Browsing by Subject "Identity"
Now showing items 1-6 of 6
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(2020)This thesis grows out of a fascination with the vagueness of natural language, its manifestation in the ancient Sorites paradox, and the way in which the paradox is dealt with in fuzzy logic. It is an attempt to resolve the tension between two versions of the paradox, and the related problem of whether identity can be fuzzy. If it can be fuzzy, then the most popular argument against vague objects is mistaken, which would be great news for those who hold that there can be vagueness in the world independently of our representation or knowledge of it. The standard Sorites is made up of conditionals about an ordinary predicate (e.g. “heap”) by the rule of modus ponens. It is typically solved in fuzzy logic by interpreting the predicate as a fuzzy relation and showing that the argument fails as a result. There is another, less known version of the paradox, based on the identity predicate and the rule of substitutivity of identicals. The strong analogy between the two versions suggests that their solutions might be analogical as well, which would make identity just as vague as any relation. Yet the idea of vague identity has traditionally been rejected on both formal and philosophical grounds. Even Nicholas J. J. Smith, who is known for his positive attitude toward fuzzy relations in general, denies that identity could be fuzzy. The opposite position is taken by Graham Priest, who argues for a fuzzy interpretation of identity as a similarity relation. Following Priest, I aim to show that there is a perfectly sensible logic of fuzzy identity and that a fuzzy theoretician of vagueness therefore cannot rule out fuzzy identity on logical grounds alone. I compare two fuzzy solutions to the identity Sorites: Priest’s solution, based on the notion of local validity, and B. Jack Copeland’s solution, based on the failure of contraction in sequent calculus. I provide a synthesis of the two solutions, suggesting that Priest’s local validity counts as a genuine kind of validity even if he might not think so himself. The substitutivity of identicals is not locally valid in Priest’s logic, however; his solution only applies to a special case with the rule of transitivity. Applying L. Valverde’s representation theorem and other mathematical results, I lay the foundation for a stronger logic where the substitutivity rule is locally valid and the two Sorites merge into one paradox with one solution. Finally, I defend fuzzy identity against Gareth Evans’ argument that vague identity leads to contradiction, and Smith’s argument that vague identity is not really identity. The former relies on a fallacious application of the substitutivity rule; to the latter, my principal response is to question Smith’s understanding of identity and argue for a broader one. I conclude that not only is fuzzy identity logically possible, but it also has potential applicability in metaphysics and elsewhere.
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(2024)In the Anglophone world, California remains a glamorized place, reserved for movie stars, surfers, and cowboys. While there are many famous Californian writers, Joan Didion and Eve Babitz remain incredibly popular for their depictions of California. Though Didion and Babitz hailed from slightly different social strata, both have an obsessive focus on California. Both write in a New Journalistic style and focus on similar happenings in their state. This makes a comparison of their works effective for analyzing cultural attitudes in their age group and social position. This thesis analyzes the works of Joan Didion and Eve Babitz. With Didion, I examine The White Album, Slouching Towards Bethlehem, Where I was From, and South and West. With Babitz I focus on Eve’s Hollywood, Slow Days, Fast Company, and Black Swans. In this thesis, I will closely examine Didion and Babitz’s portrayal of Californian history, the environment, and identity, and the consequences of these portrayals. In this thesis I primarily use postcolonial theory, econarratology, and historical contextualization to analyze how California is depicted. After analyzing these works in these contexts, I find that although Didion and Babitz share a similar focus, they end up having very different treatments of those subjects. Didion’s past filled mythology end up erasing the horrors of colonization and cements a present where there is no space for those outside her circle. Babitz’s focus on the present makes her ignorant of the past that her present is dependent on. I additionally find that Didion relies on metaphor where Babitz uses the literal to create mythology. Finally, I find that California has been mythologized to such an extent that those born there at times see it as foreign and exotic.
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(2020)In the past few decades, media has assumed an increasingly important role in shaping social and political understandings of the world. This is true across the world and its importance is magnified whenever the society it depicts is one of imbalances and inequalities. Such is the case in Bolivia, where centuries of colonialism, exploitation, discrimination, and injustices have created an immense gap between the Indigenous majority and a criollo minority, across all aspects of social, economic, and political life. After Evo Morales’ ascent to the presidency in 2006, Indigenous Peoples became the archetype for national citizenry, in a sharp contrast with their image under much of Bolivia’s history as a country. After the refounding of the nation as the Plurinational State of Bolivia in 2009, Indigenous Peoples were given a sociopolitical emphasis befitting of their representativeness, a volte-face contested by many. Coupled with these great changes in Bolivian society was the media (and particularly online media) growth registered in the last few decades. Its role as a political watchdog and as a social tone-setter became exponentially magnified, especially in its portrayal of Indigenous Peoples, no longer a marginal sociopolitical player in Bolivia but at the front and centre of national politics. This study analyses how Bolivian media portrays the country’s Indigenous Peoples in its online publications. This research focused on the second half of Evo Morales’ third term in office, when the new role of the indigenous person as a citizenship archetype had already been modestly consolidated. This study focuses on four distinct newspapers, relying on content analysis and framing analysis of articles dealing with and representing Indigenous Peoples as a methodology. The four newspapers were chosen either for their size and importance (El Deber, La Razón, Página Siete) or their political affiliation with the State (Cambio). As vehicles of information, the publications analysed convey heavily biased stances, widening the gap between one side and the other in an already deeply divided society like Bolivia’s. This polarisation acts as a tool of division, stoking flames of conflict and eroding the fertile middle grounds of dialogue, debate and compromise. Some media still portrays Indigenous Peoples as ossified relics of a pre-Columbian past, relying on binary oppositions between Indigenous and non-Indigenous, others discredit differences under the guise of mestizaje, while some focus on Indigenous Peoples’ agency to highlight what has been achieved and how their own volition can shape the course of their social, economic, and political path. Indigenous Peoples’ representations in Bolivia are, therefore, quite divergent, even amongst bigger and mainstream outlets, creating their own kind of echo chamber; depending on the media consumed and the sociopolitical predispositions of the readers, two quite divergent portrayals are real and coexist side by side. This very contradiction could be an object of future studies, in an attempt to study what is the role of the media in broadening social divides. This is especially true in a society like Bolivia, where the differences between the “haves” and the “have-nots” are stark and the media is openly and partially biased, enacting a role that is more opinion-based and less informative than the common canons of journalistic objectivity.
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(2016)This thesis examines the ways of how different elements of identity are performed in massively multiplayer online games. It tries to find patterns in identity construction through observation of features, such as gender, age, race, ethnicity, status and religion and how individuals interact with each other. The aim is to explore the premise that because online games provide endless opportunities for identity performance, and thus these identities might have little to do with reality and the offline world. In order to analyze identities online, a number of key topics are covered. These include identity, performativity of identity, online games and players behavior online. Cross-disciplinary theoretical approach is used to attack the problem. Several identity theories are overviewed (Boellstorff, 2008, 2012; Deterding, Waltz, 2012; Jenkins, 2004; Gilchrist et al. 2015; Wetherell, 2015; Goffman, 1959, 1961a; Appelrouth & Desfor, 2008; Crenshaw, 1989). Here identity is understood as an action - individual’s reaction to the society and as a process. Next, performativity of identity is discussed. Special attention is given to the deeply rooted performance discourse in games (Butler, 1990, 1997, 1999; Deterding, Waltz, 2012; Schechner, 2006; Brooks, 2011; Turner, 1982). Finally, key issues on identity performing online are discussed. Those include interconnectivity of offline and online identity, and how they might correlate (Boellstorff, 2008; Horns, Miller 2012; Kozinets, 2011; McGonigal 2012; Thomas 2007; Nakamura, 2002; Sarkeesian, 2012). The methodology used for collecting and analyzing the data draws from netnography, a sub-discipline of online ethnography and digital anthropology, which allows observing online games as a spectacle (Kozinets, 2011; Boellstorff, 2008; Boellstorff et al. 2012). Massively multiplayer online games provide a good possibility to have a large human sample for performance, games, sociological and cultural studies. Online communities of one such game, Clash of Clans, are observed in the game environment and at forums, where players are interacting with each other through written communication over an extended period of time. Number of observations on how age, status, gender and other elements of identity are performed online are recorded. The examples of online conversations are documented and analyzed and parts of the collected data are presented in the paper. Key findings show that individuals demonstrate their feelings and opinions stronger than in offline setting, since online world assumes less moderation and social constraints. However, even though there is a certain degree of freedom online, it is used sparingly. Certain identity experiments are happening online, for example individuals are trying to play a game as a player of an opposite sex. However, on a verbal level, individuals tend to be more truth to their opinions and beliefs (Schau and Gilly, 2003; Whitty, 2004). A strong interconnectivity of online and offline identities in a digital age is found, so the basic hypothesis is contested. Currently hundreds of millions of people of all age groups are the participants of the massively multiplayer online games daily. Players start to take their online identities seriously and their online life starts to affect offline life, cultural, social norms and beliefs. And since we understand that online and offline identity is affecting each other on a deeper level than ever before, research in online massive multiplayer online games should be carried further. The field of game studies and performativity online should not be overlooked. The way identities are presented online mirror identity presentation in offline world closely.
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(2016)This Master’s thesis explores the ways in which individuals interact with the world around them, and how this interaction intersects with the construction and performance of identity. It draws on gender theory, urban studies and intercultural studies to investigate the following research questions: Do trans and gender-variant people interact differently with urban spaces than cis people? Is there something special about the Finnish city? If so, what are the implications for those of us operating in, planning and managing those places? It is argued that, although safety and security are not a daily struggle facing trans people in the Finnish city, there are issues with physical, emotional, and structural safety that are unique to the trans experience, and that are unique to the Finnish city. Chapter 3 finds that the Finnish city provides spaces which are both a help and a hindrance to the achievement of self-actualisation for trans people. Finally, in Chapter 4, it is shown that there are stark differences in the experiences of trans people depending on their workplace, but that transitioning at school has hitherto been problematic. Also problematic is the medical realm in Finnish towns and cities.
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(2023)This thesis looks to find what types of narrative themes emerged during the 2010s from articles published in The Finnish American Reporter related to the topics of preservation and celebration in the Finnish North American context. Additionally, this thesis examines what types of activities were featured as acts of preservation and celebration of Finnish culture and which of these acts were seen as success stories or failures. To get acquainted with the topic, this thesis introduces academic research related to the concepts of identity, ethnicity, heritage, preservation of heritage, celebration of heritage, immigration, and Americanization. These topics are further complemented by looking into what types of research has been conducted on Finns in North America prior to this thesis, and by telling the history of the Finnish community in North America. The main dataset for this thesis consists of 370 feature articles published in The Finnish American Reporter between January 2010 and December 2019. This study takes a qualitative approach and qualitative content analysis was used during the data collection process to identify relevant articles. These articles were then analyzed with narrative analysis tools in order to find themes that developed across the articles. This study finds that teamwork and collaboration was an essential theme across all the articles, which made the preservation and celebration of Finnishness possible. The variety of Finnish communities, experiences and activities were also carrying themes throughout all the articles. Several different Finnish cultural activities examined here were featured as success stories, but failures were also present in the articles. Many of the articles demonstrated Finnish communities and organizations fighting hard against the decline of Finnishness in North America.
Now showing items 1-6 of 6