Traditional Concept Research Articles

“Those girls are vicious little monsters”: reading subversive femininities in Yellowjackets

ABSTRACT Provoking questions about morality and civility, survival narratives which feature young adults often offer new visions of social organisation by positing extreme scenarios of isolation and breakdown. In Showtime’s Yellowjackets, the survivor-protagonists are framed as monstrous, but also as disruptive “others” with the potential to unravel regulatory systems. By resisting gendered mythologies, the survivor-protagonists are associated with varying expressions of autonomy and agency, and an amplified sense of difference and abjection. In considering the subversive potential of an all-female Lord of the Flies, this paper explores how the central characters of Yellowjackets gain power by accessing and enacting forms of “otherness” in violent and radical ways. It argues that by rejecting the norms used to relegate women to the margins, the Yellowjackets profoundly unsettle, even corrupt, traditional conceptions of femininity and idealised visions of girlhood.

Konsep Tata Ruang Goa Gajah dan Kolam Patirthan Berdasarkan Arsitektur Tradisional Bali

The aim is to find out the application of the spatial layout of Goa Gajah and the Patirthan pond based on traditional Balinese architecture and to find out the relationship between Goa Gajah and the Patirthan pond reflected in the function of the building. The research method is qualitative with inductive reasoning. Data collection was carried out using literature studies, observations, interviews and documentation studies. The collected data was processed using spatial character analysis, contextual analysis and qualitative analysis supported by spatial theory of traditional Balinese architecture and architectural function theory. The results of the research concluded that Goa Gajah and the Patirthan pond were identified as being based on traditional Balinese architectural spatial concepts, namely; Tri Hita Karana; Tri Angga and Tri Loka; and orientations. Analysis of the relationship between Goa Gajah and the Patirthan pond also implies a philosophical relationship between mountains and the sea. The activities at Goa Gajah and the Patirthan pond clarify the relationship between buildings, and represent the building as a social environment for ascetics.

Measurement error and information bias in causal diagrams: mapping epidemiological concepts and graphical structures.

Measurement error and information bias are ubiquitous in epidemiology, yet directed acyclic graphs (DAGs) are infrequently used to represent them, in contrast with confounding and selection bias. This represents a missed opportunity to leverage the full utility of DAGs to depict associations between the variables we actually analyse in practice: empirically measured variables, which are necessarily measured with error. In this article, we focus on applying causal diagrams to depict the data-generating mechanisms that give rise to the data we analyse, including measurement error. We begin by considering empirical data considerations using a general example, and then build up to a specific worked example from the clinical epidemiology of hearing health. Throughout, our goal is to highlight both the challenges and the benefits of using DAGs to depict measurement error. In addition to the application of DAGs to conceptual causal questions (which pertain to unmeasured constructs free from measurement error), which is common, we highlight the advantages associated with applying DAGs to also include empirically measured variables and-potentially-information bias. We also highlight the implications implied by this use of DAGs, particularly regarding the unblocked backdoor path causal structure. Ultimately, we seek to help increase the clarity with which epidemiologists can map traditional epidemiological concepts (such as information bias and confounding) onto causal graphical structures.

Resolving social dilemmas with minimal reward transfer

Social dilemmas present a significant challenge in multi-agent cooperation because individuals are incentivised to behave in ways that undermine socially optimal outcomes. Consequently, self-interested agents often avoid collective behaviour. In response, we formalise social dilemmas and introduce a novel metric, the general self-interest level, to quantify the disparity between individual and group rationality in such scenarios. This metric represents the maximum proportion of their individual rewards that agents can retain while ensuring that a social welfare optimum becomes a dominant strategy. Our approach diverges from traditional concepts of altruism, instead focusing on strategic reward redistribution. By transferring rewards among agents in a manner that aligns individual and group incentives, rational agents will maximise collective welfare while pursuing their own interests. We provide an algorithm to compute efficient transfer structures for an arbitrary number of agents, and introduce novel multi-player social dilemma games to illustrate the effectiveness of our method. This work provides both a descriptive tool for analysing social dilemmas and a prescriptive solution for resolving them via efficient reward transfer contracts. Applications include mechanism design, where we can assess the impact on collaborative behaviour of modifications to models of environments.

Service modularity in the digital era: integrating environmental sustainability and post-pandemic insights

Purpose This study aims to explore service modularity in the context of digital technology and environmental sustainability, particularly considering the transformative impacts of the post-pandemic world. It aims to shed light on how service modularity can adapt to and thrive in these evolving circumstances. Design/methodology/approach Using a comprehensive analytical approach, this paper addresses the critical concerns and limitations inherent in traditional service modularity concepts. It proposes novel perspectives on service modularity, enriched by recent technological advancements and sustainability imperatives. Findings The research reveals new dimensions of service modularity, emphasising its significance in the era of digital transformation and heightened environmental awareness. It provides empirical insights into how service modularity can be effectively reimagined and implemented in response to the challenges and opportunities arising from the COVID-19 pandemic. Practical implications The findings offer valuable guidance for organisations seeking to enhance their service delivery through modularity. The study underscores the importance of integrating digital innovation and sustainability principles into service design and execution in the post-pandemic era. Originality/value This paper makes a novel contribution to the field of service modularity by intertwining it with the realms of digital technology and environmental sustainability. It offers a unique perspective on adapting service modularity to contemporary challenges, thereby enriching the existing body of literature and providing a foundation for future research in this area.

Al-Balāghah’s Legacy in Modern Secular Journalism

Abstract Contemporary studies have already explored al-Risālah magazine’s (1933–1953) dynamic role in championing a far-reaching secular-grounded educational mission— which was made more urgent by the encounter with Western innovations. Still, little attention has been paid to the journal’s strong linkages with Arabic classical heritage. This article argues that al-Risālah’s writings employed concepts and terminology related to al-balāghah, or eloquence, that were by turns accurate, controversial, and innovative. These uses enriched the spectrum of al-balāghah’s applicability also to the discussion of current preoccupations with other fields like psychology. While accounting for thought-provoking works like Tāhā Ḥusayn’s al-Bayān al-ʿarabī min al-Jāḥiẓ ilā ʿAbd al-Qāhir [The Arabic Bayān, from al-Jāḥiẓ to ʿAbd al-Qāhir, 1933,] Amīn al-Khūlī’s al-Balāghah wa-ʿilm al-nafs [al-Balāghah and Psychology, 1939,] and al-Zayyāt’s Difāʿun ʿan al-balāghah [In Defense of al-Balāghah, 1945] as pioneering studies towards the new conceptualizations of the discipline up to the mid-half of the twentieth-century, this study purports to trace the presence of al-balāghah in al-Risālah’s articles in both quantitative and qualitative terms through the employment of DH tools for data mining. By mapping the ontological shifts that occurred in traditional languages and concepts’ employment as both contrastive and continuous, the present inquiries showcase modern Arab culture’s dialectics of secularism and literary revisionism as self-sufficient, culturally embedded and integrated, and not as byproducts of contact with the West.

Comedy as journalism in Zimbabwe

Post-2000, Zimbabwe has witnessed a gradual shrinking of communicative space. In its efforts to control the narrative about the causes of the country’s multi-dimensional crisis, the ruling ZANU-PF government has used a gamut of legal and extra-judicial strategies to stifle press and other related freedoms. In this highly restrictive context, comedy has emerged as a viable source of information about events unfolding in the country as well as an alternative public sphere where counter-hegemonic discourses are ventilated by citizens who were previously excluded from the mainstream public sphere. Building on Mpofu’s (2017) and Mano’s (2007) studies on art and music as variants of journalism, our paper argues that comedy should be viewed as a variant of journalism in post-2000 Zimbabwe. We employ the normative roles of journalism, and Nancy Fraser’s (1990) concept of the alternative public sphere as our framework for examining how comedy, and more specifically Comic Pastor’s Monthly Comic Awards, has filled the void created by mainstream journalism by performing the journalistic function of communicating salient issues during the protracted Zimbabwean crisis. Our findings converge with, and broaden, Mpofu’s (2017) and Mano’s (2007) thesis that alternative sources of expression such as comedy should be viewed as journalism in crisis contexts. These findings also reinforce the need to expand traditional conceptions of journalism that narrowly limit the practice to traditional mass media.

Corpi sofferenti d’amore. L’Ingénu di Voltaire tra intêret e sensibilité

In his conte philosophique L’Ingénu (1767), Voltaire engages in his philosophical battle through an original analysis of the love affair between the naïve protagonist Huron and Mademoiselle de Saint-Yves, a young Breton girl with a strict Catholic upbringing. The conflict between their desire to marry and the religious and political institutions is represented here by means of stylistic grafts belonging to the tradition of the genre of the sentimental novel, which in the middle of the 18th century was on the rise in France and the rest of Europe. Making the most recent discoveries in the medical-psychological field his own, Voltaire thus aims to establish the empathic bond on which the moral background of sentimental rhetoric was based through the representation of the psychological and physical suffering of the young protagonists. Distancing himself from the traditional concept of moral ‘virtue’ that was at the basis of the English sentimental novel, Voltaire thus instituted a reflection on amorous sentiment, now conceived not only as the main expression of the passion of individuals, but as a critical device to try to elaborate in an alternative way that reunion between private and public virtues that was at the basis of the Enlightenment mission.

Articulating the ‘How’ of Social Return on Investment: Foregrounding the Plural and Pluralizing Character of Its ‘Moments of Judgment’

ABSTRACTSocial accounting practices attribute value to an organization's activities beyond traditional economic conceptions of success. In assessing the merit of such practices, we argue that it is helpful to extend our analytical focus beyond questions of what is evaluated and who evaluates to how valuations are performed. Social accounting literature has already explored a crucial aspect of the “how question,” emphasizing the need to widen stakeholder input and engage in agonistic democratic deliberation beyond applying technical expertise. We extend these insights by drawing attention to an important dimension of the how question that remains underexplored, namely, where such deliberation can or should be applied and explaining why this matters. In doing so, we disclose the complexity and messiness of social accounting processes, as well as their normative and political significance. We deploy political discourse theory to highlight the virtues of focusing on where value is constructed along the social accounting chain, illustrating our contribution with examples drawn from our experience conducting a Social Return on Investment (SROI) for a not‐for‐profit organization. We present and unpack key decision‐junctures in the SROI process, demonstrating the plural and pluralizing character of these “moments of judgment” by showing how contestability and normativity enter the valuation process, aspects that are often obfuscated by an over‐reliance on, and the rhetoric of, the technical aspects of quantification and monetization. By foregrounding the contingency and subjectivity embedded in valuation practices, we argue there is a need to navigate agonistically, deliberatively, and pragmatically their plural and complex character.

Chinese Traditional Wisdom and Global Trade: Harmonious Coexistence

Chinese traditional wisdom is rich and profound, emphasizing harmonious coexistence between humans and nature, as well as among individuals within society. This philosophy has significant implications for globalization and international trade. As the global trade system becomes increasingly complex, achieving sustainable development, protecting the natural environment, and balancing various interests have become core issues of international concern. Integrating Chinese traditional wisdom with future trade development trends can help address current trade challenges and provide guidance for building a fairer, more inclusive, and sustainable global trade system. This paper systematically explores the application and impact of Chinese traditional cultural concepts, such as “Unity of Heaven and Humanity” “Harmony is Precious” “The Doctrine of the Mean” and “Patriotism” in modern global trade. The aim is to provide a valuable reference for constructing a more sustainable and inclusive global trade system.

World Order, War and Peace. Introduction

How can philosophy interpret the phenomenon of contemporary war in the light of radical changes in international relations? How to redefine the concepts of different philosophical-political traditions? Is philosophy now condemned to the role of spectator, only able to describe the phenomenon of war, or can it still suggest ways of overcoming it and achieving peace? This monographic issue of Rivista Italiana di Filosofia Politica aims, through four articles that address the phenomenon of war from different perspectives, to answer these urgent questions.

Decentralized Web3 Reshaping Internet Governance: Towards the Emergence of New Forms of Nation-Statehood?

This article explores how decentralized Web3 is reshaping Internet governance by enabling the emergence of new forms of nation-statehood and redefining traditional concepts of state sovereignty. Based on fieldwork conducted in Silicon Valley since August 2022, this article systematically addresses the following research question: How is decentralized Web3 reshaping Internet governance and influencing the rise in new nation-statehood paradigms? It compares three emerging paradigms around Web3: (i) Network States (Srinivasan), envisioning digital entities rooted in crypto-libertarian principles; (ii) Network Sovereignties (De Filippi), emphasizing communal governance aligned with digital commons; and (iii) Algorithmic Nations (Calzada), drawing on Arendtian thought and demonstrating how communities—such as indigenous and stateless groups, as well as e-diasporas—can attain self-determination through data sovereignty. This article contributes a unique conceptual analysis of these paradigms based on fieldwork action research in Silicon Valley, responding to evolving technologies and their potential to reshape Internet governance. This article argues that decentralized Web3 provides a transformative vision for Internet governance but requires careful evaluation to ensure that it promotes inclusivity and equity. It advocates for a hybrid approach that balances global and local dynamics, emphasizing the need for solidarity, digital justice, and an internationalist perspective in shaping future Internet governance protocols.

Обратное влияние учебника советского государственного права 1938 г. Часть 1

The article shows the absence of grounds to confirm the thesis on the influence of the textbook of Soviet state law of 1938, manifested in the continuity of its key provisions by the science of Soviet state law and subsequent textbooks of Soviet state law. One can only speak of the opposite influence. The first part of the article shows the specifics of the content and style of the introduction — the first chapter of the textbook of Soviet state law of 1938. Further, based on the study of more than 20 textbooks and teaching aids on Soviet state law, a conclusion is made that the concept of the introduction of the textbook of Soviet state law of 1938 was revised. A departure from the concept of the introduction of the textbook of Soviet state law of 1938 is already demonstrated by the textbook of the same name of 1948, which formulated the traditional concept of a relatively compact, strictly disciplinary, theoretical beginning of the textbook of Soviet state law. Subsequent textbooks and teaching aids on Soviet state law enriched the theoretical and methodological foundations of Soviet state law, and began with the disclosure of the subject, sources, and system of Soviet state law.

Systems Thinking is Inclusive Thinking

Today’s organizations are making a concerted effort to demonstrate greater inclusivity in their workplace practices, their processes, and their larger cultures. Research has shown diverse organizations are more innovative, adaptable, and regarded as better places to work by current and potential employees. Systems thinking frames the organization as a single, interconnected and interdependent system, and abandons many of the traditional organizational concepts which stand in the way of inclusion. Through its emphasis on holism, fostering productive relationships, multidirectional communication, and transparency, systems thinking creates an organizational culture that actively includes and empowers.

When Silence Creates Memory: Performed Communities in Nineteenth-century Spanish and French Commemorations

Recently, the Third Phase in memory studies has challenged traditional concepts of memory that conceived it to be a concrete image or narrative set within a fixed moment and, consequently, neglect its changeable dimension and malleability. Focusing on a constructed narrative of the past, scholars have renewed the theoretical and methodological basis of this analytical field. This study adopts this new conceptualisation to analyse the intertwining of memory and silence in official commemorations during the regencies of María Cristina (1833–40) and Espartero (1840–43) in Spain and the July Monarchy (1830–48) in France. Its main contribution is to show that a deliberate omission of a narrative cannot only be linked to oblivion and can even become a space for creating memory.

Are there unique facets of therapeutic alliance for users of digital mental health interventions? An examination with the eHealth Therapeutic Alliance Inventory

Therapeutic alliance (TA) is a well-established predictor of clinical outcomes in traditional psychotherapy. However, its association with outcomes in eHealth interventions has been inconsistent, which might be due to the absence of measurements specifically designed to capture TA in eHealth settings. The eHealth Therapeutic Alliance Inventory (ETAI) incorporates conventional as well as unique eHealth TA subscales, enabling to examine the contribution of new facets of TA beyond traditional concepts. This study investigates the predictive contribution of eHealth TA subscales compared to conventional TA subscales on clinical outcomes and evaluates the concurrent criterion validity of the ETAI. The study was conducted within the framework of a randomized controlled trial involving a 10-week digital parent training program aimed at addressing child disruptive behaviors. Parents were randomly assigned to either an enhanced-quality or a standard-quality program. Parents from 68 families completed the ETAI at five weeks' post-program initiation and at the post-intervention phase. The primary outcome was the improvement in child behavior, measured by the Eyberg Child Behavior Inventory. Positive Pearson correlations were found between all ETAI subscales covering unique eHealth TA aspects, measured at the 5-week time-point, and improvement in child behavior at post-intervention (rs ≥ 0.23, ps < 0.03). The conventional TA subscale showed no significant Pearson correlation with improvement in child behavior. When examining the unique contributions of ETAI-subscales to explain the improvement in child behavior, only ETAI-Perceived Emotional Investment subscale was found to have a unique contribution (β = 0.29, p = 0.019). In addition, scores on most ETAI subscales were significantly higher among parents using the enhanced-quality program compared with the standard program (Cohen's ds > 0.48), reinforcing ETAI's criterion validity. The development of TA scales that incorporates unique eHealth TA subscales show initial promise in predicting outcomes. Further research is needed to better understand how different factors of eHealth TA relate to clinical outcomes across diverse clinical targets and programs.

EMPG - a New Concept for Digital Medical Device Instruction

Errors in the use of medical devices are common and pose a threat to patient safety. The field of anaesthesiology is particularly affected by this issue, as many of the medical devices used in this field are directly responsible for the monitoring and maintenance of a patient's vital functions during anaesthesia. To minimize application errors, instruction in the use of medical devices has been legally required since 1985. Inadequate instructions can put the patient as well as the user at risk. Training courses that provide users with information on the safe use of medical devices significantly improve patient safety. The traditional instruction concept has limitations in its ability to adequately train employees on the use of medical devices. The digital device instruction project presented in this article aims to address this issue by providing medical device instructions at any time, thus increasing the safety of the operation of medical devices.

An evaluation of cyber-worthiness and related factors in maritime safety and maritime security

ABSTRACT This article revisits the traditional definition and concept of seaworthiness against the backdrop of technological developments in maritime transport and maritime law. These developments in the maritime industry, coupled with the increasing volume of maritime commerce, have affected the traditional doctrine of seaworthiness and necessitate its redefinition. Of the many developments, this article focuses on maritime security generally and cyber-risk and hence cyber-worthiness in particular. The article argues that cyber risk management, as a part of maritime safety and security standards, should be reflected in the modern doctrine of seaworthiness. It is problematic to provide a generally acceptable uniform definition for seaworthiness in maritime law, because the concept is both relative and technical. Furthermore, and considering the components of a seaworthy ship, the need to assess new systems related to technology used in ships and safety in navigation, and to determine whether a ship can be deemed “cyber-secure” has become essential.

Exploring Intercultural Dynamics in Medical English Education in China: an In-depth Analysis and Strategic Enhancement

With the continuous development of modern society, information transmission has become more rapid and convenient, which has gradually increased the economic exchanges among various countries in the world, and has also led to more frequent communication among political, cultural, medical and other fields between different regions. At the same time, the mutual penetration and integration between foreign medical culture spread through English and domestic traditional medical concepts have also put forward new demands for the cultivation of high-quality talents in China's medical field. Researchers have explored the cross-cultural complexity of Medical English Teaching (MET) in Chinese higher education institutions and its impact on global medical communication. With the increasing internationalization of healthcare services, English, as the main language of medical communication, is gaining prominence in education. In this broader context. The status of English in global medical education and its teaching in non-native English-speaking environments are facing great challenges, especially in China's higher education settings. Based on an in-depth analysis of the literature and empirical research, this study reveals cross-cultural barriers to MET practice and adopts a mixed-methods research design that combines both quantitative and qualitative methods of data collection and analysis in order to comprehensively examine the current status of MET in China. Special attention was paid to teachers' intercultural competence development, teaching method innovation, and course content adaptation. Based on this, the researcher proposes targeted strategies aimed at improving intercultural competence in MET, including strengthening teacher training, improving curriculum design, and promoting the integration of intercultural communication skills. The findings of the study not only provide insights into existing MET practices, but also offer constructive suggestions for future educational strategies and research directions. Through this study, we expect to contribute a valuable reference and guidance to the field of medical English education in China and globally.

Legal Nature and Classification of Smart Contracts in Crypto Exchanges: Challenges to Traditional Contract Law

This paper examines the legal nature and classification of smart contracts within the context of cryptocurrency exchanges, exploring the challenges they pose to traditional contract law. As blockchain technology continues to evolve, smart contracts have emerged as a novel form of agreement execution, blurring the lines between code and legal obligations. This study analyzes the unique characteristics of smart contracts, including their self-executing nature, immutability, and decentralized structure, and how these features interact with established legal principles. The research investigates the potential gaps in current legal frameworks and the difficulties in applying traditional contract law concepts such as offer, acceptance, consideration, and breach to smart contracts. Furthermore, it explores the jurisdictional and enforcement issues that arise in the decentralized and borderless realm of crypto exchanges. By synthesizing legal theory, technological understanding, and practical implications, this paper aims to contribute to the ongoing dialogue on how to effectively regulate and integrate smart contracts into existing legal systems, while addressing the specific challenges they present in the dynamic landscape of cryptocurrency exchanges.