Narrative Of Progress Research Articles

Of Whales and Mushrooms: Anna Tsing’s and John Ironmonger’s Polyphonic Storytelling

Abstract Growing discontent with the ideological formations of Hobbesian self-interest and capitalist progress narratives are countered in Anna Tsing’s The Mushroom at the End of the World (2015) and John Ironmonger’s The Whale at the End of the World ([2015] 2021) through the use of Bakhtinian polyphony which textually manifests collaborative survival. The converging narrative strategies of these books reshape the fiction/non-fiction boundary from opposite ends of the literature/science writing spectrum.

Screening trans narratives: representation of transwomen in Indian regional cinema

In India, the cinema industry has gotten a facelift with the absorption of regional cinema into its defined and confined boundaries, which was earlier a monopoly of commercial Bollywood films as well as award-winning Hindi films. One of the pertinent problems it deals with is the societal, political, and individual negligence towards the marginalised and underprivileged gender minority communities in different parts of the country. This essay traces how transwomen are represented in Indian regional cinema and how the two representative South Indian films, Nanu Avanalla Avalu (2015) and Njan Marykutty (2018), chosen for study, become visual texts which mark clear demarcation from the existing trans narratives and call for a progressive perception to the representation of transwomen in regional cinema. A critical analysis of these films brings forth the nuances and politics of the representation of transwomen on screen by emphasising the construction and contestation of transfemininity and its association with the visible and invisible cisheteronormative patriarchal power play prevalent in society. It also examines the cinematic construction of transphobia directed towards transwomen and concludes on how such progressive narratives can pave the way for an inclusive society through sensitisation of their experiences and issues to a mass audience.

Recovering African contestation and innovation in global politics: Francis Deng and sovereignty-as-responsibility

Abstract Against both liberal narratives and postcolonial critiques, this article argues that sovereignty-as-responsibility – the theory of sovereignty embraced in the responsibility to protect (R2P) – is part of a problem space that emerged with decolonization, rather than the end of the Cold War. The internally displaced person (IDP), the vehicle which Francis Deng used to critique Westphalian sovereignty, had to be theorized against the rise of the postcolonial state. In recovering the questions motivating Deng we find a stark politics driving his work on IDPs and sovereignty. Against the claim that the heart of R2P is armed coercive intervention for humanitarian purposes, Deng used sovereignty-as-responsibility to promote a profoundly political critique of the colonial legacy and the postcolonial state, which was taken up by states of the Global South in debates on the ratification of R2P. Recovering Deng's work on IDPs and sovereignty-as-responsibility highlights R2P as itself a site of contestation, and offers a case for how ideas emerge ‘from below’ in global politics.

Owning towards death: The asset condition as existential conundrum

Abstract Moral and pragmatist sociology has studied capitalism as a set of institutions that require justification, which has historically been offered through forms of rewarding and meaningful work, anchoring the human life course in a narrative of individual and collective progress. However, emerging with neoliberalism, then becoming explicit after 2008, contemporary capitalism has become organised around the logic of assets and wealth as opposed to labour and production. This provokes a vacuum of justification. Once all actors are (as Minsky argued) balance sheet actors and profit becomes a function of sheer temporality, the economy ceases to function as a moral order and instead becomes imbued with existential concerns of temporality, durability, survival, and finitude. Possessed only of certain contingently acquired assets and liabilities, the self becomes wholly contingent in the sense described by Heidegger; that is, as ‘thrown’ into having had a past and into a relationship of ‘care’ towards the future. The article identifies symptoms of this existential condition in empirical studies of wealth elites, for whom (in the absence of conventional liberal and production-based measures of worth) problems of meaning, purpose, and finitude are endemic.

Representation of Violence Against Female Characters in Indonesian Horror Novels

This study explores the representation of violence against female characters in Indonesian horror novels, examining how these portrayals reflect societal views on gender and power. By analyzing three popular novels, the research focuses on types of violence—physical, psychological, and symbolic—that female characters experience, aiming to uncover how these depictions critique patriarchal norms. Employing a descriptive qualitative approach, the study uses textual analysis alongside a feminist narrative framework to interpret recurring themes and patterns within these narratives. Findings reveal that, while female characters are often portrayed as victims, they also demonstrate moments of resistance and agency, challenging traditional roles and societal expectations. This ambivalent portrayal highlights both the vulnerability and resilience of women, offering insights into the complex dynamics of gender in Indonesian culture. The study concludes that Indonesian horror novels serve as a powerful medium for social critique, using horror to comment on issues of gender-based violence and the potential for women to disrupt oppressive structures. This research emphasizes the role of literature in reflecting and challenging societal norms, particularly regarding the representation of women.

Esther reimagined: feminist essence in Sara Joseph’s narrative

Gynocentric approaches to biblical women uncover narratives of liberation and empowerment. These perspectives highlight the gaps and omissions in the representation of women within the overarching metanarrative of the Bible. Sara Joseph’s novel, Esther, serves as a feminist reimagining of the biblical story of Esther, offering a pluralistic lens through which to examine the experiences and lives of women against the backdrop of patriarchy. This paper utilises the feminist hermeneutic method to critically engage with the narrative, drawing on the feminist frameworks established by scholars such as Elizabeth Fiorenza and Esther Fuchs. It argues that biblical women can be reinterpreted as positive role models, saviours, heroines, and vital contributors to an extraordinary narrative of survival and redemption.

“Social Elevator”: Research of Affirmative Action Program

This work investigates the academic performance of students enrolled in the “Social Elevator” program at Higher School of Economics (HSE University), which operates under the principle of affirmative action and aims to assist those students who have lower chances of admission due to various social reasons in a highly competitive environment. Objective admissions in Russian universities and the high selectivity of the HSE University, discussed in this paper, do not confidently allow the application of conclusions from foreign studies to the Russian experience. The program had not been previously researched. It was assumed that students of the program would show higher performance than their peers admitted on a general basis – this assumption follows from qualitative research that found that students of this program possess a progressive narrative of overcoming inequality. Regression with dummy variables based on administrative data on student performance and survey data on the socio-economic status of students are used for the analysis. According to the regression analysis results, all else being equal, students of the “Social Elevator” program demonstrate lower performance than students admitted on budgetary places on general grounds, although they average grades at the “good” level and therefore have a chance to get a return to education and overcome inequality. Further research on the topic is required to separate the secondary effects of inequality, as well as to assess the actual social mobility of students participating in the program. The results can be useful in designing educational policy in the field of expanding access to higher education.

SYNERGY IN SECURITY: EVALUATING THE EFFICACY OF COLLABORATIVE STRATEGIES EMPLOYED BY THE ARMED FORCES OF NIGERIA IN COUNTERING VIOLENT EXTREMISM

In the face of evolving security threats, the Armed Forces of Nigeria (AFN) stand at a critical juncture, where the echoes of gunfire meet the whispers of diplomacy. This study delves into the heart of Nigeria's counter-extremism efforts, examining the AFN's journey from traditional military approaches to a symphony of collaborative strategies. Through an extensive literature review, the study unravels the tapestry of stakeholder engagement woven by the AFN in their quest to combat violent extremism. This research navigates the complex terrain of Nigeria's security landscape, exploring how the AFN has transformed from a lone sentinel to a conductor of a diverse orchestra of stakeholders. It analyses key initiatives such as the National Security Strategy and the National Action Plan for Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism, viewing them as scores that guide this intricate performance of national security. The study reveals a narrative of progress punctuated by persistent challenges. It found that while the AFN has successfully harmonized efforts with civil society, religious leaders, and international partners, discordant notes of mistrust and resource constraints continue to resonate. The analysis uncovers the delicate balance the AFN must maintain – striking a chord between military might and community engagement, between national sovereignty and international collaboration. Emerging from our review is a portrait of an armed force in transition, learning to wield soft power alongside hard power. The study identifies innovative practices where the AFN has successfully bridged divides, creating unexpected alliances in the fight against extremism. However, we also highlight the unfinished symphony – areas where the collaboration falls short of its potential. This study contributes to the growing body of literature on military transformation in the face of asymmetric threats. By examining the AFN's collaborative strategies, it provides insights applicable not only to Nigeria but to armed forces globally grappling with similar security challenges. As the AFN continues to compose its response to violent extremism, this research offers both a reflection on its current performance and a prelude to future harmonies in national security efforts.

Translating the narrative of tolerance in designing a museum environment

The study explores the design of a museum environment based on the narrative of 'tolerance.' Museums deliver in-depth and interactive messages through creating spatial experiences that provides information and engages visitor's emotions. This academic design study utilises the narrative architecture approach to compose and create holistic spatial flow that guide visitors through various sensory experiences. The design of the museum environment consists of five core spaces with different flows of sensorial narrative related to the experience of tolerance, named Susila, Sahayanda, Sabah, Sadrah, and Segianya. The sequence between spaces allows for a coherent and progressive narrative of tolerance, enabling visitors to feel a deep involvement from one space to another. Sensorially, manipulation and organisation of spatial scales bring different experiences of light, texture, sound, and visuals to create a comprehensive and memorable experience. The application of narrative architecture allows the museum environment to evolve, not only as a place to exhibit artefacts but also as a dynamic educational platform. It provides important information about the history of tolerance-related events and reflectively enriches how the visitors experience the space. Connections between the conveyed narrative of tolerance and the space create a vibrant experience of the overall museum environment.

What Happens after Nora Walks Out?——Take Regret for the Past and A Room of One’s Own as Examples to Analyze Female Liberation

At the commencement of the 20th century, concurrent with the transformation of the socioeconomic structure and the augmentation of individualistic consciousness, the feminist narrative in both the Eastern and Western contexts grew increasingly assertive. The character Nora in Ibsen’s plays significantly contributed to the consciousness awakening among women. Regret for the Past can serve as a sequel to What Happens after Nora Walks Out? Delineating the roads and ultimate fate of a consciousness-awakened woman. Concurrently, the eminent Western author, Virginia Woolf, initiated an exploration of feminism within the narrative of A Room of One’s Own marking a significant juncture in the Western feminist movement’s trajectory. This scholarly work involves a meticulous exegesis of the literary texts within Regret for the Past and A Room of One’s Own, examining the diverse experiences of women’s liberation across various historical periods. Research indicates that the status of women has enhanced subsequent to societal emancipation, with women’s liberation being concomitant with their endeavor for gender equality. Subsequently, the Women’s Liberation Movement has achieved additional advancements. It is incontrovertible that research has demonstrated the necessity of social emancipation as a prerequisite for the advancement of women’s liberation. Presently, given the enhancement of women’s societal standing, when running away from home, which had been given the meaning of awakening, was no longer the only option. What contemporary avenues are available for women and what novel challenges confront the cause of women’s liberation?

Lost in translation: Barbie and subtitle discrepancies in China

I examine the subtle yet impactful subtitle translation errors in the Chinese version of Barbie (2023). These translation missteps undermine the film's feminist narratives and representations of gender, which reveals the translations’ capacity to distort the original English screenplay. Employing an interdisciplinary approach that integrates film studies, feminist theory and translation studies, I emphasise the instrumental role of subtitles as not just linguistic tools but narrative constructs that significantly influence the shaping and affirmation of gender identities. The analysis illuminates the pivotal role of subtitles in reflecting and shaping societal norms, offering insights for developing more culturally sensitive and empowered translation methodologies in the realm of international cinema.

Repetition with a difference

The paper examines how the return to Westeros demonstrates the audiences’ desire for “repetition with a difference,” focusing on the political underpinnings of worldbuilding and storytelling presented in House of the Dragon (2022–). A prequel to Game of Thrones , HOTD repeats the setting and many crucial figures, dynamics, and plot points of the original. Seemingly in response to fan criticism of the politics of representation in terms of race, gender, and sexuality in GOT , though, HOTD envisions a past of Westeros that strangely seems more progressive than its storyworld’s “future.” We argue that these temporal shifts can be read productively through the concept of queer temporality, challenging linear notions of time and progress. HOTD presents a seemingly progressive narrative that locates queerness and racial diversity in the past; in this vision, any potential progress thus becomes confined to the past, disappearing from the future of this fantasy storyworld. We argue that attending to the slight shifts in emphasis between GOT and HOTD provides an opportunity to identify changes in audiences’ expectations. We ask: what kind of queer pleasures are mobilized when audiences are invited to revisit a familiar world, but also to re-memory GOT , the original text, with the knowledge of its diverse past as depicted in HOTD ?

Mother-Led Science: Rethinking Science-Based Social Movements Through Temporality and Care

This article explores the subjective and temporal modes of organizing underlying science-based social movements through an analysis of two mother-led movements in Argentina. The Abuelas de Plaza de Mayo appropriated forensic anthropology and nascent DNA technologies to identify their disappeared grandchildren during the 1976–83 dictatorship. The Madres de Ituzaingó Anexo developed community-led epidemiology studies and agrochemical contamination mapping to argue for a causal relation between intensive pesticide use and high rates of childhood illnesses. We focus on how these movements delineate visions of time, responsibility, and collective action by closely examining the underlying histories and practices of each social movement as they politicized motherhood and appropriated scientific practice. We offer the concept of mother-led science through the temporal registers of constancy, desgaste, and durability to illuminate the iterative relationship between care work, creating sustainable communities and institutions, and the fragile processes of stabilizing facts. Mother-led science, with its dual claims to scientific authority in an epistemic register and maternal authority in an affective register, articulates a potent form of scientific organizing. We suggest that these affective temporalities may be present across all science-based social movements but can be obscured by narratives of linear progress toward objective truths.

“I can’t tell you what freedom is ’cause I’ve never seen it”: Addressing the Omission of Liberation Narratives in Sociology

ABSTRACT While liberation, or the process of freeing marginalized individuals and groups from societal oppression and domination, is referenced across many sub-disciplines of sociology, it surprisingly remains under-conceptualized in sociological literature. To address this omission, the present study responds to the following query: how, if at all, do Black individuals conceive of a Black liberated future? I draw on data from 65 in-depth interviews with Black Millennials during Black Lives Matter to capture their imaginings of a Black liberated future. Findings reveal that participants construct four types of liberation narratives when detailing their perceptions of Black freedom: 1) Liberation via Reformation, 2) Liberation via Reconstruction, 3) Liberation via Afrocentrism, and 4) Liberation as Inconceivable. I ultimately argue that liberation narratives function as resistant knowledge projects and, as such, are significant socio-political artifacts and resources for future generations of change agents, community organizers, and social movements actors. Altogether, this study demonstrates how rectifying the omission of liberation narratives magnifies our sociological knowledge about marginalized groups and deepens our analytic capacity to make sense of their ontological approaches toward politics of liberation and imaginings of their collective futures.

History, Memory and Memorabilia: Kamala Dasgupta and the Politics of Remembering Revolutionary Bengal

ABSTRACT This paper examines the interplay between memory, history, nationalism, and visual cultures by focussing on a framed photograph of a revolver gifted to Kamala Dasgupta’s family by the Calcutta (Now Kolkata) police after Indian independence. Once used in an attempted assassination during the anti-colonial struggle, the revolver has become an anomaly in the nation’s collective memory – a ‘floating signifier’ with an unfixed meaning. Analysing the photograph as a media spectacle and a symbol within national myths, I argue that it disrupts linear narratives of progress that dominate nationalist historiography. The article shows how Kamala’s act of procuring the revolver has been overshadowed by her comrade Bina Das’s violent act. Drawing on theories of the spectacle, national temporality, and subaltern studies, I illustrate the selective commemoration of revolutionary violence in India. The research in this paper demonstrates how precarious and subaltern histories such as Kamala’s can destabilise established national narratives and pluralise temporal orders of the nation.

Troubles and Sweets: Reflecting Critically on Historical Offerings for Contemporary Issues

Implementing critical reflective practice, an art education professor details the design of a preservice undergraduate-level learning module to address troubling anti-trans legislation in their state. While centering contemporary art featuring a historically significant local hero, a drag queen by the name of Sweet Evening Breeze, and resisting a didactic or progress narrative, the author reflects on power dynamics, centering joy, and the importance of partnerships in art teacher preparation.

Slow resistance: Feminist and queer activism in ‘illiberal’ contexts

In recent years in China, NGO activism, street gatherings, and the direct expression of gender and sexual rights have been curtailed, yet paradoxically, online feminist expression and organizing, as well as gay visibility, are happening on an unprecedented scale. Inspired by the notions of slow violence and slow hope, this article proposes the concept of slow resistance in relation to ‘illiberalism’ to think through this paradox. Analyzing recent rich and multifaceted, yet often overlooked, feminist activism in China as an example of slow resistance, the article considers slow resistance in ‘illiberal’ contexts as characterized by its context-dependent (in)visibility due to censorship and limitations in global knowledge production and information circulation. Furthermore, slow resistance can be used to understand activism on a global and transnational scale, beyond the oversimplified liberal/illiberal binary. This binary often fails to capture the complexity of political shifts and social changes within ‘illiberal’ contexts. Moreover, the concept of slow resistance challenges the understanding of power solely as state power and resistance solely as opposition to state power. Developing the concept within feminist activism also highlights the importance of gender and sexual politics in understanding social and political change. Slow resistance offers an indeterminate temporality of resistance that challenges narratives of progress in modernization projects and narratives of decline and despair often associated with ‘illiberal states.’ It is important to note that an excessive emphasis on state oppression or illiberal tendencies may paradoxically hinder, rather than facilitate, the potential for (slow) resistance in such contexts.

Sustainable Entrepreneurial Process in the Deep-Tech Industry

To date, deep-tech entrepreneurship and sustainable entrepreneurship are both attracting the interest of researchers. Indeed, deep-tech is being employed to address future sustainable challenges in the present. Nevertheless, the process of deep-tech startups is filled with distinct obstacles. These types of startups may necessitate a more targeted sustainable entrepreneurial process and specialised knowledge compared to conventional technological startups or general sustainable entrepreneurial processes. Currently, most publications discuss either a sustainable entrepreneurial process or conventional technical startups. Therefore, this article aims to investigate the process of sustainable entrepreneurs as they transition from startup ventures to scaleup enterprises within the context of the deep-tech industry. Based on previous sustainable entrepreneurial processes, a multiple case study was conducted within six deep-tech startups, using a narrative progress research strategy, to find the sustainable process pattern. A conceptual model of a sustainable entrepreneurial process in deep-tech industry is established, including five phases with six activities: (i) Sustainable idea definition; (ii) Sustainable opportunity recognition and evaluation; (iii) Venture launch; (iv.i) Sustainable products/services development; (iv.ii) New sustainable enterprise financing; and (v) Sustainable enterprise scaleup. This process enables sustainable deep-tech entrepreneurs, policymakers, and financial investors to necessarily have an overview of the key entrepreneurial stages to navigate from the startup to the scaleup process.

A Case Report on the Short-Term Recurrence of Low-Grade Fibromyxoid Sarcoma in the Maxillary Sinus.

Low-grade fibromyxoid sarcoma (LGFMS) represents an exceptionally rare soft-tissue tumor, challenging to diagnose, and notorious for relentless recurrence and proliferation postsurgical resection. Primary symptoms of LGFMS include nasal congestion and rhinorrhea, accompanied by cheek numbness and distension. In this article, we report the diagnosis and treatment of a case of low-grade LGFMS originating in the maxillary sinus (MS). A 64-year-old male diagnosed with LGFMS of the left MS, undergoing 3 surgeries over a 1-year period with subsequent local recurrence. Following inconclusive postoperative pathology after the initial surgery, the patient experienced recurrence 2 months postsurgery, necessitating a second operation, which confirmed the LGFMS diagnosis pathologically. Radiation therapy commenced 1 month after the second surgery; however, recurrence transpired 6 months later, leading to a third operation. Subsequently, recurrence occurred again 8 months post third surgery, with the patient currently undergoing targeted therapy. This case underscores the distinct characteristics and therapeutic challenges inherent in LGFMS through the narrative of diagnosis and progression of LGFMS originating in the MS.

Medusa's Evolution: From Mythological Monster to Feminist Icon – A Reflection of Shifting Societal Narratives?

This research paper analyses and compares the myth of Medusa in ancient and modern times, through literature, art, media, pop culture and psychoanalysis to determine whether the modern reinterpretation of Medusa’s story is a genuine transformation or merely a repurpose of Medusa’s image without addressing the deeper issues of gender, power and sexuality. By recasting Medusa into modern feminist narratives, scholars and philosophers like Freud, Lacan, Cixous and Butler help challenge the patriarchal narratives and try to subvert traditional gender roles. Through these feminist theories, we are able to overlook the traditional portrayal of Medusa with a fresh eye. Though there are limitations to interpretations of Medusa’s image, they are less in comparison to literature that has appropriately used the myth of Medusa to raise questions about violence and discrimination against women in modern times. The paper challenges whether modern reinterpretation is seen as Medusa’s “glow up” or “glow down” by examining examples of literature, art and pop culture.