Indonesia’s downstreaming program aims to transform its nickel mining and processing sectors and promote a battery electric vehicle (BEV) transition. This article presents evidence from interviews with automotive industry stakeholders to make two core arguments about the BEV transition. First, we argue that the reluctance of Indonesia’s established Japanese-led automotive production networks to produce BEVs means that the transition has relied on imported Chinese BEVs and locally-assembled BEVs made from overwhelmingly foreign-sourced components. This has created a dilemma for the state: promoting the BEV transition risks driving the delocalisation of Indonesia’s automotive industry; while supporting established Japanese manufacturers risks stalling the transition. Second, we argue that the state’s capacity to manage this dilemma has been constrained by key government agencies’ institutional and political distance from substantial manufacturing interests. These arguments contribute to analysis of downstreaming and to debates about the state’s role in promoting automotive industrialisation.

ABSTRACT This article examines the Brazilian Federal Supreme Court’s ruling on the constitutionality of confessional religious education (CRE) in public schools. It argues that the Court’s endorsement of CRE marks a significant departure from a republican conception of secularism, traditionally associated with the role of public education in forming democratic citizens. The article contends that the Court redefines secularism in minimal terms – as non-theocracy – thus allowing public institutions to support religious instruction, even at the expense of the ideal of democratic citizenship. Four core arguments underpinning the decision are reconstructed and critically assessed: the facultative, constitutive, basic rights, and tradition arguments. Using the tools of normative political philosophy, the article demonstrates that even rigorous reconstructions of these arguments fail to meet minimal standards of public justification. In doing so, it challenges the notion that CRE can be reconciled with the values of a constitutional democracy.

This essay provides a neurobiological and neuroanatomical analysis of how the recently published Walla Emotion Model, with its neurobiologically grounded definitions, elucidates the evolutionary origin of affective processing from the sense of olfaction. The analysis first deconstructs the model's hierarchical framework, which distinguishes between rapid, non-conscious affective processing (neural activity coding for valence of stimuli), conscious, subjective feelings, and observable, communicative emotions. It then details the unique neuroanatomical pathway of the olfactory system, highlighting its most direct, subcortical connections to the limbic system (only two synapses) (shared subcortical network between olfaction and affection). The core argument presented is that this emotion model's definition of affective processing as being distinct from an emotion is a direct conceptual reflection of the ancient, hardwired, and survival-oriented function of olfaction. This link is substantiated by empirical evidence from studies on sniffing behavior, startle reflex modulation, and non-conscious physiological responses, all of which provide empirical evidence for a non-conscious, non-cognitive evaluation of olfactory stimuli. First, this essay concludes that a clear distinction between affective processing, feelings, and emotions offers a coherent framework that has the potential to resolve long-standing terminological ambiguities in the affective science. Second, it also aims at providing a paradigm for understanding the foundational role of a specific sensory modality in the evolution of our most primitive and yet so evident and impactful affective responses serving the adaptation of produced behavior in humans. Finally, some ideas for broader implications are mentioned.

The French engineering education system occupies a unique position in global higher education, distinguished by its core feature of integrating "elitism" with "universality". Against the backdrop of intensifying global competition in engineering talent cultivation and the reform trends of engineering education worldwide(such as CDIO in the United States and the dual-system in Germany), this study adopts literature research, historical analysis, case study, and comparative research methods to explore the operational mechanisms of the French model. The core argument is that the success of French engineering education lies in its rigorous selection process, solid scientific foundation,close industrial connections, and the cultivation of humanistic and management literacy.Through an analysis of its historical evolution, enrollment and training mechanisms, and quality assurance system, this paper concludes that the French model, which balances elite standards and universal competence, provides valuable insights for engineering education reforms globally.

This comprehensive work elaborates on the "Natural and Universal Mathematics" paradigm, redefining mathematics not merely as a tool for calculation but as the common denominator of all scientific disciplines, the heart of science, and a universal language of communication that makes sense of the building blocks of the universe. The study examines mathematical reality across a broad spectrum, starting from the ontological reconceptualization of the concept of zero, through the foundations of set theory, mathematical formulations of quantum mechanics, information theory and entropy, mathematical cosmology, the qualitative transformation of numbers, the distinction between infinity and eternity, and the hierarchy of science and Ilm (Divine Knowledge). The core argument is that mathematics discovers rather than invents reality, and that the universal language consists of mathematical structures.

The COVID-19 pandemic has profoundly impacted all aspects of national education. It has not only highlighted the inadequacies of existing care arrangements but also spurred new care demands. Policymakers and educational institutions increasingly recognize the need to more effectively understand and support the well-being of their domestic students and provide them with more comprehensive care. This paper draws on theories of social material care to explore the possibility of using care as a guiding principle to steer national education in a more productive direction. The core argument is that a focus on care is crucial for promoting the well-being of international students and creating a more effective institutional environment for attracting, retaining, and supporting them. Furthermore, it is essential for redefining and achieving the grand goals of national education itself. This paper demonstrates these points through three "drafts," illustrating how a focus on care can reshape international education policy and institutional support and point to new directions for research on international student mobility.

This paper provides a critical review of a research study on the factors influencing e-banking adoption among digitally unbanked seniors in South Africa. The critique evaluates the study's methodological rigor, theoretical foundation, and the validity of its core arguments. While the study's research design, including its multi-stage cluster sampling and sample size calculation, is technically robust, this analysis reveals significant flaws in its intellectual foundation. The study's philosophical stance is internally contradictory, and it contains severe citation errors, most notably the conflation of Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) with Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). The critique concludes that the study, despite its methodological strengths, is fundamentally undermined by these errors. This commentary contributes to the academic discourse on research integrity and the responsible application of quantitative methods in social science.

Thomas S. Popkewitz is particularly concerned with how the construction of knowledge is intertwined with mechanisms of power, producing disciplinary and exclusionary effects within educational practice. He argues that education is never a neutral space for knowledge transmission; rather, it operates through a series of institutional practices and discursive constructions that shape subjectivities, classify differences, and reproduce social order. In the field of curriculum theory, Popkewitz offers a thought-provoking perspective on the “postmodern historiography of curriculum,” challenging traditional historical narratives centered on linear progress and rational development. He contends that it is essential to uncover the cultural-political logic embedded in curriculum reforms, particularly how these reforms define certain forms of knowledge, behavior, and subjectivity as “normal” or “ideal” educational goals. Through this lens, Popkewitz conceptualizes curriculum as a cultural-political practice and emphasizes the need to critically reflect on how reform discourses construct “the child who is to be made into a learner,” often marginalizing specific differences. This theoretical approach offers a new perspective for analyzing how educational systems reproduce inequality, while also urging educators and policymakers to reconsider the social and ethical responsibilities of educational change. Popkewitz offers a “governmentality” perspective that reveals the institutional arrangements and modernist logics underlying educational practices. This article aims to examine Popkewitz’s three core arguments on curriculum governance, with the intention of fostering a deeper understanding of his conceptualization of curriculum and its underlying principles.

Russian verbs capable of expressing spatial displacement (among other meanings) allow the prefix po- to express two contradictory meanings: inchoation (onset of action: ‘Let’s go!’) and delimitation (temporal bounding: ‘Enough running!’). This article explores the conditions triggering this duality, focusing on the grammatical category of so-called “verbs of motion”. Within this small set, which contrasts determinate and indeterminate verbs, the former tendentially select the inchoative meaning, while the latter select the delimitative meaning. The analysis is carried out using the example of the determinate verb (po)nesti and the indeterminate (po)nosit′, with extension to non-motion uses. The core argument is that determinate verbs – like other motion-capable verbs – rely on an unstable term a, whereas indeterminate verbs, as products of a morphological derivation process, operate on the feature that distinguishes verbs within this category: the mechanism creating this instability. In the case of nesti/nosit′, this involves a contingently defined locator (e.g., a “carrier”). Consequently, po- prefixed to determinate verbs targets the existence of a, while with indeterminate verbs, it modifies the properties of the “carrier”. For verbs outside the determinate/indeterminate opposition, the ambiguity stems directly from the verbal base’s interpretation, generating specific semantic effects.

This paper chronicles the evolution of USD-denominated stablecoins through two distinct eras. It begins by deconstructing the fundamental mechanics of stablecoins, explaining their 1:1 reserve backing as a solution to the price volatility of early cryptocurrencies. The "First Era" (2017-2022) is detailed as a period of cautious engagement by the U.S. banking sector within a landscape of regulatory ambiguity. Subsequently, the paper analyzes the regulatory turning point that ushered in the "Second Era," providing a comprehensive overview of the proposed U.S. GENIUS Act and its strategic design. The core argument of this paper is that the U.S. is strategically leveraging this new regulatory clarity to cultivate the stablecoin ecosystem as a tool for reinforcing its global dollar hegemony. We support this thesis with evidence from capital markets, political economy, and the strategic design of the legal architecture. The conclusion posits that the rise of the regulated digital dollar marks the dawn of a new, strategically managed era in global finance.

This research paper undertakes a comprehensive, critical examination of the Waziristani Pashtun identity as constructed within the historiographical traditions spanning the twentieth century. The core argument rests on the assertion that the indigenous inhabitants of Waziristan, especially the resilient Wazir and Mahsud tribes, have been subject to a pervasive and deliberate process of misrepresentation across both the official colonial record and the subsequent postcolonial literary output. Initial colonial accounts, predominantly authored by military strategists and administrative officials, established a discourse founded on civilizational superiority and the politics of control, consistently affixing pejorative and reductive labels such as 'wild,' 'barbarous,' 'noble savage,' and 'untrustworthy mountaineer' to the tribes. This systemic 'Othering' was intellectually vital, serving as the necessary justification for costly military expeditions and the imposition of special, often draconian, administrative regimes like the Frontier Crimes Regulation (FCR). Crucially, the research demonstrates that this flawed representational model exhibited a damaging continuity; the postcolonial literature and subsequent media narratives, particularly following the geopolitical upheaval catalysed by the Afghan Jihad, perpetuated the colonial framework, simply updating the vocabulary. The older terms of 'savage' were replaced by 'militant' and 'terrorist,' thereby cementing a fundamentally distorted, securitized image of the Waziristani people that profoundly obscures their genuine cultural narratives, historical agency, and legitimate political grievances, ensuring their continued marginalization from the national mainstream.

ABSTRACT Languages differ in how core argument roles are marked and in the cues guiding their real-time comprehension. This study investigated thematic role assignment in Pitjantjatjara – an Australian Pama-Nyungan ergative language with free word-order. Using visual world eye-tracking, we analysed whether a noun phrase’s humanness, case marking and position in the sentence guide its interpretation as agent or patient of an event. Confirmatory analyses indicated that these properties do not affect thematic role processing at the noun phrase itself. Exploratory analyses suggested that transitivity expectations play an important role. When the visual scene depicted more typical human agents, the influence of linguistic factors was observed later in the trial: speakers committed to the thematic role faster when all cues pointed toward the same interpretation. However, visual events that violated expectations (animals/inanimate objects acting on humans) strongly attracted participants' visual attention, attenuating the influence of linguistic input.

This research paper investigates the critical factors contributing to the systemic decline of the Akhara tradition—the indigenous wrestling culture—in the key historical centres of Lahore and Gujranwala during the twentieth century, specifically between 1900 and 2000. The core argument posits that this decline was precipitated by a dual structural challenge: a precipitous withdrawal of financial and institutional support from the state following the end of the princely and early post-colonial eras, coupled with the profound cultural and economic pressures of rapid modernization. The study moves beyond simple nostalgia, analysing the material conditions of the pehlwans (wrestlers) and the failure of the institution to adapt to new fitness trends and a shifting job-centric economy. The once-celebrated Akhara, which served as a crucible for moral, physical, and even nationalist ideals, struggled to compete with globalised sports and was hampered by its own conservative practices. This comparative historical analysis of two distinct urban hubs illuminates how a cherished cultural asset transitioned from a national symbol of pride to a fading memory, advocating for urgent measures to preserve its legacy against the forces of neglect and obsolescence.

Cyberspace as a Weapon: Strategy Versus Norm Cyberspace is reshaping the foundations of legal systems, pushing them to adopt rule-based strategies largely driven by executive security and political institutions. This shift is fuelled by the lack of international laws and customs, the unique characteristics of cyberspace and the extension of geopolitical rivalries into the digital realm. While cyber strategies are often framed as necessary responses to emerging threats, they simultaneously diminish the authority of legal norms and blur traditional distinctions between cybercrime, cyberterrorism and cyberwarfare. The tension between cyber strategies and legal frameworks is central to the current endeavour, analysed through the underlying values that either support or challenge these approaches. Key values considered include cybersecurity, cyber defence, cyber governance, the rule of law, democratic principles and international cooperation. While the analysis is theoretical in scope, the case of Iran is used to substantiate core arguments, illustrating how threat perceptions and value hierarchies shape strategic choices. Rather than offering a country-specific analysis, the case highlights broader patterns of divergence in global cyber governance.

In E-8/20 Criminal proceedings against N , the EFTA Court established that persons temporarily staying in another EEA State are entitled to sickness benefits in cash based on Article 36 EEA on the free movement of services. This approach to Article 36 EEA has been highly endorsed in the scholarly literature. In fact, the EFTA Court was even criticised for not adopting a similar approach to Article 36 EEA in its later advisory opinions on unemployment benefits in E-13/20 O v Arbeids- og velferdsdirektoratet and E-15/20 Criminal proceedings against P . However, a similar wide-reaching approach to the free movement of services in the field of social security coordination cannot be identified in the EU legal order. This article develops and presents two core arguments. First, it contests whether a broad application of the free movement of services is substantively possible within social security outside the context of benefits in kind. Secondly, it suggests that there is no need to rely on Article 36 EEA to achieve homogeneity in social security coordination. Instead, the article provides for alternative interpretations in line with the existing case law of the Court of Justice of the EU. The aim of the article is to highlight that it is crucial to carefully consider how homogeneity is achieved, and not only that the resulting legal effects and rights are homogenous. Even if different approaches may lead to identical legal effects for individuals in the short term, homogeneity may be at risk if differences in approaches between the two courts are sustained over time in an otherwise identically mirrored field.

ABSTRACT Recent work on moral progress has explored the causes, impediments, and possibility of moral progress. In this paper, I present a novel sketch of one significant, yet previously underexplored impediment to moral progress: the epistemic vices of business corporations (henceforth just ‘corporations’). Today, the global pervasiveness of corporations in our age of contemporary capitalism is undeniable. Yet, no philosophical analysis of how such corporations may affect moral progress currently exists. Drawing on Cassam’s obstructivist theory of epistemic vice, I argue that the collective epistemic vices of corporations may pose serious epistemic impediments to the development of moral progress. I examine the moral-epistemic impacts of one type of corporate epistemic vice, epistemic malevolence, on two paradigmatic moral issues that we face today: animal rights and climate change. My core argument is that the epistemic malevolence of corporations obstructs moral progress in animal rights and climate change by obfuscating the morally relevant information and the moral norms pertaining to these domains. As a result, this sustains and exacerbates the value-action gap in animal rights and climate change.

This study undertakes a comprehensive examination of the judicial review framework governing the discretionary authority of Indonesia's Director General of Taxes (DGT), as conferred by Article 36(1)(b) of the General Tax Provisions and Procedures Law (UU KUP), particularly in the wake of Supreme Court Circular No. 02 of 2024 (SEMA 02/2024). A central legal inquiry is addressed: does the issuance of SEMA 02/2024 insulate this discretionary power from judicial oversight, effectively rendering it an absolute authority? Employing a normative legal research methodology, this paper contends that the General Principles of Good Governance (AUPB) are an unsuitable standard for evaluating such discretion due to their inherent abstraction when applied to concrete tax disputes. In their place, this analysis posits that a foundational doctrine of tax law—substance over form—offers the most pertinent and effective test for the "element of justice" mandated by the statute. The core argument advanced is that Article 36(1)(b) does not grant unfettered discretion but rather a bound authority (gebonden discretie), intended to uphold material truth in circumstances where formal procedural avenues, such as time-barred objections, are no longer available. Consequently, SEMA 02/2024 does not abolish judicial review but fundamentally transforms it. The Tax Court's role shifts from adjudicating the substance of a tax assessment to scrutinizing the legality and reasonableness of the DGT's application of the substance over form principle in its decision-making process. This thesis is corroborated by empirical data from post-SEMA judicial rulings, which reveal continued and active judicial oversight concerning the legality of discretionary applications. The paper concludes with a recommendation for the DGT to formulate internal guidelines predicated on the substance over form principle to bolster legal certainty and administrative accountability.

Abstract Perry Hendricks (2025) argues that theism is not only compatible with what he calls ‘pointless atheism’ (instances of non-resistant non-belief that do not serve a greater good) but also makes it expected. His case combines the Responsibility Objection (RO) – the view that God permits non-resistant non-belief because it’s required for theists to bear responsibility for bringing others into relationship with God – with a William Hasker-inspired argument concerning motivation and rationality. Hendricks’s core argument can be expressed in two distinct yet interrelated ways: a ‘motivation’ formulation and a ‘rationality’ formulation. I examine each in turn. I argue that, even granting (RO) and the rest of Hendricks’s assumptions, each formulation fails. (RO), together with a few further assumptions to which Hendricks also seems committed, leads to conclusions that undermine rather than support his argument. Thus, we have at least as much reason to reject as to accept his conclusion, and without further clarification and support, his case remains incomplete.

This article investigates the philosophical foundations of media by re-examining the concepts of form, representation, and embodiment through a phenomenological lens. It begins with André Leroi-Gourhan’s notion of the language of forms, emphasizing how technical gestures and symbolic expression evolve together and showing how the externalization of thought into material supports lays the groundwork for the mediation between body and world. This archaeological perspective is then brought into conversation with Maurice Merleau-Ponty’s phenomenology of language, in which expression is understood not simply as a vehicle for representation but as the very process through which meaning emerges within lived, perceptual experience. By tracing the dialogue and tension between these two approaches, the article introduces a phenomenology of mediation—an approach that examines how meaning arises through the interplay between embodied perception and media forms, rather than through fixed representations. Both thinkers, though distinct in their frameworks, point toward a redefinition of mediation that unsettles the traditional subject-object dichotomy by highlighting the dynamic relationship between bodily activity and symbolic systems. Expanding on these foundations, the article advances the concept of a Phenomenology of the non-whole. This perspective understands media not as totalizing or closed systems of representation, but as open-ended, fragmentary processes that express the inherent incompleteness and relational nature of human experience; in other words, it explores how media articulate the partial, pre-representational structures through which sense is made. By clarifying these concepts, the discussion becomes accessible to readers from diverse backgrounds, fostering deeper engagement with the core arguments.

This article conducts an in-depth analysis of the multifaceted impacts that the UK government's proposed fiscal policy of imposing a value-added tax (VAT) on private school tuition fees may have on social and economic mobility. Based on the realistic background of the long-term lag in social mobility in the UK, the research points out that the high cost of private education has become a key barrier hindering social mobility. The core argument of the paper is that although this policy theoretically has the potential for fiscal revenue increase and redistribution of educational resources, whether its ultimate effect is positive or negative highly depends on the specific design of the policy implementation and the supporting systems. The article conducts arguments from multiple dimensions, including the effect of fiscal redistribution, micro-behavioral choices of students and families (such as school selection, mental health, and career planning), as well as the impact of gender and racial heterogeneity. Analysis shows that if the new tax revenue is not precisely and transpareniously invested in improving the quality of public education and expanding opportunities for disadvantaged groups, this move will not only fail to break the existing structure of opportunity inequality, but may also exacerbate educational inequality in the short term by increasing the financial burden of education for the middle class, restricting educational choices, and suppressing human capital investment. And it poses a threat to the country's long-term innovation capacity and economic growth potential. This study ultimately emphasizes that the key to promoting social mobility lies in building a system of fair opportunities rather than simply transferring wealth.