Key Scholars Research Articles

An Interview Report: Discourse Analysis

This report presents a discourse analysis of a televised interview between an anchorwoman and Dr. Anthony Fauci, contextualized within the COVID-19 pandemic and its management under President Trump's administration. Employing frameworks from Goffman, Harris, and other key scholars, the analysis explores the interplay of linguistic and non-linguistic behaviors within the communication. It highlights the participants' social, professional, and institutional identities, as well as their discourse strategies, reflexivity, and indexicality. Key components of the interview, including framing, footing shifts, and intertextuality, are analyzed to uncover the underlying dynamics and communicative intentions. The report also examines how the anchorwoman and Dr. Fauci construct authenticity, authority, and alignment within the interactive frame, contributing to a deeper understanding of language use in political and social contexts. Through structured discourse patterns, this study underscores the relationship between language, context, and societal roles in live news interviews.

Reconsidering the Vaddas of Sri Lanka: Biological and cultural continuity, and misconceptions

This paper aims to re-examine key scholarly works pertaining to the Sri Lankan Vadda, an indigenous community of the island, in order to explore extant research of the said community. Despite considerable progress, lingering misunderstandings and uncertainties persist regarding their origins, connections to prehistoric populations, affiliations with contemporary ethnic groups, and the interrelationships among different Vadda communities across the island. Furthermore, uncertainties persist regarding the authenticity of Vadda skeletal remains and the adequacy of archaeological samples, which often suffer from fragmentation and incompleteness. It is this archaeological sample that has been used to draw conclusions about the cultural and biological continuity of the Mesolithic population or the Balangoda man (Homo sapiens balangodensis) with the Vaddas and the modern populations of the island, thus perhaps distorting interpretations. Similarly, this study underscores concerns regarding the representation of modern samples collected from diverse Vadda clans inhabiting various ecological zones and engaging in different subsistence practices, potentially skewing the conclusions of preceding research. In this study, fresh ethnoarchaeological data are used to examine some misconceptions prevailing about the Warugas (clans) as well as the use of the term Wanniyalaetto as a synonym for Vaddas. Given the rapid acculturation of Vaddas, there is a pressing need for continued interdisciplinary investigations into the Vadda communities, encompassing different Warugas and geographic regions, to ensure a better understanding of their socio-cultural dynamics with the aim of enhanced insight into their evolutionary pathways.

For the Sake of God and a Sense of Justice: Past Realities and Future Possibilities of Religious Reform in Afghanistan

This article brings into conversation the dialectic of religious reform in Afghanistan by engaging with three key scholars and their approaches to the utilization of religion as the source for activating the public toward political participation without armed violence. The shifts and trajectories within their pragmatic political philosophy offers an untapped category of possibilities and counter-movement to the violence and vectors of the Taliban that has employed religion toward terrorism and domination. I argue that religious reform is an intentional cosmology rooted in and referencing the familiar tradition void of dogmatic drama or a return to a utopian past. Reform involves the utilization of the grammar and gnostics of the tradition to align and agitate the population toward change and is most viable by the participation of individuals with mastery of the tradition. Such a path is both a socialization that is rooted in an ethical conduct toward the immediate/self but also the other/outside(r) world.

Higher education students’ conceptions of learning gain

Learning gain in higher education, specifically the development of subject-adjacent skills, abilities and competencies, is of key scholarly and policy relevance. However, little research focuses on students’ broad understandings of learning gain. This paper takes a phenomenographic approach to explore students’ conceptions of learning gain, and how these may differ by subject and stage of study. Drawing on thirty-three qualitative interviews with a diverse group of undergraduate and postgraduate students across four subjects in three UK universities, this paper derives three distinct categories of understanding in relation to learning gain, increasing in complexity. The first category, naïve understandings, is characterised by short-term learning goals, the prioritisation of surface approaches to learning including memorisation, with subject knowledge more important than skills. Motivations to learn are broadly extrinsic and related to assessments. The second category, emergent understandings, features greater awareness of approaches to learning, including structured planning of learning activities in response to a range of goals, and pragmatic responses to desirable learning outcomes. There is growing recognition of links between subject-specific and generic skills, and adaptation features strongly. The most sophisticated category, comprehensive understandings, is characterised by flexible learning goals, the acknowledgment of the independent nature of higher education learning and strong self-regulation, with deep approaches to learning consciously prioritised. Dynamic views of knowledge prevail, which distinguish this category from the other two. These categories of understanding grow in complexity with study stage, and also vary by subject of study, with interactions present in relation to prioritised aspects of learning gain, views of change and how explicit aspects of learning gain are made within the subject of study. Any attempt to capture learning gain for its improvement would therefore need to encompass a variety of aspects of learning gain, contextualised for subject and stage and include a student perspective.

Your favourite authors favourite authors: a bibliometric social network analysis of hip-hop education literature

Abstract Hip-hop culture can be found globally, and hip-hop educators can be found in these same spaces. Therefore, hip-hop has been in classrooms and has been increasingly popular in a multitude of disciplines, including but not limited to health sciences, sociology, and education. Given the vast reach of hip-hop education research, a logical next step is to characterize the impact of hip-hop education scholarship using bibliometrics. We examined hip-hop education through the lens of bibliometrics and social network analysis (SNA). A pool of 371 studies was identified for citation analysis. The findings of this study contribute to the literature by characterizing the development of hip-hop education research. Specifically, we contribute to the field by: (1) identifying key scholarly contributions in hip-hop education and the linkages among them, (2) tracing the evolution of the field over time, (3) analyzing the impact of hip-hop on the field of education, and (4) exploring the cross-disciplinary role of hip-hop education research. Implications are provided for future research and praxis to support learners in urban spaces.

How do organizations refine their post‐merger integration routines over consecutive acquisitions?

AbstractThe post‐merger integration (PMI) phase of mergers and acquisitions (M&A) can determine M&A success. Little is known about how organizations refine their PMI routines with accumulated M&A experience. This study proposes a process model of PMI‐routine development, where the outcomes of routines enacted in earlier acquisitions shape routines in subsequent acquisitions. We test the model using 312 instances of routine implementation, across five consecutive acquisitions by the same acquiring company, and make two key scholarly contributions. First, we advance prior research by identifying how a routine's level of complexity moderates the association between routine adherence and routine outcomes. Second, we elucidate the effect of learning from failure—uncovering a learning process with performance feedback as input. Specifically, negative routine outcomes at the focal acquisition strengthened the positive effect of the improvisation (low adherence) enacted in the focal acquisition on the subsequent modifications to the codified routine, which are likely to improve its performance in future acquisitions.

The polyphonic relational epistemology

This paper introduces the concept of polyphonic relational epistemology, an extension of relational epistemology that emphasizes knowledge as a dialogic and multivocal process. Drawing on Mikhail Bakhtin's theory of polyphony, the paper argues that the act of knowing emerges from the interaction of multiple, irreducible voices. This approach challenges traditional epistemological frameworks that prioritize individual coherence and logical consistency, proposing instead a view of truth as a dynamic interplay of diverse perspectives. The paper examines the contributions of key scholars in relational epistemology, such as Kenneth Gergen, Barbara Thayer-Bacon, and Lorraine Code, and builds upon their insights to develop a polyphonic understanding of knowledge. The practical implications of polyphonic relational epistemology are explored in the context of education, highlighting its potential to foster inclusive and collaborative learning environments. By embracing the complexity and multiplicity of human experience, polyphonic relational epistemology offers a rich framework for rethinking the nature of knowledge and its role in our lives. The paper concludes by outlining avenues for future scholarship, including empirical research, interdisciplinary approaches, and the integration of technology, to further refine and apply this conceptual framework in educational practice and beyond.

Science mapping the evolution of middle leadership research, 2002–2023

This systematic review aimed to examine the evolution of middle leadership research in a 21-year period, starting from 2002 to 2023, by employing bibliometric methods to examine the metadata of 181 documents. It summarised the key features of the middle leadership knowledge base by analysing its descriptive trends, distribution of knowledge production, key scholars, journals, and documents, and uncovered its underlying intellectual structure. The review offers insights into the development of the literature on middle leadership – a relatively new concept. The findings from this review would help scholars understand the nuances of middle leadership as well as provide insights to researchers on the current and future development of middle leadership research in schools.

Bibliometric Analysis of the Implementation of Character Education in the School Curriculum

This bibliometric analysis investigates the evolution and thematic structuring of research concerning the implementation of character education in school curricula. Utilizing data sourced from major academic databases from 1893 to 2024, this study maps out the academic discourse through VOSviewer. Our findings identify distinct thematic clusters such as curriculum integration, ethical considerations, and the role of character education within religious and civic education. Temporal trends indicate a shift from foundational discussions to a focus on the implicit dimensions of character education, such as the hidden curriculum and character-building across educational levels. Potential future research opportunities were identified in less explored areas such as independent and culturally specific curricula. The analysis of the author collaboration network reveals a robust community with significant interconnections among key scholars, highlighting both dense clusters and emerging researchers. Overall, this study offers a comprehensive overview of the field, demonstrating its dynamic evolution and the collaborative nature of research that contributes to ongoing debates and educational practices in character education. This work not only charts historical and current trends but also provides direction for future scholarly endeavors in this vital area of educational research.

Decoding the research landscape of drug resistance and therapeutic approaches in head and neck cancer: a bibliometric analysis from 2000 to 2023.

Head and neck cancer is one of the most common tumors worldwide. However, drug resistance in its treatment has become a major factor limiting the efficacy. This study aims to comprehensively understand the current status of research in this field. The study analyzes papers related to therapeutic resistance in head and neck cancer published between 2000 and 2023 in the Web of Science Core Collection To achieve the research objectives, we searched the WoSCC for research and review papers on therapeutic resistance in head and neck cancer from 2000 to 2023, screened the English literature, and analyzed the research hotspots, academic collaborations, and trends in detail using tools such as Citespace, SCImago Graphica, and VOS viewer. This study summarizes 787 head and neck cancer treatment resistance publications from WoSCC. The analysis showed that China and the United States are the major contributors in this field, and Grandis Jennifer R and Yang Jai-Sing are the key scholars. Keyword analysis showed that "cisplatin resistance" is a continuing focus of attention, while "Metastasis" and "Ferroptosis" may be emerging research hotspots. Literature clustering analysis pointed out that "Ferroptosis", "Immunotherapy" and "ERK signaling" were the recent hotspots that received extensive attention and citations. Finally, we discuss the current status and challenges in drug-resistant therapies for head and neck cancer. This study is the first comprehensive bibliometric analysis of drug resistance in head and neck cancer. Reveals current trends and helps researchers grasp cutting-edge hotspots in the field.

Honouring Children

The views held about the humanity of children influence faith praxis with regard to children. Recognizing the full humanity of children will help pose questions that will lead to critical reflections on theories and practices thatunderpin the lived realities of neglect, abuse and violence against children. It is said that a faulty anthropology produces a faulty theology, and a faulty theology produces a skewed anthropology. It is argued that views of children that harm them in daily life could be connected with views of Godas authoritative, hierarchal, powerful and strong, a God who punishes and disciplines. There is, therefore, the need to explicate a Christian view ofchildren that honours the dignity and humanity of children and could result in faith practices that are liberating. The Trinity could serve as a framework for a theological anthropology of children. The paper explores insights from key scholars such as Miroslav Volf (1998), Jürgen Moltmann (1991) and Catherine LaCugna (1991) on a relational view of the Trinity to glean resources that could influence a theological understanding of the personhood of children: resources which recognise the full humanity of children and honour their dignity, and interdependence as well as mutuality in faith communities and society. The paper posits that a relational view of the Trinity could provide a sounder foundation for a deeply relational and non-hierarchical Christian view of children that arehonouring, and therefore, promotes faith praxis that is liberating and encourages flourishing.

Communication and race: the paucity of research on anti-Muslim racism

ABSTRACT The field of Communication has been critiqued for its failure to take race seriously. This article contributes to this ongoing discussion through a focus on anti-Muslim racism scholarship. Six NCA and ICA journals with a track record of publishing articles on race have so far published only seven articles on Muslim racialization; the new journal Communication and Race does not include Arabs or Muslims in its purview. This essay points to the paucity of research on anti-Muslim racism and offers an overview of the work of key scholars that should be engaged as we expand Communication scholarship on race.

A Bibliometric Analysis of Student Entrepreneurship and Start-up Research (1986-2024)

Entrepreneurship and start-up development are crucial for economic growth, heightens the number of publications by academics, policymakers and educators. In recent years, the student entrepreneurship and start-up business (SEBS) research is gathering increasing attention. However, there is a need of making the comprehensive overview on the topic. This study conducts a bibliometric analysis of 1,324 Scopus-indexed academic publications on "student entrepreneurship" and "start-up" as of July 2024, spanning 38 years. Using VOSviewer, this research explores publication trends, document types, languages, keywords, and contributions by key scholars, countries, and institutions. Findings indicate a notable rise in studies on student entrepreneurship in recent years, reflecting its growing significance in academia. Core research themes, frequent keywords, and author impact analysis reveal emerging directions and influential contributors in this field. This analysis highlights the global scope and evolving trends within SEBS research, underlining the field's dynamic growth and relevance. This bibliometric analysis indicates areas for further exploration and highlights key gaps in the literature. Identifies industry leaders and co-author networks, and shows directions for future collaboration. This research can provide a comprehensive and multidisciplinary approach to improve research on entrepreneurship and start-up development.

Breaking Silences: Women, Citizenship and Theatre In Northern Ireland

This essay seeks to weave together an analysis of women’s citizenship and its dependency on certain silences, and the exploration of this tension in two recent productions by Belfast- based Kabosh Theatre Company. Kabosh, and company Artistic Director Paula McFetridge, stage work that examines the realities of the region in the post-conflict era. In constructing the theoretical frame for the analysis, the concept of “silence” and “silencing” draws from Kristie Dotson (2015), and from work on violence such as Gayatri Spivak’s concept of “epistemic violence” and a wide range of sources on the performance of violence in theatre. Chantal Mouffe’s concept of agonistic democracy shapes the discussion of the Northern Irish state, and Wendy Brown and Joane Butler are the key scholars for the consideration of citizenship and nation.

Kicking Back: Negation of Enlightenment in Brian Dillon’s Objects in This Mirror

In this article I will examine aspects of the work of the Irish writer Brian Dillon which allow us to propose the continuing relevance, from an Irish perspective, of a strain of critical discourse which engages with the legacy of the Enlightenment. Specifically, I look primarily at Dillon’s 2014 essay collection Objects in This Mirror as well as his 2017 collection Essayism, with a view to establishing some key characteristics of his artistic project, while showing their compatibility with the cultural materialism of key scholars of the Frankfurt School, before finally making explicit the compatibility of Dillon’s work with the values which underpin the Irish Field Day project which has influenced Irish studies since the 1980s.

Knowledge mapping of idiopathic scoliosis genes and research hotspots (2002-2022): a bibliometric analysis.

The etiology of idiopathic scoliosis (IS) remains unclear. Gene-based studies on genetic etiology and molecular mechanisms have improved our understanding of IS and guided treatment and diagnosis. Therefore, it is imperative to explicate and demarcate the preponderant areas of inquiry, key scholars, and their aggregate scholarly output, in addition to the collaborative associations amongst publications or researchers. Documents were retrieved from the Web of Science Core Collection (WoSCC) with the following criteria: TS = ("idiopathic scoliosis" AND gene) refined by search operators (genomic OR "hereditary substance" OR "germ plasm" OR Cistrons OR genetics OR genetic OR genes OR Polygenic OR genotype OR genome OR allele OR polygenes OR Polygene) AND DOCUMENT TYPES (ARTICLE OR REVIEW), and the timespan of 2002-01-01 to 2022-11-26. The online bibliometric analysis platform (bibliometric), bibliographic item co-occurrence matrix builder (BICOMB), CiteSpace 6.1. R6 and VOS viewer were used to evaluate articles for publications, nations, institutions, journals, references, knowledge bases, keywords, and research hotspots. A total of 479 documents were retrieved from WoSCC. Fourty-four countries published relevant articles. The country with the most significant number of articles was China, and the institution with the most significant number of articles was Nanjing University. Citation analysis formed eight meaningful clusters and 16 high-frequency keywords. (2) The citation knowledge map included single nucleotide polymorphisms, whole exome sequencing, axonal dynamin, drug development, mesenchymal stem cells, dietary intake, curve progression, zebrafish development model, extracellular matrix, and rare variants were the current research hotspots and frontiers. Recent research has focused on IS-related genes, whereas the extracellular matrix and unusual variants are research frontiers and hotspots. Functional analysis of susceptibility genes will prove to be valuable for identifying this disease.

Sandstone mining and silicosis deaths in Rajasthan: a critical legal and policy analysis

PurposeThe extant literature underlines the inadequacies of legal and policy frameworks addressing the safety and health concerns of sandstone mineworkers in India. Notably, Rajasthan, a state renowned for its extractive industries, mirrors these concerns. Against this backdrop, this paper aims to critically evaluate the relevant legal and policy landscape, with an emphasis on the recent central statute: the Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code of 2020 (OSHWCC). Given that the Code subsumes the key legislation pertaining to the safety and health of mineworkers, an in-depth critical analysis is essential to forge suitable policy interventions to address continued gross violations of human rights.Design/methodology/approachThe critical analysis of legal and policy frameworks on silicosis in sandstone mineworkers is based on a comprehensive reading of existing literature. The literature includes relevant laws, case law, reports of the Rajasthan State Human Rights Commission and National Human Rights Commission, publicly available data and key scholarly contributions in the field.FindingsAlthough the OSHWCC has made some changes to the existing regulatory architecture of mines in India, it has failed to safeguard the safety and health of mineworkers. Notably, the vast majority of mines in India – constituting approximately 90%, which are informal, seasonal and small-scale – remain beyond the jurisdiction of this Code. In Rajasthan, there are specific policies on silicosis, but these policies are poorly implemented. There is a serious shortage of doctors to diagnose silicosis cases, leading to under-diagnosis. The compensation for silicosis victims is insufficient; the distribution mechanism is complex and often delayed.Research limitations/implicationsThe central and many state governments have not established the regulatory institutions envisaged under the OSHWCC 2020; therefore, the working of the regulatory institutions could not be critically examined.Originality/valueThe paper critically evaluates laws and policies pertaining to silicosis in sandstone mineworkers, with a special emphasis on the state of Rajasthan. It offers a comprehensive critique of the OSHWCC of 2020, which has not received much attention from previous studies.

Open and distance learning: a bibliometric analysis using scopus database and vosviewer

This study presents a bibliometric analysis of open and distance learning (ODL) literature to explore the impact of new technologies, temporal trends in research, and the influence of open pedagogy and educational resources on learner engagement and inclusion. Utilizing Scopus as the primary data source for its comprehensive coverage and analytical capabilities, a dataset was curated using specific keywords and analyzed through VosViewer. The results demonstrate a significant increase in ODL publications, indicative of growing scholarly interest and a diverse, global research community. Key findings reveal a network of influential institutions and scholars central to ODL, with highly cited documents highlighting foundational research and prevalent themes. The analysis underscores the importance of technological, pedagogical, strategic, and evaluative themes, signifying the complex and interdisciplinary nature of ODL. Suggestions for future research include qualitative analyses to understand ODL's progression and longitudinal studies to gauge the influence of global events on ODL practices. Collaborative and cross-disciplinary efforts are encouraged to innovate educational modalities. The study’s implications reflect ODL's growing relevance in educational policy and practice, the influence of key scholars and institutions in shaping ODL discourse, and the strategic research focus that may dictate future educational developments. This analysis charts the trajectory of ODL, contributing to its strategic evolution and enduring relevance in education.

Advancing the debate: The need for policy-oriented activism research in educational psychology

Educational psychology is embracing the call to engage in more policy-oriented research. This special issue focuses on some of the key scholars in the field that are taking up this charge. Building upon their work, I aim to push the field to go even further, providing suggestions for how to engage in policy-oriented activism research within educational psychology. I also provide recommendations when embarking upon policy-oriented activism research.

Analysis of Global Research Trends on BIM Studies in the Field of Architecture

This paper reveals the results of a bibliometric analysis on BIM and architecture to analyze and determine how the current research trends in BIM literature have evolved and diversified in the discipline of architecture. Although there are currently bibliometric analysis reviews of BIM in the literature, these studies take either the BIM process from a general perspective or the engineering-construction sectors, urban design scale. This state-of-the-art study explains a bibliometric analysis of the literature's relationship between architecture and BIM. Through analyzing the data including keywords, authors, journals, institutions, citation rate etc., the relationship between BIM and architecture in all times till today has been mapped and visualized by using Clarivate Analytics' Web of Science database and VOS viewer program. In addition, analyzing the current literature published between 2017-2022 was highlighted and the emerging fields in architectural research were revealed. Emerging fields today in architectural research under the scope of BIM have clustered according to the keywords and these keywords are mostly related to information technologies and automation. The goal of revealing these findings extensively is to inspire future research based on the gaps and missing information in the existing literature. The unique importance of this study is to generate a knowledge base for the relationship between BIM and architecture studies based on the data including keywords, authors, journals, universities, citation rate, etc., adopting the bibliometric approach. This study provides valuable information to BIM studies in architecture research for researchers and practitioners. The current state of the research field, trend topics, and the key scholars and universities were identified.