Critical Inquiry Research Articles

Optimizing energy‐efficient data replication for IoT applications in fog computing

SummaryThe rise of the Internet of Things (IoT) has given rise to an era marked by interconnected devices and substantial data generation. This has led to an increased reliance on cloud computing for data processing and storage, primarily due to its cost‐effective pay‐for‐use model. However, this dependence has prompted critical inquiries into the optimal replication of data: what data to replicate, when to replicate it, and where to place new replicas strategically. Conventional cloud data replication often results in resource overutilization, performance bottlenecks, increased workloads, energy consumption, prolonged user wait times, and suboptimal response times. In response to these challenges, this paper introduces a novel approach named Multiobjective Optimization Harris Hawks Optimization with Salp Swarm Algorithm (MOHHOSSA). This approach employs multiobjective optimization (MOO) alongside Harris Hawks Optimization (HHO) and IoT‐based Salp Swarm Algorithm (SSA) for cloud computing environments. MOHHOSSA efficiently identifies data replication opportunities and strategically allocates them across nodes in cloud computing infrastructures. The algorithm aims to enhance key performance metrics, including energy consumption, carbon dioxide emission rate, and mean service time. Extensive experimental validation demonstrates MOHHOSSA's superior performance compared to alternative algorithms. It excels in optimizing energy efficiency, load distribution, mean service time, and the establishment of cost‐effective communication paths between nodes. This research represents a significant advancement in addressing challenges related to IoT data replication in cloud computing, ultimately promoting more sustainable, efficient, and responsive cloud‐based services.

Mandevillian vices

Bernard Mandeville argued that traits that have traditionally been seen as detrimental or reprehensible, such as greed, ambition, vanity, and the willingness to deceive, can produce significant social goods. He went so far as to suggest that a society composed of individuals who embody these vices would, under certain constraints, be better off than one composed only of those who embody the virtues of self-restraint. In the twentieth century, Mandeville’s insights were taken up in economics by John Maynard Keynes, among others. More recently, philosophers have drawn analogies to Mandeville’s ideas in the domains of epistemology and morality, arguing that traits that are typically understood as epistemic or moral vices (e.g. closed-mindedness, vindictiveness) can lead to beneficial outcomes for the groups in which individuals cooperate, deliberate, and decide, for instance by propitiously dividing the cognitive labor involved in critical inquiry and introducing transient diversity. We argue that mandevillian virtues have a negative counterpart, mandevillian vices, which are traits that are beneficial to or admirable in their individual possessor, but are or can be systematically detrimental to the group to which that individual belongs. Whilst virtue ethics and epistemology prescribe character traits that are good for every moral and epistemic agent, and ideally across all situations, mandevillian virtues show that group dynamics can complicate this picture. In this paper, we provide a unifying explanation of the main mechanism responsible for mandevillian traits in general and motivate the case for the opposite of mandevillian virtues, namely mandevillian vices.

From Deficit to Asset-Based Perspectives on Multilingual Learners: A Critical Inquiry in Teacher Education

Preparing teachers to develop a critical lens on educational inequities and to leverage all students’ resources and potential are central projects for teacher education. This case study examines how critical asset-based teacher inquiry in diverse K-12 English and ELD classes, supported by teacher noticing, may support development of equity-oriented teaching for racialized multilingual learners (MLs). We report three themes in preservice teachers’ (PST) practices and reflections that evidence affordances of our assets-focused teacher inquiry design, as well as areas of need in our design and PST learning: (1) centering MLs through unit design and early use of inquiry resources, (2) documenting ML engagement for achievement, and (3) critiquing assessment and context as potential impediments to an assetbased focus. Our study marks both possibilities and need in teacher education for pedagogical innovations and designs that intentionally shape an assets-based perspective on racialized MLs.

The waning legitimacy of international organisations and their promissory visions

ABSTRACT We argue that the legitimacy of international organisations (IOs) as self-proclaimed representatives of humankind, which was unfounded from the outset, is waning. To substantiate that claim, we undertake a critical inquiry into the legitimacy of the promissory visions pursued by IOs in the field of education across three historical periods. The first traces the rationalistic educational planning and idealistic ‘one world’ projects of the post-World War II period. The second examines the era of globalisation, when the discourse that legitimised the educational visions of IOs shifted towards the promises of the ‘global knowledge economy’. The third discusses the contemporary trend towards emergency governance and crisis narratives. While the narratives of progress shifted, a pattern that has emerged is the move towards globalism and uniformity. Drawing on insights from philosophy and historical studies of world-empire, we argue that the world-making experiments conducted by IOs were destined to be unsuccessful.

EDITORIAL: Gaza, genocide and media: Will journalism survive?

30th Anniversary Edition of Pacific Journalism Review: When editor Philip Cass and I, as founding editor, started planning for this 30th anniversary edition of Pacific Journalism Review, we wanted a theme that would fit such an important milestone. At the time when we celebrated the second decade of the journal’s critical inquiry at Auckland University of Technology with a conference in 2014, our theme was ‘Political journalism in the Asia Pacific’, and our mood about the mediascape in the region was far more positive than it is today (Duffield, 2015). Three years later, we marked the 10th anniversary of the Pacific Media Centre, with a conference and a rather gloomier ‘Journalism under duress’ slogan. The PJR cover then featured a gruesome corpse at the height of Rodrigo Duterte’s callous and bloodthirsty ‘war on drugs’—and on media—in the Philippines. Three years later again the PMC itself had been closed in spite of its success. EDITORIAL NOTE: After the editorial of Pacific Journalism Review and the lead article in this edition (Vol 30, No 1&2) about the fate of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange were printed, the Australian journalist was set free and he arrived back in Australia after a plea bargain. The winner of his country’s Walkley Award for journalism excellence, Assange was freed by a US federal court in Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands, on 26 June 2024 after a plea bargain to plead guilty to one charge of violating the US Espionage Act and the judge sentenced him to 62 months, jail time already served in the UK on remand. His 14-year struggle for freedom was over, but his lawyers say they will press for a full US presidential pardon.

Circular economy: A review of review articles

AbstractThe circular economy (CE) has emerged as a focal point in discussions surrounding sustainable development, industrial production, and resource efficiency. While it has garnered attention as a ground‐breaking paradigm with the potential to harmonize economic, societal, and environmental dynamics, divergent perspectives and critical inquiries have surfaced. This paper delves into the interdisciplinary literature on CE, exploring the interpretative flexibility inherent in its conceptualization. Acknowledging the diverse range of strategies associated with the CE, the study contends with the potential risks of its misappropriation, emphasizing the importance of understanding its systemic socio‐ecological implications. With an umbrella review approach, rarely applied in social sciences, the study navigates through 167 review articles, unveiling thematic trends and identifying gaps within the existing literature. By scrutinizing the techno‐managerial dominance within CE discussions, the paper calls attention to the overshadowing of numerous critical issues. It highlights the importance of systematic attention to CE's social aspects, essential to provide insights into how policies, strategies, and actions affect the society, as well as the emerging discussion on the alternative social transformative paradigm. The paper concludes with a three‐stage study design: a meticulous review of 167 articles, a thematic analysis revealing trends, and a reflective exploration of potential research avenues. This review serves as a comprehensive guide for scholars and practitioners for a holistic understanding of CE and encouraging contributions to address identified gaps and fostering the evolution of CE literature.

Enhancing Biology Education through Hydroponics: A Practical Approach in High School Classes

Hydroponics, the practice of growing plants without soil, presents an engaging method for teaching biology. By visually demonstrating essential plant biology concepts and sustainable agricultural techniques, hydroponics provides students with an interactive learning experience. This study explores the integration of hydroponics into high school biology curricula, assessing its influence on student engagement, understanding of plant science, and practical skills. The findings reveal that students show greater curiosity and enthusiasm for biology through exposure to hydroponics, understand complex biological processes more effectively, and develop critical scientific inquiry skills through hands-on experimentation. However, challenges include the initial investment required for implementation, the need for consistent care and monitoring, and the necessity for specialized training for educators to effectively incorporate hydroponics into their lessons. While hydroponics offers significant potential, further research is needed to explore its scalability across different educational settings. Refining implementation strategies will make hydroponics a more accessible and valuable tool for high school biology classes.

A Critical Enquiry of Material Ageing in Interior Architecture

Psychology and architecture are seen in intersections whenever the old buildings and spaces are repurposed. Thedirect connection seen is through the materiality of those spaces. This raises the curiosity to explore theamalgamation of a material's functionality and aesthetic values with its purpose and enduring existence, evenafter decay, as seen through historical perspectives. This study aims to blend the material's purpose and idea ofexistence with its functionality and aesthetic, considering the longevity of its impact. Investigating the valuecreation of old materials, the research contributes to sustainability and evokes a sense of nostalgia, highlightingthe material's unique connection with history. Focused on interior architecture, the study challenges theperception that ageing diminishes a space's value, advocating for positive emotional responses from occupants.By examining global adaptation projects, particularly in Bombay, India, the research underscores the emotionaland historical significance of aged materials, emphasising their role in enhancing user experience and well-being.The study contributes valuable insights for designers seeking to leverage the enduring value of ageing andweathering materials, promoting sustainability and preserving historical connections in design approaches.

Assessing the Degree of Publicness in Streets

Streets have always been a vital source of public life in Indian cities. The advent of virtual technologies and changingurban realities, have impacted its publicness and activation. Additionally, increasing degree of publicness in privatelyowned public spaces poses significant reduction in street life. Hence, it is important to assess the street qualities whichcontribute to public life. The physical, non-physical and metaphysical qualities of street assessments will bring out theessential qualities of streets that contribute to public life in contemporary streets. This paper enquires socio-culturaland sensory aspects of street life. It would assess parameters that contribute or contradict the degree of publicness.The study would discuss and build assessments from Vikas Mehta, William H. Whyte, Henry Lefebvre and Jan Gehl’stheories and perspectives. This research would build a critical enquiry about temporality and everyday urbanism andcontribute to the discussions on placemaking and tactical urbanism strategies.

Navigating Contemporary Islamic Reason: An Epistemological Analysis of Mohammed Arkoun

This research examines the profound epistemological critique and semiotic analysis of Islamic thought by Mohammed Arkoun, focusing on his challenge to traditional paradigms within Islamic scholarship. Arkoun argues that Islamic reason has historically been confined by dogmatic interpretations, which has limited its evolution in the context of modern challenges. Employing a historical-critical methodology and a semiotic approach, Arkoun seeks to uncover layers of meaning that have been obscured by traditionalist readings and to demonstrate the need for a more critical and dynamic interpretation of Islamic texts. Arkoun’s critique explores the historical, linguistic, and cultural contexts that shape Islamic thought, advocating for an approach that acknowledges the influence of these factors on religious interpretation. His analysis reveals how Islamic thought, if unchallenged and unchanged, risks stagnation in a rapidly evolving world. Through a detailed examination of Quranic discourse and the application of modern critical theories, Arkoun proposes a deconstruction of the 'thinkable' and challenges the 'unthinkable' within Islamic thought. This study emphasizes the importance of revisiting the epistemological foundations of Islamic knowledge to foster a more inclusive, reflective, and adaptive intellectual tradition. Arkoun's work provides valuable insights into the potential for Islamic thought to engage more profoundly with contemporary issues, urging a reform that embraces critical inquiry and the exploration of diverse interpretative possibilities.

Evolutionary Trend Analysis of Research on Immunotherapy for Brain Metastasis Based on Machine-Learning Scientometrics.

Brain metastases challenge cancer treatments with poor prognoses, despite ongoing advancements. Immunotherapy effectively alleviates advanced cancer, exhibiting immense potential to revolutionize brain metastasis management. To identify research priorities that optimize immunotherapies for brain metastases, 2164 related publications were analyzed. Scientometric visualization via R software, VOSviewer, and CiteSpace showed the interrelationships among literature, institutions, authors, and topic areas of focus. The publication rate and citations have grown exponentially over the past decade, with the US, China, and Germany as the major contributors. The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center ranked highest in publications, while Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center was most cited. Clusters of keywords revealed six hotspots: 'Immunology', 'Check Point Inhibitors', 'Lung Cancer', 'Immunotherapy', 'Melanoma', 'Breast Cancer', and 'Microenvironment'. Melanoma, the most studied primary tumor with brain metastases offers promising immunotherapy advancements with generalizability and adaptability to other cancers. Our results outline the holistic overview of immunotherapy research for brain metastases, which pinpoints the forefront in the field, and directs researchers toward critical inquiries for enhanced mechanistic insight and improved clinical outcomes. Moreover, governmental and funding agencies will benefit from assigning financial resources to entities and regions with the greatest potential for combating brain metastases through immunotherapy.

The development of music education philosophy in mainland China during 1990–2022: A corpus-based thematic review

This study used corpus-based text analysis to examine the discourse on Music Education Philosophy (MEP) in 346 Chinese scholarly articles published after 1990. Applying topic modelling techniques, the study identified 685 key terms in the corpus that collectively established six prevailing themes: Aesthetics, Praxis, Confucianism, Teaching and Learning, Values of music education, and Influence factors of music education. It was discovered that Aesthetics, Praxis, and Confucianism were three streams in Chinese literature that significantly influenced the MEP study landscape. In contrast, the other three topics served as the ‘battleground’ for these competing philosophical paradigms. The study discussed the sources of contemporary MEP in China, where combined influences from European North American Chinese philosophies are evident. It was argued that music, education, and philosophy emerge as three equally critical components that collectively define the inherent ‘nature’ of MEP. Thus, while the nature of music does not predetermine the nature of music education, the foundation of music education was shaped collectively by understandings, judgements, and expectations of music and education in the Chinese context. In addition, corpus analysis presented a promising methodological approach for tracing the evolution of discourse over time and facilitating critical inquiries in MEP discourses.

Inspired by Asian migrants: An adult English learner's imagined communities and study abroad trajectory

In today's globalized world, language learners gain inspiration for who they want to be and the community to which they want to belong through unconventional ways. This study investigates the unconventional language aspirations of a male Japanese adult sojourner who studied English in the Philippines and Canada and projected his imagined self as aligning with the Asian migrants he met in Japan. Data were collected through an open-ended questionnaire, two semi-structured interviews, and follow-up emails. In employing a critical event narrative inquiry approach, the study findings focus on two critical events that largely shaped this individual's imagined community and the desires shaping his English learning—the socialization with the migrants in Japan and his instructors in the Philippines. This study illuminates a nascent language desire that emerged in an internationalizing society and urges further exploration of unconventional aspirations that are situated beyond the dominant ideologies and transcend existing dichotomous boundaries.

Embodied spatiality: mapping gendered exclusion and women’s embodied right to the city in KwaZulu Natal, South Africa

This study addresses the critical research inquiry surrounding the persistence of gendered urban inequalities and the subsequent exclusion of women in urban settings within the broader context of gender, spatiality, and embodiment. Using feminist geographical theory and informed by Henri Lefebvre’s concept of the right to the city, the study investigates how the spatial characteristics of public spaces, along with underlying gendered dynamics, engender discriminatory and exclusionary practices that restrict women’s right to the city and public lived space. The study collected data through a questionnaire, in-depth interviews, and a mapping exercise utilising open-access Geographic Information Systems (GIS) software. The participants were 166 individuals from the historically racially segregated areas of Umlazi, Chatsworth, and Durban Central in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. The findings reveal women’s negative experiences and perceptions of the risk of victimisation, which stem from a form of ‘self-imposed exclusion’ from public spaces, thereby limiting their overall right to the city. The study also highlights the intersecting hierarchies of race, gender, age, and nationality that (re)produce intersectional exclusions, contributing to multiple barriers to access. In conclusion, the study demonstrates that women’s exclusion from public spaces and their limited rights to the city results from a complex interplay between embodied ‘self-imposed’ exclusions, intersectional dynamics, and spatial constraints, which collectively infringe their embodied right to the city.

Contrasting Educator and Black Student Perspectives of the Special Education Placement Process: A DisCrit Counter-Narrative Analysis.

This critical qualitative inquiry employed a Disability Critical Race Studies Counter-Narrative framework (DCCN) to explore the contrast between educator and Black student understandings of the special education placement process and their implications. Interviews with 21 members of school personnel and 20 Black students between the ages of 14 and 18 were cross-referenced to narratively reconstruct the special education placement process in Quebec, Canada. Analysis of the results reveals a striking gap between educator and student understandings of the process, which can be linked to adverse student experiences. Subsequently, implications for enhancing educators' knowledge of diverse learners and professional practices are discussed.

Debunking the Concept of Liberalism A Critical Review

This study critically examines the basic tenets of liberalism and their implications for the discourse between Islam and the West. With reference to texts from thinkers such as John Locke and John Stuart Mill, it challenges the rationality and coherence of liberal ideology, particularly regarding equality, freedom and hedonistic morality. Islamic perspectives on these issues are considered, highlighting differences in epistemological foundations. The research underscores the need for nuanced dialogue and critical inquiry, emphasizing the importance of epistemological diversity in addressing the challenges of contemporary society. Highlights : Critiquing liberal ideology: equality, freedom, morality coherence challenged. Contrasting Islamic epistemological foundations with liberalism's rationality. Emphasizing nuanced dialogue and diverse epistemology for contemporary challenges. Keywords: Liberalism, Islam, Dialogue, Epistemology, Diversity

Disordered whiteness: A shape/an unwound sonnet late on the tide

AbstractThis paper is a multifaceted exploration of white subjectivity and the social phenomena of whiteness, about which there is a considerable body of psychoanalytic literature spanning decades. Hazel White's “unwound sonnet late on the tide” explores themes of traumatic legacies, family, shame, and mourning. Critical poetic inquiry is used to consider these themes and make links between the poetics of psychoanalytic processes and the psychoanalysis of poetics.

ANHAGA, or: The Epistemological Quest in Anne Carson’s “Kinds of Water”

This paper focuses on Anne Carson’s lyrical essay “Kinds of Water” (1995) as a case of a transmodern text concerned with the consequences of posthumanist suffering, such as the lack of affection or human connection. Establishing a continuum between epistemology and anthropology, Carson presents water as an ungraspable symbol, as a pretext for critical inquiry, self-discover, and acceptance. Taking this element as limitless and fluid, we aim to analyse certain paradoxes related to H2O that psychologically and linguistically affect the narrative voice. These are materiality and fluidity, but also the dichotomy between excess and absence, as well as movement and stillness.

Advances in pharmacogenomics: optimizing antiepileptic drug therapy for drug-resistant epilepsy

Epilepsy, a complex neurological disorder, is influenced by intricate interactions within cortical, hippocampal, or thalamocortical neuronal networks, presenting a genetically complex condition with non-Mendelian inheritance patterns. This complexity is underscored by the involvement of numerous “susceptibilities” or “modifier” genes, complicating the assessment of risk and therapy outcomes. A critical inquiry in epilepsy treatment involves understanding how genetic diversity impacts treatment strategies and efficacy. Pharmacogenomic advancements have elaborated the connection between genetic variants and antiseizure medication (ASM) safety and response, marking a shift towards precision medicine in epilepsy care. Notably, genetic screening for variants such as HLA-B*1502 and HLA-A*3101 has demonstrated significant efficacy in preventing severe hypersensitivity reactions, including toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN) and Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS), particularly among specific ethnic populations. However, putting pharmacogenomic discoveries into clinical practice faces numerous challenges, including educational, legal, and economic barriers, emphasizing the need for broader acceptance and integration of pharmacogenomic data. This review synthesizes recent studies on pharmacogenomics in epilepsy, highlighting the current advances and prospects for personalizing epilepsy treatment through genetic insights, aiming to enhance ASM safety, reduce adverse effects, and improve treatment outcomes. Through a comprehensive examination of the genetic basis of epilepsy and its influence on pharmacotherapy, this review endeavors to contribute to the evolving landscape of precision medicine in epilepsy care, advocating for a more individualized and effective treatment approach.

Hair-Power Performativity: A co-experimental braiding together of speculative fabulation and critical inquiry

This article explores the intersection of hair and power through collaborative performative storytelling, drawing inspiration from Marco Melgrati's illustration 'Cut it Out!,' a tribute to Iranian women's protest. Recognized for fostering empathy, narratives have the potential to reshape ontological perceptions and confront the limitations of conventional uses of 'data' and 'theory' in research. Our research story encompasses these elements, revealing insights not only related to hair and power but also the embodied emotions influencing the research process. Rooted in Donna Haraway's speculative fabulation, we challenge the notion of storytelling as a means to create order, highlighting how fantasy writing uniquely entangles the personal and the political. The trans-cultural dimension gained through our international collaboration (three white female authors from Finland, United States, and Iran) adds layers of tension, pulling hair/power in diverse directions and uncovering insights otherwise unattainable, thereby fostering transformative engagement with the subject matter.