Social Reality Research Articles

Commodification of Umrah through Social Media: Phenomenological Study on Umrah Pilgrims of Sociosalites in Jakarta

This research aims to find out the religious activities of Umrah pilgrims of socialites in Jakarta commodified through social media and to find out socialite individuals uploading religious activities on social media. In obtaining data in this study, researchers used qualitative methods based on the constructivism paradigm. This paradigm views knowledge as the result of the construction of human thought, not just the experience of facts. In this case humans understand social reality more based on the subject that examines rather than the object under study. The results of this study indicate that there are individual socialite factors uploading religious activities on social media, this study also found two elements of commodification that were implemented, namely Exchange Value and Use Value, and this study found that Umrah, which is traditionally a religious experience, has now been transformed into a culture of Conspicious Consumption.

Possible Worlds Theory: How the Imagination Transcends and Recreates Reality.

The imagination is central to human social life but undervalued worldwide and underexplored in psychology. Here, we offer Possible Worlds Theory as a synthetic theory of the imagination. We first define the imagination, mapping the mental states it touches, from dreams and hallucinations to satire and fiction. The conditions that prompt people to imagine range from trauma to physical and social deprivation, and they challenge the sense of reality, stirring a need to create possible worlds. We theorize about four cognitive operations underlying the structure of the mental states of the imagination. We then show how people embody the imagination in social behaviors such as pretense and ritual, which give rise to experiences of a special class of feelings defined by their freedom from reality. We extend Possible Worlds Theory to four domains-play, spirituality, morality, and art-and show how in flights of the imagination people create new social realities shared with others.

A Brief Analysis of Symbolic Metaphors in Korean Drama Squid Game

In the US TV series dominate the Netflix platform today, Squid Game as the first Korean series to top the 2021 Netflix platform US series list, has won a high reputation around the world experience is worth in-depth analysis, there are many domestic and foreign scholars on Squid Game this popular Korean drama analysis. The purpose of this study is to briefly explore what symbolic metaphors are used in the Squid Game and the role they play in the series, as well as to analyze what role symbolic metaphors play in the communication of the series. Using the research method of questionnaire survey, this research concluded that the Squid Game uses symbolic metaphor to simplify complex metaphors, mechanisms, characters, and social realities, and uses symbols to show them. Such setting “smoothing” the cultural differences of the series “decoded” by audiences from different countries, and promoted the plot development in narrative. The multiple functions of revealing characters’ hearts and reflecting the theme of the series have promoted the global spread of the TV series Squid Game.

Teoría Sociológica en la trama curricular de la formación en Psicopedagogía

The purpose of this work is to describe and interpret the pedagogical experience that, from the curricular space of Sociological Theory, as a social science, epistemological, methodological, theoretical, and ethical perspectives are deployed to address the object of study of Psychopedagogy, and to intervene regarding the social subject in a learning situation. Sociology, as a teaching space, together with other pedagogical spaces, enriches the career of professionals in Psychopedagogy, and it recognizes a set of tensions that accompany the interaction processes between various disciplines of the Social Sciences. An attempt is made to provide lenses from which to look dialectically at the learning subjects and all those who intervene in this process, with possible readings of the multiple, diverse, and complex social reality. A search is recognized to define the intersection of disciplinary fields of the Social Sciences, where many come into relationship, such as educational, sociological, historical, and psychopedagogical fields, among others.

The Creative Concept and Practical Expression of “Mythorealism”——Taking Yan Lianke’s Series of Novels “PaLou” as an Example

Yan Lianke is one of the most influential writers in contemporary Chinese literature. In recent years, Yan Lianke’s creative concept of “Mythorealism” has attracted the attention of many scholars. The creative concept of “Mythorealism” advocates abandoning rigid logic and pursuing “non-existent truth, invisible truth, and truth concealed by truth” in order to achieve true social reality. Its “Palou series” novels, rooted in the PaLou Mountains of Henan, particularly demonstrate Yan Lianke’s exploration of his “Mythorealism” creative philosophy, and are also a powerful practical expression of Yan Lianke’s “Mythorealism” literary view. This article attempts to analyze the literary content and creative techniques of Yan Lianke’s “Palou” series of novels from the perspective of “Mythorealism”, and explore the value and limitations of novel creation under the guidance of the “Mythorealism” creative concept. This content has accumulated useful experience for Chinese realism creation and has positive significance for re-examining Yan Lianke and contemporary Chinese realism creation.

“Look not thou upon the wine…”. Wine Drinking in Proverbs 23:19–35 in Light of the Book of Sirach

This article examines the motif of wine drinking in didactic biblical wisdom literature from a synchronic perspective, using an analogy between two textual units in the Book of Proverbs in light of the Book of Sirach. The complex literary and social functions of the motif of wine drinking and its significance for ancient Israelite society are examined. The first part of the article focuses on Prov 23, which presents the didactic wisdom approach to drinking wine, consisting mainly of warnings and cautions to youth regarding wine and its consequences for the community. The second part compares this didactic approach to the hybrid approach of the Book of Sirach, where didactic precepts appear beside a cultural portrayal of wine drinking as a joyful and accepted tradition. The author of this article claims that this complex attitude is rooted in using the wine-drinking motif in biblical wisdom literature to reflect the social reality in ancient Israel.

The Applicability of Critical Pedagogy in Adult English Language Teaching (ELT)

This paper explores the applicability of critical pedagogy in adult ELT, emphasizing its role in fostering social awareness and change. Critical pedagogy encourages learners to critically examine their social reality, engage in meaningful dialogues, and become active agents for social justice. However, incorporating this approach into adult ELT faces some challenges. This study addresses four major obstacles to critical pedagogy implementation. The four challenges are a) lack of teacher preparation, b) potential risk of misguiding learners, c) cultural barriers in certain countries and regions, and d) insufficient infrastructure for aligning materials and assessment with critical pedagogy. Despite these challenges, evidence from literature and existing successful case studies suggest that critical pedagogy can be integrated inro ELT with thoughtful adjustments. The current paper provides insights for adult English program leaders to overcome such challenges and implement critical pedagogy effectively, thus empowering learners to achieve both linguistic proficiency and social transformation.

7.X.2. Planetary Health: metaphorical visualizations of transdisciplinary working in practice

Abstract Across public health and healthcare practices, we signal low awareness and little urgency for Planetary Health among health professionals as well as lacking or lagging implementation of planned policies. Planetary health requires a ‘just do it’ mentality with a transdisciplinary and reflection-in-action approach. There is a need for a bottom up movement, but HOW to get started and HOW to persevere against all odds? This 25 minute pecha kaucha session is aimed at facilitating transdisciplinary learning for planetary health action. We will start with a brief introduction to the concept of Planetary Health, followed by two short presentations on two metaphorical work processes underlying the startup of a flowering community garden and the preparations for a delicious Italian lasagna. The second half of the session is dedicated to a creative exercise with the audience, generating multiple metaphors in small groups using picture cards, paper drawings. We finalize this session by collaboratively building a visualised sea with transdisciplinary waves of metaphorical innovations that, instead of litter and pollution, make our beaches and shores stronger foundations protective of our planetary life. Key messages • Planetary health requires a ‘just do it’ mentality with a transdisciplinary reflection-in-action approach. • Metaphorical reasoning visualizes social reality and boosts Planetary health mentality, community spirit and transdisciplinary action.

Quem enfia as carapuças?

The satirical periodical O Piolho Viajante (‘The Travelling Louse’) was published in 72 booklets collected in four volumes from 1802 to 1804. It had a remarkable reception, with successive editions and re-impressions into the second half of the nineteenth century. Social criticism was a decisive contribution to public opinion and it was a distinctive feature of the humor of O Piolho Viajante, edited by António Manuel Policarpo da Silva, a Lisbon bookseller and publisher. Throughout its travels, the ‘Louse’ provides a satire of early-nineteenth-century Portugal by means of the carapuças (‘hoods’) shoved into the heads of its targets, social stereotypes representing the social reality of the time.

Visuality of M. Elizarov’s Novels “Librarian” and “Cartoons” as a Means of Transforming Socialist Realist Canon

This article examines the role of the visual aspect of the text in the recontextualization of elements from the socialist realist canon. The study focuses on Mikhail Elizarov’s novels “Librarian” and “Cartoons.” It is established that, firstly, Elizarov consciously constructs his works according to the principles of literary cinematicity, with visuality serving as a prominent component. Secondly, visuality facilitates the integration of elements from the Soviet project into the narrative, expressed through spaces and objects. Furthermore, it allows for their recontextualization by embedding them within new contexts. Thirdly, the reactivation of spaces and objects is aided by the figure of the protagonist, who is presented through the technique of traveling. Fourthly, the narrative development of the novels bears similarities to socialist realist plots concerning re-education. Additionally, through the image of the protagonist, the relevance of the opposition between “eye” and “gaze” is emphasized, which in turn contributes to the actualization of ideas related to control and behavior modeling. The gaze of the Other, experienced by the characters, draws them into narrative structures akin to those found in socialist realism, compelling them to adopt specific roles — the role of a character burdened with socialist realist motives. Finally, it is noted that the protagonist’s distinctive position enhances reader identification and alters the very status of the Book.

THE PORTRAYAL OF BLACK FEMINISM IN GARY GRAY'S SET IT OFF THROUGH CRITICAL RACE THEORY

Stories in films are based on social realities in people's lives, embedding messages behind them. Each film is packed with unique characters, events and issues reflecting aspects of life from a particular perspective. One of which is the principles of black feminism in the main characters and to analyze how economic and racial factors influence the character's decision to confront existing injustices depicted in Gary Grey’s Set It Off (1996). The method used is a qualitative research method. Data collection is conducted to sort and understand the research topic by using data from scenes, dialogues, words, and phrases obtained from the film. The main theories used in this research are the Critical Race theory by Kimberlé Crenshaw and the Feminist Economics theory by Marilyn Waring. The findings reveal that the film encompasses principles of black feminism such as racial discrimination, sexism and social class which are portrayed by each main character in the film. This article also depicts the influence of economic and racial factors on the character's decisions in confronting existing injustices. Analyzing this film aims to trigger and enrich the analysis of how films depict the struggle of black women with various problems, especially racial and economic issues.

Science, technology, and strategic calculation: the contributions of Carlos Matus to Latin American STS

ABSTRACT This article aims to address the contributions of the Chilean economist Carlos Matus to the field of Latin American Thought in Science, Technology and Development, considered the pioneering STS field in the region. To this end, it focuses on the affinities between Matus’ early writings (1970–1980) and various exponents of the first generation of STS scholars. Two key dimensions are analyzed: the link between dependency, human creativity, and technology as defined by a certain style of development, and strategic calculation as a method of rationalizing political decisions. While the former is an aspect shared by Matus and other PLACTED members, the latter is his specific contribution. Two aspects are considered: the “strategic procedure” as a non-mathematical formalization to estimate political feasibility, and the “quasi-structured” problems as a theorization that attempts to account for social and political reality. The paper concludes that Matus’ significant contribution to the field is strategic calculation, a means of rationalizing decisions and enabling profound social transformations.

THE PHILOSOPHY OF HOPE AND RECOVERY: CHALLENGES AND PROSPECTS FOR POST-WAR UKRAINE

The aim of this study is to explore the philosophical concepts of hope and recovery in the context of post-war Ukraine, a nation deeply affected by war and striving for reconstruction and the establishment of a new social order. The article integrates various philosophical approaches to the categories of hope and recovery, with a special focus on the ethical dimensions of this process. The research employs the dialectical method (particularly in the analysis of Hegel’s ideas), the hermeneutic approach (Paul Ricoeur), and the phenomenological ethics of responsibility (Emmanuel Levinas). Additionally, concepts of existentialism and utopianism are engaged to provide a comprehensive understanding of the phenomenon of hope. The key results of the study show that hope emerges not only as an individual spiritual phenomenon but also as a collective driving force fostering societal transformation. Recovery, in turn, is viewed not as mere reconstruction of what was destroyed but as the creation of new social, moral, and political realities. Levinas' and Ricoeur’s ethical concepts allow for a deeper understanding of the moral recovery process through responsibility for the other and forgiveness. The scientific novelty of the article lies in combining different philosophical schools to analyze hope and recovery in a post-war context, particularly by integrating phenomenological ethics of responsibility and hermeneutics of forgiveness into the understanding of Ukraine’s current situation. Theoretical significance lies in expanding the understanding of hope and recovery as central to the philosophical analysis of post-war revival. The practical significance of the research can be applied in developing ethical and political strategies for societal recovery after military conflicts, particularly in the context of national reconciliation and reconstruction of social relationships.

The Image of China in Russian Literature from the Early 20th Century to the 1950s

Abstract: In recent years, scholars from various countries have begun to focus on the theme of the East in their literary studies, and more attention has been paid to the image of China in Russian literature. However, most of the studies on Russian literature in the first half of the 20th century focus only on the Silver Age, and pay less attention to the image of China in Russian literature of other eras. This article focuses on the early 20th century to the 1950s, when Russia interacted with China most frequently, systematically combing it with the specific historical background and international situation of the times, and presents a complete image of China in the Russian literature. The study found that although Russian writers of each era had different experiences about China, and their own writing intentions were different, even the images of China written by Russian writers of the same era presented different characteristics, Russian literature from the early 20th century to the 1950s consistently reflected the social realities of both China and Russia. In fact, the process that Russian writers from the early 1900s to the 1950s constructed a more realistic and complete image of China was also a process that literary creation broke through national stereotypes. The evolution of the image of China in Russian literature from the beginning of the 20th century to the 1950s reflects the process of mutual interaction between the cultures of China and Russia, and also symbolizes the macro-trend of the world's national cultures to continuously eliminate the barriers between them and mingle with each other.

Social realism and labour strikes in interwar Bombay: what has socialism got to do with it?

ABSTRACT The 1920s and 30s were a period of frequent, industry-wide labour strikes in the cotton mills of Bombay city. Labour upheaval inspired literary production in Marathi, the primary language of many workers in the city. In the early 1930s, the prolific and beloved Marathi writer Bhargavram (Mama) Varekar published a play and a novel set in the mill district of the city (Mumbai in Marathi); social realism was the mode of depiction in these works. The setting, storyline, and many characters in the play and the novel were the same, but the resolution of the central conflict in these works – the tussle between millowners and millworkers – was different. At around the same time, a textile worker from the city, P. S. Sawant, wrote a play when he was on strike; it was performed in the mill district of the city. Both the plays by Varerkar and Sawant proposed co-operation between millowners and workers as a solution to the strike. The novel, though, left the conflict unresolved. Does genre itself account for a different ending? What was the politics of depiction of the working class in these works? What role did the literary history of the region and the politics of the conjuncture play in influencing them? The paper argues that political economic categories deployed by the city’s Marxists at the time inform the play and the novel. But the authors take great pains to skirt a socialist horizon. In its absence, the works reflect the perspective of social reformers who had an important presence in working-class neighbourhoods and imagined the mill district as an insular space where socialists and socialism were intrusions from outside.

Анализ проблем современного человека в аспекте теоретического наследия Франкфуртской школы

The article is devoted to the analysis of problematic aspects of modern human existence within the discourse of the Frankfurt School, which views modern social reality as a totalitarian system, formed under conditions devoid of a proletariat. In this context, the revolutionary idea, in the hands of outsiders and the intelligentsia, transforms into a means of governance and power. The social reality is examined as functioning according to the rules of technocracy and the simulacrum of mass media. Under the influence of an enslaving “repressive civilization”, modern man becomes a mere functionary within it, while the popularization of the ideology of utility and profit inevitably leads to the potential manipulation of both individual and collective thinking. Representatives of the Frankfurt School propose as a means of solving this problem ‒ the restoration of true Reason, acting as an antipode to the global, uniform mind. The authors analyze key philosophical ideas concerning the spiritual and corporeal unity of human beings, as well as the discourse on anthropological and cultural-natural integrity. The human being is considered in the context of a need for an actual social reality functioning according to the principles of love and reason, creativity and artistry, self-identity, and self-sufficiency.

Methodology of Strengthening Students’ Media Literacy

In today’s digital age, media literacy has become an essential skill for students. The rise of social media, fake news, and information overload necessitates that students critically evaluate and understand media messages. Media literacy involves the ability to access, analyze, evaluate, create, and communicate using various forms of media. It is not merely about learning to use digital tools, but about understanding how media influences perceptions and behavior. The growing role of media in shaping political, social, and cultural realities makes it essential to adopt methodologies that strengthen students' media literacy skills. This article explores key methodologies that educators can implement to enhance media literacy in students.

Raciality, intersubjectivity and transgression in the Brazilian system of socio-educational services: insights for social education

Social work and social pedagogy deal with a diverse and intricate set of social realities, while facing major issues such as racism and interracial relations. In this article, we look at studies of racism in Brazil and data from research into intersubjectivity conducted in the context of Brazilian socio-educational services. We also consider the ideas of Paulo Freire and bell hooks, notably bell hooks’s conception of transgression in an engaged pedagogy and Paulo Freire’s pedagogy of the oppressed and pedagogy of hope. We present and discuss a theoretical model for addressing ethnic-racial issues and racism in educational settings, involving processes of peripherisation, exclusion, invisibilisation and elimination. We aim to offer insights into social education and social work, departing from the articulation of studies of raciality, intersubjectivity, transgression and education as a practice of freedom. These insights can inform social pedagogy and the development of effective public policies and offer a broader perspective on the role of education and social work in promoting social justice and anti-racism in diverse educational settings, such as youth justice.

Rearticulating Realism: Chains of Reference and Epistemic Success in the Sciences

In recent decades, the long-standing debate about the scientific status of the social sciences and their explanatory nature has been rearticulated through perspectivist, interpretivist, and mechanistic approaches. Whereas mechanistic approaches advocate for realism in sociological models, perspectivist and interpretivist perspectives challenge this by emphasizing the multiple interpretations and meaningful nature of social reality, as opposed to the natural sciences. Currently, the metatheoretical discussion centers on competing views regarding the relationship between theories and the objects they address. In contrast to this focus on theories, I propose a rearticulation of Hacking’s interventionist argument. I argue that all sciences share a common epistemic activity—the construction of chains of reference—which points to shared notions of success. This paves the way for realism through a practice-based argument that does not originate from ontological disputes, suggesting that our best theories are those literally embedded in scientific practice.

Советский социализм: о природе и уроках проекта

Abstract. This article explores the prerequisites, content, and outcomes of the Soviet project. The term refers to the predominance of arbitrary organization of social reality over its naturally-historical self-determination. Unlike the utopian denial of existing social being, the project is viewed as a technological compensation for the mediating disruptions and interruptions in evolutionary trends. The Soviet period of national history is examined as the largest known endeavor to create a new society, vividly illustrating the inherent internal dialectics that underscore the stability and viability of a constructed consciousness of existence. However, this dual nature imposes a strict limit on such a construction: the act of historical arbitrariness is incapable of transcending the nearest state of stable equilibrium within the social system, where the objective laws of social development reclaim their unlimited authority. Moreover, the earlier inability to impose self-restraint leads arbitrariness to its own negation.