Critical Framework Research Articles

Examining Valued Social Participation of Disabled Older adults Through the Frameworks of Critical Gerontology and Critical Disability Studies.

The importance of social participation for older adults has been well articulated. Missing from this discourse is a critical consideration of how social participation is shaped by political, economic, and social contexts that marginalize aging and disabled bodies. We bridge this gap by applying critical gerontology and critical disability frameworks to our analysis of how access to health and social services and individual and environmental factors, are associated with engagement in valued social activities among disabled older adults. Using the National Health and Aging Trends Study (NHATS) Round 12 (n = 4,562) we conducted a series of generalized linear regression models evaluating the association between disability, access to health and social services, and participation in valued social activities. Increased limitation with Activities of Daily Living and Instrumental Activities of Daily Living, and presence of dementia were significantly associated with decreased valued social participation. Receiving unpaid support, social network size, transportation access, having a regular doctor, and employment were positively associated with valued social participation, while neighborhood disorder, low neighborhood cohesion, difficulty paying for medications, and Medicaid beneficiary status were negatively associated. Findings indicate disabled older adults face challenges engaging in valued social activities. Applying critical gerontology and disability perspectives, calls us to reexamine the ways social participation, accessibility, and full inclusion of disabled older adults are considered. We urge gerontologists to use these findings to reimagine the structures of aging services and community to achieve social change.

Can Conflict Be Planned Away? A Critical Assessment of Participatory Land Use Planning in Swedish Forest Governance

A widespread governance response to land use conflict is to seek improved communication through the employment of dialogue-based instruments. In this paper, we interrogate the guiding presupposition that conflict can be planned away through a case study on the Reindeer Husbandry Plan (Renbruksplan), a tool used to address land use conflicts between industrial forestry and Indigenous Sámi reindeer herding. Drawing on critical policy analysis and environmental justice frameworks, we analyze the problematizations, silences, and effects emerging from the tool’s use in forestry planning and land use decisions. Our findings reveal that, operating in its current institutional and legal context, the tool offers limited improvements in procedural justice, exacerbates unequal distribution of burdens and benefits in terms of who gets to use forest resources, privileging a forestry-centered representation of the land use conflict. We therefore conclude that, in absence of institutional reform, the tool is likely to perpetuate conflicts and continue to reproduce the injustices embedded in Swedish forest and land use governance.

Masculinities in Doraemon: A Critical Discourse Analysis

This study conducts a Critical Discourse Analysis of the masculinities of male characters in Doraemon, a famous Japanese manga series. It explores the masculinities in Doraemon from three perspectives by utilising the following Critical Discourse Analysis framework: text, process and society. Five male characters in Doraemon were selected as the main research objects. Firstly, the text analysis of the male characters in terms of their appearances, characteristics, behaviours and values reveals major masculine traits such as the maintenance of patriarchy, the pursuit and yearning for fame and fortune, competition and aggression. Analysing these masculinities can help remind audiences and consumers to be cautious about works that seemingly do not convey gender stereotypes to viewers. The process analysis identifies corresponding masculinities of the creator of Doraemon through his life experiences. Innovative spirit led him to create characters and manga that could both reflect and confront social reality and promote new gender concepts and ideas that were different from the mainstream at the time. The social analysis of Doraemon attributes the masculinities in the manga to Japanese culture, which has been deeply influenced by the culture of the salaryman, Confucianism, androcentrism and Bushido. For audiences in Japan, anime is a way of spreading and consolidating traditional Japanese cultural ideas, at the same time provoking reflection on whether these inherent gender roles are reasonable and should be perpetuated in the contemporary era. For audiences outside of Japan, this manga and cartoon is equivalent to a typical case of the export and recreation of Japanese culture to the world. This study conveys gender equality values, especially in children’s TV programmes.

Disability Justice: The Challenges of Inclusion in Everyday Life

ABSTRACT This paper presents the challenges faced by Taylor (pseudonym), a young child, with a disability navigating everyday life. These challenges reflect issues that many people with disabilities face where Diversity, Inclusion and Equity are key to disability justice. Highlighting places and spaces of inclusion and exclusion in both formal and non-formal settings, we describe sites where Taylor is both constrained and enabled and consider what that might mean. Informed by the first author’s carer position, eight vignettes provide both context and consideration, making these challenges visible and hence provocations for change. These accounts are considered in relation to key concepts of the social model of disability within a critical disability framework. This exploration highlights how society’s perceptions are largely bound by a bio-medical view of disability that promotes deficit views. By way of contrast, and beyond an impoverished framing, a social model of disability sees Taylor as a vibrant, intelligent young person seeking to live a life rich with meaning and value. What the research reveals is that learning and change are possible in both formal and non-formal settings where an enhanced understanding of places and spaces for engagement and participation means that society becomes more equitable and just.

Incompressible limit for the compressible viscoelastic fluids in critical space

Abstract In this article, we consider the incompressible limit of global-in-time strong solutions with arbitrary large initial velocity for the compressible viscoelastic fluids in the sense of critical Besov framework. We decouple our compressible system into two coupling sub-systems by introducing a skew symmetric matrix, which is related to the deformation tensor. This work generalizes the similar result obtained by Hu et al. (Incompressible limit for compressible viscoelastic flows with large velocity, Advances in Nonlinear Analysis 12 (2023), 20220324) to the critical functional space with respective to the natural scaling of the system. The proof relies on the dispersive property of the linear system on the high-frequency regime and the parabolic property on the low-frequency regime. The dispersion tends to disappear when λ \lambda tends to infinite, but having large λ \lambda provides strong dissipation on the potential part of the velocity and thus makes the flow almost incompressible. In addition, by exploiting the intrinsic structure of the viscoelastic system, we obtain the global uniform estimates of the solutions near equilibrium.

Towards inclusive gender diversity training – a critical framework

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to design and apply a critical framework for assessing the inclusivity of gender diversity training. The framework combines insights from intersectional feminist and postcolonial feminist theory. It is applied to assess whether and how influential gender diversity training manuals question the (re)production of systems of inequality and promote the recognition of varied lived experiences of women particularly in global workplaces.Design/methodology/approachThis qualitative research was done in two stages. First, we designed a critical framework consisting of five elements taking inspiration from intersectional and postcolonial feminist theories. Second, we analysed four gender diversity training manuals from prominent international organizations to assess their inclusivity.FindingsWe found that gender diversity training manuals construct a binary understanding of gender, implying that being a woman is a universal experience. Second, the documents take a systemic approach to intersectionality, acknowledging societal systems, but the focus is on oppression as opposed to privilege, obscuring possible complexities of intersecting social categories. Third, the narratives of gender diversity trainings reflect western hegemony in referring to “global norms” and women from the global south.Originality/valueThe paper brings together complex theoretical strands of intersectional and postcolonial feminist theory in the form of a critical framework that can not only be used to assess gender diversity training but also be applied to other gender diversity interventions. Practical suggestions for trainers to develop more inclusive gender diversity trainings are discussed.

Apple russeting-causes, physiology and control measures: A review.

This review serves as a critical framework for guiding future research into the causes of russeting and the development of effective control strategies to enhance fruit quality. Russeting is a condition characterized by the formation of brown, corky patches on fruit skin which significantly impairs both the quality and market value of apples. This phenomenon arises from a complex interplay of various biotic and abiotic factors. Among the abiotic factors, environmental conditions, such as light, temperature, and relative humidity, as well as nutrient imbalances and the application of agrochemicals are important, whereas biotic factors include the influence of yeasts, fungi, viruses, and bacteria. The susceptibility of apple cultivars to russeting varies with yellow-fleshed varieties generally exhibiting higher incidences compared to red-fleshed ones. While russeting is partly determined by varietal and genetic factors, it can be mitigated through the implementation of effective cultural practices, nutrient management, plant growth regulators, biological agents, and pesticides. Understanding these dynamics provides valuable insights for developing future research strategies aimed at improving fruit quality and production.

A Model for Understanding and Expanding the Scope of Critical Thinking

Abstract In this article I draw on existing theory in a project of synthesis and integration to develop a terminological, conceptual, and graphic model for understanding the scope of critical thinking. I begin by showing why the idea of critical scope matters. I then develop a model that maps the scope of critical thinking across individual, sociocultural, and existential domains, in conjunction with the ontological, epistemological, emotional, and political dimensions. Building on this, I outline the relationships between contexts, critical frameworks, and metacritique as essential to understanding the scope of critical thinking. The model also includes a means for organising the attributes (character traits) of critical thinkers. This project provides resources to encourage and guide critical thinking at a more expansive scope in education, society, and daily life by helping people to understand the contours and potential confines of criticality. This has profound implications for education and society, helping to improve the rigour, reach, and diversity of critical thinking. This model is far from complete, and designed to invite ongoing engagement, including critique. It is intended as a rubric to prompt and inspire, not as a device to ‘measure’ or ‘assess’ critical thinking. Educationally, the intention is to provide resources for understanding, negotiating, and facilitating critical thinking at an expansive scope.

A hybrid critical channels and optimal feature subset selection framework for EEG fatigue recognition

Fatigue driving is one of the potential factors threatening road safety, and monitoring drivers’ mental state through electroencephalography (EEG) can effectively prevent such risks. In this paper, a new model, DE-GFRJMCMC, is proposed for selecting critical channels and optimal feature subsets from EEG data to improve the accuracy of fatigue driving recognition. The model is validated on the SEED-VIG dataset. The model first selects critical EEG channels using the Differential Evolution (DE) algorithm, extracting important electrode channel information to enhance recognition accuracy. These electrode channels are used to construct a Functional Brain Network (FBN), from which the topological feature set is extracted. Empirical Mode Decomposition (EMD) is then applied to extract the intrinsic mode components as network nodes, thereby reducing the influence of the number of electrode channels on the brain functional network. The topological features extracted from these components form the suboptimal feature set. To minimize redundant information, we propose an improved Reversible Jump Markov Chain Monte Carlo (RJMCMC) algorithm for selecting the optimal feature subset, ensuring both the efficiency and accuracy of fatigue recognition. The optimal feature subsets were input into various classifiers, and the results showed that the K-Nearest Neighbor (KNN)-based classifier achieved the highest recognition accuracy of 96.11% ± 0.43%, demonstrating the method’s stability and robustness. Compared to similar studies, this model shows superior performance in fatigue driving recognition, which is of significant value for research on fatigue driving detection and prevention.

Exploring Tasmanian speech-language pathologists’ perspectives on grammar intervention priorities and protocols for children with developmental language disorder: Preliminary findings from a participatory action research approach

Purpose Children with developmental language disorder are likely to face challenges related to grammar difficulties. Existing empirically supported grammar interventions are typically developed using an expert model without acknowledging the community voices of clinicians who deliver such interventions. This project aims to explore the perspectives of Tasmanian speech-language pathologists on grammar intervention priorities and protocols for developmental language disorder through a participatory action research approach. Method We report on preliminary evidence gathered through semi-structured interviews with speech-language pathologists who work with children with developmental language disorder with associated grammar difficulties. Qualitative data were analysed through reflexive thematic analysis to determine collaboratively prioritised actions for future research. Result Responses from speech-language pathologists indicate that: Grammar is viewed as the critical framework for language, providing grammar intervention takes skill and even experienced clinicians are honing their craft, and there are professional tensions and challenges implementing grammar intervention at a contextual level. Conclusion The speech-langauge pathologists perspectives endorse the need for evidence-based grammar interventions while calling for additional support to embed its use in practice. Future phases of the research project are discussed, including research priorities for ongoing community contributions to drive how the intervention can be best implemented to meet the needs of its intended consumers.

Shaping sustainable perceptions: The role of metaphors in Olympic news discourse.

The dissemination of sustainable development concepts in large international events like the Olympics has garnered great attention. As a major international sports event, the Beijing Winter Olympics served as an important platform for showcasing China's sustainable development philosophy through its official news coverage. In this context, metaphor, as a powerful cognitive tool, plays a crucial role in shaping public perception and facilitating the dissemination of values by mapping concrete source domains onto abstract target domains. This paper constructs a critical metaphor analysis framework for sustainable development, analyzing the mechanisms by which metaphors map the concepts of social, economic, and ecological sustainability, and their multifaceted roles in conveying policy proposals, ideologies, cultural values, and social group behaviors. The findings indicate that metaphors effectively facilitate public understanding of sustainability by concretizing abstract concepts. In the social dimension, metaphors emphasize fairness, cultural diversity, and social solidarity; in the economic dimension, they highlight resource recycling, technological innovation, and industrial upgrading; while in the ecological dimension, the focus is on environmental protection and the harmonious coexistence of humanity and nature. Metaphors play a crucial role in shaping public perceptions of policy, reflecting specific values and socio-cultural contexts, facilitating cultural communication and understanding, and enhancing public responsibility and participation awareness.

Do Performance-Based Funding Policies Promote Prestige Ambitions? An Interest-Convergence Analysis

ABSTRACT Through engagement in theory and analysis of institutional data, this study advances a critical organizational framework that integrates concepts from institutional logics and critical race theory – the hybridity of institutional logics of divergence framework – as an explicit centering of critical perspectives to advance our understanding of how multiple systems work to the disadvantage of students of color. We apply the framework to understanding the relationship between prestige seeking and PBF within an institutional case of an urban-serving research university within a state with recently implemented PBF policies, to examine the implications of the convergence of prestige seeking and pbf and its impacts on students of color. The study finds that within the logics dominating the confluence of prestige and PBF, divergence from interests of people of color is the preferred and rationalized approach. The analytical framework developed provides an alternative framing to capture the intersections and interactions of oppressive systems, policies, and practices, and pushes for greater attention to these interactions through critical lenses that center the self-serving aspects of compliance to them..

A Brief Analysis of the Development Framework of Literary Translation Criticism

A Brief Analysis of the Development Framework of Literary Translation Criticism

버라헌장과 국제유산담론의 공진화 - 1979년~2013년 개정 과정을 중심으로

This study examines the background, content, and revisions of the Burra Charter from the perspective of its innovation and co-evolution with international heritage discourse. Through this analysis, the paper captures the influence of the Burra Charter on international heritage discourse, identifies the direction of their co-evolution, and explores the factors that enabled the Burra Charter to produce and sustain its innovative qualities, offering key insights for advancing heritage discourse in Korea. Adopted in 1979, the Burra Charter was developed based on the Venice Charter to enhance Australia’s heritage practices. However, it demonstrated innovation by critically recognizing the limitations of the Venice Charter and introducing differentiated heritage concepts and conservation approaches. The 1999 revision actively embraced emerging heritage discourse shaped by the advancements in heritage studies during the 1980s and 1990s, renewing its innovative aspects and illustrating its co-evolution with international heritage discourse. In contrast, the 2013 revision failed to adequately reflect the broader social roles of heritage that had become significant within international discourse since the 2000s, leaving it in a state of stagnation. Nevertheless, the newly defined concept of “place” provided an integrated perspective on heritage, serving as a critical methodological framework for ongoing research aimed at developing this perspective further. The findings indicate that the Burra Charter's innovation stemmed from its ability to consider the specificities of Australia's heritage context within an international framework, critically evaluate international heritage discourse, and simultaneously adopt it proactively.

A REFLECTION OF A STUDENT-LED VIRTUAL REALITY ADOPTION PROGRAM FOR PEOPLE LIVING WITH DEMENTIA IN LONG-TERM CARE

Abstract Previous research suggests that virtual reality (VR) holds promise in improving residents’ well-being in long-term care (LTC). With ongoing staff shortages, there is a critical need to explore, evaluate and share learnings on innovative approaches for adopting technologies, including VR, in LTC. In our research study conducted at two LTC homes in Vancouver, Canada, undergraduate students supported staff members in VR adoption. This study reflects on the opportunities and challenges of VR adoption from the students’ perspectives. Utilizing a critical reflection framework, our interdisciplinary team engaged in extensive discussions and reflections via Zoom meetings, resulting in the following five themes: (1) Challenging the stigma towards dementia in LTC, (2) Addressing ageism in older adults’ technology usage, (3) Building relationships through consistent and repeated visits to facilitate technology adoption, (4) Recognizing students’ value in technology implementation and their potential impact on LTC’s future workforce, and (5) Recognizing the importance of emotional and organizational support. Based on these reflections, our team devised the “ENRICH” framework, offering six practical tips to support student involvement in enhancing technology adoption in LTC. The team’s insights highlight the potential of engaging university students in promoting technology adoption in LTC settings. The “ENRICH” framework provides a practical approach to fostering technology uptake while offering valuable learning experiences for students. This study encourages further exploration of student participation in LTC research to advance future initiatives in this field.

2022 개정 기술과 교육과정에 대한 비판적 담론 분석

This study critically analyzes the main discourses within the 2022 Revised Technology Curriculum, exploring how these discourses are constructed and identifying the underlying ideologies to offer insights into the curriculum. Employing Fairclough’s critical discourse analysis framework, the study analyzes the framework, guidebook, and Technology Curriculum documents of the 2022 Revised Curriculum. The analysis reveals two main discourses. First, the “Subject-Centered and Subjectification of Technology” discourse integrates elements of subject-centered, student-centered, and competency-centered ideologies, emphasizing the academic identity of technology in alignment with holistic education. Second, the “Future-Oriented Image” discourse portrays technology as a driver of positive change for the future, highlighting its role in problem-solving and social progress while revealing underlying ideologies of technocentrism and neoliberalism. The findings suggest the curriculum should further emphasize the active roles of both teachers and students, encouraging diverse approaches and greater agency from subjects engaging with the curriculum discourse. Furthermore, rather than focusing on efficiency, which is rooted in neoliberal ideology, the curriculum should emphasize cooperation and integration. By fostering close cooperation within educational communities based on a sense of community rather than competition, the curriculum’s practical effectiveness and sustainability can be enhanced.

A shift towards super-critical brain dynamics predicts Alzheimer’s disease progression

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most common form of dementia with continuum of disease progression of increasing severity from subjective cognitive decline (SCD) to mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and lastly to AD. The transition from MCI to AD has been linked to brain hyper-synchronization, but the underlying mechanisms leading to this are unknown. Here, we hypothesized that excessive excitation in AD disease progression would shift brain dynamics towards supercriticality across an extended regime of critical-like dynamics. In this framework, healthy brain activity during aging preserves operation at near the critical phase transition at balanced excitation-inhibition (E/I). To test this hypothesis, we used source-reconstructed resting-state MEG data from a cross-sectional cohort (N=343) of individuals with SCD, MCI and healthy controls (HC) as well as from a longitudinal cohort (N=45) of MCI patients. We then assessed brain criticality by quantifying long-range temporal correlations (LRTCs) and functional EI (fE/I) of neuronal oscillations. LRTCs were attenuated in SCD in spectrally and anatomically constrained regions while this breakdown was progressively more widespread in MC. In parallel, fE/I was increased in the MCI but not in the SC cohort. Both observations also predicted the disease progression in the longitudinal cohort. Finally, using machine learning trained on functional (LRTCs, fE/I) and structural (MTL volumes) features, we show that LRTCs and f/EI are the most informative features for accurate classification of individuals with SCD while structural changes accurate classify the individuals with MCI. These findings establish that a shift towards super-critical brain dynamics reflects early AD disease progression.Significance StatementThe neuronal mechanisms underlying progression of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) are not well understood. One characteristic feature of AD is brain hyper-synchronization, but the mechanisms leading to this hyper-synchronization have remained unclear. We investigated whether AD dementia progression can be explained in the framework of brain criticality by the shift in individual brain states along an extended regime of critical-like dynamics. We analysed brain criticality with measures of long-range temporal correlations and functional excitation-inhibition balance from source-reconstructed resting-state magnetoencephalography (MEG) data. We show that AD dementia progression is associated with a gradual increase in excitability and a progressive shift towards super-critical brain dynamics.

Legal System Resilience in Afghanistan: Dynamics of Pluralism and Political Transformation

Afghanistan is a multiethnic country with a complex legal system characterized by intricate interactions between Islamic law, customary law, and modern legal frameworks. This research critically examines the resilience mechanisms of Afghanistan's legal and judicial systems within the context of persistent political uncertainty and societal pluralism. Employing a descriptive qualitative methodology and comprehensive literature review, the study analyzes legal documents, international reports, and academic literature spanning the post-Taliban period from 2001 to the present. The research investigates the dynamic challenges confronting Afghanistan's legal infrastructure, particularly its capacity to integrate diverse normative systems while maintaining institutional legitimacy. Key findings reveal significant complexities in Afghanistan's legal landscape. The system encounters substantial obstacles in harmonizing Islamic legal principles, traditional customary practices, and contemporary legal standards. Family law reforms emerge as a critical focal point, demonstrating progressive attempts to enhance women's rights while simultaneously navigating conservative societal resistance. The research illuminates the intricate interplay between legal pluralism, political transformation, and institutional adaptation. It highlights how Afghanistan's judicial system continuously negotiates between preserving traditional legitimacy, accommodating societal diversity, and meeting international normative standards. The study recommends a comprehensive, nuanced approach to judicial reform that holistically considers cultural diversity, respects traditional values, and aligns with international human rights principles. By exploring the mechanisms of legal resilience in a conflict-affected context, this research contributes valuable insights into understanding adaptive strategies within complex, multi-layered legal systems. The findings provide a critical framework for comprehending how legal institutions can maintain functionality and relevance amid profound political and social transformations.

Ամերիկյան նեոռոմանտիզմի առաջացման նախադրյալները

The existence of "neo-romanticism" as a literary movement has found its significant response mainly in English, and also in French, Russian and other literatures, while the problem of American neo-romanticism continues to be relevant in the framework of modern literary criticism. As a result of numerous researches and studies, it is possible to give unique examples that justify the possibility of existence of neo-romanticism in American literature. Now, our research has searched, found and revealed the origins of American neo-romantic literature. In S. Thomson's and J. London's animalistic works and prose the reflection of the process of formation and development of the aesthetics of American neo-romanticism has multiple and multi-content manifestations, justifying the conceptual provisions of American neo-romanticism as an independent stream of literature.

Critical Thinking in Engineering Education

The need to enhance critical thinking skills has been identified by employers but if often lacking clarity in engineering education. This paper reflects on the development and delivery of a workshop aimed to explore instructors' perceptions and integration of critical thinking in their teaching. The workshop encompassed discussions on critical thinking models and frameworks, the application of a specific framework consisting of five action terms and the sharing of two examples of the integration of critical thinking in courses. The format included a combination of short presentations with small group discussions. The workshop format and content were beneficial in demystifying critical thinking, increased awareness of its presence in teaching and emphasized the benefits of reflective teaching and of a workshop format combining context, examples, tools, and group discussions.