Scholarly Literature Research Articles

Transformation of Settlement Structures in Europe: Trends, Challenges, and Reform Approaches

Changes in the number of municipalities and their administrative organization represent one of the central themes of European public administration, reflecting historical context, demographic changes, economic pressures, and technological progress. The aim of this study is to analyse approaches to the merging and division of municipalities in selected European states and to identify factors influencing the success of these reforms. The research uses a combination of comparative analyses of legislative frameworks, socio-economic conditions, and case studies and works with data from official statistics, scholarly literature, and reports on the implementation of reforms. The main findings show that some states, such as Denmark, achieve significant improvements in efficiency through the merging of municipalities, while others, such as France, prefer the preservation of smaller municipalities in order to maintain local identity and community ties. Reform processes often face cultural and political obstacles, and their success depends on a combination of voluntary approaches, financial incentives, and effective communication with the public. The study concludes that the key to effective governance is the balance between the need to optimize public services and the preservation of local specificities. These findings provide important guidance for further reform processes in the European context and can contribute to the sustainable development of regions as well as to the greater satisfaction of the population.

Janko Silan as a Poet and Representative of Slovak Catholic Modernism

The paper aims to map the chronological development of the poetic work of Janko Silan, a representative of Slovak Catholic Modernism. It focuses on the development of his poetic method from his debut to posthumously published works. Literary scholarship in Slovakia regards his poetry timeless for its appealing subjectivism, authentic spirituality and humanity.Janko Silan’s debut Kuvici [Owls] displays distinct modernist tendencies. Silan adopted the motif of little owls from Slovak folklore, where they were known as harbingers of death. The lyrical subject too presents himself as one who is sad and aware of his mortality. The author also incorporated autobiographical motifs into his collection, especially the motif of eye disease and blindness.The poetry of Silan, the seminarian, includes three thematically distinct collections: the spiritual Rebrík do neba [Ladder to Heaven], the love poems in the Sonety májové [May Sonnets] and the commemorative poetic composition Slávme to spoločne [Let us Celebrate It Together]. The explicit spiritual theme in his seminarian’s poetry does not contain aesthetic value; it is baroquely patulous and sentimental. The love theme of Sonety májové [May Sonnets] is surprising to the reader coming from an author who is preparing for priestly celibacy. It seems that as an anthropological value, sexuality too is a gift from God and needs to be incorporated into the spiritual life. The book of poems, Slávme to spoločne [Let us Celebrate It Together] is dedicated to the author’s mother, Helena. Silan describes her as a “beautifully holy woman”.The poetry of the priest period, between 1942 and 1945, includes Silan’s collections Kým nebudeme doma [Until We Are Home] and Piesne z Javoriny [Songs from Javorina]. Literary critics and historians highly praise the second of Silan’s priestly collections. It is described as Franciscan because of many natural motifs that the author utilizes.Janko Silan is described as a “verbumist” because he was involved in a group of poets gathered around the magazine and publishing house Verbum (1946–1949). This period includes the collections Piesne zo Ždiaru [Songs from Ždiar] and Úbohá duša na zemi [Poor Soul on Earth]. In them, the author expresses his anxiety about the political situation and threat of Communist totalitarianism.Silan’s collection of poetry from the 1960s Oslnenie [Sun Blindness] corresponds with a relaxed political and social context. His poetry is “grounded”, human-centred, without explicit spiritualization. The smile that the author allows himself adds to the anthropological value.When Janko Silan was banned from publishing his poetry, he wrote “for the desk drawer”. The most famous from this period is the collection Katolícke piesne z Važca [The Catholic songs from Važec] and the novel Dom opustenosti [The House of Abandonment]. The prevalent themes are the violation of human rights in Czechoslovakia and the repressive impact of totalitarianism on an individual who, for reasons of conscience, is not willing to conform to Communist ideology. Of several works written in this period, Dom opustenosti [The House of Abandonment] has been particularly popular with readers and scholars.

Third‐Party International Student Pathway Providers: Stakes for TESOL and Higher Education

ABSTRACTPrivate entities offering US‐based colleges and universities access to international student recruitment networks have expanded in recent years as institutions seek to bolster their international prestige and their enrollment revenue. Many resulting third‐party partnerships also provide curricular “pathway programs” and co‐curricular support for students who may not otherwise be admissible. The relative novelty of these programs, especially in the United States, has so far limited scholarly research. This report seeks to raise awareness of such programs among TESOL scholars, teachers, and administrators, as well as others who are often directly impacted by trends in international education. I briefly summarize the history and current landscape of third‐party pathway programs, describe and analyze emerging themes from scholarly literature, and suggest next steps for research and practice.

Educide amid conflict: the struggle of the Palestinian education system

Purpose This paper aims to examine the devastating effects of the ongoing conflict in Gaza on its education system, a phenomenon termed “Educide”. The study documents the systematic destruction of educational infrastructure, including schools and universities, as well as the targeted killing of students and educators, which impedes current and future access to education. The paper argues that this deliberate dismantling of Gaza’s educational institutions aims to erase Palestinian culture, identity and resilience, thus hindering any prospects for SDG4. The authors emphasize the urgent need for international accountability and support to rebuild Gaza’s education sector, preserving its role in societal development, identity preservation and human rights. Design/methodology/approach This research paper uses a qualitative design, using data gathered through a comprehensive review of both grey and scholarly literature to assess the impact of the ongoing conflict on Gaza’s education system. By analyzing official reports, working papers and conference abstracts, the study compiles evidence of the systematic targeting and destruction of educational infrastructure in Gaza. This approach allows for an in-depth understanding of the conflict’s immediate and long-term effects on educational access, infrastructure and cultural preservation. The methodology underscores the critical implications of these findings and calls for urgent international intervention and accountability to protect education in conflict zones. Findings The paper’s findings reveal severe, systematic destruction of Gaza’s educational infrastructure, including schools and universities, with extensive loss of life among students and educators. The research shows that this “Educide” disrupts educational access for current and future generations, stifles intellectual growth and threatens the preservation of Palestinian identity and heritage. Evidence indicates that such deliberate targeting aims to destabilize Gaza’s social structure and hinder long-term development. The findings highlight the urgent need for international accountability to halt these acts, safeguard education as a fundamental right and rebuild Gaza’s education system to ensure resilience and continuity amid conflict. Research limitations/implications The research faces several limitations, including reliance on secondary sources, such as gray literature and official reports, which may limit firsthand insights and real-time data accuracy. In addition, the ongoing nature of the conflict restricts access to updated information and complicates direct assessment of damage. The study’s qualitative approach may also limit the ability to quantify the full extent of destruction and long-term impacts on educational outcomes. Finally, the challenging political environment may affect the availability and reliability of certain sources, potentially leading to gaps in comprehensive data on Gaza’s educational infrastructure and human resource losses. Practical implications The practical implications of this paper underscore the urgent need for international intervention to protect Gaza’s education sector. Highlighting the concept of “Educide”, the study calls for policies to prevent the targeting of educational institutions in conflict zones and mechanisms to hold perpetrators accountable. It advocates for comprehensive support to rebuild Gaza’s educational infrastructure, ensuring students and educators can safely return to learning environments. This research also serves as a foundation for policymakers, NGOs and human rights organizations to implement sustainable educational recovery programs to preserve Palestinian identity, cultural heritage and long-term development amidst ongoing challenges. Social implications The social implications of this paper are profound, as it highlights the erosion of Gaza’s educational foundations and its broader effects on Palestinian society. The systematic destruction of schools and universities disrupts education and impacts community resilience, cultural preservation and intergenerational knowledge transfer. This “Educide” undermines social cohesion by depriving young Palestinians of safe learning environments, vital support networks and prospects for socioeconomic stability. The study emphasizes the need for global support to restore these educational spaces, ensuring that education can continue to foster community strength, identity and hope within Gaza’s society amid conflict. Originality/value This paper is original in its focus on the concept of “Educide” in Gaza, a term describing the systematic targeting and destruction of educational infrastructure as a means of cultural and societal erasure. By framing the deliberate dismantling of Gaza’s education sector within a genocidal context, the paper offers a novel perspective on the intersection of conflict, education and cultural preservation. It contributes uniquely to academic and policy discourse by combining documented evidence with a call for international accountability, emphasizing the critical role of education as both a human right and a foundation for resilient societies in conflict zones.

Adaptive capacity and attainment of the sustainable development goals in local communities of India.

India's progress vis-à-vis the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) has stagnated since 2020. The consequences of the non-attainment of the SDGs can be severe. Therefore, questions arise as to what steps must be taken to accelerate progress in India's SDG attainment. Increased household-level adaptive capacity may accelerate progress in SDG attainment. However, the scholarly literature is characterized by an inadequate understanding of the relationship between adaptive capacity and SDG attainment. Therefore, this study analyzes how household adaptive capacity affects the local attainment of SDGs in India by analyzing household data using advanced statistical techniques. The independent variable, household adaptive capacity, was measured using a locally contextualized composite index. A regression analysis of 38 models on the local attainment of 10 targets of 7 different SDGs (1, 2, 4, 5, 8, 12, and 16) suggests that higher household-level adaptive capacity may be associated with an increased potential for local SDG attainment in India. Caste identity was also statistically significant in several of the models, which suggests that caste dynamics may play an important role in local SDG attainment. This research is significant because a) India is ranked 109 among 167 countries regarding SDG attainment. Progress in most SDGs remains a matter of concern, and b) the SDGs do not specifically target caste-based discrimination.

Getting into the weeds: Vandana Shiva calls for an alternative to industrial agriculture [Book review

First paragraph: In a world where industrial agriculture domi­nates, Vandana Shiva’s Agroecology and Regenera­tive Agriculture: Sustainable Solutions for Hunger, Poverty and Climate Change asks a pivotal question: Can we transform our food systems to heal the planet and its people? Shiva’s work challenges conventional farming, advocating for a future of regenerative, organic agriculture. Shiva is an inspiring scholar and activist with expertise in food sovereignty, ecofeminism, and commoning. Drawing on decades of research conducted at her farm, Navdanya, and global examples from scholarly literature, she ar­gues that regenerative agriculture is both viable and essential for tackling the inter­connected crises of hunger, poverty, and climate change. In this book, Shiva takes the reader through six distinct agricul­tural issues with over­lapping themes: seeds of bio­diversity, soil and water, climate change solu­tions, biodiversity for pest control, food nutrition and health, and farmer livelihoods and rural economies. . . .

EXTANT RESEARCH USING THE NATIONAL SURVEY OF OLDER AMERICANS ACT PARTICIPANTS: A SCOPING REVIEW

Abstract Since 2003, the National Survey of Older Americans Act Participants (NSOAAP) has been collected annually for programs funded by Title III of the Older Americans Act (OAA). Covering six program modules including case management, congregate meals, home-delivered meals, homemaker, transportation, and family caregiver support, the NSOAAP data provides rich information for uncovering important issues pertaining to older adults and caregivers who utilize these services. Regardless of its promising content for advancing aging studies in the United States, there is a dearth of scholarly literature that has utilized this data source. Hence, this scoping review sought to map out extant peer-reviewed empirical articles that used data from the NSOAAP. Eight databases were searched with no time restriction, resulting in 42 citations. Two duplicate citations were resolved, leaving 40 articles for the initial title and abstract review. Additional three citations were identified through online searches and reference list review. After the title and abstract review, 33 articles were excluded because they did not meet the inclusion criteria. This study and its findings are based on 10 peer-reviewed empirical studies. Findings from the review showed that while there is a dearth in overall empirical studies using the NSOAAP, case management, homemaker, and transportation were the least studied. Caregiver services and congregate meal services were analyzed in 4 studies and home-delivered meals in 3 studies. This scoping review highlights the need for more research to understand the impact of the OAA service as measured through the NSOAAP across time.

Peculiar features in forming gifted adolescents’ self-attitude to the inner and outer “I” as a condition for their self-fulfillment

Introduction. The article presents the survey results, revealing the peculiarities of forming self-attitude to the inner and outer “I” by talented young people. The purpose of the article is to define the nature of talented young people’s self-attitude to the inner and outer “I” and its influence on self-fulfillment. Materials and Methods. The theoretical and methodological basis of the study is the reflexive-compensatory approach. The method involves young people evaluating themselves, identifying their problems and building a program of remedial work with a teacher, which is aimed at creating conditions for successful socialization and self-development. The main methods are reviewing scholarly literature on the research problem, interviewing and testing Education students (n= 239). Results. The authors have revealed the specific features in forming self-attitude to the inner and outer "I" in talented youth. Most of the participants demonstrate excessive demands on themselves; focus on others and on the opinions of other people. At the same time, talented young people demonstrate a high level of “self-leadership” (60 %), “self-acceptance” (60 %), “self-blame” (56 %), “fairly high level of self-evaluating” (45 %), which indicates a positive perception of themselves. They have an average level of conflict. The participants are aware of their personal importance, their success and achievements, and their willingness to improve themselves is noted. They demonstrate a high level of perfectionism and are critical of their own failures. Conclusions. The study concludes that talented young people generally perceive themselves and their opportunities positively, strive for life and personal success. They are not quarrelsome. But they are not eager to be leaders with high potentials. A high level of perfectionism and criticism is accompanied by a feeling of anxiety and prevents skills of self-presentation to appear.

Career guidance of modern high school students: Evaluating the relationship between personal characteristics and basic values

Introduction. The article deals with the problem of personality development within career guidance. The purpose of the study is to identify the characteristic features of career guidance of modern high school students based on evaluating the relationship between personal characteristics and basic values. Materials and Methods. The study follows activity-based and systematic approaches. The main research methods include the analysis of scholarly literature devoted to the development of modern high school students, diagnostic methods including testing (emotional intelligence questionnaire “EmIn”, “Portrait value questionnaire-Revised”; questionnaire of self-organization of activity (OSD) by E. Y. Mandrikova, scales of the questionnaire “Big Five”, scales of academic motivation; scale “Rationality”; “Questionnaire of professional inclinations” by L. Yovaishi (modification of Rezapkina), as well as methods of statistical data processing (general statistics, correlation and factor analysis). The study involved 245 grade 10 students. Results. The authors have identified the specifics of the intensity of inclinations to different types of professional activities in modern adolescents. The results of the empirical study enabled the authors to establish the relationship between personal characteristics and basic values. The factors determining the specifics of this generation have been revealed. Conclusions. The study concludes that the majority of modern high school students do not have a pronounced inclination for any professional activity, but they are more interested in the field of communication and interaction with other people. They are open to new experiences and new events.

Assessment of the motivational and value component of future teachers’ readiness for delivering moral education based on building an individual profile

Introduction. The article addresses the problems of initial teacher education. The purpose of the study is to identify and assess the formation of the motivational and value component within the readiness of future teachers for professional activities based on building an individual profile. Materials and Methods. The theoretical and methodological basis of the research is the complex of approaches, while the general scientific basis is the systematic and axiological approaches, the theoretical and methodological strategy includes the nuclear and contextual approaches, and the practice-oriented tactics employs the learner-centered approach. The research was conducted by means of reviewing and analyzing scholarly literature on the research problem, regulatory sources, and summarizing the authors’ practical experience. For a comprehensive assessment of the formation of the motivational and value component within the readiness of future teachers for professional activities and making an individual trajectory of its formation, the authors have developed a software module called “A system for evaluating the motivational component of teachers' readiness to implement professional practices in the educational process at the university”. Results. The article describes the motivational and value component within the readiness of future teachers for professional activities. The substantive content of this component is: 1) stable motivation to carry out professional activities; 2) accepting the values of the teaching profession; 3) self-motivation; 4) integration of personal and professional values and meanings. A theoretically based software module for assessing the level of the motivational and value component within the readiness of future vocational training teachers for professional activities allowed the authors to build individual graphical profiles for students, on the basis of which learner-centered remedial work was carried out with students individually. According to the results of the application of the developed software module, it was found that the proportion of students with a high level of component formation at the control stage of the experiment reached 80.65 % (in EG-4 – 69.23 %), which confirms the effectiveness of this tool in the formation of the motivational and value component of future teachers’ readiness for professional activities. Conclusions. In conclusion, the specifics of the formation of the motivational and value component within the future teachers’ readiness for professional activities based on building an individual profile are summarized.

Velocity Slip and Mass Transfer Effects in the magnetohydrodynamic, Upper-Convicted Maxwell Fluid Flow Through a Porous Media

The current investigation elucidates the impact of velocity slip and mass transfer phenomena on the magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) flow of upper-convected Maxwell (UCM) fluids traversing a stretchable porous substrate. The fundamental partial differential equations governing this flow problem are transformed into ordinary differential equations by applying similarity transformations. The numerical solutions for the resultant non-linear boundary value problem are derived by employing the Successive Linearization Method (SLM) utilizing Matlab software. The velocity and concentration profiles for extensive ranges of the governing parametric variables are presented, and their behavior is analyzed through graphical representations. It is anticipated that the results obtained from this study will provide valuable insights for practical applications and will establish connections with existing scholarly literature.

Children's Literature of Kazakhstan in the Context of World Literature as the Basis of National Identity

Children's literature plays a vital role in shaping the identity of young readers by conveying cultural values, historical narratives, and national heritage. In Kazakhstan, children's literature has evolved as a significant cultural asset, serving as a medium for promoting national identity and social cohesion in a rapidly modernizing world. This research explores the role of children's literature in Kazakhstan, emphasizing its impact on the development of national identity, and positioning it within the broader context of world literature. The paper investigates the works of prominent Kazakh children's authors, analyzing how their narratives represent and reflect Kazakh cultural traditions, values, and history, while also engaging with global literary trends and themes. Through a comparative lens, the study examines the influence of Soviet-era literature, post-independence transformations, and the globalization of children’s literature on the shaping of Kazakh national consciousness. By utilizing a qualitative methodology, this paper draws on literary analysis, historical context, and interviews with educators and literary scholars to understand how Kazakh children's literature has contributed to the formation of national identity. The study also considers the extent to which global literary trends have shaped or influenced local literary traditions. Results indicate that while global influences are undeniable, Kazakh children's literature remains rooted in its unique cultural, linguistic, and historical context. Furthermore, this research highlights the ongoing challenges faced by Kazakh children's literature in balancing national heritage with the pressures of globalization. This paper concludes by discussing the need for the continued development of children's literature in Kazakhstan as a means of preserving and promoting national identity in a globalized world.

Toponyms as a way of organizing artistic space in the novel by Georgy Venus "Finches in Armor"

Georgy Davydovich Venus is a Russian Soviet writer whose name has been little studied by literary scholars, but his prose continues to be of great interest. The author's works were published during his lifetime and continued to be published after his rehabilitation. The experience of participating in two wars, World War I and the Civil War, and life in exile form the basis of Georgy Venus's prose work. The center of his epic work are the novels: "War and People" (1925), "Steel Helmet" (1927), "Finns in Armor" (1928), they make up a kind of trilogy. The writer perceives the First World War and the Civil War as a tragedy for the country and all of humanity.The architecture of Georgy Venus's novel "Finns in Armor" is very complex. An important aspect of the composition is the technique of montage, which transfers the heroes and readers to places of military action, to the deep rear, to Petrograd, to the remote provinces. The novel has a very weak connection to historical time, geographical space, the context of a certain era, and details acquire great weight in it. An important role in the organization of the novel's artistic space is played by toponyms, which have a special meaning in the work. We turn to such detailing of the artistic space due to the toponyms found in the novel. The events taking place in the rear unfold in many locations: in Syzran, in Buzuluk, in the Volyn province, in Petrograd. In the article, we turn to the space of the novel through the concept of "vertical context", namely, to the "social and historical context", which in turn allows us to reveal the atmosphere, the spirit of the era reflected in the work.

Two Pieces of Imperial Correspondence from the Collectio Thessalonicensis: Issues of Their Authenticity and Contents

Introduction. The Collectio Thessalonicensis is a collection of documents compiled in the 9th century, in which, in addition to papal letters to the bishops of Illyricum and to the Patriarchs of Constantinople, Proclus and Anatolius, two lengthy fragments have been preserved, representing a letter from the Western Emperor Honorius (395–423) to the Eastern Emperor Theodosius II (408–450) and the latter’s response. The correspondence apparently took place in 422 and is devoted to the privileges of the Roman see in Eastern Illyricum, which shortly before had become a prefecture of the Eastern Roman Empire with its capital at Thessalonica. The authenticity of these letters has long been rejected in the scholarly literature. As a consequence, the task of the article is to present the arguments of the old literature, provide new evidence of the authenticity of both fragments, and highlight the ecclesiastical-political and ecclesiastical-administrative situation that they reflect. Analysis. The arguments of J. Friedrich, Th. Mommsen, and E. Chrysos in favour of the forgery of these fragments are considered. These arguments range from complete denial to partial acceptance of their authenticity, with speculation about the motives for the falsification and the timing of its implementation. The author of the article points out the inconsistency of these arguments. The newest casual arguments of P. Riedlberger, which deny their authenticity, are also refuted. Based on ascertaining the authenticity of these documents, the author reconstructs the circumstances of the correspondence between the two emperors and the motives of both correspondents in recognising the authority of the Roman see in Eastern Illyricum. The text of the messages and their connections with other similar imperial documents are analysed, and the factor of influence on their composition of the ecclesiastical circles of the West and the East is determined. Results. Contrary to the old literature, the authenticity of fragments of correspondence between Honorius and Theodosius II on the issue of church and administrative affiliation of Eastern Illyricum has been put beyond doubt. The letters fit well into the context of other surviving imperial documents that did not have a legislative nature but related to issues of church policy and church governance. From them it is clear that church and administrative issues were entirely under the jurisdiction of the emperors: neither the Pope nor the Patriarch of Constantinople had the means to obtain jurisdiction in a particular region, bypassing the opinion of the emperors.

Unveiling Identity Politics in India: A Bibliometric Mapping of Scholarly Literature

Unveiling Identity Politics in India: A Bibliometric Mapping of Scholarly Literature

Metaverse and education: identifying key themes and future research trajectories

PurposeThe present study aims to undertake an extensive review of scholarly literature by exploring the intersection of the metaverse and education.Design/methodology/approachThe researchers used the relevant documents from the Scopus database to conduct bibliometric analysis. The data were retrieved from 2010 to February 2024. Citation, co-citation and author’s keyword analysis were conducted for bibliometric analysis. The study was performed using VOSviewer and the Biblioshiny app software packages.FindingsThe extant literature related to the metaverse and education is presented in the paper. The paper identified four key themes in the literature, i.e. Metaverse and education, Contemporary application of metaverse: a multisectoral perspective, Metaverse: spatial dimensions and concerns and Metaverse: shaping the future of digital interaction. Other information related to the most influential authors, journals and countries concerning metaverse and education is also presented.Originality/valueThe paper studies the gradual evolution of the present research domain over time. The study outlines key areas that have emerged from the literature review, suggesting directions for future research.

Romance in the Recent Past: <i>Our Beloved Summer</i> and <i>First Love</i> in the Ecology of Netflix Global Programming

This article offers a reflection on two recent romance series offered by Netflix: Our Beloved Summer (2021) from Korea and First Love (2022) from Japan. Both series were seen as successes for their local industries, and a review of their production histories as well as their place within a broader Netflix programming ecology highlights the strategies Netflix is taking with its increased investment in the drama production industries of both nations. Importantly, both series also share a temporality in their romance storytelling, one that moves between a youthful, recent past and a lackluster, adult present. Though the texts are not necessarily adjacently marked in the Netflix interface itself, both series present key similarities that hint at a winning narrative formula. Drawing on key scholarly literature on popular romance and modernity, I argue that while the temporality of “romance in the recent past” might not necessarily be marked as a working microgenre in the Netflix algorithm, it certainly presents as a transnationally translatable storytelling mode that narrativizes, entertains, and consoles audiences coming from similar experiences of modernity.

De-Mystifying Mysticism: A Critical Realist Perspective on Ambivalences in the Study of Mysticism

The study of mysticism has been at an impasse for many years, wavering between naïve realism around a common core hypothesis and critical questioning of the category of mysticism and its imposition. In this article, we review key 20th century developments in the study of mysticism to understand why the term was largely abandoned and unpack the contours of this impasse. Specifically, we probe the literature to ask (i) how has mysticism been defined and (ii) who counts as a mystic? Our primary data are key pieces of scholarly literature on mysticism, including interdisciplinary studies and disciplinary literature from religious studies, history, philosophy, sociology, anthropology, and psychology. This review draws on a metatheoretic perspective of critical realism and is not meant to be comprehensive but rather analytical, seeking to identify patterns in scholarship. We find that each question is answered by studies along an axis, wavering between two ideal–typical poles. On the first question, we find scholarship ranging along an axis of essence between extreme poles of a reified vs. relativized substance of mysticism. On the second question, we find studies on an axis of access, varying between a rarified concept of mystical elites and a laified concept of mystical knowledge open to all. Putting studies along these axes yields a definitional space of mysticism that is compatible with critical realism and allows for the general study of mysticism to continue in a more nuanced, post-critique way. We also find that the category of experience lies at the origin or intersection point of both axes, and is a source of many problems in the general study of mysticism.

An Ontology-Based Approach for Understanding Appendicectomy Processes and Associated Resources.

Traditional methods for analysing surgical processes often fall short in capturing the intricate interconnectedness between clinical procedures, their execution sequences, and associated resources such as hospital infrastructure, staff, and protocols. This study addresses this gap by developing an ontology for appendicectomy, a computational model that comprehensively represents appendicectomy processes and their resource dependencies to support informed decision making and optimise appendicectomy healthcare delivery. The ontology was developed using the NeON methodology, drawing knowledge from existing ontologies, scholarly literature, and de-identified patient data from local hospitals. The resulting ontology comprises 108 classes, including 11 top-level classes and 96 subclasses organised across five hierarchical levels. The 11 top-level classes include "clinical procedure", "appendicectomy-related organisational protocols", "disease", "start time", "end time", "duration", "appendicectomy outcomes", "hospital infrastructure", "hospital staff", "patient", and "patient demographics". Additionally, the ontology includes 77 object and data properties to define relationships and attributes. The ontology offers a semantic, computable framework for encoding appendicectomy-specific clinical procedures and their associated resources. By systematically representing this knowledge, this study establishes a foundation for enhancing clinical decision making, improving data integration, and ultimately advancing patient care. Future research can leverage this ontology to optimise healthcare workflows and outcomes in appendicectomy management.

Early twentieth-century recordings in higher music education: a preliminary analysis of the students’ views

Abstract This article examines how classical music students understand early twentieth-century recordings in higher music education. A qualitative research method was chosen to investigate the beliefs and self-reported practices of 16 students enrolled in a European conservatoire, whose attitudes were considered through the administration of a semi-structured questionnaire and an interview. Their responses identified seven main themes: (1) beliefs, (2) sources, (3) self-reported practices, (4) repertoires/performers, (5) educational implications, (6) limits and (7) benefits. Results show how much students value early twentieth-century recordings – especially when it comes to analysing the performance practices of the past and developing new interpretations – and how articulate their responses can be with regard to specific stylistic and technical issues. However, possibly due to informal learning strategies and the lack of curricular teaching activities focusing on listening to and analysing recorded interpretations, some responses highlighted a misrepresentation of our recent musical past and the need for a more structured curricular activity. This last should benefit from a vast body of scholarly literature whose relevance is still underestimated among music practitioners.