Scholarly Discourse Research Articles

Centaurs and the Sacred Tree

Abstract Zechariah 4:12 has been perplexing exegetes and scholars throughout the ages, hampering efforts to explain the message of the lampstand vision in Zech 4 as a whole. The current paper will suggest a path towards a solution by showing that the hapax legomenon צנתרות in this verse means “centaurs.” This claim, which found little support in research so far, reaches its full persuasive power by a deep linguistic, exegetical, and cultural-comparative analysis. Namely, it will be argued that phonetically *צנתר fully accords with κένταυρος if the palatalization /k/ > [t͡s] is assumed, and when Jerome’s overlooked reading sinthoroth is considered. This interpretation is further supported by iconographic data which has so far escaped the scholarly discussion of this verse. As it demonstrates, Zech 4 is based on the Sacred Tree motif iconography, in which hybrid entities are only expected.

ESPR chronicles: unveiling environmental and pollution science trends across time

This study explores current research trends in environmental studies, emphasizing the importance of addressing climate change through effective strategies and highlighting the crucial role of circular economy principles and resource management in achieving sustainability goals. It aims to investigate emerging patterns and analyze the altmetric impact of published research in the field of environment and pollution. Environmental Science and Pollution Research (ESPR), a research journal published by Springer since January 1994, serves as a cornerstone for scholarly discourse in this field. The first volume of ESPR was released in January 1994, and since then, all of the information has been indexed by significant databases like OCLC WorldCat Discovery Service, SCOPUS, and DIMENSIONS, amongst others. ESPR is one of the leading journals with a five-year impact factor of 5.4 and 1.01 SJR Q1 quartile as of 2023, with an h-index of 179. The journal has published influential articles that garnered high altmetric scores, indicating online attention and engagement, although there is a notable disparity between altmetric scores and total citations. Most of the highly cited articles cover various topics, including eutrophication, electrochemical advanced oxidation processes, insecticides, and phytoremediation. Most publications fall under environmental sciences, followed by pollution and contamination. Chinese institutions have substantially contributed to the journal, indicating a strong emphasis on environmental and pollution research in China. Our findings reveal significant growth in publication output and citation rates, alongside a notable disparity between traditional citation metrics and altmetrics, underscoring the need for comprehensive impact assessment methodologies.

Strategic interventions for bridging the design-reality gap in property conferment rights: a case study of India’s ambitious initiative

PurposeThis research aims to assess how well the e-governance initiative aligns with its design expectations and on-ground realities for property management to redevelop Delhi, the mega-city of India. Additionally, the study proposes strategic interventions to address any gaps identified, aiming to improve the project’s effectiveness and success.Design/methodology/approachThe research employs a singular exploratory case study methodology to scrutinise the e-governance initiative undertaken by the Government of India to confer property rights. Specifically, the study utilises a qualitative research approach known as design-reality gap (DRG) analysis. The study draws from primary and secondary sources using a mixed-methods data collection strategy. Primary data are gathered through a purposeful and snowball sampling method involving direct engagement with respondents, whilst secondary data are sourced from the project portal.FindingsThe investigation reveals a substantial disparity between the planning and execution phases of e-governance projects. This incongruity predominantly manifests in the domains of process, staffing and skills, as well as objectives and values. The study further finds that strategic collaboration amongst stakeholders and the sustainability of decisions are the most critical factors in ensuring the success of e-governance initiatives and bridging the DRG of e-governance projects.Research limitations/implicationsThis research highlights the complex challenges faced by e-governance projects in technical, human and organisational aspects. The successful implementation and sustainability of these projects require effective strategies to overcome challenges, which management should proactively identify and act on. To improve services, beneficiaries should be encouraged to provide feedback and suggestions, as they play a crucial role in service enhancement. A dynamic feedback loop would be established by creating a two-way interaction between beneficiaries and service providers, leading to iterative service improvement. It is important to note that the study’s findings are more illustrative than conclusive due to the moderate sample size, reflecting its limitations.Originality/valueThe research contributes to the scholarly discourse on e-governance and policy implementation by comprehensively examining the alignment between conceptual design and real-world execution. It also introduces a normalised scale for the DRG framework, mapping its dimensions to deduce specific outcomes. This innovative approach enhances the research’s originality and value, offering insights applicable in both academic and practical domains.

Unpacking the Discourse on Youth Pathways into and out of Homelessness: Implications for Research Scholarship and Policy Interventions

Youth homelessness presents a complex and persistent challenge worldwide, particularly affecting young adults between 16 and 24 years of age in the US and Canada. This population faces elevated risks of exploitation, victimization, and various health issues upon detachment from familial support structures. Understanding the multi-faceted nature of youth homelessness requires the consideration of individual, structural, and systemic factors within the socio-ecological model. Historically, when examining youth homelessness, traditional methods have concentrated either on individual factors contributing to homelessness or on broader structural issues within society. The emergence of the new orthodoxy attempted to bridge the apparent gap between individual- and structural-level factors by considering both to be equally significant, but it faced skepticism for its theoretical framework. In response, the “pathways” approach gained traction, emphasizing the subjective experiences and agency of youth experiencing homelessness. Departing from conventional epidemiological models, the pathways approach views homelessness as a dynamic process intertwined with individual life contexts. This paper navigates the scholarly discourse on youth homelessness and examines the distinct characteristics of the pathways approach. By exploring its implications for research and policy, this study contributes to a nuanced understanding of youth homelessness and informs future prevention-focused interventions.

Methods of Qur'an Research and Quran Tafseer Research its implications for contemporary Islamic thought

This research article explores the methodologies utilized in Qur'anic research and the science of Tafseer (exegesis). The study aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the various approaches and methods applied in the interpretation and analysis of the Qur'an. By examining both classical and contemporary Tafseer, the article seeks to highlight the evolution of interpretive techniques and their relevance in modern scholarly discourse. The findings underscore the importance of methodological rigor in Qur'anic studies and its implications for contemporary Islamic thought.

Yusuf al-Qardhawi’s View on Religious Extremism

Indonesia is a country with complex religious diversity issues. This is evidenced by the persistence of inter-religious conflicts caused by religious extremism. From within Muslims, this problem has become a discussion of scholars. Therefore, this study analyses Yusuf Al-Qaradhawi's concept of religious extremism to map the scattered extremist groups and avoid mistakes in assessing a group. Yusuf Al-Qaradawi stated that extremism is an excessive attitude toward religion that can destroy religious communities because it causes error. In this study, the researcher used a philosophical approach, and the method used was a descriptive-analytical method to analyze Yusuf Al-Qaradawi's thoughts regarding the problem of extremism in his work "Al-Shahwah Al-Islāmiyyah Baina Al-Juḥud wa Al-Tatharruf. The results of this study found that according to Al-Qaradawi, extremism has several factors and characteristics. In this case, Al-Qaradawi also put forward the concept of "Wasathiyyah" in Islam to overcome the extremism problem, which proves the essence of Islamic teachings that bring peace and respect differences between people.

Evolution of Educational Leadership: A Bibliometric Analysis of International Publications

Abstract Research on educational leadership has received significant scholarly attention for over half a century, resulting in a vast body of literature on the subject. Numerous studies and inquiries have highlighted that educational leadership is an exceedingly complex and vital phenomenon. However, a gap persists in scholarly discourse concerning the presentation of this knowledge base through bibliometric analysis. This study seeks to provide an overview of the evolution of this concept by identifying articles published in journals indexed in the Web of Science Core Collection (WoS) database between 1993 and 2024. The search employed terms such as "educational leadership", „educational management” "leadership in education," "school leadership”, „teacher leadership”, „style leadership in education” and „school improvement”yielding an initial total of 3089 articles. Subsequently, following the application of inclusion and exclusion criteria, 1583 studies were retained for analysis. The research encompasses the general profile of articles, the annual distribution of article frequency, the most prolific researchers, journals, and countries by article count, the most influential articles based on citation count, the most frequently recurring author keywords, and the year of publication of these articles. The contribution of this study lies primarily in highlighting the systematic methodologies employed in research analyses in educational leadership and management. Additionally, collaborative patterns among authors, universities, and countries are presented and analyzed. The conclusions provide valuable insights for researchers into the detailed evolution of educational leadership through the structuring of existing literature in the field. Furthermore, based on these findings, some suggestions have been made for identifying new research themes in this field, both conceptually and empirically.

Burial of the final stage of culture of the early Scythian period in Northern Altai

The article deals with materials excavated from kurgan No.35 of burial & memorial Choburak-I, their introduction into the scholarly discourse and cultural & chronological interpretation. This monument includes sites of various chronological periods and lays on the right bank of the Katun River. It lays south from landa Village, Chemalsky District, the Altai Republic. The monument was researched by the archaeological expedition of the Altai State University. The above-ground structure of kurgan No. 35 is a quite large mound fringed by a crepidoma. The grave is relatively shallow and found with an intact buried body. The body lays straight on the back in the burial chamber tiled with rocks. The body heads North-West. There are few accompanying tools discovered by excavations, namely a whetstone, a bronze knife and bone arrowheads. The burial ritual is explored and analyzed. The analysis shows that the site in the focus of the research is foreign to the mountainous Altai monuments of the Early Scythian due to the range of features. Morphological features of the tools and their available equivalents indicate that kurgan No. 35 was established in the late 7th through 6th century BC. Two samples are exposed to radiocarbon analysis in different laboratories. The findings support this chronology. Based on the determined dating and layout of the site researched it can be dated back to the late Biykenskaya culture. When it comes to the cultural attribution of the site, it is necessary to refer to the debatable issues of reconstructing the history of Altai population at the turn of the early Scythian and Pazyryk periods. The existing materials analyzed allow to assume that kurgan No. 35, as well as a range of other similar burials, is associated with the new groups of people arriving from neighboring areas in the 7th century BC. The study implies the features of a few more burials of Choburak-I necropolis established in the same time. Therefore, the research assumes that the Biykenskaya culture nomads used to come in contact with the Mayemirskaya culture tribes for the Altai North-West foothills

Prosodic Dissonance

In popular and scholarly discourse on texted music and music-speech intersections, the prevailing assumption is that the linguistic features of the lyrics (e.g., syllabic stress) align with the way the lyrics are sung (e.g., phenomenal accent in or affecting the melody)—or, if not, that they should. However, not only can text and music conflict, but they do so in a variety of ways, to varying degrees, and with different effects on our listening experience. I define prosodic dissonance as any conflict between the prosodic linguistic features and musical rendition of text. This could include misalignment between syllabic and durational/registral stress, between spoken and sung phrases, or between spoken and sung intonation. Prosodic dissonance/consonance can also interact with rhyme, vowel shape, parallelism, and syncopation. To recognize prosodic dissonance, I (1) determine the prosody for the lyrics as spoken, (2) determine the prosody for the melody as sung, (3) identify mismatches as dissonances, (4) consider the effect of the surrounding melody/lyrics, (5) consider alternate pronunciations or hearings that might account for it, and (6) consider the perceptual and analytical implications. This article focuses on prosodic dissonance in popular music, with longer analyses of Kesha’s “Tonight” (2020), Royal & the Serpent’s “Overwhelmed” (2020), and Rina Sawayama’s “This Hell” (2022).

Recasting al-Siyāsa al-Sharʿiyya in 1920s Egypt: Formulating a Theory of an Islamic Modern State

This article primarily explores one of the Muslim scholarly discourses aiming to construct an Islamic governance model, harmonious with the modern state, that is intertwined with premodern Islamic traditions. It scrutinizes the reinterpretation and reconceptualization of the premodern concept of siyāsa sharʿiyya in 1920s Egypt by modernist ʿulamāʾ (religious scholars) to align with the nation state’s legal and constitutional landscapes. The study focuses on the legislative aspects of this modernized theory of siyāsa sharʿiyya and demonstrates how under this theory the state conceptually begins to play a legitimate role in defining Islamic law. Special attention is given to ʿAbd al-Wahhāb Khallāf’s (d. 1375/1956) book, al-Siyāsa al-sharʿiyya, which highlights the transformative epistemological and constitutional repercussions of this discourse. Comparative analysis is conducted with the works of premodern progenitors of the concept, such as Ibn Taymiyya (d. 728/1328) and Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyya (d. 751/1350) and later authors who have used the concept, to identify discrepancies between premodern and modern discourses in siyāsa sharʿiyya. The study also cites practical implementations of this modernized theory through a law project proposed in Egypt in 1926 that demonstrates how the new siyāsa sharʿiyya discourse bestowed an inherent legal authority to the state to independently legislate on sharīʿa laws based on an expanded conceptualization of maṣlaḥa (public benefit).

The Milk Street mystery: Thomas More’s birthplace

Cresacre More’s assertion that Thomas More was born at Milk Street has frequently been taken at face value, and there is no existing scholarly discussion of its veracity. This article begins by laying out the material which supports the case for Milk Street, namely that More’s father, John More, lived there. However, this evidence only places John More at Milk Street in the 1520s or, at the earliest, in 1499. On the other hand, there is significant archival evidence to suggest that John More raised his family near where he and More’s mother married, at St Giles without Cripplegate. The suggestion that the Mores lived in the extramural area around Cripplegate fits with recent research into these areas and lifecycle mobility around London. This article contends that the balance of evidence weighs more heavily against a location on Milk Street as the birthplace for Thomas More, and toward one in Cripplegate without.

Can The General Will Be Expressed in U.S. Elections?

This research delves into the nuanced relationship between election outcomes and the concept of the “General Will,” as elucidated by Jean-Jacques Rousseau in The Social Contract. Through a multifaceted analysis, this paper scrutinizes the representation of election results by considering factors like voter turnout and restrictions, factional power dynamics, and the influence of monied interests. The findings reveal that elections, particularly within the electoral landscape of the United States, fail to truly express the will of the people due to gerrymandering, voter restrictions, and the influence of dark money and special interest groups. Drawing on insights from scholarly discourse, the study concludes by proposing potential solutions aimed at fostering greater alignment between election results and the overarching will of the people.

Voluntary Disclosures and their Drivers: A Study of MDA Reports in India

The aim of this study is to examine the impact of corporate characteristics on voluntary disclosures of management discussion and analysis (MD&A) reports in India. Using a formal tone, the data was extracted from the annual reports of the top 100 listed firms available on the CMIE Prowess database for seven years (2016–2022). After excluding 23 companies from the financial and insurance sector, a panel regression method with the assistance of Gretl software was employed to investigate the relationship between the Management Discussion and Analysis Disclosure Index (MDADI) for voluntary aspects and various corporate attributes, with a total of 490 firm years of balanced observations. In India, firms follow the mandatory compliance of the MD&A reports, but voluntary disclosures are somehow those which are not much emphasized but are a good indication of firm performance and their accountability towards their stakeholders (Mayew et al., 2015). Our empirical findings reveal that profitability as a proxy to firm performance has a significant positive relationship with MD&A voluntary disclosures. Further, an insignificant association between VDS (Voluntary Disclosure Score) and the board size, presence of independent directors and firm size was found. This indicates that firm performance plays a significant role in adding more voluntary disclosures in MD&A reports. The possible reason for this could be the use of “Management Impression Strategy” in the MD&A reports, which means managers disclose more only when the firm has earned more and use impressive language to attract stakeholders. The outcomes of this research offer valuable insights for regulators, policymakers, and listed companies in India, aiding in the enhancement of MD&A reporting quality. Additionally, this study provides a roadmap for future research on MD&A reporting quality and corporate attributes in other emerging countries that have similar regulatory frameworks. This paper makes a timely and pertinent contribution to the scholarly discourse by shedding light on the relationship between MD&A disclosures and firm attributes. Its findings provide valuable insights for both academia and industry.

Experience Matters: Turning Psychopathy into Self-Efficacy and Job Performance

Using the tenets of social cognitive theory, this study diverges significantly from the conventional research paradigm by shedding light on the pivotal role of job experience and self-efficacy in predicting psychopath's job performance. In the scholarly discourse where positive associations between psychopathy and performance metrics have received minimal attention, this study introduces a validated model proposing a constructive influence of psychopathy on job performance. While acknowledging job experience as a moderator, this study accentuates the pivotal role of self-efficacy as a mediator, challenging the traditionally hostile psychopathy- job performance relationship. We employ an experimental research design on the MBA executive class of 68 students of GC University Faisalabad. The results reveal the causal solid effect of psychopathic personality on self-efficacy in manipulated job experience conditions and a slight impact on no job experience control conditions. Meanwhile, at low values of psychopathy, the effect is diminished in both job experience conditions. Notably, job experience emerges as an indispensable agent, significantly shaping the impact of psychopathy on self-efficacy and subsequent employee performance.

On the Re-Alienation Experiences of the Amateur Runners in Istanbul

In contemporary mass culture, individuals are increasingly subjected to standardization, homogenization, and objectification, leading to experiences of alienation within the societal framework shaped by it. Despite efforts to fortify connections with oneself, the environment, society, and meaning, individuals may still find themselves immersed in alienation within the societal structure they inhabit. Through heightened awareness, individuals strive to reclaim their authentic identities, utilizing various means to distance themselves from alienation. However, this pursuit may paradoxically result in renewed ruptures in connections, as individuals encounter re-alienation, finding themselves ontologically identical yet formally distinct within the alienation process. Amidst the complexities of modern life, individuals often seek self-realization through recreational pursuits like running. Hence, this study endeavors to examine the phenomenon of re-alienation, particularly among amateur runners. By conducting semi-structured, in-depth interviews with runners in Istanbul, the study explores both the process of distancing from alienation and the experience of encountering re-alienation through running. Through its investigation, the study aims to contribute to scholarly discourse on alienation, self-realization, and re-alienation with the lens of critical communication studies. By analyzing the lived experiences of individuals, the research seeks to deepen our understanding of the intricate dynamics of alienation and resilience in contemporary society. Research findings show that running as a recreational activity strengthens individuals' connections with themselves, nature, their social environment, meaning, and values, thereby allowing for a sense of autonomy to be achieved; however, due to social infrastructure and individual psychological tendencies, subject and object fetishes can be developed in relation to running activities, leading to experiences of re-alienation. Keywords: alienation, self-realization, mass culture, sports and recreational studies, critical communication studies

RECONSIDERING THE USE OF POST-POSITIVIST PARADIGM IN SOCIAL SCIENCES: IS IT POSSIBLE?

This paper investigates the evolving landscape of research methodologies in the social sciences, focusing on the renewed interest in post-positivism amid growing dissatisfaction with strictly quantitative approaches. The study traces the experiences of a junior social work researcher struggling with paradigm identification, ultimately finding alignment with the adaptable and inclusive nature of post-positivism. By highlighting post-positivism's shift from a rigid quest for absolute truths to an emphasis on interactive dialogue and continuous learning, this research enriches the methodological discourse. The examination of post-positivism’s nuanced ontological, epistemological, and axiological perspectives underscores the significance of reflexivity and critical engagement in research. The study advocates for integrating qualitative and quantitative methods within the post-positivist paradigm to address complex social issues more effectively. It emphasizes the pivotal role of junior researchers in contributing to paradigm discussions and advancing the field, particularly in the scholarship of teaching and learning. By revisiting the post-positivist paradigm, this research encourages graduate students and emerging scholars to critically examine and understand the epistemological foundations that shape knowledge production. This exploration not only enriches their research but also equips them with essential skills for engaging with varied perspectives and advancing scholarly discourse.<p> </p><p><strong> Article visualizations:</strong></p><p><img src="/-counters-/soc/0777/a.php" alt="Hit counter" /></p>

Curse or blessing? Impact of the scope and duration of negative attainment discrepancy on ESG practices

AbstractToday, scholarly discourse has been primarily centered around the causes and consequences of enterprise environmental, social, and governance (ESG) practices. However, given that enterprises may encounter negative attainment discrepancies across several areas (scope) and endure negative discrepancies over an extended period of time (duration), the question of whether and how negative attainment discrepancy affects enterprise ESG practices remains unexplored. Based on the behavioral theory of the firm, this study explores the differentiated impact of the scope and duration of negative attainment discrepancies on enterprise ESG practices, using Chinese A‐share listed companies (data from 2011 to 2019) as the research sample. Meanwhile, it investigates the moderating effect of multidimensional human capital in Top Management Teams (TMT) from technical background, overseas experience, and educational attainment. The results demonstrated that the scope of negative attainment discrepancy promotes enterprise ESG practice, while the duration of negative attainment discrepancy inhibits ESG practice. Furthermore, the TMT's technical background, overseas experience, and educational attainment strengthen the scope of negative attainment discrepancies in promoting enterprise ESG practice. Additionally, the overseas experience of the TMT reinforces the inhibitory impact of the duration of negative attainment discrepancies on enterprise ESG. The results of this study can provide the corresponding decision‐making suggestions and references for the senior management team and shareholders of enterprises.

Evolution of State Scientific and Technical Policy in USSR in Late 1960s

This study conducts a comparative analysis of the state of the scientific and technical complex of the USSR and leading Western countries in the 1960s based on declassified archival materials. It identifies the main trends in science and technology during this period and the factors that led to the lagging behind of the USSR. Previously unpublished archival documents are introduced into scholarly discourse. It is demonstrated that the data sent to the country’s leadership by leading specialists and scientists of the Academy of Sciences indicated the USSR’s lag in several crucial directions determining the pace of scientific and technical progress. Key hindering factors cited by experts included insufficient funding, lack of coordination among various agencies, absence of interaction between the defense and civilian sectors of science, and planning miscalculations. The conclusion is drawn that this list can be supplemented with reasons such as inadequate competence of some top-level government officials, departmental approach, shortage of specialists in key areas, and disregard for recommendations from leading scientists. Meanwhile, trends in the development of the scientific and technical sphere in the USA and other leading countries indicated the establishment of national innovation systems as highly effective mechanisms for accelerating scientific and technical progress.

Review of Documents from the Russian State Library and the Russian State Archive of Literature and Art, Regarding the Defense of Graduate Art Projects (Painting, Sculpture, Graphic Series, etc.), Also Known as “Creative Theses”, by Artists Pursuing the Degree of Candidate of Art History in the US SR

According to Soviet Ministry of Higher Education Order No. 524 dated September 30, 1946, “On Measures to Enhance the Training of Graduate Students in Art Institutes”, the academic degree of Candidate of Art History could be conferred upon “an art practitioner, aspiring artist, for an artwork in their specialty, accompanied by the presentation and exhibition of the graduation work, along with pertinent drawings, studies and sketches”. Documents from the collections of the Russian State Library (RSL) and the Russian State Archive of Literature and Art (RSALA) contain records of the defenses of graduate art projects (easel painting, monumental painting, sculpture, graphic series, theatrical decorative design), also known as “creative theses”, held from 1946 to 1956. Twenty-two defenses took place at the Repin Institute of Painting, Sculpture, and Architecture, while twenty-one were held at the Surikov Moscow State Art Institute. The research conducted on library and archival resources enables the introduction of previously unstudied documents into scholarly discourse regarding the history of Soviet fine arts, the procedures for awarding academic degrees in the USSR, and creative postgraduate studies in the country's leading art institutes. These dissertations explore important themes of Soviet history and social life, many of which hold undeniable cultural and historical significance, with some being included in the Museum Fund of the Russian Federation.

Is this good science communication? Construction and validation of a multi-dimensional quality assessment scale from the audience’s perspective

The expansion of science communication underscores the increasing importance of understanding what constitutes good science communication. This question concerns the public’s understanding and engagement with science. The scholarly discussion has shifted from the traditional deficit model to a more dialog-oriented approach yet remains normatively anchored. There is a pivotal lack of attention to the audience’s perspective regarding the question of what good science communication is. Moreover, different formats of science communication have hardly been researched thus far. Therefore, this paper introduces a multi-dimensional scale to capture the audience’s assessment of specific science communication formats. We utilized a multi-step process to identify relevant criteria from both theoretical and practical perspectives. The instrument integrates 15 distinct quality dimensions, such as comprehensibility, credibility, fun, and applicability, structured according to different quality levels (functional, normative, user-, and communication-oriented). It considered theory-driven and practice-experienced categories and was validated through confirmatory factor analyses conducted on a German representative sample (n = 990). For validation, the scale was applied to a science blog post and a science video on homeopathy. After employing a seven-step process, we conclude that the newly devised scale effectively assesses the perceived quality of both blog and video science communication content. The overall assessment aligns with common target variables, such as interest and attitudes. The results regarding the different quality subdimensions provide a nuanced understanding of their contribution to the perceived overall quality. In this way, the scale aids in enhancing science communication in accordance with audience perceptions of quality. This marks the inaugural introduction of a comprehensive measurement instrument tailored to gauge quality from the audience’s standpoint, rendering it applicable for utilization by both researchers and practitioners.