Modern Liberal Research Articles

Cross-country comparison analysis of individual and institutional factors of anomie and online offending

This article addresses the gap in the literature by empirically assessing a cross-national comparison of institutional anomie theory (IAT) and self-reported cyberoffending. We used survey data from Finland, Hungary, and the United States to examine the relationship between institutional anomie and cybercrime. Each country represents different types of societies, which makes them interesting cases for cross-national comparison. With Hungary representing a conservative welfare regime, Finland a social democratic welfare regime, and the United States a liberal welfare regime, we predict that the more political regimes intervene in economic relations and support non-economic institutions, the less applicable IAT's variables will be in predicting cybercrime perpetration. In line with these predictions, binomial regression models suggest that IAT works best in the United States, where individualism, achievement, and fetishism of money increased the indices of cybercrime offending. IAT variables were less useful in predicting cybercrime offending in the other nations. Yet, also in line with our prediction, family has a strong external control function in Finland, protecting participants from cybercrime offending. However, no IAT indexes achieved statistical significance in Hungary, where a work-based welfare system suppresses family-related values. Education has a mixed effect on cybercrime offending. Thus, IAT is valuable for understanding cybercrime offending; however, it should be examined in more countries with social institutions and individual value systems different from that of the United States.

Medusa's Evolution: From Mythological Monster to Feminist Icon – A Reflection of Shifting Societal Narratives?

This research paper analyses and compares the myth of Medusa in ancient and modern times, through literature, art, media, pop culture and psychoanalysis to determine whether the modern reinterpretation of Medusa’s story is a genuine transformation or merely a repurpose of Medusa’s image without addressing the deeper issues of gender, power and sexuality. By recasting Medusa into modern feminist narratives, scholars and philosophers like Freud, Lacan, Cixous and Butler help challenge the patriarchal narratives and try to subvert traditional gender roles. Through these feminist theories, we are able to overlook the traditional portrayal of Medusa with a fresh eye. Though there are limitations to interpretations of Medusa’s image, they are less in comparison to literature that has appropriately used the myth of Medusa to raise questions about violence and discrimination against women in modern times. The paper challenges whether modern reinterpretation is seen as Medusa’s “glow up” or “glow down” by examining examples of literature, art and pop culture.

Diminishing their voice through choice? How ‘self-placing’ in out-of-home care affects children and young people’s participation in decision-making

ABSTRACT In liberal welfare states, legislation acknowledges the State’s responsibilities to uphold specific rights when meeting the care and protection needs of children and young people (CYP) placed in out-of-home care (OOHC). In Queensland (Australia), where this study was conducted, the State’s child protection legislation was recently amended to reinforce CYP’s right to participate in decisions about their lives whilst in OOHC. Whilst most CYP in OOHC stay in approved foster/kinship or residential placements, there are some who leave approved OOHC placements to stay in unapproved locations (e.g. family/friend’s houses or the streets). The term ‘self-placing’ signifies this phenomenon in Queensland, although this terminology is contested. Those who self-place are disconnected from support and experience increased vulnerability including homelessness and criminalisation, as well as barriers to education, income support, and health care. This paper draws on interview data from 11 CYP with experiences of self-placing in OOHC. We report specifically on the: reasons they left approved placements; extent to which their voices were considered by formal systems; and practices that enabled them to feel they had a voice in the decisions that impact on them. Implications of these findings for enhancing the safety, connection, and wellbeing of this cohort are discussed.

Some issues regarding the principles and criteria of lawful restriction of human freedom

The article is devoted to the study of the content and peculiarities of implementation of the principles and criteria for limiting human freedoms. The author concludes that the principle of freedom should be studied through the following aspects: axiological, theoretical and practical. The first one involves maximum absolutisation of the principle of freedom for its further deployment in social relations. The theoretical dimension involves the study of the specifics of the content, types, features, and nature of freedom as a legal principle, which allows for a better understanding of it and its more harmonious implementation in legal relations. The practical dimension involves studying the problems of implementing the principle of freedom, the degree of its presence in various branches of law, and the specifics of its restrictions. The article notes that the principle of proportionality means that restriction of freedom can only be a means, not an aim, freedom is always the highest value for law and its restrictions as the ultimate goal are inadmissible, but only as a regulatory means to ensure rights and freedoms, national security, healthcare, public order, etc. The principle of public welfare as a criterion for restricting freedom is more complicated, since there are two doctrines: classical liberalism, which puts freedom above all else and limits state intervention, and social liberalism, which insists on the welfare of all and therefore more active state intervention in the economic life of society. The author concludes that restrictions on freedom must be in the general public interest in the economic, social and political spheres. The author notes that limitation of the principle of freedom is a reduction of its scope, but not a restriction of its content. By restricting freedom, its content remains unchanged, otherwise it will lose its legal value. The article provides the author’s definition of restriction of the principle of freedom as a lawful interference by the State with the capabilities of a person, which is expressed in setting limits for a possible model of behaviour in a certain territory, individually or for certain groups of persons. The author emphasises that one of the key problems with the implementation of measures restricting human freedom is excessiveness. An important public interest allows for the restriction of freedom to achieve it, but other interests and values may suffer. The principles of minimum possible restriction and priority social value should apply here.

Identity Claims and the Legal Order: Secular or Religious?

Abstract The problem addressed in this article is the challenge that identity claims stemming from identity politics, commonly recognized as left liberalism, pose to the secularity of the modern legal order. The paper: (1) postulates human dignity as the highest value and assesses the potential of philosophy and law to find a balance among the conflicting demands posed by this value; (2) identifies constitutional principles and/or jus cogens as the basis for the identification and appraisal of identity claims; (3) describes major identity claims embodied in the Istanbul Convention and appraises them on the basis of the principles; (4) ascribes identity politics and its claims to a worldview with traits of a religion, termed culturalism, as their condition. The conclusion proposes alternative decisions (de lege ferenda) more in accord with the principles, most notably with the freedom of thought, conscience and religion.

How to Humanize ‘Feral Children’: Constructing ‘Proper Identities’ in Liberal and Illiberal Legal Discourses

Abstract The subjects of this article are the mechanisms of constructing the identity of the collective subject of sovereignty in liberal and illiberal discourses and the issue of the relationship between collective identity discourses (primarily those related to law and imposed by law) and the political. The author adopts a specific perspective inspired by post-structuralism and post-Marxism. This perspective denies the claim of modern liberalism to be a meta-category in relation to other political and ideological options. The so-called post-politics inscribed in liberal discourses is, from the point of view of post-Marxism, a political proposition deeply entangled in ideology. The basic thesis of the article is that both the liberal and illiberal discourses in the construction of the subject of sovereignty are essentialist and perceive this subject as an imagined community that must be built with the significant participation of the law and (partially hidden) coercion.

How emoji make meaning and enact ambient affiliation: a social semiotic account of emoji-text relations in TikTok comments

ABSTRACT This paper explores how emoji make meaning with language in TikTok comments. It offers a social semiotic account which models emoji-text relations as a system of convergence, involving three kinds of semiotic relations: ideational concurrence, interpersonal resonance, and textual synchronicity. The paper focuses in detail on the comment feed of a TikTok lip-sync video which uses audio from Julia Gillard's iconic misogyny speech. It considers the role that emoji pfhgilay in enacting ambient affiliation in these comments, whereby users share positive evaluation of the TikTok Creator and express alignment with values relating to modern feminism. The work is grounded in previous corpus-based studies by the authors of the social functions of emoji across a range of social media platforms.

The Public's Perception of Florence Nightingale's Legacy in the Digital Media: A Critical Discourse Analysis.

This study critically examines the public's perception of Florence Nightingale's legacy through a critical discourse analysis (CDA) of digital media, specifically podcasts and YouTube. Nightingale, who is often remembered as "The Lady with the Lamp", holds a complex identity within modern narratives that is celebrated for her pioneering contributions to nursing and public health, even if there are some disagreements about her, given the colonialist setting that may have shaped some of her opinions and decisions. This research employed CDA to analyze 25 podcasts and 18 YouTube videos, which were systematically included according to a priori inclusion criteria. The study synthesized how these media products portray Nightingale and, by extension, shape public discourse about the nursing profession. The findings reveal five thematic representations of Nightingale: as a legendary figure, a modern feminist, a dedicated statistician, a pioneer in public health, and a pivotal STEM contributor. These portrayals challenge traditional nursing stereotypes by emphasizing Nightingale's role as a rigorous scientist and reformer, suggesting broader perceptions of nurses that encompass leadership, analytical skills, and strategic thinking. The study supports the hypothesis that digital narratives significantly influence the public's understanding and appreciation of nursing, advocating for a more nuanced professional identity that integrates traditional caregiving roles with critical and analytical capabilities.

Critique of Modern Feminism

This paper explores the counter argument for Chapter 3 of Marriages, Families, and Relationships by Mary Ann Lamanna, Agnes Riedmann, and Susan Stewart, which deals with the topic of Gender Identities and Families, especially regarding feminism. This paper will provide a general summary, main points, and concepts of the chapter that focuses on feminism. Afterwards, this paper will continue to provide a general social, legal, and cultural climate of the time the book was written versus now (2024), and then reflect on some new information and research that disproves the glorification of modern feminism as done in the book. The critique will demonstrate how modern feminism, under the guise of advocating for gender equality, can sometimes promote racist and sexist agendas. Specifically, this paper will detail the mechanisms through which modern feminism disguises itself, manipulating social perceptions to orient one group as superior over others. This will include an analysis of how certain feminist narratives utilize the concepts of victimhood and social proof to establish a hierarchy of suffering and legitimacy, thereby positioning some groups as more deserving of support and resources than others, based on race, class, or historical experiences.

Neo-Leninism and Chinese Reforms: Soviet Perestroika Revisited

ABSTRACT The article presents a revisionist interpretation of the reforms in the late Soviet Union, focusing on the strong affinities between the perestroika and China’s reform and opening-up. The article draws on social constructivism, poststructuralism, and post-Marxism and formulates an original typology of Soviet political discourses as the main method. Discourse analysis reveals that the implementation of the Chinese reform model in the Soviet Union was possible in discursive terms. Politico-economic analysis shows that the reform of Soviet socialism, which began in 1983 before Gorbachev’s perestroika, coincided largely with the parallel process in China. The author argues that the neo-Leninist perestroika was modelled on Dengism until the hegemony of this discourse was replaced by liberal socialism in 1988. Nevertheless, neo-Leninism remained relevant up to August 1991 when the failure of the State Committee on the State of Emergency frustrated the prospects for socialism in the country. The article concludes that the dismissal of Dengism by Soviet leaders was one of the principal causes of the collapse of the Soviet Union. This historical experience provides the Communist Party of China with invaluable lessons and shows the crucial importance of the Four Cardinal Principles for reform and opening-up.

Kebebasan Dan Belenggu: Merinci Perspektif Paulus Tentang Perbudakan Dalam Awal Kekristenan

This article examines Paul's perspective on slavery in early Christianity with a focus on the concept of spiritual equality and views on spiritual freedom. Although Paul did not explicitly call for the physical liberation of slaves, the concept of spiritual equality in Christ became a moral basis that highlighted the dignity of every individual regardless of social status. Paul's view of spiritual freedom was interpreted as a potential encouragement to support physical and social liberation, although it did not propose direct changes in law or policy. This research also details possible responses of early Christian communities to this concept in practical contexts, including efforts to support human rights and create an ethical environment that respects the values ​​of freedom and human dignity.

Islamic Law Reform in Indonesia: A Perspective on Muhammad Abid Al-Jabiri’s Thought

This study explores the handling of tradition (turath) within Arab society, particularly in the context of modernity and progress. It focuses on the contributions of ‘Abed al-Jabiri, a prominent Muslim philosopher, whose ideas underscore the value of tradition during times of rapid social change. Utilizing a descriptive analysis method, this research examines the interpretation of the Qur’an and Hadith to assess the relevance of ancient scholarly findings to contemporary issues. The study highlights how Islamic feminism, viewed through the lens of Irfani epistemology, seeks to reconstruct these classical insights to align with modern ideals. Islamic feminism is presented as a humanistic ideal rooted in conscience, guided by moral and ethical principles encompassing universal goodness (ma’ruf), individual goodness (khair), happiness (sa’adah), and virtuous deeds (fadhilah). This paper contributes to the discourse on integrating traditional Islamic thought with modern feminist principles, offering a perspective enriched with ethical and spiritual dimensions.

Islamic Understanding of Feminism and Gender: Between Tradition and the Pressures of the Age

Islamic understanding of feminism and gender is a complex and relevant subject in the current global context. This article aims to explore Islamic views on feminism and gender as well as an attempt to find a meeting point between Islamic values and aspirations for gender equality in the context of traditions and the demands of the times that continue to develop. Through literature searches and concept analysis, this article highlights the differences and similarities between Islamic views and modern feminism regarding women's rights, gender construction, and the role of women in society. In addition, this article also illustrates how Islamic views on feminism reflect the complex dynamics between diverse religious values, cultures and social contexts throughout the world. By paying attention to this complexity, this article emphasizes the importance of intercultural and interreligious dialogue in fighting for gender equality in a holistic and inclusive manner. It is anticipated that this article will provide deeper insight into feminism and gender in an Islamic context, as well as encourage readers to engage in ongoing and in-depth discussions about these issues in an increasingly connected global society.

The threat posed by a woman inventor: law, labour and the subjugation of Louisa Lawson

In 1896–1897, Louisa Lawson (1848–1920) filed a number of patent applications. This article explains how her inventions were an expression of modern feminist practice and aligned with the progressive suffragette campaign for equal economic rights for women. It plots the unrelenting opposition to Lawson’s entrepreneurship and explains why her successful litigation to enforce her legal rights was a hollow victory. This history raises significant questions of contemporary relevance about law, culture, power and political strategy demonstrating the historical resistance of all major institutions of the modern democratic state – unions, bureaucracy, parliament and the courts – to gender inclusion.

Such a Thing as Society: The Conservative Party, Social Liberalism, and the One Nation Tradition since the Cameron Era

AbstractAs factionalism becomes increasingly prominent within the Conservative Party, understanding the worldviews of the respective groupings has become key to understanding the party itself. This is especially true regarding the one nation group which is the most numerous in Parliament. From the Cameron era, the term ‘one nation’ expressed leaders’ attempts to modernise the party, reckon with the Thatcherite social legacy, and carve out a distinct centre‐right identity which contained both socially liberal and distinctly conservative elements. However, reconciling ‘modern’ and ‘conservative’ views has been singularly difficult. Whilst bridging the two rhetorically and intellectually has been possible, leaders have struggled to translate such a synthesis into a viable governmental agenda that unites the party. Underlying this difficulty is fierce disagreement on immigration, sovereignty, nationhood and cosmopolitanism, resulting in one nation conservatism becoming a signal of intra‐party disagreement rather than unifying leadership.

THE FEMINISM AND ACTIVISTS’ PLETHORA IN CONTEMPORARY ERA: AN ANALYSIS IN PAKISTAN’S CONTEXT

This study examined the impacts of feminism on challenging and combating anti-woman ideologies and practices in contemporary society. Objective of this study is to explore implications of the anti-feminist shift within modern feminist trends. The women were restricted to their domiciles throughout Western civilization; neither were they allowed to possess property, pursue education, or engage in public life in medieval Europe. Women were denied the ability to vote, to pursue higher education, and to enter the workforce. The development of this study involved a quantitative base and survey was constructed for population aged 15 and above. Sample of 384 respondents using Cochran formula was obtained, specifically graduate & postgraduate students & faculty members. To produce feminist attitude, measure Likert-type scale was designed. The results were contained with reliability of .784. This study indorses evaluating interdisciplinary ideology of anti-feminism. Recognize its shifting nature while in view of regional and national specifics and global trends. The threat that anti-feminist speech and practices pose to the women’s rights worldwide should be recognized by governments and authorities.

Disney Princess Movies' Development and Dilemmas From a Feminist Perspective

The purpose of this study is to critically analyze the image of Disney princesses using a feminist perspective. The study aims to explore the positive and negative impacts of the image of princesses and how it has influenced film making as social mores have changed and women's liberation has been promoted. The study explores the ways in which women have been portrayed throughout history through exhaustive case studies, demonstrating how princesses have changed in response to the times in which they have been portrayed. This study recognizes that while significant progress has been made in portraying princesses as more autonomous and powerful, prejudices and fundamental limitations remain. By examining these issues, this study seeks to reveal that the image of the princess still needs to be improved to better align with modern feminist values. It also calls on Disney to be brave enough to break out of the current image of princesses as well as the storytelling framework, and to explore more possibilities in female characters

Communication Strategy for Deliberalization of Islamic Thought at UNIDA Gontor

Liberalism, when viewed from its development, has two main streams that mutually use the term liberal. Classical liberalism or economic liberalism emphasizes individual freedom in carrying out activities in the economic field, and social liberalism, emphasizes the state's role in defending individual rights, usually formed as anti-discrimination laws. In addition to the trend of liberalization which emphasizes economic, political, and social rights, liberalism is also found in the field of religious thought. Indeed, liberalism in Western civilization's social and political fields has slowly separated religion from social and political affairs. Religion has no place in social and political interests. Concepts such as pluralism, multiculturalism, feminism, gender equality, democratization, humanism, freedom, and human rights are several layers of elements in the liberalization movement. Even theses and dissertations in Islamic universities are written to seek Islamic justification for these concepts. To stem this massive liberalization movement, researchers take the example of preventing the liberalization of Islamic thought in Islamic tertiary institutions, namely at the University of Darussalam (UNIDA) Gontor. This type of research is qualitative, with in-depth interview data collection techniques, and data analysis techniques namely triangulation of data sources (results of interviews and previous research). The result of this research is that UNIDA Gontor uses a curriculum based on the Islamization of Science. In addition, Islamization activities are also carried out through weekly student discussions guided by mentors, bi-weekly studies for lecturers and staff, scientific papers written by students and lecturers, and community service activities.

To STEM or not to STEM: A cross-national analysis of gender and tertiary graduates in science, technology, engineering, and math, 1998–2018

The comparative literature on gender and higher education has increasingly focused on differences in access to the fields of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). We contribute to this literature through a cross-national analysis of STEM graduates by gender between 1998 and 2018 across 90 countries. Many earlier studies emphasize the positive influence of a global liberal culture on women. More recent scholarship contends that women may be steered away from attaining a STEM degree in more liberal and individualistic societies. Our study shows a lower percentage of women graduates in STEM in countries that are more liberal. However, we find that the opposite is the case for men. Our findings are consistent with the idea that individuals in more liberal cultural contexts are more likely to make degree decisions based on individual preferences that are influenced by gendered societal norms. Both women and men are more likely to “indulge in their gendered selves” in these cultural contexts. Our findings are inconsistent with the idea that liberal modernity influences men and women in STEM in a gender-neutral mode.

Confronting well-being and mental health in the ‘therapeutic university’: implications for educators, students and the curriculum

ABSTRACT This is a conceptual paper that examines the emergence of the ‘therapeutic university’ and considers its potential implications for policy and practice in Higher Education (HE). Concern over the well-being and mental health of university students both in the United Kingdom (UK) and internationally has recently intensified in media, academic and political spheres, to the extent that Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) are increasingly offering a diverse range of ad-hoc initiatives and practices based on the language and techniques of an equally diverse popular psychology. An emotionally oriented ‘therapeutic university’ (TU) is emerging from a complex intertwining of policies of social liberalism, specifically widening participation, and policies of economic liberalism which seek to cultivate the higher education (HE) sector as a competitive marketplace. While the TU might appear to offer the potential to alleviate mental health conditions, these therapeutic practices are frequently conceived as self-evidently good and rarely subjected to any critical scrutiny. This article explores three inter-related sets of concerns regarding the implications of the TU for educators, students and the curriculum and, through an exploratory account, illustrates these trends from our own lived experiences of working within a TU. Framed by insights from critical pedagogy, we critically analyse the current well-being agenda in the British HE sector and how this positions educators as ‘agents of well-being’ rather than ‘agents of criticality’.