Musar for a Time of War: Justice, Compassion, Solidarity, and Equanimity

Background: The 2022 War in Ukraine has significantly affected the psychological well-being and daily lives of people in many countries. Objective: Two aims of this transnational study were (1) to compare psychological distress and coping strategies among people living in Ukraine, Poland, and Taiwan, (2) to examine whether the associations between various coping strategies (ie. problem-focused coping, emotion-focused coping, and avoidance) and psychological distress (ie. depression, anxiety, stress, posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms, and hopelessness about the ongoing war) differed among people of various countries during the initial stage of the 2022 War in Ukraine. Method: In total, 1,598 participants (362 from Ukraine, 1,051 from Poland, and 185 from Taiwan) were recruited using an online advertisement to complete online survey questionnaires, including the Brief Coping Orientation to Problems Experienced inventory; the 21-item Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale; the Impact of Event Scale-Revised; and a questionnaire devised to assess the level of hopelessness about the ongoing war. Results: Psychological distress and adoption of coping strategies differed across people of various countries. Among Taiwanese and Polish respondents, avoidant coping strategies were most strongly associated with all categories of psychological distress compared with problem- and emotion-focused coping strategies. However, the associations of various coping strategies with psychological distress differed to a less extent among Ukrainian respondents. In addition, problem- and emotion-focused coping strategies had comparable associations with psychological distress among the people of Ukraine, Poland, and Taiwan. Conclusions: The 2022 War in Ukraine has affected the psychological well-being of people, especially the Ukrainians. Because of the strong association between the adoption of avoidance coping strategies and psychological distress, despite a less extent among Ukrainian respondents, adaptive coping strategies such as (problem- and emotion-focused) are suggested to help people during times of war.

The phenomenon of strangeness seems to be a timeless and universal problem. The feeling of alienation was especially experienced by the Jews living in the diaspora. However, the aim of this article is not to discuss the attitude of other nations towards Jews as strangers but, on the contrary, to show the attitude of Jews towards non-Jews in the biblical, rabbinic, modern and contemporary context. The analyses of the category of strangeness seem to be particularly relevant and significant in the context of the ongoing war in Israel.

“This is Not My War:” Moral Challenges Faced by Migrant Home Care Workers at Times of War

W. H. Auden spent a good part of 1938 travelling with Christopher Isherwood, first to North America, then Japan and China, edging closer to the front lines of the latter’s ongoing war with Japan. They also witnessed, firsthand, some of the war’s violent consequences. The literary product of their China trip is the collaboration, Journey to a War—part travel journal and part reflection on the nature of contemporary violence and both writers’ ambivalent reaction to it. Significantly, it is in this collaborative work that the bulk of Auden’s sonnet sequence, “In Time of War,” is first collected. Central to this sequence is its extended contemplation of the human dimension of war and violence, particularly surrounding the collective fixation with set values simultaneously oppressive and liberating.

Fragmentation is the main trait of the media in Yemen, which has largely served as an information tool, producing a sensitized narrative in a polarized country historically divided into different regions. The media are used to amplifying differences in times of war and claiming unity in times of peace. The development of Yemeni media was very much linked to the political rivalries, both within the country and the region as a whole, from the occupations (British and Ottoman empires) until the ongoing civil war among different factions, each one supported by a host of external actors or countries. This chapter sheds light on the development of Yemeni media, both before and after the unification in 1990 and during the ongoing civil war.

This article introduces the Special Section EU-Ukraine Heritage Diplomacy: Media Narratives and Strategic Communication in the ‘Global South’. The section presents outcomes of a transnational research project that explores challenges and opportunities of EU-Ukraine heritage diplomacy during the ongoing war against Ukraine. As a specific direction of cultural diplomacy, heritage diplomacy and its securitization have acquired a sense of urgency for the EU. Contributing to this novel field and arguing the importance of attentive and systematic listening by the EU to its external partners, this Special section focuses on the analysis of narratives and frames of Ukraine’s cultural and historic heritage and the EU in leading media in the selected countries of the ‘Global South’ – Brazil, China, India, Indonesia, and South Africa. Our Introductory article outlines the place of the strategic communication perspective in heritage diplomacy by the EU and Ukraine. It details the ontology that guides the methodology of our multi-country comparative study and introduces five empirical cases featured in the Special section. We conclude with our arguments about the relevance and importance of the in-depth systematic research into narratives surrounding cultural and historic heritage in international relations. In a turbulent world, the securitization of cultural and historical heritage adds another layer of complexity to the international dialogue and collaboration, including that between the EU and Ukraine.

The exposure to ongoing war can be termed as continuous traumatic stress (CTS), the exposure to repeated and ongoing stressful events in daily life, which lead to a broad spectrum of emotional and behavioral reactions (continuous traumatic stress response [CTSR]). This study analyzed the impact of individual coping and societal variables on CTSR. During weeks 4 to 6 of the Iron Swords war, 519 participants from across Israel completed online questionnaires, including sociodemographic information, level of exposure, CTSR, coping (forward focused, trauma focused, and coping flexibility), system justification, and social support. A confirmatory factor analysis demonstrated good to excellent model fit indices for the CTSR measure. Exposure was not found to predict CTSR though those with high levels of media exposure (over 6 hr a day) were found to have greater CTSR compared with low levels of media exposure. Forward-focused coping (as opposed to trauma-focused or flexible coping) was found to significantly predict CTSR levels, as was system justification. An interaction was found between forward-focused coping and system justification such that high forward-focused coping combined with high system justification was found to predict the lowest CTSR levels. This study highlights the protective role of individual coping, specifically forward-focused coping, and the ability to see national structures as just and fair, in times of ongoing and continuous stress. A deeper understanding of the importance of personal factors apart from environmental effects can inform the development of targeted assistance programs for a large population during times of war and prolonged conflicts. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved).

The ongoing war in Ukraine has introduced many challenges to an already overburdened and resource-limited medical system. Longitudinal collaborations, material support, educational outreach, and surgical mentorship are essential for improving outcomes and standards of neurosurgical care in extreme settings such as in times of war. Operating in Ukraine since 2016 through the coordination of Razom, the Co-Pilot Project has organized multiple United States-based mission trips to Ukraine to support local physicians during wartime, including a trip between April and May of 2023. A team of two anesthesiologists, two neurosurgeons, a neurointerventional radiologist, and an industry representative providing technical expertise aided in the instruction and performance of complex neurosurgical and neurovascular procedures by Ukrainian physicians at St. Panteleimon Hospital and St. Nicholas Children's Hospital in Lviv. Such efforts are crucial for helping to address the sharp rise in elective neurosurgical volume caused by the increase in internally displaced persons in Western Ukraine since February 2022. In an illustrative case, the authors provide an in-depth description of a foramen magnum meningioma resection via a far lateral craniotomy in a 48-year-old female. Despite the supply shortages and logistical challenges brought on by war, the Co-Pilot Project continues to utilize a long-term approach to continually improve the operative capabilities of Ukrainian neurosurgeons through both in-person and virtual collaborations. It is hoped that the lessons learned from a recent trip to Ukraine will help to inform and inspire other global neurosurgery initiatives in the future.

Since 2014, Ukraine has undergone a major decentralisation reform with the aim of strengthening local self-government, through the transfer of powers, responsibilities and fiscal resources from the central to the local level. However, the full-scale Russian invasion in 2022 has significantly disrupted this process. The ongoing war has caused severe financial instability across all levels of government and led to a functional and fiscal transformation of local self-government bodies. The present article examines the impact of Ukraine's financial crisis on the legal framework, functions and practical operations of local self-government bodies, focusing in particular on three areas: the shift in local functions during wartime, the impact of the financial crisis on local budgets, and the suspension of participatory budgeting and citizen engagement. The study is based on a combined legal and economic analysis, including national legislation and financial data. It is evident that local self-government bodies were obliged to adopt emergency roles, including humanitarian support and civil protection, despite the absence of explicit legal functions in these domains and inadequate financial resources. The crisis has also resulted in a considerable decline in own-source revenues and substantial reductions in interbudgetary transfers. Whilst legal provisions under martial law did indeed allow for a certain degree of flexibility, they also created risks for transparency, democratic accountability, and institutional overload. Notwithstanding the challenges faced, the article emphasises the resilience and adaptability demonstrated by local self-government bodies in Ukraine. The text calls for improved integration of legal safeguards and fiscal stability during periods of crisis, and argues for the urgent need to restore participatory tools during the post-war recovery phase. The findings contribute to broader discussions on decentralisation under the martial law, and offer policy recommendations for strengthening local self-government within the framework of Ukraine's European integration. By examining this critical period, the article provides insight into how local democracy can be protected and rebuilt in times of war and uncertainty.

Ongoing wars and conflicts in many countries in the world resulted in various problems effecting Men and societies, especially children. This situation requires serious professional interventions, especially in dealing with children affected by political violence. At the same time they are the most important group in social work interventions which aimed to protect, prevent and treat them. School is actually the best source to reach the children and their parents in such crises, as well it is a best source because it is where social work can help children and provide them with supporting services. Direct and indirect exposure to violence affects their behavior and growth requiring direct work with the child and his family. Undoubtedly that social work intervention with children in times of war and conflict requires sufficient skills and information about the difficulties they suffer. This article discusses the impact of living in an environment of war and conflict on children and the importance of school social work intervention.

A virtual safe zone: Teachers supporting teenage student resilience through social media in times of war

Abstract: The Ukrainian IT market has proven to be one of the most resilient and adaptive sectors of the national economy during the ongoing full-scale war. Despite facing unprecedented challenges, including geopolitical risks, military actions, and global economic turbulence, the industry continues to play a vital role in supporting the country's economic stability and international integration. This article explores the key trends, threats, and adaptation mechanisms that define the current state of Ukraine’s IT industry. The main goal of the study is to analyze the impact of war-related disruptions and macroeconomic instability on the performance and structure of the IT sector, and to identify the strategies Ukrainian companies employ to maintain their positions in global markets. The research methodology involves a combination of data analysis, including IT export indicators, financial and market scoring metrics (FinScore and MarketScore), and the examination of public sources such as industry rankings, expert reports, and statistical databases. Methods of comparative analysis, synthesis, and empirical interpretation were applied to assess the sector’s response to internal and external stress factors. The findings show that although Ukraine’s IT export volume declined by 8.5% in 2023, the first quarter of 2024 showed signs of stabilization and slight recovery. Major IT companies like EPAM, SoftServe, and GlobalLogic demonstrated notable resilience through digital innovation, operational flexibility, and market diversification. However, many other firms struggled with human resource losses, project reductions, and financial burdens. The study concludes that the future development of Ukraine’s IT market will depend on the sector’s ability to transform from a predominantly service-oriented model into a product-service hybrid, leveraging emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, and cloud computing. In addition, entering new geographic markets, especially outside traditional client regions like the US and EU, is becoming increasingly important. These transformations will help Ukrainian IT companies remain competitive and sustainable despite ongoing war conditions and global uncertainty.

As protests over the privatization of oil and the growing power of foreign capital are met with militarization and repression, Colombia’s oil industry is becoming another theater of the country’s ongoing war.

In light of the severity of the health crisis in Ukraine due to the Russian aggression, the Ukrainian government must urgently implement expeditious solutions to increase the supply of essential medicines and medical products. One such measure is to exploit all existing domestic manufacturing capacities that are still intact and seek any potential possibility to import essential medicines from abroad. For this, all the barriers would need to be eliminated, including those in the form of intellectual property (IP) rights that might protect many essential medicines that are currently needed in Ukraine. This article argues that the existing mechanism of compulsory licensing under TRIPS and Ukrainian IP law is not effective to resolve the problem of access to medicines during such a critical situation as the ongoing war. It therefore suggests that Ukraine must immediately waive all IP rights related to essential medicines and medical products to enable the domestic production and seek any potential import of generics and biosimilars of essential medicines. Such a waiver would be justified based on ‘security exceptions’ of Art. 73(b)(iii) TRIPS. This provision allows a WTO member to utilise measures to protect its essential security interests taken in time of war. It is hoped that this article will provide guidance to the Ukrainian government on the most effective way to deal with the current health crisis in Ukraine and, thus, would help to save lives of millions of people in Ukraine that suffer from Russia’s unjustified, horrific aggression.

Original historical and analytical research into the Israeli music scene, composers as well as broader issues such as Jewish-Arab encounters, Holocaust memorialization and post-October 7th soundscapes. Does a nation's music reflect its distinctive, definable spirit and aspirations? As this wide-ranging volume demonstrates, Israel's pluralistic musical scene offers a unique crucible in which to study transcultural processes and encounters. Through the nineteen essays by established and younger scholars and musicians, what emerges is a vivid picture of a dynamic musical culture balancing regional and global tendencies. The essays touch on a wide range of classical and popular musics. Micro-histories of individual composers highlight Arnold Schoenberg's relationship to Israel, Josef Tal's and Mordecai Seter's Israeli modernism, the neglected genius of Verdina Shlonsky, and the postmodernism of Mark Kopytman and Oded Zehavi. Broader surveys address musical responses to Jewish and Arab traditions, Holocaust memorialization, satirical cabaret, prog rock, nationalistic "folk" songs, and the soundscape of a country at war since October 7, 2023. Further insight is offered in chapters devoted to composers' perspectives, including Palestinian Arab creativity, composing in a time of war, and the inspiration of the Bible. For the scholar, performer, and music lover interested in exploring new repertoire, as well as for students of Jewish and Middle Eastern culture, the volume provides an authoritative and thought-provoking account of Israeli music in its varied guises, enhancing appreciation of the aesthetic quality and significance of a still-evolving, thriving musical culture.