Historical Origins Research Articles

Curating reflexivity: industry events and the performative politics of alternative finance

ABSTRACT This article examines the role of industry events in curating reflexivity within the financial sector. Through an examination of industry events related to impact bonds and Islamic finance, it identifies three important mechanisms through which reflexivity is curated. First, industry events act as foundational frames, creating historical narratives and origin stories that conjure up a shared sense of social purpose and direction amongst professionals from different backgrounds; second, they act as deliberative spaces where market rationalities are presented, challenged, and negotiated; and third, they act as networking nodes where alternative market subjectivities are cultivated, validated, and shaped. Together, we argue, these three mechanisms perform a politics of reflexivity within alternative finance. In contrast to investigations arguing that alternative finance seeks to silence political confrontation, our work reveals that it is the very performance of dissent and outside voices at such events that creates credibility, and stability.

Social rights in a post-colonial welfare state: Revisiting ‘universality’ and ‘inclusivity’

Scholars have long overlooked the impact of colonialism on the development of European welfare states and their mechanisms of inclusion and exclusion. In this article we address this blind spot by examining the ‘pension gap’ of Surinamese-Dutch elderly residing in the Netherlands, many of whom receive reduced public old age pensions. We examine the historical origins of this exclusion from full benefits through a discursive historical analysis of policy documents and parliamentary debates between 1919 and 2023 as well as political claims made by activists. We find that the Dutch welfare state was built on an exclusionary interpretation of social citizenship, granting social rights only to the citizens residing in the metropole. The exclusion of colonial citizens from social rights was deemed self-evident and anchored in laws and political discourses that, although increasingly contested, remain operative today. Our findings question core assumptions in the welfare state literature, especially those regarding the ‘universality’ of social rights and the taken-for-granted boundaries drawn around deserving polities. Thus, we argue that coloniality, territoriality and racialization are indispensable concepts for scholars to engage with in the analysis of social rights stratifications in Europe.

In our Time: A Timeline of Adult Education, from the Mechanics’ Movement to Birkbeck

This document has been compiled to clarify the historical origins of three strands of adult education in the nineteenth century that contributed to the experiment of their conflation at Birkbeck in two decades of the twentieth century, from 1988 when the University of London’s Department of Extra-Mural Studies joined the college, through to its finale in 2009, when Extra-Mural was integrated into the college, and its extensive outreach programme across London abandoned.

Image-Based Quantitative Analysis of Epidermal Morphology in Wild Potato Leaves.

The epidermal leaf patterns of plants exhibit remarkable diversity in cell shapes, sizes, and arrangements, driven by environmental interactions that lead to significant adaptive changes even among closely related species. The Solanaceae family, known for its high diversity of adaptive epidermal structures, has traditionally been studied using qualitative phenotypic descriptions. To advance this, we developed a workflow combining multi-scale computer vision, image processing, and data analysis to extract digital descriptors for leaf epidermal cell morphology. Applied to nine wild potato species, this workflow quantified key morphological parameters, identifying descriptors for trichomes, stomata, and pavement cells, and revealing interdependencies among these traits. Principal component analysis (PCA) highlighted two main axes, accounting for 45% and 21% of variance, corresponding to features such as guard cell shape, trichome length, stomatal density, and trichome density. These axes aligned well with the historical and geographical origins of the species, separating southern from Central American species, and forming distinct clusters for monophyletic groups. This workflow thus establishes a quantitative foundation for investigating leaf epidermal cell morphology within phylogenetic and geographic contexts.

Genomic Data Support the Revision of Provenance Regions Delimitation for Scots Pine

ABSTRACTScots pine is a crucial component of ecosystems in Europe and Asia and a major utility species that comprises more than 60% of total forest production in Poland. Despite its importance, the genetic relationships between key conservation and the commercial value of Scots pine ecotypes in Poland remain unclear. To address this problem, we analyzed 27 populations (841 trees) of the most valuable Polish Scots pine ecotypes, including the oldest natural stands in all 24 regions of provenance established for the species in the country. By examining maternally inherited mitochondrial markers, nuclear microsatellite loci, and thousands of SNP markers from a genotyping array, we evaluated the genetic structure between and within them. These multilevel genomic data revealed high genetic similarity and a homogeneous structure in most populations, suggesting a common historical origin and admixture of populations after the postglacial recolonization of Central Europe. This research presents novel data on existing genomic resources among local ecotypes defined within strictly managed Polish regions of provenance, challenging their validity. Formal tests of the progeny of seed stands are needed to check whether the diversity in adaptation and quantitative traits still supports the delineation of provenance regions. In parallel, the health status of selected populations and the viability of seeds from these regions should be monitored to detect early‐stage symptoms of their environmental stress. It seems reasonable that periodic shortages of forest reproductive material (FRM) in a given region of provenance could be supplemented with the one from other regions that match their climatic envelope. Together, our results have important implications for the management of native Scots pine stands, particularly elite breeding populations, as they contribute to the discussion of the boundaries of provenance regions and the transfers of FRM that face increasing climate change.

Rethinking General Education from the Perspective of High School and Higher Education Curriculum Articulation

This study explores the concept of curriculum articulation between secondary and higher education, focusing on the continuity of curricula and their implications for foundational liberal education in universities. It analyzes the similarities and differences between general education at the high school and university levels. Both frameworks aim to cultivate holistic individuals equipped with essential competencies and a sound moral character through broad-based education. They share commonalities in historical origins, educational objectives, and curricular structures. However, high school curricula are typically organized around subject-based learning, whereas university curricula are more discipline-oriented, with pedagogical differences arising from the distinct roles of teachers and professors. These differences manifest in instructional content, teaching methodologies, and assessment practices. From the perspective of curricular continuity, sequence, and integration, the study advocates for the development of academically rigorous liberal arts courses at the university level that facilitate interdisciplinary mobility and integration for students, and the enhancement of teaching methods for interdisciplinary courses through ongoing faculty research. The conclusion suggests conceptualizing liberal education as encompassing three distinct domains: basic literacy education, liberal arts education, and experiential learning. It emphasizes that the scope of liberal arts education should extend beyond basic competencies, asserting that continuous faculty engagement and scholarly inquiry are essential for the effective development and refinement of liberal education curricula.

The literal meaning of Slur

This research explores the complex and multifaceted nature of slurs within modern sociolinguistic contexts. The study aims to dissect the power dynamics embedded in these terms, examining how slurs function as instruments of social control, perpetuating stereotypes and reinforcing social hierarchies. Through a combination of qualitative analysis and case studies, this research investigates the historical origins, evolution, and contemporary usage of slurs across different cultures and communities. The findings reveal that slurs are not merely offensive words but are laden with historical and cultural significance, often reflecting broader societal attitudes towards race, gender, sexuality, and other identity markers. The study also considers the psychological impact of slurs on individuals and groups, demonstrating how these terms can inflict lasting emotional harm and contribute to a hostile social environment. In addition, the research addresses the phenomenon of reappropriation, where marginalized groups reclaim slurs as a form of empowerment and resistance. This process is analyzed to understand its potential in challenging and subverting the oppressive connotations traditionally associated with these terms. Ultimately, this paper underscores the importance of recognizing the deep-seated implications of slurs in everyday language and advocates for a more nuanced approach to addressing linguistic discrimination. The research concludes with recommendations for fostering more inclusive and respectful communication practices in diverse social settings.

Exploring the Cultural Inheritance and Artistic Innovation of Cloisonné Filigree Craft Paintings in the New Art Field

This paper thoroughly discusses the cultural inheritance and artistic innovation of cloisonné filigree craft paintings in the new art field. Through analyzing their historical origins and craft characteristics, it expounds on their applications in fields such as modern decorative paintings and environmental art. It also proposes methods for inheritance and innovation as well as prospects for future development.

On the Application of Traditional Chinese Medicine Culture in Ideological and Political Education

Purpose: By analyzing the historical origin and value of Traditional Chinese medicine culture, the article studies the application of Traditional Chinese medicine culture in postgraduate students' ideological and political education, with a view to promoting the deeper inheritance and development of Traditional Chinese medicine culture. Methods: The article explains the importance and feasibility of Traditional Chinese medicine culture in postgraduate students' ideological and political education, and the difficulties in the application of ideological and political education, on the basis of which it proposes to improve the civic system of the course, improve the quality of professional teachers of Traditional Chinese medicine culture and civic teachers, and establish a collaborative educating mechanism with the help of the resource-sharing platform, so as to deepen the postgraduates' understanding of Traditional Chinese medicine culture in the ideological and political education course. Conclusion: Graduate students' ideological and political education courses provide a good platform for the dissemination and development of Traditional Chinese medicine culture, and the two are complementary to each other. By establishing classroom evaluation and incentive mechanisms, the substantive integration of both sides can be better promoted.

Hospice Care Construction for the Elderly in Comparative Perspective: Experiences and Implications

Doing a good job of end-of-life care for the elderly in the context of aging not only reflects the moral level of the society and respect for life, but also helps to reduce the burden on the medical system, enhance the cohesion of the family and the society, and at the same time inherits the cultural value of respecting the elderly, and countries around the world have attached great importance to the construction of end-of-life care. This article first traces the historical origin of end-of-life care and explains the connotation of end-of-life care; then it compares the successful practices of countries around the world, especially the United States, the United Kingdom, and Japan, in building end-of-life care, and concludes that the four points of emphasizing the support of laws and policies, stressing the protection of the medical system, deepening the multidisciplinary cooperation, and guaranteeing the personalized needs are their beneficial experiences; finally, the article discusses the problems in carrying out end-of-life care in China at the present stage. Finally, the article discusses the problems and deficiencies in the development of end-of-life care in China at this stage, and argues that we should learn from international experience, actively promote end-of-life care policies, break through the limitations of traditional concepts, advocate a new concept of life and death, bring into play the combination of government-led system and practice, and promote the development of end-of-life care through inter-professional and multi-disciplinary cooperation.

Rediscovery and Restoring Forgotten Principles: Returning to the Past to Transform and Shape VET for the Future. Back to the Basics in VET

The article explores the historical foundations and contemporary practices of Vocational Education and Training (VET), uncovering a cyclical relationship between past and present methodologies. It begins by analysing the traditional apprenticeship systems of medieval Europe and their counterparts in Asian contexts, demonstrating how these early models laid the groundwork for modern vocational education. The article then traces the historical origin of VET in response to shifting economic conditions and technological advancements, identifying key contemporary practices—such as competency-based education, work-based learning, and experiential learning—as rebranded versions of historical approaches. The analysis emphasizes that many of these so-called “innovations” are not entirely new but are instead adaptations of time-tested methods that have been revitalized to address current educational demands. This historical perspective underscores the importance of integrating traditional practices to enhance the effectiveness and relevance of modern VET systems. The discussion stresses the importance of learning from historical experiences to inform future developments in vocational education, suggesting that a deep understanding of VET’s historical context can provide valuable insights for educators and policymakers alike. The article also addresses the potential pitfalls of renaming and rebranding educational approaches, which can lead to misleading perceptions and adverse effects, hindering educators and policymakers from recognizing foundational principles that remain pertinent today. Additionally, the uncritical dismissal and rejection of past educational principles signifies a denial of the cultural and educational traditions that informed their development and shaped them. Acknowledging and recognizing these historical influences can enrich contemporary educational frameworks and promote a more nuanced understanding of the current educational landscape.

Transmission capabilities of SoulCollage in socio-pedagogical practice

Introduction. Artistic pedagogical technologies are widely used in pedagogical practice. However, a new technique, SoulCollage, is just beginning to be used in our country, and has not yet been reflected in Russian scientific publications. Scientific research devoted to SoulCollage and its use in practice has been published abroad since 2010.Purpose setting. The problem of the research is to find an answer to the question: does SoulCollage have transmission when used to form a positive mood? The purpose of the study is to search for manifestations of the property of transmission in the artistic pedagogical practice of collaging, using the example of SoulCollage. By transmission we mean a change in psychological state in response to a directed influence. The hypothesis of the study is the assumption that SoulCollage can be used as a socio-pedagogical practice when influencing the psychological state of a child in order to form a positive attitude (according to A. S. Makarenko).Methodology and methods of the study. The research methods were theoretical analysis, SoulCollage practice and pedagogical observation. Five educational practices on working with SoulCollage were conducted with students of Omsk State Pedagogical University aged 18 to 24 years. 54 people participated in the study.Results. The article reveals the historical origins of the development of SoulCollage and the technology of its application. The structure of the deck in Soul Collaging is described, which consists of deck suits: committee cards (psychological dimension), council cards (archetypal dimension), companion cards (consisting of animal guides that live in the chakras), community cards (social dimension). The technology for using SoulCollage in social and pedagogical practice is presented. Conclusions. The observation results showed that participants in social and pedagogical practice exhibit positive charge, they demonstrate increased interest in self-knowledge. The effects of socio-pedagogical practice are expressed interest: in SoulCollage cards, in participants in socio-pedagogical practice, in the study of Eastern philosophy and Jungian archetypes.

Tribal Middle Class in India

The article presents a historical overview of the emergence of the tribal middle class in India, and how this history has shaped their social identity, location and participation in the Indian society, polity and economy. It initiates a discussion on the conceptual issues associated with identifying the tribal middle class, given its specific historical origins, growth and diversification through colonialism and in post-colonial India. While the article distinguishes between the old and new tribal middle class, it also attempts to delineate its overarching features, particularly that of reconciling the processes of diversification with the politics of evolving a distinct tribal identity. The article argues that the question of tribal integration is at the core of this endeavour. Therefore, it is important to consider the role and participation of the tribal middle class in shaping the nature and politics of tribal integration in India.

Epistemic silences, subversive politics: post-disaster economic assessments as technologies of persistent coloniality and route to an emancipatory climate justice agenda in the Caribbean

ABSTRACT Economic analyses of losses and damages or post-disaster needs assessments (PDNAs) are silent about the longstanding reparatory claims related to the legacies of African enslavement, colonial violence and indigenous dispossession that compound uneven racialized geographies in the Caribbean. This paper unpacks these so-called ‘objective’ valuations drawing attention to their (neo)liberal framings, technocratic underpinnings, and historical origins in the Caribbean plantation economy. Using case studies of catastrophic hurricanes Matthew (2016), Irma (2017) and Dorian (2019) in Haiti, Antigua and Barbuda, and The Bahamas respectively, the paper exposes critical tensions, knowledge hierarchies, and contradictions embedded within empirical assessments that justify and prioritize preferred policies of powerful international development, financial and governance institutions. PDNAs under-value and neglect important community and local knowledge, solidarity practices, cultural institutions, and relational ethics in the face of climate disasters in these Caribbean islands. Taking a Black geographies and political economy approach, the paper addresses the limitations and risks associated with PDNAs, deemed political tools or technologies of climate disaster that reinforce oppression. To advance an emancipatory climate justice agenda to enable more radical reparative measures and possibilities, the paper suggests that analyses and political strategy must be grounded in people's history, cultural, ethical, and communal governance practices.

Mapping wild nature areas to identify priority areas for urban rewilding in cities: A process-oriented approach

Urban rewilding initiatives are gaining traction in cities, yet little remains known about the spatial opportunities for transitioning greenspaces into rewilding sites. This paper advances a process-oriented framing of urban wild nature areas (WNAs) and proposes a novel methodological approach for mapping existing WNAs at the city-scale, thereby shedding light on the potentials for urban rewilding across greenspace types and urban environments. Using Vienna as a case study, we identify WNAs as greenspaces predominantly shaped by natural succession processes and devoid of vegetation management. NDVI timeseries derived from Sentinel-2-satellite data for the period 2017–2022 are processed using a Random Forest algorithm to distinguish between unmanaged and managed vegetation annually and integrated into a multi-year composite map of ‘urban vegetation management intensity’. Based on this map and a set of objective cut-off values, 1298 WNAs are identified, representing 29.5 % of the city’s total urban greenspace and 14.9 % of the city’s total area. WNAs are distributed across diverse urban settings and greenspace types, with the majority being found in formal greenspaces such as forests, meadows and parks, and low-density built-up areas. The key strength of the process-oriented approach lies in its ability to detect WNAs dominated by natural succession, regardless of historic origin, greenspace type, and governance structure, thereby providing a baseline against which the full potential for urban rewilding can be evaluated. We demonstrate the methods’ utility in identifying potentials for urban rewilding, emphasising the importance of directing rewilding efforts towards residential greenspaces, urban parks, and street greenery, especially in densely built inner-city districts.

Adigbe Annual Fishing Festival of Ossiama kingdom Bayelsa State, Nigeria

The significance of history in shaping a people's cultural identity cannot be overstated. It provides a window into the past, present, and potentially even the future of a group, helping to cultivate a deeper understanding and appreciation of their traditions and cultural practices. This research critically examines the historical origins and development of Adigbe Annual Fishing Festival in the Ossiama Kingdom, tracing its journey from inception to the present day. The study offers a historical overview of the Ossiama people, detailing their origins, migration patterns, settlement, and geographical location. It explores the founding of the Ossiama community, attributed to "Asiyai" or "Ossi," one of Oyakiri's sons, who, following a dispute with his brothers, left and settled in the present-day Ossiama area. Today, the Ossiama Kingdom consists of four autonomous communities: Ossiama Town, Ogbopulo-ama, Awe-ama, and Ogbunu-ama, all of which make up the Kingdom. The research also delves into the ancient Adigbe Lake's origin and the festival's evolution, charting its growth from a rotational celebration held by each community to the current collective approach. However, in light of contemporary modernization, the study emphasizes the need for innovations to elevate this long-standing festival to the level of other renowned global events.

Interaction of International Humanitarian Law and International Human Rights Law in the context of armed conflicts

It is indicated that the problems of the interaction of international humanitarian law and international human rights law lie in the different historical origins, evolution and application of these two branches of law. The complexity of the interaction between the IHL and the ICRC lies in their extraterritorial action and different personal spheres of application. IHL undeniably applies to international and non-international armed conflicts, regulating the conduct of states and armed groups, while the IHL is recognized as the basis of law in peacetime, but also applies in periods of conflict. Finding the points of intersection between international human rights law (IHRL) and international humanitarian law (IHL) in the context of armed conflicts is the main objective of this section. The merger of these two legal fields, traditionally divided into separate areas of responsibility in peacetime and wartime, has gained unprecedented importance in the legal analysis of modern conflicts. The impetus for the development of the new paradigm was the rapid evolution of the nature of war, characterized by the emergence of asymmetric warfare and the blurring of the boundaries between state and non­state actors. Such transformations in the theater of war require a nuanced understanding of the legal instruments used in this context, which emphasizes the need for this analysis. The urgency of the issue is emphasized by the changing dynamics of international practice. The recognition by the International Court of Justice of the continued applicability of IHRL in conflict and the definition of IHL as lex specialis emphasizes that the legal landscape is in constant flux. At the heart of this analysis is the difficulty of determining the applicability of IHL, a task that is complicated by the problems of classifying conflicts as international or non-international. The principle of derogation - whereby states may temporarily suspend certain human rights obligations - creates an additional layer of complexity, affecting the interpretation and application of laws during armed conflict. Many provisions of international human rights conventions define the protected interest and then provide that any restrictions must be justified by reference to a list of aims, which varies from article to article and treaty to treaty, that are necessary for the achievement of the aim in question and are proportionate to its achievement. In this way, the IHRL provides a mechanism for balancing the requirements of individuals with those of others or the community itself.

A Morris Semiotic Perspective on the Characteristics and Cultural Significance of Traditional Guangdong Furniture Patterns

Based on Morris's semiotic theory, this paper systematically analyzes the symbolic features of traditional Guangdong furniture patterns and their cultural symbolism from the three dimensions of semiotics (syntax, semantics, and pragmatics). The study focuses on typical patterns such as dragon and phoenix, pine and crane, plum, orchid, bamboo and chrysanthemum in Guangdong traditional furniture, and explores their historical origins, social functions, and close links with Confucianism, family concepts, and social hierarchies in the context of Lingnan culture. By analyzing these symbols, the paper reveals their special symbolic meanings in different social classes and ritual cultures, as well as how they convey the values and lifestyles of the Guangdong region through visual forms. The study further explores the potential application of these traditional symbols in modern design, especially through simplification and abstraction, combining traditional cultural symbols with modern design concepts, materials and techniques to realize the fusion of cultural heritage and innovative design. This paper provides a new theoretical framework for the study of the patterns of traditional furniture in Guangdong, and practical suggestions for modern designers on how to effectively inherit and innovate the cultural heritage symbols, and to promote the synergistic development of cultural heritage preservation and design industry.

Weight/height2: Mathematical overview of the world's most widely used adiposity index.

A footnote in Adolphe Quetelet's classic 1835 Treatise on Man described his algebraic analysis of how body weight ( ) varies with height ( ) in adult males and females. Using data on 12 short and 12 tall subjects of each sex, Quetelet established the rule that is approximately proportional ( ) to H2 in adults; that is, when for some constant . Quetelet's Rule ( ), transformed and renamed in the twentieth century to body mass index ( ), is now a globally applied phenotypic descriptor of adiposity at the individual and population level. The journey from footnote to ubiquitous adiposity measure traveled through hundreds of scientific reports and many more lay publications. The recent introduction of highly effective pharmacologic weight loss treatments has heightened scrutiny of BMI's origins and appropriateness as a gateway marker for diagnosing and monitoring people with obesity. This contemporary context prompted the current report that delves into the biological and mathematical paradigms that underlie the simple index . Students and practitioners can improve or gain new insights into their understanding of BMI's historical origins and quantitative underpinning from the provided overview, facilitating informed use of BMI and related indices in research and clinical settings.

Design Issues and Solutions for Improving the Comfort of Neo-Ming Style Chair

This paper explores the design issues and solutions for improving the comfort of new Ming-style chairs. It first analyzes the historical origins, traditional aesthetics, and modern users' new demands for comfort in these chairs. Then, it highlights the comfort-related challenges in terms of chair form, materials, structure, and usage scenarios. The study proposes design principles from the perspectives of ergonomics, material innovation, structural optimization, and modern usage scenarios. Specific strategies to enhance comfort are provided, such as optimizing the angle between the chair back and chair surface, improving cushion materials, optimizing the chair's supporting structure, and incorporating intelligent design. This paper also discusses the challenges of integrating technology with traditional design, the application of eco-friendly materials, and the diverse demands of consumer groups. Finally, it summarizes the future trends and challenges in the comfort-focused design of Neo-Ming style chair.