Ideological Issues Research Articles

“Silence is the best answer for a bully”: an exploration of humour techniques in selected Nigerian newspaper political cartoons

Abstract Newspaper political cartoons, known for their satirical nature, employ semiotic and linguistic techniques to comment on or criticise political leaders and events humorously. While previous studies on Nigerian newspaper political cartoons have focused on ideological issues and discourse frames, little attention has been given to the linguistic investigation of semiotic humour techniques in these cartoons. This study, therefore, investigates these humour techniques, utilising Salvatore Attardo and Victor Raskin’s General Theory of Verbal Humour (GTVH) as the framework within a descriptive design. Three newspapers – Punch, The Guardian, and Daily Trust – were purposively selected for their regular publication of cartoons, criticising Nigeria’s politics. Eleven political cartoons were purposively selected for their semiotic and humorous depictions of Nigeria’s politics, and subjected to linguistic analysis. Six semiotic humour techniques were identified in the cartoons: exaggeration, humorous metaphor, distortion of formulaic expressions, neologism, innovative collocation, and sarcasm. These techniques were employed to satirise three governance issues in Nigeria – misgovernance, corruption and insecurity.

Defects of democracy: The continuity of identity politics in post-reform regional elections

Identity politics in Indonesia is more closely related to issues of race, religion, ideology and local interests than other issues. This research aims to determine the impact of identity politics in every regional election (pilkada) in Indonesia. There are various ways in winning regional election (pilkada) strategies used by each candidate, one of which is the use of identity politics. Identity politics is a sign of the flaws in the nation’s democracy that has been built since the reform was initiated. There are still many political elites who still preserve their political identity, hampering democratic development. This research is a qualitative descriptive study with arguments built from facts and supported by secondary sources. The results of this research found that in the regional elections (pilkada) in several regions, it was proven that political identities were still visible, such as politicizing religion and certain ethnic symbols, which were involved in the victory of one of the candidates. Apart from that, this research also explains the history of democracy that has occurred in regional elections (pilkada), showing the political identities that still exist in them. This study concludes that one of the impacts of identity politics is the erosion of national unity which results in the Indonesian nation’s national resilience faltering.

Critical English medium instruction: problematising neocolonial language dominance

ABSTRACT English medium instruction (EMI) and critical language education are both relatively established areas of education and scholarship. While the booming trends of EMI have generally foregrounded the technical aspects of instruction and the related linguistic challenges, the ongoing development of EMI theory, research, policy, and practice can be further integrated with critical views. Although a stream of EMI research based on critical perspectives does already exist, there is still a considerable place for more serious critical engagements in this area. Therefore, in this paper we argue for the development of ‘Critical EMI’ praxis that embraces criticality in an explicit, inclusive, and coherent manner. Considering that EMI is a still emerging phenomenon in many contexts, we argue that this is the right time for endeavouring to help it grow as a sociopolitically sensitive area in essence while it is developing roots. We highlight issues of ideology, policy, identity, social justice, and the politics of English as five essential aspects of criticality in Critical EMI and further discuss some of the insights that it can offer in encountering the neocolonial spread and dominance of English.

Psychological or Theological Dynamics of Students who Wear Cadar at Islamic Universities in Indonesia

Cadar is a type of veil worn by some Muslim women that covers the face, leaving only the eyes visible. Several studies have been carried out with the primary aim of exploring the use of this veil in Islamic colleges. These explorations identified several significant elements contributing to the usage of cadar, including psychological and ideological issues, both of which have not been thoroughly examined. Therefore, the present study aims to fill these gaps through the use of the reality of fiqh and psychological techniques. To achieve the stated objective, data were collected from 22 UIN Datokarama high school graduates who were assigned to participate in lifts, interviews, and focus group discussions (FGDs). The obtained results showed that three factors namely, the need for stability, the possibility of personal development, and the propensity to emulate an adored figure, served as psychologically motivating factors to students. Furthermore, the reality of fiqh was observed to suggest that the use of cadar is not necessarily accompanied by a strong religious understanding of its significance. This fact reinforces previous results that the adoption of cadar in Islamic colleges is more psychological than theological. Within the context of the present study, new facts emphasizing psychological and theological fragility among university students were uncovered and stakeholders are expected to address these facts when dealing with the phenomenon at Islamic universities.

Code switching patterns in Kazakh-Russian hybrid language practice: An empirical study

The study investigates Kazakh-Russian and Russian-Kazakh code switching in the framework of hybrid language practice to provide insights into the sense-making process among bilinguals. The unique characteristics of the synchronic linguistic situation in Kazakhstan stem from historically rooted ethnic bi- and multilingualism. Language switching has evolved into a tool for addressing communicative partners and sustaining communication in bilingual culture, rather than being viewed as a deviant pattern. It appears to be a dynamic resource for ensuring mutual understanding and harmonised communication. The study aims to reveal the motivations behind individuals’ language switching, how Kazakh and Russian speakers explain hybrid communication, and their sentiments towards it. Data from two surveys conducted in January-February of 2021 and January of 2024 are presented. Each survey involved 50 respondents with higher education, ranging in age from 21 to 40, who have resided in Kazakhstan for an extended period, with many being native-born residents. We argue that switching between the Kazakh and Russian languages serves as a communicative tool utilised by Kazakh and Russian speakers to signify their belonging to a specific sociocultural community. The study posits that hybrid language practice can be viewed from two underlying perspectives: from a ‘deficit’ perspective, signalling limited proficiency in Russian or/and Kazakh, and from a more complex sense-making communicative perspective, assisting interaction. As part of the sense-making process and in sustaining interaction with communication partners, code switching serves an instrumental function. Importantly, hybrid language practice is not portrayed as a sign of cultural decline. There is no strong correlation between the mixing of Russian and Kazakh and social, cultural, and educational barriers. Further implications for research are prompted by the rapidly changing situation. The development of the Kazakh language as a state language is becoming a major goal and central focus in this evolving context, which inevitably raises the issues of linguistic ideology. Distinguishing between ideologically neutral analysis and critical analysis of language use as a tool of symbolic power for specific social groups would provide a more gradient picture of the dynamics in Kazakhstan’s bi- and multilingual situation.

REVIEW OF THE IRANIAN AZERBAIJAN IN THE SOVIET PRESS IN THE 1940S

The article presents an overview on the “21 Azer” (December 12, 1945) movement in Iranian Azerbaijan1 , its national and cultural issues, including literature, based on the publications of the Soviet press. It especially focuses on the articles, published in the 1940s in the newspaper “Communist”, printed under the ideological control and run by the Communist Party of the Soviet Azerbaijan. The Soviet media publications of the time, expressing a condemnatory attitude towards the Pahlavi government, contains an analysis and critique of socio-political, economic and cultural processes, samples of the contemporary intellectuals’ pieces. They also reflected the activities of the Azerbaijan Democratic Party (ADP), national and ideological issues of the movement. Moreover, the subtext of these publications shows how the Soviet government exploited the fraternal feelings of Azerbaijanis on both sides of the Aras River. For a comprehensive exposition of the topic, this research paper considers diverse sources and scholarly literature that shed light on the historical context of the period.

Social justice in tourism recovery: examining equity, diversity, and inclusion in Canadian tourism restart policies

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to analyze the incorporation, prioritization and depth of equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) initiatives in tourism industry restart policies of Canadian provinces and territories. This study investigates how the detailing of EDI in policies determine the priority in emancipating tourism workers from the inequities exacerbated during the pandemic. Such investigation enables a better understanding of the complexities, tendencies and rationale of involving EDI in the tourism industry’s recovery. Design/methodology/approach The research investigated the presence and prioritization of equity, diversity, and inclusion using systematic text analytics of 38 publicly available restart plans and statements from 52 government and non-government agencies. Using web-based software Voyant Tools to assist in text analytics, a hybrid deductive-inductive coding approach was conducted. Findings Key outcomes from the analysis revealed scarce to no full and dedicated content on EDI as a holistic initiative necessary for tourism industry relaunch. This lack of EDI content was a result of the greater impetus to prioritize economic generation and limited data due to practical and ideological issues. Results also suggested the tokenizing of EDI in some policies. Research limitations/implications Difficulties in data used for research include the lack and availability of restart policies specifically for tourism; most policies were generalized and referred to economic recovery as a whole. Studies of tourism-specific EDI issues were also limited. Originality The research is revelatory for investigating EDI prioritizations in restart policies even among well-developed and worker-diverse tourism industries such as in Canada, where inequities and injustices to women, Black, Indigenous, gender-diverse, and newcomer tourism workers among others have been withstanding.

Transnational Chinese literature and Sinopolyphony

Abstract The unprecedented power of China and its cultural expansion are increasing the need to examine its hegemonic impact in the field of literature. The new concept of ‘sinophone’, inspired by postcolonial criticism, reveals vigorous protests against Mainland’s centrality by advocating Chinese Diaspora literature, which has been too long relegated to a peripheral status. This study seeks to reconsider such debates through investigations of historical reasons, ideological issues, and perspectives they have widened. The sinophone literature is thus set up as a creative space, denationalized as well as transnationalized. Denying both the weight of the matrix and the chimerical archipelago, it follows the poetics of relation, the intermixture, and the Open.

THE NOTION OF THE ‘MELTING POT’ REBUFFED: PORTRAYAL OF AFRICAN AMERICAN EXPERIENCE IN RALPH ELLISON’S INVISIBLE MAN

United States of America is immigrant Nation hence; the word immigration resonates especially strongly with Americans. Critics claim that regulations intended to stop illegal immigration encourage the use of racial profiling by the police, raising the risk of unlawfully detaining and interrogating citizens & legal immigrants. Racism & racial identity are complex social construct. People from all over the world continue to experience racism, which can result in social marginalization when they visit developed nations like the USA. Invisible Man (1952) addresses socio-cultural, economic, political, and ideological issues that African-Americans experienced in 20th century. This study interprets the concept of invisibility in Ralph Ellison’s Invisible Man over Bois’s theory of “Double consciousness”. Story's unnamed young black narrator exists in surrealist America of 20th century dependent on deception to survive. America can only live over pretense. The focus of study is on the struggle of unnamed protagonist to survive and be visible in America. This research will highlight challenges that African Americans face due to their race. It will look at the choice the African Americans make; assimilate or maintain their unique identity.

Analysis of the Notoriety of General Press and Radio Media in Spain

Digitalisation has transformed the dynamics of interaction between the media and its audience, requiring rapid transmission of information and adaptation to the diversity of approaches in the current media space (Casero-Ripollés, 2010; Peña Fernández et al., 2019). This research seeks to determine the notoriety of the main Spanish national generalist press and radio media. It also aims to evaluate the differences in recognition according to the socio[1]demographic characteristics of the subjects. The study is of an inferential-correlational type and employs a quantitative approach methodology, with a questionnaire as a data collection tool and a sample of 385 participants randomly distributed throughout Spain. Statistical procedures such as correlation matrices and analysis of variance (ANOVA) were applied to study the relationships between variables. The results reveal that El País leads in notoriety among newspapers, while SER stands out among general radio stations. The select groups are completed by El Mundo and ABC; and the COPE, respectively. Level of education, nationality, age and socio-economic status are the variables that show statistically significant inter-group differences in terms of cumulative recognition indexes. However, in the case of radio, relevant variations are also observed in terms of ideological issues, potentially marked by a circumstantial component. It is worth noting that in none of the scenarios measured does gender act as a differentiating variable. The conclusions reveal a notoriety of the media relatively in line with their audience ratings, although there are other conditioning elements, such as the trajectory of the medium

People’s preferred balance between politicians, citizens, and experts in policy-making decisions

ABSTRACT Most prior studies examining citizens’ preferences for “who should govern” assume that people prefer either politicians, citizens, or experts to exclusively influence policy decisions. Our approach posits that individuals may actually prefer a mix of these actors. Across two studies, we discovered that people indeed favour the involvement of all three actors in policy decisions, but with specific relative importance assigned to each of them. Notably, our second study clarified that which actor should have the largest say depends on the specific issue at hand, with citizens outweighing experts and politicians for ideological issues and experts outweighing citizens and politicians for technical issues. These findings are particularly relevant, given that these two actors were found to outperform each other in a different legitimacy dimension. That is, citizens’ contribution is seen most in terms of input legitimacy, whereas experts are perceived as contributing most to output legitimacy, particularly for technical issues. In contrast, politicians are considered to contribute the least to all three legitimacy dimensions. To enhance the perceived legitimacy of policy decisions among the citizenry, it becomes crucial for policymakers to embrace a more “hybrid” perspective, acknowledging the value of a more diverse collaboration between politicians, citizens, and experts.

Russian Aggression against Ukraine and the Making of Refugees

Abstract This article examines the Russian invasion of Ukraine from the perspectives of Russian ideology, the tools used by the Russian Federation in the war against Ukraine, and refugee-making. The article uses offensive realism as an approach to understanding the actions of Russia against Ukraine. Russian full-scale aggression against Ukraine in February 2022 provoked international crises in numerous dimensions: political, security, humanitarian, and ecological. It became not only a war between countries, but a war between ways of thinking and ideologies. The reasoning and international policies behind this war might have very different and controversial interpretations; however, some explanation can be found by analyzing Russian inner-political discourse during the last two decades and the development of Russian ideology. The key research question of the article concerns the issue of Russian ideology and its role in Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

REHABILITATION AS THE RESTORATION OF INTEGRITY IN THE CONTEXT OF THE FEATURES OF UNDERSTANDING THE PRACTICAL SIGNIFICANCE OF THE APPLICATION OF LINGUISTIC AND PHILOSOPHICAL ANALYSIS OF MODERN REALITY

The relevance of the article lies in the continuation of the study of the phenomenon of war and post-war, in which one of the main problematic issues is the issue of protection, restoration of both the general system of the state in all its constituent components, and the support and restoration of the country's citizens, technologies, production and its natural resources (where it can be done). War is an armed conflict in which, as practice shows, new and old forms of weapons, technologies and other elements of interference and destruction are actively used by the enemy. Philosophy is closely related to issues of ideology, issues of health, etc., that is why the modern aggression against Ukraine when studied shows a number of differences both in the conduct of war and in issues of theory and practice of rehabilitation in comparison with previous wars and as a result , with the expected post-war period. It is this issue of restoration of integrity or rehabilitation that is a matter of primary study and implementation of their conclusions at the theoretical and practical levels, not only in the philosophical space, but also in the disciplines and branches of other sciences.

The David-Benjaminites Episodes (2 Sam 16:1–14; 19:16–31): The Conflict between the Golah Community and the Benjaminites

Abstract In this article, we first argue that the David-Benjaminites episodes (2 Sam 16:1–14 and 19:16–31) can be read in the Persian conflict context based on “exclusive inclusivity.” Second, we examine the validity of reading the episodes together and demonstrate their textual combination through inclusio. Third, we analyze the literary and historical implications of the three different Benjaminites’ changing actions toward David and, conversely, David and Abishai’s dialog about them. Fourth, we propose that the various aspects of the three Saulide characters’ reactions to David reflect the Benjaminites’ changing actions in the postexilic period and that the reactions of David and Abishai give us insights to comprehensively understand the two symbolic types of the Golah community’s responses toward the Benjaminites. Consequently, the David-Benjaminites episodes signal the complex aspects of the Persian Yehud Judean’s internal struggles and their strategies to resolve the ideological issues.

Building Nationalities within Christians Virtues

Background. Reflecting Pancasila in research world not necessarily discussing Indonesian citizenship as a civil society, these discourses widened to theological settings, particularly scriptural texts that are often used as sermons in pulpits. Indonesian ideological issues encountering Christianity have flowed and led to the entanglement of structural issues. Purpose. The aim of research was to explore the threads of nationalism in Pancasila, specifically crossing over with Christian values. Method. Based on qualitative research, researchers searched data through previous writings relevant to Pancasila, education, scriptural texts and their history. Results. Results showed that Christianity has brought goodness news not just limited to Christians, but also brought light for the world as reflections of socialist human beings. It must be understood that Indonesian nationalism is nationalism that rejects all forms of discrimination, oppression, injustice, and denial of divine values, as contained in Pancasila. Conclusion. Citizens have four main roles in the nation and state, namely as iron stock, social by control, agent of change, and also moral force. Those four main roles in running the life of the state are certainly not at all contradictory to Christianity. By performing these four roles, Christians show the quality of their Christian faith by becoming good citizens.

Отражение мировоззренческих и художественных исканий Л. Н. Толстого в рассказе «Записки маркера»

The article is devoted to the originality of L. N. Tolstoy’s early story “A Billiard-Marker’s Notes” and the history of its writing with the use of preparatory materials. The author aims to analyze and show the interrelation of a wide range of psychological, socio-ethical, and ideological issues raised in the story, which deeply worried the writer in the 1850s. The article proves that the artist’s choice of the genre of “notes” and first-person narratives allowed him to diversify the plot, methods of psychological analysis, and images of the characters’ inner world. The article pays considerable attention to such a feature of “A Billiard-Marker’s Notes” in terms of narratology as the presence of two characters-narrators, opposite to each other in age, social status, level of development, and bearers of different speech styles. This technique allows the writer to depict dramatically Nekhlyudov’s loneliness, “lostness,” and the existing blatant gap between the worldview of the nobility and the people and their ethics. The narrator’s expressive word, completing the work, brings it to the existential level. The image of the character-marker and his perception of reality testifies to the connections of “A Billiard-Marker’s Notes” with the traditions of the “natural school,” its humanistic principles, and democracy. This story, along with other works of the 1850s, contains the origins of the religious and philosophical views of the writer-thinker.

Philosophical Pessimism in Contemporary Kurdish Poetry with the Example of the Poems of (Jamal Ghambar, Barzan Hastyar, Abdullah Pashew)

This research is entitled "Philosophical Pessimism in Contemporary Kurdish Poetry with the Example of the Poems of (Jamal Ghambar, Barzan Hastyar, Abdullah Pashew)". The paper discusses philosophical pessimism as a multidimensional subject in modern Kurdish poetry and the root of pessimism in Kurdish and other languages. Specific concepts and themes of pessimistic philosophy such as nihilism, death-loving and doubt have also been theorized and practiced. Finally, we have reached several conclusions that philosophical pessimism in contemporary Kurdish poetry is a pessimism that has emerged under the influence of a number of literary movements such as Surrealism, Absurdism, Dadaism and Nihilism. However, philosophical pessimism in Kurdish poetry is more of an intellectual than an ideological issue for most poets.

National Museum of History of Azerbaijan

The article presents an overview of the movement of "21 Azer" (December 12, 1945), social-political, economic, national and ethnic issues, and national enlightenment in Iranian Azerbaijan based on the 1947-1949 issues of the "Azerbaijan" newspaper, the organ of the Azerbaijan Democratic Party (ADP) headed by S.J. Pishevari. The periodical was issued in the Azerbaijani Turkic utilizing the Arabic script during 1945-1946 in Tabriz under the governance of the Azerbaijan Democratic Party (ADP) and in Baku from 1947 to 1949 due to the defeat of the ADP. Issues of the newspaper for 1947-1949 are stored in the Documentary Sources Fund at the National Museum for History of Azerbaijan. The newspaper “Azerbaijan” contains a critical stance towards the Qajar and Pahlavi authorities, an overview of socio-political, economic and cultural processes, some pieces of revolutionaries and intellectuals of the time, the activities of the ADP, and ethnic and ideological issues. For a comprehensive presentation of the topic, this paper considers various sources and documents illuminating the historical context of the period have been utilized, including speeches, articles and other works by S.J. Pishevari, alongside with issues of the newspaper “Azerbaijan”.

Sustainable International Trade: Achieving a Balance between Economic Growth and Environmental Responsibility

This article explores the critical concept of sustainable international trade, focusing on the intricate balance between economic growth and environmental responsibility. It begins by examining the environmental impact of traditional trade practices, highlighting the negative consequences such as deforestation, pollution, and loss of biodiversity. The discussion then shifts to the economic benefits and challenges of sustainable trade, particularly for developing countries. The article delves into various policies, regulations, and technological innovations that facilitate environmentally responsible trade. The role of businesses and consumers in promoting sustainable practices is also examined, emphasizing corporate responsibility and consumer influence. Further, it addresses the challenges and barriers to implementing sustainable trade, including economic, political, and ideological issues. Case studies of successful sustainable trade practices provide practical insights. The article concludes with future perspectives and strategies, underscoring the need for continuous innovation and a collective effort towards sustainable international trade.

S.G. Chavain's novel "Elnet": the unity of the Mari language, folklore and traditions

The article contains an analysis of the genre content and poetics of the novel "Elnet" by the classic of Mari literature Sergey Grigoryevich Chavain in the unity of the Mari language, folklore and cultural traditions of the Mari people. The work is considered as a "linguistic metaphor", in the context of ideological issues of the epoch, as an intellectual novel in the Mari national literature. The author's concept associated with the archetypal image of the Elnet River, symbolically placed in the title of the work, is revealed, its connection with the writer's ideological plan, as well as with the Mari national and world cultural tradition, its literary and artistic context is revealed. Considerable attention is paid in the article to the consideration of this image as an expression of the traditional ancestral faith, the core of which is the worship of nature and the cultivation of the human in man in the bosom of the "accommodating and nurturing landscape" (the term of Lev Gumilev). The article is devoted to a comprehensive and interdisciplinary study of the classic novel of Mari literature. The content of the actual literary text of the novel is considered in a broad socio-cultural context, through the prism of the mythological, philosophical, and aesthetic views of the Mari people. 3. The article proves that the name of Sergei Grigoryevich Chavain is one of the most fateful for the Mari nation; the author of the novel "Elnet" was concerned about the state of the intellectual and cultural status of the nation, its world–building horizon; the writer remains today a "singer of the people", a vivid symbol of national life. For the first time in regional science, the question is raised about the main levels of the Mari world created in the novel "Elnet" by Sergei Grigoryevich Chavain, vividly traced in the title image – the image of Elnet; they are defined in the article as follows: 1) Elnet as a tributary of the Volga, one of the most beautiful rivers in the territory of the Mari territory; 2) Elnet as the motherland, the Ecumene; 3) Elnet as the "golden" world of wonderful Mari songs; 4) Elnet as the prophetic Path of the Mari people. The story of Mari, understood by S. Chavain, is a Road leading into the distance behind an open door, at the same time it is a spiritual process fueled by a rich cultural heritage, currents of the present, and a dream of accomplishment.