Social Criticism Research Articles

El don de la siesta by Miguel Ángel Hernández: Private Resistance in the Age of Transparency

Agamben’s idea that the clandestine dimension of private life is the significant political element of individual life pairs with Miguel Ángel Hernández’s thesis expressed in El don de la siesta. According to him, in the era of transparency and hyper-visibility, siesta should be a subversive act. Hernández argues that siesta challenges the culture of productivity and constant exposure, offering a refuge for privacy and opening a pause in ordinary time. Through a multidisciplinary approach encompassing art, literature, and social criticism, the author advocates for a conscious type of siesta to reclaim time, body, and private space in an increasingly surveilled world. He sees this habit as an opportunity to redefine the relationship between public and private life, finding moments of evasion and disconnection amidst the frenetic contemporary life.

“The Creative Journey is all about Conquering New Frontiers”: In Conversation with Kaiser Haq

In this interview, Bangladeshi Anglophone poet, translator, and critic Kaiser Haq discusses diverse aspects of his writings and concerns. First of all, he talks about his recently published poetry collection, The New Frontier & Other Odds and Ends in Verse and Prose. Then, he dwells upon the charms and challenges of conquering new frontiers during his long poetic journey, his distinguished career as an academician, his role as an essayist and his work as a translator. He gives his opinion about the tradition of Bangladeshi Anglophone poetry and sheds light on his stance as a poet-witness and as a social critic. His representation of aberrant figures, debt to Bengal’s rich folk heritage, transformation of mundane observations to socio-political musings, and exploration of issues like identity and the environment come to the fore in course of the conversation. He spells out his poetic standpoint on issues like tradition and modernity, love and sex, religion and ethnicity, and diversity and unity. He takes pains to explain how his poetry testifies to Bangladesh’s evolution over the years through all the ups and downs. He points out how exposure to other climes and cultures and love for his own country and country people complement each other to create his poetic credo. Later, he elaborates on his attitude to memory and the media. He reveals his perspectives on poetic craftmanship and stylistic innovation. The interview wraps up with an enduring message from Kaiser Haq the poet for his readers.

A RESISTÊNCIA NA CONTÍSTICA DE MARIA LUCIA MEDEIROS

The present work aims to investigate the resistance processes contained in Maria Lucia Medeiros's short stories. In my aesthetic project there is a strong content of social criticism accompanied by narratives that raise situations of surveillance and control, violence, punishments and, of course, resistance. The aim is to assess and map how power relations are established and which devices and technologies are used to control bodies in Medeiros' stories. For this investigation we chose three short stories, among them Quarto de Hora (1994), Velas. Por quem? (1990) and Chuvas e Trovoadas (2003). As a theoretical basis we will use the works of authors such as Michel Foucault (1985, 1988, 2005, 2010) and Giorgio Agamben (2007) who investigate power, devices, resistance, etc. We understand such concepts by these authors where power works in a network and is in all areas of life. Likewise, devices that are technologies of power that aim to respond to an emergency, therefore have a strategic purpose of controlling and ensuring the gestures, conduct, opinions and speeches of living beings. Power works like a web that binds everyone, but as soon as there is a power relationship, there is a possibility of resistance. In effect, we will investigate the devices, power relations and resistance to them.

ERTRÄUMTE RÄUME DER FREIHEIT: LUISE MÜHLBACHS PROTAGONISTINNEN ZWISCHEN REALITÄT UND WUNSCHVORSTELLUNG

ABSTRACTOn the basis of selected works by the ‘Vormärz’ writer Luise Mühlbach, this article examines the extent to which the writer's assertions relate to the image she portrays of her protagonists. This question seems all the more interesting because Mühlbach was socially and politically engaged, practised social criticism and pleaded for a change in the situation of women. The upheavals in the social and political spheres of the nineteenth century enabled Mühlbach to include aspects of women's emancipation in her writing. The focus of this article is on her portrayal of female protagonists. In addition, it questions whether Mühlbach's women accept their role in life, or whether they are able to protest against male domination and thus to secure their freedom.

The Luxembourg Symposium on Frank Michelman’s Constitutional Essentials (Oxford University Press, 2022)

In January and February 2023, the University of Luxembourg hosted a series of four online seminars on Frank Michelman’s then just recently published book Constitutional Essentials ( CE), a book which in Frank’s own words aimed to work out the implications of Rawls' theory of political liberalism for constitutional theory and debates between constitutional lawyers regarding a number of constantly recurring questions of constitutional law. Eleven of the invited contributions to the four seminars (presentations of 15–20 minutes) plus one additional contribution by Silje Langvatn, are now collected in this special issue of Philosophy & Social Criticism, followed by a response by Michelman. This introduction to the discussions between Michelman and his interlocutors begins with a brief synopsis of some of the key lines of argument that Michelman develops in CE and then moves on to survey all the arguments offered in response. The last section takes a briefly look at Michelman’s replies to these responses.

Representation of Social Issues in Indian Graphic Novels

The study intends to uncover the significant commentary these works offer on current themes like gender dynamics, caste discrimination, governmental corruption, religious tensions, and the challenges of modernity, by analyzing a varied spectrum of graphic novels coming out of the subcontinent. We shed light on how these graphic novels not only represent the socio-political environment of India but also question and modify narratives by combining qualitative content analysis and in-depth case studies. Our research highlights the importance of graphic novels as effective social critique mediums in India, echoing wider global trends where visual storytelling goes beyond just amusement to provide insightful social commentary

Criticism of Social Criticism in Kurdish poetry the Appendix of Chawder criticism as an example

Critical criticism works on critical issues that have been critically and analytically done, that is, it critically re-reads the issues presented and contains critical forms and principles. The method of social criticism works on texts that are written in a social context and reflect the reality of society. These products can make a difference in society. The newspaper of Chawder has devoted an appendix to critical articles and has published various critical articles in two different issues and has played a significant role in this field. One of these critical issues, which we will see in this appendix, is a social issue and falls within the framework of social criticism. Therefore, this study begins and limits its work according to the theory of Goldman (1913-1970). This study highlights the shortcomings of the critical articles published in different issues of the newspaper. The importance of the topic and the lack of work on criticism and working in the context of newspapers, made the research on such a topic. This study uses the descriptive method of analysis and the method of social criticism (Goldman theories). This study has reached several conclusions, the most obvious of which is that the issues presented in the context of social criticism are more theoretical. In many cases, the authors had more individual opinions and were unable to present their subject in an academic manner and according to a specific theory.

Voicing The Reality of Colonialized Women in The Novel ‘Belenggu’ By Armijn Pane

This study explores the representation of women's subjugation during the colonial period in Indonesia through Armijn Pane's novel "Belenggu." Utilizing an interdisciplinary approach that integrates literary sociology, feminist literary criticism, and postcolonial studies, this research provides a comprehensive understanding of how the novel reflects the author's critique of patriarchal societal structures and colonial impacts on indigenous women. The analysis focuses on the main character, Sukartini, highlighting her struggle for equality and autonomy. Despite being educated and progressive, Sukartini is depicted as trapped within socio-cultural and political constraints, influenced by entrenched patriarchal norms and colonial domination. This study reveals the dual layers of oppression faced by women, emphasizing the compounded struggles due to both gender and colonial subjugation. By examining Sukartini's character, the research illustrates how deeply ingrained patriarchal norms and colonial dominance restrict women's roles and voices. The findings contribute to Indonesian literary sociology by expanding the scope of analysis to include gender and postcolonial issues, underscoring the importance of examining literary works through multiple theoretical lenses. Moreover, the study highlights the role of literature in spreading awareness, providing social critique, and inspiring advocacy for gender equality and justice. "Belenggu" serves as a poignant critique of historical and ongoing gender inequality, reinforcing the relevance of literary analysis in understanding and addressing complex social issues. This research offers a nuanced perspective on the socio-political contexts shaping narratives, advocating for continued scholarly attention to literature as a means of promoting social change and a more equitable society.

Character Convention of The Heist Film Subgenre in “Stealing Raden Saleh” (2022)

<p class="8Abstractcontent">In terms of genre study, film critics have engaged in lengthy discourses to figure out a consistent determining variable. Heist film is one of the genres that has also gone into overdrive due to the many variations that arise from the flexibility of its genre conventions. “Stealing Raden Saleh” (2022) is therefore chosen as the object of this research because it reflects the similarity of patterns with many films in the heist film subgenre. Furthermore, the film also markets itself as an action-heist film. This prompted the author to investigate how the characters in “Stealing Raden Saleh” (2022) are related to the heist film subgenre conventions. This study uses a qualitative method, particularly observation and literature studies, in which several sources discussing the conventions of the heist film are used as supporting theories. Through thorough comparison and analysis, it can be concluded that the characters in “Stealing Raden Saleh” (2022) are related to the conventions of the heist film subgenre, especially in terms of character roles and motivations. These aspects are instruments of social criticism that are generally contained in heist films, including class resistance and power relations.</p>

Understanding humour as the catalyst to social reform: A study of Mahesh Dattani’s Where There Is a Will (1988)

Mahesh Dattani (b. 1958) is a reformist playwright of modern India whose works have been interpreted as texts of social critique. Academics such as Erin B. Mee and Asha Kuthari Chowdhari have attributed his works to the ‘invisible issues’ permeating India’s urban middle classes. They have highlighted how Dattani portrays topics such as gender inequality, homosexuality and communal violence to appeal to the public in pursuit of social reform. This article proposes that humour, in addition to these themes, is an equally essential aspect of Dattani’s reformist visions. It argues that Dattani’s humour resonates with what J. L. Styan calls the ‘dark comedy’. It explores the use of humour in Dattani’s play, Where There Is a Will (1988), through Henri Bergson’s concepts of comical inversion, rigidity and symmetrical repetition, to examine the comical elements of the events, dialogue and characters. This approach assists Dattani in posing reformative queries and, according to Styan, eliciting responses from the readers/audience.

Corporate Purpose Swings as a Social, Atheoretical Process: Will the Pendulum Break?

This article argues that conceptualising corporate purpose as a normative question which can be examined in isolation from its socio-historical context is inappropriate and ultimately futile. Corporate purpose is examined here as historically determined, a social fact, independently from whichever theoretical position might prevail in scholarly debates. Interestingly, corporate law doctrine pertinent to corporate purpose has remained mostly static but fairly open-ended. This has allowed purpose itself to oscillate between shareholder primacy and the balancing of stakeholder interests rather seamlessly as a socio-historical phenomenon. However, the article finds that, where it is used by private business organisation, corporate law has a limited capacity to accommodate purpose oscillations. Those are limited to merely one-dimensional movements representing corporate income distribution choices considered as socially legitimate each time. Using concepts such as Polanyi's 'double-movement' and Gramsci's 'passive revolution', the article argues that, for as long as social dynamics focused on wealth distribution, private corporate purpose had little difficulty in absorbing social critique and in finding a legitimacy basis for the private business corporation. However, more recently, critique has been shifting away from merely distributional trepidations and towards other non-economic concerns caused by economic growth per se. These concerns add new dimensions for corporate purpose oscillations, which cannot be accommodated irrespective of how open-ended corporate law doctrine on purpose might be. The article concludes with an analysis of what this might entail for corporate law as a socially legitimate structure for private business.

The big heroine genre: motherhood and the maternal body in postsocialist Chinese television

This article explores the feminist social critique in the ‘big heroine’ drama, a newly emerged genre of television that focuses on empowering yet dramatic stories of urban women in contemporary...

Humour and Satire as a Social Criticism in Edgar Allan Poe’s Short Stories

Humour and Satire as a Social Criticism in Edgar Allan Poe’s Short Stories

Mengidentifikasi Dan Memaknai Paribasa Bali Pada Cerpen Gedè Ombak Gedè Angin Pupulan Sawelas Carita Cutet Basa Bali Karya I Made Suarsa

Paribasa is used in everyday life to convey the ideas and emotions of the Balinese people, as evidenced by the short narrative Gedé Ombak Gedé Angin by I Made Suarsa and other Balinese discourses. Furthermore, I Made Suarsa's short novel Gedé Ombak Gedé Angin employs Balinese paribasa to convey moral, ethical, and social critique principles that serve as a set of guidelines for daily life. The purpose of this study is to identify the various forms and interpretations of Balinese paribasa in I Made Suarsa's short novel Gedé Ombak Gedé Angin.The present study employs many theoretical frameworks, including the theories of identification, meaning, short stories, Balinese paribasa, and sorts of Balinese people. Using interviews and literature study techniques, this study is qualitative in nature. The study's findings indicate that: (1) There are two varieties of Balinese paribasa in the short narrative "Lahru Kangkang Tinibanin Udan Sawengi." (2) Three different kinds of Balinese paribasa are mentioned in the short novel "Gedé Ombak Gedé Angin" The short novella "Mati Maha Prawiréng Rana" features three distinct varieties of Balinese paribasa. The short novella "Stri Ngarania, Apuy Padania" features two distinct varieties of Balinese paribasa.included five interpretations of the Balinese paribasa in I Made Suarsa's short story Gedé Ombak Gedé Angin

Pesan Kritik Sosial Deforestasi Pada Lirik Lagu Rat Tua Karya FSTVLST

The aim of this research is to understand the social criticism message about deforestation in Indonesia through the song "Rat Tua" by FSTVLST. The current climate crisis can already be felt, for example, through temperature changes and high rainfall. Raising awareness about the importance of this climate crisis issue requires various efforts, one of which can be through music. Fans of the band will surely understand and become aware of the issues brought by their favorite band. This research aims to dissect the critical message in the song "Rat Tua" with various metaphors and archaic or rarely used language. It employs Ferdinand De Saussure's semiotic analysis method with data collection techniques in the form of document studies. FSTVLST creates a song about trees but does not use the word "tree". It can be concluded that human actions are the main factor in the climate crisis. Human awareness of trees and forests is still lacking, and deforestation is evidence that humans are not improving the earth but worsening the impact of the climate crisis.

Women Who Perform Social Egg Freezing as Moral Pioneers: The Case of Ultra-Orthodox Communities in Israel

Social egg freezing (SEF) is a new reproductive technology that is increasingly used within ultra-Orthodox Jewish communities, stirring tensions between tradition and modernity. Based on in-depth semi-structured interviews, this study examined how ultra-Orthodox singles who employ SEF engage in social negotiations over gender- and body-related norms. Findings show that participants successfully assimilated SEF by establishing facts on the ground and discreetly spreading information while actively avoiding tensions that may threaten religious tradition. SEF did not push participants into modern individualism or dissolve their strong connection to the community. However they did modify social boundaries and articulated social criticism.

Spatial Narrative and Critique of Reality in The American Film “Breaking”

The American film and television production “Breaking” (originally titled 892) is an independent film of a documentary nature. Through the experience of a veteran, the film reveals the tragedy under the illusion of so-called fairness and justice in American society. The stark social realism is the biggest highlight of this film. Through interpreting the multiple spatial narratives in the film, the paper analyses the elements of reality criticism in the events, and unearths the profound social criticism and cultural reflection contained in the film.

Against Negativism: Why Critical Theory Should Appeal to the Good

In this article, I argue against negativism in critical theory. Negativism holds that critical theory should avoid appealing to explicit positive normative standards (“the good”) in its social critique. I distinguish between two types of negativism prevalent in critical theory. While dialectical negativism claims that we can approach the good in a negative way, radical negativism rejects such appeals entirely. I then review three motivations for negativism: that appealing to the good is epistemically precarious, normatively inadequate, and unimportant for the project of critical theory. I contend that the arguments for negativism are largely unsuccessful. Some reliable knowledge of human goods is possible, appeals to the good need not be undemocratic or paternalistic, and positive normative standards are crucial for grounding critique and guiding transformation. I conclude that critical theory’s emancipatory aims are undermined by negativism, and that it should embrace appealing to the good in its social critique.    

Comparative Analysis of the Power Between Medea and Oedipus

This paper gives a comparative analysis of the concept of power through two characters in Greek tragedy: Oedipus by Sophocles and Medea by Euripides. Both figures demonstrate a unique use of power, which inevitably leads to tragic endings. Oedipus is a noble king trapped by his own fate. He wields power in the political area but is blinded by his search for truth and self-discovery. This ultimately leads to unexpected personal and social disasters. In contrast, Medea is a strong woman who uses personal as well as her supernatural powers to impose devastating revenge on the unjust patriarchal society that betrayed her. This analysis seeks to reveal the small differences of their power, such as its origins, manifestations, and effects, within their social and narrative contexts. Through the examination of the two characters' different attitudes to power and their outcomes, this paper is a deeper understanding of the nature of power and its significant impact in Greek tragedy, highlighting the tragic flaws and social critiques lied in these books.

How healthcare team build Resilience to Stress

Introduction: This study explores how the interaction theory of stress and coping, the expansion and construction theory of positive emotions, and the conservation of resources theory can help healthcare teams resist stress. Community resilience has been overlooked in health research on individual resilience. This study examines the resilience of teams to overcome knowledge gaps. Methodology: A snowballing method was used to select 10 members of the oral and maxillofacial surgery team for the study. Zoom was used to conduct 10 semi-structured interviews with three study participants. What causes team stress? How is stress tolerance defined? What strategies does the team use to build resilience? Interviews were coded using thematic analysis. Results: Research has found that patient care, long working hours, conflicting work commitments and a lack of control contribute to employee stress. Transactional theories of stress and coping suggest that a problem- and meaning-centered approach can help people cope with a variety of stressors. Teams also leverage social capital, constructive criticism, and positive emotions. It turns out that people have different definitions of resilience. Resilience is defined as a quality, characteristic, or strategy for coping with stress. Conclusion: The paper concludes with recommendations for implementation. Research shows that unpleasant emotions are expressed in difficult, low-stress work situations. It supports the non-suppression of unpleasant feelings, their resolution, and solutions. Management needs to step in and teach team members to express uncomfortable feelings in a constructive way.