Shaping Society Research Articles

Speech Acts and Hidden Meaning: A Journey into Pragmatics

This article examines the core principles of pragmatics, focusing on how speech acts and hidden meanings guide communication across diverse contexts. It explores John Austin and John Searle’s foundational work on speech acts—locutionary, illocutionary, and perlocutionary—demonstrating how utterances perform actions beyond mere information exchange. The discussion then turns to implicature, introduced by H. P. Grice, highlighting the ways in which inferred meanings depend on shared knowledge and context. By integrating cultural considerations, the article underscores how pragmatic competence shapes both cross-cultural understanding and effective discourse. Practical applications include challenges in translation, advances in artificial intelligence, and strategies in media and political communication. Ultimately, the study affirms that pragmatics offers crucial insights into the power of language to form relationships, shape societies, and influence global interaction.

Beyond the Classroom: Faculty Impact on Society and Innovation

Higher education faculties play a pivotal role in shaping society, extending their influence well beyond the confines of the classroom. This paper explores the multifaceted contributions of faculty members, focusing on their impact on societal progress and innovation. Faculty members drive knowledge dissemination through cutting-edge research, foster community engagement, and actively participate in public policy-making. They act as catalysts for social change, collaborating with industries and communities to address pressing challenges. This study highlights the diverse ways in which faculty members contribute to social, economic, and cultural development, emphasizing the need for continued support and recognition of their efforts to ensure a better future for all.

Ethical Values for Future Leaders in Higher Learning Institutions in South Africa: A Cogent Scoping Review on Academic Jealousy

This review examines the critical importance of ethical values for future leaders in South African higher learning institutions, focusing on academic jealousy. Higher Education (HE) institutions play a pivotal role in shaping society; therefore, future leaders need a strong ethical foundation to navigate academic complexities. Academic jealousy, characterized by undermining peers due to envy, threatens academic integrity and progress. The authors conducted a desktop and literature study using a scoping review approach, emphasizing cognitive distortion variables contributing to academic envy and key global ethical leadership principles. The literature revealed the roots, manifestations, and detrimental impacts of academic jealousy on individuals and institutions. The review underscores the necessity of fostering a culture of ethical conduct, transparency, and mutual respect among academics. It advocates for leadership development programs prioritizing ethical training to cultivate leaders who are academically competent and morally grounded. The review concludes with strategies for HE institutions to address academic jealousy, promoting an ethical and collaborative academic environment, ultimately advancing South Africa's educational landscape.

Choosing Faith Over Fear: A Study of Muriel Spark's The Public Image

The Public Image by Muriel Spark is a prodigious novel which emphasizes the significance of choosing faith over fear in every circumstance of life. It is a profound exploration of fame, identity and the sustenance of a female celebrity, who wisely balances her public and personal life. Muriel Spark intensely highlights the celebrity culture, the role of media and the expectations of the society in shaping an individual’s image. The research paper intends to glorify the courage and perseverance of the protagonist who willingly chooses to overcome fear and proceeds with unwavering faith through her arduous journey of life.

Constructing Meaning, Shaping Society: The Calculability and Cancellability of Conversational Implicatures

This paper investigates the features of calculability and cancellability of conversational implicatures, focusing on their societal importance. The analysis of the carnival effigy Škuribando Fureštić is used to illustrate how conversational implicatures can be employed to maintain the social status quo and perpetuate stereotypes. This is not to suggest that implicatures are more prominent than explicit communication in achieving these effects, but rather that their indirect nature is often exploited to avoid responsibility for the conveyed message. This paper challenges the notion that implicatures are easily cancellable and deniable, arguing that cancellation often leads to logical implausibility, thereby indicating faulty communication.

"BEHIND EVERY GREAT MAN IS A STRONG WOMAN"

Theme of Women’s Contributions The text powerfully highlights the often-overlooked achievements of women in shaping society, particularly in science, health, and education. It challenges the historical tendency to overshadow these contributions, instead celebrating the transformative impact women have made. By centering women as agents of progress, the narrative promotes a more inclusive view of human achievement.

Rola społeczna mediów cyfrowych w orędziach papieża Franciszka z okazji Światowych Dni Środków Społecznego Przekazu

Pope Francis, in his messages on the occasion of the World Day of Social Communications, addresses currently important issues concerning communication in the digital world. Appreciating the achievements in the field of new media, he points to the need for media education. In this article, I have used the method of analyzing the content of eleven messages of Pope Francis in terms of the social role of digital media, subjecting them to synthesis and critical evaluation. The constant development of the media affects the relevance of the issue I am discussing. The Pope’s teaching expresses the position of the Church regarding the need for in-depth reflection on the proper understanding of the media’s tasks and role in shaping society.

Türkiye's Immigration Landscape: Cultural Exchange and Labor Dynamics with Africa

Türkiye’s relations with the African continent trace back to the periods of the Ottoman Empire’s existence there. Beginning with trade, continuing education, and improving labor force requirements continue to strengthen relations with the Modern Türkiye. As a result of the transformations the African continent has undergone in recent years, Türkiye wants to take advantage of the opportunities in the region, increasing its reputation through civil society organizations and aid agencies, while exerting a protective and reassuring influence in the region through military cooperation. Due to factors triggering migration from African countries, Türkiye and Europe are seen as a new hope for immigrants. In addition to the increasing need for the labor force, affordable education, and scholarship opportunities, the university entrance exam prepared specifically for foreign students also makes Türkiye an attractive center. In this article, you will witness the journey stories of hope that often begin with aspirations to become football players, the changes in the perception of Africans over the years through the power of social media, and the factors influencing this, as well as the importance of arts, music, films, and television series in shaping society. From the challenges faced by African communities seeking hope in a new country to the conveniences provided by government institutions during the integration process, all these processes are addressed in this article.

Beyond postcolonial heteronomy: Kurdish question, decolonisation, and the relational time of democratic confederalism

Abdullah Öcalan’s theory of democratic confederalism, emerging from the Kurdish anti-colonial struggle against the states of Turkey, Iran, Iraq and Syria, diverges from a postcolonial framework by centring on social ecology. This paper argues that Öcalan’s approach signifies a rejection of the ‘heteronomy’ of postcolonial theory’s ‘dualist imaginary’, which reduces the interactive agencies shaping societies’ transformation to those implicated in the West–Rest binary. This binarism perpetuates a ‘ruptured’ understanding of non-Western political histories and a dualist notion of ‘unevenness’ that either neglects ‘inter-subaltern’ hierarchical relations – including colonial ones – or distorts their historical and agential roots. Öcalan’s theory, addressing the Kurdish condition as a constellation of fragmented ‘inter-subaltern’ colonies, implies a rejection of heteronomy both analytically and normatively. Analytically, it highlights the simultaneous transformation of state institutions and statelessness through intersocietal interactions, illuminating how the ‘unevenness of possibilities’ influences interactive transformations. Normatively, it aims to address the ‘uneven possibilities’ for ‘interactive’ political ‘doing’ and ‘alterations’, empowering suppressed ‘otherness’ through ‘interactive autonomy’. These proposals promote a relational and interactive understanding of time, framed around the core notion of ‘time as possibility’, which is crucial for advancing a relational international ontology and a decolonising perspective beyond the obstacle of heteronomy.

Fronts in Minds: A Phenomenological Study on the Effects of War News on Collective Mental Health.

War has been recognized throughout history for its devastating effects on societies, and these effects have not been limited to physical destruction. In the modern era, even wars in remote regions have profound psychological effects on large masses due to the instant information transfer brought about by globalization and technology. This study aims to examine in depth the effects of exposure to war news on the collective mental health of individuals through a phenomenological approach. In this qualitative study using a phenomenological research design, one of the purposive sampling methods, criterion sampling, was employed. Face-to-face in-depth interviews lasting approximately 35-45 min were conducted with 20 participants. Colaizzi's phenomenological analysis method was used to analyze the obtained data. Data were collected according to COREQ criteria. According to the analysis results, three main categories emerged as follows: echoes of collective anxiety, keys to maintaining spiritual resilience, and navigating the media storm. This research provides important findings on the psychological and social effects of the media by examining the impact of war news on public mental health in depth. It was determined that war news has the potential to spread social anxiety and fear. Participants expressed the negative effects of war news on psychological and physical health and stated that this situation creates a wide wave of anxiety and psychological storms. The constant coverage of war news in the media also affects social empathy, shaping society's ability to support each other in times of crisis.

Communication and engagement for basic science: insights and practical considerations

Basic research underpins the innovations that power the global economy and shape society. It is the focus of scientific investment for both The Kavli Foundation and the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Science. Yet it has been rare to see basic research command much attention, practice, or scholarship in science communication. In December 2020, we launched the Science Public Engagement Partnership, or SciPEP, a limited term public-private partnership, to dive into basic science communication headlong. Our work through SciPEP has led to new insights about audiences’ relationship to basic science, as well as the needs and interests of those who communicate basic research. We see a path forward that involves forging more partnerships between scholars who study science communication and practitioners of basic science communication.

Peran Masyarakat dalam Membentuk Akhlak Mahmudah dan Karakter Sosial Anak Sekolah Dasar

This research aims to determine the role of the community in forming easy morals and the social character of children who attend elementary school Jemurwonosari 1. This study looks at how community leaders and community efforts are involved in forming easy morals and supporting and inhibiting factors. This descriptive qualitative research uses data collection techniques through interviews and field observations. The problem studied is the role of society in shaping the easy morals and social character of elementary school children from the supporting and inhibiting factors of community activities in forming the easy morals and social character of children in the Jemurwonosari sub-district. This research shows how the local community participates in monitoring children’s behaviour and social character. The form of supervision is in the form of instaling CCTV in several hauses in the surrounding complex, holding regular, studies every weekend which aims to increase knowledge about religion by bringing in ulama figures from outside and collaborating with the school, especially the homeroom teacher so that they can monitor children’s activites while at school. the focus of this research emphasises that society as participants supports the formation of children’s Morals and social character.

The Allure of South Asian Indian Indigenous Culture in Zayyan’s We Are All Birds of Uganda (2021)

Hafsa Zayyan’s We Are All Birds of Uganda (2021) has been interpreted variously as a text on Ugandan history, religion, racism, family relationships, exile, and return migration. While the various interpretations of the text are illuminating, enough has not been done to uncover the vast and complex world of the South Asian Indian culture woven from ancient traditions, diverse languages, and profound spiritualities. This is in terms of foregrounding the enduring allure of its Indigenous culture rooted in enterprising inclinations, sustaining family businesses, strict intra-marriage norms, religion, culinary delights, and family, and community bonds. These are against the background of exiled immigrants living in the West and or returnee Asians of Ugandan origin. This paper employs the Marxist critical theory as a theoretical framework. This is used to examine how economic forces shape society and culture. Furthermore, how this contributes to the inequality and oppression meted out to the South Asian Indian. The paper adopts the descriptive qualitative research design as its methodology. It finds that hard work, wealth accumulation, and loyalty to family ideals remain the enduring legacy of the South Asian Indians irrespective of their places of settlement. The stronghold on its cultural heritage remains a vital source of strength and identity bringing to mind the enduring human spirit in the face of change. Consequently, deviation from these cultural ideals results in broken family bonds, frustration, and feelings of alienation.

Resurgent Religion, Resurgent Patriarchy? Strictly Observant Religion, Gender, and the State

A triple transformation is shaping societies around the world: the rise of strictly observant religion, the backlash against gender equality, and the growing influence of neoliberalism and authoritarianism in state affairs. While each of these phenomena has been intensively studied by social scientists, we know very little about their overlapping confluence. This introduction to the Special Issue “Strictly Observant Religion, Gender and the State in the 21st Century” outlines how we might make sense of the increasing traction of liberal sexual politics and the concurrent rise of neo-traditionalist movements. Rather than providing a unified theory, we propose the concept of “strictly observant religion,” a “social system which aims at structuring all aspects of life around strict adherence to religious doctrines”, as defined by Tobias Müller in his contribution to this special issue. As such, it serves as a heuristic tool to study these macro-transformations through thick descriptions of people’s striving, believing, and struggling. By locating the collection’s contributions in current debates and summarizing key insights, we outline possible pitfalls and pathways for future research in the sociology of religion, feminist theory, and political sociology.

Jewish Spaces in Egypt as Sites of Memory

This article explores Jewish spaces in Cairo as repositories of memory and their role in shaping a collective understanding of the Jewish past among non-Jewish Egyptians. By examining these sites through the perspectives of engaged observers, it uncovers their multifaceted reflections of Jewish life and culture. Interactions with these sites reveal the intricate interplay of internal and external factors, such as the dynamics between Jews and Muslims, the reverberations of the Arab-Israeli conflict, and societal responses to Jewish culture. These sites evoke a sense of patriotism among Egyptian Jews and their fellow citizens, marked by the fusion of Arabic, Hebrew, Judaism, and Islam. Understanding this perspective necessitates considering the roles of various stakeholders, including the remaining Jewish community, state institutions, conservationists, and scholarly professionals. It also requires an examination of ongoing societal debates and official decisions regarding the preservation or demolition of Jewish sites. Diverse viewpoints emerge from these discussions, reflecting issues like anti-Semitism, anti-Israel sentiments, distrust of the Egyptian state, and prioritizing the preservation of inhabited spaces over abandoned ones. By shedding light on these contradictions within Egyptian public discourse, this article underscores the significance of acknowledging and celebrating Egyptian Jewish heritage, which continues to shape society today.

ETHNICITY AS AN ASPECT OF WORKPLACE DIVERSITY AT ORGANIZATIONS AND INTERNATIONAL SOCIETIES

Ethnic diversity stands as a hallmark of human civilization, shaping societies, cultures, and interactions in profound ways. In an increasingly global company environment, hiring and managing a staff that is diverse in terms ethnicity is essential to accomplishing strategic business goals. The article begins by delineating the conceptual underpinnings of ethnic diversity, elucidating its complex interplay with factors such as history, migration, socio-political dynamics, and globalization. Through an exploration of various theoretical frameworks and empirical studies. Using a variety of databases, including Science Direct, Springer, Google Scholar, EBSCOhost, JSTOR, and Elsevier, this article employed a qualitative methodology to thoroughly evaluate the body of existing literature in order to find numerous research articles pertaining to ethnic diversity at workplace. This article's conclusion promotes a comprehensive understanding and appreciation of ethnic diversity and ethnic variety that goes beyond oversimplified narratives and embraces the diversity of human experience.

Research on the Sexualization or Empowerment of High-heeled Dancing on Social Media

With the rapid development of modern technology and the internet, social media has become the mainstream way to shape groups. Many people will express their ideas online, which can greatly affect their psychology and spirit. Heel dancing has evolved, incorporating different dance styles and cultural influences. In terms of high-heeled dancing, social media also became a hotbed of debate.This article delves into the sexualization of heel dance on social media platforms, highlighting the difficulties dancers, particularly women, encounter as their image shapes society's perceptions. By reviewing and analysing historical insights, we have revealed the social factors that contribute to this phenomenon. In addition, the paper aims to challenge stereotypes and regain the empowering narrative of heel dance as a symbol of strength and self-expression. According to the study, social media, pop culture, and fashion, whether heels dancing or its industry, empower women overall, portraying a powerful, free, and diverse female role. Therefore, eradicating negative comments and stereotypes about heels and other dances would be beneficial.

We are not an army of orcs: rethinking youth activism through a critical pedagogy of place

ABSTRACT The authors examine youth activism in Poland, focusing on the University of Gdańsk occupation, the Youth Climate Strike, and Stop Bzdurom’s direct actions. Using critical pedagogy of place, they analyse how youth activists drive social change and reclaim public spaces. The study highlights reinhabitation and decolonisation of public spaces as arenas for the common good and marginalised communities’ rights. It also explores the influence of radicalism and activism on society, particularly amid an ageing population and political polarisation. Detailed case analyses contribute to understanding youth roles in social movements and change, emphasising youth activism’s significance in shaping society’s future.

Study on the Communication History of "Good Governance in Media" Mechanism from the Perspective of Crisis Situations and its Reconstruction

The process of globalization and the development of digital information technology highlight the research focus of public crisis management communication. As an important medium of communication, media is a key element in the process of public crisis resolution, and it does not exist in isolation in various single media vacuum, but is an important part of media environment ecology. Media shape society, and society in turn affects and reconstructs media and its entire system. From the perspective of crisis situation, whether it is the information dissemination trend of the risk itself or the media governance strategy, it greatly affects the breeding and trend of public opinion risk. Based on this, the history of media studies of the "good media governance" mechanism and the two dimensions of good media governance are more significant. The co-construction of mechanisms and the co-governance of technological risks reveal the power embedding and reconstruction in the media governance field, reflecting the difficult questions of media communication on the process of modernity and the theoretical prospect of the construction of a digital human value community after undergoing crisis and rebirth.

Evaluation of digital competency of professional teachers

Education is a critical tool for social transformation. Schools reflect society, shaping the future of a country. Teachers are the architects who build, direct, and shape society through their students, who are the future citizens. Therefore, the role of teachers is pivotal. Digitalization has revolutionized economies, governments, communities, and businesses to a great extent. The National Policy on Education 2020 is a major reform in India's education sector, emphasizing Outcome-Based Education (OBE). This article explores the implications of digital competency on pedagogical practices, curriculum design, and student engagement. It highlights the importance of seamlessly integrating technology into the educational process, promoting active learning, and nurturing critical thinking skills. Additionally, it discusses the impact of digital competency on teacher-student relationships, emphasizing the need for teachers to serve as digital role models and mentors. The current study investigates the degree of awareness and identifies the factors affecting the digital competency of professional teachers in Maharashtra's Palghar district. Primary data from 103 professional teachers was collected through structured questionnaires and online surveys. This study is significant as it addresses digitalization, e-learning, competency mapping, and capacity building of professional teachers.