http://theses.ncl.ac.uk/jspui/handle/10443/66 2026-04-22T08:02:29Z http://theses.ncl.ac.uk/jspui/handle/10443/6740 Title: Colonial complicity, exceptionalism, and decoloniality : an examination of Scandinavian national museums’ displays Authors: Topdaş, Muhammed Abstract: Scandinavian countries have long been perceived as havens of untouched nature, simplicity, Protestant values, social egalitarianism, and a deep-rooted democratic culture (Aronsson, 2012, p. 172). This has historically led to exceptionalist identities that view their colonial actions as relatively small and insignificant (Fur & Ipsen, 2009). However, this perspective has recently been challenged to some extent by the growing influence of the decolonial turn, resulting in a wide range of research in this area (Naum & Nordin, 2013). This thesis focuses on the colonial connections of Scandinavian countries (Denmark, Sweden, and Norway), exploring how this colonial complicity is portrayed in museum representations, specifically in displays. The study scrutinises national museums, assessing their influence on shaping exceptionalist identities and their engagement with decolonial discourses, evaluating how these institutions have initiated and incorporated decoloniality into their representations. To achieve this, the research encompasses three case studies: the National Museum of Denmark in Copenhagen, the Museum of World Culture in Gothenburg, and the Museum of Cultural History in Oslo. The research takes into consideration the size of the museums and respectively scrutinises one exhibition from each to determine the nature of knowledge constructed through displays. Interviews with museum curators complement this analysis. Building on literature that demonstrates the Scandinavian countries' colonial relations, the thesis argues that museum displays sometimes challenge exceptionalist narratives but often fall short of being genuinely decolonial. At other times, displays demonstrate a decolonial approach yet simultaneously contribute to the reinforcement of exceptionalist ideas. In this regard, Norway’s case study aligns with the first approach, while Denmark’s resembles the second. On the other hand, Sweden’s case study stands out from Denmark and Norway by achieving a comparatively more impactful representation in both exceptionalism and decolonial approaches. This comparison shows how Scandinavian countries, which are not usually seen as colonial powers, deal with these legacies while maintaining exceptionalist narratives about their colonial involvement. Description: PhD Thesis 2025-01-01T00:00:00Z http://theses.ncl.ac.uk/jspui/handle/10443/6721 Title: Insta-Trainer: The cultural and social impact of Instagram on the well-being, diet, and lifestyles of young Qatari women Authors: Al Derham, Sara Abdulaziz H. A. Abstract: In my thesis, I introduce the term Insta-Trainer to describe a new paradigm of instantaneous training facilitated by visual-based social media platforms, particularly Instagram. This concept highlights how users—especially young women in Qatar—are trained to adopt self-disciplining practices in health, lifestyle, and diet through seemingly informal yet persuasive digital content. The idea of Insta-Training is central to understanding how platforms function as instant pedagogical tools. I draw on Foucauldian (Foucault, 1977; 1978; 1991), postfeminist (Gill, 2007; 2017; Banet-Weiser et al., 2020), and neoliberal (Harvey, 2005; Berry, 2017) frameworks to analyse the interplay between platform design, algorithmic governance, and user behaviour. My research interrogates how Instagram’s multialgorithms influence users’ health choices, the negotiation of agency within these spaces, and the behavioural patterns shaped by micro-trends. I also explore how these practices shifted pre- and post-COVID-19. Using Thematic Analysis (Braun and Clarke, 2006; 2012; 2021; 2022), I analyse 41 survey responses and eight in-depth interviews to extract three core themes: 1. The Healthy Qatari Citizen explores biopolitical narratives of health and critiques how these are internalised and enacted through platform use. 2. Curated Digital Manuals (CDMs) examines three types of content curation on Instagram, addressing visibility labour, cultural erasure, and algorithmic bias. 3. The New Wave of Online Consumption investigates changing digital habits post-pandemic, including mass unfollowing of influencers and more intentional engagement. Ultimately, this thesis contributes to Media and Cultural Studies and the literature on Arab Gulf women. The concept of Insta-Trainer offers a framework that future researchers can use to critically examine the influence of platforms on health, identity, and culture in digitally mediated societies. Description: PhD Thesis 2025-01-01T00:00:00Z http://theses.ncl.ac.uk/jspui/handle/10443/6646 Title: Through Weber to Cage: the Theory of Rationality and the Solo for Piano Authors: Peng, Chia-Ling Abstract: The theory of rationality is a dynamic concept that evolves in relation to music. In the context of indeterminate music, where compositions are no longer grounded in harmonic structures or emotional expression, rationality emerges in the composer’s intentions and the relationships between notations and their constituent elements. Conversely, irrationality is reflected in the use of unconventional materials, multiple interpretative choices within notations, and the unpredictable nature of individual realisations. These developments suggest that Cagean indeterminacy offers a valuable framework for reinterpreting Weber’s ideas. By focusing on Cage’s expansive Solo for Piano, I wish to explore both sets of ideas and interpret them through the use of a computer visualisation programme, Gephi. Three key features are examined in relation to the theory of rationality: (i) method/methodical, (ii) function/functional, and (iii) interactivity/being interactive, all of which are recognisable in the Solo for Piano. Cage transformed random imperfections in paper into semi-determinate compositional materials by assigning function to these materials and granting performers interpretive freedoms and varied approaches to the notations. This composition thus creates a score that invites performers to actively ‘interact’ with the notations, resulting in significantly different realisations. Through a comprehensive analysis of the notations, this research employs computational methods using Gephi to uncover individual systems and the internal structure of the work, emphasising that the analyses are inherently shaped by the analyst’s understanding and the chosen metalanguage. This research investigates the complexities between rationality and irrationality in both European art music and indeterminate music and proposes a computational method for studying graphic notations, offering new insights into their interpretation and analysis. Description: Ph. D. Thesis. 2025-01-01T00:00:00Z http://theses.ncl.ac.uk/jspui/handle/10443/6642 Title: Still Life and Urban Landscape: Exploring the Space In-between in Contemporary Painting Authors: Tan, Qirui Abstract: Still life and landscape, as two different genres in painting, possess their own characteristics: still life mainly focuses on domestic inanimate objects, while the landscape is more about outdoor views. However, is it possible to combine these two genres to create a kind of space in-between and, furthermore, deflate the distinction between still life and landscape? This practice-based research investigates the relationship between still life and landscape and further explores the possibility of integrating the characteristics of landscape to conceive new representations of still life not only in historical but also in contemporary contexts. In this research, still life and landscape are not two separate categories but interchange and merge together, which leads to uncertainty in the interpretation of work. I use watercolour as the main method in this research to support the breach of the aforementioned categories. On the one hand, the fluidity of watercolour mirrors this uncertainty and ambiguity. On the other hand, if still life emphasises control while the landscape is more about uncontrol, the oscillation between control and uncontrol in watercolour provides an experimental space for understanding the relationship between still life and landscape. Three different series of watercolour paintings born out of this research have led to new insights between still life and landscape, specifically the interrelation of still life and urban landscape. Firstly, this research departs from the notion of ‘nature morte’ and has contributed to the field of traditional still life painting; secondly, it has also offered new possibilities for contemporary art practice of everyday objects. Description: Ph. D. Thesis 2025-01-01T00:00:00Z