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Gifts of the True Cross: Politics, Women, and Legend in Early Medieval Rome
No full textMaster of Arts in Art History -- John Cabot University, Fall 2024.Empress Helena’s legendary discovery of the True Cross in the first half of the fourth century was well known by the late fourth century. Fragments of the Cross were purportedly in the city of Rome by then, raising the cult of the True Cross on to a global stage, affecting not only religious piety as such but an international political and social context. This thesis examines two sixth century reliquaries of the True Cross that were both, at one time, located in Constantinople and Rome: the Cross of Justin II and the Cross of Adaloald. Both provide important mindsets into patterns of patronage and the interplay of religious and secular politics in gift exchange. Both reliquaries are believed to have been produced in Constantinople within a relatively short amount of time. This allows for a comparative analysis of their visual construction given their significance in a relatively contained context. Their roles as gifts between powerful rulers fostered political alliances and conveyed distinct messages, reflecting the complexities of power dynamics in the early medieval era. This exploration will delve into the materiality, function, and gender relations that influenced these reliquaries’ significance within the context of power
Eternal Recurrence: Nietzsche’s Prophecy
No full textThesis (B.A. in in Humanistic Studies, Minor in Philosophy, Minor in Art History)--John Cabot University, Spring 2024.This thesis explores the possibility of a direct and literal interpretation of Friedrich Nietzsche’s teaching on the eternal recurrence of the same. Traditionally, interpretations of the eternal recurrence have been bifurcated: one camp views it as Nietzsche’s most scientific hypothesis, while the other regards it as a philosophical thought experiment questioning the acceptance of life. While the latter interpretation predominates, the former is often deemed incomplete. This study delves into Nietzsche’s writings concerning the eternal recurrence and argues in favour of the literal interpretation. By closely analysing Nietzsche’s texts, it demonstrates that the direct reading of the eternal recurrence is indeed valid, and when contextualised with his broader philosophical framework, it emerges as a coherent perspective. This perspective posits the eternal recurrence as a viewpoint that considers the world as our subjective interpretation of the objective universe, thereby bridging Nietzsche’s scientific and philosophical views
The Effects of Overeducation on Wage Distribution in Trinidad and Tobago: An Unconditional Quantile Regression Analysis
No full textThere is a large literature on overeducation in developed countries, but the evidence in developing countries is still scant. Using data from the Continuous Sample Survey of Population for the period 1991–2015, we apply the Recentred Influence Function (RIF) method, to examine if and to what extent overeducation affects income inequality in Trinidad and Tobago. The results highlight that overeducation has a positive effect on mean income, while it reduces income inequality, measured by both Gini and Atkinson indexes. The results reveal that if the proportion of overeducated workers were to increase, then this would increase the returns of overeducated workers by 29.5% on average. Such a wage premium is higher for low deciles and lower in the middle of the income distribution. With the inclusion of skill and geographic location covariates, there is a substantial rise in their earnings. This shift in earnings tends to favor overeducated workers who are married, younger, i.e., in the 25–35 age group, and are highly skilled. The Inverse Probability Weighting (IPW) approach reveals that our results are not significantly distorted by a selection bias, thus corroborating the evidence obtained through the RIF method
Otium Made Manifest: An Examination of Private Suites in the Villa A at Oplontis
No full textMaster of Arts in Art History -- John Cabot University, Spring 2024.Scholars have long discussed that the villa was meant to be a place for the ideal Roman citizen to enjoy otium, or “educated leisure.” Villa architecture and design supports this known ideal. Beyond the Virtuvian outline of a Roman villa and its spaces, scholars such as Andrew Wallace-Hadrill, John R. Clarke, and Mantha Zarmakoupi have begun exploring more complicated and specific room relationships. Of particular interest are their studies of private cubiculum suites and diaetae. Using the cubiculum suites of Villa A at Oplontis as a major case study, this thesis aims to highlight a sense of differentiation and nuance on what the physical expression of otium means in terms of social interaction and relationships in Roman luxury villas. This analysis will demonstrate the way that suites in large luxury villas would provide an opportunity for otium, a concept simultaneously connected to and defining the ideal Roman citizen. While Clarke has defined certain cubiculum suites in Villa A, this thesis will focus on the former bath complex of Villa A (Rooms 8, 18, and 31), as another, previously unidentified addition to the corpus, as determined by the archaeological expression of otium at the time. As the archaeological evidence suggests, the bath complex was transformed into a reception space of a different function by 45 CE. This thesis analyzes this set of rooms considering private suite trends in the first centuries BCE and CE to help understand the phenomenon and further investigate the dynamic expression of otium in this villa and others like it
From Michelangelo to Tommaso de’ Cavalieri: Drawings as Gifts and Representations of Love
No full textMaster of Arts in Art History -- John Cabot University, Spring 2024.This thesis investigates a collection of six mythological and allegorical drawings created by Michelangelo Buonarroti for the young Roman aristocrat Tommaso de Cavalieri between 1532 and 1534. The goal is to delineate the unique quality of those sheets, that are not only a departure from the predominantly religious subject matters that concerned Michelangelo throughout his career, but may also be understood as unprecedented intimate expressions of affection for Tommaso
Beyond Appearances : Re-shaping Self-Acceptance
No full textThesis (B.A. in English Literature, Minor in Communication)--John Cabot University, Spring 2024.The objective of this thesis is to considers and analyze the function of beauty in relation tosystems of oppression within the novels of Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre, Aldous Huxley’s BraveNew World and in Toni Morrison’s The Bluest Eye. Closely analyzing the experiences of Jane Eyre, Bernard Marx, and Pecola Breedlove’s characters within the context of their respectivenarratives, this thesis seeks to unravel the complex interplay between physical appearance andpower dynamics, shedding light on the ways in which beauty ideals are employed to reinforceexisting hierarchies and perpetuate systemic injustices. Finally, I will explore how characters who fall short of the socially constructed beauty ideals all seek alternative communities and I will analyze how successful these characters are at creating new spaces of acceptance forthemselves
Fascism Into Fashion: The Depoliticization of the Italian Fascist Monument, the Palazzo della Civiltà Italiana
Get PDFMaster of Arts in Art History -- John Cabot University, Spring 2024.The contemporary reception of the Fascist edifice the Palazzo della Civiltà Italiana has been altered since the rental of the edifice by the fashion brand Fendi to serve as their new headquarters. This thesis analyzes existing international and Italian scholarship regarding the Palazzo della Civiltà Italiana within the E42 project and Italian Fascists Architecture, to expose the depoliticization of the building. The thesis relies on primary documents many of which are unedited to support research and discussion throughout its five chapters. The reception of the building since the rental of the building by Fendi is evaluated by comparing various outlets including news, social media, brand-campaigns, advertisements, and publications. Findings reveal that after the conclusion of the Second World War, the Palazzo della Civiltà Italiana has been presented to audiences without considering the Fascist function of the building. Instead, the focus of the Palazzo is purely on the aesthetic elements and characteristics, of which have been copied and capitalized on by the fashion brand Fendi. How Fendi has marketed the qualities of the Palazzo is itself a legacy of fascist aesthetics. By focusing on the timeless elements of the building and presenting it without the context of said elements, the promoting strategy used by the brand is a relic of fascism. In many ways, architecture and discourse has altered the reconciliation of Italian innovation and the existence of a Fascist past. The aestheticization of the building without considering its historical context demonstrates the dangers of normalizing sites of memory. How those cites of memory are perceived ad changed throughout time implicates the socio-cultural approach to those monuments
Ecomedia Literacy & SDGs: A Handbook for Higher Ed
No full textThis handbook provides a guide for integrating the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) into liberal arts and sciences curricula through the framework of ecomedia literacy. Ecomedia literacy investigates the relationship between media, information and communication technology (ICT), and environmental sustainability, considering both the ecological impacts of media systems and the role of media in shaping environmental awareness and actions. The handbook offers key concepts, learning objectives, interdisciplinary applications, and practical activities to help educators incorporate ecomedia literacy and the SDGs across various disciplines in higher education
Adapting to the digital wave: tour guides' role perception and technological integration in the cultural ecosystem
No full textThe COVID-19 pandemic has underscored the importance of digital technologies in the cultural heritage domain, particularly in the evolving landscape of the hospitality ecosystem. This ecosystem, prioritising personal interactions and improving life quality, demands a strategic change from cultural organisations to address the challenges of digitalisation and the shifting patterns of visitor engagement. Tour guides are central to this adaptation process since they play a pivotal role in the cultural sector. Thus, our research delves into how these guides perceive themselves and adapt to digital tools, impacting their ability to offer genuine cultural experiences. These experiences are fundamental in promoting sustainable tourism, reinforcing local identity, and nurturing community bonds. Our findings disclose a spectrum of different types of tour guides, each group characterised by distinct levels of digital skills and willingness to embrace technological change. Through this study, we aim to contribute to the theory of the digital cultural ecosystem by highlighting the significant role that culture and creativity play, supported by digital advancements, in formulating comprehensive and integrated strategies for cultural tourism management and the overall hospitality sector
Psychosocial factors influencing treatment adherence in Brazilian gay men living with HIV
No full textContext and Aim: Adherence to antiretroviral treatment (ART) among men who have sex with men (MSM) living with HIV poses a public health challenge. Although studies in developed countries emphasize the role of psychosocial factors in ART adherence, there is limited research on this association among Brazilian MSM living with HIV. This study examined the impact of depression, anxiety, internalized homonegativity, and HIV-related stigma on ART adherence in a sample of this population. Method: A cross-sectional study recruited 43 MSM living with HIV (Mage = 34.93, SD = 7.90) through social media. Instruments included sociodemographic and clinical questionnaires, the Questionnaire for Assessment of Adherence to Antiretroviral Treatment, the Beck Depression Scale, the Trait-State Anxiety Inventory, the Internalized Homophobia Scale, and the HIV Stigmatization Scale. Results: Twelve participants (27.9%) showed inadequate ART adherence, and 18 (41.8%) reported signs and symptoms of depression at clinical level. Depression was negatively and moderately correlated with ART adherence. HIV-related stigma was positively and moderately correlated with depression, trait anxiety, and homonegativity. Depression significantly impacted ART adherence, explaining 13.4% of the variance.
Conclusions: Our results highlight the need for regular depression screening and affirmative interventions to support MSM living with HIV, addressing stigma, and promoting adherence to ART