Cultural Studies Research Articles

Organic Representation as a Critical Media Approach to Leadership Studies in Popular Culture.

This article applies the critical media concept of organic representation to leadership studies as an analytic of how various creators in popular culture today are not just writing inclusive storytelling but, more notably, modeling new modes of production and self-presentation that are actively challenging hegemonic industry practices and larger cultural ideologies around power, equity, leadership, and success. In conversation with leadership for liberation (see Patterson-Stephens etal. in this issue), I employ an interdisciplinary approach that bridges critical leadership models with critical media analysis to place their aligned perspectives in direct conversation with one another. In pursuant of adding critical media analysis to the leadership studies toolkit, this article applies organic representation to an original analysis of the television series Reservation Dogs and advocates for a critical interrogation of media storytelling, production, and distribution to better understand represented communities also as stakeholders in pop culture narratives.

Enhancing brinjal resilience to little leaf disease through bio-intensive management

Little leaf disease, caused by Candidatus Phytoplasma trifolii, is a major risk to brinjal cultivation, leading to reduced yield and quality. Traditional chemical control methods offer only temporary relief and pose environmental risks. This study aimed to develop a bio-intensive strategy for managing little leaf disease by identifying effective rhizobacterial isolates with plant growth-promoting traits. Among 100 isolates screened, Bacillus licheniformis (B 67) demonstrated the highest indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) activity, siderophore activity and phosphorus solubilisation, followed by isolate B 38. Pot culture experiments revealed that treatments involving seedling treatment and drenching with B. licheniformis (B 67) or Bacillus subtilis (Bbv 57), combined with need-based application of neem seed kernel extract (NSKE 5%), demonstrated significant reductions in disease incidence and improvements in plant health. Field trials validated the efficacy of an Integrated Pest and Disease Management (IPDM) module developed from the findings of pot culture studies. The module comprised seedling treatment with B. licheniformis (B 67) and B. subtilis, drenching with humic acid, foliar applications of ferrous sulphate and zinc sulphate and targeted chemical sprays. This approach achieved the lowest disease incidence and significantly improved yield compared to untreated controls. The study underscores the potential of bio-intensive management strategies integrating rhizobacteria, micronutrients and eco-friendly sprays to sustainably manage little leaf disease while enhancing crop resilience and productivity. These results provide evidence for environmentally safe and effective alternatives to chemical-based disease management in brinjal cultivation.

The predicaments of craftsmanship in the knowledge economy: the rise and fall of Caminha’s boatyards in Caminha, Portugal

ABSTRACT Adopting a blue cultural studies perspective, this article examines the local impact of the forced introduction of a knowledge-based and technology-driven economy in Europe to analyse its controversial effects on human well-being and environmental sustainability. Using the example of the boatyards of Caminha in the extreme northwest of Portugal, the article documents the rise, decline and abandonment of these yards following the death of one individual master shipwright, José Lopes, in 2015, as well as the steady disappearance of the traditional fishing boats, the ‘gamelas’, that Master Lopes used to build. The article links the trajectories of Master Lopes and the boatyards to an analysis of current cultural and policy trends to highlight the antagonistic measures imposed by the Portuguese state on craftmanship in general and the fishing profession in particular. Despite the economic and ecological viability of traditional fishing practices, excessive taxes and restrictive measures exacerbate the resentment of local fishers against the state and contribute to the public perception of their profession as an ecologically destructive and discredited remnant of an undesirable past. This happens in a context where younger generations find it increasingly difficult to secure meaningful jobs in the state-endorsed knowledge-based, pro-growth, and competition-driven neoliberal economy.

The Bali Figure Behind the Superior Works of Crafts in Tegallalang Sub-District

Objectives: This research aims to uncover significant figures in Balinese craft art from the Tegallalang sub-district by exploring various forms of craft art, identifying superior works, and highlighting key contributors. Methods: Using qualitative methods, primary data was collected through observations in Tegallalang, while secondary data was obtained from a literature review. The data was analyzed through a cultural studies perspective. Results: The study found that Balinese craft art in Tegallalang includes traditional ceremonial tool carvings, statue carvings, Balinese building carvings, gamelan carvings, and fop art carvings. Among these, traditional Balinese sculpture carvings, building carvings, and gamelan carvings were identified as the superior craft forms. Furthermore, the research recognized I Nyoman Cokot, I Wayan Godogan, and Made Ada as prominent figures in traditional Balinese sculpture craft art, whose contributions have inspired high-quality craft production in the district. Conclusion: The findings highlight Tegallalang as a major center for Balinese craft art, with its superior works deeply influenced by these leading artisans. Their contributions have played a crucial role in maintaining the high quality of Balinese craft art in the region.

Gender Rhetoric for Sale: Ferragni and the Platformization of the Female Body That Crushes Ideologies

This article aims to make a contribution to the study of liberal feminism, social media, and influencer culture, especially in the Italian context. The feminism of Chiara Ferragni, Italian fashion influencer with over 29 million followers, is an interesting case study that questions the relations, as well as the interaction, between activism, gender, and influencer culture. Ferragni’s body simulacrum, exhibited through numerous social media advertising images, was displayed at Sanremo, a renowned Italian song festival, watched by 12 million people in 2023. At Sanremo, that body carried on the feminist battle through the wearing of manifesto luxury designer dresses together with the reading of a letter addressed to herself, a vector of a rhetorically powerful message that was, however, directed to the single woman rather than to women as a collectivity. This neoliberal discourse is emblematic of the instrumental use of gender issues for self-promotion, which often leads to the dilution of feminist meanings and the trivialization of social movements.

Oriental Cultural Image Construction and Gender Studies in Chinese American Films from a Postcolonial Perspective: A Case Study of Crazy Rich Asians

In the post-colonial era, Orientalism and Gender Order are one of the key topics in today’s research. Researchers have found that there is sometimes a relationship between Middle Easternism and gender order in cultural works, which can reflect the Western understanding and thinking of other cultures to a certain extent. However, there is still a research gap on whether contemporary Western Chinese films truly realize the expression of cultural equality. Therefore, the background of this study is based on the complexity of cross-cultural communication in the context of globalization, especially the stereotype and gender bias of the West against the East. The research focuses on the cultural image and gender representation of Chinese characters in Crazy Rich Asians, and how they reflect and challenge the post-colonial framework. Using textual analysis and cultural studies methods, combined with cinematology, gender studies, and post-colonial theory, the author provides an in-depth interpretation of the plot, characters, and visual elements in the film. The study found that although the film has innovated in expression and expanded the traditional Oriental image to a certain extent, in some aspects, the characters and plots in the film still reflect a cultural interpretation based on the Western perspective and the stereotypical performance of gender roles. The conclusion of the study points out the importance of cultural awareness and gender equality in the cross-cultural communication of Chinese films and proposes strategies to promote cultural diversity and gender equality to promote a more just global cultural dialogue.

Comparative Study of Chinese and Foreign Cultures Based on the “Zone of Proximal Development” Theory: Taking 2012 and 2024 Editions for Grade 7 for Example

This study aims to compare and contrast the cultural content in old and new secondary English textbooks abiding by the theory of Proximal Development Zone, exploring the sustainability of cultural education within these materials. Adopting a mixed-method approach, this research analyzes the cultural themes, content presentation, and their impact on students’ cultural cognition and intercultural competence. The results indicate significant improvements in cultural diversity and intercultural education in the newer textbooks, though gaps remain between the depth of content and students’ actual understanding. Based on these findings, the paper offers several recommendations to enhance the development and teaching practices of secondary school English textbooks.

Do we know more about the mechanobiology of the intervertebral disc in space than on Earth?

This work provides a perspective on the loading protocols used in whole-organ interverterbal disc culture studies using bioreactors. We put this in the context of in vivo spinal loading, and we put forward the case that the majority of previous bioreactor studies have more in common with spinal loading in space than on Earth. Finally, we provide an outlook for the future of bioreactor research, to provide data more relevant to spinal loading on Earth, and maximize the translational potential of findings to the clinical setting.

The Spheroid Light Microscopy Image Atlas for morphometrical analysis of three-dimensional cell cultures

The application of three-dimensional (3D) cell cultures such as spheroids and organoids is growing in popularity both in academia and industry. However, morphology of the 3D architecture remains remarkably understudied. Here, we introduce an open-access Spheroid Light Microscopy Image Atlas (SLiMIA) that can serve as a training set for morphology studies of 3D cell cultures. We provide images with a variety of metadata: 9 microscopes, 47 cell lines, 8 culture media, 4 spheroid formation methods and multiple cell seeding densities; totalling approximately 8,000 images of spheroids. This comprehensive dataset can guide spheroid researchers and promote economizing of resources by advancing 3D cell culture optimization, standardization and implementation by the community at large. Considering the exponentially growing interest in spheroid morphometrical analyses and the emerging technological possibilities to do so, this atlas can be applied to train and develop image segmentation models to deepen our understanding of 3D spheroid morphometry in biomedical research.

Objectified but not Materialized Theory: Human Waste Diagrams Under Erasure

This article questions the degrees of objectification and materialization of theory in material culture studies. It does so by examining the transformations and travelings of human waste diagrams, from a critique of economic externalities in sub-Saharan Africa to a tool of nonsewered sanitation planning in Southeast Asia, particularly in Indonesia: How can a theory become a scientific object but it rarely matters (e.g. turning into matters of concern/care and transforming into material artifacts)? This article firstly follows the moments in the 1990s to 2000s when a waste theory based on an accounting of flows and leakages of excrement and money was objectified as new knowledge abstracted from postcolonial cities in Western Africa, where the sewer network coverage is very low or non-existent. It then continues with what happened when the diagram's latest version—Shit Flow Diagram—was translated from English to Indonesian and its components were applied, adapted, and ignored in Indonesia and a new element in the diagram, the chain, was introduced and became a synecdoche of the waste theory. It concludes with a reflection on the limit of diagrams and the salient operation of erasure in the objectification of waste theory therein.

Lipopeptide iturin C3 from endophytic Bacillus sp. effectively inhibits biofilm formation and prevents the adhesion of topical and food-borne pathogens in vitro and on biomedical devices.

Iturin, a structurally cyclic heptapeptides with a number of homologous derivatives has broad-spectrum antimicrobial and antibiofilm properties. The present study elucidates the structure and antimicrobial efficacy of iturin C3 biosurfactant (BS) produced by the endophytic bacterium Bacillus sp. LLB-04. Bacillus sp. LLB-04 was isolated from the leaves of hemiparasite Scurrula parasitica L. during the winter season. The biosurfactant was produced in a static batch culture of 120h using Nutrient Broth (NB) medium and was extracted by a series of solvent systems. The BS was purified by solvent fractionation and preparative High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) method, and then it was structurally characterized through various analytical methods. Its antimicrobial and antibiofilm activities were tested against 0, to 18h old topical and food-borne pathogens. Furthermore, the cellular aggregation and bacterial cell adhesion on polystyrene and urethral catheters were checked at the Biofilm inhibitory concentration (BIC). The cell line toxicity of BS (0-1.568mg/ml) was tested against the human embryonic lung tissue L-132 and human alveolar epithelial cancer cell line, and the in silico mode of action was studied using standard methods. From the spectroscopic studies of 96h culture harvested BS revealed that Bacillus sp. LLB-04 (GenBank Accession No.: MF037706) produced the BS as iturin C3. The BS had broad-spectrum antimicrobial with minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values ranging from 0.1 to 1.6mg/ml and an average biofilm inhibition concentration (BIC) of 0.8-1.6mg/ml in 18h old cells where biofilm formation was inhibited up to 46.4 times at 1.6mg/ml concentration. It could also destabilize 40-48h old preformed biofilm and had a synergistic response with streptomycin (Bacillus subtilis MTCC 411, Escherichia coli MTCC 730), ciprofloxacin (B. subtilis MTCC 411, E. coli MTCC 730), and vancomycin (Staphylococcus epidermidis MTCC 3086, B. subtilis MTCC 411). It had antiproliferative activity (0.1-0.8mg/ml) on cancer cell lines. In-silico protein-ligand interactions predicted that it could interact with different membrane proteins of topical and food-borne pathogens. Thus, the study revealed for the first time that the endophytic Bacillus sp. could be exploited for large-scale production of iturin C3 that could be used in combating biofilm formation and cellular adhesion of topical and food-borne pathogens.

Caragiale's Critical Engagement with German and French Music: A Study of Musical Culture and Artistic Tension

Caragiale's Critical Engagement with German and French Music: A Study of Musical Culture and Artistic Tension

A Transpacific Renaissance: New Perspectives in Cultural and Social Studies

A Transpacific Renaissance: New Perspectives in Cultural and Social Studies

Cultural Code in Scientific and Journalistic Dimensions

This article explores the distinctive features of the term “cultural code” within scientific and journalistic discourses. The materials for analysis are drawn from newspaper articles and partially from the main corpus of the Russian National Corpus, as well as from scholarly works in linguistics, cultural studies, and philosophy. It has been identified that the expression “cultural code” activates specific components of the phrase: the sign-based nature of the code engages lexicon from the technical sphere (such as program, copy, decode, etc.); the value aspect of culture (the cultural component) highlights actions denoted by verbs like preserve, protect, transmit, among others, as well as abstract concepts such as values, knowledge, understanding, and mastery. The study demonstrates that the models used to recreate the image of the cultural code in journalistic texts differ from those in scientific discourse, exhibiting a vivid evaluative quality with both positive and negative semantics. It is noted that the word formation productivity of the term “code” in scientific discourse is linked to scholars’ efforts to reveal an objective structure and emphasize its relation to the original, generative word (with prefixes and prefixoids such as mega-, sub-, meta-, psycho-).

Assessment of the influence of 660 and 808-nm PBM treatments on mitochondrial oxygen consumption of MG-63 osteoblast: a 3D cell culture study

This study explores the dose-dependent effects of 660-nm and 808-nm photobiomodulation (PBM) on mitochondrial oxygen respiration rate activity in MG-63 osteoblast cells using an innovative 3D in vitro spheroid model. MG-63 osteoblast cells were grown to 80% confluence and seeded in fish gelatin hydrogel (LunaGel™) to form 3D spheroids within 3–7 days. Spheroids were seeded on Seahorse microplates and incubated in a LunacrossLinker™ (visible light crosslinking system) for 2 min to give hydrogel a mid-stiffness of 3.5 kPa. Cells were exposed to PBM either 660-nm or 808-nm at panel setting of 5 J/cm2 and 15 J/cm2 and then assessed immediate (15 min before analysing) and 24 h time points. Mitochondrial activity was determined using an XFe96 Seahorse analyzer. Data distribution was assessed, and parametric or non-parametric tests and compared the mitochondrial respiratory capacity across different experimental conditions. The study indicated that 660-nm and 808-nm PBM could modulate mitochondrial functions in osteoblasts. The maximal respiratory rate for the fluency assessed at 808-nm wavelength was increased when cells were assessed immediate post. Interestingly, the 660-nm PBM-treated cells showed a decrease in oxygen consumption rate (OCR) at the basal and maximal bioenergetic state at all time points (immediate and 24 h.) and fluency compared to the untreated control. The effects of 660-nm and 808-nm wavelengths on osteoblast mitochondrial function suggest that PBM demonstrates differential modulation of osteoblast metabolism and bioenergetics depending on the wavelength. These findings have practical implications in both research and clinical settings, offering insights into selecting specific wavelengths for therapeutic applications.

The “Y” phenomenon: dystopia, utopia, and heterotopia in Thai boys love media

ABSTRACT In the past decade, Thai Boys Love (BL) media has gained phenomenal popularity in Asia in the form of film and drama series, garnering considerable interest from scholars of cultural studies, gender studies, and media studies. Using frame analysis, this article traces the evolution of Thai BL themes from cinematic dystopia into small-screen utopia, i.e. from the tragic (dystopia) to the heart-warming (compromised utopia), and to the comic and hyperreal (utopia). We understand post-2014 BL productions as subsisting within a specific frame that breaks with that of pre-2014 Thai homoerotic films before BL series became mainstream. Frames are chronotopic in the Bakhtinian sense; they are timespaces in which spatial and temporal indicators are fused into one carefully thought-out, concrete whole. Applying this to the case at hand, one may observe as follows: temporally, the post-2014 BL frame encompasses adolescence or young adulthood; spatially, it invokes the high school, senior high school, or university as microcosms of an idealized or romanticized pre-society characterized by childlike innocence, parental (usually maternal) approval, and homosocial relations. This article thus proposes a spectrum of affective readings from dystopia to utopia to critically understand the popular reception of Thai BL and explain why some of them are better received than others.

Working through a surplus: negative transference in inter-Asia encounters

ABSTRACT This essay takes a step back to look at the local prehistory of Inter-Asia Cultural Studies: Movements. It takes cues from a moment in Chen Kuan-Hsing’s Qu Di-guo (De-imperialization), where the double inscription of the word zhuan-yi, which not only signifies the epistemological “shifting” frame of reference towards Asia—the inter-referencing— but also carries the extra meaning of “transference” in the psychoanalytical sense. The essay attempts to tread the affective dimension of every step of shift/transference on the path of “Asia as method” from Takeuchi Yoshimi to Mizoguchi Yuzo to Chen Kuan-Hsing to Tejaswini Niranjana’s “inter-Asia methodology.” It then looks at an instance of “negative transference” in the history of inter-Asian encounters, or mis-encounters: the Marxist critic Qu Qiu-bai’s encounter with Rabindranath Tagore in 1924 and how the transference is worked through by reconstructing and unfolding the subjective history of “a man of the past.” By doing so, it affirms the negative moments in inter-Asian encounters, for the shift/transference cannot but be working towards/through a certain surplus that comes with our “geo-colonial historical” (Chen) subject position as the “Thing-in-between” (Liu).

Physical properties of zinc, silver, or cerium ion doped borate glass incorporated PCL/gelatin electrospun fibers and their interaction with NG108-15 neural cells

In this study, 1393-B3 based borate bioactive glasses (BGs) undoped and doped with 1 wt% zinc (ZnBG), cerium (CeBG), or silver (AgBG) were prepared and were incorporated into gelatin/PCL (GEL/PCL) electrospun fibers for neural tissue engineering applications. Particle sizes of the prepared BGs were 3.1, 10.6, 14.6, and 3.7 µm for undoped BG, ZnBG, AgBG, and CeBG, respectively. Aligned electrospun fibers were prepared with 5 wt% of BG particles to produce 5BG/PCL/GEL, 5ZnBG/PCL/GEL, 5AgBG/PCL/GEL and 5CeBG/PCL/GEL fibers. Random 5CeBG/PCL/GEL fibers were also prepared for comparison. A rise in fiber diameter was measured for BG-incorporated fibers compared to PCL/GEL fibers. Mechanical tests on the fibers indicated ultimate tensile strength values of 1–3.5 MPa, the range of mechanical properties of neural tissue. Cell culture studies were carried out with the NG108-15 cell line. Cell alignment was observed on the electrospun fibers on day 2. On days 1 and 2, the optical density was higher for ZnBG/PCL/GEL, CeBG/PCL/GEL, and AgBG/PCL/GEL than for BG/PCL/GEL fibers. On day 4, undoped BG-containing nanofibers had higher optical density compared to those containing doped BGs. This result could be due to a slower release rate of boron from the pure BG/PCL/GEL fiber mat. Overall, within the studied range, all fiber mats were found to be suitable for neural tissue engineering in terms of neural cell compatibility and mechanical properties. In the future, a wider range of ion doping must be considered to fully comprehend the potential of such ion-releasing fibers for neural regeneration.Graphical

Signs and Symbols: A Visual Culture Study of Civilization Markers in the Yangtze River Basin

This study employs visual culture theory and semiotics theory to systematically examine the visual symbols embedded in material cultural remains from different regions and periods of the Yangtze River Basin. The research reveals that the civilization marker system in the Yangtze River Basin exhibits the following characteristics: First, the visual symbols in material cultural remains are diverse, encompassing archaeological sites, cultural relics, architectural symbols, and artifact patterns; Second, the diachronic evolution of symbols reflects a developmental trajectory from images to symbols to text, demonstrating shifts in social structure and cultural concepts; Third, symbol systems from different regions maintain their uniqueness while influencing each other, forming a unified yet diverse civilizational pattern; Fourth, these visual symbols embody ecological wisdom of harmony between humans and nature, humanistic spirit of respect for ritual and ethics, and enduring creative vitality. The study concludes that in-depth research of civilization markers in the Yangtze River Basin has significant theoretical and practical value for inheriting cultural genes, strengthening cultural confidence, and promoting the creative transformation and innovative development of Chinese culture.

Profiling the disciplinary foundation of telework research: A journal co-citation analysis

Objective. This study employed bibliometric analysis to identify the most relevant journals in telework research and utilized journal co-citation analysis to map the intellectual foundation of this field of study. Design/Methodology/Approach. To conduct this study, we used data from Scopus, employed the cluster modularity technique to identify journal communities, gathered centrality measures to pinpoint essential journals, and chose to rank the journals based on relevance. We combined two key measures to achieve this: the number of citations received and closeness centrality within the co-citation network. Results/Discussion. Seven communities of journals were identified, encompassing the following subject areas: organizational psychology and management, technology and information systems, occupational health and psychological well-being, sustainability and the environment, education and skills development, economics and public policy, and sociology and cultural studies. Some of the most relevant journals included the Journal of Applied Psychology; the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health; Sustainability, the Journal of Organizational Behavior; the Journal of Vocational Behavior; New Technology, Work and Employment; Frontiers in Psychology; Human Relations; the Academy of Management Journal; and the Academy of Management Review. Conclusions. The co-citation analysis revealed that the disciplinary structure of teleworking is underpinned by a network of influential journals covering different areas of knowledge. The most relevant publications form seven major thematic clusters, reflecting the multidisciplinary nature of teleworking research.