Socio-political Point Of View Research Articles

The Functioning of the English Language in the Educational, Political and Cultural Spheres of Belgium

Introduction. The English language continues to spread around the world, exhibiting a globalist function. The relevance of the presented research lies in the interest that follows from this fact in the positions of this language in countries where it is not a native or a state one. Belgium, as one of the important European centers from a socio-political point of view, is also a unique case due to the linguistic situation present in the country related to the Dutch and French languages. The purpose of this work is to analyze the position of the English language in Belgium in various areas and try to determine the trends in its development in the European state.Methodology and sources. The research materials include statistical data obtained as part of a study of the level of English language proficiency, recordings of speeches of the Prime Minister of Belgium at the UN, as well as information from the website of the Cannes Film Festival. Additionaly, results of the researchers Janssens and Hertogen concerning the language situation in Belgium are addressed. This work uses methods of synthesis and analysis, observational and descriptive methods, as well as a comparative method.Results and discussion. Belgium is one of the most advanced countries in terms of English language proficiency. Despite the existing ambiguous linguistic situation between the official languages of Belgium, English is not only able to make its way into this environment, but also has a fairly high influence. This is noticeable in the field of higher education, where, albeit with varying percentages by region, each of Belgium's most prestigious higher education institutions has programs in English. We can talk about a similar influence in the political sphere, since some major political figures in Belgium predominantly prefer English, even on those platforms where French is one of the languages of these platforms. However, the example of cinema shows that English is still poorly spread in the cultural sphere of life in Belgium.Conclusion. Younger generations of Belgium are accelerating their learning and mastery of English, playing a role in establishing very high levels of English proficiency. The contradictions that are reflected in the sphere of culture, partly in the sphere of higher education, as well as in the falling rates of language proficiency among older generations, ultimately do not alter those factors that allow us to say about the widespread and possible increase in the role of this language in the social language environment of Belgium.

Dr. B. R. Ambedkar's Economic Philosophy: A Special Focus on the Indian Economy

Bharat Ratna Dr. B. R. Ambedkar was a significant figure in Indian history. He made contributions in the domains of economics, sociology, law, education, journalism, editing, social revolution, and human rights, among other things. India's mixed economy reflects the effects of social, political, and economic shifts that occurred both before and after independence. He used his movements to highlight the problem of the rural poor being exploited both physically and financially. Indian economics now have a new sociopolitical viewpoint thanks to Dr. Ambedkar. "Changeover from economics to law and politics" was the decision made by Dr. Ambedkar. He was in favour of keeping the currency's gold standard steady. He claims that a depreciating currency boosts exports and drives up local prices. Furthermore, he promoted "Industrialization" as a useful and workable solution for the Indian economy and agriculture. The goal of the current study is to clarify Dr. B. R. Ambedkar's economic views in light of the Indian economy.

Raţiuni existențialiste ale literaturii: Jean-Paul Sartre

In this paper I present some of Jean-Paul Sartre’s observations regarding the liberating role of literature both from individual existential discomfort and from a socio-political point of view. According to the French philosopher, the main reason for writing literature is to convey an urgent, imperative message that all people need. Sartre wrote primarily for the enjoyment of all readers (regardless of political choice) to savor his memorable words and formulas, even when they are reserved about the content, and this profound choice aims at the freedom of the creator as well as that of the receiver.

ВИСВІТЛЕННЯ УПЦ, ПЦУ ТА РПЦ НА ФРАНКОМОВНИХ МЕДІА-РЕСУРСАХ У КОНТЕКСТІ ПОВНОМАСШТАБНОГО ВТОРГНЕННЯ

The article is devoted to the study of lexical means of representing Ukrainian Orthodox churches as compared to that of the Russian Orthodox Church. The object of the research is French-language news published after 24.02.2022. Main Ukrainian Orthodox Churches were enumerated; it was shown the relevance of linguistic researches connected with them. The author describes the current circumstances of Ukrainian Orthodox communities during the war, focuses on the importance of the religious landscape in Ukraine as a whole and, on the other hand, shows the role of ROC in spreading untrue and manipulative information throughout Russia and the world. All these tendencies are reflected in French-language media, although not by analogous means, inasmuch as each and every news media resource uses different methods and lexical means according to two main criteria. Those are its socio-political viewpoint and secularity level. The analysis of news articles about the modern Ukrainian Orthodox landscape seems relevant under the latest conditions of a rising academic interest in religion. The article deals with leading tendencies in the French-language news covering mentioned issues as well as with lexical means used in the representation of those. Main linguistic and sociocultural challenges of Francophone journalists were mentioned. Personal contribution: observing the representation of Ukrainian Orthodoxy as opposed to Russian Orthodoxy within francophone media, which can be useful for translators as well as for researchers.

Tatars of the Jochid Ulus: the formation and development of an ethnopolitical identity in the 13th–15th centuries

Research objectives: To analyze the processes behind the formation and development of the Tatar ethnopolitical community in the Ulus of Jochi in the XIII–XV centuries. Research materials: The author of the article examines a variety of sources that reflect the progressive development of the Tatar ethnopolitical community in the Ulus of Jochi during the XIII–XV centuries. Results and novelty of the research: The Tatars of the Jochid Ulus during the XIII–XV centuries were usually studied from a socio-political point of view, with little attention being paid to the study of mental structures. Nevertheless, the formation of the ethnopolitical community of the Tatars – something which determines the mental universe of the population of the Ulus of Jochi – deserves and receives here more intensive study. The Mongol invasion brought not only destruction to the countries of Eurasia, but also led to the formation of a new Mongol Empire, and at the end of the XIII century, the successor Chingisid states. In all these khanates, there was a process of formation of their statehood and ethnopolitical consolidation. In the Ulus of Jochi, this process was associated with the formation of the Tatar ethnopolitical community. It turns out that during the conquests of Chingis Khan and his heirs in different countries of Eurasia from the Near and Middle East to Central Asia and Eastern Europe, Tatars were present among the troops of the Khans, playing the role of a military aristocracy. Due to these objective and other subjective reasons, the Tatar identity became the leading one in the Jochid Ulus, manifesting itself in the ideas that the Jochid Ulus was a country of the Tatars, the term itself becoming synonymous with the military service aristocracy. Tatars were also understood as Turkic nomadic people with their own clan structure.

Herz-loser Pinocchio: Carlo Collodi und die Fiktionalisierung des italienischen nation building

Abstract Starting from the most varied interpretations to which Collodi’s masterpiece has been subjected, the present study proposes a reading from a socio-political point of view that, compared with De Amicis’ Cuore, highlights the opposite opinion of the two authors regarding the possibility (and the will) of the Italian people to realize the foundation of a nation following the unification of their country. At the end of the study, a working hypothesis is presented as a reading of Pinocchio as “Pinocchieide” and proposed as a parody (and overturning) of the Virgilian poem as the founding of the natio romana.

The Fiction of Doris Lessing: Re-Envisioning Feminism by Ratna Raman

Reviewed by: The Fiction of Doris Lessing: Re-Envisioning Feminism by Ratna Raman Carmen García-Navarro THE FICTION OF DORIS LESSING: RE-ENVISIONING FEMINISM, by Ratna Raman. New Delhi: Bloomsbury, 2021. 317 pp. $76.50 hardback. The general theoretical approach offered in The Fiction of Doris Lessing: Re-envisioning Feminism by Ratna Raman applies feminist thinking to Doris Lessing's narrative work. The volume's structure comprises an introduction, six chapters, and a conclusion, all richly annotated, including a bibliography and index. The book's narrative unity allows readers to enjoy its subtleties, which are made with precision and acuity, and to explore the most significant advances made in the field of Lessing research in India. Raman refers to her own status as a woman, academic, and connoisseur of Lessing's works, beginning with her excitement as a young reader who discovered threads of connection to Lessing's writings, as both women writers grappled with a British colonial past. Against this background, Raman places Lessing as a significant figure in India's literary and cultural life. Raman's feminist perspective highlights Lessing's importance as a key writer in and outside of the European context, not only in terms of the development of form but also because her texts reflect her concern for a world that was vanishing. As Raman notes in her insightful introduction, Lessing witnessed the tensions of colonial and postcolonial relations in the country of her youth, Zimbabwe (then Southern Rhodesia). These life circumstances gave Lessing the chance to observe and participate in the twentieth-century cultural landscape and, at the same time, exercise a critical distance from Eurocentric socio-political viewpoints—distance that became essential to her writing (p. 13). As Raman explains in the first chapter, entitled "Lessing and Feminism," the contributions of Lessing's position on feminism have been the subject of much critical debate, particularly since the publication of The Golden Notebook (1962). Lessing expressed a desire to break with an ancient structure that had been assimilated from many symbolic and material positions, a structure for which feminism was an obstacle (pp. 28-29). The first chapter also provides a brief history of Lessing's life in Zimbabwe, her family and love relations, her desire for education, and her need to write. With her move to London, Lessing carried the remnants of historical events such as World War I that had a lasting impact on her parents, the gradual fall of the British Empire and the colonial state, followed by the interwar period, the advent of World War II, and the emergence of a new world order. Thus, Raman's work springs from the need to revise and adjust old notions and reaffirm the place of writers like Lessing, who was a young woman asking for recognition from a specific postcolonial cultural and geographical space. [End Page 364] The second chapter of the book, entitled "The Interrogation of Liberal White Feminism," is devoted to Lessing's novel The Grass is Singing (1950) and examines the role of women in the context of African colonialism. According to Raman, this role needs to be reconsidered in light of the ambiguous stance of some white feminists who benefited from racial privilege despite having to be content with gendered limitations (p. 75). In this regard, the place of Asian, Indian, and Black women, who have been marginalized by a segment of feminism that has been slow to question the patriarchal, imperialist, and racist state's silence regarding them, is one of the concerns that white liberal feminism still needs to address (p. 89). The third chapter focuses on The Golden Notebook. Raman is drawn to Lessing's inquiries into the issues that women faced in mid-century politics, the knowledge they identified with, and the voices represented in the novel. She also emphasizes the importance of the foreword Lessing wrote for the 1971 edition, which focuses on how knowledge about women is created, shared, and received, as well as on the changes needed to ensure that women's authority is recognized. In Raman's view, Lessing drew on this authority when creating a "cultural matrix" composed of the five novels in The Children of Violence (1952...

FUNCTION OF INFORMATIONAL PUBLICIISTICS AND IMAGE (INFORMATION)

It is well known that journalism is a unique way of covering social life and is widely used in the press. Journalism is divided into a number of types to cover all aspects of public life. These include socio-political journalism, economic-industrial journalism, journalism reflecting the cultural and spiritual life (there are a number of subtypes, such as scientific journalism, literary journalism, sports journalism, art journalism). There is also a peculiar way of social life, albeit from a socio-political point of view - comic journalism, which illuminates it in a humorous way. In terms of its structure, journalism is divided into informational, analytical and artistic journalism, which depends on how it covers life.

MAPPING THE MODEL OF COMMUNICATION THROUGH GRAFFITI

The paper views graffiti as a form of mass communication and tries to outline and analyse the characteristic features of each of the elements of the communicative model graffiti develops. The paper reviews the basic models of communication proposed by theorists and attempts to figure out the integrative model of communication that is shaped when the members of a society decide to voice their ideas, personal issues or socio-political viewpoints through this unique medium.

Letter from the Editors: Contemporary Popular Culture and Social Criticism

Letter from the Editors: Contemporary Popular Culture and Social Criticism

Ecological Convergence in the System of Sustainable Development of the Russian Economy

Currently, studies of the problems of convergence of leading countries in terms of the lean use of natural resources, the reduction of harmful emissions and the transition to using new types of energy carriers are highly relevant, with regard to sustainable development mainstream. At the same time, the majority of authors consider convergent processes from an economic or socio-political point of view. In this regard, the article examines the issues of ecological convergence, as a special structural shift in the economy, leading to radical positive changes in the environmental management system and a decrease in anthropogenic impact on the environment.

War of Ideology vs a Sober View: Sustainable vs Resilient?

After serious ecological problems had arisen, the ideology “to protect Mother Earth by all means” emerged and the very symbol of “Mother Earth” developed into a key media issue. The authors and spreaders of this ideology rely heavily on the concept of non-resilient sustainability. Unquestioning and uncritical adherence to this rigid principle led to the emergence of a series of societal experiments and their unexpected consequences. In the article, I study this ideology and compare it with the soberer scientific and socio-political viewpoint of resilience.

The 'Right-Looking Girl' in the Raccoon Coat: How to Read a Cliché, Like Franny Glass

The "Right-Looking Girl" in the Raccoon Coat:How to Read a Cliché, Like Franny Glass Laurie A. Rodrigues (bio) Upon the initial release of J.D. Salinger's second, long-form fictional work, Franny and Zooey (1961), Alfred Kazin, Joan Didion, Mary McCarthy, Leslie Fiedler, John Updike, and others in American literary discourse, responded negatively, expressing marked annoyance with the book's Glass family.1 To Salinger's literary contemporaries, the Glasses (first appearing in Salinger's stories for the New Yorker during the 1950s) reflected a creative indulgence, lowering the degree of Salinger's artistic accomplishment.2 Here, I explore another reason for critics' annoyance with Franny and Zooey, one that suggests a new, historically-informed understanding of Salinger's "literary deviance and irony" (Malcolm). Situated at the crossroads of the 1950s' emerging cultural debates on women's rights and institutionalized sexism, Franny and Zooey refuses to critique or promote either sociological or popular theories addressing Franny Glass's narrative-driving breakdown at Sickler's restaurant and subsequent crisis at her family home in Manhattan. This ambivalence made the text difficult to evaluate in its own time; thus, I open a new discussion of Franny and Zooey, examining its commentary on the effects of mass cultural images and representations of women. At a historical moment when feminist discourses were delimited to academe, and mass culture found currency in sensationalizing women's problems, I claim that Salinger used "Franny" and its mass culture-reminiscent narrator to reveal and review the clichés that assemble postwar femininity and womanhood; and in [End Page 120] "Zooey," the near-mythic operations of American cultural clichés are critiqued through a shift in narrative perspective, to the dismissive and mature socio-political point of view of Franny's brother, Buddy Glass. My use of "cliché" refers to the work of literary and cultural critic, Marshall McLuhan. According to McLuhan, the "cultural cliché" appears and proliferates through various media, contributing to the construction of cultural environments: cliché may appear as an homage implied by character wardrobe; in the composition of a letter; or, it may manifest as setting.3 Thus, clichés are pervasive and through the environments they construct, may eventually forge breakthroughs in cultural understanding.4 McLuhan's work on the social effects of mass culture gained prominence around the time of Franny and Zooey's release in 1961, and his work explores paradigm shifts in interpretive values that are stylistically reflected in Salinger's prose. Thus, both McLuhan and Salinger use their work to analyze (and sometimes ironize) the centrality of the cliché to American culture, society, and the relation between the two.5 For instance, Salinger cites Franny's "sheared raccoon coat" as an initial cultural cliché in defining his protagonist. This cliché not only begins to formulate Franny herself, but readers' initial interpretations of her environment and ensuing crisis: [Franny] was wearing a sheared racoon coat, and Lane, walking toward her quickly but with a slow face, reasoned to himself, with suppressed excitement, that he was the only one on the platform who really knew Franny's coat. He remembered that once, in a borrowed car, after kissing Franny for a half hour or so, he had kissed her coat lapel, as though it were a perfectly desirable, organic extension of the person herself. (7) Acclimating readers to Franny and her environment, Salinger adorns his protagonist with an expansive cliché for 1955: the raccoon coat. Franny's date, Lane Coutell, spots her on a train platform where she arrives to spend the weekend of a Yale football game in an unnamed college town. Lane's reaction to Franny's coat sparks Salinger's expression of the cultural capital that the garment signals for his protagonist; the coat's place in [End Page 121] fashion is key to Salinger's expression in "Franny," contributing to the narrative ground in which Franny's crisis unfolds. In 1955, Franny's coat (likely vintage, if not vintage-reproduction) would have been considered very chic.6 Franny's "sheared raccoon coat" recalls Sue Salzman, a New York socialite, whose sudden desire to find "a true raccoon" turned her personal preoccupation with pre-Depression style...

Political artefacts, aesthetics and heritage: the Valley of the Fallen

ABSTRACTWhen considering the values which define heritage, aesthetic value is usually one of the most important, nearly always linked to the idea of work of art and to concepts such as beauty or harmony. Furthermore, aesthetics and politics tend to be dealt with separately. However, the link between aesthetics and politics is key in order to manage the meaning of those artefacts made with the intention of altering the political environment (political artefacts), particularly when they could be (or when they have already become) heritage. This paper puts forward the idea that in order to fully comprehend the social effects of political artefacts, their relationship with aesthetics must be understood. The function of aesthetics in modifying the meanings and connotations of heritage, when the latter is considered to be negative from a socio-political point of view, is also examined. In order to exemplify this relationship between aesthetics and politics, the resignification of the Valley of the Fallen (Valle de los Caídos), the most iconic and important Francoist memorial in Spain, is discussed.

What Determines Support for Donor Registration Systems? The Influence of Sociopolitical Viewpoint, Attitudes Toward Organ Donation, and Patients\u2019 Need

BackgroundIn forming opinions about donor registration systems such as opt-in versus opt-out, the sociopolitical implications of these systems may be confounded with attitudes toward organ donation itself, causing people to talk at cross purposes. The goal of the present research was to examine the interactive effects of sociopolitical viewpoint, attitude toward donation (as evidenced by current registration status in study 1 and registration intention of unregistered individuals in study 2), and patients’ need for organs on people’s support for a particular system.MethodIn study 1, we randomly assigned registered donors, registered nondonors, and nonregistered individuals to one of three sociopolitically inspired solutions to reducing the organ shortage, distinguishing between solutions based on autonomy, coercion by the state, and reciprocity, respectively. In study 2, we concentrated specifically on young and unregistered people in order to examine how prior donation intentions or indecision with respect to donor registration affect responses to the three different sociopolitical viewpoints. In both studies, we also manipulated salience of patients’ need.ResultsRegistered donors in study 1 and unregistered individuals with donation intention in study 2 (high in sympathy, low in anxiety) were highly and equally supportive of a solution based on autonomy and coercion. In contrast, registered nondonors in study 1 and unregistered and undecided individuals in study 2 (lower in sympathy, higher in anxiety) were less supportive of a solution based on coercion than autonomy. Study 2 also found that, for undecided individuals, a more salient need state was associated with a drop in anxiety and stronger support for coercion. Results for a system based on reciprocity were more difficult to interpret.ConclusionIndividuals most concerned with the need of patients waiting for an organ are relatively indifferent with respect to the sociopolitical implications of a registration system, while those strongly objecting to a coercive role for the state express reservations against organ donation itself. In order to help people to form balanced opinions about organ donation systems, we recommend to make the prosocial and sociopolitical aspects equally salient and deserving of debate.

A Son of Kharkiv Soil and his Double Anniversary

The article is devoted to the work by L. Mechnikov commemorating his double anniversary in 2018. The elder brother of famous I. Mechnikov is closely associated to Kharkiv and Kharkiv University. During his life throughout the world (Europe, Middle East, Japan, USA). L. Mechnikov revealed the versatility of his talent: as a social scientist, writer, journalist, and teacher. The article accentuates his own literary heritage, especially his literary-critical publications that have still got no due attention. L. Mechnikov is primarily known as the author of his scientific work “Civilization and the great historical rivers” (Paris, 1889) presenting the original theory of human development. However, he is the author of more than 400 books including novels, memoirs, articles, satires. The article focuses first on his two autobiographical novels describing the writer`s childhood and youth in Kharkiv region, emigration years in France and Italy. His later work called “Notes of the Garibaldian” is explored as a masterful reconstitution of the Risorgimento era, filled with a wide range of interesting characters, details and descriptions. It is revealed that during his elder years, L. Mechnikov devoted himself to the study of Italian literature history from a socio-political point of view. He raised the issue of the relationship between romanticism and realism in the literature of the period of national liberation struggle, stressed the importance of civic literature, expressed a weighty opinion about the use of poetic forms, genres and the expression of people's aspirations in literature as its highest purpose. He continued the critical research of literary works until his late days, exploring the novels by Honore de Balzac, Georges Sand, Victor Hugo, Emile Zola. The article concludes that L. Mechnikov is an illustrious son of Kharkiv who developed his talents in literature, criticism and social theories that has to be known to his compatriots.

Migrants’ health and well-being in the context of the Greek economic crisis: a narrative review

PurposeDespite numerous studies on the separate health consequences of economic crises and post-migration difficulties, very little is known about the processes through which the intersection of economic crisis and post-migration adversity contribute to migrants’ health vulnerabilities. The purpose of this paper is to examine existing literature about how newly arrived and long-term migrants’ health and well-being are affected by the economic crisis in Greece.Design/methodology/approachThe ongoing economic recession in Greece, combined with the recent migration crisis, provided an adequate context for investigating migrants’ health and well-being. A narrative literature review was performed on whether and how migrants’ health and well-being are affected by the economic and the migration crises in the particular case of Greece. Papers published between January 2010 and December 2017 were selected based on review of titles and abstracts, followed by a full text review.FindingsThe review identified a surprisingly limited number of relevant studies. Ultimately five studies were selected and their findings summarised. There was only one study attempting to unravel the specific processes through which the crisis and the post-migration problems impact cumulatively on migrants’ health and well-being and to suggest healthcare improvements. Further research on this topic is urgently needed.Originality/valueThis paper explores existing research looking at how migrants’ health and well-being are affected by the economic and the migration crises in Greece. The emerging dearth of research evidence on the above topic is also critically discussed from a socio-political point of view and recommendations are made related to healthcare practice and services set up for migrants’ health and care.

Esclavos y libres en la novela "Sab" de Gertrudis Gómez de

El tema de la esclavitud y la libertad expresadas en la novela Sab de Gertrudis Gómez de Avellaneda ha sido ampliamente analizado desde el punto de vista socio-político. También existen estudios que subrayan la visión romántica generalizada acerca de la fuerza esclavizadora del amor y del poder liberatorio de la muerte. No obstante, este artículo pretende resaltar otra idea romántica, plasmada por la autora en los personajes principales de esta obra, pero poco estudiada por los críticos: que una persona puede ser esclava o libre no en base de su estatus social o las condiciones económico-políticas, sino en función de la fuerza y la sinceridad de su amor.

Experiences of oppression, liberation, and well-being among Moroccans in Andalusia

This qualitative study explores the settlement experiences of Moroccan migrants living in Andalusia (southern Spain). Taking a liberation psychology approach, we focus on the roles that power relations, oppression, well-being, and liberation play in the newcomers’ adaptation to the host country from a sociopolitical point of view. Based on grounded theory, we analyze the narratives of 28 Moroccan migrants across two different contexts within Andalusia; 15 participated in in-depth interviews and 13 in 2 separate focus groups. A series of theoretical propositions emerged from the analysis, taking into account (a) conditions of oppression, (b) responses to conditions of oppression, and (c) the well-being continuum. These interrelated dimensions were found to shape different migration trajectories, leading to either maintaining the unjust living conditions or choosing to confront them. In the latter case, migrants actively engaged in transformative civic actions promoting social justice and symmetrical power relations between the migrant and native-born populations. The main contribution of this study is to value migrants by defining their migratory experiences and how, in their view, the liberation process is achieved.

Scalable Anti-Censorship Framework Using Moving Target Defense for Web Servers

Although the Internet has become a hub around which every aspect of our lives—from commerce to leisurely activities—is centered, many around the world are not able to freely access information over the Internet. Some governments censor what the people can and cannot see. In this paper, regardless of the socio-political view points, we focus on the design of anti-censorship technology that can be implemented on the side of the information purveyors. The primary objective is to develop a framework for combating censorship. Our approach aims to make it too expensive and impractical for the adversary to censor Web sites. In particular, we propose the use of Mobile IPv6 to form a moving target defense strategy, where the Web servers logically behave as if they are the mobile nodes (without actually moving). The potential efficacy of this framework is modeled analytically. Probabilistic models are used to derive important metrics and parameters. One key factor termed swarming ratio enables hosting sites to reason about the amount of resources needed to force the adversary’s costs over practical limits. This model is used to guide the performance goals and architectural setup of the prototype implementation (modifications are made on the server-side software and Kernel without changing the standard Mobile IPv6 protocol). Hence, the solution can be utilized without any changes to the existing network infrastructure. Furthermore, we introduce a novel, credit-based accounting strategy for grouping of users to drastically shift resource requirements in our favor. Lab-based tests are used to measure performance overheads, and based on the findings, targeted optimizations are performed to consider practical deployment scenarios. The end result is a solution that may also be combined with existing anti-censorship methods (that are end-user-based and/or assisted by friendly network assets) to form a robust anti-censorship solution.