Modern Norms Research Articles

Global climate change below 2 °C avoids large end century increases in burned area in Canada

AbstractWildfire impacts the global carbon cycle, property, harvestable timber, and public health. Canada saw a record fire season in 2023 with 14.9 Mha burned—over seven times the 1986–2022 average of 2.1 Mha. Here we utilize a new process-based wildfire module that explicitly represents fire weather, fuel type and availability, ignition sources, fire suppression, and vegetation’s climate response to project the future of wildfire in Canada. Under rapid climate change (shared socioeconomic pathway [SSP] 370 & 585) simulated annual burned area in the 2090 s reaches 10.2 ± 2.1 to 11.7 ± 2.4 Mha, approaching the 2023 fire season total. However, climate change below a 2 °C global target (SSP126), keeps the 2090 s area burned near modern (2004–2014) norms. The simulated area burned and carbon emissions are most sensitive to climate drivers and lightning but future lightning activity is a key uncertainty.

Innovating Imihigo: a decentralisation and indigenous governance mechanism in Rwanda

ABSTRACT Imihigo, Rwanda’s flagship performance barometer, is praised for its cultural innovation while being criticised for instrumentalising the regime’s international credibility. Both views gloss over several thematic points, including the strategic self-criticism Imihigo affords. We triangulate fieldwork data collected from local government actors and non-state agents in four districts with secondary data to analyse the quotidian strategies undergirding the spread of, and governance responses to, Imihigo. Our analysis demonstrates three key points. First, the decentralisation reform offers the requisite institutional backdrop for officials to articulate Imihigo as a cultural innovation for local governance and regime legitimacy. The state’s reasonable support for Imihigo incentivises local service delivery, although this is used by the regime to control the local arena. Consequentially, Rwandans’ interest in Imihigo frames a forum for official criticism. Our study shows a paradoxical use of cultural and modern norms for contemporary governance through a strong state committed to producing results.

РОЗРАХУНОК АРКОВОЇ ДОРОЖНЬОЇ СПОРУДИ З ГОФРОВАНОГО МЕТАЛУ З УРАХУВАННЯМ ФОРМИ ГОФРУ

Introduction. The issue of calculation of an arched road structure made of corrugated metal on the basis of numerical modeling using the finite element method (FEM) using the actual cross-sectional parameters of metal corrugated structures (MCS) is considered. Problem Statement. In past years, for the calculations and tests of road constructions from MCS, a simple rectangular cross-section, equivalent in terms of bending stiffness to a corrugated profile, was considered. This was adopted to simplify calculations and research. Such an approach is also used in modern norms for the design of buildings with MCS. But this is not quite a correct simplification. Purpose. To show the possibility to avoid unnecessary convention and simplification of the calculation scheme and to obtain more correct and more informative results of the calculation of structures with MCS. Research methods and results. The purpose and tasks are realized by calculation-theoretical analysis and numerical modeling according to FEM using a specific example of calculating a road structure (small bridge) from the MCS. The calculation model is made according to the actual shape of the corrugations, without switching to the conventional simple rectangular cross-section of the arch elements, which are equivalent in terms of bending stiffness. The main design condition for strength in this work is the condition that the design load does not exceed the bearing capacity of the arch, as a component of the «building-soil» system.The bearing capacity of the structure in this work is considered as the sum of the arch's own bearing capacity (outside the soil) and the addition, which is provided by the elastic support of the embankment soil in response to the movement of the arch toward the soil. To determine the addition of bearing capacity due to soil resistance, the arch model is adopted as a «mechanism» with full hinges in the places of the greatest stresses and deformations of the arch. The geometric stability of the "mechanism" is ensured by additional rods that simulate the soil support by moving the arch. The forces in these rods must be corresponding to the equivalent resistance of the soil. The bearing capacity supplement is defined as the load on the arch, at which the forces in the additional rods are equal to the equivalent soil resistance of the embankment by the permissible movement of the arch toward the soil.

Mysticism as Counter-Conduct

This essay draws upon Dante and St. Catherine of Siena to flesh out the Foucauldian concept of counter-conduct. Dante and Catherine occupy an important place in early modern history, challenging the designs of medieval pastoral power by embodying a new, secular mixture of the active and the contemplative life. This essay, with Foucault as a guide, suggests that they offer us another way to be modern, a path of self-cultivation surpassing modern norms for nature, the self, and the project of rational knowledge.

Patterns of the noise level change at different speeds for mixed traffic flows

The study describes the problems of determining the normative levels of traffic noise on city main streets. The main statements and preliminary laws that are taken into account when determining the acoustic characteristics of the urban environment in the current building regulations are considered. It was established that the main factor that determines the acoustic load on city streets is the type of covering. The dynamics of the level of traffic noise of mixed flows, taking into account different types of coverage at different speed regimes, are also determined. The obtained results partially differ from the calculated values, and therefore are relevant for the development of modern norms and rules for the calculation of traffic noise on city highways.

Sectarian Tensions, Islamophobia, and Decolonialization: Comparing Jasser Auda’s and Jonathan Brown’s Analysis of the Hadiths Concerning Aisha’s Marital Age

The ongoing debate surrounding the hadiths on Aisha’s age of marriage has given rise to two main positions among Muslim scholars, namely: the rejectors, those who reject the hadiths’ validity and propose the view that Aisha got married at an older age, and the defenders, those who defend them as valid hadiths and accept that Aisha consummated her marriage at the early age of nine years old. In this study, we examine this issue through the opposing arguments offered by two contemporary Muslim scholars: Jasser Auda, who represents the view of hadith rejectors, and Jonathan Brown, who represents those who accept the validity of the hadiths. These two scholars have been chosen to represent these two standpoints mainly because of their novel and distinctive theoretical contributions to the ongoing debate. Entangled in this debate is the issue of whether pre-modern reality can be assessed by using modern norms. We investigate the epistemological and methodological aspects surrounding the two scholars' interpretations of the hadiths of Aisha’s age of marriage. We argue that three significant features distinguish Auda and Brown’s dispositions. These are: first, their different conceptions of the interplay between politics, knowledge, and memory; second, their differing epistemological approaches to hadith science; and third, their opposing assumptions about the universality of modern norms.

Educational trends in the development of philological education in Azerbaijan in the era of digitalisation: a forecast of the future

Education is an indicator of societies socio-economic and cultural development provides the national interests of the country in all areas of its activities in the world arena. The process of integration of cultural, educational, scientific, as well technical spheres – the introduction of modern norms and the standardization of education, the development of science and technology, the culture’s expansion, and the dissemination of scientific and technological achievements. Contemporary professionals face the recent year’s scientific and technical developments problems. The solution of these problems is conditioned by the need of their professional skills continuous development even after having obtained the higher education and the specialization diploma. The penetration into all fields of professional activity of the skills traditionally characterized by high technology leads to the emergence of new trends. The current axiom “digital humanities” is gaining popularity. In this context, the implementation of combined scientific, cultural-educational, and other projects and the involvement of scientists and specialists in research programs are particularly important. The COVID-19 pandemic affected more than 169,015 students in Azerbaijan (Valiyev & Valehli, 2022). This fact forced educators to develop new methods of teaching, with the introduction of distance learning as a single alternative to the desire for pedagogical continuity. Such a situation led to many difficulties, such as lack of experience, technical problems, and difficulties with technical equipment. In addition, many teachers realized that they required digital skills. This paper presents the trends of education with the use of closed survey among teachers in the field of philology. The university community had to develop new ways of teaching and learning, particularly the introduction of distance and online learning that kept students connected and offered different perspectives. Search engines found 457 articles between 2018 and 2022. Relevant articles were searched in the Scopus and UpToDate databases, relevant articles for 2018-2022 were selected and processed by the title and abstracts, 20 scientific works were presented in this study. As a result, the situation of education in Azerbaijan was identified, one highlighted negative trends and prospects for the development of philological education in the context of digitalisation. The highlighted trends and forecasts give a new outline of the impact of digital technologies and the problems of changes in learning, knowledge sharing, and transformation in philological education. The findings open new perspectives on the relationship between science and society and the role of philological research in the context of digitalisation.

Right and Wrong Ways of Knowing

This article explores how the eighteenth-century ‘dictionary craze’ – the explosive proliferation of alphabetically organized reference works – can be understood as part of a wider conflict of learning. Drawing on a wide mix of sources, I show that dictionaries, more than any other factual genre of the time, challenged established conventions about what constituted right and wrong ways of reading, learning, and ultimately knowing, and that this was a crucial reason for both the controversy and success of the genre. After an overview of early modern norms of learning, the article examines how eighteenth-century disagreements about factual dictionaries challenged, reproduced, and reconfigured older views. By encouraging readers to follow their own curiosity, read in whatever order they liked, form their own opinions, remember temporarily, forget, and return when needed, dictionaries deviated from established ideals of disciplined study and ‘digestive’ reading, which held that ‘true’ knowledge was deeply incorporated in the individual. The dictionary’s claim to be a ‘shortcut’ to learning also fueled discussions about the very meaning of ‘knowing’, and how much the road to learning could be shortened without missing the goal.

Shaping the Future: Navigating Youth Ideology and Mental Health in a Digital Age

The rapid evolution of societal and cultural dynamics in the contemporary era presents both significant challenges and remarkable opportunities for the guidance of youth ideology and the promotion of mental health among young people. The pervasive influence of technology, especially social media, has transformed the way youth interact with the world and each other, impacting their ideological development and psychological well-being. This article examines the multifaceted challenges faced by today's youth, including the pressure of social media, the conflict between traditional values and modern norms, and the increased prevalence of mental health issues. Concurrently, it explores the opportunities that arise from these challenges—opportunities for leveraging technology for mental health support, the role of progressive education in shaping ideology, and the potential for family and community support structures to provide a nurturing environment. Through a review of diverse case studies, from the Finnish education system to digital platforms for mental health, this article provides insights into successful strategies and programs that address the complex needs of contemporary youth. These examples highlight the importance of a comprehensive and adaptive approach, emphasizing the need for collaboration across various sectors to foster a generation that is not only ideologically sound but also mentally resilient.

Biomedicine and the treatment of difference in a Jerusalem emergency department

Biomedicine has played a key role in the dissemination of modern social norms, such as the emphasis on individual autonomy and the distinction between science and religion. This study examines the way the mostly-Jewish members of the medical staff at an emergency department of a Jerusalem hospital perceive Jewish ultra-Orthodox and Arab patients' behaviors vis-à-vis the existing biomedical norms. We analyzed participants' perceptions in terms of the social constructs they reveal, their meanings, and their implications. Semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted with 24 staff members and were analyzed using content analysis. The staff described challenges in treating Arab and ultra-Orthodox patients, which they related to both groups' embeddedness in traditional “cultures” and collective identities. According to the participants, in both cases, the patients' cultural affiliations constrained their sense of individual autonomy and rationality. However, in the comparative analysis, two differences emerged. First, while both groups were perceived to diverge from modern norms of individual autonomy, in the case of Arab patients, these characteristics were presented as disruptive and potentially threatening to the hospital staff. By contrast, in the case of ultra-Orthodox patients, adherence to traditional and collective values was more likely to be represented as a risk to the patient, rather than to the staff. Second, staff were more likely to provide accommodations for ultra-Orthodox patients than for Arab patients. These accommodations were often described in the frame of “cultural competency.” We suggest that divergences in how staff understood and responded to perceived cultural differences of each group reflect unequal impacts of structural determinants of health, including of political conflict. We recommend moving beyond the conceptual framework of cultural competency to strengthen the staff's structural competency, cultural and structural humility, and critical consciousness.

Вплив стилю та типу виховання в сімʼї на функціонування соціального інтелекту дитини в умовах дистанційного навчання

The article reveals the influence of the style and type of upbringing in the family on the functioning of the social intelligence of a child of primary school age in the conditions of distance learning. It is shown that currently the influence of information technologies is growing rapidly, the so-called "digitalization" of many social spheres is taking place. The remote conditions of the educational environment have various consequences on the psychological state of younger schoolchildren and the functioning of their social intelligence. The educational process in the context of social deprivation is a modern norm. This is where the psychogenic nature of distance learning is born, which directly or indirectly affects its subjects. Accepting modern trends in the development of school education, it is important to emphasize the need to harmonize the conditions of the influence of family upbringing on the functioning of the social intelligence of a child of primary school age, which would help the creative self-disclosure of his personality. The psychogenic aspect of distance education in one way or another makes it possible to increase the experience of self-regulation, space for creative expression and self-realization, conscious encounter with new distance learning conditions. The essence of the harmonization of the learning process in the conditions of a distance educational environment is the adoption of a new learning format, the ability to adapt the style and type of family upbringing in the direction of the formation of the creative potential of the younger schoolboy's personality and the development of his social intelligence. Key words: younger schoolchildren, social intelligence, development of social intelligence, functioning of social intelligence, distance learning, family education, styles and types of family education.

Sexual Revolution, Mobilization or Civil War: How to Understand the Soviet Transformation of Sexuality (The Case of Soviet Lithuania)

The article raises a question whether the concept of sexual revolution could be applied to the changes of sexuality in the Soviet Union. The case of one of the republics of the USSR, Soviet Lithuania is analysed. The dynamics of sexual policy, norms and behaviour that took place in 1944–1990 are examined to demonstrate what problems arise when applying the concept of the sexual revolution and a new solution is offered – the concept of sexual civil war. It is argued that this new concept points to implications that contradict the sexual revolution: the changes of sexuality are elongated and viscous, the conflicting traditional and modern norms and behaviour can overlap or entrench in separate social and cultural groups to create a kind of stalemate. Therefore the concept of sexual civil war does not stress on the changes themselves but a particular conflict in the process of a transformation of sexuality.

Middlebrow Affective Mapping: Reading Modern Motherhood in Louis Bromfield's Mrs. Parkington (1942)

While New Modernist Studies is growing as it aims at a more inclusive literary modernism, critical interest in middlebrow literature is declining. This article argues that middlebrow literary scholarship is crucially important for understanding nuances in middle-class American culture in the first half of the twentieth century. Engaging with affect theory, this article claims that "affective mapping," as a method of interpretation, an effect of reading, as well as a narrative style, is especially useful for reading seemingly unremarkable texts. Specifically, through an affective reading of motherhood in Louis Bromfield's Mrs. Parkington (1942), the article demonstrates how middlebrow literature can convey reimagined maternal norms of modernity.

HIGHWAY SERVICE QUALITY ASSESSMENT SYSTEM OF UKRAINE

To date, the question of attracting foreign funding for the post-war reconstruction of destroyed cities and their VDM is a pressing issue in Ukraine. The country's budget is acutely in short supply, the economy has practically come to a standstill, and the foreign debt would, in fact, guarantee the country default under other circumstances.
 However, multi-directional international support allows us to count on significant foreign investments in the post-war period to implement an analogue of the "Marshall Plan" for the reconstruction of our country. There are a number of factors standing in the way of this, from bureaucratic to purely technical - the system of evaluating the efficiency of this or that road and transport node in Ukraine and in the West is radically different. This may hinder the communications of domestic contractors who can perform these works and investors who agree to pay for the works. Very often, people who make the decision to start this or that project do not understand the technical nuances and terminology, so it is extremely important to provide them with clear and accessible criteria and charts that will clearly demonstrate the strengths and weaknesses of each solution option.
 In addition, it will allow domestic contractors to participate in tenders, which will positively affect both the state of business in Ukraine and revenues to the state budget, because taxes will remain in the country. The road construction industry must take a significant step towards Europe in order to standardize our roads and further implement the Eurozone on the territory of Ukraine.
 The difficulty of combining the country's old post-Soviet road network with the modern norms of European countries also lies in the fact that different neighboring countries have different norms for assessing the quality of service, which does not allow for the development of a single correct regulatory act that would be universal for all cases of combinations of Ukrainian and foreign norms and would not have an unreasonable number of exceptions.

Активные процессы в системе вокализма и консонантизма британской орфоэпической нормы RP

The aim of the study is conditioned by significant changes in British Received Pronunciation (RP) and the need to determine its modern norms. The paper presents an attempt to define new permissible norms in the vowel and consonant systems based on data from the authoritative British learner’s dictionaries “Cambridge Dictionaries Online”, “Collins Dictionary”, “Macmillan Dictionary”, “Oxford Learner’s Dictionaries”, “Longman Pronunciation Dictionary”, “The Routledge Dictionary of Pronunciation for Current English”. A coherent analysis of these norms together with the norms of the so-called Conservative or Traditional RP is also carried out. Scientific novelty of the study lies in identifying new orthoepic norms, as well as the phenomena that were not previously characteristic of the vowel and consonant systems of British English (the use of the neutral vowel /ə/ in an unstressed syllable). The obtained results have demonstrated that in Modern RP, there is an active process of gradual replacement of the Conservative RP norms by the norms of the so-called Advanced RP, which was typical only for the representatives of the younger generation until the early 2000s. As the study shows, the former orthoepic norms are often completely replaced by the new ones when teaching English Received Pronunciation to foreigners.

DOCTRINAL PROBLEMS FORENSIC EXAMINATION IN THE INTEGRATIVE DOCTRINE OF EVIDENCE-BASED LAW

The article reveals the problems of forensic examination in the integrative doc- trine of evidentiary law, taking into account the provisions of the Constitution of Ukraine, procedural legislation, the case-law of the European Court of Human Rights, and judicial precedents of the Supreme Court of Ukraine. In the context of the formation of its doctrinal principles and individual legal in- stitutions, we propose to consolidate here the provisions of the following content: “The evidence is the factual data obtained in accordance with the procedure pro- vided by law that meet the requirements of belonging to the case, admissibility and reliability”. “Factual data obtained during the conduct of expert studies, investigators or other procedural or regulated by separate laws of research actions can be used in legal evidence, provided that the source and method of their obtaining, the evi- dence obtained, are not “fruits of a poisonous tree” are clarified and can be verified. The peculiarities of the expert's conclusions and written conclusions of special- ists are disclosed, and a simplified procedure for assigning examinations and the formation of the results of expert research is proposed. It is concluded that it is necessary to adopt a universal legislative act – the “Code of Evidence”. It is proposed to include in its conceptual model the norms of the gen- eral and special parts. In the general part, at the integrative level, intersectoral char- acters should be set out, norms common for all forms of legal proceedings, which will determine the concepts and types of evidence and the criteria for their admissi- bility. In a special part, modern norms should be laid down – standards of evidentiary law governing the receipt, research, verification, evaluation, and use of evidence, the production of forensic examinations. It is proposed to differentiate art and humanitarian examination, the need to ex- pand the types of examinations and the formation of the subject and features of such independent examinations as forensic and humanitarian, legal, stock market exam- ination, environmental and land examination are being bypassed. Key words: examinations, expert conclusions, evidence, evidentiary law.

DESCRIPTION OF ISSUES DURING THE DISASSEMBLY WORK PROCESS

Problem statement. Due to the great globalisation and continuous exponential growth of megacities populations, there is a growing need to improve the quality of housing for urbanised humanity through the expansion of existing cities. Cities are constantly growing. Continuous process of renovation and old quarters transformation that do not correspond modern norms and regulations in terms of infrastructure and housing is ongoing. Under this rapid growth, problems arise and accumulate during disassembly. It is necessary for solving these problems to describe and structure them. The purpose of the article is the development of identification concept for new and typing existing problems at each disassembly stage, as well as finding their solution based on domestic and international experience presented in scientific sources. It is necessary to develop standardised algorithm for disassembly and demolition of buildings and structures. Scientific novelty. On the basis of own experience in the implementation of disassembly projects and scientific papers, an algorithm for disassembly work is developed. The most typical problems at each stage of the disassembly described.

В поисках национальной идентичности: конституционные акты Колумбии эпохи радикального либерализма (1853–1863)

The middle of the XIX century in Colombia (then New Granada) was marked by radical transformations, which went down in history as the revolutionary events of the 50s. The modernization of Colombian soci-ety affected all aspects of public life: political economic, social and administrative. The younger generation of radical liberals who came to power in search of ways of national identity used two mutually contra-dictory practices in their activities: the development of modern legal norms of national creation (constitutional acts) and the practice of civil wars, a tradition rooted in the era of the War of Independence of 1810–1826. The constitutional acts of this period (1853–1863) and the crea-tion of the foundations of the modern state were based on the recogni-tion of the federal structure of the republican society and the complete eradication of all vestiges of the old colonial regime. The proposed work analyzes the constitutional acts and reforms of this period in the history of Colombia (1853–1863), their role and importance for the subsequent development of the country.

Small Forms of Trade as a Strategic Direction of Legal Regulation: From the Origin to the COVID-19 Pandemic and the New Economic Reality (Peddling Trade Case Study)

The paper examines the problems of legal policy formation in the field of regulation of non-stationary and non-chain formats of trade (small trade forms) in Russia on the example of the draft Strategy for the Trade Development until 2025 and Peddling Trade. The paper describes specifics of the implementation of the main goals and objectives of the Strategy related to ensuring a variety of forms of trade and «deregulation» in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. The author describes the historical experience of the Russian legal regulation of peddling trade and analyzes the use of the traditional permissive regulatory model. Modern legislative attempts to «deregulate» peddling trade in Russia are critically evaluated from the point of view of legal technique and the real volume of regulatory burden for salesmen. Federal «deregulation» does not eliminate, but only strengthens administrative barriers at the local level of regulation, which, as shown in the paper, is often characterized by inadequate and excessive rulemaking contradicting federal legislation and the legal standing of the Constitutional Court of the Russian Federation. In this regard, the availability of small forms for private trade initiatives in practice is limited not only by the general requirement to register a citizen’s entrepreneurial activity, which is not mitigated by modern norms on professional income tax, but also by arbitrary municipal regulation. At the same time, the traditional permissive model for peddling trade, uniformly applied throughout the state, but with freedoms for certain types of goods, seems more appropriate and favorable for merchants than the apparent «deregulation», which is confirmed by foreign experience. Thus, the draft Strategy for trade development until 2025 is clearly outdated and needs a serious update that would correspond to the new economic reality formed by the COVID-19 pandemic and economic sanctions and take into account the nature and effectiveness of the legislative changes that have already taken place.

The Balance between the Legal Norms of Treaties and National Legislation of Israel in the field of the Right to Marriage and Family. Regulation of the Divorce Procedure for Mixed (Interfaith) Couples

The paper considers one of the most specific systems of law that includes modern democratic norms of law and conservative, religious traditions. This system of law is the national family law of the State of Israel. The centuries-old religious norms of law in the field of marriage and family relations remained archaic until the declaration of Israel’s independence. This resulted in the creation of a new national system of legislation that met international standards. However, due to the importance of preserving traditions, as well as the zealous attitude to their observance on the part of religious groups living in Israel, the norms of religious law in the field of marriage and family relations have become an obligatory part of the legislation in this area of law. At the same time, being a progressive state to the extent possible, Israel is constantly developing the legal framework in the field of human rights, especially the right to marriage and family, in accordance with all the norms of treaties to which it is a signatory. The norms of Jewish law, Muslim law are an obligatory part of the laws of the State of Israel, in particular in regulating the divorce procedure. The divorce among Jewish couples, as well as Muslim couples, is carried out in accordance with the norms of the religious law of each denomination, which are enshrined in the regulatory legal acts of the State of Israel. However, cases of termination of marital relations of mixed (interfaith) couples are not an exception. In connection with the complication of relations at the present stage, it is necessary to constantly develop legislation in the field of divorce procedure, especially in cases of termination of marital relations of mixed (interfaith) couples, so that prevent any form of discrimination.