Dark Shadow Research Articles

Polar contagion. Ecogothic anxiety across media in the twenty-first century

Concerns about climate change have seen increased attention across virtually all media after 2000. In addition to raising ecological awareness, these concerns have inspired numerous gothic fictions, in which the polar thaw consequent on global warming becomes a source of paranoia, fear and horror. This article explores a specific group of twenty-first-century cultural products that associate polar melting with epidemics triggered by pathogens or infectious insects released after lying dormant in the ice. Often called “zombie” viruses or bacteria, these pathogens appear in a wide range of fictions as well as in sensational articles that use gothic paraphernalia to describe the spread of terrible diseases. Like spectres, these agents of contagion return from the past to haunt the present; they also cast a dark shadow upon the future, as they become the invisible protagonists of “dystopian ecological visions” in which humankind and other species are at risk of annihilation. Four types of products are analysed to demonstrate that they convey similar anxieties by combining images of environmental disaster with pandemics. Different though they are in genre and medium, novels like Thaw’s Hammer (2010), films like The Thaw (2009) and TV series like Fortitude (2015-18) not only interrogate the epistemological limits of science; they also shed light onto dangerous socioeconomic dynamics while posing ethical dilemmas about the human meddling with nature. Mostly produced before the spread of coronavirus, these fictions are made more appealing by the current pandemic, which has encouraged speculation over new potential sources of contagion. Their appeal is confirmed by the 2020 proliferation of newspaper/magazine articles focusing on “zombie” pathogens. By merging objectivity with sensationalism, these articles turn pathogens into spectral agents that seek revenge for human crimes against nature.

Victims in the Dark Shadows: A Model of Toxic Leadership

Walker and Watkins (2020) conducted a thematic analysis of the lived experiences of 130 oppressed followers of toxic leaders. The current paper presents a new model of toxic leadership that emerged from the study. Toxic leadership is a phenomenon sanctioned by the organization, perpetuated by the toxic leader, and lived by the oppressed follower. The model situates toxic leadership within an open organizational frame with recommendations for organizational leaders to drive toxic leadership out of their organizations, for leaders to recognize their toxic behaviors, and for followers to cope with toxic leaders.

White Light —White Heat: The use of Fire as a Light and Heat Source in an Atrium House in Roman Pompeii

This article concerns the distribution of fire as light and heat source within the insula investigated by the ongoing Swedish Pompeii Project. Here the author suggests that fire installations as kitchens, ovens and baths were clustered in specific areas within this insula, and the installations were not efficiently used to heat the dwelling areas of the house. It is also proposed that the surfaces of the interior walls and floors of the Roman atrium house were polished in purpose to reflect and distribute light and, which is emphasised in the article, to soften the transition between brightly lit areas and areas in dark shadow. This contrast had to be eliminated for the human eye to adopt to the light conditions in the room and by that, to make the light as efficient as possible.

Care, Dementia, and the Fourth Age in Erica Jong's Later Work.

Background and ObjectivesThis article addresses the representations of dementia and caregiving in the fourth age as depicted in Erica Jong’s later-life work. It shows how the experience of parental care leads to the discovery of new ways of human interaction and expressions of personhood.Research Design and MethodsFramed within literary-cultural age studies, the article shows how humanities-based inquiry can illuminate important aspects of aging and care of the oldest old, which are significant and revealing, but often hidden under the dark shadow of dementia.ResultsNewly discovered ways of communication challenge the notion of the loss of agency as they demonstrate that the body itself has the power of creative and intentional capacities and self-expression.Discussion and ImplicationsCare-related narratives offer new insights into aging, dementia and subjectivity that can help pursue a better analysis of the ‘deep’ old age, strengthen collective solidary and manage increasing ageism, especially pronounced during the Covid-19 pandemic.

The Equitable Implementation of Cystic Fibrosis Personalized Medicines in Canada.

This article identifies the potential sources of inequity in three stages of integrating cystic fibrosis personalized medicines into the Canadian healthcare system and proposes mitigating strategies: (1) clinical research and diagnostic testing; (2) regulatory oversight and market authorization; and (3) implementation into the healthcare system. There is concern that differential access will cast a dark shadow over personalized medicine by stratifying the care that groups of patients will receive—not only based on their genetic profiles, but also on the basis of their socioeconomic status. Furthermore, there is a need to re-evaluate regulatory and market approval mechanisms to accommodate the unique nature of personalized medicines. Physical and financial accessibility ought to be remedied before personalized medicines can be equitably delivered to patients. This article identifies the socio–ethical and legal challenges at each stage and recommends mitigating policy solutions.

Detection of Potential Vernal Pools on the Canadian Shield (Ontario) Using Object-Based Image Analysis in Combination with Machine Learning

Vernal pools are small, temporary, forested wetlands of ecological importance with a high sensitivity to changing climate and land-use patterns. These ecosystems are under considerable development pressure in southeastern Georgian Bay, where mapping techniques are required to inform wise land-use decisions. Our mapping approach combines common machine learning techniques [random forest, support vector machines (SVMs)] with object-based image analysis. Using multispectral image segmentation on high-resolution orthoimagery, we first created objects and assigned classes based on field collected data. We then supplied machine learning algorithms with data from freely available sources (Ontario orthoimagery and Sentinel 2) and tested accuracy on a reserved dataset. We achieved producer’s accuracies of 85 and 79% and user’s accuracies of 78 and 84% for random forest and SVMs models, respectively. Difficulty differentiating between small, dark shadows and small, obscured pools accounted for many of the omission and commission errors. Our automated approach of vernal pool classification provides a relatively accurate, consistent, and fast mapping strategy compared to manual photointerpretation. Our models can be applied on a regional basis to help verify the locations of pools in an area of Ontario that is in critical need of more detailed ecological information.

“Where Shall We Place Our Hope?”: COVID-19 and the Imperiled National Body in South Africa's “Lockdown Collection”

“Where Shall We Place Our Hope?”: COVID-19 and the Imperiled National Body in South Africa's “Lockdown Collection”

An Economic Impact of Political Instability: An Evidence from Pakistan

The economy of Pakistan has been badly damaged by the political instability in the country. Despite its enormous economic resources, Pakistan’s economy remained under dark shadows during most of its historical discourse. The economic indicators describe a significant relationship between politics and the economy of Pakistan. The following study, by reviewing previous studies, concludes that there is a negative relationship between political instability and economic growth in Pakistan from 2000 to 2019. Political instability flourished corruption and reduced the economic growth of the country. Moreover, a weak political system and government institutions could not resist the political tension in the country. The study finally concludes that political instability reduces economic growth in the country and economic growth reinforces political stability in the country.

Digging in Crypto-Communities’ Future-Making

Digging in Crypto-Communities’ Future-Making

COVID-19

COVID-19

Deep Impact: Dark Shadows of Shadow Education in the School Curriculum and Instruction

본 연구는 우리나라의 그림자교육이 공교육의 영토를 조금씩, 하지만 깊숙이 침범하고 있는 문화 현상에 관해 논의하고자 한다. 이를 위해 교육적 현상을 가장 잘 드러내는 용어로 교육과정의 재개념화를 촉진한 ‘빈사(moribund)’ 개념을 선택하고, 이를 바탕으로 우리나라 학생들의 학습 문화를 분석하였다. 우리나라 학생들은 분명 우수한 학습자이며 전 세계의 이목을 집중시킬 정도로 높은 성취를 보여주고 있지만, 실제 그들은 학교와 교실이 아니라 그림자교육에서 더 많은 시간을 보내고 있다. 이에 초, 중, 고등학교 6개 학교에서 40명의 연구 참여자를 목적 표집하였고, 우리나라 학생들이 얼마나 학교 바깥에서 공부하고 있으며 그것이 학교의 교육과정과 교사의 수업에 실제 어떠한 영향을 끼치는지를 질적연구방법을 활용하여 탐구하였다. 연구결과는 다음과 같았다. 첫째, 학습에서 교과서가 차지하는 중요성이 점점 줄어들고 있었다. 학생들은 교과서를 대체하는 문제집과 학습 자료들을 충분히 활용하여 학습을 진행하고 있었다. 둘째, 교실 수업이 점점 학생들의 선택을 받지 못하고 있었다. 많은 학급당 인원수, 선행학습의 여부, 학교 교사의 지위 저하 등의 요인에 따라 학교에서의 수업은 경쟁력을 잃고 있었다. 셋째, 교사의 교육적 책임감이 낮아지고 있었다. 교사는 학생들을 끝까지 가르치기보다는 그림자교육에 학습의 책임을 넘기고 다른 역할을 찾기 시작했다. 본 연구를 통해 우리나라 교육과정 연구에서 그림자교육이라는 새로운 연구 영역을 발견할 수 있었다. 우리나라의 학습 문화에 관한 사례를 통해 동북아시아, 그리고 전 세계적으로 학술적 관심이 높아지고 있는 그림자교육에 관한 이해를 높여줄 수 있을 것이다.

The emergence of the "genetic counseling" profession as a counteraction to past eugenic concepts and practices.

The emergence of the genetic counseling profession has allowed laypeople to understand and benefit from biological advances, and to make critical decisions about their application. The discipline of genetic counseling has been criticized from its very beginning, in particular because of its early association with the eugenics movement. This paper presents a criticaland reflective overview of how genetic counseling is implicitly embedded in the history of eugenics but also counteracts past eugenic practices and ideas. After World War II, attempts were made to distance genetic counseling from eugenics. The first definition of genetic counseling did not position this field as a medical encounter but "as a kind of genetic social work aimed primarily to provide people with an understanding of their family's genetics problems." This approach was a reaction to the genetic and social evolutionary ideas that informed eugenic theories during the first half of the 20th century. Professionals engaged in genetic counseling during the 1940s and1950s rejected eugenic practices, but there was still support for eugenics' goals of improving heredity and eliminating disease. From the 1960s, genetic counseling underwent professionalization alongside feminization and a definition of core values. Among these values were nondirectiveness counseling and the autonomy of the counselee. The dark shadow of Nazi ideology and other eugenic practices, attempts to employ the historical responsibility of geneticists, and the dynamic medical, social, political, and educational changes of the 1960s and 1970s helped to frame approaches and delineate the goals and limits of the new profession of "genetic counseling."

Mangrove ecosystem Segmentation from Drone Images using Otsu Method

Mangrove ecosystems are found mainly in tropical and subtropical coastal areas. they are playing a very important ecological role in land-ocean interfaces. These ecosystems are protecting the environment and providing a habitat that supports many living organisms. Identification of area images in mangrove ecosystems is very helpful in monitoring and conservation of this ecosystem. In this study, we will present the segmentation of drone image taken from TAHURA Ngurah Rai mangrove area using otsu method. The otsu method giving well accuracy to segmented image to divide mangrove area and non mangrove area. Because Otsu method operates on a grayscale image so that it cannot distinguish the dark green of the tree canopies from the dark shadows of the trees, then the segmentation accuracy will decrease.

Co-production in local government: process, codification and capacity building of new knowledge in collective reflection spaces. Workshops findings from a UK mixed methods study

BackgroundCo-production of research evidence is valued by local government to improve effective decision-making about public services in times of austerity. However, underlying structural issues of power (so-called ‘dark shadows of co-production’) challenge this ambition with limited evidence on how to embed research use sustainably. In this paper we reflect on mechanisms for increasing co-production in local government.MethodsThis paper presents findings from a Health Foundation funded research project that explored how a culture of evidence use to improve population health could be embedded in UK local government. Five linked work packages were undertaken using mixed methods. In this paper, we report the views of UK local authority staff who participated in four workshops (n = 54), informed by a rapid literature review and an online scoping survey.ResultsWe identified five themes that facilitate public health evidence use in local government: (1) new governance arrangements to integrate national and local policies, (2) codifying research evidence through local system-wide approaches and (3) ongoing evaluation of programmes, and (4) overcoming political and cultural barriers by increasing absorptive capacity of Local Authorities to embed co-produced knowledge in their cognitive structures. This requires adaptive governance through relationship building between academic researchers and Local Authority staff and shared understanding of fragmented local policy making, which are supported by (5) collective spaces for reflection within local government.ConclusionsCreating collective spaces for reflection in between government departments allows for iterative, interactive processes of co-production with external partners that support emergence of new governance structures to socially action the co-produced knowledge in context and build capacity for sustained evidence use.

EMPATHETIC COSMOPOLITANISM: SOUTH AFRICA AND THE QUEST FOR GLOBAL CITIZENSHIP

One feature of Nelson Mandela's legacy in South Africa is his concept of post-apartheid society as a cosmopolitan space. Sadly, recent developments in the country suggest a return to nativist and bigoted world views and cast a dark shadow over his legacy. There is an urgent necessity to review this aspect of Mandela's vision. In so doing, this paper highlights the ethical advantages of cosmopolitanism, and argues that what sets Mandela's cosmopolitanism apart from others is his emphasis on empathy. I therefore suggest that empathetic cosmopolitanism is a particularly South African worldview. In support of this idea of empathetic cosmopolitanism, I discuss such recent theories as 'incompleteness', 'multiple identity', and 'entanglement', suggested by South African thinkers, as registers of Mandela's global citizenship.

Dark shadow of the self: How the dark triad and empathy impact parental and intimate adult attachment relationships in women

The current study examines the relationship between parental and intimate adult (best friend and partner) attachments with dark personality traits and empathy deficits in women. Participants (N = 262 females, M age = 26.65) completed self-report measures of the Dark Triad (DT) traits, cognitive and affective empathy, and attachment experiences in close relationships. Path model analysis showed that parental avoidant attachment predicted the dark dyad traits (Machiavellianism, psychopathy) while only parental anxious attachment predicted psychopathy. Psychopathy was the only dark trait directly and indirectly (via affective empathy) associated with intimate adult life attachment insecurity, whereas narcissism was associated with secure attachment through reduced anxious attachment towards best friends. Reduced affective empathy mediated the relationship between psychopathy and increased avoidant attachment, and also directly predicted lower anxious (best friend and partner) attachment. These findings are considered in the context of a possible route from parental to intimate adult life attachment difficulties in women with dark – in particular, psychopathic traits.

Resisting Brown: Race, Literacy, and Citizenship in the Heart of Virginia

Resisting Brown: Race, Literacy, and Citizenship in the Heart of Virginia

The dark shadow pandemic – assault and sexual violence during COVID-19

Since the outbreak of COVID-19, emerging data and reports have shown that all types of violence against women and girls, particularly domestic violence (DV), has intensified. As the pandemic continue to strain health services, other essential services, such as DV shelters and helplines, have reached capacity. This article highlights the difficulties in establishing the anti-sexual violence work during such disasters and also impel on making advance preparations for the same.

Academic Ableism: Disability and Higher Education (Corporealities: Discourses of Disability)

Academic Ableism: Disability and Higher Education (Corporealities: Discourses of Disability)

The Dark Shadows of the Pandemic Gendered Impact of COVID-19 on Sri Lanka Economy

COVID-19 is an epidemic that has invaded a large number of countries. It started in Wuhan china and is now spreading rapidly to a large number of countries. Several countries have tested vaccines to control this, but it is still not 100 % successful. This declining and increasing COVID-19 virus has wreaked havoc on the economies of many countries.this is spreading for longer than expected pushing the economy towards the negative. Foreign trade is one of the main sources of income for the Sri Lankan economy. The epidemic directly and indirectly affects the economy of Sri Lanka, a middle income country. It examines the devastation caused to the Sri Lankan economy by the COVID-19, including solutions to the breakdowns in the agro-garment textile tourism small and medium enterprises and sub-sectors. This study is primarily a compilation and analysis of research from national and international research studies, and a study excerpted from media reports, including newspaper articles, including updates on COVID-19 rights.