School of Historical and Philosophical Studies - Theses
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ItemThe Victorian charity network in the 1890's(University of Melbourne, 1976)
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ItemNo Preview AvailableThe Hexaemeron of Moses Bar Kepha : a critical analysis and translation of the second memra(University of Melbourne, 1974)
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ItemKnowledge and intentionality : an essay in philosophical anthropology( 1976)Although the central concern of the work which follows is the nature of knowledge, I became during my research increasingly fascinated by the processes of perception. This fascination has led me into areas and methods of research not typical in philosophy. Most notably, it has led me into pursuing the implications of discoveries and creating the web of their conceptual interdependence where others might have sought to establish them more thoroughly. Rather than seek to establish points in great detail in an already well mapped conceptual terrain, I have pushed into what I believe to be uncharted territory. I have outlined a program for research rather than completing a defined topic within such a program. The test of my success will be the interest generated rather than the problems solved. I owe much thanks to Dr. Mary McCloskey who, as supervisor of my work, gave me much encouragement while curbing the unacceptably bold leaps of speculation that I was prone to. Dr. Charles Langley of the Psychology Department at Melbourne University read an earlier draft of chapter six and offered many constructive comments which have been of help to me.
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ItemThe Victorian charity network in the 1890's( 1976-06)Poverty was widespread in Victorian society in the later nineteenth century, but the colony remained proud that it had not had to resort to a Poor Law in order to meet the needs of the less fortunate of its citizens. Instead, the relief of the destitute was the responsibility of a large number of voluntary charitable agencies, most financially dependent on the government to a greater or lesser extent, but totally under the control of those private citizens who chose and were able to make regular donations. (For complete precis open document)
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ItemPattern of pastoral settlement in the Wimmera 1843-1883( 1973)Pastoralism has always held a prominent place in Australian awareness, forming such a central feature of the cultural heritage that few can escape even a vague knowledge of its existence in the Australian past. Against the implicit threat and aggression of the convict element, the squatter has come to stand for the forces of order, stability and productivity. The squatter, reinforced by the police in 'Waltzing Matilda', sweeps down to the swagman and although the melancholy of the latter permeates the song, the rights of the squatter are in no way questioned and he stands as the legitimate source of authority. Frank the Poet, too, in the refrain "Squatter’s Heaven, Convict's Hell, Land of Bastards, Fare Thee Well" elevated the figure of the squatter to the salutary position of being the one useful sector in the colonial community. Thus, even though the Australian folk tradition has stemmed largely from the non-elite - the convicts, workers (urban and bush), and the gold-diggers - the squatter has emerged in the folk tradition as the obverse side representing the virtues of British habits of thought, wealth and status against the aggressively collectivist democracy of the bush-worker. At a more conscious level, historians have also viewed pastoralism as a major motif in the growth of a peculiarly Australian society of transplanted Europeans. In the unfolding history of Australia, writers have attached considerable importance to pastoralism, especially to its decisive role in the process usually termed, “From Gaol to Colony”. It was the pastoral industry which precipitated the spread of settlement over the continent even to the most isolated and inhospitable of areas. In Imperial terms, pastoralism enhanced the value of the Australian colonies to the mother Country as the most important supplier of wool while within the colonies themselves, wool, as the dominating export commodity, enjoyed a valued economic role. Undeniably, squatting was a central factor in the development of Australia from enforced gaol to immigrant colonies to democratic nation. (From Introduction)
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ItemThe popular proverbs of Lebanon: some stylistic and linguistic features( 1975)The writer of this Thesis is Lebanese by birth and Arabic is her native tongue. She grew up in the village of Rashaya-al Fukhar in South Lebanon and from childhood has listened to the citizens of the village pondering the mysteries of life to the accompaniment of proverbs ancient and modern. During her period of employment at the American University of Beirut after graduating from that institution she assisted Professor A. Frayha in the compilation of his own famous collection of proverbs and gained insights into Arabic proverbs which whetted her curiosity to continue similar work one day. In 1960 the writer migrated to Australia and turned again to academic work. A subject for research came readily to mind - the proverbs of Lebanon. In particular certain aspects of the proverbs of Lebanon which had not hitherto been investigated, namely the stylistic and linguistic features of these proverbs. The present discussion centres about this problem although it has led to some additional discussions as the thesis will show. The diffusion of Lebanese Arabic proverbs in other Arabic-speaking countries forms a part of the present research. The proverbs here collected have been translated into English and the sources, published or oral, from which these were collected have been carefully noted. (From Preface)
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ItemThe emergence and character of women's magazines in Australia 1880-1914( 1975)Four major points relating to the emergence and character of women's magazines in Australia are explored in this thesis:- when they began, why they began when they did in the 19th century, what form they took when published and the views they expounded about the status and life of women in Australia between the years l880-19l4. Thirty-five women's magazines were consulted, but only one or two representative examples of each type are discussed in any detail. The magazines themselves fall into two distinct categories during this period - the general or service magazine containing fiction, fashion and homemaking features; and the suffrage or political magazine dealing with the implications of votes for women. The thesis is divided into three sections and follows a basically chronological pattern. The first section of four chapters deals with the English background of women's and family magazines to 1850; the popularity of these publications in the Australian colonies throughout the 19th century; the level of education and literacy among women in Australia during this period; and the early attempts to found women's magazines in Melbourne and Sydney in the 1880's. Section two discusses the suffrage and political magazines published for women in Sydney and Melbourne between the years 1889-1914. The first of these two chapters is devoted to a detailed examination of Australia's first successful feminist magazine, Louisa Lawson's Dawn (1888-1905); while the second discusses the suffrage and political magazines for women in New South Wales and Victoria, and compares their failure to the success of Mrs. Lawson's publication. The third and final section examines the emergence of the modern American-influenced magazines in Australia from 1894 to 1914, a whole chapter being devoted to the New Idea (1902-14) as the archetypal example of this trend.
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ItemThe Psalm-commentary of Dionysius bar Salibi( 1974)The present dissertation consists of a detailed investigation of the commentary of Dionysius bar Salibi on Psalms 1-72. To begin with, the commentary is considered in its historical setting. Dionysius bar Salibi was a bishop in the Syrian Jacobite Church of the mid-twelfth century A.D. In a period marked by natural calamities and political and religious conflict, bar Salibi was an upright and strong leader of his people. His concern for integrity and moral rectitude among his parishioners and disciples is evident throughout the commentary. This strong ethical emphasis is combined with pastoral encouragement and comfort for those in need. An investigation of the liturgical setting of the Psalm-commentary has shown that the words of the Psalms provided a ready source for the composition of the prayers in the Jacobite liturgy. They also have an important place in the Daily Offices of the Church. The use of the Psalms in the Church's liturgies has strongly influenced the exposition of the Psalms in bar Salibi's commentary. Although a wider community no doubt shared in the Eucharistic Liturgy, the Hours of Prayer were largely celebrated by the monks and those seeking to join monastic communities. It was in the monasteries and schools that the Psalms gained a position of considerable importance, forming a basic part of the curriculum, and the fundamental ingredient of private devotions. It is suggested that Dionysius bar Salibi had people such as these monks in view as he wrote the Psalm-commentary. Dionysius did not claim originality for the ideas presented in his commentary. He saw his task as that of distilling from the works of previous writers the best teaching for the benefit of the people of his own day. Some of his sources he named, others he did not, but there is no simple formula to describe the origins of his work. The version of Scripture most frequently used in bar Salibi’s commentary is the Peshitta, though the Syro-Hexaplar is also quoted, as well as several other forms of the text. The Psalm-commentary, like all of bar Salibi's Old Testament comrnentaries, consists of two parts. In the "literal” commentary, the shorter of the two, the author generally interprets the Psalms in a historical sense, applying them to David, or some other person or occasion in Israel's history. The "spiritual" commentary has a much fuller, more homiletic character, and usually provides a Christological explanation of the Psalms. In fact, Christ is seen as the major subject of the Psalms which are used as a vehicle to convey the Church's doctrines about Man and God, and in particular about Jesus Christ. Finally an analysis of the extant MSS of this commentary was undertaken by the construction of a sample critical text, and the results evaluated. As a result of this investigation, the Sitz im Leben of the Psalm-commentary of Dionysius bar Salibi has been recognised in broad outline, and hence its general significance can be more clearly defined.