Contradictory Positions Research Articles

Evolution of the UK Tilt to the Indo-Pacific Region

The article explores the conceptual foundations of the UK “tilt to the Indo-Pacific”, its evolution and the transformation of the strategic narrative ensued therefrom as it is impacted by a number of factors from both outside and within. The author notes that the flagship proposal of the Conservative cabinet for indivisible Euro-Atlantic and IndoPacific security is twofold: to extrapolate the principles of transatlantic security to the new region, and to present Britain in the emerging multipolarity in a new ambitious role as a link between two mega-spaces. It is highlighted the continuity of the foreign policy approach of the new Labor government, which, based on the conceptual framework of the Conservative cabinet, seeks to strengthen London’s position in the Indo-Pacific. It is shown that the strategy of the Conservative government in the Indo-Pacific is limited not only by resource scarcity but also by heated internal debates as to an ultimate goal of its presence in the region (the degree of involvement in the economic and defense ecosystem), as well as the nature of future relations with China. Moreover, London’s position is also weakened by the contradictory attitude of regional actors towards the UK’s role in the region, as well as broad inter-party discussions on adjusting the foreign policy strategy in the region.

'One of the greatest injustices of our time': The impact of social representations of modern slavery in the UK-A mixed methods approach.

This study aimed to examine how social representations of modern slavery and immigration become entangled in newspaper media. 2672 UK newspaper articles were collated from 2013 to 2022 and analysed using Content Analysis (Descendant Hierarchical Classification) and Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA). Two themes and corresponding extracts were identified from the content analysis output and analysed using CDA allowing for the exploration of the role of the hegemonic social representations to understanding how discourses of modern slavery are reproduced through the othering in relation to ethnicity and migration. The two themes that emerged were 'Leading the way in tackling slavery' and 'Making claims.' The themes combined showed how the media and political discourse positioned the UK government as leading the way in tackling modern slavery. Simultaneously, discourses criminalized migrants and constructed them as the source of social harm, and the obstacles to resolving the social injustices were those opposing anti-immigration legislation. These two contradictory positions have implications in how modern slavery is understood by the public. More worryingly, it could lead to silence from victims due to the threat of being criminalized.

DIGITAL TOOLS IN PRESCHOOL SETTINGS: DYNAMICS, CHALLENGES AND TEACHERS’ ATTITUDES TOWARDS DIGITALIZATION

One of the key challenges of ECE is the integration of digital devices into the educational process as a means of expanding children’s learning opportunities and teacher-child interaction, rather than replacing it (Saljo, ). In international preschool practice, digital tools are widely used: in organizing play environment (Marsh et al., , Fleer, Rai, ) and play-based education (Verenikina et al., , Gillen, Kucirkova, ). In Russia, despite the increasing digitalization and the growing availability of gadgets for preschoolers, in preschool education there remains a contradictory attitude towards the use of digital technologies (Soldatova, , Rubtsova et al., ). This study aims to analyze the dynamics of the use of digital tools in kindergartens over the past  years, to identify teachers’ perspective on learning and play and the integration of digital tools into the educational process. The sample includes  preschool classrooms; the digital environment quality was assessed with ECERS- (item  “Appropriate use of technology”).  preschool teachers participated in semi-structured interviews, and  video-cases of using digital devices in the educational process with preschoolers were analyzed. Informed consents were obtained from all the participants; the data were anonymized. A comparative analysis of the average scores by each year showed that there are no qualitative and quantitative changes in relation to the use of digital tools in the educational process: .% of teachers do not use digital tools, an unsatisfactory level of quality of use was recorded in .% of preschool groups, minimal – .%, good – .%. Analysis reveals  trends: avoidance or formal use without taking into account the age specifi cs and children’s interests. Prohibitive and restrictive policies regarding the use of digital devices by preschoolers are widespread. Teachers lack instruments for integrating digital technologies into preschool practice as cultural tools that expand children’s learning opportunities.

Anti-Pastoral and the Prophetic Mode in Moddi’s Climate Songs

This article explores aspects of apocalypse and pastoral in the climate themed song lyrics of Norwegian indie folk artist Moddi. Through close listening and contextualizing of the songs “Noens ark” (“Someone’s ark”, 2013) and “En sang om fly” (“A song about planes”, 2013), apocalypse and pastoral emerge as key motifs. These are navigated in an exploration of a conflicted Norwegian response to global warming. The songs express critique of unrelenting pursuits of economic growth and personal consumption even as the future imposes itself on the present. In two different ways, elements of indie folk music are tailored to express an ontologically unsettling encounter with a global environmental risk scenario. “Noens ark” employs forceful instrumentation and polyrhythms to evoke a sense of alarm and urgency called for by the projection of future disaster. “En sang om fly” is a soft composition projecting nostalgia for the material conditions of the present. The desire for these conditions ultimately locks the singer in a cycle of repetition that destabilizes the very conditions he desires. The nuances afforded by this expression in musical performance allows song lyrics to sustain contradictory attitudes towards globalization. In their pursuit of these contradictions, Moddi’s climate songs can be seen as part of an anti-pastoral tradition. Features of musical genre and a prophetic lyric mode are employed to evoke and subvert a pastoral response to apocalypticism. By musically sustaining contradictions between pastoral and apocalypse, Moddi’s songs reflect a conflict between Norwegian identity and a global cultural imaginary in the face of global warming.

Negotiating Prejudice and Equality: Analysing Gender and Sexuality Discourse Among Supporters of Populist Radical Right Message in Switzerland and Finland

ABSTRACTResearch on gender, sexuality and the populist radical right has revealed the contradictory positions of such parties and politicians regarding gender issues. However, less is known about the perspective of laypeople on these matters. This study focuses on supporters of a radical right populist message and analyses how prejudice is constructed in populist gender discourse. Analysing interview material from two countries, Finland (n = 55) and Switzerland (n = 33), this study adopts a discursive–rhetorical approach and identifies six key discursive practices: radical supporters of gender equality, privileged gender and sexual minorities, assimilating individuals as exceptions, sexual minorities excluded from normality, the unprejudiced self distanced from the discriminating party and the self aligned with the rational party. First, this study sheds light on supporters' constructions of equality, gender and feminism in contemporary discourse. Second, our discursive–rhetorical analysis shows how different categorisation strategies are used in negotiating prejudice. Third, the study further complements existing research on gender populism by examining gender issues from the demand side, illustrating the appeal of radical right populist ideology among voters. We conclude that discursive category constructions and exceptions allow including, excluding and delegitimising gender and sexual minorities and their supporters while distancing and aligning oneself with (un)prejudiced positions in gender discourse. Please refer to the Supporting Information section to find this article's Community and Social Impact Statement.

Exploring the practice and attitudes of psychiatrists and psychologists towards patient-targeted googling in China.

Patient-targeted Googling (PTG) is an unavoidable aspect of the internet era, offering both opportunities and risks. However, no PTG studies have been conducted in Asian contexts to date. Additionally, existing research has provided limited exploration of factors influencing PTG practices, particularly regarding the professional differences between psychiatrists and psychologists. This study seeks to address these research gaps. A total of 943 licensed psychiatrists and psychologists working in China completed an online survey. The survey included their attitudes towards PTG (including general attitude, application situations, reasons for/against PTG) and their actual practice of PTG. 250(26.5%) respondents reported using PTG. Among them, 151(60.4%) respondents sought consent from clients before use, and 142(56.8%) respondents discussed search results with clients after use. Chinese psychiatrists and psychologists have contradictory attitudes, with concerns but also recognition of its possible positive effects, and expressing a need for more guidance. Compared to psychiatrists or those working in public institutions, psychologists and those working in private institutions report greater concerns about PTG but engage in it more frequently. Although the sample is limited, the study reveals notable differences in attitudes and practice of PTG among Chinese psychiatrists and psychologists, which may be related to their distinct professional roles and workplace environments. These findings suggest the need for further research to better understand the underlying factors contributing to these differences. Moreover, the results highlight the importance of developing tailored ethical guidelines and targeted training programs to address PTG practices for psychiatrists and psychologists in China.

Polar Contradictions: China’s Dialectical Thinking About the Arctic

ABSTRACT Using China’s seemingly contradictory positions on the Arctic as a starting point, this article examines China’s official and academic Arctic discourses. This paper proposes that China’s apparently contradictory positions in the Arctic region are the result of the dialectical resolution of discursive tensions. Using an original dataset of over one thousand Chinese academic articles and books, together with China’s official statements, this article presents China’s Arctic policy discourse as a polyphonic landscape where diverse opinions and ideas compete within a discursive field. The research proposes that by utilising dialectical thinking, China is able to seek a middle ground between conflict and cooperation, between the near-Arctic state and stakeholder identities and between resource development and environmental protection. China also aims to preserve the status quo while striving to reform Arctic governance.

“She was using Bayek for sex:” hegemonic femininity and the identity play in Assassin’s Creed Origins

ABSTRACT Despite recent trends toward introducing female characters with increasingly active roles in video games, there is still a noticeable conservatism regarding shaping central female protagonists in Ubisoft’s franchises. However, in Assassin’s Creed Origins, the trajectories of the protagonists, Bayek and Aya, are as different as possible. While Bayek’s gamic narratives are centered on family values aimed at avenging the death of his dead son, Aya’s story and scholarly origins revolve around direct cooperation with elite politicians like Cleopatra to achieve the same purpose. I show that Aya embodies hegemonic femininity based on her social location, not only in class and race but also in gender as a source of power superior to the masculinity of her husband, Bayek (the “intersectional domination” framework). Subsequently, analyzing relevant comments on Reddit, I argue that the ambivalent reactions to Aya’s femininity coincide with a postfeminist playerbase, with ambiguous and often contradictory attitudes towards Aya’s better intersectional location. Considering digitally mediated misogynist tensions exemplified by #Gamergate and other viralized communities via Reddit, I explore the inequalities between the two characters in Assassin’s Creed using a postfeminist lens and highlight potential implications for video games and gender studies.

Kurdish women “bargaining with patriarchy:” The subversive woman in Ata Nahai's fiction

Over the past two decades, Women Studies has developed within Kurdish studies. Scholars from various disciplines, including sociology, history, and folk literature, have explored this field to shed light on the experiences and roles of Kurdish women. A less explored area remains literature, particularly fiction. This study focuses on Ata Nahai, a highly acclaimed novelist from Iranian Kurdistan, born in 1960, whose main female characters deviate significantly from the stereotypes of selfless mothers and loving submissive wives. Nahais short stories and novels depict women as subversive. Their subversion does not, however, bring about their emancipation, but highlights significant issues faced by Kurdish women, such as contradictory attitudes towards their own bodies, abusing other women and behaving inconsistently with their family members.

Recalibrating Our Position

A review of Pari Riahi, Laure Katsaros and Michael T. Davis (eds), Exactitude: On Precision and Play in Contemporary Architecture, Amherst: University of Massachusetts Press, 2022, 216 pages, 38 illus. ISBN: 9781625346728. The book is a timely, well-crafted and wide-ranging collection of essays that stake out contrasting and, at times, contradictory positions toward exactitude in architectural theory and practice. Using Italo Calvino’s Six Memos for the Millenium as a starting point, the essays share a common goal of exploring how a critical understanding of the ethical and imaginative capabilities of exactitude can help us appreciate the agency of architects.

Making Sense of Spiritual, Metaphysical, and Eschatological Elements in Delusions: A Qualitative Study Using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis

Background: Spiritual, metaphysical, or eschatological elements in delusions (SMEDs) are frequent and often subjectively regarded as profound transformational experiences, similar to mystical experiences. This study aimed (1) to explore how SMEDs are experienced and in which aspects they are similar to mystical experiences and (2) to investigate how individuals make sense of SMED. Methods: Seven participants were interviewed, and their expressions were analyzed using interpretative phenomenological analysis. Results: We found that SMEDs were similar to mystical experiences with regard to alterations in perception of space, time, and unity. Furthermore, SMEDs were accompanied by a sense of enlightenment that however remained ineffable. SMEDs were interpreted from different viewpoints, i.e., as a source of ontological insight, as a mental health issue, as an inspiration for a new orientation in the world, and, for some participants, as an example of the limits of knowledge. Making sense of SMED appeared to follow a lively internal dialogue in which various, sometimes contradictory positions were reflected upon. Participants usually struggled to align the ostensible ontological significance of SMED to the dominating illness explanation. Conclusion: SMEDs have similarities to mystical experiences, but integrating SMED into one’s own life is challenging. We propose a philosophical, non-pathological interpretation of SMED derived from a novel perspective on mystical experience which may also have some therapeutic utility.

Intercultural mediation and the state’s surveillance of motherhood: contradictions disclosing coloniality of relationships, racialisation, and emotional control

ABSTRACT In recent decades, there has been an increase in the practice of intercultural mediation in Spain. In different fields such as social work, education, and health, institutions involved the figure of the mediator in both public and private organisations as reflecting inclusion programmes. This paper is based on interviews with intercultural mediators interacting with young mothers without a residence permit in Spain. It examines the contradictory and tense position of the mediator and pays attention to a hierarchical and colonial listening displayed during the intercultural mediation, exposing the coloniality of relationships, racialisation and emotional control. Mediators find themselves between mothers and social workers. They can be seen as occupying two ends of the power spectrum. However, the mediator has less recognition amongst professionals in the field of social work. During interventions, the mediators are closer to the mothers since they also intervene as interpreters with a common linguistic background; they have a migrant experience themselves, and they try to build trust with the mothers, despite being seen as institutional figures. Simultaneously, from their less recognised position within the organisations, they negotiate the social workers’ understanding of mothers’ vulnerability, which could bring them into conflict with the institutions.

(Un)Credible citizen: citizenship dispossession, documents and the politics of the rule of law

ABSTRACT This article explores how states mobilise ideologies of the rule of law to legitimise, facilitate and obscure human rights violations, especially in the context of citizenship and migration. There is a global pattern of states using ostensibly legal means to undermine citizenship status of vulnerable minorities. In several national contexts, the invocation of the rule of law and the use of legal identity documents are interlocked. States have relied on the regimes of documentary citizenship as the legal face of citizenship deprivation. This article studies India's north-eastern state of Assam – one of the most striking instances of this pattern – where bureaucratic practices of citizenship adjudication have threatened the citizenship status of more than 3 million people. It shows that despite being centred around them, the administrators of documentary citizenship routinely disregard identity documents in their everyday functioning. It argues that India's ethnicised politics towards immigration constitutes contradictory attitudes towards identity documents. Officials imagine legal identity documents as legitimate and viable, and simultaneously compromised due to administrative corruption and complicity. This documentary doublethink engenders grave instability of citizenship status. The article illuminates how the rule of law – like the documentary regimes it sustains – is Janus-faced by producing and obscuring precarious citizenship.

Anti-Zionism in the show trials in Rákosi era Hungary (1948–1953)

ABSTRACT The Communist regime in Hungary had an ambivalent and contradictory attitude towards Jews, people of Jewish origin, and the Jewish identity during the Rákosi era. While Zionism was tolerated previously, after the Communist takeover, it began to persecute Zionists through (amongst other means) a series of show trials. In these trials, the weight of different accusations (Zionism, anti-Semitism, cosmopolitanism) changed due to various factors, and therefore the anti-Jewish/anti-Semitic characteristics of the court proceedings also changed dynamically. This study draws on archival sources and the Hungarian historical literature to present a comprehensive view of this time and these circumstances.

Memorable Messages about Pregnancy and Abortion from the Perspective of College-Enrolled Emerging Adults

ABSTRACT Emerging adults are the age group in the U.S. most likely to become pregnant, have a child, receive abortions, and be most supportive of legal abortion. To gain insight into these seemingly contradictory facts and attitudes, this study examines emerging adults’ memorable messages about abortion and pregnancy to understand the beliefs, norms, values, and expectations circulating for younger adults. Ninety-two emerging adult college students provided memorable messages about both abortion and pregnancy. Utilizing thematic co-occurrence analysis, messages about pregnancy and abortion were characterized by three themes: political ideologies of sex, healthcare experience, and life-changing. Emerging adults described the messages as making them feel knowledgeable, empowered, and scared. Two theoretical relationships were identified: (1) pregnancy is connected to the political ideologies of sex with reactions of feeling empowered and scared and (2) abortion is connected to the politics of sex and the reactions of feeling knowledgeable and scared. Theoretical implications for the theory of memorable messages and practical applications for emerging adults are discussed.

“She is finally home”: feminist storytelling, family imaginaries and transnational solidarity in Irish abortion activism

ABSTRACT Across the so-called West, feminist storytelling positions reproductive justice and the often-twinned issue of women’s place within the family as a progressive issue. This conveniently ignores the inherent contradictions of the existence of only limited access to abortion in many Western nations, as well as parallel histories of access to reproductive justice in non-Western countries. Postcolonial Ireland, as an apparently Western country with a renowned history of anti-feminist legislation, has existed as one of these contradictions. In this article, we examine Irish feminists’ familial storytelling to reveal how they managed their contradictory position in a teleological narrative that positioned Western feminism as the epitome of progress. We adopt a comparative approach – looking at the lead up to the introduction of the Eighth Amendment of the Irish Constitution in 1983, which awarded the foetus constitutional rights, and then the high profile Repeal the 8th movement that successfully revoked that amendment in 2018 – to understand reproductive rights activists’ changing uses of “the family” to effect intergenerational and transnational solidarity. Applying Sara Ahmed’s concept of “sticky” emotions, we examine how feminists transformed “the Irish family” from a site of coldness and despair to one of hope, dignity, humanity and happiness.

Determinants of artificial intelligence-assisted diagnostic system adoption intention: A behavioral reasoning theory perspective

Artificial intelligence-assisted diagnostic systems (AIADS) signify a significant medical revolution, reducing environmental burdens and enabling AI-based medical services to catalyze sustainability-oriented positive change. Because users demonstrate almost contradictory attitudes or resistance to adopting medical information provided by AIADS, controversy persists regarding the use of the technology. Based on behavioral reasoning theory (BRT), this study adds empirical insights into the significant influence of users' values (openness to change) toward reasons (for and against) and their intentions to adopt AIADS from the perspective of behavioral reasoning. A scenario questionnaire survey of 604 Chinese users demonstrated that openness to change significantly impacts users' attitudes and reasons (for and against) adopting AIADS. A dual pathway explains the reasons for and against adopting AIADS. The findings contribute to BRT's application in AI-assisted medical service and provide implications to practitioners that will increase users' adoption of AIADS.

Социальный спрос на уголовно-правовую охрану исторического и культурного наследия как фактор, оказывающий влияние на уголовно-правовую политику в указанной сфере

The article is devoted to the social demand for criminal law protection of historical and cultural heritage, which, in systemic unity with other factors listed in the publication, has had and continues to have a direct impact on criminal law policy in this area. When revealing the content side of social demand, the author suggests using the term historical and cultural complementarity. Thanks to him, a social assessment of existing criminal law prohibitions can be given, the contradictory attitude of the law enforcement officer to the protection of historical and cultural monuments and cultural values can be explained. Using the example of criminalization of illegal search and seizure of archaeological objects from places of occurrence (art. 2432 of the Criminal code), attention is drawn to the lack of social demand for legal regulation of the activities of persons using special technical search tools (metal detectors) and engaged in illegal search for archaeological objects.

CHAT GPT IN THE PARADIGM OF MODERN EDUCATION

The article deals with the impact of the application of the ChatGPT tool in education. There is a contradictory attitude towards chatbots in the world. Some countries ban its use, others try to maximize its potential. Reports from teachers around the world show that the use of ChatGPT in education has a positive impact on teaching and learning. However, special attention should be paid to the importance of training teachers in the correct use of this tool. It is necessary to familiarize teachers with the operating principle of ChatGPT, which can significantly improve the quality of learning and the creative component of the lesson, and, consequently, increase students’ interest in learning. When deciding to use AI in education, it is critical to recognize that it brings significant issues with it, such as data privacy, equity in access to education, and the impact on the educator's role in teaching. All this needs to be addressed before AI finally enters the educational process around the world. Modern education necessitates innovation, and GPT technologies provide unique instruments for fostering critical thinking and a creative approach.

The Survival Dilemmas of Qinglou Talented Women in the Late Ming Dynasty and Their Encounters with the Patriarchal Order

Abstract During the Ming and Qing Dynasties it was common thought that the Qinglou talented women were not bound by normal human relationships and women’s virtues because they lived outside the patriarchal order. Chased after by male bigwigs in the society, they mingled at upper-class male playing places and obtained higher reputations because of their outstanding talent. However, they held a very contradictory position because, especially in the Ming dynasty, women’s virtues were still regarded as an important standard of female evaluation in the society. On the one hand, they faced dilemmas in their living conditions, and on the other, there was a subtle interaction between their living space and the patriarchal clan system – this also occurred because of changes created by the patriarchal clan system and social rules, which exerted a continuous influence on the way a female could survive in the later imperial period. Based on historical and literary documents such as jottings, novels, and unofficial history of Ming and Qing Dynasties, this essay aims at analyzing the living space of these talented women.