Literary Theory Research Articles

Oppressive expression and the Czech and Slovak communities of Northern Ireland

Feminist philosophers of language have, in the last several decades, demonstrated the usefulness of employing a speech-act theoretical lens to understand how expression works to enact and reinforce oppression. Despite the growing influence of these approaches in the philosophy and political theory literature, however, their use in other disciplines remains severely limited. This is surprising, especially given the real potential of the speech-act approach to illuminate the mechanisms by which everyday acts contribute to large-scale oppressions. This paper takes up this call for interdisciplinarity, utilising a speech-act theory of oppression to better understand the real-life experiences of the under-researched Czech and Slovak communities of Northern Ireland. Using semi-structured interviews followed by thematic analysis, our study expands our understanding of oppressive speech by revealing a complex relationship between victims’ experiences and their understanding of wider societal oppression, exposing a channel via which victims can exercise agency by contesting attempts to reinforce their oppression. In so doing, the study also draws attention to a novel theoretical lens with which to understand experiences of harmful speech, one which is currently under-utilised by those outside of the philosophy/political theory disciplines.

Measure Twice, Cut Once: Unit Profitability, Scalability, and the Exceptional Growth of New Firms

By studying three promising venture pairs with different business models in different nascent markets, we explore how some new firms grow into mature firms and some promising peers do not. The successful firms first use a learning process that begins with (1) focused attention on unit profitability (not growth), then broad (not narrow) learning, and finally active delay (not acceleration) of growth. They then use a capability-building process that (2) shifts to focused attention on unit-profitable growth, then makes long-term investments in profit-oriented capabilities, and finally leverages these capabilities into new products. In contrast, peers with focused attention on growth ironically fail to achieve it. Broadly, we contribute a process theory of exceptional growth that fills the gap between the growth of new firms in the entrepreneurship literature and the growth of mature firms in the strategy and organization theory literatures. Further, we add the importance of learning content—not just learning processes—to the entrepreneurship literature on new firm growth and a rare, novel, and grounded account of the origin of capabilities to the strategy literature on the resource-based view and mature firm growth. Finally, we add to practice the significance of product–market–profit fit and a precise definition of premature scaling. Funding: This work was supported by the Strategy Research Foundation [Grant SRF-2018-DP-9167].

Echoes of the Past: The Vitellian Women in Tacitus’ Histories

This article argues that Tacitus’ characterizations of female members of the Vitellii evoke literary representations of several prominent Roman women of the late Republic and Julio-Claudian era. Tacitus draws upon a range of figures for his Vitellian women, from Fulvia to Livia, Antonia the Younger to Octavia. Literary resonances contribute to Tacitus’ representation of Vitellius as a bad emperor who nevertheless cared about his family. In rejecting or reflecting literary models, Tacitus uses Vitellius’ mother Sextilia, wife Galeria, and sister-in-law Triaria to create echoes and distinctions between past and present civil conflicts.

Experiencing the Craft and Ethical Impact of Young Adult Disability Fiction

Scholars like Ria Cheyne and Sami Schalk have argued that the imaginative and ethical structures of fiction can, if effectively leveraged, provide readers a new orientation to, or understanding of, difference. Advancing recent work that identifies methods to assess the material reception of disability literature, the article demonstrates how general audiences perceive both the craft and ethical import of fiction. Beverly Butler’s 1962 novel Light a Single Candle is one example of young adult literature that has resonated with audiences over time. Literary disability studies and narrative theory clarify the range of storytelling techniques that make the novel compelling: Butler, a blind author herself, carefully creates distances among reader, narrator, and character only to close them; she uses the physical description of blind modality to represent social experience; and she installs characters that model different disability ethics. Systematically analyzing the novel’s online reviews, the article shows that audiences sense Butler’s storytelling techniques in ways that open up spaces for mindful reflection on the nature of impairment and the construction of disability.

The Copenhagen School’s widening security theory in relation to cybersecurity. Applicability and Implications

This paper critically examines the relationship between cybersecurity and Copenhagen School’s widening security theory, with the aim of assessing the possibility of applying this theoretical framework to the cyber realm. As cybersecurity is a relatively recent addition to the security discourse, this research explores whether the Copenhagen School’s traditional framework, which was primarily focused on securitisation processes in the five main sectors (military, political, economic, environmental, and societal), adequately encompasses the unique aspects and dynamics of cyber domain. The research question is: Why the cybersecurity field can’t become a separate constructivist sector? The study begins with a detailed overview of both cybersecurity landscape and Copenhagen School’s fundamental principles to provide the context for a comparative analysis of the Copenhagen theory and contemporary cybersecurity literature. In doing so, the research delves into the features of cybersecurity, with a focus on the evolving nature of cyber threats and vulnerabilities. By performing a qualitative analysis of the existing literature, the paper assesses the limitations of integrating these two concepts, ultimately concluding that cybersecurity lacks the distinct characteristics required to be considered a separate sector under the Copenhagen School’s framework. The findings contribute to the ongoing discussions regarding the adaptation of traditional security theories to address contemporary security challenges in the digital age.

Stability vs. no justified envy

Stability and “no justified envy” are used almost synonymously in the matching theory literature. However, they are conceptually different and have logically separate properties. We generalize the definition of justified envy to environments with arbitrary school preferences, feasibility constraints, and contracts, and show that stable allocations may admit justified envy. When choice functions are substitutable, the outcome of the deferred acceptance algorithm is both stable and admits no justified envy.

Is Oration Literature?

Abstract Is oration literature? More specifically, can we read the multi-functional Arabic oration (khuṭbah) of the 1st/7th and 2nd/8th centuries as part of the classical prose canon? In this article, I argue that if our definition of literature includes beautiful language, admiration expressed by literary theorists, and masterful articulation of themes to evoke audience response, early Arabic oration is most certainly literature. I demonstrate this claim by analyzing the rhythmic and graphic oral aesthetics of early Arabic oration, the views of medieval theorists regarding its distinguished place and literary nature, and its crucial influence on the development of the chancery epistle (risālah), the first written genre of Arabic literary prose. I contend that khuṭbah is the foundational prose genre of Arabic and it has materially influenced the major genres of risālah and maqāmāt that followed. The history of Arabic literature cannot be written without oration.

Path partitions of phylogenetic networks

In phylogenetics, evolution is traditionally represented in a tree-like manner. However, phylogenetic networks can be more appropriate for representing evolutionary events such as hybridization, horizontal gene transfer, and others. In particular, the class of forest-based networks was recently introduced to represent introgression, in which genes are swapped between species. A network is forest-based if it can be obtained by adding arcs to a collection of trees, so that the endpoints of the new arcs are in different trees. This contrasts with so-called tree-based networks, which are formed by adding arcs within a single tree.We are interested in the computational complexity of recognizing forest-based networks, which was recently left as an open problem by Huber et al. It has been observed that forest-based networks coincide with directed acyclic graphs that can be partitioned into induced paths, each ending at a leaf of the original graph. Several types of path partitions have been studied in the graph theory literature, but to our best knowledge this type of ‘leaf induced path partition’ has not been directly considered before. The study of forest-based networks in terms of these partitions allows us to establish closer relationships between phylogenetics and algorithmic graph theory, and to provide answers to problems in both fields.More specifically, we show that deciding whether a network is forest-based is NP-complete, even on input networks that are tree-based, binary, and have only three leaves. This shows that partitioning a directed acyclic graph into a constant number of induced paths is NP-complete, answering a recent question of Fernau et al. We then show that the problem is polynomial-time solvable on binary networks with two leaves and on the recently introduced class of orchards, which we show to be always forest-based. Finally, for undirected graphs, we introduce unrooted forest-based networks and provide hardness results for this class as well.

Encyklopedisten August Strindberg. Fallet Svarta Fanor

Abstract The article is devoted to the late prose of August Strindberg in the context of literary theories related to encyclopedic narratives and modern epic. I argue that Strindberg’s prose after the Inferno-crisis bears all the features of encyclopedic narratives: it has the ambition to sum up the scientific knowledge of the late 19th century, the narratives are formless, excessive, and full of digressions, their pursuit is mimetic completeness, and their form is both monstrous and hybrid. My thesis is illustrated by a close reading of the nine scientific chapters of the novel Black Banners from 1907.

The role of socio-emotional attributes in enhancing human-AI collaboration.

This article delves into the dynamics of human interaction with artificial intelligence (AI), emphasizing the optimization of these interactions to enhance human productivity. Employing a Grounded Theory Literature Review (GTLR) methodology, the study systematically identifies and analyzes themes from literature published between 2018 and 2023. Data were collected primarily from the Scopus database, with the Web of Science used to corroborate findings and include additional sources identified through a snowball effect. At the heart of this exploration is the pivotal role of socio-emotional attributes such as trust, empathy, rapport, user engagement, and anthropomorphization-elements crucial for the successful integration of AI into human activities. By conducting a comprehensive review of existing literature and incorporating case studies, this study illuminates how AI systems can be designed and employed to foster deeper trust and empathetic understanding between humans and machines. The analysis reveals that when AI systems are attuned to human emotional and cognitive needs, there is a marked improvement in collaborative efficiency and productivity. Furthermore, the paper discusses the ethical implications and potential societal impacts of fostering such human-AI relationships. It argues for a paradigm shift in AI development-from focusing predominantly on technical proficiency to embracing a more holistic approach that values the socio-emotional aspects of human-AI interaction. This shift could pave the way for more meaningful and productive collaborations between humans and AI, ultimately leading to advancements that are both technologically innovative and human-centric.

Discourse Dynamics and Literary Essence in Text Analysis

The paper approaches the topic of discourse by performing a dual analysis of a literary excerpt from The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood. After suggesting a theoretical framework based on theories on discourse, discourse typology and analysis, and features of literary discourses, the study continues with a dual-layer analysis of the literary excerpt. In the first layer, the study identifies general discourse features, such as cohesion, coherence, and context. The second part of the analysis evaluates the excerpt’s literariness based on concepts derived from literary theory, including fictionality, poeticity, inquisitoriality, licence, and contemplation.

Antigone or the Right to Kill: Making Noise As Resistance

ABSTRACTThis article delves into the relation between the terms social dissonance, necropolitics and Sophocles' tragedy, Antigone. By attempting an interdisciplinary analysis and by bringing together elements of sound studies, political theory and classical literature, I will explore the contemporary dynamics between social dissonance, necropolitics and resistance. The key point is that beyond contemporary contexts or rather recent modernity, resistance to the authoritarian volition can be understood metaphorically as noise within a context of a wider social dissonance arrangement. While examining Antigone's defiance in the face of oppressive power, we are reminded of the individuals striving for justice and autonomy in the face of oppressive systems, as resistance to generalized capitalism prevailing positivity and appropriation. By juxtaposing the sociopolitical context in which Sophocles wrote Antigone and various manifestations of necropolitics in our times, this article explores the relevance of the play in today's ubiquitous surveillance and subjugation. Moreover, it emphasises the significance of the term 'social dissonance', as proposed by Mattin, in understanding the responses towards power struggles and forms of resistance. The collision of these concepts occurs, here, in their shared focus on power dynamics and resistance against oppressive systems: it explores the ways in which power operates, so as to control and manipulate individuals and communities, creating conditions of voluntary servitude and subjugation. As this analysis emphasises the potential for resistance, these terms can serve as a framework to challenge dominant narratives. When examining the intersection of necropolitics and social dissonance, we can explore how the exercise of necropolitical strategies leads to oppression by silencing dissent, suppressing alternative narratives and perpetuating oppressive structures. Silence is metaphorically seen here as a system of perpetuating power, subordinating resistance and ultimately, incorporating noise into the capitalist narrative. The clash between the dominant necropolitical regime and the underlying resistance exposes the tension and contradictions within society, laying the foundation for social movements.

Facing Mortality: Exploring Existentialist Motif of Death in the Selected Novels by McCarthy, Zhadan, and Müller

This study represents the first scholarly endeavour to investigate the existentialist motif of death within the works of renowned authors from the United States and Europe: Cormac McCarthy’s The Road (2006), Herta Müller’s Atemschaukel (2009), and Serhii Zhadan’s Internat (2017). Employing a multifaceted methodological approach, this research utilises close reading to identify representations of the death experience, an interpretative lens to uncover and categorise imagery, allusions, and symbols related to death, and a comparative analysis based on the point-by-point method to juxtapose the literary representations of death across the selected novels. Through this study, three distinct forms of death emerge: the cessation of life, the moral decay of humanity, and the demise of nature. This study delves into these forms, which are most prominently depicted in each novel, to provide a comprehensive understanding of the nature of death at the dawn of the 21st century. The selection of these novels is predicated on their shared thematic concerns, including survival in hostile environments and extreme experiences such as isolation, alienation, and ultimately, death.

Studi Consumer Brand Engagement pada Media Sosial FnB (Food and Beverages) Brand di Indonesia untuk Meningkatkan Brand Loyalty dengan Teori Social Exchange

Consumer Brand Engagement (CBE) on social media is important in shaping consumers emotional and interactive engagement with brands, spanning cognitive, affective and behavioral dimensions. In Indonesia, brand loyalty in the food and beverage (FnB) industry is often challenging, with many brands struggling to retain consumers in a competitive and dynamic market. The purpose of this study is to examine the dynamics of Consumer Brand Engagement and its impact on brand love and brand loyalty. This research specifically aims to understand how brand interactivity, consumer involvement, and e-WOM can influence Consumer Brand Engagement and impact to increase brand loyalty. This study used a quantitative approach, which was conducted through an online survey involving 317 respondents, and SmartPLS software was used to conduct SEM-PLS data analysis. This study found that consumer involvement and e-WOM have a positive influence on Consumer Brand Engagement. Furthermore, Consumer Brand Engagement shows a positive influence on brand love and brand loyalty, indicating that active and meaningful interactions between consumers and brands through social media can increase brand loyalty. This research contributes and integrates the social exchange theory literature to provide a deeper understanding of consumer brand engagement, consumer involvement, e-WOM, brand love and brand loyalty. This research highlights the importance of applying consumer involvement and e-WOM in the context of FnB Brand's social media marketing activities in Indonesia. It offers valuable insights for marketers who want to increase Consumer Brand Engagement and brand loyalty.

Narrating Ecopolitics and the Poetics of Slow Violence in Imbolo Mbue’s How Beautiful We Were

Abstract In her second novel How Beautiful We Were (2021), the Cameroonian-American writer Imbolo Mbue addresses the devastating environmental and human consequences of Big Oil on a community in a fictional African setting. In this article I investigate the power of narratives to evoke environmental injustice and discuss the narrative strategies and dominant themes employed in this ‘oil novel’ to depict the violent disruptions experienced by the environment and the members of the community. While my reading is guided by insights gained from the work of a number of postcolonial environmental critics, several of the concepts proposed by Rob Nixon (2011) have proven especially useful. More precisely, in this article I explore issues such as the power of literary representation and narrative strategies, the impact of colonial legacies and post-independence conditions, neo-colonial realities of toxic imperialism, and their repercussions on cultural identity and environmental integrity.

Quantum Melting of Generalized Wigner Crystals in Transition Metal Dichalcogenide Moiré Systems.

The generalized Wigner crystal (GWC) is a novel quantum phase of matter driven by further-range interaction at fractional fillings of a lattice. The role of further-range interaction as the driver for the incompressible state is akin to the Wigner crystal. On the other hand, the significant role of commensurate filling is akin to the Mott insulator. Recent progress in simulator platforms presents unprecedented opportunities to investigate quantum melting in the strongly interacting regime through synergy between theory and experiments. However, the earlier theory literature presents diverging predictions. We study the quantum freezing of GWC through large-scale density matrix renormalization group simulations of a triangular lattice extended Hubbard model. We find a single first-order phase transition between the Fermi liquid and the sqrt[3]×sqrt[3] GWC state. The GWC state shows long-range antiferromagnetic 120° Néel order. Our results present the simplest answers to the question of the quantum phase transition into the GWC phase and the properties of the GWC phase.

The Statement of Ruanga Movement and Kurkuk Group - Kfri between literary theory and literary criticism

The Statement of Ruanga Movement and Kurkuk Group - Kfri between literary theory and literary criticism

Wilno i wątki urbanistyczne w przedwojennych tekstach Józefa Mackiewicza

The article points out the dominant themes of Józef Mackiewicz's pre-war work, indicates Vilnius as one of the main goals of Mackiewicz's writing, and analyses selected pre-war columns and reportages, primarily the diptych Z wileńskiego bruku (From the Vilnius Pavement) and a series of reportages under the common title Poszukiwania tajemniczego portcygaru w Wilnie (Search for the Mysterious Portcygar in Vilnius). In the diptych, Mackiewicz studies the city as a strictly urban space without reference to tradition or cultural and symbolic imagery. Observations and descriptions of the everyday life of pre-war Vilnius gave rise to texts in which motifs specific to urban literature appear, such as the movement and rhythm of urban life, the organisation of time, or the peculiarities of the audiosphere. The protagonist-narrator of these texts also resides in the city in a modern way: he focuses on empiricism and the sensory-bodily perception of the city. On the other hand, the reportage series belongs to the non-fiction literature of the 1930s. Some of Mackiewicz's pre-war works, including the analysed series, belong to the period of literature’s turn towards social issues, when the life of the lower classes, especially in the metropolis’s suburbs, gained its literary and journalistic representations. The analysed series about suburbs discovered new anthropological spaces, alternative to the time’s literary representations, and modified existing ideas about Vilnius.

Narrative Space and the Figure of the Refugee in the Early Life Writing of Ocean Vuong

ABSTRACT This paper will read for the representation of space in the Vietnamese American author Ocean Vuong’s narrative essay “The Weight of Our Living: On Hope, Fire Escapes, and Visible Desperation”. The paper places Vuong’s text into conversation with theorists of narrative and architectural spaces – Yi-Fu Tuan, Umberto Eco, and Mikhail Bakhtin, among others – and draws on critical refugee studies to explore the representation of spaces and places in their relationship to Vuong’s account of refugee experience and trauma. In the essay’s manipulations of narrative space, meditations on architectural space, and engagements with theories of trauma, a spatial understanding of trauma emerges and comes to bear on first wave literary trauma theory, which the essay builds on and departs from with the suggestion that architectural space functions semiotically and is a medium of language by which topics socially and psychologically repressed can be “spoken” despite social taboos and prohibitions. Working against public discourse which reduces refugees to victims of trauma (in their country of origin) and beneficiaries of social uplift (in their resettlement country), Vuong critiques the discursive framing of the refugee as needful ward and perpetual other and works toward a means of speaking about personal experience that speaks back to dominant narratives about refugees.

Metaphors Realized in Narrative: A New Direction for Biblical Metaphor

ABSTRACTAn insight of Conceptual Metaphor Theory (CMT) is that metaphor is more than a mere literary device; it influences readers through cognitive connections. Yet biblical metaphors have most often been studied in poetic, theological contexts and within linguistic rhetorical devices like “YHWH is my shepherd.” In contrast, some of the most ideologically powerful metaphors are those that shape the Hebrew Bible's prose stories. These metaphors reify cultural constructs and experiences, making them seem “natural.” The study of realized metaphor—metaphor embodied as a literal narrative feature—offers a new pathway for applying CMT to narrative texts, even those without overt linguistic metaphors. This article surveys the history of realized metaphors in literary theory, then provides some brief examples of biblical texts where a CMT approach reveals metaphors embedded in the fabric of the narrative. It concludes with a challenge: how can we extend metaphor theory to the full range of biblical texts, poetry and prose alike, in order to understand how metaphor shapes human perception in the past and the present?