Oppressive Regimes Research Articles

Wielding Gay Men’s Agency: Empirical Evidence from HEIs in the Philippines

ABSTRACT The school, like many other social institutions, is not immune from the far reaches of heteronormativity. To further understand and challenge such an oppressive regime, our study paid closer attention to how selected gay men wield their agency in the context of higher educational institutions (HEIs) in the Philippines. Our analysis is anchored on the assumptions of the theory of the Chordal Triad of Agency (CTA). This theory sees agency as constructed temporally (past, present, and future) through social engagements or relational contexts of action. Data were drawn from in-depth interviews with 30 self-identified gay faculty. This empirical study reveals that the critical forms of social engagement in exercising gay agency are academic, interpersonal, and public in nature. Informed by the dimensions of the CTA, the specific ways of wielding gay agency are distancing strategically and displaying masculinity (iterative dimension); dissenting intellectually (practical-evaluative dimension); and segueing lessons, transforming time stereotypes, and queering tasks (projective dimension). This article not only reveals the power of dissent, as evident in the multiple and creative ways gay agencies are wielded, but also examines the conducive role of academic freedom offered by HEIs.

Engineering under oppressive regimes: exploring the role of engineers during apartheid South Africa

ABSTRACT Engineers’ contribution to society tends to be located in rational, technical constructs devoid of social and political interests. This paradigm presents a challenge to engineering educators tasked with undergraduate engineering curriculum content that links to society in some way. This article reports on a study undertaken by engineering educators who were motivated to understand the role of the social and political on the work of engineers. It explores how engineers conceived of their role during apartheid, an oppressive political regime for the majority of South Africans that officially ended in 1994. Interviews were conducted with engineers and academic staff to examine how participants’ navigated engineering practice and academic work during that period. The thematic findings allow for a conceptualisation of the apartheid ‘system’ they encountered, depicts how they saw their role in this system and explores the underlying reasons for why they behaved in the ways that they did.

Gender, Ethnicity, and Religion in Gharbi M. Mustafa’s What Comes with the Dust Goes with the Wind

This study aims to bring to light various forms of oppression and enslavement of female Yazidis under the oppressive regime of ISIS depicted in Gharbi M. Mustafa’s novel What Comes with the Dust Goes with the Wind 2017. Through the lens of intersectional feminism, the experience of the protagonist of the novel, Nazo Heydo, who represents thousands of Yazidis, will be discussed and examined. Nazo was enslaved, traded, and abused physically and verbally by brutal ISIS militants. The paper analyses gender, ethnic, and religious related factors that caused the protagonist to go through her unfortunate experience as she was captivated by ISIS militants. Moreover, it explores the intersection and interaction of the previously mentioned factors in the genocide and enslavement of female Yazidis represented by the main character, Nazo. It is true that the novel depicts the harsh experiences of male characters, too, yet it is different from that of Nazo and all other female characters just because they were women. This paper aims to answer the following questions: 1. To what extent does the novel succeed in depicting women's oppression represented by Nazo? 2. How does the narrative address the impact of ethnicity on the genocide and enslavement of female Yazidis? 3. What is the role of religion in framing the atrocities of female Yazidis imposed upon them by ISIS militants in the novel?

Subaltern Voices and Strategic Essentialism in Silko’s The Man to Send Rain Clouds

This article studies the Subaltern voices and Strategic Essentialism in Leslie Marmon Silko’s The Man to Send Rain Clouds. These concepts unveil individual voices raised against the power structures and the Pueblo characters strategically respond towards the Western’s hegemony and syncretism. There is depiction of rebellion and adaptation through Subalternity and Strategic Essentialism respectively, by the Native Americans in the short story. Leon’s effort towards securing his traditional values and cultural practices, highlights struggle towards autonomy and preservation in the text. The story depicts the uncertainty of preservation and adaptation, as characters suggest to quench the thirst of the old man through Catholic’s Holy water. This paper discloses the harms committed by the Euro-Americans to the Native American culture and the Natives' efforts to preserve their culture and to survive under the oppressive regime.

Ahmet Baytursınov ve Mehmet Akif Ersoy’un Şiirlerindeki Vatan Sevgisi Motifi

Ahmet Baytursınov and Mehmet Akif Ersoy are two prominent poets who experienced the challenges of the same era and produced works guided by similar ideals. The common themes in their works include a deep love for the homeland, a quest for freedom, and efforts to enlighten the people. Both poets steadfastly fought against the social issues of ignorance, poverty, religious exploitation, and oppressive regimes, reflecting these struggles in their poems and writings with the goal of awakening their societies. Mehmet Akif’s works, such as "Süleymaniye Kürsüsünde" and "Fatih Kürsüsünde", vividly depict the religious and social problems of the time, while Baytursınov’s works, such as “Masa” and “Kırk Mısal”, hold a significant place in Kazakh literature and convey messages aimed at deepening the awareness of independence. Each poet used literature and the press not just as a tool for individual expression but as a means to educate the people and mobilize society. They championed not only their own nations but also universal values, and their works continue to carry timeless messages today. This study examines the themes of patriotism, freedom, and enlightenment in Baytursınov and Akif’s works, highlighting how these poets not only identified social deficiencies but also proposed solutions. Both poets made great contributions to their peoples and left profound marks in the fields of literature and thought. The recognition of these two significant figures by a wider audience and the deeper exploration of their works are of utmost importance. Their cultural, literary, and intellectual legacy is not limited to their era but holds the potential to illuminate future generations. This study aims to disseminate Baytursınov and Akif’s ideas and works to broader audiences and to provide a foundation for further academic research in this field. Future comprehensive studies will strengthen the shared cultural ties within the Turkic world and ensure that these two distinguished figures receive the recognition they deserve. Keywords: Ahmet Baytursınov, Mehmet Akif Ersoy, Kırk Mısal, Masa (Mosquito) Poems, Safahat, Patriotism, Freedom, Motif.

The Memory Police: Rehashing the Image of Totalitarianism or Intentionally Anachronistic Writing?

Literary images, followed by their visual interpretation in diverse film adaptations have effective impact of reinforcing the “knowledge” about certain political ideologies. The cultural representation of fascism and totalitarianism seems to be reductively limited to its repetitive features of definite suppression of freedom and brutal control. Yoko Ogawa’s dystopian novel The Memory Police (1994) depicts the state of affairs of a novelist on an unnamed island where inhabitants are subjugated to oppressive regime of the Memory Police enabling the total amnesia of all the objects disappearing from everyday life. My intention is to explore whether Ogawa’s literary images challenge or underpin the previously established imagery of existing power structures. Further, I will discuss the notion of anachronism both as motif and (intended) literary approach. This novel is also analyzed through its allegory about the future perspective of the written word in the indifferent and oblivious world.

Im Umbruch der Zeit: Richard Wagners Romane und rumäniendeutsche Bezüge1

Abstract This paper is dedicated to the Romanian-German author Richard Wagner, who died in Berlin in March 2023. The purpose of the article is to analyse the novels of Richard Wagner, who, as mentor of the literary group „Aktionsgruppe Banat”, became one of the most important contemporary German-language authors. Most of his novels are largely autobiographical and deal with the political events of the time and with live in poverty during the oppressive regime of Ceaușescu. Wagner‘s writings focus also on the political, cultural and linguistic challenges that immigrants from East-Central European countries face in West Germany. This article aims to shed light on central aspects of the Romanian-German influences in Richard Wagner‘s novels.

NGO Activism and Anti‐Corruption Disclosures: An Empirical Study of Emerging Economy Multinational Companies

AbstractBuilding on social movement theory, we investigate particular stakeholder contexts, including non‐governmental organization (NGO) activism, within which emerging economy multinational companies (EMNCs) are more likely to disclose anti‐corruption information. By leveraging Transparency International's unique dataset on anti‐corruption disclosures by EMNCs, we find that EMNCs disclose more anti‐corruption information in countries with a lower level of government oppression of NGOs, greater transparency of NGOs, as well as a greater number of anti‐corruption NGOs operating in such markets. EMNCs with a higher level of internationalization exhibit more anti‐corruption disclosures when they are based in countries with a higher level of NGO transparency and a lower level of government oppression of NGOs. Anti‐corruption disclosures of EMNCs are more responsive to corruption scandals when they are headquartered in less repressive countries and countries with a higher level of NGO transparency. This study provides original insights into whether and how the NGO‐driven social movement process in institutional environments plays a role in influencing the anti‐corruption disclosure and transparency practices of EMNCs. We argue that, within the context of emerging economies, unless we consider the interactions of NGO activism with internationalization and corruption scandals, we will be unable to fully understand anti‐corruption disclosure practices by EMNCs.

'Belief Rather Than a Memory': The Relationship Between Gender and Trauma in Margaret Atwood's <em>Oryx and Crake</em>

Much of the scholarship surrounding Margaret Atwood’s Oryx and Crake discusses trauma and gender, with emphasis on ecocritical interpretation. It is rarely discussed as a 9/11 novel, although Sutherland and Swan assert that it can indeed be read as a 9/11 text, and deal with trauma briefly amid an assortment of post-9/11 'worries.' I seek to enter the discourse addressing trauma and its cultural relationship to gender as specific causal and effectual grounds in the post-9/11 social clime. I argue that Atwood depicts the gender binary as an empty talisman ('a belief rather than a memory') used by a society in crisis to self-soothe. In this way, Oryx and Crake can be situated in relation to Susan Faludi’s understanding of the aftermath of 9/11 as part of the backlash to second-wave feminism. Oryx and Crake can be viewed as a version of the bleak future Atwood has been imagining since The Handmaid’s Tale, with capitalism instead of Christianity as the driving force and the endemic sexism portrayed more subtly. Specifically, I explore how the novel is a combination of Orwell-style government oppression and Huxley-style consumerist numbing (Kroon), concentrating on how gender interplays these dynamics. The post-apocalyptic hellscape gives the protagonist narrator a chance to reevaluate these ideals as relative and ridiculous. This relativity—asking the question: ‘what would society be like without gatekeepers, where critical thinking was the only way to function and survive?’—is the jumping-off point for a post-truth literature to emerge.

Psychiatric Experiments with “Community” Under Dictatorship and Authoritarianism: The Case of the Protected Commune Experience, 1980–1989

In Chile, a long and oppressive military regime (1973–1990) dismantled emergent initiatives for the deinstitutionalisation of psychiatric care, imposing a neoliberal constitution that opened public services to market forces and limited the state's role in health and social care. After being associated with communism and socialism, community-based mental health work was banned, and socialist psychiatrists were silenced through torture or exile. However, some therapeutic initiatives persisted, such as the “Protected Commune” (PC) initiative within the El Peral psychiatric asylum. The PC attempted to mimic a real town inside the asylum's gated perimeter. It featured an ecumenical chapel, a school, and various “council” departments like recreation, education, waste, economy, and health. Paths received names, wards became districts, and patients and workers were assigned new, democratic roles, all while the authoritarian regime entirely controlled the “outside” world. The initiative ceased with the return of democracy in 1990. Deemed an eccentric and negligible episode, the PC is often seen as an interruption to the radical community-based experiences of the pre-dictatorial era. Drawing on archival research and oral history interviews with participants, this paper examines how the PC harnessed the notion of community to navigate the complex socio-political landscape of the dictatorship. Differing from established accounts of the political uses of psychiatry under authoritarianism, the study positions the PC as a prism for understanding the contradictory ways in which the idea of 'community' has been able to transcend radically opposed social and political regimes, becoming a core feature in the vocabulary of mental health reform, despite its ambiguities.

Iran’s digital authoritarianism as the Blueprint for National Sovereignty

As the technological landscape undergoes continuous transformation, nations are seizing the combination of technology, governance, and sovereignty in their strategies. Following the Arab Spring, a movement primarily focused on overthrowing oppressive regimes in the Middle East, Iran took a distinctive turn by establishing a digital authoritarian model. Fueled by concerns stemming from democratic reforms worldwide - especially those facilitated by the Internet and social media, which have played a pivotal role in the collection and dissemination of information - the Iranian government perceived a potential threat to its national security and sovereignty as well as its political survival. In response to the above, Tehran implemented a range of strategies and measures in Internet governance, which represent a form of oppressive control. To regulate the Internet and control the flow of data, Iran established the National Information Network, known as the ‘Halal Internet’. This effort aims to safeguard national sovereignty through persistent control, shield political ideology, and promote a particular religious behavior within cyberspace. These developments have a noteworthy impact on individual rights, liberties, and privacy. This paper aims to explore the methods through which Iran exercises digital authoritarianism.

The contributions of community-led newspapers to the resilience of Rio’s Maré and Rocinha favelas during the COVID-19 pandemic

ABSTRACT This article explores how two community-led newspapers in Maré and Rocinha in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, promoted social resilience in their respective favelas during the first 6 months of COVID-19. We reviewed stories published in both newspapers and interviewed a sample of their journalists to investigate the newspapers’ responses to the pandemic’s effects, government policies (or lack thereof), and resident reactions to evolving virus-related risks during our study period. We employed Keck and Sakdapolrak’s social resilience framework to examine our data and found that the newspapers contributed significantly to the resilience of both communities during our study period. Contrary to the neoliberal view of resilience as self-reliance, these newspapers sought instead to encourage sustained collective agency and to challenge oppressive governance through generative activities and advocacy. Our findings deepen understanding of the role of community-organized activities in marginalized populations’ struggles to assert their right to the city, particularly during crises.

Understanding the Material Impact of Social Media during Public Criticism and Dissent in African Countries: A Review of the Literature

Globally, governments are imposing national blackouts on digital communication, particularly the internet and subsequently the social media space during public criticism and dissent. To understand the material impact of this digital blackout, a literature review is conducted, focusing on African countries. The objective of this study was to examine the impact of social media during public criticism and dissent from an African perspective. To achieve this, an extensive review of the literature was conducted on African countries. The United Nations (UN) classifies 54 countries as African. All these countries had a known chance of being selected as part of the sample (probability sampling). In total, 29 countries were chosen based on relevance and the availability of data on internet shutdowns. Furthermore, the study looks into a 5-year trend from 2018 to 2022. Consequently, the results suggest that internet shutdowns in Africa are currently on the rise and remain disruptive, oppressive, expensive, and cost countries dearly. Additionally, the study also found that internet shutdowns often result in violent and/or fatal protests. It was further found that the responses by governments and companies during public criticism and dissent have been challenging, insufficient, and detrimental to human rights. At a country level, Ethiopia, Sudan, and Chad - respectively remain the regional leaders in terms of shutting down the Internet. This research recommends more scientific research to be conducted under the topic to enrich the existing body of knowledge, and possibly refine the findings of the current study. It further recommends country-specific policies that should openly condemn government-imposed internet shutdowns. Moreover, this research also recommends that global Human Rights Organisations should stand firm and strongly condemn government-imposed internet shutdowns by imposing sanctions and repercussions for oppressive governments. Finally, this research concludes that social media has unique capabilities to convey messages to larger groups of people, mobilizing or immobilizing them with only a few clicks. Among others, social media can also spread fake information or news by posting old material and linking it to current situations.

Public Transport in Pre-Apartheid Literary Johannesburg: Between Progress and Oppression

ABSTRACT A close reading of literary representations of Johannesburg’s public transport in the early decades of the 20th century gives insight into the intricate way in which freedom, mobility, and narratives of progressive modernity interlink with urban mobility regimes of public transportation. The literary representations mark public transport simultaneously as progressive and oppressive, depending on access. Where access is denied, public vehicles become part of an oppressive racist mobility regime and exclude individuals from formative experiences of collective belonging. The present analysis engages with selected concepts from the field of mobility studies, namely Cresswell’s thoughts on the relationship of mobility and modern citizenship, Bissell’s observations regarding ‘mobile collectives’, and the idea of ‘throwntogetherness’ by the social geographer Massey. These will be used to analyze the gatekeeping function of public transport in representations of early Johannesburg, where black, male, urban subjecthood is negotiated against white urban modernity.

Racial Discrimination and Resistance in Judas and the Black Messiah Film

Judas and the Black Messiah reflects the real events focusing on O’Neal’s betrayal to Hampton in the late 1960s directed by Shaka King. This research aims to determine the racial discrimination towards the black characters and resistance strategies in the Judas and the Black Messiah (2021). In this research, the writer applied a qualitative research method with a descriptive analysis technique in analyzing the data. Furthermore, in this research, the writer utilized Racial Discrimination theory proposed by Rebecca M. Blank and Marilyn Dabady to examine the racial discrimination against the black characters. The results show black characters facing racial discrimination on a daily basis in three forms, such as in Explicit Discrimination, Statistical Discrimination and Profiling, and Organizational Processes. The members of the Black Panther Party are labeled as a group of criminals by the government and stated as a threat to national security. Thus, this makes the black characters have to suffer on a daily basis through physical attack from the police and often receive racial slurs. Nevertheless, the result also portrays the black characters in utilizing the resistance strategies to fight against racial discrimination. There are several strategies utilized by the black characters, such as Political Education, Coalition Building, Direct Actions and Protests, and Empowerment Through Leadership. It attempts to fight back against injustice treatment and government oppression of minorities. Keywords: Black Characters, Racial Discrimination, Racism, Resistance Strategies

Tracing Infrastructure and its Evolution in the Search for the Missing in Poland

Every day around the globe, people go missing for any number of reasons. Some disappearances are intentional, others are enforced by oppressive political regimes or the result of natural disasters. Whatever the reason, these disappearances produce family ruptures and anxieties, and require a search to establish, at the very least, whether the missing person is dead or alive. In Poland, the number of reported disappearances gradually rose to 20 000 by 2018. (For comparison, other countries’ figures vary widely due to the diverse contexts and calculations used—for instance, Finland records 700–800 missing incidents annually, while in the UK there are over 300 000.) The increase in Poland’s figures results from the sheer growth in disappearances given the ease of movement and rising socioeconomic pressures, bringing with them health issues, debt, and family conflicts. The increase in disappearance figures also results from an increased willingness among families to report missing persons and a willingness among the police to accept such reports. I associate the rising sociopolitical recognition of disappearances in Poland with the expansion of tracing infrastructure, which I define as the interlocking assembly of state and nonstate agents, institutions, and technologies engaged in the search for missing persons.

THE IMPACT OF THE US-CHINA-RUSSIA RIVALRY ON THE ARCHITECTURE OF INTERNATIONAL SECURITY AT THE GLOBAL AND REGIONAL LEVELS

In the altering global political landscape, paradigm shifts in power balance always have repercussions on the established international order. In this regard, it has been witnessed in recent years that the US-China-Russia rivalry has significant implications for the architecture of international security at both global and regional levels. On one hand, China appears to have expressed discomfort with the US-centric global security framework and aspires to lead the reform of global security governance towards a new paradigm of 'partnership and mutually beneficial outcomes'. While China has supported Russia's interpretation of the conflict in Ukraine and views Russia as a potential ally in its narratives, there are inconsistencies in its stance towards Russia. This suggests that China's foreign and security policy, including the prospect of cooperation and confrontation, is still in the making. In contrast, the United States views China and Russia's support for oppressive regimes as counterproductive, while China and Russia view the United States' democracy and human rights promotion and military intervention in certain regions as problematic. However, there is potential for cooperation between the US and China in areas such as peacekeeping, promoting global stability, and reducing the risk of inadvertent escalation. Consequently, the evolving relationship between these three powers and their impact on the global security landscape highlight the need for a deeper understanding of their respective interests and the potential for cooperation or conflict in various regions. Thus, keeping these notions into consideration, this paper attempts to assess the global chessboard where these major powers engage in a multifarious struggle for dominance. For this, the research endeavours to shed light on the evolving nature of global security structures as well as how this tripartite power play influences security landscapes across the world. The paper seeks to offer a panoramic view of the contemporary international order, which is shaped and reshaped by the interplay of forces between the U.S., China, and Russia.

Lost In Conformity: Exploring The Erosion Of Identity And Individuality In The Face Of Oppression In Authoritarian Dystopias

Dystopia is a place where everything is disastrously wrong. Dystopian literature embodies recurring elements that construct a vivid and often unsettling description of oppressive societies. Dystopian literature explores fictitious societies or worlds characterised by oppressive governance and dehumanisation. Several works of dystopian literature centre around the concept of totalitarianism, offering readers an opportunity to critique this system and emphasise the significance of individuality and freedom that is suppressed under the rule of totalitarianism. This research paper delves into the convoluted realms of dystopian literature, focusing on the pervasive composition of the loss of identity and individuality in the face of oppressive regimes. Employing a qualitative research methodology, the study centres its analysis on Margaret Atwood's seminal work, The Handmaid's Tale, to unravel the profound impacts of authoritarian control on the characters' sense of self. The investigation extends by examining the plight of women in dystopian settings, illuminating the multifaceted practices in which they grapple with the erasure of their individual identities. Through a careful examination of the characters' experiences, the paper aims to shed light on the nuanced nature of gender-based oppression, presenting how women become symbolic of a broader societal scrabble against totalitarian rule. By investigating the inimical consequences of technological advancements, the study emphasises the erosion of personal freedoms and the subjugation of autonomy that often accompanies the omnipresence of advanced surveillance and control mechanisms.

Poststructural Analysis of Anti-LGBTQ + Educational Policies

We draw on several critical paradigms, disciplines, and theories to interrogate 13 anti-LGBTQ+ educational policy texts. Using Institutional Theory (Anagnostopoulos et al., 2010; Carpenter & Feroz, 2001) and Poststructural Policy Analysis (Bacchi & Goodwin, 2016), we explore how these texts may cause separations between policy and practice, how they construct “teachers” and “students” as subjects and objects of the state, and how they promote cisheteropatriarchy. The terms reactive evasion and identity evasiveness are presented to describe central discursive mechanisms in the texts. The term identity specificity, or the humanizing practices of recognizing diverse identities, is coined as a fundamental component of educational quality. We situate our work as an enunciation of critical resistance within anti-oppressive discourses and assert three main arguments: (a) these dictates will adversely affect educational institutions; (b) a fundamental component of educational quality is identity specificity; and (c) policy not centered on the humanizing testimony of those about whom that policy is generated reinforces oppressive regimes.

Call to Prayer

“Call to Prayer” is a poem that attempts to capture and portray the experience of standing in the malu (shade and protection) of the sacred. Whether that malu is cast by monument, an altar, or a mountain, the poem depicts the kuleana (responsibilities and privileges) of recognizing our pilina (intimacy and relationship) to that which is kapu (sacred). The poem travels through the knowledges of faith, courage, devotion, fear, and aloha via the perspective of a Kanaka Maoli wahine who lives in the malu of our kupuna (ancestors) while continuing to endure the ongoing wake of settler colonialism, displacement, and alienation.
 Call to Prayer stands in the malu of the Mihrab, Shangri La’s most sacred stolen artifact. And in her magnificent shadow we come face to face with the violence that resulted in her displacement to Hawai‘i. We cannot look away, not from her outstanding beauty, and certainly not from the generations of brutality that has allowed us to be in her company. The Mihrab powerfully calls us back to our own sacred places, and in that moment we are invited into a mutual recognition, an unexpected intimacy between peoples, ʻāina (lands, or that which feeds), and mo‘olelo (stories and histories).
 While this original poem was written in 2021, the most recent genocidal attacks on our Palestinian ‘Ohana in Gaza by the State of Israel have further deepened and expanded its meaning. While our loved ones face genocidal extermination, we stand, around the world, insisting on a critical truth: all life is sacred, all ‘āina are sacred. We condemn any oppressive regimes that would attempt to exterminate our peoples (whether kanaka or Palestinian) and contaminate, bombarded, and settle our lands. Any national project that requires wholesale extermination and displacement of Indigenous peoples is an affront not only to justice, but to life itself. Our commitment to each other will not allow us to be silent. Our duty to our shared histories, will not allow us to stand idly by. May all our akua (gods and elemental forces) and kūpuna (ancestors) gather around us, may they cast their malu of protection upon us, may they strengthen us in this lifelong pursuit of liberation, justice, and freedom for all occupied and oppressed peoples. Amamua noa.