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The global focus on the use of renewable energy resources was mainly reignited by the signing of the Kyoto Protocol Agreement in 1997. Since then, the world has seen a great deal of progress in terms of the production and consumption of renewable energy. This in turn is rapidly powering economic growth and social development around the globe. Contrary to popular belief, the use of renewable energy is not limited to developed countries only. The developing countries are also rapidly endorsing renewable energy as a vital engine of economic growth and societal development. In this regard, even though renewable energy production and consumption are in their infancy in BRICS, these countries are taking concrete steps towards the development of renewable energy resources. The results of previous studies have indicated that with an increase in the GDP of a country its carbon footprint also tends to increase, the Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa (BRICS) countries are no exception in this regard. One of the main challenges in research related to measuring the contribution of renewable energy towards economic growth is the use of a singular model or techniques that may not be appropriate for the generalization of the results. This study intends to overcome this challenge by application of multiple econometric-based models which include the “Cross Dependency” test, the unit root test, and “CIPS” (cross-sectional augmented IPS). Besides these the second generation, stochastic models based upon econometrics, such as the DOLS test (dynamic ordinary least square) and the FMOLS (fully modified ordinary least square) are also applied for verification of the contribution of renewable energy towards the economic growth of the BRICS countries. The novelty of the study mainly stems from fact that these models are seldom applied in tandem and especially in the BRICS countries. The results of the study indicate that the existence of the bi-directional relationship between the use of renewable energy and economic growth is mainly indicated by the increase in GDP, thus lending support to the feedback hypothesis. Moreover, the conservation hypothesis was proven by the existence of a unidirectional causality relationship between the use of renewable energy and CO2 emissions. Alongside these, the study also included sensitivity analysis to gauge the impact of the growth of GDP on the CO2 emissions of BRICS countries, and regression analysis was performed to create an EKC curve which was used to gauge not only the sensitivity but also to help in highlighting the impact of using renewable energy in controlling and reducing CO2 emissions, thus proving the EKC theory. Thus, it can be deduced that increase in CO2 emissions is of major concern for the BRICS countries, which has led them to increase the production of renewable energy. Based upon the findings of the present study it is recommended that policymakers should encourage the use of renewable energy by offering incentives in financial terms, such as interest-free or low-interest loans, subsidies and feed-in tariffs.

[Resumen] Este trabajo es un estudio de las funciones que los marcadores del discurso en plan, o sea y rollo adquieren en las conversaciones de WhatsApp. El discurso de WhatsApp presenta una serie de características que lo hacen único y estos marcadores, propios de la lengua coloquial juvenil, se manifiestan en un contexto que es, cuando menos, innovador. Nos encontramos, por tanto, ante un ámbito complejo en el que los marcadores muestran una gran diversificación de uso, que se caracteriza por la rapidez en su evolución. Así pues, en una aplicación que está cada vez más presente en nuestras vidas, en plan ha desbancado a o sea, el cual era, tradicionalmente, el marcador de la juventud por excelencia y se han incorporado, además, otros marcadores como rollo que todavía están en proceso evolutivo. La velocidad en su desarrollo se debe a lo efímero del lenguaje juvenil y a que nos encontramos en el polo de la inmediatez comunicativa, por lo que será en los años venideros en los que se compruebe si los marcadores analizados perviven o desaparecen con la misma rapidez con la que han pasado a formar parte del habla cotidiana. Traballo fin de grao (UDC.FIL). Español estudios lingüísticos y literarios. Curso 2020/2021

[Abstract] Americanah is a novel written by the renowned author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. It was first published in 2013 and it deals with Ifemelu, a young Nigerian woman who voluntarily emigrates to the United States in order to look for a better prospect of life. There she encounters different forms of racial, gender and class oppression. This is the reason why the present BA thesis is devoted to discuss Ifemelu’s experiences in America from an intersectional perspective. In the first section I will present a theoretical framework in which I am going to deal with African American history, since the relation between them has existed for centuries and has evolved across time until our days, shaping the identity of African Americans. I will also cover the consideration of the book as an Afropolitan novel, because some critics think that Americanah perfectly depicts the spirit of Afropolitanism. Lastly, I will analyze how the concept of race as a social construct has evolved and how it interacts with notions such as gender and class (intersectionality). In what regards the second section, it is devoted to the close reading and analysis of the intersections presented in the novel. In order to do this, I will focus on the protagonist of the story. Ifemelu is oppressed by multiple factors that perpetuate male chauvinism, racism and classism. She is limited, in this way, by roles that serve the interest of others and determine black women’s life. This context will enable us to explore how black beauty is used to oppress black women, particularly, by using hair and skin color; how intersectionality functions in interracial relationships between a black woman and a wealthy white man and, last but not least, how black women’s work experiences are limited, for these women are often subjected to discriminatory practices that perpetuate the privileges of the dominant class. The aforementioned analysis will help us see how, in Adichie’s Americanah, Ifemelu confronts the reality of immigration and the triple oppression to which black migrant women are subjected in the United States. This oppression affects all instances of her life and demonstrates that discrimination is multidimensional or, to use a more specific terminology, intersectional. Traballo fin de grao (UDC.FIL). Inglés: estudios lingüísticos y literarios. Curso 2020/2021