Private Sphere Research Articles

(En)gendering Indian kitchen: discourses of gender, space and women in Ambai’s ‘A kitchen in the corner of the house’

ABSTRACT In contemporary discourses on gender, the kitchen has been a matter of much contention. On one side, it is considered a prison, but on the other, it is also viewed as a sacred heart of the home. However, in the Indian domestic sphere, the reality and meaning of the kitchen for most women remain much more complex. The article aims to highlight the multiple levels of association women have with kitchen space from the perspective of gender. By analysing Ambai’s short story, ‘A Kitchen in the Corner of the House,’ the article strives to question the very idea of the kitchen as a woman’s space and attempts to understand why and how women’s identities are built around the space. The article mainly takes its theoretical base from feminist geography to understand both the spatial and symbolic construction of the space and the role of gender in such construction. Lastly, the article attempts to show that the kitchen in the Indian domestic sphere does not have a fixed set of gender rules and norms but contains an insidious web of gender ideologies that entail women to occupy the space.

The Purposes of Marriage and its Hierarchy according to Al-Ghazālī on the Iḥyā’ Ulūm al-Dīn based on Mubādalah Perspective

Al-Ghazālī is recognized as a distinguished scholar who adeptly integrates the principles of fiqh ‘Islamic jurisprudence’ with tasawwuf ‘Islamic mysticism’, achieving a balance between naqlī ‘transmitted knowledge’ and 'aqlī ‘rational knowledge’, as articulated in his seminal work, Iḥyā' 'Ulūm al-Dīn. However, his perspectives on women's issues, particularly regarding the purpose of marriage, have been characterized as non-moderate, prompting some scholars to label him a misogynist. This study aims to elucidate and analyze Al-Ghazālī's views on the purpose of marriage and its hierarchical structure through the lens of Mubādalah ‘reciprocity’. This research employs qualitative literature review methodologies supported by a philosophical framework. Primary data are sourced from Al-Ghazālī's works, namely Iḥyā' 'Ulūm al-Dīn and Kasr al-Shahwatain. Secondary data encompass a range of academic books, journal articles, and additional references that substantiate the research findings. The collected data are subjected to descriptive-analytical techniques for thorough review and analysis. The research outcomes indicate the following: First, Al-Ghazālī highlights the hierarchy of marriage purposes grounded in the levels of maqāṣid al-syarī’ah, which consist of ḍarūriyāt ‘necessities’, ḥājiyāt ‘needs’, and taḥsīniyāt ‘desirables’. Second, from the perspective of Mubādalah, Al-Ghazālī's views on the purpose of marriage, as presented in Iḥyā' 'Ulūm al-Dīn, do not align with the principles of Mubādalah and exhibit gender bias. This misalignment is evident in several aspects: (1) At the pre-marriage stage, Al-Ghazālī positions men as the decision-makers in the selection of a spouse, while women are relegated to the status of the chosen objects. (2) There exists an incongruity between the hierarchy of marriage goals from Al-Ghazālī's perspective and the principles of Mubādalah. (3) Al-Ghazālī delineates the husband-wife relationship within a superior-inferior framework. (4) He emphasizes the roles of women primarily within domestic spheres. Al-Ghazālī's views are undoubtedly shaped by the socio-historical context of his era, as well as his identity as a şūfi. This research aspires to contribute to the discourse surrounding the evolution of Islamic family law legislation, advocating for the recognition and safeguarding of women’s rights and roles in a more equitable manner.

Innovative resource-saving security strategies for IoT devices

The astounding trend of increasing the number of connected IoT devices reflects the growing importance of this technology in industry, healthcare, the domestic sphere, and other sectors. However, with the expansion of IoT capabilities, the number of challenges also rises, particularly regarding the security of these devices, many of which are characterised by limited resources such as memory, power consumption, computational power, and network bandwidth. This article examines the key challenges associated with ensuring the security of IoT devices and proposes potential solutions and optimisation strategies that consider these limitations. The primary focus is developing and analysing lightweight cryptographic algorithms capable of providing robust data protection with minimal resource usage. The article also discusses efficient energy management strategies and optimising memory usage in IoT devices. Emphasis is placed on developing adaptive security mechanisms that can effectively respond to dynamic operational conditions and resource constraints. It is noted that further research and development should focus on creating integrated solutions that combine hardware, software, and managerial aspects to optimise the overall efficiency and security of IoT systems.

Границы между приватным и публичным как условие личностной автономии

The subject of this article is the phenomenon of the boundary between the private and public spheres. The research is based on a systematic approach that allows analyzing and combining individual aspects of the phenomenon under study, as well as methods of logical and historical analysis, hermeneutical and logical methods. The ratio of public and private spheres has now become the subject of consideration of a number of social sciences and humanities. If the public sphere is fundamentally transparent and open to everyone, then privacy, on the contrary, is connoted with darkness, opacity, mystery. A person as a social being is characterized by the need for both public and private space. The boundaries between public and private space can be both material (doors, walls) and immaterial (laws, traditions, social norms). It is noted that these boundaries are not static, they change in space and time, depend on culture, generation and social stratum. Socially constructed boundaries of privacy are formed on the basis of existing ideas in this society about the degree of personal inviolability. What a person is allowed to demonstrate and see is subject to public expectations. Different ideas about personal boundaries can lead to cross-cultural confl ict. It is argued that borders protect the right to privacy associated with tact, voluntary refusal to interfere in the personal affairs of another person. The observance of social distance constitutes personal freedom in both public and private space. Deprivation of privacy humiliates human dignity. Therefore, the right to private space, the ability to defend and protect personal boundaries is a necessary prerequisite for personal freedom and autonomy.

Commodified by displacement: the effects of forced displacement on Syrian refugee women in Lebanon’s agricultural sector

Abstract In an effort to contribute to an emergent body of ethnographic work addressing the labour economy of forced displacement and the contribution of women refugee-labour more precisely, the article uses the case-study of Syrian refugee women in Lebanon’s agriculture to uncover how forced displacement has contributed to the exploitation of an already-commodified, invisible, and migrantized workforce. While there is an established and diverse body of literature that investigates female labour invisibility in agriculture (on the one hand), and the relationship between labour commodification and agriculture (on the other hand), less discussed is the relationship between forced displacement and female labour commodification. Based on ethnographic research including interviews and participant observations conducted between May 2018 and September 2019 in Lebanon’s Bekaa valley, this article demonstrates how refugee-labourers are subjected to various tactics and instruments of labour coercion, which affect their decision-making power in both the work sphere and the domestic sphere, reinforcing their invisibility as cheap labour and docile refugees. A closer investigation into the labour dynamics on site yet reveals a much more complex reality where women engage in various acts of negotiations by making instrumental use of their femaleness. Notwithstanding the situation of forced displacement, the conditions facing the case of these female refugee-labourers mirrors more broadly the structural problems inherent to contracted labour regimes in corporatized sectors like agriculture.

MECHANISMS OF EXTERNAL FINANCING OF THE UKRAINIAN ECONOMY DURING WAR AND APPROACHES TO THEIR OPTIMIZATION

The article examines the approaches and mechanisms of financing the Ukrainian economy from EU countries during the full-scale aggression of the Russian Federation, which showed a significant limitation of allocated resources for a systemic confrontation with the Russian Federation and full European integration. It has been revealed that the financial resources allocated by Ukraine’s international partners (mainly the USA and the EU) are limited, which are only sufficient for exchange rate, financial and price stabilization, but not enough for economic recovery and development. The author of the article proposed to revise and increase the parameters of the existing largest financial assistance program «Ukraine Facility» for more tangible socio-economic support for Ukraine. The investment component of this program is also a very small amount for large-scale, strategic attraction of Western companies to cooperation and insurance of business risks. Only fundamentally, grant, technical and gratuitous financing with appropriate control mechanisms can change the trajectory of economic recovery of the Ukrainian economy. A number of measures (7 instruments of financial assistance) are proposed to improve the domestic socio-economic sphere and convincing arguments are provided for revising the political dialogue at the international level by the Ukrainian authorities. Active in transforming and improving the program «Ukraine Facility» The Government of Ukraine must show its commitment to European partners in accordance with strategic plans for the development of the domestic socio-economic environment.

The Norwegian ministries’ records centers in the public sphere

Purpose The purpose of this study is to examine the culture of transparency in the Norwegian ministries considering the public sphere. The research question has been as follows: to what extent do the Norwegian ministries’ records registration and transparency practices contribute to the public sphere today? Design/methodology/approach A follow-up study after the Norwegian Auditor General’s investigation of records management and transparency in the Norwegian ministries and at The Office of the Prime Minister in 2014–2016 is presented. The design was a case study. The methods were a combination of an interview and document research. Findings Registries are published faster than when the original investigation was done, which means the possibilities of debate are increased. However, wide use of confidentiality provisions may indicate that too many records are defined as belonging to the private sphere. Registration routines have improved, which may increase control of the ministries. However, this is counteracted by extensive use of exception clauses. Originality/value Research about the public sphere has usually dealt with the participants in public debate and places for debate. This paper broadens the perspective using data from various official sources to shed light on the role of records centers and online public records registries in the public sphere.

Social Functions of the Russian Arctic Older Residents

Introduction. The purpose of this article is the finding social functions of older Russian citizens in economic, domestic and public domains and also assessment of the expression level of these functions in the Russian Arctic in comparison with the all-Russian situation. The importance of the article's topic is due to the steady trend of aging of the Russian population and the need to rethink the role of older citizens in various spheres of life. The research novelty lies in the systematization of data on the involvement of older Russians in labor, social and domestic and public activities, as well as in the comparison of related allRussian trends with the corresponding processes in the Russian Arctic.Methodology and sources. The theoretical basis of the study is the papers of foreign and Russian authors specializing in the social aspects of aging, social practices in which the older people are involved, their reintegration into the economy and the public sphere. The empirical content of the article is based on a comparative analysis of state statistics, survey research and the authors' own data, obtained as a result of the in-depth interviews with older Russians, who living in the Russian Arctic territories.Results and discussion. Employment of the older people shows declining dynamics until –20 both in Russia as a whole and in the Russian Arctic. At the same time, in the Arctic the proportion of working older citizens has remained consistently higher than the Russian average over the past decade. In the social and domestic sphere, the importance of the elderly in caring for children is high - in Russia in recent years about a 1/3 of the older people perform this function. However, in the Russian Arctic, the share of such people, conversely, has decreased and equal less than 1/5. The activities of public associations involve a minimal number of older citizens. The majority of them are members of trade unions, and in the Russian Arctic they constitute more than half of the total number of those involved in public activity.Conclusion. The implementation degree of social functions of older people has the specific in the Russian Arctic territories, caused by the unfavorable demographic situation, shortage of labor resources and high cost of living. This explains the higher older people employment in the arctic regions compared to Russia on average. Other indicators reflecting the social functions of Russian Arctic' older residents are close in their values to the all-Russian ones.

О перспективах задействования систем, основанных на технологиях искусственного интеллекта, в процессе выполнения задач, решаемых органами внутренних дел

Activities related to ensuring the necessary conditions for public safety in the country currently seem to be the most important of the priorities aimed at the sustainable development of Russian society. This area needs to be developed and improved, using the latest digital technologies in solving law enforcement problems. In this regard, the authors of this study draw attention and emphasize that today it is extremely important to strive in the activities of police departments to increase the ability to use technologies based on artificial intelligence to track, collect, analyze, process and otherwise use colossal flows of information to effectively combat crime. The conducted research gives reason to believe that it is possible to use new technologies in the domestic law enforcement sphere: by processing materials containing statistical data; providing assistance in the preparation of documentation of varying complexity; saturating law enforcement websites with legal information; making decisions in the process of qualifying crimes, etc. Without a doubt, in the future, the use of new technologies can also have a significant impact on the formation of prospects for combating crime, as well as its prevention. It is concluded that in modern conditions it is important to intensify the use of new technologies to counter various criminal manifestations. Most likely, the full implementation of new technologies in the activities of internal affairs bodies will go a long way. However, in any case, in order to actively counteract criminal manifestations today, it is important for modern society to begin the active use of intelligent systems in law enforcement.

Telaah terhadap Status dan Kedudukan Perempuan dalam Islam Perspektif Mubadalah

The testimony of women is the focus, with scholars holding diverse views regarding the eligibility of women as witnesses. In some contexts, such as muamalah, women are allowed to testify, while in fiqh jinayah, their testimony is strictly prohibited. It is essential to interpret Quranic verses using a broader and more comprehensive approach, connecting them to the conditions of women during the time of the Quran’s revelation. QS Al-Baqarah (2): 282 should be seen as progress, as it acknowledges the role of women as witnesses, a recognition that was previously absent during the Jahiliyyah period. This verse affirms the status of women as autonomous legal subjects, reflecting humanitarian values. The interpretation of this verse should be contextual, not merely literal, and adapted to the changing times based on the mubadalah perspective. This study employs a qualitative descriptive method and literature review techniques to collect primary and secondary data. The aim is to answer the posed questions and explain the status of women from a mubadalah perspective. QS Al-Baqarah (2): 282 is viewed as progress because it acknowledges women as witnesses, even though at that time, they were largely confined to the domestic sphere. The interpretation of this verse must be analyzed historically and contextually, considering social changes that have opened access for women to various public domains. Individual competence and understanding, rather than gender, should be the basis for evaluating testimony, as recognized by classical and contemporary scholars. Thus, the equal value of women's testimony with that of men aligns with the principles of justice and humanity in Islam

“Oh how I love being a woman”: post-feminism and contemporary femininity on TikTok

ABSTRACT Research has explored how the rise of new social media platforms affords new opportunities for public representations of femininity to varying effects. This paper contributes to this body of work drawing on videos posted on the social media platform, TikTok. We ask, how is womanhood being represented on the platform? To address this, we thematically analysed TikTok videos (n = 150) garnering the most attention from platform users that represent experiences unique to being “a woman” which share the sound “Oh how I love being a woman.” The following themes were identified: safety, beauty as self-care and feminine bonding, and authenticity as mess. Videos concerned with safety offer a critique of structural gendered norms by representing the lived realities ofg women’s management of a dangerous public sphere. Concurrently, there are contrasting representations of womanhood in the private spaces of bedrooms and bathrooms. Feminine connection and enjoyment via beauty rituals celebrate a retreat into the private sphere, whilst mess signifies a particularly authentic performance of femininity. We contend that these representations may indicate a concerning trend in post-feminist culture where the public/private binary is reinforced, and structural gendered inequities are acknowledged yet perceived as inherent and unchanging.

Redefining Leadership: The Role of Spirituality and Motherhood in Muslim Women’s Educational Leadership

This study explores the perspectives and experiences of three Muslim female headteachers in Islamic schools in England, each with over twenty years of experience, to understand how they perceive and negotiate their leadership roles. Using Allama Muhammad Iqbal’s theory of agency and structure, nine semi-structured interviews were conducted in three phases: 2010–2012, and 2018–2020. The rich longitudinal data, despite the limited sample size, provided an in-depth understanding of emerging themes around Muslim women’s leadership in British Islamic schooling. Analysis reveals that these headteachers conceptualise leadership through the Islamic principles of imāmah (spiritual leadership), qiwāmah (guardianship), and amānah (trusteeship), emphasising ethical responsibility, continuous learning, and service-oriented leadership. Their leadership within this framework is neither submissive to men’s authority nor rivalling it but acts as an autonomous agency through the Tawḥīdi (Oneness of God) theological framework and akhlāq (ethical framework), defending chosen values within the Ibādah (worship; acts of devotion to God alone) context. Motherhood is seen as intrinsic to their leadership, with nurturing, guiding, and supporting roles extending from home to school, challenging the dichotomy between private and public spheres. This paper contends that the current educational leadership models are predominantly Western, failing to capture the unique experiences and perspectives of female Muslim leaders who reject framing their perspectives within feminist parameters. Advocating a decolonised approach, centring these women’s coherent religious conceptual frameworks, the study suggests that these leaders’ practices offer a unique perspective on educational leadership, blending spiritual, ethical, and communal responsibilities, and calls for further research to explore the identified themes in broader contexts.

JOSÉ CASANOVA – REGÂNDIREA SECULARIZĂRII: O PERSPECTIVĂ COMPARATIVĂ GLOBALĂ

José Casanova – Rethinking Secularization: a Global Perspective. European anthropology and sociology have constructed a specific vision of secularization, in the context of a specific historical and cultural evolution by which the State separates itself from religion and draws it into the private sphere of social life. In other cultural environments, the modernization of society has not led to the exclusion of religion from the public sphere. José Casanova conceives secularization as a phenomenon characterized by pluralism. Thus, Europe can understand the future evolution of society, which is confronted with the presence of several active religions, against the backdrop of repression in the case of Christianity, due to secularization. State and ecclesiastical institutions or representatives of religions are called upon to understand the foundations underlying the new post-secular era.

The Affective Micropolitics of Craftivism: Organizing social change through the minor gesture

While craft foregrounds the material, embodied and affective nature of making practices, it also has capacities as a political resource which recognizes the value of everyday materiality in creating the conditions for change to emerge. In this article, we explore these possibilities by focusing on craftivism, a diffuse social movement that uses traditional craft skills of hand making to address a wide range of complex societal and organizational causes and challenges. We draw on an empirical study of craftivists to explore how they use craft as a political resource to organize change by generating affective relations between people and material objects in physical and online spaces. We argue that minor gestures of craft, developed through practices of reclaiming historically defined, domestic and feminine handcrafts, constitute a distinctive repertoire of contention and enable craftivism as a journey of change in the minor key. This helps us to think about change differently, where making is a form of change itself that is at least as significant as the destination of the resulting change. We thus draw attention to activism that subverts traditionally oppositional approaches to organizing resistance and surfaces complex coalitions directed towards individual, community and societal transformation. Such craft practices subversively bring together the politics of the domestic sphere with broader grand challenges, thereby subtly altering how we perceive traditional means of political engagement and different forms of activism. Our contribution offers deeper understanding of the affective potential of minor gestures of craft from the lived experience of those who use craft as a form of organizing change through creative, material and affective practice. Affective micropolitical acts such as the habits, rhythms and routines of craft are generative in the sense that they attune us to social change in the minor key.

Improving the Resilience of Freight Forwarding Companies Using Supply Chain Finance

The industrial revolution 4.0 makes business and economic transactions not only limited to the domestic sphere, but involves interactions between countries. A business entity capable of supporting the smooth process of international transactions is required. Freight forwarding as one of the businesses engaged in logistics has an important role in facilitating the movement of goods and services from one point to another that crosses the borders of a country. The challenge faced by freight forwarding is fluctuations in foreign exchange rates involving suppliers and consumers from various countries so that they are vulnerable to fluctuations in currency exchange rates. The purpose of this paper is to understand the financial business processes of freight forwarding companies by managing financial risks and dealing with currency exchange rate fluctuations. In addition, to explore information on how to minimize the negative impact of exchange rate fluctuations on the company's financial condition. The research methodology is descriptive by conducting surveys and interviews with freight forwarding companies and the logistics industry. Data triangulation analysis with relevant agencies in order to obtain more valid information about industry operations in the face of currency exchange rate fluctuations. Freight forwarding companies can minimize losses from exchange rate fluctuations by implementing hedging systems and supply chain finance on an ongoing basis.

Charivari 2.0: The Striking Resurgence of an Old Contentious Tactic

In recent years, an old contentious tactic in which protesters besiege and harass public officials in their private homes has resurged. Discontented sectors of all stripes have employed what is most commonly called charivari or “rough music.” To elucidate this surprising reappearance, this reflection highlights the rise of conflict over cultural and moral values, affective polarization, and the personalization of politics. Moreover, the proliferation of social media has eroded the boundary between the public and private sphere and thus propelled the resurgence of privacy-breaching direct action. This interpretive essay compares the special features of revived charivari with its earlier incarnations in premodern times and in the revolutions of the long nineteenth century, and with the internet harassment of the twenty-first century. By analyzing the reappearance of a contentious tactic with premodern roots, this essay seeks to shed light on broader trends of sociopolitical development in the postmodern age.

From house museum to virtual reality: memory, space, and material culture study in Sir John Soane’s Museum

Abstract The relevance of the study was determined by the need to reevaluate traditional approaches to working with historical spaces and artefacts in the context of the digital transformation of museums. The aim of the study was to explore the complex interplay between personal character, architectural expression, and digital representation at Sir John Soane’s Museum, and to describe how virtual exhibitions can transform the experience of house museums. Through an in-depth analysis of Soane’s residence, this study identified three main spatial expressions: a structural expression of personal character, a seamless integration of public and private spheres, and a poetic spatial interaction inspired by the works of Shakespeare. The findings of the study showed that virtual museums improve accessibility, contribute to a more complete understanding of spatial relationships, and also offer new for interaction with the collection. In addition, it was emphasized that the digital platform effectively preserves the essence of the museum, as it simultaneously allows for fresh perspectives on Soane’s curatorial vision. The study was able to demonstrate that virtual exhibitions can successfully convey the essence of home museums, combining both the physical and digital realms to provide a more immersive and engaging experience for visitors.

Revisiting Psalm 91 in Light of Rainer Albertz’s Model of Internal Religious Pluralism

Abstract Given its similarities to incantation texts found in the larger ancient Near Eastern world, Ps 91 remains sui generis in the Psalter. Despite its seeming uniqueness, the psalm likely enjoyed considerable usage in an array of contexts. To better ascertain this psalm’s usage across different contexts, I employ Rainer Albertz’s model of internal religious pluralism for my analysis. After a review of Albertz’s model, I consider the presence of incantation texts within the domestic sphere in the Levant with particular attention to the Arslan Tash and Ketef Hinnom amulets. I identify incantation elements in Ps 91 and explore the role of Ps 91 in the official cultic religion of ancient Israel. I examine the evidence in the MT Psalter, with particular attention to the psalm’s Sitz im Literatur. In the final portion of the paper, I treat 11QApocryphal Psalmsa (11Q11) and the role of Ps 91 in the Dead Sea collection as an example of the psalm’s use in communal religion.

The concept of “intercultural competence” in educational and scientific discourses

This article attempts to analyse the definition and structure of the concept of "intercultural competence" in scientific research and normative documents at the Ukrainian and European levels, to identify commonalities and differences, to characterise positive changes and, based on the analysis, to formulate a definition of the concept that would reflect today's realities and take into account modern challenges in education (general, foreign language). Starting from the end of the 20th century, scientific works of English-speaking, German-speaking, and domestic scientists were studied, but the main focus was on research from the last 20 years due to significant changes in the structure of societies due to globalisation, migration processes, and the activation of contacts in the professional and private spheres of representatives of different linguistic and cultural communities. Attention is drawn to the fact that understanding the concept of "intercultural competence" acquired new meanings at different stages of its research. Among the reasons for reconsideration and clarification are primarily the challenges that appeared under the influence of social processes in the pan-European and world dimensions, taking into account the national characteristics of countries' development. In accordance with the shift in emphasis in the definition of the concept, its structure also changed; however, despite the selection of specific components by different authors, the structure of intercultural competence retained a common core and layered new components. In the educational discourse, there is a noticeable increase in attention to the concept in the context of social competence, the development of which is aimed, among other things, at conflict-free coexistence, successful communication, and the ability to adapt to a multilingual and multicultural society.

'ילדים בסדר גמור'? אלימות ומחאת בני נוער במדינת ישראל הצעירה

The article explores patterns of rebellion, delinquency, and violence among teenagers in the young State of Israel, focusing primarily on the central region and middle-class neighborhoods. This phenomenon was part of a broader pattern of youth rebellion observed worldwide in the postwar period. In the first part of the article, I examine the characteristics of youth gangs and their resistance to parental culture in the public sphere (the neighborhood) and the private sphere (the bourgeois home) within the context of new urban lifestyles developing in Israel. In the second part, I discuss crime and delinquency among teenagers and the response of the parental culture, which suffered from moral panic. To conclude, I offer some thoughts on why the global youth rebellion of the late 1960s largely bypassed Israel, despite the seeds of rebellion that had sprouted there prior to the Six Day War.