criticism. I engage W. J. T. Mitchell and Michael Camille's debate surrounding images, objects, and desire as a foundation for my examination. The primary texts that I engage are Dante Alighieri's Vita Nuova and Commedia as well as the unknown poet's “Sir Orfeo.” For Dante, I examine his desire for the identity of the servant and his missteps in attempting to reach this goal. In my analysis of “Sir Orfeo,” I shift the focus to an examination of mourning within identity formation, with an emphasis on Sir Orfeo's grief over the loss of Heurodis. Through this engagement, I suggest that the first look between the servant and the Lady is pivotal to the servant's retroactive and anticipated identity.

Committee: Erin Labbie (Advisor); James Pfundstein (Committee Member) Subjects: Medieval Literature; Psychology

BA, Oberlin College, 2019, History

This thesis is an intellectual history of dialecticism and its use in the works of the Frankfurt School members, Erich Fromm and Herbert Marcuse. Famously, these two men had a ferocious and polemical debate in the pages of Dissent Magazine in 1955-56. The Fromm-Marcuse Debate has since become almost the sole lens in which the intellectual differences and similarities between these men are analyzed. Through a comparative and historical analysis of their individual work, largely removed from the Dissent Debate, I offer a new interpretation of their conflict, their personal relationship, and a new perspective on critical theory and its relationship to political action. I argue that Erich Fromm and Herbert Marcuse's intellectual ideas are better juxtaposed through their interpretation of dialectics, rather than psychoanalysis, and that through this, they present us with starkly different prescriptions for individual and collective political engagement. Thus, both Fromm and Marcuse are outliers within the field of critical theory, and certainly within the Frankfurt School, even as their ideas remain in firm conflict with one another.

Committee: Annemarie Sammartino (Advisor) Subjects: American History; American Studies; European History; History; Modern History; Philosophy; Political Science

BA, Oberlin College, 1975, English

The purpose of this essay will be to suggest a reading of Hamlet, Macbeth, and Othello which I don't believe has received sufficient attention. The interpretation I will present is not meant to be suggested as the only valid reading of the plays, but as a reading which should be considered along with many other valid readings, in attempts to gain insight into these three major tragedies, and to understand their points of similarity.

Committee: Robert Pierce (Advisor) Subjects: Literature

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), Bowling Green State University, 2013, Media and Communication

This dissertation explores relational communication of in-laws in multi-religious families of American Orthodox Christians and represents an interpretive analysis of collected personal narratives. These narratives describe American Orthodox Christian identity in in-law relationships that is directly tied to ethnic identity. Thus, the presented research is built on the findings about multi-religious and multiethnic family relationships in the fields of relational communication, family therapy, and religious studies. I argue that religion and ethnicity are fundamental bases for the formation of family identity and family culture. Therefore, this dissertation focuses on how religious differences impact the relational health and quality of communication among the in- laws. The theoretical framework of the study is Relational Dialectic Theory; I focus on its two major premises: (1) relationships are products of cultures in which they develop and (2) the broader cultures offer a variety of meanings that we attach to our relationships, many of them are oppositional to each other. To explain relational dialectics in in-law relationships, I used the concept family culture and adopted the critical perspective on acculturation. I argue that there exists a natural connection between acculturation and relational dialectical tensions: people find themselves in constant push towards and pull away from a non-native family culture. (For example, identified in my research dialectical tensions of integration – separation, closedness – openness, which constitute discursive oppositions of wanting to preserve old family culture – wanting to develop independent new family culture and stigmatized – iii iv stigmatizing Orthodox identity, provide support for my argument.) The combination of these theoretical frameworks allowed me to offer another perspective on existing research of in-law relationships. Particularly, I provide a critique to Morr Serewicz’ (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Sandra Faulkner Dr. (Advisor); Judy Adams Dr. (Committee Member); Lynda Dixon Dr. (Committee Member); Laura Martin Lengel Dr. (Committee Member) Subjects: Communication

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2010, Music

This study offers a philosophical theory for the persistence of tradition and the elusiveness of change in music teacher education. Deeper understanding of the dialectic of modernization (the tension that exists between tradition and change in modern society) better equips those in the field to reconcile tradition and change in order to bring about desired reform, consequently keeping music education relevant and thriving. The questions guiding this study were: (1) Why does music teacher education remain relatively unchanged despite persistent, similar calls for change over time?, (2) What are the obstacles impeding implementation of recommended changes?, and (3) Is this phenomenon unique to music or can music educators look elsewhere to understand the problem? The underpinnings of the study lie in sociology, U.S. history, and education. This broad perspective is required to fully understand the dialectic of modernization. Works of Tonnies, Wiebe, and Dewey offer examples of the dialectic of modernization in sociology, history and education. Additional examples from relevant literature in U.S. history, professional research journals, professional practice publications, conference proceedings, and historical documents aid in the synthesis of a cohesive theory to answer the research questions. Three facets of dialectic emerge as primary reasons for the unchanging nature of music teacher education. These facets include: (1) identity, (2) structure, and (3) purpose. Dialectic occurs within and between each facet, hindering change in music teacher education. In addition, the cycle of interdependence, which typifies music education, creates severe implications for the entire system if any one area attempts change. The works of Dewey, Greene, and Allsup as examples of reconciling tradition and change in music education, as opposed to binary, either/or choices. This reconciliation of tradition and change is necessary for music education, and therefore music teacher educatio (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Timothy Gerber (Advisor); Jan Edwards (Committee Member); Kevin Boyle (Committee Member) Subjects: Music; Music Education; Teacher Education

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2003, Educational Theory and Practice

In this study, the narratives from a hermeneutical dialectic cycle of three high school students were analyzed to understand the influences of ontological position on the learning of human origins. The interpretation of the narratives provides the reader an opportunity to consider the learning process from the perspective of worldview and conceptual change theories. Questions guiding this research include: Within a context of a worldview, what is the range of ontological positions among a high school AP biology class? To what extent does ontological position influence the learning of scientific concepts about human origins? If a student's ontological position is contradictory to scientific explanation of human origins, how will learning strategies and motivations change? All consenting students in an AP biology class were interviewed in order to select three students who represented three different ontological positions of a worldview: No Supernatural, Supernatural Without Impact, or Supernatural Impact. The issue of worldview is addressed at length in this work. Consenting students had completed the graduation requirements in biology, but were taking an additional biology course in preparation for college. Enrollment in an AP biology course was assumed to indicate that the selected students have an understanding of the concept of human origins at a comprehensive level, but not necessarily at an apprehension level, both being needed for conceptual change. Examination of the narratives reveals that students may alternate between two ontological positions in order to account for inconsistencies within a situation. This relativity enables the range of ontological positions to vary depending on concepts being considered. Not all Supernatural Impact positions conflict with biological understanding of human origins due to the ability of some to create a dichotomy between religion and school. Any comprehended concepts within this dichotomy lead to plagiaristic knowledge ra (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: David Haury (Advisor) Subjects:

Master of Arts (MA), Ohio University, 2001, Interpersonal Communication (Communication)

The study attempts to analyze, interpret, and understand sojourner parents' perceptions of the communication changes and conflicts that their younger children experience with peers, teachers, and family members as a result of the process of adaptation to the US. This thesis seeks to adopt a communication perspective in examining the dialectical tensions and conflicts that emerge as sojourners strive to negotiate the preservation of their native values, behaviors, and communication styles while simultaneously adapting to their new cultural environment. Sixteen families of international graduate students with children between 5 to 12 years of age were interviewed. In addition, two interviews with school personnel and observations of children's playground were conducted. Results suggest that sojourner children acquire many communication changes during their stay in the US. Some of those changes are perceived positively by their parents while others are considered disrespectful to family and collective values.

Committee: Claudia Hale (Advisor) Subjects: Speech Communication

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Ohio University, 2012, Mass Communication (Communication)

This research study explored the problem the Malay identity and society in the discourse of Malay politics. The purpose of this study was to understand how the discourse of Islam Hadhari as spoken by prime minister and UMNO president Abdullah Ahmad Badawi in the years 2004-2008 demonstrated the hegemony of his administration and party. This study assumed that discourses function within society and is only understood in the “interplay of social situation, action, actor and societal structures”(Meyer, 2001, p. 21). The study also assumed ideologies as the social representations that have specific social functions for social groups (van Dijk, 2001). van Dijk (2001) proposed that discourse is privileged in the (re)production of ideologies as, unlike other social practices, properties of text and talk “allow social members to actually express or formulate ideological beliefs” (p. 192). For the purposes of this study, the critical discourse analysis approach of ideological discourse analysis was used to observe the micro level of ideological(re)production being expressed by UMNO President Badawi in speeches. 19 speeches given by Badawi in various communicative events throughout 2004-2008 were selected to infer the ideological discourse of Islam Hadhari, the UMNO ideological approach to Islamism of the Malays, in this study referred to variously as Malay Islamism or Islamist Malayness. The study found that UMNO sought to persuade and influence the divided Malay constituency by engaging PAS in the discourse of the Malay Islamist state through the party ideology of Islam Hadhari. The study advanced two conclusions: First, Malayness is the constant conflict and correspondence with ethnicity and religiosity, Malay and Muslim; and second, a theory of Malay identity should extend to describe Malayness as a civilization, as proposed by Milner (2007).

Committee: Drew McDaniel (Committee Co-Chair); Karen Riggs (Committee Co-Chair) Subjects: Asian Studies; Ethnic Studies; Islamic Studies; Linguistics; Mass Communications; Mass Media; Rhetoric; Social Research; South Asian Studies

PHD, Kent State University, 2012, College of Arts and Sciences / Department of English

Puritans cautiously appropriated and deployed classical rhetorical theory in their preaching and poetics, and both of these language practices register dialectical tensions between rhetorical propriety and the propriety of rhetoric, which suggests that Puritan preaching and poetics deals squarely with rhetorical propriety. Rhetoricians, however, have largely overlooked, diminished, or even dismissed the role rhetorical propriety plays in rhetorical situation generally and, more specifically, the role rhetorical propriety plays Puritan rhetoric. I argue that Puritan rhetoric offers a clear articulation of the sense of propriety that underwrites Christian ethics, epistemology, and aesthetics, from which we can draw conclusions about rhetorical propriety as a meaningful concept for studying rhetorical situation. I therefore argue that rhetorical propriety can be treated as a usable methodology for studying rhetorical situation. Modern rhetorical theorists have primarily studied rhetorical propriety by taking classical rhetorical tradition as their starting point, and so they have reached the same conclusions as the classical rhetoricians themselves that rhetorical propriety cannot be properly theorized to create a usable (or teachable) methodology. Puritan language practices offer a starting point for examining rhetorical propriety: Puritan sermon rhetoric offers a starting point for examining rhetorical propriety in rhetorical situation and Puritan poetry a starting point for examining rhetorical propriety in literary analysis. Finally, I argue that rhetorical propriety offers an analytical method that is dialectical in its movement. The concept comprises four different “moments” of analysis: stylistic propriety, rhetorical propriety, social propriety and economic propriety. Stylistic propriety concerns literary decorum—whether a language user's style suits its subject, genre, and purpose. Rhetorical propriety concerns the materials that compose rhetorical situation (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Raymond Craig PhD (Committee Co-Chair); Ronald Corthell PhD (Committee Co-Chair); Kevin Floyd PhD (Committee Member); Sara Newman PhD (Committee Member); David Odell-Scott PhD (Committee Member) Subjects: Aesthetics; American Literature; Bible; British and Irish Literature; Ethics; Literature; Philosophy; Rhetoric

PHD, Kent State University, 2011, College of Education, Health and Human Services / School of Teaching, Learning and Curriculum Studies

The primary purpose of the study was to explore the following question: How do four teams of college English teachers teaching a developmental writing course at the university level experience and perceive team teaching? The study was a naturalistic inquiry and the design borrowed elements from case study methodology. Data were collected via multiple methods: classroom observations, three types of interviews, and syllabi collection. Data from these sources were analyzed to convey a sense of what team teaching was like for these four teams. The researcher was a member of one of the teams in the study, so she included herself in the process. Findings of the study revealed the following: (a) These four dialectic, homogeneous teams perceived themselves compatible and flexible in their interactive behaviors; (b) These four dialectic, homogeneous teams described a pedagogy centered on facilitative teaching and active student engagement; (c) These four dialectic, homogeneous teams perceived there to be consistency within individual teams in terms of curriculum, assessment, and evaluation but an absence of consistency of these areas across the four teams; (d) These four dialectic, homogenous teams perceived teaming as a means to improved student support and teacher development.

Committee: Alicia Crowe Ph.D. (Committee Co-Chair); Richard Ambrose Ph.D. (Committee Co-Chair); Mark Kretovics Ph.D. (Committee Member); John West Ph.D. (Committee Member) Subjects: Higher Education

PHD, Kent State University, 2011, College of Arts and Sciences / Department of English

The dissertation examines the applications of Lev S. Vygotsky's cultural-historical theory of human psychological development and Alexei N. Leont'ev's activity theory in studies of writing and literacy. This investigation of recent scholarship in the field of writing studies in works by Witte (1998, 2005), Russell (1995, 1997, 2002), Zebroski (1983, 1994), Bazerman (1995, 1997, 2002, 2004), Smagorinsky (2004, 2006), and Scribner (1981, 1997) attempts to reveal misapplications of Vygotsky's and Leont'ev's theoretical positions and to offer solutions. In particular, I argue that the dialectical method of analysis originating in Marxist philosophy is vital to appreciating the systemic nature of the theories. Furthermore, the dialectical method is essential in both practical and theoretical research applications of Vygotsky's and Leont'ev's ideas. The dissertation concludes by highlighting Vygotsky's construct of symbolic mediation as a central property, characterizing human mental functioning, and explores the affordances of this construct for defining units of analysis in applied research programs. Overall, it attempts to build a more robust theoretical position in the field informed by an overarching theory of human psychological functioning and development and a comprehensive analytical method represented by Marxist dialectics.

Committee: Raymond Craig Dr. (Committee Chair); Brian Huot Dr. (Committee Member); Pamela Takayoshi Dr. (Committee Member); Kevin Floyd Dr. (Other); Kenneth Bindas Dr. (Other); James Zebroski Dr. (Other) Subjects: Cultural Anthropology; Developmental Psychology; Educational Psychology; Literacy; Pedagogy; Social Psychology

MA, Kent State University, 2010, College of Arts and Sciences / Department of Philosophy

In John Dewey's essay “From Absolutism to Experimentalism,” he claims the source of his “Hegelianism” was fueled by his need for unification between all manner of human institutions and endeavors. Dewey was also greatly influenced by the notion that “science...should be a regulative method of an organized social life.” These influences are seen in Dewey's philosophical theory. And even as Dewey admits to “drifting away from Hegelianism,” yet “that acquaintance with Hegel …left a permanent deposit in my thinking.” This “permanent deposit” he refers to is more tangibly expressed as a Hegelian approach to the relation of subject and object that is consistently affirmed in both theory and practice. I hope to show in this thesis is that Hegel's influence can be seen in their similar answer to the objectivity problem: that a foundational and dynamic unity of subject and world provides the conditions under which knowledge occurs. Specifically, I argue that there are several elements of their respective circuits that are analogous to one another in terms of their function within each system. I draw out the theoretical similarities, the structural similarities of Hegelian sublation and Dewey's instrumentalism, as well as the repetitive, interactive activity of a subject with the world in which knowledge unfolds. Hegel emphasizes the development of a self that is the basis for any possibility for knowledge. Dewey's method emphasizes experience as the basis for knowledge. Emphasis on method stresses an approach to knowledge by which objects, and how they come to be known, are constantly modified and interpreted by and within experience. The method is informed by the subject matter and experience, but does not imply a fully developed system or a specific template by which to guide inquiry. Expanded in Dewey's theory, experience is redefined that moves it out of the subjective. Experience is how the quest for knowledge begins as well as how we test and affirm claims. In the ef (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Frank X. Ryan PhD (Advisor); Linda Williams PhD (Committee Member); David Odell-Scott PhD (Committee Member) Subjects: Philosophy

MA, Kent State University, 2007, College of Arts and Sciences / Department of Philosophy

Steve Odin examines the parallel development of the concept of the social self as a self-other dialectic in both contemporary American and Japanese philosophy. George Mead represents the turn to the social self in American philosophy through his dialectic of I and Me. Nishida Kitaro's I and Thou dialectic represents the turn in contemporary Japanese philosophy. Odin's final analysis eliminates Nishida's religious perspective from the comparison with Mead, truncates the discussion of the social self, and mistakenly views Nishida as a social determinist. Odin's religious reductionism misses important aspects about the self and society, while Nishida's religious philosophy illuminates certain truths about the self, namely love and compassion that demand individuality and freedom of choice, thereby preventing Nishida's social self from falling into the traps of social determinism, as Odin claims.

Committee: Jeffrey Wattles (Advisor) Subjects: