Intellectual Discourse Research Articles

A Business Acquisition Case on Jollibee Foods Corporation’s Purchase of Mang Inasal

This case is about the largest quick-service restaurant (QSR) conglomerate in the Philippines, Jollibee Foods Corporation (JFC), acquiring its fastest growing competitor Mang Inasal (MI). At a time when MI was on its best trajectory toward expansion and financial growth, its CEO, Edgar Sia, sold 70% of the company to the market leader for P3 billion in 2010 and the remaining 30% of the stake for P2 billion in 2016—whopping amounts which, in the eyes of JFC Management, were reasonable enough to fully acquire a highly prized company. Organizing information drawn from public sources, the author wrote this case to encourage intellectual discourse among students and professors of business as they critically analyse the acquisition decision, both from the standpoint of MI and JFC.

WHAT WE TALK ABOUT WHEN WE TALK ABOUT FASCISM

ABSTRACTBruce Kuklick's Fascism Comes to America: A Century of Obsession in Politics and Culture offers a compact, accessible, and broad‐reaching survey of “the linguistic career of fascism” in the United States. The book charts the widespread use of the term “fascism” across US political, cultural, and intellectual discourse from the early 1920s up through the present, arguing that rampant, uncritical overuse, outright abuse, and other hyperbolic deployments of the term have purged “fascism” of its analytic value and effectively negated its meaningful critical capacities. Moreover, Kuklick contends that this US “addiction to fascism” as a way to malign ideological and political enemies and express anxieties about the fragility of US democracy impedes accurate assessment of legitimate problems with the country's political system and traditions. This review essay offers a critical assessment of Kuklick's approach, interrogating what his narrow analytic focus on rhetoric and ideas misses and what nuance gets lost in declaring “fascism” a “political swear word” and little else. This thoroughly researched accounting of fascist invectives succeeds in showing that the term has consistently lacked reliable and substantive meaning, but as a survey, the book falters in collapsing its contexts, treating each and every usage of the term as equal and equally meaningless. Engaging with new scholarship on fascism, antifascism, and the modern US Right, as well as with Black radical political thought on fascism since the 1930s, this review essay challenges Kuklick's conclusion that the term “fascism” should be purged from public and intellectual discourse. In turn, it proposes a set of approaches for how we might continue our engagement with greater precision and analytic care.

Queerchronotopia

This paper joins the debate of a still-expanding literature on queer temporalities that, among other things, raises the question of a queer-specific construction of time. This specific temporality is what I call queerchronotopia. By setting the description of the historical worldview (as described by Reinhart Koselleck, Sepp Gumbrecht, and François Hartog) against queer methodologies developed by scholars like Paul B. Preciado and Jack J. Halberstam, this article claims that, since the last decades of the nineteenth century, definitions and embodiments of queerness and a queer-specific temporality are constantly revised in light of the temporal shift between two paradigmatic social constructions of time—the historical worldview and “our broad present”. First, we summarize how homosexuality goes from an ahistorical aberration at the end of the 19th century to the emergence of the historical homos at the beginning of the gay liberation movement in the 1970s. Second, we try to demonstrate how the appearance of identity temporalities as an aftereffect of identity politics in the 1970s unveils some of the fractures in the temporal experience anchored in the historical worldview. Lastly, we discuss how the latent “broad present” that had already shown some of its aspects in the aftermath of the gay liberation movement and civil rights era in the United States became more evident in the 1980s when the AIDS epidemic becomes increasingly intertwined with a concern with the health of the planet. Without dismissing the pessimist tone that has permeated the academic and intellectual discussions about the future of the planet and the catastrophic threats to human and nonhuman entities living in the Anthropocene, this article concludes by suggesting that the queer community and its activism, particularly in response to the AIDS epidemic, could teach us some lessons about how to live “with the trouble” in our present.

Persian Literati, Islam and Politics in Early Modern South Asia: Being a Muslim in ‘Abd al-Haqq Dehlawi’s Texts

In the early modern period, Persian scholars deliberated on the complexities in the Islamic doctrines in distinct ways. Several Sufis and scholars engaged in intellectual debates regarding ideal Muslim conduct. This paper focuses on ‘Abd al-Haqq Muhaddis Dehlawi (1551–1642)—a polymath with specialised training in the Ḥadīs̤ and Sufism—to situate his ideas within the larger intellectual discourse about Islam in South Asia. On account of his training and scholastic approach, an a priori label of orthodoxy and revivalism is associated with ‘Abd al-Haqq. However, his letters to Mughal courtiers and his Sufi taz̠kirāt showcase his complex pedagogy as a scholar of Islamic praxis and Sufism. This paper delineates his lucid approach in underlining Islamic tenets and the history of the Sufis in South Asia.

Who studies religion? Towards a better conversation between Theology, Religious Studies, and Religious Education

This paper calls for better integration between the fields of Theology and Religious Studies (TRS) and Religious Education (RE). Positive reform in RE requires integration between educational theory, policy, and practice, but we argue that the academic study of theology and religion is too often an overlooked partner in these conversations. The separation of TRS from RE is damaging at all levels of the curriculum, undermining the rigour and critical depth of school syllabi, cutting TRS and RE specialists off from valuable intellectual discussion, and leaving university departments unprepared to properly support student progression. This destructive divergence has long been observed (e.g. Cush in Br J Relig Educ 21:137–146, 1999), but this paper proposes that the emerging paradigm of Religion and Worldviews Education (RWE) has encouraged important progress. The advent of RWE has generated new interest among RE specialists in the theory and practice of multidisciplinary TRS. It has also created space for TRS academics from many fields to engage with teachers and policymakers in productive conversations. To illustrate this argument, we highlight some examples of good practice and suggest future work through which links might be strengthened.

워즈워스의 “우리는 일곱”에 나타난 공감과 소통의 시적 가능성

This paper examines the poetic possibilities of sympathy and communication through a ‘close reading’ of William Wordsworth’s short poem, “We Are Seven,” published at the end of the 18th century to mark the beginning of British Romanticism. Sympathy and communication are being re-examined as essential human values in this era of advanced technological development. Still, these topics were actively discussed in the British intellectual community in the 18th century. Against the backdrop of the intellectual discourses on sympathy, “We Are Seven” is a great example poem of communicative poetics based on sympathy; even though the conflicting arguments of two characters over death end up with the poetic impasse and unresolved uncertainty, which, this paper argues, make it paradoxically possible to open a new space for the possibility of sympathy and communication by deconstructing the existing hierarchy and order of discourses.

Beyond “The Power of the Powerless”: the Political Thought and Polemics of the Czechoslovak Opposition, 1977–1980

Abstract The article focuses on the political thought of the Czechoslovak opposition during the brief period from the creation of Charter 77 to 1980. It analyzes the themes of Václav Havel’s essay “The Power of the Powerless” within the context of the political thought of Czechoslovak dissidents. In doing so, it reveals various positions that were highly critical of Havel’s formulation of dissent. It is argued that the intellectual discourse of the opposition can be structured according to contentious themes such as the relationship to the impersonal institutions of modern society, the nature of politics and party politics in particular, the meaning and importance of “living in truth,” the interpretation of “small-scale work,” and the nature of responsibility (moral versus political). This article reveals mutually incompatible intellectual positions which, although unrealized in practice, are not intellectually inferior to canonical texts like Havel’s.

Natalism as a Nationalist Biopolitical Response from Socialism Till Today in Hungary

AbstractAfter the Second World War, the population policies of the socialist countries were not free from the dilemma of natalist/anti-natalist policies. This essay focuses on the Hungarian population policy discourses of the Kádár era and the present day, with some references to Central European specificities. The fear of the disappearance of Hungarians has been present in Hungarian intellectual discourse for several centuries, and by the twentieth century, it had become a fundamental idea that reached society as a whole. Given the growing interest (not independently of contemporary trends) in the international sociological literature not only in the transformation of biopolitics in recent decades but also in the historical antecedents of earlier periods, I believe that it may be interesting to examine the fear of national death in both a Hungarian and a Central European context.

QUALITY HIGHER MANAGEMENT EDUCATION IS A CONDITION FOR THE EFFICIENCY OF ECONOMIC REFORMS IN UKRAINE

Quality higher education forms national competitiveness and strengthens the country's status in the global economy. The work proves the relevance of ensuring the quality of higher education in the field of management through zones of influence on: a person, his position in life, the surrounding world and the future. Systematized: actual challenges to the practical activity of managers in Ukraine: reengineering of business processes using artificial intelligence; formation of project teams based on holocracy; requirements for speeding up management decision-making; personnel development according to programs of innovation and professional intelligence; development of a manager's emotional intelligence and authentic leadership in order to increase the productivity of project activities; coaching management to concentrate the individual capabilities of employees in the performance of business tasks; increasing the manager's stress resistance; and challenges regarding high-quality training of managers in domestic higher educational institutions: participants in the educational process, who found themselves in the epicenter of hostilities, suffered significant mental and physical injuries; forcibly displaced from the zone of active hostilities, usually face problems of social adaptation; damaged and destroyed infrastructure; return of forcibly displaced participants of the educational process; implementation of the policy of reforming the sphere of education at all levels: improvement of industry standards of higher education, taking into account the latest technologies; digitization of education; inconsistency of the material and technical base of educational institutions with the technological development of research and operational processes; methodological support in accordance with the updated requirements of industry standards of higher education; equal opportunities (transparency and completeness of information) to obtain quality education. In the work, the author structured measures to overcome modern challenges in the field of higher management education in the following directions: innovative management of a higher educational institution; updating the educational institution's strategies for training managers for each global problem (pollution of ecosystems - a strategy of integrated growth due to the implementation of compatible projects on environmental management of various educational programs and cooperation of educational institutions of different countries; low rates of economic growth - a strategy of diversification through the formation of educational projects on management, regarding the restructuring of business entities based on the capabilities of artificial intelligence; energy and food crises - a strategy of intensive growth through the formation of new logistics systems in Ukraine; digitalization and technological development - a strategy for reducing administrative costs of a higher educational institution through the introduction of projects for practical training of students under the management program) ; investing in teacher training programs. The following measures contribute to the development of higher education in the field of management: dialogue around teaching and learning at the international level; innovative creative teaching practices with a high level of impact; innovative educational technologies; joint research of teachers and students in the field of management; integration of the scientific and innovative system of Ukraine into the European research space; intellectual discussions and debates in an interdisciplinary context in training managers. The issue for further research is indicated: the integration of individual student learning trajectories into the structure of curricula of higher educational institutions according to various educational programs.

Supply chain disruption mitigation strategies to advance future research agenda: A systematic literature review

Growing complexity and vulnerability of global supply chains have led to significant challenges in supply chain functionality. Organizations face shortages, out-of-stock situations, and longer lead times for components, which impacts resilience and recovery processes. Numerous organizations have adopted diverse strategies to mitigate the effects of supply chain disruptions. Despite these efforts, current intricate supply chain complexities have rendered these strategies relatively ineffective in minimizing the impact of disruptions. This predicament can be attributed to a dearth of comprehensive knowledge and a skewed research emphasis, which collectively hindered development and application of robust effective strategies. There is scarcity of both theoretical comprehension and practical experience with specific mitigation strategies. Therefore, this study aims to bridge the critical research gaps by comprehensively examining 133 relevant studies on Supply Chain Disruption Mitigation Strategies (SCDMS). Through bibliometric and network analyses, the study performed quantitative analysis to shed light on evolving intellectual discourse and revealed the exponential rise in publications on SCDMS, which reflect the heightened relevance within contemporary, volatile and uncertain market landscape. This study provides a comprehensive foundation for understanding diverse mitigation strategies identified through systematic literature review by delving into theories, characteristics, methodology, and contextual analysis of SCDMS and propose a conceptual framework for organizations and researchers. The study has also analyzed how organizations can apply diverse mitigation strategies to reduce the impact and enhance recovery and resilience. Holistic and comprehensive review suggest that future research on SCDMS should focus on interactions of components such as unexplored mitigation strategies, implementation process, organisational resilience and supply chain disruptions. The potential challenges and benefits of implementing various mitigation strategies have also been provided along with future research directions. The analysis has been further enriched by inclusion of existing practices to enable the strategists to glean practical insights from successful cases.

Thoughts after translating Takeuchi Yoshimi’s Ro Jin 鲁迅 (Lu Xun)

ABSTRACT Despite the ups and downs in their relationship, China and Japan have been engaged in a process of cultural exchange for nearly two millennia. A recent outcome of this interaction has been the discourse surrounding the founder of modern Chinese literature, Lu Xun 鲁迅 (1881-1936), his foremost exponent in 20th century Japan, the writer and thinker Takeuchi Yoshimi 竹内好 (1910-1977) and the effect of their interaction ever since on intellectuals in both countries. This is an interaction which had substantial influence on the intellectual climate in post-war Japan and still plays a role in intellectual discourse in contemporary China, particularly in the debates surrounding modernity and nationalism. I have worked with Joshua Fogel in making the first translation into English of Takeuchi’s classic monograph Ro Jin (1944) into English from the Japanese. In the process, we have attained new insights into historical and contemporary intellectual developments in both countries, as well as a deepening understanding of “Takeuchi’s Lu Xun”. I have also examined two rival translations into Chinese by Li Xifeng 李心峰 (1986) and Li Dongmu 李冬木 (2005) from the angle of fidelity to the original and readability.

ʻAbd al-Rahim Talebof’s Promotion of Nationality and National Sociopolitical Reform in Kitab-i Aḥmad (1890–1894)

Abstract Scholars of Persian literature approach ‘Abd al-Rahim Talebof’s Kitab-i Aḥmad (1890–1894) either as a pedagogical treatise exemplifying his stance on the importance of modern education for Iranian children or as an informative text presenting modern European-style scientific advances and discoveries to Iranians. Moreover, they look at contemporary European intellectuals and intellectual thought informing Talebof’s work, especially Jean Jacques Rousseau’s Émile, ou de L’Éducation (1763). In this way, they overlook the role of the contemporary Iranian intellectual discourse in forming Talebof’s work and thought. This article demonstrates that Talebof wrote his book in conversation with the works of both his eminent Iranian intellectuals and their European counterparts. Building upon the current scholarship, this article argues that in Kitab-i Aḥmad, Talebof, in addition to promoting his educational mission and informative goals, lays out his most developed social philosophy, in particular, his theorization of “nationality” (millīyat) or allegiance to an imagined nation. Talebof espouses the idea that Iranians need to own moral and religious commitment to a national community and posits “nationality” as the essential framework within which modern educational and sociopolitical reforms can be implemented.

Humanities as the Fading Stars of the 21st Century

This paper delves into the decline of humanities as a field of study and its diminishing role in contemporary society. Starting from its origins in ancient Greece, humanities have long played a central role in intellectual discourse and education. However, the aftermath of the two World Wars and the rise of scientific and industrial societies brought about a state of crisis, shattering the confidence of humanists in their ability to lead and instruct. Scholars widely agree that the humanities are in decline, and this paper investigates the contributing factors to this phenomenon.

The Emergence of Local Coffee Brands: A Paradigm Shift in Jakarta Coffee Culture

This article delves into the burgeoning coffee market in Jakarta, Indonesia, to explore the factors that have propelled local coffee brands to success. It examines the cultural significance of coffee in Indonesian society, the increasing demand for specialty coffee, and the strategies employed by local brands to gain a competitive edge. Coffee has evolved beyond a mere beverage in Jakarta, becoming a symbol of cultural importance and a cherished tradition that unites people from diverse backgrounds. The article highlights the vibrant coffee culture in Jakarta, where coffee shops serve as social hubs, fostering connections and providing spaces for relaxation, intellectual discussions, and community engagement. It explores the coexistence of commercial and specialty coffee, with local brands catering to the diverse preferences of consumers. The article also delves into the strategies employed by local brands to cater to the demand for specialty coffee, including affordability, quality sourcing, and customization options. By understanding and adapting to the unique preferences of Jakarta's coffee culture, local coffee brands have emerged as significant players, shaping the future of the city's coffee industry. The research methodology involves interviews with industry professionals and the author's observations as a coffee professional and SCA trainer, providing valuable insights into Jakarta's specialty and commercial coffee landscape.

Sense and sensibility in intellectual discourse on YouTube: Anti-emotional positioning in the case of Affleck vs. Harris

ABSTRACT This article aims to explain the behaviour of public intellectuals, celebrities, and media audiences in the construction of anti-emotional narratives in the online culture wars. In the investigation of how these narratives are constructed on YouTube, the article focuses on the rhetorical juxtaposition of rationality and emotionality surrounding the viral argument between public intellectual Sam Harris and Hollywood star Ben Affleck on HBO’s Real Time with Bill Maher, uploaded to YouTube. The video is an apt example of the positioning dynamics on YouTube, where an increased integration of media content with its context of reception unsettles the positioning process by which the authority of both intellectuals and celebrities is negotiated and culture war narratives constructed. In conclusion, the article reflects on the relationship between the increasingly affective nature of online communication and the simultaneous emergence of a strict dichotomy between rationality and emotionality in anti-woke culture war narratives.

Kajian Modernisasi atas Pembaharuan Islam Nurcholish Madjid

Nurcholis Majid is an Islamic thinker who has had a strong and broad influence in the history of Indonesian Islamic intellectualism. His thoughts had a very broad impact on Islamic religious life, and more than that, he even became a reference and direction for Indonesian Muslim intellectuals. One proof of how strong Nurcholis Majid's influence is is that he succeeded in developing intellectual discourse among Islamic society in a modern, open and democratic way. The type of research carried out by the researcher is normative legal research, because the researcher uses library materials as the main data to analyze cases, this research specifically examines Nurcholish Madjid's Study of Islamic Reform. Modernization according to Nurcholis Madjid means rationalization, namely to obtain maximum efficiency in thinking and working, for the happiness of mankind is an imperative and fundamental command of God. Modernization means thinking and working according to fitrah and Sunnatullah (divine law) which is haq (because nature is haq).

Trends in Contemporary Ceramic Art and the Overlapping of Stylistic Concepts (Installation Art and Assemblage as a Model)

Contemporary arts have achieved, in accordance with the transition of concepts, a new logic in presentation and expression in general, and specifically in the field of ceramic art. The shift towards the logic of rejection and subversion of prevailing methods, which have been almost a constant foundation for a long period, has directly influenced the direction of visual arts in the contemporary world. The growth and cultural transformations that the world has witnessed after the two World Wars have produced cognitive shifts based on strategies that diverge from the dominant culture. These approaches vary according to existential needs, as the language of art has become conceptual and a medium for contemporary culture with its rapid and expanding rhythm. Thus, contemporary ceramic art has encompassed a diverse range of concepts expressing a specific philosophy tied to technology and scientific progress as means that directly contribute to the development of aesthetic values and artistic formations in alignment with the culture of the era. The concepts of this art form have changed and transformed in terms of presentation style and formal outcome .There is no longer a specific definition for fixed techniques and materials. Instead, we find that contemporary potters have moved beyond the boundaries of their traditional artistic field, under the concept of assemblage , achieving a form that is not subject to homogeneity .They employ renewed presentation methods that are not limited to enclosed spaces but are open in their settings, creating a visual witness in which the artist and the recipient participate in the idea and interpretation , fostering a dialectical and intellectual discourse linked to issues subject to discussion within the inevitability of existence.

Julius Nyerere: The Intellectual Pan-Africanist and the Question of African Unity

The question of African unity has dominated political and intellectual discourse for quite a while, yet the approach, mechanism and substance seem to be ever elusive. The rhetoric has raised so much dust it has blinded political leaders as to the concrete measures that need to be undertaken. To Julius Nyerere, the quest for unity, both nationally and continentally, was a lifetime undertaking and commitment, the lifeline for the emancipation and development of African people. Nyerere will forever be remembered for pushing and spearheading the growth of Kiswahili in East and Central Africa, which epitomized his belief that Kiswahili could promote African unity, just as it had done in Tanzania. He gave content and meaning to Tanzania`s independence by recognising the role of an indigenous language in the development of cultural authenticity and national unity. To him, pan-Africanism meant self-determination in political, economic, ideological, social and cultural spheres. As globalisation witnesses growing nationalism in other continents of the world (such as pan-Europeanism in Europe), and as Africa faces the prospect of increased marginalisation, African thinkers, intellectuals and literary icons such as Ali Mazrui, Chinua Achebe, Ngugi wa Thiong’o, Okot P’Bitek and Wole Soyinka have made passionate pleas for a cultural re-awakening, which they see as a first step towards social, political and economic growth. It is the thesis of this paper that by drawing from Nyerere’s example, African renaissance and the dream of pan-Africanism shall be realised and that Africans shall not only discover themselves and uphold their identity but also appreciate the inherent power enshrined in their cultural heritage. It is argued that over-reliance on imperialist colonial languages—which by and large are emblazoned with Western world views, cultural values and ideals

We Asked ChatGPT About the Co-Authorship of Artificial Intelligence in Scientific Papers

We Asked ChatGPT About the Co-Authorship of Artificial Intelligence in Scientific Papers

Exploring the Therapy of Islamic Psychology, Mindfulness and Gratitude Emotion in Harmonising Islamophobic Behaviour

<p class="06IsiAbstrak"><span lang="EN-US">Technology and social media have become an indispensable part of our lives, affecting our households in various ways. Unfortunately, this has resulted in significant psychological and emotional disturbances. One of the negative outcomes of this is the prevalent Islamophobic behaviour towards Muslims, regardless of their citizenship. This behaviour is further amplified by the rapid spread of such sentiments on social media platforms. This article seeks to delve into the secular and Islamic perspectives on the history and approach of human psychology, examining the overwhelmed phenomenon of Islamophobia. It begins by defining the psychological concept from both Western-secular and Islamic perspectives, comparing the two ideas with past historical events. The final part of the article explores how the artificial intelligence era has impacted both Western and Eastern populations, highlighting the psychological impact of Islamophobia. The article suggests that psychologists should undertake a comprehensive study to improve psychological therapy, such as Religious-Integrative Cognitive-Behavioral therapy. This form of therapy incorporates prayer, mindfulness, and gratitude scales to help reduce the western service provider violence behaviour caused by Islamophobia mental-illness. This study provides a unique intellectual discourse on Islamophobia’s psychological treatment, which is currently underrepresented in mainstream academic literature.</span></p>