Socio-political Crisis Research Articles

Internalised and Externalised Problems and Perspectives for Wellbeing During Emergency: Reflections on The Psychological Impacts of The Anglophone Crisis in Cameroon

The socio-political crisis rocking the English-speaking regions of Cameroon has degenerated into an armed conflict, pitting government forces and separatist, and leading to severe human and material damage. The psychological impacts of the crisis on affected populations is neck-breaking. Many victims are dealing with either internalised or externalised psychological problems or both, as a consequence of the crisis. Internalised psychological problems consist of the deep emotional trauma experienced by victims of the crisis such as anxiety, depression, and PTSD. Meanwhile, those externalised manifest as aggressive behaviour, violence, substance abuse, strained family dynamics, and social fragmentation. In their various forms of manifestation, these psychological issues present distinct yet equally significant challenges to individual well-being and societal stability. Affected residents, internally displaced victims, refugees and communities have each in their own category suffered these psychological impacts that also grossly affect their wellbeing. Internalised problems often lead to chronic mental health conditions that impair victims’ ability to function and diminish their quality of life over the long term. While internalised problems lead to a cycle of persistent psychological distress, less productivity and strained relationships among people, externalised problems disrupt social harmony and contribute to increased violence and erosion of trust among people and within communities. These problems can hurt mental hurt and foster environments of fear and instability. They can also eventually hinder positive and productive human development and wellbeing. Therefore, addressing them is crucial for promoting mental health, enhancing individual wellbeing and quality of life, and fostering safer, more resilient people and communities. Promotive interventions require a nascent understanding of the root causes, manifestations, and impacts of these problems, as well as a collaborative approach involving key stakeholders in mental health care.

Critical observations on neoliberal capitalism, the political subject and the socio-political crises of the 21st century. A general cartography of the present and future of Latin America, Europe, Africa and Asia.

El presente texto tiene por objetivo rastrear, a través de la filosofía moral de Adorno, la posibilidad de actuar éticamente en un mundo falso, injusto y lleno de contradicciones. Con miras a ello, analizaremos primeramente las características de dicho mundo; acto seguido, presentaremos la necesidad de los individuos de proyectar sus actos en un mundo indeterminado para poder subjetivarse a través del acierto. Posteriormente, plantearemos que en una sociedad administrada con todas las variables fijadas no es posible que el individuo se subjetive. Por último, trazaremos las coordenadas para la emergencia del sujeto moral en un contexto de inmoralidad.

La crise socio-politique au Burkina Faso en 2014-2015 : manifestations, ressorts nationaux et internationaux de prévention et de gestion

Abstract. Some multiform crises marked out the history of Burkina Faso (former Haute Volta). The mobilisation of key personalities, national and international institutions was necessary to their management. So, crucial crises ended up with the reconciliation of the different opponents. Two main crises in the history of Burkina Faso are the popular uprising of January 3rd 1966 which ended the power of the President Maurice Yameogo, and that of October 30-31st 2014. It pushed down the President Blaise Compaore. These political jolts had on the one hand, distant causes, and on the other hand immediate causes. National and international mediations permitted the government of transition to bring peace in to the oppositions and reconciliate the protagonists, then creating the bases of a democratic renewal. Mots-clés : prévention, gestion, médiation, crise socio-politique, Burkina Faso, communauté internationale. Keywords: prevention, management, mediation, socio-political crisis, Burkina Faso, international community

Hair cutting as resistance: Gazan women and the failures of global feminism

ABSTRACT This article employs socio-cultural theories to analyse the psychosocial effects of Gazan women cutting their hair during the 2023–2024 Gazacide. The severe conditions in Gaza, exacerbated by a lack of sanitation and essential resources due to the ongoing blockade, have forced women into extreme precarity. This has led to the compulsory act of hair-cutting as a measure for disease prevention. The act of cutting hair, which disrupts a universally recognised symbol of beauty and health, highlights the broader socio-political crisis. The paper critiques Western feminism for its selective empathy, noting its neglect of Gazan women’s suffering while focusing on issues pertinent to Western contexts. By framing hair-cutting not as individual psychological distress but as a response to aggravated socio-political conditions, the article underscores how this act reflects the broader dehumanisation and suffering imposed by the ongoing genocide.

‘Col Fumetto Posso Fare Di Tutto’. Life Narratives and the Italian Graphic Novel

ABSTRACT While comics studies are now a fully recognised field within academic debate in the humanities, it wasn’t until around ten years ago, when the medium really began to flourish, that they began to be accepted as an object of study in universities and research centres, including the field of Italian studies. This collective volume brings together an international group of scholars who were invited to reflect on one of the most fruitful genres in the Italian graphic novel: life narratives. This vitality is not surprising: at a time of socio-political crisis and instability, such as the one Italy is currently experiencing, the possibility to narrate and/or represent real-life experience, whether openly or metaphorically, stands out as a powerful tool for intellectuals and artists to analyse socially relevant questions of the day and, possibly, take a stance on these issues. Cutting across genres, editorial formats, targets, and markets, graphic novels closely mirror the historical complexity of their times, problematising issues and negotiating pressing questions of our social reality.

Resilience through Mobility: Urban Residents’ Adaptation Strategies in Conflict-Affected Bamenda, Cameroon

The global phenomenon of human population displacement during environmental stressors and socio-political crises has far-reaching impacts. In urban areas, residents' mobility is often driven by various factors. This study investigates urban residents' mobility as a resilience strategy in response to the Anglophone socio-political crisis in Bamenda, Cameroon. Employing a case study design and purposive sampling, the research selected five neighborhoods based on the extent of residential changes as a result of the ongoing socio-political crisis in the region. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 105 respondents and focus group discussions to explore residential mobility as a resilience mechanism. The findings revealed that five specific population groups were affected by the socio-political crisis, prompting them to relocate within Bamenda. Among those displaced, 60% were households led by individuals aged 26-32. Key reasons for displacement included ongoing violence, loss of life, family disconnection, property destruction, disrupted economic activities, halted education, and increased internally displaced persons in the region. The study also found that residents with higher financial status could relocate to safer areas, while vulnerable individuals often fled or temporarily sought refuge in forests. The prolonged crisis, over seven years now, has severely impacted Bamenda residents, escalating forced displacement rates. Consequently, the study recommends that the government implement targeted urban planning policies to enhance resilience strategies, focusing on affordable social housing, resettlement structures, and improved access to basic services for displaced residents, while fostering peace and stability in Cameroon’s Northwest and Southwest regions.

BELARUS AND THE BALTIC STATES: IN PERSUIT FOR POST-SOVIET IDENTITY IN LIGHT OF SHIFTING RELATIONS WITH RUSSIA

At present the foreign policy of the Russian Federation considering the Baltic states (Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia) and the Republic of Belarus is under significant change. The article examines the formation of the identity of these states and their impact on relations with the Russian Federation. The socio-political and historical prerequisites for the formation of identity in the Baltic states and the Republic of Belarus are highlighted. Having a common Soviet past, the former republics of the USSR already in 1991 chose fundamentally polar vectors of development. The Republic of Belarus has built a new Belarusian identity on the basis of the social construct “Soviet man”, while the Baltic countries have chosen a different path - the methodical destruction of the ideological and socio-political heritage of the USSR as well as the fight against the Russian ethnic group on their territory. The author highlights the effectiveness of the modern Belarusian identity and pronounces the actual failure of the West’s attempt to construct a new Baltic identity based on anti-Russian sentiments. According to the author, an example of a win-win cooperation would be the Republic of Belarus, which plays the role of socio-political and cultural transit for the West and the East, can serve as a way out of the ongoing socio-political crisis in the Baltic states. A Eurasian reorientation would strengthen the shaky statehood of the Baltic States and would open up prospects for socio-economical cooperation with Russia and its partners.

INNOVATIONS IN HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR OF UKRAINE

The article examines the characteristics of innovations in human resource management within Ukraine’s public sector. It defines the concept of innovation in human resource management as the introduction of new ideas, methods, technologies, and processes aimed at enhancing the efficiency and effectiveness of managing human resources. The importance of studying this topic is highlighted, particularly in light of the need for the public sector and government bodies to adapt to the demands of wartime and the socio-political crisis, as well as the necessity to develop a strategy for advancing the public sector through the implementation of various international agreements. The main objective of the study is to analyze the specific features of introducing innovations in the human resource management system of Ukraine’s public sector. This includes identifying successful practices for implementing electronic systems, key areas for the digitalization of public administration, and promising research directions. The study demonstrates that several organizational, technological, and social variables influence the interactions between employees, management, and other stakeholders. For instance, technological innovations enable the automation of HR processes (e.g., talent management systems, HR analytics, electronic document management platforms) and the use of online tools for employee training and development (e-learning, webinars). Organizational innovations promote the adoption of new management models. The study highlights several priority areas for further development: strategic communications in public policy, shaping the corporate culture of government agencies, defining their mission, strategic goals, values, and vision; fostering innovative leadership; developing horizontal connections within organizations through innovation; and ensuring principles such as fairness, transparency, openness, and equal access through the digital transformation of public administration.

Investigating the Interrelationship between the Desire for a Cohesive Community and Opioid Abuse: A Neuropsychological Study of Demon Copperhead

Abstract Foregrounding the increasing global crisis of opioids as the “leading cause of deaths in fatal overdoses,” the World Drug Report 2023, published by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), mentioned that in 2021 more than 80,000 people died due to opioid overdose in the United States of America. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the national public health protection agency in the United States, has reported that “the predicted number of drug overdose deaths showed an increase of 0.5% from the 12 months ending in December 2021 to the 12 months ending in December 2022, from 109,179 to 179,680” (“Provisional Data”). Although the trajectory of opioid use disorders (OUDs) has affected different sociodemographic groups in the country since its first wave in the 1990s, teenagers in poverty-stricken rural areas are more vulnerable to such addiction (Keyes et al.). Poor parental guidance, impoverishment, troubled childhoods, detrimental familial structure, scarce opportunities, and accessibility to opioids are often considered to be the primary risk factors for unprivileged teenagers to develop a psychic reliance on opioids for engendering a perpetual sense of contentment. According to the incentive sensitization theory, the persistent desire to transcend physical and psychical limitations for a sense of relief, triggered by chronic drug misuse, often evokes a sense of “wanting” or incentive salience, a compulsive inclination towards drug-associated stimuli (Berridge and Robinson, “Drug Addiction” 22). This intense desire of “wanting” often generates a perpetual sensitization of the mesolimbic systems in the brain which is also activated by mental representations of drug-associated cues (Robinson and Berridge 3139). Focusing on drug-induced changes in the brain such as hypersensitization and neuroadaptation, this study analyzes Barbara Kingsolver’s Demon Copperhead, a modern reimagining of David Copperfield by Charles Dickens. The selected text addresses primarily some pertinent socio-political crises, such as the poor foster care system, poverty, and the engrossing opioid endemic in Southern Appalachia. However, this study attempts to analyze the precarious state of some characters, who become addicted to opioids seeking recognition from peer groups and perpetual psychic stability, in the selected text from a neuropsychological perspective.

RESISTANCE AND RESILIENCE IN CHANGING INDONESIA: The Political Struggle and Movement of Hidayatullah

This article seeks to endeavors and strategies of an Islamic organization, Hidayatullah, to survive in changing political regimes in the New Order to Reformation period of Indonesia. It was established as an Islamic educational and dakwah (Islamic proselytizing) institution in Balikpapan, East Kalimantan, in 1973. Despite socio-political changes in the country, it has expanded to several provinces in Indonesia which transformed it to become the largest Islamic educational institution with 402 branches of Islamic schools. The organization focuses its activities on Islamic education and dakwah through various ways including printed media such as Suara Hidayatullah magazine, distributed weekly to its branches, mosques, and schools. Based on a literature review of Suara Hidayatullah magazine and interviews with Hidayatullah prominent figures, this article delves into the struggles and movement of Hidayatullah through its dynamics and transformation in socio-political changes in Indonesia. This article argued that in political dynamics and transformation within Hidayatullah organization show the resistance and resilience to survive in the socio-political crisis of Suharto’s New Order era (1966-1998), which discriminated against Islam as a political ideology and in the aftermath of reformation. One of the strategies to comply with the political repressions is to declare Hidayatullah as an Islamic organization like Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) and Muhammadiyah in 2000. This transformation process proves Hidayatullah’s strategic foresight and adaptability in socio-cultural and political changes.

The Mpox Threat: Challenges and Implications of Clade Ib for Afghanistan's Healthcare Stability.

The global spread of the Mpox virus represents a significant public health challenge, particularly for regions with fragile healthcare systems. Afghanistan, already grappling with severe healthcare deficits, faces the added threat of Mpox, a zoonotic disease caused by the monkeypox virus. The recent emergence of Clade Ib, a new strain associated with rising outbreak cases, exacerbates concerns as Afghanistan's healthcare infrastructure continues to deteriorate due to reduced international aid, healthcare worker shortages, and an ongoing socio-political crisis. This commentary underscores the urgent need for international intervention to avert a potential public health crisis that could devastate Afghanistan's already weakened healthcare system. It calls for immediate support to enhance disease surveillance, improve healthcare infrastructure, and address the pressing challenges of malnutrition and access to medical services.

The Determinants of Fiscal Pressure in a Context of Crisis in the Central African Republic

The Central African Republic is one of the six member countries of the Economic and Monetary Community of Central Africa (CEMAC), and the only non-oil producing country in the community whose own budgetary resources come essentially from taxes. The country's modest budgetary resources are due to the low mobilization of tax revenues, as a result of the under-exploitation of its fiscal potential, linked to that of its economic potential. While the studies carried out on the determinants of CAR's tax burden have made it possible to isolate the long-term structural factors such as GDP per capita, agricultural value added, the degree of economic openness and external financing that influence tax burden, the effects of the socio-political crises that have occurred at various times and sequentially have not been taken into account to assess their short, medium and long-term consequences on the country's tax burden. The aim of this work is to integrate periods of socio-political crisis in CAR into the determinants of tax pressure and to assess their effects on the country's tax mobilization.

The transnational mental health burden of Haiti's alleged collapse: preliminary findings from The Haitian Well-Being Study.

Transnational drug trafficking, political unrest, gang violence, and paramilitarism, which are pervasive in Haiti, have resulted in a mental health crisis for the broader Haitian community. This study explores the mental well-being of Haitians in Haiti and the United States by identifying barriers and facilitators to mental health through the lived experiences of men and women. Four Focus group discussions conducted in April and November 2023 engaged 28 participants (20 women and eight men) aged between 23 and 60 years from locations in Haiti (Port-au-Prince, Cite Soleil, Cayes, Cap-Haitien, Saint-Marc) and the United States. Discussions revolved around the definition of mental health, stressors, coping mechanisms, risk and protective factors, and barriers to mental health care. Six principal themes emerged: 1- Chronic Traumatic Stress: continued violence, political instability, unemployment, lack of social support, adverse childhood experiences, family separation, and forced displacement were significant sources of stress. 2- Increased Health Burden: Participants reported experiencing chronic physical and psychological symptoms [i.e., hypertension, anxiety, depression, sleep issues, substance abuse, suicidal ideations, characteristics of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)], which were attributed to Haiti's social, political, and infrastructure collapse. 3- Risk Factors: limited access to mental health services, pervasive hopelessness, scarcity of opportunities, and stigma were identified as significant risks. 4- Future Uncertainty: widespread concerns regarding the future predominated. 5- Multigenerational Concerns: Significant anxiety concerning the mental health and development of children, as well as the functionality of mental health practitioners, was noted. 6- Coping and Protective Factors: Effective coping strategies include mental stimulation, peer support, managing digital consumption, engaging in leisurely activities, such as listening to music, and faith/spirituality. The study's findings underscore the sociopolitical and economic crisis in Haiti, which has resulted in violence and a dismantle of political, educational, financial, and health infrastructures. These factors were identified as the primary source of chronic distress, contributing to widespread mental health issues, adverse physical symptoms, and disruption in daily life. The implications for practice, healing, research & policy are discussed.

#Godisinit! Nelson Chamisa’s theology to address the sociopolitical crisis in Zimbabwe

The Bible presents God journeying with the weak and the poor. God’s involvement in the affairs of the less privileged was because of God’s nature of being just, compassionate, eternal, omnipresent and unchangeable. These attributes gave the weak hope as God intervened in their circumstances. Although in perpetual suffering, one would expect God’s nature to remain unchanging, unfortunately, the oppressed people grapple with the Doctrine of God in the context of different sociopolitical and economic traumas. For example, Zimbabwe suffered a sociopolitical ordeal for more than two decades resulting in the weak and the oppressed questioning God’s divine justice, the just and the omnipotence of God. To invite God to be on the side of the oppressed, the leader of the opposition party, Nelson Chamisa coined a mantra titled #Godisinit to involve Godself in the Zimbabwean sociopolitical crisis. The hashtag became a slogan and a campaigning strategy inviting God to arbitrate on the side of the weak. Moreover, the hashtag represents the decoloniality of theology where the elite apply it to empower the weak of the society suffering different forms of socioeconomic challenges. In addition, the hashtag remained the hope of the people as they believed that God would intervene in the Zimbabwean sociopolitical and economic crisis. This literature research used secondary sources and the Internet to explore how Nelson Chamisa used #Godisinit to invoke the Doctrine of God in the Zimbabwean sociopolitical environment.Contribution: The contribution of this study lies in its clarification of the role of hashtags, its analysis of how Nelson Chamisa utilised #Godisinit to engage the Doctrine of God within Zimbabwe’s sociopolitical sphere, and its demonstration of how the infinite nature of God is intertwined with the struggles of the weak and oppressed.

Rates of Viral Non-Suppression and Acquired HIV-1 Drug Resistance Emergence among Children during the Sociopolitical Crisis in the Northwest Region of Cameroon: A Call for Improved Monitoring Strategies.

Virological failure (VF) among children remains concerning, with high risks of HIV drug resistance (HIVDR) emergence and increased disease progression. Therefore, monitoring of viral non-suppression and emerging HIVDR is crucial, especially in the frame of sociopolitical unrest. The study sought to determine the prevalence of VF and evaluate the acquired HIVDR and viral genetic diversity among children in the Northwest region of Cameroon during the ongoing sociopolitical crisis. A cross-sectional facility-based study was conducted among HIV-infected children aged ≤18 years, receiving antiretroviral therapy (ART) in urban and rural settings of Northwest Cameroon, from November 2017 through May 2018. Viral load (VL) was done using the Abbott m2000RealTime. Unsuppressed VL was defined as viral load ≥1,000 copies/ml. HIVDR testing was performed by sequencing of HIV-1 protease-reverse transcriptase at the Chantal Biya International Reference Center (CIRCB) using an in-house protocol. Drug resistance mutations (DRM) were interpreted using Stanford HIVdbv8.5 and phylogeny using MEGAv.6. Data were compared between urban and rural areas with p<0.05 considered statistically significant. A total of 363 children were recruited, average age of 12 years (urban) and 8 years (rural). VL coverage was 100% in the urban setting and 77% in the rural setting. Overall, VF was 40.5% (39% [130/332] in the urban setting and 41% (13/31) in the rural setting; p=0.45). Overall, viral undetectability (defined as VL<40 copies/ml) was 45.5% (46% (urban) and 45% (rural); p=0.47). Among those experiencing confirmed virological failure and who were successfully sequenced (n=35), the overall rate of HIVDR was 100% (35/35). By drug class, HIVDR rates were 97.1% (34/35) for non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTIs), 97.1% (34/35) for NRTIs and 17.1% (6/35) for protease inhibitors (22.7% (5/22) in the urban setting and 7.7% [1/13] in the rural setting). CRF02_AG was the most prevalent viral clade (75%), followed by other recombinants (09_cpx, 11_cpx, 13_cpx, 22_01A1, 37_cpx) and pure subtypes (A1, F2, G, H). In this population of children and adolescents living with HIV in a context of socio-political instability in the North-West region of Cameroon, rates of viral non-suppression are high, and accompanied by HIVDR selection. Our findings suggest the need for a more differentiated care of these CAHIV, especially those in these regions faced with significant socio-economic and health impacts due to the ongoing crisis.

Implementation of a patient reminder system in Haiti in a socio-political crisis context: evaluation of outcomes

BackgroundIn Haiti, patient’s adherence to treatment and compliance with medical appointments are very challenging due to different local factors. We aimed to assess the effectiveness of a reminder system implemented in health facilities in Haiti in a context of socio-political crisis.MethodsWe used appointment data from patients aged 15 years and older between January 2021 and November 2023 from four healthcare centers in the Port-au-Prince metropolitan area. We performed descriptive analysis, crossing covariates with appointment attendance. We performed Pearson’s Chi-squared test, and multivariate regression analysis using a mixed-effect logistic regression model in order to explore the association between sending reminders and appointment attendance, with and without adjustment for other patient-level covariates.ResultsA total of 14 108 appointments were registered on the reminder systems, with 2 479 (17.6%) attendances. Among those to whom reminders were sent, the number of attendances was 167 (17.4%) for email recipients only, 199 (36.7%) for SMS recipients only, and 19 (42.2%) for both SMS and email recipients – versus 2 094 (16.7%) for non-reminders. After adjusting on all other covariates, we found that patients to whom a reminder was sent via email (aOR: 1.45; CI: 1.08, 1.94), SMS (aOR: 2.95; CI: 2.41, 3.60), and both SMS and email (aOR: 2.86, CI: 1.37, 5.96) were more likely to show up on their appointment day compared to those who did not receive any reminder. Other socio-demographic factors such as being 50 years and older (aOR: 1.31; CI: 1.10, 1.56) compared to under 30 years, living as couple (aOR: 1.23; CI: 1.10, 1.37), and not having children (aOR: 1.21; CI: 1.07, 1.37) were significantly associated with appointment attendance.ConclusionsOur study suggests that patient reminder systems may be used to reduce non-attendance in Haiti, even in a context of socio-political crisis.

Barriers Faced by Women and Girls with Disabilities in Disclosing Sexual Abuse in the Northwest Region of Cameroon: A Case Study

Women with disabilities are two to three times more likely to experience violence than women without a disability and are less likely to disclose incidents of sexual violence and domestic abuse. In a typically patriarchal society like Cameroon, being a woman or girl with a disability increases the likelihood of gender-based violence – a risk that has been further exacerbated by the ongoing socio-political crisis in the region. There is a misconception that women and girls with disabilities like their male counterparts are safe from sexual violence given the falsehood that it is an unusual and shameful occurrence to have sexual relations with a woman with a disability. These prevailing prejudices inspired this study to investigate the barriers that prevent women with disabilities from reporting sexual and domestic abuse. The case study design was used to conduct an in-depth content analysis of the situation of women with disability who had been abused. Nonprobability sampling resulted in a selection of 3 cases per disability type including vision, hearing, mobility, and psychosocial impairment types. Results show that there has been dead silence on abuse of women with disabilities due to social pressure, twists in the narrative to focus on blaming the victim, ignorance of what abuse is, and normalisation of abuse amongst other reasons. The study recommends the need to enhance attitudinal change through an integrated awareness strategy that includes both women and girls with disability and the perpetrators on the one hand, and society on the other with consistent capacity building for service providers on identification and pathways to managing women and girls who have been abused.

Unveiling factors shaping distress levels over 2.5 years of enduring adversity

In the face of global adversities such as pandemics, military conflicts, and socio-political unrest, the resilience and well-being of populations can be severely tested. This study examines the fluctuating levels of distress within the Israeli population over a period of 2.5 years, encompassing events like the COVID-19 pandemic and various socio-political and security crises. Utilizing a quasi-longitudinal design, data were collected at thirteen time-points, mirroring the demographic makeup of the Israeli Jewish adult population. Measures of psychological distress, societal and individual resilience, hope, morale, and perceived danger were assessed, alongside demographic variables. Statistical analyses included ANOVA and stepwise regression models. Distress levels displayed significant oscillations in response to adverse events. High distress was noted during the latter stages of the study, particularly following a major security incident on October 7, 2023. The regression analyses identified morale and perceived danger as consistent important associations with distress, with individual resilience also inversely related across all time points. The study reveals the dynamic nature of psychological distress in relation to a range of adversities. Morale emerged as a key buffer against distress, whereas perceived danger was a significant stressor, especially during acute- existential threats. These findings have important implications for mental health interventions and policy-making aimed at fostering resilience and mitigating distress in crisis conditions.

Anger as a feminist instrument of the female superhero in Abhijit Kini’s Angry Maushi trilogy

ABSTRACT This essay examines the unexplored comics trilogy, Abhijeet Kini’s Angry Maushi (2012–2014), studying it against the backdrop of the polemical Indian activism of the 2010s to understand its deployment of the figure of the female superhero and the idea of feminist rage to portray the mapping of citizen dissent against state apathy. Following a mock-heroic format, and drawing on the traditions of the female superhero and citizen caricatures, the trilogy parodies the defining socio-political crises of the 2010s and posits the angry working-class protagonist as a subversive take on the female vigilante superhero to express the collective public rage against the structural political/bureaucratic corruption around her. Harnessing the new visual and verbal vocabularies of civic discontent in contemporary popular culture, the essay attempts to decode the revised templates of protest founded on scepticism, irreverence, and rage as depicted in the comics trilogy.

Degrowth pedagogies: a manifesto for Earth-centred theatre training

I am proposing a manifesto for degrowth pedagogies. Designed for Higher Education institutions and theatre pedagogues, I argue the need to develop a system of theatre training based on degrowth theory. Developed from French intellectual thought in the early 1970s, degrowth diagnoses the climate, ecological, socio-political and spiritual crises, as symptoms of capitalism’s growth imperative, with its impulse for ever-increasing productivity in spite of the direct and ever-increasing detriment to people and planet. The theatre sector exists in a position of subservience to this growth-centric, socio-economic model – under pressure to adopt growthist practices in theatrical production, such as high-carbon international touring; ideological conformism to attract ‘greenwashing’ corporate funding; among other phenomena. Yet, to avoid contributing to climate, ecological and societal breakdown, the theatre sector will need to understand and adopt degrowth practices. Theatre pedagogy is an ideal site to affect change. Theatre training institutions must undergo a transition towards new ways of serving their students, as well as local and global communities, while inviting new generations of theatre-makers to create differently; to consider how the aesthetics, forms and material realities of their practice can embody ‘slow’ and degrowth theatre.