Modern Context Research Articles

Midwifing Modernity: Popularizing Modern Health Care for Women in Late Imperial Russia

AbstractThis article examines the discourse on Russian women’s health care in the late Imperial period within the context of modernization. One of the hallmarks of modernity, health care is also one of the most intimate areas of contact between the agents of modernity and the public at large. The discussion was starkly divided between those concerned with peasant women and those concerned with educated women, but both were firmly situated in the overarching project of healthification (ozdorovlenie). While the authors concerned with peasant women’s health sought to overcome traditional beliefs and practices and replace them with the findings of modern science, the literature directed at the educated public illustrates the anxiety that accompanied the modernity project. The authors writing to and about educated society were far more conflicted about the array of problems they observed developing as traditional beliefs and practices were challenged by changes in society. The article explores the development and role of women’s health care, the tensions between professional and popular health care practitioners, and their relationships with the population from cultural, political and gendered perspectives, and analyzes modernization as a site of contention over women’s agency as well as a social and cultural process.

Reassess Hospital Costs and Mortality Between Myocardial Infarction With and Without ST-Segment Elevation in a Modern Context.

Patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) may have higher hospitalization costs and poorer prognosis than non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI). A single-center retrospective study was conducted on 758 STEMI patients and 386 NSTEMI patients from January 1, 2020 to May 30, 2023 aimed to investigate the differences in cost and mortality. STEMI patients had higher maximal troponin I (15,222.5 (27.18, 40,000.00) vs. 2731.5 (10.73, 27,857.25), p < 0.001) and lower left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) (56% (53%, 59%) vs. 57% (55%, 59%), p < 0.001) compared to NSTEMI patients. The clinical symptoms were mainly persistent or interrupted chest pain/distress in either STEMI or NSTEMI patients. STEMI patients had a significantly higher risk of combined hypotension than NSTEMI patients (8.97% vs. 3.89%, p = 0.002), and IABP was much more frequently used in the STEMI group with a statistical difference (2.90% vs. 0.52%, p = 0.015). STEMI patients have statistically higher hospitalization costs (RMB, ¥) (31,667 (25,337.79, 39,790) vs. 30,506.91 (21,405.96, 40,233.75), p = 0.006) and longer hospitalization days (10 (8, 11) vs. 9 (8, 11), p = 0.001) compared to NSTEMI patients. Although in-hospital mortality was higher in STEMI patients, the difference was not statistically significant (3.56% vs. 2.07%, p = 0.167). Multivariable logistic regression was performed and found that systolic blood pressure and NT-proBNP were risk factors for patient death (OR ≥ 1). STEMI patients are more likely comorbid cardiogenic shock, heart failure complications with higher hospitalization costs and longer hospitalization days. And relatively more use of acute mechanical circulatory support devices such as IABP. ChiCTR2300077885.

Revitalizing Ancestral Values through Technology: Using Wayang Kulit to Engage Gen Z in Cultural and Educational Innovation

“Wayang Kulit” is a cultural heritage that combines art, storytelling, education and creativity. Although it has many charms, the lack of awareness as well as opportunity to witness this art and the perceived indifference amongst the younger generation is slowing diminishing the impact of the Wayang Kulit especially in line with ancestral values and education. This research aimed to assess if technology and education using the Wayang Kulit could be an attractive learning tool for Gen Z to apply ancestral culture and values within a modern context. In order to make it more attractive and relevant from a technology perspective, the participants selected were undergraduates from Asia Pacific University of Technology and Innovation (APU) pursuing courses in Multimedia and Games Development. The participants were required to create a short video between 2 to 3 minutes embedding the art of “Wayang Kulit” using popular stories linking it to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) for a competition known as “Videre Lumina”. The participants were also interviewed to understand further their experience and whether the “Wayang Kulit” could potentially be a strong asset in educational innovation. This qualitative study used the Social Learning Theory (SLT) and analyzed the videos and interviews using Pragmatist Thinking and Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis. The results reflected positive feedback towards “Wayang Kulit” and the stories behind it. The students were also enthusiastic with the learning process and the ability to communicate their story-telling skills from a multitude of ways including expressing themselves digitally through the stories, backgrounds, music, characters and the puppets. The link to culture was especially noted when participants of different backgrounds portrayed the same characters as hero’s or villain’s depending on their culture or heritage stories. Therefore, the “Wayang Kulit” is definitely an intangible asset that should be continued and celebrated as its benefits and charm can impact education, values and be used as a social engineering tool. The use of technology also provides further opportunities to expand the opportunity to watch this art and further create awareness and appreciation for its value.

ТРАНСПОРТНЫЕ КОРИДОРЫ ЦЕНТРАЛЬНОЙ АЗИИ В СОЦИАЛЬНО-ЭКОЛОГИЧЕСКОМ ИЗМЕРЕНИИ

The article examines the socio-ecological aspects of creating transport corridors in Central Asia in the modern context. The region's unique geographical position has long attracted attention, becoming a key link between East and West, particularly along the historical Silk Road. In this regard, the environmental optimization of transport corridors is crucial for sustainable regional development. However, the increase in freight traffic amplifies human impact on the environment, leading to air, water, and soil pollution, as well as changes in the soil's chemical composition and microflora. The article offers recommendations to minimize the negative effects of multimodal transport corridors on the region’s ecosystem, a necessary step toward balancing economic growth with environmental preservation.

Tendencies and characteristics of public fitness behavior in the digital era: an Internet ethnography study based on the K Community in China

IntroductionThe deep integration of media technologies into fitness activities in the era of digital intelligence has created a new and evolving landscape for public fitness. This transformation significantly impacts the practices and experiences of fitness.MethodsThis study employs Internet ethnography as a qualitative research methodology, focusing on the daily activities of participants in a digital fitness community known as the K-community. Through immersive observation and analysis, the research seeks to uncover the evolving patterns and characteristics of fitness practices in China during the digital era.ResultsAs media technology and network culture advance, participants in digital fitness increasingly display fragmented, digitized, entertaining, ritualized, and highly socialized behaviors. These traits reflect the community’s desire for varied and complex exercise experiences within the context of modern technology.DiscussionThe evolution of fitness behavior not only reflects the operational principles of contemporary media technologies but also encapsulates the essence of popular culture in the digital age. This study enhances our comprehension of fitness practices in digital environments and their wider cultural ramifications.

Применение медиации в разрешении межличностных и внутрисемейных конфликтов

&lt;p style="text-align: justify;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Objective. &lt;/strong&gt;Substantiation of mediation as a popular and effective technology for resolving interpersonal and intra-family disputes. Demonstration of the results of the mediation service functioning in the field of youth policy in Saint Petersburg. &lt;br&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Background. &lt;/strong&gt;Mediation as one of the ways to resolve conflicts in the modern context was formed relatively recently, in the middle of the last century. At the same time, since 2019 in the Russian Federation the mediation procedure becomes an independent socially oriented technology of working with the population. Currently, the domestic experience of using this technology in the public sector requires an independent analysis, the first step of which is an analysis of the activities of the first budget mediation service in Russia. &lt;br&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Methodology. &lt;/strong&gt;Systemic and subjective approaches, a method of qualitative analysis. &lt;br&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Conclusions. &lt;/strong&gt;To increase the effectiveness of mediation, we should strive to increase the average number of meetings for each case, take care of the prevention of professional burnout of mediators and expand public awareness of the specifics of this technology in order to reduce the number of inappropriate appeals.&lt;/p&gt;

Michael Tippett: Specification of the Work for Orchestra and Soprano "Byzantia"

The purpose of the research is to reveal the deep image-sound layers and features of the Irish bardic tradition in the work of M. Tippett through the prism of the work for orchestra and soprano "Byzantium". The methodological basis of the research is historical-conceptual, hermeneutic method and comparative analysis of factual data based on the works of Thomas Weiskel, David Clark, Edward Venn, and Meirion Bowen. Scientific novelty. For the first time in the Ukrainian art history segment, M. Tippett's work for orchestra and soprano "Byzantium" was analysed with an emphasis on the dramaturgy of the composition, cyclical elements, metaphorical sound images, symbolism and characteristic features of the musical and poetic tradition of Irish bards. Conclusions. Biographical collisions of M. Tippett influenced his creative aspirations and attitude to the surrounding world. M. Tippett's aesthetic views are a dialogue between romantic aspirations and sceptical realism of the modern era. Michael Tippett's musical language absorbed both tradition and the entire palette of accumulated world musical experience, as well as duality of meanings, symbolism, imagery and conflict. The work analyses the composition for orchestra and soprano "Byzantium" by M. Tippet, which is based on the mosaic of images, the logical sequence of musical motifs, and cyclicity. It is necessary to highlight the fragmentary nature of musical sections, variable motifs, the presence of contrasting material, the symbolism of magical, changing life force as secular ephemerality, the destruction of the musical text using the technique of expansion and fragmentation. Thus, the composition "Byzantium" is a reincarnation of Irish cultural nationalism in the aspect of traditional forms of bardic poetry. The musical language of M. Tippett in the work "Byzantium" is based on the forms crystallised by the work of L. Beethoven and updated by the musical context of modern and postmodern.

Leaf mass per area: An investigation into the application of the ubiquitous functional trait from a paleobotanical perspective.

Leaf mass per area (LMA) is a widely used functional trait in both neobotanical and paleobotanical research that provides a window into how plants interact with their environment. Paleobotanists have used site-level measures of LMA as a proxy for climate, biome, deciduousness, and community-scale plant strategy, yet many of these relationships have not been grounded in modern data. In this study, we evaluated LMA from the paleobotanical perspective, seeking to add modern context to paleobotanical interpretations and discover what a combined modern and fossil data set can tell us about how LMA can be best applied toward interpreting plant communities. We built a modern data set by pulling plant trait data from the TRY database, and a fossil data set by compiling data from studies that have used the petiole-width proxy for LMA. We then investigated the relationships of species-mean, site-mean, and site-distribution LMA with different climatic, phylogenetic, and physiognomic variables. We found that LMA distributions are correlated with climate, site taxonomic composition, and deciduousness. However, the relative contributions of these factors are not distinctive, and ultimately, LMA distributions cannot accurately reconstruct the biome or climate of an individual site. The correlations that make up the leaf economics spectrum are stronger than the correlations between LMA and climate, phylogeny, morphospace, or depositional environment. Fossil LMA should be understood as the culmination of the influences of these variables rather than as a predictor.

Negotiating with Colonial Modernity

The emergence of a new elite in Minangkabau, flourishing in the modern milieu of Bukittinggi city at the beginning of the 20th century, represents a pivotal case study in the dynamics of colonial modernity. These individuals distinguished themselves in the economic and intellectual domains, as well as in the authentication of symbolic status through lifestyle emulation of the Dutch. However, their integration into the social circles of both traditional and modern communities in Bukittinggi was met with limited acceptance. This phenomenon underscores a society that embraced novel perspectives on the colonial world without succumbing to colonialist ideologies. This raises pertinent inquiries: who were these new elites? Why did they seek recognition within their modern context in Bukittinggi despite existing within a reality of modernity? And what was the nature of the inclusivity process for these new elites as modernists, without becoming colonialists? This discourse elucidates the process by which the new Minangkabau elite negotiated colonial modernity in Bukittinggi between 1905 and 1942. The findings reveal that the successful negotiation of colonial modernity by the new Minangkabau elite served as a mode of restraint as well as alienation from the social realities of Bukittinggi. Firstly, the negotiation facilitated broader participatory avenues for the new elite of Minangkabau in early 20th-century Bukittinggi. Secondly, it paved the way for them to independently craft mediums of intellectual and inclusive modernity. Thirdly, this negotiation led to the creation of new cultural forms that amalgamated three essential values of early 20th century Bukittinggi: tradition, colonialism, and Islam.

Unveiling Patience: The Intersection of the Qur'an and Hadith in Buya Hamka’s Thought

This article examines the concept of patience in the thought of Buya Hamka, focusing on the integration between the Qur’an and hadith in Tafsir Al-Azhar. As a central theme in Islam, patience is not only understood as a passive reaction to adversity but as an active attitude reflecting spiritual strength and depth of faith. This article identifies how Buya Hamka interprets patience through the bi al-ma’thūr method, using hadith as an explanatory tool to deepen the meaning of patience-related verses. With a qualitative analysis that emphasizes textual study, this article presents evidence that Buya Hamka relates patience to social and individual contexts and creates practical guidance for Muslims in facing the challenges of daily life. Through this approach, the author shows how patience can serve as a tool to achieve emotional balance and mental resilience. The contribution of this study lies in the emphasis on the relevance of Hamka’s tafsir in the modern context, as well as the functionalization of hadith in expressing the profound values of patience. By filling an existing academic gap, this research offers new insights into the relationship between historical Islamic texts and contemporary spiritual practices, making Tafsir Al-Azhar an essential resource in guiding Muslims to understand and apply patience in their lives.

THE MYTH OF ‘ABŪ LAHAB’ IN Q.S. AL-MASAD [111]: 1

The Qur’anic story of “Abū Lahab” is often misunderstood by some who assume that the story is factual-exclusive. This article is designed to examine how the concept of Abū Lahab is understood in Qur’anic terms, and how it is embodied in today’s context. This research uses a library research method with a descriptive-analytical pattern, through Roland Barthes’ semiotic approach as a theoretical basis. Barthes argues that the language system can be understood through two steps of semiotic reading, the first is what he calls the linguistic system (language-object), and the second is the mythical system (metalanguage). To arrive at the mythical system, it is necessary to extract meaning through the signifier system, which consists of three elements: the signifier element, the signified element, and the sign element in the second layer of the semiotic system. Through Roland Barthes’ semiotic reading, the concept of Abū Lahab that is understood to be exclusively addressed to ‘Abd al-‘Uzzā is a myth. Abū Lahab is not a personal name, but a general and universal title. ‘Abd al-‘Uzzā is only one historical representation of the figure of Abū Lahab. From Barthes’ semiotics, Abū Lahab is more accurately understood as ‘anyone who opposes the truth and is intolerant (radical) towards other groups, not hesitating to carry out offensive resistance to them if it is not in line with their personal or group ideology or political interests’. Thus, in the modern context, anyone can potentially become “Abū Lahab” as the khiṭab of Q.S. Al-Masad if they share these characteristics.

Modern Applications of Fiqh in Hajj: Analyzing Islamic Legal Responses to Contemporary Issues

This study analyzes the adaptation of Hajj Fiqh to technological developments and social changes in the modern context. By looking at recent developments, including the use of technologies such as mobile applications, information systems, and communication technologies, as well as updates in Hajj procedures and protocols, this study highlights the response of scholars and fatwa institutions to the demands of the times. Recent data shows that there has been an increase in the number of fatwas relevant to the use of technology, health, and the environment in the performance of Hajj. By analyzing the role of clerics, governments, and technologists in addressing the challenges of modern Hajj, this study offers suggestions for further encouraging technological innovation, increasing health and environmental awareness, fostering collaboration among stakeholders, and strengthening the role of religious authorities. It is hoped that the results of this study will help guide decision makers in improving the efficiency, safety, and sustainability of the Hajj in the future.

Seni Kaligrafi: Peran dan Kontribusinya Terhadap Pengembangan Peradaban Islam

The art of calligraphy has played an essential role in the history and development of Islamic civilization. The aim of this research is to review the contribution of calligraphy art to the development of culture, religion and science in Islamic civilization. Calligraphy is a form of visual art that is highly valued in the Islamic tradition. Calligraphy not only functions in the field of decoration, but it is also an intermediary in conveying religious messages and moral values. In this research method using historical and textual analysis, researchers found that the art of calligraphy enlarges the intellectual and spiritual life of Muslims, and also becomes an important tool in spreading Islamic teachings. Calligraphy participated in the development of Islamic art and architecture, publishing monumental works that combined aesthetic beauty and depth of religious meaning. This research shows that the art of calligraphy is not only a cultural heritage that must be preserved, but calligraphy also has a sustainable connection in the modern context.

Quran's Insight On Human Rights

This study focuses on the growing global debate about human rights and the role of religion, particularly Islam, in shaping these concepts. The research aims to analyze the Quran's perspective on human rights, identifying fundamental principles that affirm universal values such as justice, Freedom, and equality. This study employs a qualitative method with a textual analysis approach to relevant Quranic verses. The findings reveal that the Quran explicitly recognizes fundamental human rights, including the right to life, Freedom of religion, and protection from oppression. The discussion also highlights that a comprehensive and contextual interpretation of the Quranic verses is necessary to understand the Islamic perspective on human rights in the modern context. The study concludes that the Quran provides a solid ethical and moral foundation for human rights, but its application depends on proper interpretation by Muslim communities worldwide. The research suggests the need for further dialogue between religious traditions and international law to support the global protection of human rights.

Examining the Relationship Between Mobile Cellular Subscriptions and Inclusive Growth: SADC Members

Abstract Inclusive growth had faced global challenges in social and gender disparities issues, especially in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region, which affects its administrations and distributions in modern development contexts. Recognised international institutions have used the term inclusive growth as a description of growth that is formed through labor force and distributions focusing on well-being. This study examines the relationship between mobile cellular subscriptions and inclusive growth to improve the standard of living using a panel autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) approach from 2000 to 2020. The economic growth context studies applied were unable to capture the demand for improving welfare and expectations to lessen poverty, while promoting inclusivity for SADC. Moreover, SADC economic growth partially dealt with the inclusive growth challenges of network connectivity, poor household benefit sharing, and a fast-growing population by applying non-validated methods that were useful to measure economic growth but fail to respond to inclusive growth. The World Bank (WB) and International Telecommunication Union (ITU) databases were used to identify that there is a positive and statistically significant relationship between mobile cellular subscriptions and inclusive growth in the long run. The findings of this study contribute by clarifying and urging policymakers and researchers concerned about equitable economic development to incorporate this sufficient to the relevant upbringing of communication channels to embrace inclusive growth opportunities to expand inclusive growth rapport and channels.

Феномен релокации (Модели экономического поведения российских мигрантов после февраля 2022 г.)

The events of February 2022 became the starting point of a new wave of Russian emigration. On the one hand, this phenomenon can be considered within a series of previous migration waves, on the other hand, the modern context leaves its imprint on the current migration process, making it very special from the economic and sociocultural perspectives. The article presents an attempt to analyze this specificity with an emphasis on the characteristics of the economic behavior of emigrants. Empirically, the study is based on a series of in-depth interviews with people who left Russia after February 2022. On the basis of these interviews, the authors built idealized cognitive models of possible options for the economic behavior of migrants. The authors considered a total of four models: relocation, which involves searching for a job in the host country; relocation, which involves remote work for a Russian company; relocation, which involves creating or moving one’s own business; relocation to a branch of a Russian company. Since the economic strategies of migrants are influenced by signals broadcast by the Russian government structures, the article analyzed the statements of representatives of these structures using the method of network cognitive mapping, which made it possible to reveal two types of official discourse in relation to those who left Russia, which differed in the extent of their criticism towards them. In general, the study showed that migrants of the latest wave are internally heterogeneous and fall into several groups that differ markedly in their motivation and patterns of economic behavior. At the same time, a significant part of them continues to cooperate with Russia in one way or another and, in principle, is ready to return to Russia. For them, migration is driven largely by security and/or economic reasons. Only a minority of emigrants left the country due to their disagreement with the current political course and consider the possibility of coming back only if the political course changes radically.

Discussion on the Aesthetic Evolution and Optimization Strategies of Neo-Ming Style Chair Design

This paper explores the balanced development of Neo-Ming style chair design in both traditional and modern contexts, focusing on its design evolution, aesthetic characteristics, and future optimization strategies. By analyzing the cultural background, aesthetic form, material craftsmanship, and structural functions of Neo-Ming style chair, the paper highlights the importance of maintaining a fusion between traditional aesthetics and modern demands in contemporary design. It proposes future optimization directions such as personalization trends, cross-disciplinary integration, and the application of intelligent technology, aiming to provide theoretical support and practical references for the design innovation of Neo-Ming style chair.

Fusing Tradition and Modernity: A Strategic Marketing Approach for TCCEC Brand

This paper examines the TCCEC (Traditional Chinese Culture Element Clothing) brand's challenges in integrating traditional Chinese cultural elements within a modern fashion context. Despite a unique artistic appeal, TCCEC faces market performance issues due to unclear positioning, misaligned product development, unengaging marketing, and subpar customer service. The study identifies these shortcomings using qualitative research methods and proposes strategies to enhance brand resonance, product relevance, marketing creativity, and customer satisfaction. The recommendations aim to improve TCCEC's market adaptability and serve as a guide for other brands blending tradition with modernity.

Evolutionary Cognitive Enhancement: Stimulating Whole-Body Problem-Solving Capacities

AbstractThis article argues that understanding the primary functions of cognitive processes in our evolutionary past can help to develop effective cognitive enhancement methods. The adaptive problems our ancestors faced forged interconnected cognitive and motor mechanisms supporting various movement-based problem-solving processes. However, the physical and social challenges these cognitive-motor capacities originally evolved to address are no longer prevalent in modern societies. Consequently, many adaptive problem-solving mechanisms linked to a wide range of body movements are often underused and insufficiently developed in modern contexts, contributing to age-related cognitive decline. From this view, and considering current cognitive enhancement techniques such as cognitive training, neurostimulation, physical exercise, and combined cognitive and physical training, the present article introduces an evolutionary-inspired cognitive enhancement framework. This framework advocates for developing strategies and training methods that stimulate our evolved cognitive-motor adaptations. In particular, therapeutic interventions should incorporate adaptive problems and whole-body movement solutions into modern technologies and computer-based tasks.

Contextualisation of Zhihar with Shari’ah Maqasid Approach

Zhihar, a form of divorce from pre-Islamic Arab society, was abolished during the Islamic period through the Qur'an and the sunnah of the prophet. This article undertakes a re-examination of zhihar in a modern context, with a particular focus on the maqasid Shari'ah approach. This approach, which underscores the fundamental objectives of Islamic law, including the safeguarding of religion, soul, intellect, heredity, property, and self-esteem, plays a crucial role in reinterpreting the concept of zhihar to serve the benefit of the ummah in the contemporary era. By conducting a textual and contextual study of the Qur'an, the sunnah of the Prophet, and the opinions of scholars, this article concludes that zhihar in the modern context should be viewed as a means of protecting family honor and preserving the harmony of the marital relationship. The study utilizes a descriptive-analytical method, guided by the maqasid Shari'ah approach, to assess the relevance and application of zhihar in the context of Muslim life today, thereby providing a comprehensive understanding of the topic