Literary Culture Research Articles

A.N. Ostrovsky’s Dramaturgy in Slovakia

The article examines the history of the acquaintance of Slovak literary culture and theater with the dramatic heritage of the great Russian playwright A.N. Ostrovsky. It tells in detail about the first translations of his plays into Slovak and the first experiences of productions on the professional stage (all of them are associated with the name of director J. Borodach), about the difficulties of translating some of the titles of the plays, and also traces the evolution of the perception of Ostrovsky’s work in Slovakia over the past century. The periods of greatest popularity of his plays are highlighted (1950s, 1970–80s), and an overview of the most significant Slovak theatrical productions based on his works is given. Special attention is paid to several outstanding productions of the drama «The Forest», which appeared on the Slovak theater stages in different historical periods and largely influenced the perception of this Russian author by the Slovak audience: performances of the theater «Divadlo na Korze» (1971, directed by V. Strnisko), Theater SNP in Martin (1982, directed by L. Vaydichka), theater «Astorka Korzo ’90» (1997, directed by R. Polak), Slovak Chamber Theater in Martin (2014, directed by L. Brutovsky, M. Daho), Theater J. Palarika in Trnava (2020, directed by V. Strnisko).

Comparative Studies of the Oral and Literary Culture in the First Century and Its Implications for African Christianity Today

This study explores the interplay between oral and literary traditions in early Christianity and contemporary African Christian practices. While early Christian communities relied heavily on oral traditions, the transition to written texts significantly shaped the formation of Christian theology and scripture. However, contemporary African Christianity continues to preserve oral traditions, particularly in worship and evangelism. By comparing these two contexts, the study highlights how Reader-Response Theory helps bridge historical and modern interpretive practices. Methodologically, the study employs textual analysis of early Christian writings and fieldwork observations of African Christian communities. Key findings show that oral traditions remain crucial for biblical engagement and theological discourse in low-literacy settings. The study recommends incorporating oral traditions into African Christian theological education to enhance faith practice.

How does the novel create life? Thinking the impossible in Elizabeth Costello

ABSTRACT What is happening in literary culture that critics and scholars believe the way we read novels today is troubled? Writer-critics like Zadie Smith have argued that the value of the novel be reconsidered according to an earlier tradition of realism, which evokes an increasingly complex world by which readers can be roused to ethical knowledge of other people. Smith’s formulation tells a story about the way we connect the reality of the novel and our own reality, a story of which literary scholars have begun to question the very possibility. This essay engages a debate between Dorothy Hale (2020) and Timothy Bewes (2022) that has significant consequences for reading, if Bewes is correct to question critical approaches that treat literature as an object of analysis and to theorise, instead, that the contemporary novel has its own, unapprehendable ‘thought’. But if thought is unapprehendable, how can criticism survive? Answering this question, I read J.M. Coetzee’s Elizabeth Costello (2003) as a novel that foregrounds thought, not, I argue, as in Bewes’s negative formulation but necessarily as a positive power that manifests a life. In this case, realism and criticism survive as precisely the nonsubjective thinking of impossibility required for less troubling times.

Основоположники арабо-мусульманской историографии (IX–начала x века)

The culmination of the “Golden Age” of Islamic literary culture was the multivolume “History of the Prophets and Kings” (Ta’rīḫ ar-Rusul wa-l-Mulūk) by the “father of Muslim historiography”, an Arabic spoken Iranian Muḥammad b. Ǧarīr (Djarir) aṭ-Ṭabarī (839–923), which outlines the general history since the Creation, as well as the works of other founders of the Islamic historiography in Classical Arabic – al-Kūfī, Ḫalīfa b. Ḫayyāṭ (Khalifah b. Khayyat), ad- Dīnawarī, al-Balāḏurī (al-Beladsori), al-Ya‘qūbī (al-Ja‘qubi). The breakthrough works by these authors contain a lot of data concerning the countries and peoples of the Armenian Highlands, Caucasus, Asia Minor, and North-Western Iran (Atropatene-Azerbaijan), as well as adjacent areas of the Mesopotamia, Media, and Syria from Ancient times to the early of the 10th c. These materials may well be of interest to readers of the periodical “Studies in oriental sources” (Institute of Oriental Studies, National Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Armenia).

디자인 씽킹을 접목한 중학교 인성교육 프로그램 개발 연구

Objectives This study aimed to structure the content framework of a middle school character education curriculum by grafting design thinking and to develop a character education program. Methods The developed program was applied within the school and supplemented by receiving feedback, and the effectiveness of the program was verified using a paired-sample t-test in a single group pre- and post-test. Through this, the degree of students' character literacy development and the adequacy of the program were evaluated. In addition, we analyzed the opinions collected through opinion surveys and personal interviews of students who participated in each character education strategy. Results The detailed results of research and development are as follows. (1) Construction of middle school character curriculum content system grafting design thinking, (2) Establishment of middle school character curriculum types grafting design thinking, (3) 9 programs of middle school character education grafting design thinking, (4) The design content of the middle school character education program grafting design thinking, (5) The degree of character literacy cultivation. In these five aspects, the validity and effectiveness of the middle school character education program graftin design thinking was confirmed. Conclusions Firstly, a curriculum for systematic and comprehensive character curriculum is needed for the holistic growth of students. Secondly, combining character education and design thinking creates a synergistic effect. Thirdly, character education must be strengthened through cooperation between schools, families, and communities. Fourthly, policy support and improvement of the educational environment are essential.

Pendampingan Fasilitasi Pojok Baca sebagai Sarana Edukasi dan Peningkatan Literasi pada Pelajar di Desa Tewang Kadamba Kalimantan Tengah

The lack of facilities and supporting resources for teaching and learning activities in educational institutions and places of worship in Tewang Kadamba Village is a major factor hindering the development of students' literacy skills. In fact, literacy skills are one of the most fundamental aspects that every student must possess to support their continuity as individuals who are expected to live intelligently and with character. One of the breakthroughs offered by the researchers to solve the question as intended is by organizing a reading corner facilitation and facilitation to support the literacy skills of students in the Tewang Kadamba village. Therefore, this research is aimed at evaluating the effectiveness of the reading corn facilitation as a means of education and literacy improvement for students in Tewang kadamba village, central Kalimantan. The qualitative descriptive method was chosen to gain a deep understanding of the social, cultural, and historical context of a phenomenon. The research results show that reading corners can be an effective strategy to increase students' reading interest. Through three stages, namely planning, implementation, and evaluation, the provision of reading corner facilities has proven to enhance the love of reading and change students' positive attitudes towards literacy culture, both at school and in places of worship.

Greek Poetry in a Multicultural Society: Sicily and Salento in the Twelfth and Thirteenth Centuries

Abstract In the twelfth and thirteenth centuries, southern Italy experienced a period of relative political stability and economic prosperity under the Normans as well as the Hohenstaufen dynasty that succeeded them. These cultural conditions fostered a cultural resurgence, which included the composition of Greek poetry. Poets in Sicily wrote from within a multicultural context, including the presence of Arabic- and Latin-speaking communities. Many of their poems illustrate the generative intersections between the Byzantine-Constantinopolitan, Latin, and Arabic traditions. Later in Salento, poetry was written in a rather closed Greek-speaking, Orthodox society. Comparing Greek poetry from Sicily and Salento shows some differences between composition in the two regions. Whereas Sicilian poetry includes especially creative narrative poems, composed for the rich and sophisticated courts of the island, the Salentine poetry bears the stamp of the schoolroom. In fact, most poems from both Sicily and Salento survive in manuscripts that can be traced to a pedagogical environment. While the circulation of these poems was limited to their surrounding regions, their literary sophistication betrays remarkable creativity and the multicultural conditions of composition, further evidence of the vitality of Greek literary culture far from the heartland of the Byzantine Empire.

The emergence of postmodernism in Latvian literary culture

ABSTRACT This study investigates the evolution of postmodernism in Latvian literary culture following the Soviet Union’s collapse. It traces its evolution from its initial phase as an unrecognized literary form in the late 1970s and 1980s, through the period of theoretical engagement in the late 1980s and early 1990s, to its conceptual maturity in the mid-1990s and beyond. The article examines the influence of Western cultural elements on post-Soviet Latvian culture and its complex relationship with Latvian national identity. It underscores the significance of pivotal figures and genres in defining Latvian postmodernism and differentiating it from its Western counterparts.

The Sentimentalist Terrain of Ora V. Eddleman Reed’s Twin Territories Fiction

Abstract This article grapples with the messy legacy of Ora V. Eddleman Reed, editor of Twin Territories magazine in the Muscogee Nation, Indian Territory, at the turn of the twentieth century. Twin Territories vocally opposed US statehood in Indian Territory and furthered the literary careers of many Native writers. It was an important and influential venue of Native literary expression in the early twentieth century that deserves greater attention from Indigenous literary and print culture studies. However, the magazine’s ambitions and how we make sense of its legacy are complicated by Eddleman Reed’s racial politics, her own (non)citizenship, and the contents of her short sentimental fiction, all of which did as much to reinscribe racialized notions of Indigeneity as they did to challenge prevailing settler assumptions about Native people. Reed has been hailed as a recovered Cherokee writer, but her family’s rejected Cherokee Nation enrollment applications and recent genealogical research raise critical questions about framing her in this way.

The Emergence of Modern Prose Narrative in Iraq: Maḥmūd Aḥmad al-Sayyid and the Search for Form

Abstract This paper examines the efforts of the early twentieth century writer Mahmud Ahmad al-Sayyid (1903–1937) to remake literary culture in Iraq. Al-Sayyid’s essays advocated abandoning what he characterized as socially disinterested and decorative prose, urging Arab writers to embrace a literature of social commitment. Al-Sayyid charted a path that sought to distance Arabic cultural production from European influence, envisioning literary rebirth through the politics of anti-colonialism and by establishing solidarity with other colonized peoples. Yet these efforts were itinerant and often contradictory. Al-Sayyid’s circuitous path toward an embrace of the realist short story embodies the complexities of cultural formation during a dramatic historical shift. Aesthetically, these complexities manifest in the syncretism of al-Sayyid’s fiction, which engaged with and reproduced extant Arabic literary forms and themes. This article historicizes the emergence of a modern prose tradition in Iraq through critical assessments of the early modern Iraqi maqāmah and the short prose form of the ruʾyā, arguing that the circulations of these local forms were critical to the making of the reformist prose of al-Sayyid. It then examines the novella Jalāl Khālid, arguing that the text’s formal indeterminacy and narration of romantic and revolutionary failure inscribes an ironic stance toward the project of the nation and its aesthetic corollary, the novel. Finally, the article analyzes al-Sayyid’s short story “Sakrān” (1929), which is emblematic of a decades-long realist trend in Iraqi prose fiction that reoriented Iraqi prose toward a global trend of literary realism in the global south.

Implementasi Pojok Literasi Sebagai Strategi Penigkatan Literasi Siswa di Lingkungan SDN 1 Tongka Kalimantan Tengah

This community service program was implemented to address the low literacy levels among students in remote areas of Central Kalimantan, specifically at SDN 1 Tongka, Gunung Timang District, North Barito Regency. The main objective of the program was to implement a literacy corner as a strategy to improve student literacy and create a sustainable literacy ecosystem in the school environment. The method used included participatory and adaptive approaches, applying the concept of a "mobile literacy corner" adapted to the limitations of local space and resources. The program was carried out over 45 days, covering preparation, implementation, and evaluation phases. The results showed a significant increase in students' reading interest, with a 68% rise in the frequency of visits to the literacy corner. Pre-test and post-test evaluations indicated an average increase in students' literacy skills of 27%, particularly in reading comprehension and vocabulary mastery. Participatory observation revealed the formation of a stronger literacy culture in the school environment, characterized by student-initiated literacy discussions and increased use of references in academic tasks. The program also successfully developed an adaptive and contextual model for implementing literacy corners, which has the potential to be replicated in other remote areas of Indonesia.

The Expert, The Novice, and The Skeptic: Game Literacy and Pedagogical Practice

This qualitative case study explores how teachers' video game literacy impacts their pedagogical use of the digital game The Walking Dead in an ethics education course at a Norwegian high school. The research question addressed is: how is teachers' pedagogical use of a digital game impacted by their levels of video game literacy? The study followed seven teachers, varying in teaching and gaming experience, over two semesters. Observations and semi-structured interviews were conducted to gather data on the teachers' experience and pedagogical practice using The Walking Dead in their classes. Three teachers were selected for deeper analysis based them showing differences in attitudes and practices, while having similar teaching experience. These teachers were labeled "the expert," "the novice," and "the skeptic" based on their gaming literacy and attitudes. The analysis was based on a two-dimensional approach to video game literacy, emphasizing operational and cultural literacy. The results show that operational literacy impacted how teachers perceived and used various game elements, especially how they identified and framed the game’s dilemmas. The expert and novice saw the game's narrative as an important contextual resource for engaging with the dilemmas, while the skeptic saw it as merely a backdrop. The skeptic also had difficulties distinguishing between relevant and less relevant aspects of the game relative to the learning goal. Cultural literacy mainly impacted the teachers' ability to differentiate between students' perceptions and experiences of the game and different modes of playing. The expert had a more nuanced approach to how students perceived the game's motivational power, emphasizing the story's importance. The novice and expert explicitly instructed students to distinguish between playing for fun and playing to learn, while the skeptic made less of a distinction and saw playing the game more as a standalone learning activity. The findings suggest that teachers' video game literacy can significantly influence pedagogical use of digital games. Higher levels of operational and cultural literacy enable teachers to better navigate the game's elements, guide students' engagement, and facilitate connections between gameplay and learning objectives.

Increasing Interest In Reading Through the School Literacy Movement Program in Class IV State Elementary School 27 Pontianak Timur

This study aims to determine the implementation of GLS in Class IV State Elementary School Negeri 27 East Pontianak through the application of GLS principles and its impact on students' interest in reading. The research method used was descriptive qualitative with data collection techniques of observation, interview and documentation. The results showed that the implementation of GLS at Class IV State Elementary School Negeri 27 East Pontianak was carried out through reading habit 15 minutes before lessons, providing reading materials at school, teachers giving reading examples, and students forming reading study groups. However, the utilization of technology in GLS has not been maximized. The positive impact of GLS on students' reading interest is characterized by an increase in the number of library visits and students actively reading outside of class hours. Lack of facilities such as a narrow reading room is an obstacle. Based on the results of the study, strategies are needed to improve the implementation of GLS through the utilization of technology and improvement of supporting facilities. This aims to realize a sustainable literacy culture at Class IV State Elementary School Negeri 27 East Pontianak.

Pengembangan Media Pop Up Book dalam Meningkatkan Budaya Literasi Program Pojok Baca di SMP Negeri 1 Berastagi

The research and development is titled “Development of Pop-Up Book Media in Enhancing Literacy Culture in the Reading Corner Program at SMP Negeri 1 Berastagi.”This development research aims to determine: (1) The design of pop-up book media; (2) The development of pop-up book media in enhancing student literacy; (3) The feasibility of pop-up book media in improving student literacy. This research is conducted using a Research and Development (R&D) model with the 4D model, which includes Define (definition), Design (design), Development (development), and Dissemination (dissemination). The subjects of this research are students of SMP Negeri 1 Berastagi, totaling 35 individuals. The instruments used in this research include questionnaires to assess the development, feasibility, and effectiveness of the media. Data analysis techniques include product data analysis, initial data analysis, and hypothesis testing.The results show that the pop-up book media received evaluations of 81% from media experts, 92% from material experts, and 65% from language experts. There was an average increase in student scores of 83%, indicating a significant change between pretest and posttest scores. The conclusion of the research is that the pop-up book media for drama content is suitable for use in literacy activities of the reading corner program. Recommendations for future research include being more meticulous in planning the development of pop-up book media, ensuring it aligns with the needs and characteristics of students.

Qur’an Translation and Reformist daʿwa: Ideology, Literacy, and Modernity in West Java

Qur'an translation was an important element of the daʿwa activities of reformist Muslims in West Java at the beginning of the twentieth century, as is reflected in the publication of the Sundanese translation of Ahmad Hassan's Tafsir Al-Foerqan, as well as other Qur'an translations penned by his friends and associates. These Sundanese translations not only promote a reformist ideology, but also demonstrate a shift in the formation of translation and literary culture in West Java: from interlinear word-for-word to verse-for-verse translation; from handwriting to printed books; and from Arabic ( jawi and pegon) script to Roman script. This article explores this new tradition of Qur'an translations. Written for the modern era, they differed from the interpretive translations taught in the traditional Javanese Islamic schools ( pesantren) and were influenced by a wave of reformist ideas originating from the Middle East during the late nineteenth century.

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Analisis Upaya Guru dalam Meningkatkan Kemampuan Literasi dan Numerasi Peserta Didik di SD Negeri Gemah

Literacy and numeracy education in Indonesia requires substantial attention from primary education through to higher education to support global economic progress. Although the 2013 Curriculum is designed to enhance literacy culture, Indonesia still faces significant challenges, including low literacy rates and a lack of understanding of the issue in various regions. This study seeks to investigate and examine the role of teachers in enhancing literacy and numeracy skills at SD Negeri Gemah, focusing on the teaching strategies employed and the challenges encountered. Employing a qualitative approach and case study design, this research includes detailed interviews, participant observations, and document analysis, involving six classroom teachers as participants. The study's findings reveal that educators at Gemah State Elementary School employ a range of literacy and numeracy teaching strategies, including shared reading, group discussions, digital media, and both Problem-Based Learning (PBL) and Project-Based Learning (PJBL) methods to improve numeracy skills.. The main challenges faced include the transition from kindergarten to elementary school, difficulties in reading and arithmetic, lack of student interest, and differences in students' abilities. Proposed solutions include collaboration with teachers of other subjects, the use of diverse learning media, parental support, and providing additional learning opportunities outside of classroom hours. The study concludes that diverse teaching approaches and comprehensive support are essential in improving students' literacy and numeracy skills. By implementing an integrated solution, it is hoped that SD Negeri Gemah can overcome existing challenges and better prepare students for higher education.

Civic Cultural Literacy Research Trend in Primary Schools

This study uses VOSviewer bibliometric analysis to chart the upward trajectory of civic cultural literacy research, particularly in primary schools. The goal of this study was to examine civic cultural literacy research trends using bibliometric analysis. Article data were collected using publication reference management systems and the Publish or Perish (PoP 8) database. Direct the search process by including the keywords "Cultural Literacy, Civic Literacy, Civic Cultural Literacy, and Elementary School" in the article's title and abstract. 1000. articles are utilized as samples and deemed appropriate. The literature included in the Google Scholar index between 2014 and 2024 provides research material. The statistics reveal that over time, the citations related to this paper are very few and even declined considerably. The statistics reveal that the number of citations linked with this work has decreased dramatically over time, as seen by the fact that there were 9004 citations in 2014. However, there will be just 410 citations at the end of 2023, and 28 citations by 2024. Based on density visualization data, the yellow color in the visualization suggests a dark direction, implying that this research is still extremely poorly done and provides a huge chance for future research on the phrase above

ANALISIS PENDIDIKAN KARAKTER DALAM LITERASI BUDAYA DAN KEWARGAAN MELALUI KEGIATAN EKSTRAKURIKULER TARI DI SD SUPRIYADI SEMARANG

This study aims to analyze extracurricular dance activities towards character education, cultural literacy, and citizenship at SD Supriyadi Semarang. Through interviews with teachers, students, and parents, as well as observations of dance activities, this study found that dance activities significantly contribute to the formation of students' character, such as discipline, cooperation, and self-confidence. Dance activities also serve as an effective media to improve cultural literacy by introducing students to traditional dances and the meaning of local culture. In addition, dance performances at various school and community events strengthen students' sense of citizenship and social responsibility. These findings indicate that extracurricular dance not only develops artistic skills but also provides benefits in aspects of character education, culture, and citizenship of students. This study recommends strengthening extracurricular arts activities as an integral part of the curriculum to support students' holistic development.

Library of Stone

This article examines cemeteries as repositories for vernacular literary culture, in the form of epitaphs, and as the inspiration for literature that brings necrogeography into tension with programmes of growth. It starts in the early nineteenth century, when Romantic period notions of individuality, intertwined with the novel, gave birth to modern cemeteries. These spaces have, in the interceding centuries, grown old and been threatened by expanding cities, infrastructure, and changing modes of memorialisation. As sprawling cities encroach on cemeteries, ‘perpetual rest’ has been challenged and headstones have been removed or consolidated, to make way for parks and amenities that benefit the living. Literary depictions of cemeteries in the twentieth century have both reinforced, and troubled the notion, that cemeteries are ‘archives in stone’ that must be protected at all costs.