Contemporary Debates Research Articles

Peeling the (experiential) onion: A review of the interconnected layers of research on experiential learning in Management Learning between 2010 and 2024

In an essay published for the 40th anniversary issue of Management Learning, Reynolds reflected on the impact of, and reactions to, experiential learning to teach management. Fifteen years later, in honor of the journal’s 55th anniversary, we delve into the research published since that point to explore how experiential learning is invoked in Management Learning. To this end, we reviewed and coded 45 articles published between 2010 and 2024. This process pushed us to reflect on three different (often interconnected) ways in which experiential learning is examined in the journal, with articles that explore the experiential learning process, center on one or more specific dimensions of experiential learning, and attend to contextual elements that facilitate or hinder experiential learning. We also situate the methods and activities discussed across the sample within the clusters of experiential learning identified by Grain, allowing us to identify areas in which research in Management Learning overlaps with and extends the model. To close, we relate our findings to contemporary debates about experiential learning and education, both within the journal and the field, and propose future research directions.

God, the Feminine, and Other Struggles

Abstract This review examines three recent contributions to the Song of Songs scholarship by Nina S. Heereman, Vita Daphne Arbel, and Elaine T. James & Simeon B. Chavel, each offering fresh perspectives on this celebrated biblical poem. Heereman proposes a symbolic interpretation that integrates anthropological and theological dimensions. Focusing on the “most beautiful woman,” Arbel applies gender studies to explore the poem’s complex and fluid depictions of femininity. James and Chavel, inspired by the MeToo movement, connect the Song to contemporary debates on gender, power, and violence, with several chapters offering a reparative reading. Together, these works highlight the Song’s unique ability to inspire dialogue across multiple fields, demonstrating how both the text itself and the conceptual frameworks of its readers contribute to its rich interpretive possibilities.

The Impact of Agricultural Machinery Services on Food Loss at the Producer Level: Evidence from China

Reducing food loss can improve environmental sustainability, resource use, and food security. Agricultural machinery services have considerable advantages in enhancing the adaptability and competitiveness of farms, but little is known about its potential for addressing food loss. Here, this work attempts to reveal a strong yet under-discussed connection between agricultural machinery services and food loss. Using survey data covering 483 corn farmers in the Heilongjiang, Jilin, and Liaoning provinces of China from October to December 2024, this study examined the extent to which participation in agricultural machinery services reduced food loss. Our results confirmed the existence of this significant causal effect and estimated 0.864% and 0.862% reductions in weight and value losses in response to a 1% increase in the purchase of agricultural machinery services. The possible mechanisms driving this relationship, including factor allocation optimization and technology introduction, were further verified. A variety of robustness tests were conducted to validate the strength and reliability of the empirical results and address endogeneity issues. Also, to better contextualize the heterogeneous effects of agricultural machinery services on food loss, the differences across production links, land fragmentation, and service quality were explored. By highlighting the important roles of agricultural machinery services in reducing food loss, our analysis contributed to contemporary debates about the long-term linkage between the wide popularization of agricultural machinery services and achieving food security, particularly providing insights for developing countries.

Understanding loss: an existential framework

ABSTRACT This article presents an existential framework for understanding loss and grief. Since not all experiences of loss lead to grief, I begin by exploring what constitutes grievable losses. The dominant approach in grief research has been to understand grief in terms of bereavement. In light of emerging discourses on living and non-death losses, this approach no longer seems tenable, and the contemporary debate requires an account of grievability that extends beyond bereavement. In response to this challenge, I propose a two-part existential framework. The first part introduces mourning as a ground attunement, suggesting that our finitude is the basis for generalized experiences of loss. The second part posits that specific grievable losses reflect a loss of identity. To explain this, I introduce the concept of existential identity and four associated axes susceptible to loss. Lastly, I demonstrate how this framework can be used to analyze loss as complex existential experiences.

The Boy Who Looks: Previewing Masculinities and Violence Through Boyhoods on Screen

ABSTRACT This article examines the role of boy witnesses in screen representations of domestic and family violence. Australian cinema has frequently placed a speechless boy at a scene of men’s violence: he might bea figure of innocence against masculinities gone bad, or a proxy for the audience, simulating a point-of-view untroubled by contemporary debates around gender-based violence. This article argues that the figure of the boy who looks is invested with multiple competing meanings attached to masculinity, including idealisations of boyhood curiosity, celebrations of boys as figures of progress, and the racialisation of Australian boyhoods within the context of colonial violence and dispossession. Furthermore, by interrogating the trope of the boy who looks, this article considers the affordances and limitations of contemporary feminist approaches to violence in cinema, and argues for an understanding of domestic and family violence in cinema as inextricably linked to the ways that we think about masculinity, cultural identity, and youth.

Promoting Competence: Multistage Conceptualization, Empirical Evidence, and Current Controversies on Licensure to Inform a Future Research Agenda

ABSTRACT This article examines the role of social work licensure in the promotion, assessment, and oversight of professional competence in social work practice. We ground our discussion of licensure and competence within a broader conceptualization of professional competence. The article (a) presents conceptual and assessment models of a multistage competence, (b) considers the extant empirical evidence on the assessment of competence at each stage, (c) discusses the role of state regulatory and licensing bodies in credentialing and upholding entry-level and continuing competency in social work practice, and (d) presents recommendations for future empirical research to inform best practices. The article engages with contemporary debates around licensure, including evidence of structural racism in the licensure process. The unique challenges associated with articulating, assessing, and regulating competence in a broad-based, values-driven profession practiced in complex and diverse settings are considered throughout.

The pre-Roe legal framework: a dissecting study of the evolution of abortion laws and their socio-legal implications

Introduction The historical evolution of abortion laws in the United States reflects significant shifts in societal attitudes and legal frameworks, particularly concerning reproductive rights and maternal consent. Prior to Roe v. Wade, abortion was largely criminalised, but gradual changes in public opinion and legislation paved the way for liberalised abortion laws. Objective This study aims to examine the legal and societal developments shaping abortion laws in the United States from the early 19th century to the pre-Roe era, focusing on the interplay between public opinion and legislative milestones. Methods A historical-legal methodology was employed, analysing primary sources such as court rulings and statutes, alongside secondary literature. The research explores the evolving legal definitions of foetal personhood and maternal autonomy, contextualised within broader societal changes. Results The findings reveal a transformation in perceptions of abortion, from being viewed as a criminal act to a recognised right influenced by medical, social, and political factors. Legal frameworks increasingly reflected public support for women’s autonomy, culminating in the Roe v. Wade decision. Conclusions This study provides historical context for contemporary abortion debates, highlighting how pre-Roe legal and societal changes continue to inform discussions on women’s health, autonomy, and reproductive rights.

Populism in Power and Different Models of Democracy

Populism is both prolific and resilient. By now, populist forces around the globe have managed to enter the highest echelons of power (Rovira Kaltwasser and Taggart 2016). It is no wonder that the contemporary academic debate has shifted its focus to exploring the consequences of populism in power, particularly its impact on democracy. Although populism and democracy are not synonymous, the representation of “the people” is a central claim to both. Most populism scholars agree that “all forms of populism without exception involve some kind of exaltation of and appeal to ‘the people’” (Canovan 1981, 94). However, depending on which democratic ideas are emphasized over others—as well as which political practices and structures are favored to institutionalize these ideas (Dahl 1991; Held 2006; Lijphart 2012)—the basic tenet of the “rule by the people” may have many different meanings.

Heroes and Villains?

Eich’s book is a tour de force. It takes us through six episodes in which the history of political theory and the history of political economy intersect through the topic of money. From Aristotle to Locke and Fichte and then through to Marx and Keynes before a final episode costarring Hayek, Rawls, Habermas, and Walzer, we are treated to a fascinating set of reflections on what money is and should be, each articulated in the face of a particular historical crisis. This approach gives us a new way of thinking about what is salient in the history of political thought, but it also helps us think about the present. Eich hopes to move us beyond narrow debates over the depoliticization of money by insisting that money is always already political even when it announces itself as antipolitical, so that the real question is which conception of political life—which values but also which underlying social theory—we want to be embedded in monetary institutions. In explicitly tethering his patient, detailed historical scholarship to the broader goal of stimulating and invigorating reflection on one of the central issues of our own day, Eich tries to overcome the divide between historical work and contemporary debate.

Hegel’s Metaphilosophy and Its Relevance for Contemporary Philosophy

Abstract In recent years, many studies on the relationship between G. W. F. Hegel and metaphilosophy have appeared, articulating it in various ways. The goal of this paper is to specify in what sense it is possible to speak of a Hegelian metaphilosophy, while also assessing the relevance of Hegel for the current metaphilosophical debate. In particular, I will proceed as follows. First, I will outline the main features of the contemporary metaphilosophical debate. Second, I will discuss some important metaphilosophical interpretations of Hegel. Third, I will specify in what sense it is possible to speak of a Hegelian metaphilosophy. Fourth, I will address several methodological issues that arise whenever one attempts to assert the contemporary relevance of Hegel’s philosophy. Finally, I will assess to what extent Hegel’s philosophy can be relevant for the current metaphilosophical debate. As a result, the present paper outlines a concrete option for current philosophical research.

Faith versus Reason? The Condemnation of 1277 as a Case of Deep Disagreement

Abstract The Condemnation of 1277 is one of the most salient events in arguing about the nature and boundaries of philosophy. My aim is not to add another estimation of the Condemnation as a clash of faith and reason, but rather to consider the concept of philosophy at work. To sidestep deciding on a particular notion of philosophy in advance, I will focus on the kind of disagreement displayed in the document of the Condemnation. With a side-glance to contemporary argumentation theory, I shall argue that the disagreement we encounter fulfils crucial criteria of what is known today as deep disagreement. We will see that we are in fact dealing not with one concept of philosophy but two different kinds of philosophy. At the same time, it will turn out that the reception has mainly focused on one kind of philosophy only, namely the rationalist approach attacked in the Condemnation.

Whom Do I Love When I Love Myself? The Challenge of Narcissism

A central question within contemporary debates about the structure of self-love concerns the place and status of the other. Is self-love identical to, or at least vulnerable to, the accusation of self-absorption and narcissism? Whereas contemporary critiques of self-love argue self-love is in principle impossible, the present essay suggests that self-love can be integrated with the love of the other at an a priori level. This material a priori, distinct from the Kantian formal a priori, entails resources such as commitment to myself, to the other, and to us as relational unit, as well as to the enforcement of boundaries that protects against acts of injury and abuse instigated against that relational unit; I suggest such resources overcome the charge of narcissism levelled at the very idea of self-love. Prior to that, a brief contextual discussion of key moves about philosophical anthropology, focused on the concept of the monad in Leibniz, Husserl and its extreme repudiation in Jean-Luc Marion, is to be addressed. Finally I assess the intimate relationship between self-love and the love of the other inspired in large part by Augustine’s anthropology.

The Promise of Belatedness for Africa-Based Scholarship

ABSTRACT A regular response to scholarly submissions by Africa-based scholars to academic publications, research fellowships and funders, is that these submissions tend to be out of tune with current debates in their fields, or seemingly preoccupied with questions deemed dated in other scholarly contexts. This charge of belatedness is often framed in the diction of lack – lack of originality, lack of theoretical rigour, out of step with contemporary debates in the field of study, redundant, in a word, belated. This paper argues that this charge of belatedness is often misdiagnosed as resulting from lack of access to cutting edge scholarship from elsewhere, and therefore, addressed through temporary attempts to make these resources available. This diagnosis misrepresents deeper systemic problems in the African academy and the knowledge landscape, where academic vernaculars from the global north masquerade as normative frameworks of what quality scholarship should look like. The article proposes that rather than playing catch-up to these vernaculars-masquerading-as-norms, there is value in lingering on the specificities of African research contexts and the questions these contexts pose, as this creates scope for Africa-based scholars to produce work that turns the presumed belatedness of the questions provoked by our contexts into a generative catalyst for original scholarly interventions. I propose what I term a halafu ethic of hospitality to multiple lines of thought to demonstrate this promise of belatedness through three examples of scholarly work produced by Africa-based African scholars: Antjie Krog, Nosisi Mpolweni and Kopano Ratele’s There was this Goat: Investigating the Truth Commission Testimony of Notrose Nobomvu Konile (2009), my book, A Death Retold in Truth and Rumour: Kenya, Britain and the Julie Ward Murder (2015) and Hugo Canham’s Riotous Deathscapes (2023). A halafu ethic, paired with intentionality about the double-addressivity of Africa-based scholars’ research, offers a modest, yet potentially ground-shifting strategy to counter the charge of belatedness and its co-optive power.

The Right to Privacy in India: Historical Evolution and Contemporary Challenges in the Digital Age

Privacy in India has seeped into the understanding and dimension of rights and liberties recognized by law and the social, legal and technological dimensions associated with it. These represent a timeline of the tussle between age-old values of the Indian context and present contemporary issues, the foundation on which the evolution of privacy in the nation is built. The advent of new digital technologies, including artificial intelligence, biometrics and the Internet of Things, is permeating even the most intimate, private and public facets of everyday life — opening the door to complexities in the protection of personal data that are perhaps more interwoven than those seen in scope and scale. And while this empowered connectivity has no precedent, these advancements have exposed vulnerabilities in data security, ethical governance and individual autonomy. This is a study on privacy in India, surveying its evolution, contemporary debates and prospects, and analyzing different judicial readings and legislation. Here, significant cases such as Kharak Singh v. State of Uttar Pradesh, 1964 (1) AIR SC 332 and Justice K.S. Puttaswamy (Retd.) Union of India to the recognition of privacy as a fundamental part of the right to life and liberty guaranteed under Article 21 of the Constitution of India. This paved the way for legislative changes, such as the Digital Personal Data Protection Bill of 2023, to govern personal data processing for users' transparency and empowerment. Conversely, the Act has posed challenges regarding data localization requirements and compliance obligations, especially for multinational entities. Such national and technological environments suggest a new wave of privacy threats as data breaches, corporate surveillance, and insecure digital ecosystems become ubiquitous in the digital environment. This study explores the consequences of these attacks, with a focus on their influence on democracy, individual freedoms, and public trust. Major data breach case studies demonstrate the need for more robust cybersecurity measures, better enforcement mechanisms, and higher public awareness to address the weaknesses of digital transformation. The study also addresses potential ethical challenges related to emerging surveillance technologies and the growing use of data-driven ecosystems. This post advocates for privacy-by-design principles, in which privacy measures are introduced during tech development from its early stages. It highlights the need for clear and accessible privacy policies that enable users. Indeed, it highlights the necessity for an agile legal landscape that can evolve in pace with the swift currents of technological advancements, while navigating the delicate dance of upholding privacy rights and facilitating societal forward momentum.

Eldarin Cosmotechnics: Posthumanism, Ecology and Techne in Tolkien’s Portrayal of Elven Paradises

ABSTRACT J.R.R. Tolkien's legendarium resonates with contemporary environmental debates, highlighting the balance between technology and ecology, especially within Elven societies. Using Rosi Braidotti's sense of posthumanism, this paper analyses the technologic natures of the three Elven communities in Middle-earth: the Sindar, Nandor, and Noldor. Contrary to prevailing ecocritical beliefs that Elves depict a simplistic relationship with nature, this research posits that their profound bond stems from advanced technology, understood as either craftmanship or magic, promoting symbiotic Earth interactions in line with techno-optimistic yet symbiotic views of environmentalism. Challenging the idea that all Elven communities share a uniform relationship with Arda, the study also emphasises distinctions in their technological and environmental alignments within Tolkien's earlier works, especially The Silmarillion. Drawing on Chinese philosopher Yuk Hui's concept of “cosmotechnics”, the paper suggests the Sindar and Nandor adopt an eco-centric posthumanist approach, creating cities synergized with controlled forests, while the Noldor prioritise a harmonious relationship between innovative technology and nature. The study culminates by analysing the convergence of these varied cosmotechnics in Caras Galadhon, Lothlórien's capital. This research provides a fresh perspective on Tolkien's portrayal of technology and ecology, emphasising the intricate and multifaceted nature of his Elven societies.

The theory and practice of nonterritorial autonomy in Europe—A historical perspective

AbstractThe concept of nonterritorial autonomy (NTA), which aims at separating the notions of the nation and territory, has received many practical implementations—in different forms and guises and in a variety of political settings—since the beginning of the 20th century. It has also become increasingly important for the theoretical debates surrounding issues of ethnic diversity and minority accommodation in a world of nation‐states. But as far as the link between NTA theory and the actual case studies exists, it has been primarily connecting theoretical and normative debates with contemporary, post‐1991 case studies. Our proposed themed section bridges the existing gap between the theory of NTA and its historical applications in Central and Eastern Europe, providing a fresh perspective on associational, political and legal aspects of nation‐building prior to World War II and beyond in the process. Bringing together seven scholars with a long‐standing interest in NTA for an energetic multidisciplinary revision of the history of the concept and its practical applications, our themed section aims at shedding new light on broader topics such as nation‐building, ethnic relations, minority activism and contemporary normative debates on individual and group rights.

“For the People Act”: the partisan character of procedural arguments in US congressional rhetoric

Through the study of statements made for and against the 2019 “For the People” Act, this paper critically evaluates some emergent rhetorical features of contemporary legislative disagreement and debate. Specifically, I highlight the institutionalization of an argument scheme in which partisan claims are paired in ways that strain the connection between the procedures and substance of legislative deliberation. I argue that the institutionalization of this pattern becomes a self-sustaining system that simultaneously delimits the range of arguments by which public policy can be debated on the floor and further intensifies public perceptions of political polarization and gridlock. I evaluate the political significance of these findings in relation to the role of institutional rhetoric in deliberative democratic theory.

Examining the Confluence of Artificial Intelligence, Legal Frameworks and Business Ethics: Contemporary Issues and Debates

Examining the Confluence of Artificial Intelligence, Legal Frameworks and Business Ethics: Contemporary Issues and Debates

Gender and Identity in Post-Colonial English Novels: A Comparative Study

This study explores the intricate relationship between gender and identity as represented in post-colonial English novels, highlighting how these narratives dismantle and reconstruct colonial power structures. By analyzing a selection of texts from diverse post-colonial contexts, the research reveals the complex ways in which gender roles and individual identities are renegotiated in the aftermath of colonial rule. The study places particular emphasis on the intersectionality of race, class, and culture, examining how these factors shape the protagonists' experiences and their resistance to patriarchal and imperialist norms. Using a comparative approach, the paper draws parallels between novels from Africa, South Asia, and the Caribbean, illustrating universal yet context-specific challenges of post-colonial identities. This research contributes to the broader discourse on identity politics and gender equity, affirming the enduring relevance of post-colonial literature in contemporary debates.

Revisiting Antigone in Marina Carr’s Portia Coughlan (1996)

1990s Contemporary British Drama is epitomized with plays over which violence, cruelty, and abject depictions of selfhood reign in an attempt to propel a renegotiation of imposed normativity on the subject. Marina Carr, as a prominent contemporary Irish playwright writes plays that are experiential on a deeper level as she delves into characters that walk on the liminal borders between life and death. Marina Carr’s play Portia Coughlan represents a family enmeshed in the incest taboo, re-negotiates the subversive familial subjectification enforced on Portia, and explores the theme of a broken self, which is condensed by the loss of an irreplaceable brother. Interpreting Portia Coughlan as a re-evaluation of Sophocles’ Antigone, this article initiates discussion on the play by applying contemporary arguments on the intersections between Antigone, gender normativity, taboos, kinship, familial ties, and interior objectification of the subject as were discussed in Judith Butler’s Antigone’s Claim (2000). By questioning why gender is so crucial to our understanding of the self and why Portia and Antigone as tragic characters are left with no option but to die, this article aims to examine the function of ambiguity and uncontainable nature found in the heroines in regard to their treatment in plays as well as their premise in their respective cultural setting.