Creative Work Research Articles

Видный российский педагог И. Н. Жуков: «Любите Родину, боритесь за неё и будьте первыми в труде!»

The purpose of the study is to characterize the pedagogical activity of a prominent Russian teacher of the first half of the 20th century Innokenty Nikolaevich Zhukov (1875-1948) on the organization of the scout and pioneer movement in Russia. The study presents the circumstances of the emergence of scouting in Russia, and then the pioneer movement. Little-known facts of Zhukov's biography are established. The content of his organizational, literary and creative (in the field of sculpture) work is revealed. Innokenty Nikolaevich's contribution to each of these fields of activity is assessed. The scientific novelty of the research lies in the introduction into scientific circulation of little-known factual material relating to the initial period of development of scouting in Russia, and subsequently the pioneer organization. The results of the research are disclosure of little-known facts of Zhukov's biography, assessment of his pedagogical projects in the field of education of children and adolescents, analysis of his multifaceted organizational and practical educational activities. Zhukov is also shown as a writer and cultural figure who, through his work, contributed to solving the tasks of educating the younger generation that were relevant for his time. The text includes statements about him by famous contemporaries (O. Rodin, A. V. Lunacharsky, A.M. Gorky) and teachers (A. V. Vakhtin, E. Ya. Grobin, I. I. Zhukova-Plotnikova). The study is dedicated to the 150th anniversary of the birth of I. N. Zhukov.

Assessing the Influence of Mobile Apps Betting Advertising on the Habit of Youth in Enugu Urban

The study assessed the influence of mobile apps betting advertisements on the habit of youth in Enugu urban. The objectives were to determine if the Enugu urban youth residents are exposed to the mobile apps betting advertisements; check the advertisements they are most often exposed to; ascertain whether the advertisement influenced their behavioural pattern and finally know if the betting companies fulfilled the desires of the Enugu urban youth as stated in their advertisements. Survey research design was used for the execution of the study. Taro Yamane statistical formula helped the researchers to get the sample size of 400 from the population of 1,138,918 validated by the National Bureau of Statistics. Systematic sampling procedure was used to administer 28 copies of the questionnaire in each of the 14 layouts in Enugu urban which equalled to 392 copies while eight (8) copies of the questionnaire were not useful for the analysis. Findings indicated that the youth are strongly exposed to such mobile apps betting advertisements, have more interest in sports betting, influenced their behavioural pattern greatly and betting companies did not fulfil the desires of the majority of the youth in Enugu urban yet the youth fail to understand the game of the business. In conclusion, the betting advertisements actually influenced the youth greatly which affected the youth behavioural pattern against positive thinking of creativity and hard work. The paper recommended the closure of betting shops in the metropolis, rehabilitate the youth with workshops and varied skills, as well as introducing entrepreneurship skills from the primary to the tertiary institutions in Enugu metropolis.

Effect of Hairdresser’s Work-Life Balance and Self-efficacy on Job Satisfaction

This study aims to increase job satisfaction of hairdressers by analyzing the impact of work-life balance and self-efficacy on job satisfaction, which can lead to an increase in their professional success rate. We also sought to present basic data that can improve productivity through efficient human resource management in personnel administration. The results are as follows: First, the proportion of women among hairdressers was much higher than that of men. In order for these hairdressers to be faithful to their jobs and not change jobs, each individual must be highly satisfied with their job. Therefore, there must be continuous measures to increase their job satisfaction. Second, both work-life balance and self-efficacy had a significant impact on job satisfaction. Also, work-family, one of the three sub-factors that constitutes work-life balance, was seen to have the greatest impact on job satisfaction. Although growth at work was important, it was found that family relationships and family support were also important factors in improving job satisfaction. Therefore, in order to improve work-life balance, not only companies need to establish necessary systems, but hair designers also need to manage their own time and mental health care. It is also important to have emotional support through communication with family or colleagues. Third, self-efficacy had a priority on job satisfaction rather than work-life balance. Ultimately, for job satisfaction, it is essential to improve self-efficacy before improving work-life balance. Hairdressers must strive to achieve job satisfaction by increasing their confidence through improving their skills by learning new technologies or trends and strengthening their expertise by attending seminars and workshops, or by building confidence through small successes. To help hairdressers achieve these goals, the hair beauty companies need to create a positive work environment, come up with realistic measures to provide appropriate rewards and incentives, and especially provide autonomy for hair designers to do creative work. With these measures in place, we hope to see high-quality improvement in the hair beauty industry by increasing the professional success and customer satisfaction of hair designers. Infuture research, in-depth qualitative research to determine the standards, systems, and implementation plans of the proposed measures will be needed.

Formation of the reading culture of children of Primary school age through the study of foreign children’s fairy tales

The article is devoted to the problems of studying foreign children's fairy tales. The author considers the features of the perception of foreign literary fairy tales by children of primary school age. In order to form a reading culture of students, the author of the article presented the stages of work on the perception of a foreign literary fairy tale, showed a variety of types of creative work aimed at developing the emotional and moral sphere of children of primary school age. The author of the article emphasizes the special role of the fairy tale not only in the formation of the reader's culture, but also in high moral qualities. Based on the study of the formation of a reading culture in the process of reading children's foreign fairy tales, the author comes to the following interesting conclusions: the effective use of creative works for the purpose of a full-fledged perception of the fairy-tale genre, their use makes it possible to increase the level of perception of the fairy tale. The fairy tale contributes to the formation of the emotional and moral sphere of children of primary school age, teaches to distinguish between good and evil, forms the culture of the reader, while it does not require a rich education and rich life experience from the child.

THE CREATIVE WORLD OF GEVORG DEVRIKYAN

The present article presents the general description of the creative work of Gevorg Devrikyan, one of the original figures of the new period of Armenian prose of the 20th century. The article provides an overview of the works of writers of the 1960-80s, indicates their place and role in the Armenian literature, as well as highlights the significance of the creative work of Gevorg Devrikyan. The connection between G. Devrikyan’s works and outstanding figures of the Armenian culture is emphasized, and the problem of aestheticization of history is also presented. The works of the first period of the creative work of the writer, essays and stories, novels and historical novels, the collections of stories on historical and satirical themes are listed, indicating their place and role in the Armenian Soviet prose. Gevorg Devrikyan’s historical novels, which occupy a special place among the Armenian Soviet historical novels, have been also emphasized. The issues raised in these historical novels are relevant and portray the contemporary life. The importance of G. Devrikyan's historical novels, their educational and didactic nature, as well as the vivid manifestation of patriotism in them are emphasized. The article also examines the writer's popular and scientific works, stressing the author's great contribution to this area. When reading popular and scientific works and articles, it is immediately noticeable that they came from the writer’s pen: when considering any issue or phenomenon, in addition to the conclusion itself, artistic summaries are presented here, and the portraits of great figures of the Armenian history and culture develop into artistic images. An important place is given to the work “The Great Armenian Figures”, intended for the readers being interested in the Armenian history, literature and culture. The article also examines the collections of stories based on the medieval evidences. Depicting medieval copyists and manuscript illustrators in almost all of his works, G. Devrikian describes the conditions under which medieval parchment scrolls, tags (chants) and antunis (songs of homeless) were copied and created.

CREATION OF THE DANCE MUSIC FOR THE PUCUK BANG MASCOT OF BANGLI REGENCY

Pucuk Bang, or Hibiscus Rosa-Sinensis, was established as the identity and mascot of Bangli Regency during the leadership of Regent I.B. Gede Agung Ladip (1990–1995, 1995–2000) and officially declared on Bangli's 771st anniversary on May 10, 1991. Regent Sang Nyoman Sedana Arta (2021–2026) aimed to revive Bangli's taksu through the creation of the Pucuk Bang Dance as a visual icon, communication medium, identity symbol, and representation of Bangli’s vision and mission, fostering emotional connections and broad acceptance. The Pucuk Bang flower embodies purity, love, sincerity, and courage. "Pucuk" symbolizes the peak or forefront, and "Bang" (red) represents bravery, spirit, and the deity Brahma, a manifestation of God. It reflects courage and rising to the top with purity, love, and sincerity. The Pucuk Bang concept was transformed into a creative work integrating music, dance, and technology, deeply exploring textures, shapes, colors, and meanings. Inspired by Bangli’s heritage, such as Baris dances and Gong Gede gamelans, it uses the Tri Angga structure (kawitan, pangawak, pangecet). The musical work is united by nine dancers symbolizing the Universe's greatness as Sarining Padma Bhuwana. The Pucuk Bang flower embodies purity, love, sincerity, and courage. "Pucuk" symbolizes the peak or forefront, and "Bang" (red) represents bravery, spirit, and the deity Brahma, a manifestation of God. It reflects courage and rising to the top with purity, love, and sincerity. The Pucuk Bang concept was transformed into a creative work integrating music, dance, and technology, deeply exploring textures, shapes, colors, and meanings. Inspired by Bangli’s heritage, such as Baris dances and Gong Gede gamelans, it uses the Tri Angga structure (kawitan, pangawak, pangecet). The musical work is united by nine dancers symbolizing the Universe's greatness as Sarining Padma Bhuwana.

Telling stories that cannot be told: remembering mothers and daughters in métis narratives from Rwanda

ABSTRACT On the eve of independence in Ruanda-Urundi, hundreds of Métis children were taken from Catholic missions and flown to Belgium where they would be fostered, adopted, or sent to local boarding schools. These illegitimate children of white European fathers and Black African mothers were viewed by the colonial authorities as ‘children of sin’. Most of the Métis never saw their birth mothers again and remained illegitimate, unacknowledged by their white European fathers. In 2019, the Belgian government issued a formal apology for the abduction of these children but, for almost sixty years, the stories of the Métis and their mothers had been conveniently forgotten. This article discusses creative attempts to tell the missing stories of the Métis and their mothers by two mixed-‘race’ authors born in Rwanda: Georges Kamanayo, also a filmmaker, was removed from his mother in the late 1950s and taken to Belgium for adoption; Beata Umubyeyi Mairesse imagines the story of an ageing Métis woman with dementia in her novel, Consolée. Drawing on Saidiya Hartman’s concept of ‘critical fabulation’, we consider the role of creative works in repositioning Métis mothers and daughters at the centre of their own history and telling stories that cannot be told.

Роль школьного театра в развитии коммуникации подростков: результаты лонгитюдного исследования

<p>The article analyzes the influence of theatrical activities on enhancing students' offline communication skills and overall socialization. The authors present the results of a two-year theater project conducted in 2023 and 2024. This project included training in scriptwriting and acting, the production of various digital and creative products, as well as group discussions and reflection sessions. The article provides an analysis of data collected during three testing episodes. The research design incorporated Rozhkov’s test for assessing the socialization levels of adolescents, the Children's Assertive Behavior Scale (CABS) adapted by Y.Z. Gilbukh, and interviews with both teachers and students. A total of 79 adolescents aged 13 to 15 participated in the project, which consisted of two experimental groups with varying levels of educational motivation and skills in independent and creative work, along with one control group. It has been empirically established that specially organized theatrical activities within the framework of Digital Theater pedagogical technology contribute to adolescents internalizing humanistic values, improving indicators such as social adaptation and social activity, and strengthening their competence in communication. The communication skills acquired during the first year of the project proved to be sustainable, as demonstrated by subsequent measurements. The article indicates that the best results were achieved by students in the experimental group who were highly engaged in independently performing all tasks as well as participating in creative and production processes. In contrast, students in the second experimental group required more support and time from adults to develop the necessary skills. In conclusion, it is essential to consider the unique characteristics of students and their groups when implementing theatrical activities.</p>

Pemanfaatan Perplexity.ai sebagai Instrumen Asesmen Diagnostik Produk Puisi Kelas VIII SMP

Diagnostic assessment is essential for teachers to determine the initial steps before learning begins. One useful instrument in this process is performance-based assessment, which evaluates products such as writing or other creative works. This study aims to describe the process and outcomes of diagnosing poetry products using the Perplexity.ai tool. Employing a qualitative descriptive method, the research analyzed 30 student poems collected as part of a diagnostic assessment of Indonesian language performance for class VIII H students at SMP Negeri 1 Salatiga. Data were gathered through initial observation and documentation of the Perplexity.ai application usage. Data analysis followed Milles and Huberman's interactive approach, encompassing data reduction, categorization, presentation, and conclusion drawing.The study found that (1) the Perplexity.ai application can be effectively utilized in learning, particularly for assessing students' poetry products. Teachers input students' poetry results into the application, specify the necessary assessment indicators, and allow the tool to evaluate the poems systematically. (2) The tool significantly aids teachers in analyzing student work, offering clear insights into key aspects. The diagnostic assessment results of students' poetry products highlighted three main evaluative aspects: rhyme, diction, and figures of speech. Overall, the Perplexity.ai application streamlines the diagnostic process and enhances the efficiency of evaluating student performance in poetry writing.

Method of “detachment” in Leo Tolstoy’s trilogy “Detstvo”, “Otrochestvo”, “Yunost”

The article examines the method of “detachment” in Leo Tolstoy’s trilogy “Childhood”, “Boyhood” and “Youth” (“Detstvo”, “Otrochestvo” and “Yunost’”) as one of the theoretical concepts characteristic of Tolstoy’s entire creative work. This method first appeared in the works of Russian formalists R. Yakobson and V. Shklovsky who made their contributions to the literary theory. Their imagery system perception of a literary work is based on the conviction that in fiction language is removed from the ordinary automatic perception. As the formalists believe, the goal of art is to give a sense of a thing as vision, not as recognition. The creation of art should bring forth the truth about existence. This “emergence of truth” (a term coined by M. Heidegger) is conceivable only on the basis of creation, i.e., on the basis of the “making” of a literary work. Tolstoy’s “strange” perception of the material world and ordinary phenomena speaks not of recognition, but of sensitivity, when one sees a particular object or a phenomenon for the first time. The method of “detachment”, to which Tolstoy came through his own artistic sense, allows one to grasp the actual deep essence of ordinary objects and phenomena within the author’s conception of his work. Thus, an ordinary object (a flapper), seen by the author with a “strange” perception of things, provides the impetus for the formation of an artistic creation about the world of childhood, boy-hood and youth.

Феномен Федора Панчука

Ukrainian fine art today is developing dynamically and confidently in all its diverse authorial expressions. The proposed investigation revealed a picture of the artist’s life and is dedicated to the study of the creative path of Fedor Panchuk, the definition of his role and place in the socio-cultural space of the modern Podolsk region. His creative, cultural, public, publishing and pedagogical activities are analyzed. The purpose of the work is to characterize the phenomenon of the art critic, artist, writer, public figure F. Panchuk. The research methodology is based on the application of culturological and axiological approaches, which involve the development of the study in the context of a general philosophical understanding of art and determine the consideration of F. Panchuk’s painting in close connection with the wealth of Ukrainian modern fine art. The scientific novelty lies in the fact that the features of the artist’s creative path are characterized: from primitivism to symbolism; from symbolism to avant-garde, which is based on both personal long-term experience and the tasks of fine art itself. Based on the biographical method, the role of F. Panchuk in the formation of the art of the Podillya region and art education in particular was clarified. In the process of research, the authors came to the conclusion that the phenomenon of F. Panchuk is an organic synthesis of professional artistic creativity, cultural and public work, writing and pedagogical activity. Talent and constant work on oneself in the comprehensiveness of the earthly attraction of his native land became factors of creative evolution and formed him as a person - a citizen - an artist. Acquaintance with the creative work of Fedor Panchuk gave grounds to assert that the source of energy of this unique person is human sincerity, unquenchable strength and love for his native Podillіa, Ukrainian folk art, and pedagogical activity.

Development of Patchwork Craft Industry Engineering on Sofa Cushions

The development of patchwork craft engineering on sofa cushions is a creative activity of students in Medan. The development of sofa cushion crafts uses an explosive qualitative application, namely creating a new design that has never been designed by someone. The purpose of this activity is to increase the creativity and imagination of the younger generation by producing innovative, creative works that have functional value for human life. The concept of developing patchwork sofa cushion crafts starts fro: studying the theory of craft art, literature studies, designing concept maps, shape sketches, designing motifs, the process of making sofa cushions, and presentation of craft results. So this creative activity can increase knowledge and skills in the field of craft art, especially household linen. Thus, the younger generation is expected to be able to become entrepreneurs and be ready to compete in the business world professionally and independently.

Who Owns AI?

While artificial intelligence (AI) stands to transform artistic practice and creative industries, little has been theorized about who owns AI for creative work. Lawsuits brought against AI companies such as OpenAI and Meta under copyright law invite novel reconsideration of the value of creative work. This paper synthesizes across copyright, hybrid practice, and cooperative governance to work toward collective ownership and decision-making. This work adds to research in arts entrepreneurship because copyright and shared value is so vital to the livelihood of working artists, including writers, filmmakers, and others in the creative industries. Sarah Silverman’s lawsuit against OpenAI is used as the main case study. The conceptual framework of material and machine, one and many, offers a lens onto value creation and shared ownership of AI. The framework includes a reinterpretation of the fourth factor of fair use under U.S. copyright law to refocus on the doctrinal language of value. AI uses the entirety of creative work in a way that is overlooked because of the small scale of one whole work relative to the overall size of the AI model. Yet a theory of value for creative work gives it dignity in its smallness, the way that one vote still has dignity in a national election of millions. As we navigate these frontiers of AI, experimental models pioneered by artists may be instructive far outside the arts.

A New Production of an Old Play. Barbarians by M. Gorky on the German Stage of 1990s (Based on Press Materials)

The issue of how national cultures are perceived by representatives of other cultures is particularly relevant today considering some communities’ attempts at cancellation against former partners that, until recently, were enthusiastically interested in. Written in 1905 by a prominent Russian and Soviet writer M. Gorky, Barbarians is one example of a work which used to attract attention in the West as a cultural portrait of a country but is now almost forgotten. The article aims to study the semantic dominants of the production, as staged in the theater of Bad Godesberg, Germany, in 1993, by examining it as a representation of Russian culture for German audience. To enable the analysis the following tasks were addressed: 1) to systematize information about the connections of M. Gorky's creative work with German culture; 2) to clarify the place of the play Barbarians in M. Gorky's work in light of its theatrical destiny; 3) to describe the key concepts that form the basis of its poetics; 4) to identify the socio-cultural issues that were represented in the studied German theater production of 1993; 5) to establish the cultural boundaries of perception of Russian culture by the German public of the early 1990s – 2024 in terms of the studied phenomenon. The materials for the study were the original text of the play, its theatrical production in the Kammerspiele Bad Godesberg theater, and publications in German media selected by random sampling. Based on the axiological and hermeneutic approaches, as well as imagology, the author uses the biographical method, and case study method, along with content and literary analyses. As a result, data was obtained on the specifics of the perception of the image of Russian culture in Germany in the early 1990s within the framework of the formation of a theatrical image and its search for little-known details of knowledge of the Russian soul. It is shown that in Germany they tried to associate this image with the important, yet at the same time very ambiguous, concept of barbarism for German culture, showing for the German audience, above all, the vitality of the culture. The author concludes that the German public perceived Maxin Gorky as one of the key representatives of Russian culture. Gorky’s play Barbarians, little known in Russia, was a popular theatrical production in Germany in 1990s due to its conceptual characteristics: in which the mysterious Russian soul is presented through the positive connotations of vitality and hopefulness. This ecology of culture formed the essence of the poetics of Jaroslav Chundela, who realized the creative impulse of M. Gorky in a relevant production that caused wide resonance in German society. The socio-cultural issues of ‘ecology’, in the broad sense, laid the foundation for the expansion of the cultural boundaries of the perception of Russian culture by the German public in the early 1990s, which by 2024 allows us to speak about the limitations of attempts to cancel Russian culture, which remain of universal human value regardless of political situation.

The role of AI and new forms of artistic expression in shaping the art market

The aim of our study is to provide information on how and to what extent professionals of art institutions in Hungary and Slovakia (contemporary galleries and museums) use artificial intelligence in their work processes. Our research focuses on the extent to which these institutions use artificial intelligence in the development of the institution’s operational strategy, or how they can embed the assumed usefulness of artificial intelligence in the operation of the institution, be it the creation of an exhibition, the textual processing of the professional life of an artist, or a about a tool that shapes the gallery’s marketing strategy. We conducted ten in-depth interviews in the two countries, the interviewees were selected using the snowball method. The interview took place among professionals and professionally credible artists who are actively active in contemporary fine art life. The results revealed that the use of artificial intelligence as a tool in the creative work processes is not a requirement in the field of culture, neither in Hungary nor in Slovakia. All the interviewees already had professional experience with AI, 90% of those interviewed would like to deepen their knowledge of the creative use methods of AI, e.g., by creating working groups in the workplace on an experimental basis. Based on our conclusions, we can say that artificial intelligence currently has no conscious strategic use in contemporary art institutions. It can be said that creative professionals are aware of the possibilities of using artificial intelligence in their own field of image, video, and text creation, but there is uncertainty on the part of creators and curators when it comes to copyright. The in-depth interviews provided source material for the compilation of a standardized set of questions for a larger survey of 300-500 people, proportional to the sample, so our presented results are partial results of a larger research.

A scientific journey: Nikolay Vasiliev’s quest to perfect the tools to drill into deep Antarctic ice

Since the early 1950s, when extensive exploration of Antarctica began, drilling has become an integral part of many large-scale scientific projects carried out on the sixth continent. Thanks to the rapid development of drilling equipment and technology, numerous scientific discoveries have been made in the fields of paleoclimatology, geology, glaciology, and other natural sciences. Since 1968, the St. Petersburg Mining University has played a leading role in this area’s development, and several generations of ice drilling specialists were trained within its walls. One of the most outstanding was Nikolay Vasiliev, who led Antarctic research at the university from 2002 to 2021. His contribution to the development of ice core drilling in Antarctica cannot be overestimated. Professor Vasiliev’s extensive and highly creative work laid the foundation for many achievements in this field over the past 30 years. His path is a brilliant example of hard work and dedication to one’s cause. This article is a tribute to Professor Vasiliev, who is cherished by his friends and colleagues who had the good fortune to work and study with this talented person and scientist.

Creative works areas in a Design Studio for the return to use of area after the pandemic situation, Case Study: Interior Design Program, Walailak University

The global higher education design studios in the past have been similar in terms of functionality, both the teaching process and the usage area format, including furniture or supporting equipment. The question is whether the physical appearance of the studio still meets the behavior and needs of users after returning on-site after the COVID-19 pandemic? How should the space arrangements for creative work or design projects be adequate according to the classroom problems? This research was conducted in the context of learning design at the higher education level in Thailand, and therefore the user behavior and requirements of interior design students and instructors were surveyed. The result showed that there were 2 essential patterns of behavior, namely "Creative work-related behaviors" and "non-creative work-related behaviors", which were related behaviors. The study found that before pandemic and post-pandemic spatial needs were not different, as teaching methods and user behaviors remained the same, but there was a clearer need to create suitable environments. When designing creative workspaces within studios, consideration must be given to the layout of the space that supports the behaviors and needs of users, both students and teachers, which may vary across different educational settings or curricula.

НАСЛЕДОВАНИЕ АНСАМБЛЕЙ ЦИКЛИЧЕСКИХ СТРУКТУР И СВЯЗЬ ГЕНЕТИЧЕСКОГО КОДИРОВАНИЯ С ЦИКЛИЧЕСКИМИ КОДАМИ ГРЕЯ И БУЛЕВЫМИ ФУНКЦИЯМИ

The article is devoted to the problem of genetic inheritance of ensembles of mutually coordinated cyclic processes, whose huge choir is the basis of each living organism. It is shown that the structural organization of the genetic coding system is associated with Gray cyclic codes and Karnaugh maps from the Boolean Algebra of Logic. In this regard, this system can be considered as a cyclic coding system associated with Boolean functions. On the basis of the well-known experimental data, the following provision is put forward and justified: the genetic system carries on itself, in addition to the well-known genetic code of amino acid sequences of proteins, also the genetic code of the Boolean functions encoded by n-plets of DNA and RNA, for the inherited ensuring the logically consistent interactions of the body's parts. Accounting for this second, that is Boolean-logical code, allows you to naturally explain a number of difficult problems of genetics, and also opens the way to understand the logical conjugation of many inherited physiological processes. A new understanding is proposed for the phenomenon of using of rhythms and cycles in the creativity works of people - in music, poetry, architecture, etc.: this phenomenon can reflect the unconscious desire of people to reproduce in their creations those principles of structuring, in accordance with which they are built themselves.

MILESTONES OF HISTORY FROM 1914 TO THE EARLY 1920s: RUSSIAN FEMALE LYRIC POETS

The article is devoted to the problem of the development of women’s lyrics in Russia from 1914 to the early 1920s under the influence of external circumstances. The feelings connected with the events of World War I and the Russian Civil War, the turning point between which saw revolutions of 1917, found dramatic embodiment in the poetry of Anna Akhmatova, Adelaida Gertsyk, Varvara Malahieva-Mirovich, Vera Merkur’yeva, Lyubov’ Stolitsa. A purely feminine sense of catastrophe occurs on the borderline of understanding the situation and its ‘material’-intuitive comprehension; it creates a sense of the materiality of the moment and an emotional and evaluative reaction to it. In the lyrics, the militant spirit of a citizen ready to sacrifice own life, is combined with tenderness and strength that protects the home, family, motherhood. The female gaze is characterised by a pronounced orientation towards elements of folkish worldview; the role of mythopoetic images and motifs increases; the genres of folklore and spiritual poetry are actualised. The moment of history is explicated through the urban space, in which the signs of individual and collective destiny are read. The city and home are included in the semantic space of the motherland – Russia. Faith, love and motherhood define the attitude to what is happening as a human tragedy and almost as an impending Apocalypse, given for grave sins. Reflecting the milestones of world and Russian history, the poetesses go beyond the original chamber setting and rather develop epic images and motifs in their creative work. In the poems written on behalf of contemporaries, the lyrical “I” merges with “us”; the authoresses reach the tragic height of depicting the fate of their generation and the whole of Russia in the poems.

The Relational and Redistributive Dynamics of Mutual Aid: Implications of Afro-Communitarian Ethics for the Study of Creative Work

Studies of non-standard, project-based forms of work prevalent in the creative industries have typically theorized the relational dynamics of work as a competitive process of social capital accumulation involving an individualistic, self-enterprising, zero-sum, and winner-takes-all struggle for favourable social network-positioning. Problematizing this prevailing conceptualization, our empirical case study draws on fifty in-depth interviews and two focus groups with creative workers in Ghana to show how relations of mutual aid, including elaborate efforts to live harmoniously with others, are intricately intertwined with economic practices of getting by and getting ahead. Our analysis abductively mobilizes insights from Afro-communitarian ethics to theorize the mutual aid we observed as a complex socio-economic practice of relational resource redistribution contingent on degrees of social proximity. In applying “a theory from the South” to foreground the role of moral obligations, social harmony, and hands-on practices of mutual aid in non-standard forms of work, we contribute a “decolonial critique” of relationality of relevance to scholars of creative work and business ethicists.