Dissertations completed in 2010 or later are listed below. Please note that there is a 6-12 month delay to add the latest dissertations.
My study of Proba's fourth-century CE Biblical epic Cento Vergilianus (CV), a Biblical epic formed out of excerpts taken from Vergil, begins by laying out the main theoretical lens though which I propose to analyse the work: interpretatio Christiana (IC), the re-interpretation of pagan religious, mythological, or theological material within a Christian framework. I present a sevenfold classification scheme for early Christian IC, discussing how, prior to Proba, IC tends to be almost entirely negative (interpreting pagan religious elements as false or misleading); in contrast, Proba's own IC is overwhelmingly positive (interpreting pagan religious elements as true or indicative of the truth). In the second chapter, I present my database-centred methodology: here I analyse the CV line by line, before seeking broader patterns of significant Vergilian re-use by Proba.In the third chapter, I briefly summarize the main periphrastic techniques which Proba applies to the Biblical narrative before outlining, in more detail, her six hermeneutical strategies for performing Christian exegesis on Vergilian material: a) literal; b) allusive; c) conceptual; d) typological; e) contextual; and f) thematic.The fourth chapter analyses Proba's conceptual exegesis, where a Christian narrative, concept, or practice is depicted using pagan religious concepts. The fifth chapter examines Proba's re-application of Christian typological exegesis (where an OT type is read as prefiguring a NT antitype) to her Vergilian source text (reading Vergilian characters as types of Christ). The sixth chapter explores one of Proba's major themes in the CV: the constant threat of war/violence as opposed to Christ's mission of peace.The seventh chapter concludes the study with an examination of how Proba's hermeneutical strategies function in tandem, as well as a concluding section summarizing my main findings. I end with a discussion of how the methodology employed in this study might be adapted to analyse and compare other early Christian literature.
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Knowledge Mobilization or KMb aims to make university-generated knowledge more relevant and beneficial to a variety of decision makers. The topic of knowledge mobilization is central to discussions in academia, government and the general public because it is understood that effective knowledge mobilization practices have the potential to support positive social impacts. Deliberations about the opportunity and potential role for knowledge mobilization are active at The University of British Columbia, a global and highly intensive research institution that has been recently recognized as one of the world’s most innovative universities.This dissertation addresses an identified need for research: how to explore, design and develop a prospectus and framework for Knowledge Mobilization at The University of British Columbia. An overarching research question: How to co-design a university-wide framework: structure, systems and services that support Knowledge Mobilization at UBC served as a starting point and involved consultations with professors, students, staff and external stakeholders. The researcher applied the Strategic Design Method that is well suited to address multi-sectoral, complex problems such as knowledge mobilization systems. Phase one involved gathering data from UBC professors, students, and staff through studio sessions and interviews with the goal to understand the scope of several relevant KMb initiatives in UBC. This exploratory phase uncovered challenges experienced by UBC participants. They suggested that a university-wide framework that oversees and strengthens UBC’s capacity to improve KMb would be an asset. Phase two involved consulting with external stakeholders ranging from public servants, industry representatives and the general public. A second round of design sessions led to the co-design of a particular framework with specific components or themes: place, people, programs and services, and prospective research and systems. Phase three explored strengthening the co-designed framework through a planning logic model with the main components: brokering, training, leadership, research & development and support. The results of this research will support UBC and its efforts to develop the UBC Knowledge Exchange, and its overarching strategies oriented to strengthening UBC’s knowledge mobilization capacity and research competitiveness.
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Theses completed in 2010 or later are listed below. Please note that there is a 6-12 month delay to add the latest theses.
In Book VII of the fifth-century BCE Athenian philosopher, Plato’s, dialogue the Laws, the ‘Athenian Stranger’ claims that lawmakers are producers of the finest and truest tragedy, which true law alone can produce to perfection. This appears to contradict statements elsewhere in Plato’s corpus which suggest that tragedy, especially fifth-century Athenian tragedy, is morally damaging for both its audience and performers. Previous scholarship has attempted to trace the influence of Athenian tragedy on the development of Plato’s philosophy and his use of the dialogue form, but few consider the narrative, socio-political, religious, and pedagogical function of the tragic chorus in connection with Plato’s dialogues. This thesis, employing narratological concepts such as focalization, metalepsis, and time, examines Plato’s use of narrative voice in his dialogues as a pedagogical scaffold and protreptic for the internalization of virtue and pursuit of the philosophical life. Plato’s philosophical narrators are revealed to belong to a Socratic circle and are described as being ‘initiated’ into the mysteries of philosophy in a manner analogous to initiation into Dionysus’ cult, achieved through participation and purification through dance in the tragic chorus. Plato’s appropriation of the tragic dramatic form therefore runs deeper than has been previously maintained and demonstrates the necessity of ethical habituation through mimēsis as a precursor to the achievement of eudaimonia or human flourishing.
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