Social Criticism Research Articles

Enlightenment and Exchange

This essay explores a link made in the late eighteenth century between social critique and economic progress. At the intersection of enlightenment and capitalist exchange a series of assumptions about social development and social tutelage are made. While national development driven by exchange was understood to homogenize people, and peoples, over time, I argue that this homogenizing effect depended on a constant application of economic tutelage. According to Adam Smith the propensity to exchange is a universal human attribute driving economic progress, but in practice the adoption of technical change could not be guaranteed by the propensity to exchange alone. As both Jane Austen and Maria Edgeworth recognized, the implication was clear: without critique of old technical forms, no general increase in wealth. A tutor specifying the appropriate stance toward technical progress was forever needed. The form of enlightenment that was good for individuals, to think for yourself, was thus not extended to social groups in the economic realm.

The Soul in Preaching

What happened to the human soul in contemporary theories of preaching? The field of homiletics shows a wide variety of themes, approaches, perspectives, and theologies. Somewhere between the social critique, in postcolonial and post-human approaches, and sense-making, in cultural and experiential approaches, the issue of humanity re-emerges. This essay inquires whether and how it might be possible to re-envision preaching as a practice of care for the soul. The essay closes with a homiletical agenda in the form of three conditions for retrieving the soul in homiletics, a hermeneutical, a rhetorical, and a theological condition.

Reflection of Aesthetic Concepts of Russian Realism in Chinese Visual Art

This paper examines the impact of Russian realism on Chinese visual art, focusing on how Chinese artists have adapted and reinterpreted Russian aesthetic concepts. The study highlights the role of cross-cultural exchanges in enriching both traditional Chinese art and the broader understanding of realism. Through a detailed analysis, the author explores the reflection of Russian realism's social criticism and humanistic ideals in Chinese artistic practices, and how these influences have fostered new artistic forms and themes within China.The research employs comparative analysis of artworks and artistic traditions alongside historical and cultural contexts of both Russia and China. This approach underscores the importance of international artistic exchanges in creating a more diverse and multicultural art world. The study's novelty lies in uncovering the mechanisms of cultural integration and innovation through artistic exchanges between the two countries, detailing how Russian realism has not only shaped Chinese art but also spurred the creation of unique forms that reflect contemporary societal and cultural demands.Significantly, the fusion of Russian realism and traditional Chinese aesthetics has led to a new artistic direction in China that melds global artistic trends with local cultural values. This synthesis has facilitated deeper cultural dialogues and mutual understanding, enriching the artistic traditions of both Russia and China. Artists have been provided with new opportunities to explore innovative ideas and forms, thus strengthening cross-cultural ties and expanding the boundaries of artistic interaction. The paper emphasizes the transformative power of this artistic merger in enriching the global art space and fostering a more inclusive and varied artistic milieu.

Korean popular music in-between: Identity strategies between Japanese style and American standards in the 1960s

This article explores collective experiences of Japanese popular music within the post-Second World War South Korean society along with related identity strategies – elimination, stratification and standardization – from postcolonial perspectives and discuss what characterizes ‘Japanese-ness’ as a musical, industrial and social product. In the context of strategies to eradicate it from the urban spaces, cultural industry and memories and bodies of Korean people, Japanese-ness – labelled under the moniker waesaek – was proscribed as a cultural remnant of imperialism, militarism and colonial dominion and thus, a harmful influence on its public. South Korean popular songs categorized as waesaek music within this model were subject to social criticism and gentrified in the music marketplace as trot. On the other hand, Americanization was an important strategy used to construct a new ‘Korean-ness’ separate from the Japanese-ness lingering within the country from its colonial past. Japanese-ness in popular music in post-war South Korea continually changed as it was re-imagined and re-constructed in parallel with musical, social and industrial changes in South Korea. Each of these strategies carries its own corresponding paradoxes, and Korean-ness and Japanese-ness are cast in sharp relief as distinct cultural products while still containing those paradoxes. This article argues that these strategies, both global and local in scope, highlight the fact that post-colonialism cannot be explained merely by the relationship between one colony and one empire but rather evolves in a global and local milieu, in which multiple empires and colonies are intertwined.

Poetic Devices, Thematic Significance, and Social Realities in Poetry: A Critical Literature Review

This study critically synthesized the existing scholarly research on poetic devices, thematic significance, and social realities. The researcher used a critical literature review and content analysis to scrutinize scientific literature. Based on the review, this study bridges the gap between poetic form and societal critique, highlighting poetry's capacity for thematic depth and social analysis. The artful use of metaphors, personification, imagery, etc., empowers poets to address complex socio-political narratives within their work, positioning poetry as a mirror of society’s multifaceted issues. Poets from varied cultures have historically harnessed verse to reflect on universal themes such as mortality, justice, and human experiences, affirming poetry's role as both a narrative force and a societal barometer. Furthermore, poetry's archival value as a historical record is illuminated, capturing the spirit of different ages and contributing to our collective societal understanding. Through this synthesis, poetry is recognized as an enduring vehicle for exploring and challenging social dynamics, immortalizing the collective human psyche in rhythmic form. Through their craft, poets offer critiques and engage in the socio-political commentary that continues to shape the literary canon and our collective understanding. The study's findings underscore poetry’s timeless relevance as a medium for social critique and thematic exploration

사회의 비난 가능성과 개인의 일탈 : 이상동기 범죄의 사회적 접근

사회의 비난 가능성과 개인의 일탈 : 이상동기 범죄의 사회적 접근

МЕХМЕТ АКИФ ЕРСОЙ МЕН АБАЙ ҚҰНАНБАЕВТЫҢ ӨЛЕҢДЕРІНЕ САЛЫСТЫРМАЛЫ КӨЗҚАРАС

Türkiye and Kazakhstan have entered the modernization process since the late 19th century. Accordingly, in both regions, writers and poets reflected the need for reform in their works, and literary works focused on social problems. Abay Kunanbayev and Mehmet Akif exhibited a similar attitude in terms of including social criticism and emphasizing the need for innovation. The fact that both artists criticize unfair rulers, laziness and ignorance, and emphasize the women's issue is an indication of this attitude. In this article, the poems of Abay Kunanbayev and Mehmet Akif will be discussed comparatively.

Exploring Water Scarcity Through the Lens of Ecocinema: A Review of the film Kaun Kitney Pani Mein

This research delves into the unique portrayal of water scarcity through satire in the ecocinema ‘Kaun Kitney Pani Mein’ (2015). Employing narrative analysis, the study examines the narrative strategies and thematic elements used to address the pressing issue of water scarcity within the satirical framework of the film. Through an exploration of plot dynamics and dialogue, the research uncovers the underlying socio-political commentary embedded in the narrative. The study highlights the significance of eco-cinema as a medium for environmental discourse and social critique, shedding light on its potential to provoke critical reflection and inspire collective action. By analyzing ‘Kaun Kitney Pani Mein’ (2015) through the lens of satire, this research contributes to a deeper understanding of how art and cinema can serve as powerful tools for raising awareness and catalyzing change in environmental discourse.

Strengthening the Concept of Satirical Language through Analyzing the Connotations in the Lyrics of the Song "Cincin" by Hindia

Innuendo serves to enhance the understanding of the meanings of a song. Hence, this article aims to provide insights into strengthening the concept of satirical language within a song. The research employed a qualitative descriptive approach. The focus was explicitly on the song "Cincin" by Hindia, sourced from a YouTube video. The data consisted of words and sentences found in the song lyrics, which were subsequently transcribed from the video and converted into narrative forms. The analysis in this study was descriptive, outlining patterns of word selection and sentences conveying satirical meaning in the song lyrics. The results demonstrated various forms of satirical language and different degrees of satirical meaning, illustrating that songwriters carefully considered concepts to reinforce satirical language in the compositions, encompassing irony, sarcasm, and cynicism. Correspondingly, the gradation of the satirical sense within the song included implicit and explicit meanings. The primary objective of this research was to delineate various forms of satirical language and the gradations of meanings within the lyrics of the song "Cincin" by Hindia. This case study is essential for providing song listeners with a comprehension of the use of satirical language by songwriters to convey social criticism. Hence, this research yielded findings regarding the selection of various forms of satirical language containing appropriate meanings and concepts, refining the accuracy and development.

Barriers and drivers of farmers to provide outdoor access in pig farming systems: a qualitative study

Part of the farmers have chosen to raise pigs with outdoor access. However, providing outdoor access to pigs is not a simple matter, and many farmers are hesitating or feel powerless to engage in this transition. A better understanding of their needs and challenges could facilitate the development of innovations that generate commitment. This survey aimed to identify the French pig farmers’ barriers to and drivers for providing outdoor access to pigs. A total of 36 farmers, aged 25–60, who worked in all types of pig farming systems (from full indoor to free-range) participated in a semi-structured interview that lasted 1.25–2.25 h. The topics covered included a historical overview, a description of the farm and practices, as well as opinions about the impact of outdoor access on farmers, animals, production and economic performance, environment, and society. Qualitative data were analysed using thematic analysis. Most of the participants agreed that rearing pigs indoors is a different job from that of rearing pigs with outdoor access and that it is above all a matter of choice, farmer work conception, and work comfort. Farmers generally agreed that working outdoors is particularly arduous, but this could be compensated by the satisfaction of being in contact with nature and seeing animals in a more complex environment. A large majority of farmers managing a system with outdoor access raised the issue of lack of support, highlighting the need for refinement and diffusion of guides of practices as well as day-to-day support. The impact of outdoor access on the health and welfare of pigs was discussed, especially regarding climatic hazards and the risk of zoonoses, and several outdoor farmers explained how their relationship with the animals changes when pigs are raised outside. Given that zootechnical performance may significantly decrease in farms with outdoor access, various strategies can be employed to maintain profitability, such as feed production, circularity, direct sales, or work diversification. They could be either motivating or demotivating factors depending on the individuals. Concerns about social criticism were prominent among many indoor farmers while farmers providing outdoor access generally felt more serene and proud. Overall, this study can serve as a basis to identify levers that could remove barriers, foster the adherence of more farmers, and facilitate the transition towards more pig farming systems with outdoor access, provided that those systems are viable and beneficial for the welfare and health of the animals and farmers.

After the Night, Before the Gate: Kafkaesque Imaginations and Dystopian Speculations in the Mediterranean

ABSTRACT This article attempts a critical conversation between Kafka’s Der Prozess (posthumously published in 1925, translated into English as The Trial in 1937) and two novels from the Mediterranean Basin. The Turkish author Bilge Karasu’s Gece (1985, translated into English as Night by Güneli Gün in 1994) responds to the national conflicts intensified by the military coup in Türkiye (Turkey) in the 1980s with its dark portrayal of political conspiracies and unhinged violence. Almost thirty years later, Aziz conveys a similar sense of social chaos and political disillusionment: her novel Al-Ṭābūr (2013, translated into English as The Queue by Elisabeth Jaquette in 2016) addresses the aftermath of the 2011 Egypt uprising. In addition to the social critique that shapes the dystopian allegories of the novels, Kayışcı Akkoyun examines the discursive conflicts and gaps through which Kafka, Karasu, and Aziz expose the constructed nature of oppressive structures and the arbitrariness of authority. She argues that the disjointed dystopian narratives of Kafka, Karasu, and Aziz not only portray the horrors witnessed at a particular place and time but also share a common utopian vision that extends to the future through the authors’ imaginative struggle against totalizing forces of uneven modernization.

Quatrains of Many Receptions: A Survey of Perceptions of ‘Omar Khayyām in Ottoman and Turkish Translations

AbstractThis article explores the wide range of responses to Persian polymath and poet ‘Omar Khayyām (d. ca. 526/1132) in Ottoman and Turkish literary sources. A great number of intellectuals, past and present, translated Khayyām's famed quatrains into Turkish, albeit with differing motivations regarding subject, style, message, and literary reception. Social critics like Abdullah Cevdet employed Khayyām's quatrains as a vehicle for proving that liberal and progressive mindsets were accommodated in classical Islam. On the other hand, literary scholars like Rıza Tevfik [Bölükbaşı], Ḥüseyin Dāniş, and Abdülbaki Gölpınarlı chose to focus on the intellectual origins of Khayyām's thought, as well as on his connections to Islamic philosophical traditions. In the first decades of the Turkish Republic, there was another wave of interest in Khayyām's quatrains related to prosody, message, and what his legacy and poetic disposition represented with regard to the Islamic past. Whereas poets like Yahya Kemal and Âsaf Hâlet Çelebi regarded him as a paragon of libertine lyrics and Sufi mysticism, Turkish leftist intellectuals such as Nâzım Hikmet, Sabahattin Eyuboğlu, and A. Kadir set him as a socialist or materialist humanist who was a staunch critic of religious bigotry and fanaticism.

Charlotte Brontë’s Villette and the Book of Esther: A Pioneering Hermeneutic on Sexism and Xenophobia

Throughout her literary career, Charlotte Brontë sustained a prolonged intertextual relationship with the Book of Esther, which reached its peak in Villette (1853). While most scholarship on the topic has focused on Brontë’s Vashti, a renowned actress, a close reading of the novel belies an adaptation of the whole Book of Esther that is focused on the compounded forms of oppression Lucy must face simultaneously as a woman, an English national and a Protestant. Considered in light of contemporary readings of the Book of Esther as an intersectional narrative on sexism (Esther 1, Vashti’s rebellion and the edict against women) and antisemitism (Esther 3–4, Mordecai’s rebellion and the edict against Jews) overlapping most acutely in its heroine, a Jewish woman, I argue that Brontë uses the biblical story to address sexism and xenophobia with a triply disadvantaged Esther figure in Lucy Snowe. Villette thus offers one of the first proto-feminist, intersectional readings of Vashti and Esther, setting the stage for more emphatic female-authored exegesis to champion Vashti and Esther as paragons of action against oppression. In this sense, Brontë’s approach to the Book of Esther as a source text for her unique brand of fictionalised proto-feminism and social criticism is an as yet unrecognised pioneer of such hermeneutics.

Pia Petersen, Translingualism and Disruption

This article analyses the work of translingual writer Pia Petersen. It situates Petersen’s work within current debates about translingual writing and asks whether a translingual writer should be expected to draw attention to their multilingual background within their work. It argues that Petersen’s work is disruptive in both its form and content. In terms of content, Petersen engages in pointed social critique, highlighting the social injustice of contemporary French and American society. She also defends an approach to literature as an art form that should be respected and valued, not debased by market forces, consumption or popular appeal. Her work is also disruptive on a formal level, since she incorporates a variety of registers and phrases in English into her French language prose. This is not a writer who could be described as a multilingual author who incorporates several languages into her writing. But nor should we except her to do so. Instead, Petersen’s unique style reveals an attention to language, communication and disruption that suggests a translingual imagination.

A Feminist Critique of International Practices

Abstract Feminist social theories, especially intersectional and decolonial ones, have been footnotes at best in practice-oriented research in international relations. This disciplinary exclusion of gender studies’ concepts from “international practice theories” (IPTs) or the "practice turn" has marginalized inquiries into power and reflexivity in action. As a result, IPTs have failed to theorize how practitioners’ reflexivity is shaped by local manifestations of systemic lines of difference like race, gender, coloniality, or class. This Theory Note argues that intersectional and decolonial feminist approaches can address this gap. We demonstrate that positionality and privilege condition practical reflexivity by shaping (1) normative interpretations of the world, (2) the content of social critique, and (3) the reception of such critique. Taking feminists as foundational theorists of international practices is critical to addressing some ontological challenges encountered by current IPT scholarship. In this Theory Note, we develop a productive conversation between the two bodies of literature around concepts of background knowledge and competence, which allows for a better understanding of the interplay of structural power and individual reflexivity in everyday interactions.

Navigating intimacy and queer entrepreneurship: Relational work in Taiwanese lesbian couples’ business endeavors

This study addresses the significant gap in the entrepreneurship literature concerning the experiences of sexual minority groups, particularly Taiwanese lesbian entrepreneurs. The prevailing focus on heterosexual men has overshadowed the distinct motivations and dynamics in queer entrepreneurship. Drawing on Zelizer’s concept of relational work and incorporating feminist perspectives, this investigation explores how Taiwanese lesbian couples engage in entrepreneurial pursuits in unique local gender culture. Taiwan’s gender cultural context, mainly shaped by Confucianism and Taoism, contributes to the relative acceptance of lesbian relationships and marriages, reducing social criticism. By skillfully utilizing the cultural repertoire of filial piety, lesbian entrepreneurs strengthen their bonds with parents, facilitating both their business endeavors and intimate relationships. In addition, lesbian entrepreneurship is often overlooked and subsumed under gay entrepreneurship, leading to the assumption of ‘gay ordinariness’. The study highlights a significant difference between Taiwanese lesbian entrepreneurs and gay counterparts; the former perform intimate relational work and prioritize emotional ties in entrepreneurial pursuits, while the latter emphasize rational economic outlook. The findings underscore that entrepreneurial motivations are multifaceted, encompassing liberation, empowerment, family bonding, and self-identity construction. Taiwanese lesbian entrepreneurs exemplify the importance of intimate relational work, challenging the dominant masculine economic orientation in entrepreneurship. This research contributes to a more comprehensive understanding of queer entrepreneurship and calls for greater recognition of diverse motivations and dynamics in entrepreneurial pursuits.

The role of social connection in opioid use disorder treatment engagement.

Medications for opioid use disorder (OUD or MOUD) treatment combining pharmacotherapy with psychosocial support are effective for managing OUD. However, treatment engagement remains a challenge, with retention rates ∼30%-50%. Although social connection has been identified as important to recovery, it remains unclear whether and how social factors can bolster participation in treatment. Individuals receiving MOUD at three outpatient treatment programs (N = 82) and healthy community controls (N = 62) completed validated measures assessing social connection including (a) size, diversity, and embeddedness of social networks; (b) perceived social support and criticism within familial relationships; and (c) subjective social status. For those receiving MOUD, we also examined how aspects of social connection related to opioid (re)use and treatment engagement (medication adherence, group, and individual meeting attendance) assessed over ∼8 weeks/person. Compared to controls, individuals receiving MOUD had smaller and less diverse and embedded social networks (Cohen's d > 0.4), and despite similar levels of perceived social support (d = 0.02), reported higher levels of social criticism (d = 0.6) and lower subjective social status (d = 0.5). Within the MOUD group, higher social network indices correlated specifically with higher therapeutic group attendance (Rs > 0.30), but not medication adherence, while higher levels of perceived criticism correlated with more frequent opioid use (R = 0.23). Results were mostly robust to control for sociodemographic variables, psychological distress/COVID-19, and treatment duration, but differed by MOUD type/program. These findings highlight the potential importance of assessing an individual's social capital, promoting positive social connection, and continuing to assess the implementation and value of psychosocial support in MOUD treatment. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Национальный ландшафт в отечественных кинокомедиях о деревне 1990-х годов: «деревенская трилогия» В. Чикова

The article examines the implementation of the national rural landscape in the Russian post-perestroika comedy films about village, namely in the ‘village trilogy’ by V. Chikov. In these films, the canon of the image of a villager, as well as specific shots of rural landscapes, inherits the traditions of Russian ‘village cinema’ and everyday comedies of the 1950s — the first half of the 1980s. In the absence of stylistic and artistic experiments in Chikov’s films, the landscape is of interest as an expression of a trend in the social consciousness of the time, also being a means of social satire and criticism of the state domestic policy of that time.

Grotesque Approaches in Contemporary Turkish Painting

The Republican period witnessed significant changes in Turkish art and the art of painting was reshaped in this process. By addressing the grotesque elements in paintings depicting mythological themes, the study aims to understand the reasons why artists use these images and the social, cultural, and political contexts of these images. The study analyzes the depiction of figures in Turkish painting in a grotesque context during the Republican period and how artists integrated the influences of Western culture as well as traditional Turkish culture. Additionally, it is examined whether the use of grotesque images emerged as a reaction of the artists to the political and social atmosphere of the period or as a different narrative strategy. In this context, it offers an understanding of how grotesque images in Turkish painting reflect the artists' individual expressions, social criticism and cultural identities.

Nino Cais’ Aesthetic: European vs Brazilian identity - deconstructing colonial icons

Nino Cais is approached as an aesthetic case study: how stereotyped colonial iconography can be subverted through a staged visual irony? In late past, European artists travelled to Brazil fulfilling anthropological missions: to register and make known the "New World", fulfilling political, scientific and/or pragmatic purposes. Cais conceives exotic iconographies that disable colonial political dogmatisms; he assumes a deep identity, opposing uniformity of taste, patterns of behaviour, proposing racial counter-movements and social criticism. He pursues cultural themes, interacting for strong convictions, subverting stereotypes by staging a new iconography – presenting himself as a singular 'projected/introjected' self-portraits; deconstructs decolonial stereotypes, thus ensuring an aesthetic and ideological precision without shackles.