Critical Narrative Research Articles

The therapeutic effects of physical treatment for patients with hereditary spastic paraplegia: a narrative review

BackgroundHereditary spastic paraplegia (HSP) encompass a variety of neurodegenerative disorders that are characterized by progressive deterioration of walking ability and a high risk for long-term disability. The management of problems associated with HSP, such as stiffness, deformity, muscle contractures, and cramping, requires strict adherence to recommended physiotherapy activity regimes. The aim of this paper is to conduct a critical narrative review of the available evidence focusing exclusively to the therapeutic advantages associated with various forms of physical therapy (PT) in the context of HSP, emphasizing the specific benefit of every distinct approach in relation to muscle relaxation, muscle strength, spasticity reduction, improvement of weakness, enhancement of balance, posture, walking ability, and overall quality of life.MethodsTo conduct a literature review, the databases PubMed, Scopus, and DOAJ (last access in June 2023) were searched.ResultsThe PubMed search returned a total of 230 articles, Scopus returned 218, and DOAJ returned no results. After screening, the final list included 7 papers on PT treatment for HSP patients.ConclusionElectrostimulation, magnetotherapy, hydrotherapy, PT, robot-assisted gait training, and balance rehabilitation have the potential to increase lower extremity strength and decrease spasticity in HSP patients.

Was punk DIY? Is DIY punk? Interrogating the DIY/punk nexus, with particular reference to the early UK punk scene, c. 1976–1984

This article offers a critical provocation and reconceptualisation of the DIY/punk nexus, both to challenge the standard critical narrative of punk as originary DIY culture and to liberate the broader practice of DIY from the limits of punk. It critically traces the development of the discourse of DIY both in original British punk c. 1976–1984 and in what has become punk studies, mapping the development of the scholarly orthodoxy. It then challenges the latter via an interrogation of aspects of punk that have been repeatedly presented in the scholarship as evidence of its DIY-ness: punk mediation, instrumentation, and participation. These three then constitute a context for the central and more detailed critical exploration of the most widely accepted DIY/punk practice, the independent or self-produced record, which is also read as ‘non-DIY.’ The article concludes by widening the critical gaze via a call for DIY to undergo a process of depunking.

Prayer and koinonia in the Fourth Gospel

Prayer, the central spirituality in the theological and ethical life of Christ’s disciples, has not yet received significant attention from Johannine scholars. Although some scholars emphasised and discussed prayer in the New Testament, Johannine scholars have failed to recognise the significance of prayer in the Fourth Gospel. Using narrative criticism the article aims to uncover the relationship between prayer and koinonia in the Fourth Gospel. The research on the theme of prayer and koinonia conducted in the Fourth Gospel has yielded the finding that prayer was a manifestation of abiding in Jesus. Koinonia was a form of prayer.Contribution: The article fills the lacuna in Johannine studies, more specifically, in the field of prayer and koinonia. The article, which is in line with the scope of HTS Theological Studies, and offers a new interpretation of prayer and koinonia in the Fourth Gospel.

Queering the Outdoors: Experiences of 2LGBTQIA+ Outdoor Recreation Professionals

The purpose of this study was to explore the experiences of Two Spirit, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Intersex, Asexual, Plus non-conforming identities (LGBTQ+) individuals who have pursued a professional career in the outdoor recreation industry. Six stories of queer identity in the outdoors were gifted to this study, with the understanding that not all LGBTQ+ individuals experience the outdoors in the same way. Each participant was encouraged to guide the study through individual expression in alignment with an emancipatory critical narrative research design. This study considers participant experiences across the span of their career, where job advancement and the role of colleagues both arose as prominent themes that shed light on the pervasiveness of hegemonic culture in the outdoor recreation profession. Outdoor recreation organizations may learn from these stories to disentangle harmful social norms from curriculum and practices by creating structural pathways for professionals with non-dominant identities, and authentically consider how an organization’s history informs its culture. The findings have important implications for creating inclusive culture in the outdoor recreation profession.

The complexities of trans women’s access to healthcare in South Africa: moving health systems beyond the gender binary towards gender equity

BackgroundPublic health research highlights the influence of socio-political biases shaping obstacles to fair healthcare access based on gender. South Africa has shown commitment to resolving gender imbalances in healthcare, historically emphasizing cisgender women’s challenges. However, research gaps exist in exploring how public health systems perpetuate disparities among gender-diverse persons, like trans women, who face exclusion due to their deviation from cisgender norms in healthcare. Critical, intersectionality-informed health research carries the potential to reveal the diversity of gendered healthcare experiences and expose the systems and processes that marginalize trans patients.MethodsThis study adopts a critical trans politics perspective to explore the socio-political forces limiting South African trans women's access to public healthcare. Using a critical narrative approach, the research asks:1) What narratives do South African trans women share about their experiences in health systems?2) What gendered societal structures, practices, and norms enable or hinder their inclusion in health systems?Over a period of two months in 2022, five South African adult trans women between the ages of 22 and 30 participated in 60 to 90-min long, semi-structured individual, telephonic interviews, focusing on participants' subjective experiences in healthcare.ResultsTrans women's narratives unveiled a culture of medical genderism in South African public healthcare, discriminating against patients whose gender misaligns with societal norms. This culture is represented by the trans women's experiences of their identities being structurally stigmatized and delegitimized when seeking healthcare, reflected in institutional policies, practices, and protocols consistently disregarding and misgendering them. Trans women’s systemic erasure was illustrated by the restricted professional knowledge, availability, and adoption of gender-affirming healthcare in a ciscentric public healthcare system prioritizing cisgender needs. The intersection of gender, race, and class dynamics compounded the obstacles faced in accessing healthcare.ConclusionsThis inquiry underscores the structural hurdles trans women face when accessing suitable public healthcare. It introduces a gender equity framework for trans inclusive healthcare, outlining implications for research, theory, policy, and practice. Toward the goal of embracing complexity and diversity, this framework, for example, promotes the rigorous absorption of trans persons and their healthcare experiences in gender-responsive programming, and encourages the development of a comprehensive understanding of gender equity from an intersectional perspective incorporating the unique needs and rights of trans healthcare seekers. The framework also offers practical guidance for cultivating health systems attuned to gender diversity (such as addressing medical genderism and recognizing the broad spectrum of identity at a policy level).

Learner Participation in Science Learning: Creating a Humanized Science Classroom

As science learners, learners can learn science from their enriched cultural life world. However, the disempowering forces embedded in science pedagogical practices demotivate the learners to participate in the active science learning process. In this context, this research addresses the question: How have I explored learner participation in science learning to create a humanized science classroom? I applied auto ethnography as a research method and inquiry to portray the critical reflexive narratives I experienced in my science learning journey. The research shows that the learners’ participation in science learning is in/directly influenced by the in/formal modes of science learning. The rigorous and unjust formal schooling cultures demotivate the learners to participate in science learning autonomously. The science teachers must know the learners’ lived experiences and cultural worlds by creating a dialogic space between teachers and students. It can also support modifying and cultivating their internal selves through individual and collective participation. Therefore, the research also offers to know and value the learners’ creativity and acknowledge the learners’ learning experiences beyond the formal academic settings. Furthermore, science teachers need to view the learners through humanized lenses to motivate learners for their autonomous participation in science learning. It possibly counteracts the rigorous schooling cultures that emphasize the directed participation of learners and transform their dogmatic identities.

Dalits and Discourses of Anti-Caste Movements in Kerala, India

This article locates various historical discourses of anti-caste imaginaries and articulations that are imprinted in the historical past of Kerala society. Unravelling historical and social theoretical trends, it examines broadly an anti-caste imaginary articulating notions of equality and addressing various events, personnel interventions, policies and ideologies made discursive politics in Kerala. As ideologies and its consequent effects upon society are political, the article substantially makes comments and interprets the Dalit-Bahujan world grounded on the lived experiences of Dalits in Kerala. The article brings forth discourses of social movements, production of Dalit icons, critical narratives on untouchability and communist positions about caste. But, a new imagination, academic and aesthetical engagements of Dalit-Bahujans in the form of the production of Dalit art and literature informs new articulation of Dalit politics in Kerala.

Narrative Medicine Theory and Practice: the Double Helix Model

The genesis of the medical humanities as a discrete academic discipline engendered a need for a theoretical framework, a function taken on by the growing narrative medicine movement. More recently,...

Autoethnography for language teacher education programs: Connecting identities, ideologies, and experiences to curricular design practices

AbstractAutoethnography, a qualitative research methodology that investigates aspects of individuals' identities, ideologies, and emotions, has recently gained traction in applied linguistics and second language (L2) scholarship. However, research is needed that investigates the use of autoethnography in preservice teacher education programs, along with exploring the connections between individuals' autoethnographies and actual pedagogical practices. The current study explores such issues by implementing a critical autoethnographic narrative assignment in a master's TESOL course for teacher candidates (TCs). Eight TCs completed two installments of a critical autoethnographic narrative, reflecting on their prior L2 learning and teaching/tutoring experiences. After completing various course assignments (e.g., textbook review, lesson plans), TCs then produced a final multimodal reflection, examining how their experiences influenced their pedagogies. TCs' narratives and reflections were thematically analyzed to examine 1) shared identities, ideologies, and challenges faced, and 2) explicit connections TCs made between their experiences and pedagogies. The findings of this study point to multiple shared ideologies and challenges among the TCs. Some preservice teachers were also able to link aspects of their identities and ideologies to specific curricular design practices. Implications are discussed for L2 teacher educators in terms of leveraging autoethnography for fostering reflective practices.

A pronatalist turn in population policies in Iran and its likely adverse impacts on reproductive rights, health and inequality: a critical narrative review

Iran has witnessed three major reversals of population policies since their inception in the 1960s. In response to a rapid decline in fertility to very low levels, the latest policy shift has led to the development of legislation that aims to encourage marriage and fertility, particularly the “Youthful Population and Protection of the Family” law approved in 2021. This study reviews the changes in population policy and their interrelations with fertility trends, focusing mainly on the shift towards pronatalist policies since 2005, and accompanying restriction of reproductive health and family planning services. Combining international and national sources, we position the new pronatalist drive in the country within the broader trend of government attempts to reverse fertility decline and promote conservative family values. Our study has three main aims. (1) We provide an overview of fertility trends, policy discourses and policy shifts in the context of the changes in the societal and political structures of Iran during the last half a century. (2) We highlight and discuss the most problematic features of the new Family Law, especially the legislation pertaining to maternal and reproductive health, access to abortion and contraception, and incentives supporting earlier marriage and higher fertility. (3) We discuss the likely consequences of the new legislation for maternal and child health and sexual and reproductive rights, for women in general, and the country’s socio-economic disparities. As well as violating reproductive rights, the new policy is unlikely to achieve its aim of initiating a sustained rise in fertility in Iran.

Simulated Participants' Experiences and Challenges With Online and Face-to-Face Interactions During COVID-19: A Case Study in UAEU.

Direct patient contact is essential when training health professionals for future patient-centered interactions. Simulated participants (SPs) play a critical role during training; however, limited information is available about their personal perspectives. This study explored SPs at the College of Medicine and Health Sciences experiences, adaptations, and preferences regarding online and face-to-face encounters. After ethical approval, a qualitative research study using structured in-depth interviews was conducted online with 16 SPs, applying critical incident narratives and storytelling. Interview data were transcribed and encoded using thematic framework analysis, after which member checking was conducted to increase credibility. All SPs acknowledged the benefits of online delivery models during the pandemic, including the convenience of working from home, continued clinical skills training, and personal protection from COVID infection. Participants preferred face-to-face delivery over online encounters, except for one SP, who saw no difference. Challenges included technical issues, communication problems, and lack of realism. Although these results cannot be generalized, all participants acknowledged the relevance of online portrayals during the pandemic. Most preferred face-to-face delivery models for improving role-playing and enhancing personal communication to achieve better patient outcomes, while one SP had no preference. The use of concurrent online and face-to-face methods may more effectively engage SPs in simulation-based education. Before restructuring programs, further research is needed, including a deeper exploration of students' and educators' perspectives.

Performing Ecclesiastes: Text as Script

All biblical scholars are committed to the interpretation of ancient written texts, but Biblical Performance Criticism (BPC) reminds interpreters that performance helps us better understand Scripture. A distinct difference between Narrative Criticism and Performance Criticism is the broader application of Performance Criticism to poetic and prose texts that are not grounded in narrative. The ambiguity of prose and poetry that does not readily identify speakers is open to a range of performative interpretations. Furthermore, audiences are necessary for performance and contribute to meaning-making. The embodied experience of performers and audience alike contribute to the interpretation of biblical texts. This article reflects on a performance of Ecclesiastes translated as a script of a television talk show, claiming that embodying and performing Scripture is itself a method for interpretation. Through the performance of Scripture, we are reminded that interpretation is shared and dynamic within the community of faith.

‘Thingly’ forms in Guston Reloaded: Filipo Caramazza at Handel Street Projects

The paintings by Filippo Caramazza were made during years of protracted expectation of the major retrospective of paintings: Philip Guston Now. Delay was caused by significant debate between major receiving institutions as to their responsibilities when exposing provocative imagery to public view. Potential for misjudgement was a foremost concern in planning publications and installations. As if to manage a sense of deprivation, Caramazza imaginatively substitutes the real paintings, currently withheld, as postcard re-presentations, as if to mark their existence in absentia. The faithful painterly address to detail of image and technique suggest his reverence for the presence of the original works without attempting to replicate their powerful impression. The passive form of copying, a ‘humble address’ to the original paintings, stands in contrast with the authoritative nature of the institutional debate. Much of the concern with public reception of the paintings focused on issues raised by the contemporary ‘Black Lives Matter’ movement and references to the Ku Klux Klan (KKK) within Guston’s work. Effectively the museums decided to acknowledge but defuse problematic content. This article takes the view that the politics of Guston’s paintings address sociopolitical and personal issues generally, as well as formal painterly issues in contemporary American painting. Taking these ideas further, Caramazza’s paintings offer an opportunity to consider how museums shape critical and theoretical narratives in the construction of displays and a consideration of how painting may act as a critical witness.

Am I American enough? A critical narrative exploration of Second-Generation Asian American teachers’ identity and belonging

The United States is in the midst of the largest migration since the turn of the nineteenth century, forever changing the demographics of the nation. This paper is concerned with the implications of this ongoing transformation for schools and the lives of teachers and students who labor and learn within them. In attending to this concern, this paper focuses on Asian Americans, a population that significantly contributes to this demographic shift and who have historically faced legal and formalized exclusion, compounding their relationship to the social imaginary of America. This contestation is even more pronounced for Second-Generation Asian Americans, whose belonging is additionally complicated by their status as American-born. This critical narrative inquiry presents stories of two Second-Generation Asian American elementary school teachers and shares the fraught negotiations of identity and culture that these teachers experience as they mobilize their identity in service of their students.

What are the factors of parental incarceration that may increase risk of poor emotional and mental health in children of prisoners?

PurposeGlobally millions of children have a parent who is imprisoned. Research suggests that this has an adverse impact on the child and imprisonment of a parent is considered to be an adverse childhood experience (ACE). Parental incarceration will not only affect the child but the entire household and may result in further ACEs such as household dysfunction and parental separation making this group of children particularly vulnerable. This scoping review aims to adopt an international perspective to comprehensively examine the extent range and nature of literature both published and grey relating to parental incarceration and the potential impact on children’s emotional and mental health.Design/methodology/approachIn this scoping review, the five stages identified by Arksey and O’Malley (2005) were used including identifying the research question, identifying relevant studies, study selection, charting data, collating, summarising and reporting results. In addition, the included studies were appraised for quality using methodology-specific tools. A critical narrative synthesis was adopted to present findings and discussion.FindingsNine studies met the inclusion criteria. Of the included studies, eight were retrieved from peer-reviewed journals and one from grey literature searching. Five categories with subcategories were identified affecting children’s mental health: 1) Relationships: parent and incarcerated child relationship; facilitators and barriers to maintaining contact; 2) Family structure; maternal or paternal incarceration; living arrangements during parental incarceration; 3) Children’s emotions: emotional recognition and regulation; resilience; 4) Prison stigma: social stigma; shame and secrecy; 5) Structural disadvantages: poverty; race/ethnicity.Originality/valueThis scoping review has highlighted how the imprisonment of a parent negatively affects their children’s emotional and mental health. Factors negatively impacting children’s emotional and mental health are interrelated and complex. Further research is required, including differences between paternal and maternal incarceration; impact of gender and age of child; poverty as an ACE and prison exacerbating this; and effects of ethnicity and race. An important policy direction is in developing an effective way of capturing the parental status of a prisoner to ensure that the child and family receive needed support.

Re-examining single-moment-in-time high-stakes examinations in specialist training: A critical narrative review

In this critical narrative review, we challenge the belief that single-moment-in-time high-stakes examinations (SMITHSEx) are an essential component of contemporary specialist training. We explore the arguments both for and against SMITHSEx, examine potential alternatives, and discuss the barriers to change. SMITHSEx are viewed as the “gold standard” assessment of competence but focus excessively on knowledge assessment rather than capturing essential competencies required for safe and competent workplace performance. Contrary to popular belief, regulatory bodies do not mandate SMITHSEx in specialist training. Though acting as significant drivers of learning and professional identity formation, these attributes are not exclusive to SMITHSEx. Skills such as crisis management, procedural skills, professionalism, communication, collaboration, lifelong learning, reflection on practice, and judgement are often overlooked by SMITHSEx. Their inherent design raises questions about the validity and objectivity of SMITHSEx as a measure of workplace competence. They have a detrimental impact on trainee well-being, contributing to burnout and differential attainment. Alternatives to SMITHSEx include continuous low-stakes assessments throughout training, ongoing evaluation of competence in the workplace, and competency-based medical education (CBME) concepts. These aim to provide a more comprehensive and context-specific assessment of trainees’ competence while also improving trainee welfare. Specialist training colleges should evolve from exam providers to holistic education sources. Assessments should emphasise essential practical knowledge over trivia, align with clinical practice, aid learning, and be part of a diverse toolkit. Eliminating SMITHSEx from specialist training will foster a competency-based approach, benefiting future medical professionals’ well-being and success.

Biomarkers and Functional Assays of Epithelial Barrier Disruption and Gastrointestinal Dysmotility in Critical Illness-A Narrative Review.

Enteral nutrition in critically ill children has been associated with improved clinical outcomes. Gastrointestinal dysfunction often impedes the timely initiation and advancement of enteral nutrition and can contribute to immune dysregulation and systemic inflammation. Therefore, assessing gastrointestinal function, at a cellular and functional level, is important to provide optimal enteral nutrition therapy and reduce the gastrointestinal tract's contribution to the inflammatory cascade of critical illness. In this narrative review, we present an overview of biomarker and functional assays for gastrointestinal dysfunction, including epithelial barrier disruption and gastrointestinal dysmotility, that have been considered for critically ill patients.

The Local Route of Administration of Dexamethasone in Impacted Mandibular Third Molar Surgery: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Randomised Controlled Trials and a Critical Narrative Review on the Claimed Advantages of the Local Route.

The proponents of local route of Dexamethasone (DXM) administration for impacted mandibular 3rd molar (MM3) surgeries claim advantages over the traditional systemic routes. This systematic review and meta-analysis were aimed to determine whether the route of perioperative administration of DXM influences the inflammatory outcomes of MM3 surgeries. An electronic database search over a 25year period of randomised trials of DXM in MM3 surgeries was conducted. The mean differences or standardised mean differences were extracted and pooled using the fixed or random-effects model. Of the sixteen selected trials, four were considered for a meta-analysis. There were no statistically significant differences in the inflammatory outcomes between the local and systemic routes of DXM. The claimed advantages of the local route of DXM do not appear to be scientifically valid. Clinical trials supported with DXM plasma measurements are needed to confirm the absence of a systemic effect when DXM is administered locally.

Book review. Popenici, Stefan (2023). Artificial intelligence and learning futures. Critical narratives of technology and imagination in higher education. Routledge.

Book review. Popenici, Stefan (2023). Artificial intelligence and learning futures. Critical narratives of technology and imagination in higher education. Routledge.

Unveiling the mainstream narrative and embracing critical voices in the era of internationalisation in higher education: considerations from Latin America

ABSTRACT This paper critically examines narratives of internationalisation in higher education, highlighting three core narratives: a normative narrative that emphasises economic growth and quality education, a critical narrative that challenges internationalisation as a hegemonic market-based force, and a narrative that addresses colonial legacies, the latter two narratives with considerations from Latin America. The study analyses policy documents from international agencies and two influential books, revealing the dominance of normative, Western-rooted narratives and the marginalisation of critical voices that have limited impact on policy. The paper argues for challenging the normative narrative and its neglect of regional specificities and colonial histories in favour of redistributive logics and social inclusion. It highlights the dangers of conceiving of internationalisation as a ‘one size fits all’ approach, focusing exclusively on economic and quality aspects, and suggests that a critical evaluation of internationalisation can contribute to the decolonisation of higher education narratives.