Transformative Vision Research Articles

Transcendence of the Human Far Beyond AI—Kafka’s In the Penal Colony and Schopenhauerian Eschatology

Humanity has always aspired beyond the human. The technological development in recent decades has been extraordinary, leading to new attempts to overcome the all-too-human condition. We dream of conquering death, upgrading our bodies into perfect performance machines and enhancing our intelligence through bio-nanotechnology. We are familiar with the side effects: alienation, stress, anxiety, depression. This article contends that Franz Kafka’s enigmatic oeuvre at its core harbors a yearning to transcend the human. Through a close reading of the narrative In the Penal Colony, it is demonstrated that this yearning is far more radical and uncompromising than the modern vision of extending and optimizing human life. Instead of the modern ego-concerned affirmation of life and the body that hides behind much of AI and modern technology, Kafka seeks a radical vision of total transformation and transcending the human into ‘nothingness’. The article shows that this transformation corresponds to core concepts in Arthur Schopenhauer’s philosophy, primarily his doctrine of the denial of the will to live and asceticism. Instead of the species-narcissistic affirmation of life and the body that lurks behind much of AI and modern technology, Kafka strives for a definitive overcoming of the life we desire.

Re-weaving learning ecologies: a pluriversal framework for higher education learning spaces

ABSTRACT In the context of the profound transformations in higher education learning ecologies brought about by the proliferation of postdigital environments, there is an urgent need for a more holistic, relational, and ethically responsive approach to reimagining learning spaces. This paper proposes a novel pluriversal framework, grounded in relational ontologies and pluriverse thinking, to address this need. Through a critical literature review, conceptual development, and speculative fabulation, the framework articulates four key principles for reconceptualizing learning spaces as dynamic, co-constituted ecologies: (1) entangled becomings, (2) pluriversal imaginaries, (3) sympoietic assemblages, and (4) reciprocal accountabilities. These principles challenge dominant Western-centric paradigms and offer a transformative vision for the future of learning and teaching practice ecologies. The framework has significant implications for the design of architectural, urban, and landscape configurations of learning spaces, calling for more fluid, adaptable, and responsive environments that foster inclusivity, collaboration, and transformative learning experiences. By embracing a pluriversal perspective, the framework opens up new possibilities for creating vibrant, equitable, and regenerative learning environments that nurture the development of learners as whole beings, deeply connected to themselves, each other, and the wider world.

Australian coal mining and economic diversification in the energy transition context

Australia, with the third-largest coal reserves globally, is the fifth-largest producer and third-largest exporter of black coal, generating about half of its electricity from coal. Concerns about the loss of export earnings and jobs, energy security, and economic decline in coal-dependent regions are a critical challenge to Australia’s coal phase-out plans. Employing Q-methodology and semi-structured interviews, this paper examines how diverse stakeholders in Queensland, Australia, envision managing the coal phase-out and promoting economic diversification. The analysis reveals three distinct perspectives: ‘Maximise coal utilisation’, ‘Prioritise coal phase-out’, and ‘Diversify economy as coal phases out’. These perspectives underscore the importance of multi-stakeholder narratives to shaping systemic changes through transformative vision. The analysis takes a multi-stakeholder perspective framework as a narrative approach to ground-test the ‘just transition’ concept. In doing so, the paper demonstrates that justice, in terms of the economic diversification component of coal transition, entails considering implications on multiple economic sectors of coal regions as well as the interplay of actors, policies, and processes across multiple levels of public and private sectors.

Creating portraits of the cultures of countries in the holistic sense to enhance well-being and come to grips with the world’s most difficult problems

The article explores the significance of portraying the holistic cultures of nations as a pathway to addressing the world’s complex problems and fostering human well-being. While culture is often narrowly defined through arts, humanities, and history, the paper emphasizes a broader, holistic perspective, viewing cultures as “complex wholes” or “total ways of life.” This comprehensive approach incorporates values, traditions, customs, symbols, and the dynamic interrelations among their elements. Using symbolic representations, such as iconic architecture or artistic works, the article argues for their profound ability to capture the essence of cultures, as illustrated by examples like the Eiffel Tower for France or Gandhi’s use of homespun cloth in India.It is highlighted the potential of cultural symbols to inspire unity and understanding amid global challenges like environmental crises, economic inequality, and social tensions in the article. Furthermore, it is shown the importance of transitioning from an economically driven worldview to a culturally enriched one, prioritizing harmony between material and spiritual values. Through the lens of specific case studies, including Spain's cultural depth, the article illuminates how nations can leverage arts, heritage, and collective cultural identity to shape more equitable, inclusive, and sustainable societies. This transformative vision emphasizes the role of governments, corporations, educational institutions, and individuals in cultivating cultures for a more harmonious global future.

Integrating Artificial Intelligence and Computational Algorithms to Optimize the 15-Minute City Model

The 15-minute city concept, designed to ensure that all essential services and amenities are accessible within a 15 min walk or bike ride from home, presents a transformative vision for urban living. This paper explores the concept of a 15-minute city and its implications, along with its main features and pillars. Furthermore, it elaborates on how the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) and computational tools can be utilized in optimizing the 15-minute city model. We reveal how AI-driven algorithms, machine learning techniques, and advanced data analytics can enhance urban planning, improve accessibility, and foster social integration. Our paper focuses on the practical applications of these technologies in creating pedestrian-friendly neighborhoods, optimizing public transport coordination, and enhancing the quality of life for urban residents. By executing some of these computational models, we demonstrate the potential of AI and computational tools to realize the vision of the 15-minute city, making urban spaces more inclusive, resilient, and adaptive to the evolving needs of their inhabitants.

Shades of Anger: Reclaiming Palestinian Identity Through Decolonial Resistance

The present study deals with Rafeef Ziadah’s poem Shades of Anger (2015) via decolonization theory, focusing on its engagement with colonization and resistance. Ziadah uses language, historical references, and media to address the ongoing violence marginalized communities face, asserting that spoken word poetry is a powerful tool for advocating Palestinian self-determination and cultural reclamation. Accordingly, Ziadah confronts dominant discourses emphasizing unity in the quest for justice and freedom. This study examines how Shades of Anger acts as a personal and collective form of resistance, prompts critical discussions on identity, race, and decolonization. The study inquires: ‘How does Shades of Anger resist colonial discourse and empower Palestinian identity?’ The findings suggest that Ziadah’s work articulates a transformative vision of decolonial resistance and cultural resilience, highlighting the importance of reclaiming Palestinian narratives in the face of colonial oppression.

AI Horizons in Indian Healthcare: A Vision for Transformation and Equity

Artificial intelligence (AI) is poised to revolutionize healthcare delivery in India, offering solutions to address the nation’s unique healthcare challenges. This position paper, presented by the Indian Association of Preventive and Social Medicine, examines the integration of AI in Indian healthcare, exploring its applications across diagnostic imaging, patient care, medical research, rehabilitation, and administrative processes. Notable implementations include AI-driven disease detection systems, telemedicine platforms, and public health surveillance tools, with successful applications in tuberculosis screening, breast cancer detection, and ophthalmological care. While these advancements show promise, significant challenges persist, related to data privacy concerns and interoperability issues, including the need for robust ethical frameworks. The paper highlights key stakeholder collaborations, including government initiatives and international partnerships, which are driving innovation in this space. Based on this analysis, we propose policy recommendations emphasizing research investment, professional training, and regulatory frameworks to ensure responsible AI adoption. Our vision advocates for an approach that balances technological advancement with accessibility and equity in healthcare delivery.

Advancing the Quintuple Aim Through Public Health and Health Care Collaboration: Perspectives from Washington State

The Covid-19 pandemic resulted in remarkable collaboration between public health and health care institutions. But without intentional efforts, the end of the U.S. Public Health Emergency could lead to a return to an era when these institutions’ relationships were more limited and their population health improvement efforts less integrated. This is concerning, given that collaboration between public health and health care will be needed to overcome the multiple health crises facing the United States today. The Washington State Department of Health (WA-DOH), the state public health agency, identified health systems and workforce transformation as one of its five strategic priorities. To further define and operationalize its vision for health systems and workforce transformation, WA-DOH conducted an environmental scan that led to the identification of six priorities for public health and health care to align on systems strengthening, as follows: enhancing robust whole-person care; the primary care and rural health safety net; health workforce intelligence and development; population health intelligence; innovation and learning; and health system resilience. WA-DOH is using this six-priority framework to execute its vision for health in Washington, in line with the Quintuple Aim for health care improvement and the fundamental public health goal of ensuring an effective system that enables equitable access to the services and the care people need to be healthy. Public health agencies at the state or local level, looking to partner to improve health care delivery in their jurisdictions, can take advantage of the six-priority framework expounded in this paper.

Intersectionality Between Race and Nonnative English Speaker Status in Language Teacher Identities: What Educators Should Know

Intersectional approaches to teacher education have gained prominence in recent years, and calls have been made for an intersectional, justice-oriented framework to be at the core of all teacher educator programs. Although intersectionality is just beginning to emerge as a theoretical, methodological, and pedagogical framework in the area of language teaching issues of race and nonnative English-speaking teachers’ status have already been examined critically in teaching English to speakers of other languages. Understanding the intersectionality between race and nonnative English speaker status is crucial in redefining the nature of language teacher identities as fluid, dynamic, dialogic, and contextualized. It is equally important to comprehend how nonnative English-speaking teachers negotiate and construct their identities by reevaluating their experiences with dominant ideologies in various language teaching contexts. In this paper, we first offer a critical examination of the research conducted in this area, specifically focusing on the intersections between race and nonnative English speaker status as we reveal the dichotomy between native English-speaking teachers and nonnative English-speaking teachers. Then, we focus on the importance of adopting an intersectional framework, with its inherent premise for justice, by language teacher education programs and provide some suggestions on how these programs could be enhanced by including an explicit intersectional component. As a final note on the purpose of this paper, it is essential to underscore that employing intersectionality entails a transformative vision for both professionals who teach English to speakers of other languages and for their English learners with the goal of disrupting explicit and hidden spaces of inequalities and oppression.

TRANSFORMATIVE ADAPTIVE LEADERSHIP IN THE DIGITAL AGE: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW OF EMERGING PARADIGMS AND SOCIO-ECONOMIC IMPLICATIONS FOR ORGANIZATIONAL RESILIENCE

This paper explores the evolving nature of leadership amidst rapid technological advancements and socio-economic shifts. It highlights the limitations of traditional leadership models in addressing complex challenges posed by digital transformation and global disruptions. The study synthesizes research on the intersection of transformational and adaptive leadership, emphasizing the need for an integrated approach. Findings suggest that leaders who combine transformational vision with adaptive strategies can better navigate technological changes, foster innovation, and enhance organizational resilience. This systematic review also outlines significant challenges, such as balancing technological integration and human factors, and offers insights into effective leadership practices in the digital era.

Sex Robot Utopianism and the Transhumanist Vision: A Critical Reflection

Abstract The sex robots (or sexbots) are coming, and this has generated a lot of discussion. The scholarly debate on love & sex with sexbots has been ignited mostly by David Levy’s book in 2007, Love + Sex with Robots: The Evolution of Human-Robot Relationships. There exist many perspectives on sexbots, and one way to assess them is to view this as an embodiment of the transhumanist or posthumanist vision (see Michael Hauskeller’s book, Sex and the Posthuman Condition, in 2014). Some enthusiasts for sexbots such as David Levy espouse a kind of sex robot utopianism that largely mirrors the transhumanist vision of posthuman transformation. Thus, this essay will first introduce transhumanism as well as the major philosophical and theological criticisms of transhumanism. In a second step, it will introduce Levy’s sex robot utopianism and then critically assess his arguments. The critical discussions of both parts will prove to be mutually illuminating and reinforcing.

From Sustainable Agriculture to Sustainable Agrifood Systems: A Comparative Review of Alternative Models

This paper reviews, compares, and critically evaluates two broad groups of sustainable agriculture models: “sustainable agriculture” and “sustainable agrifood systems”. The “sustainable agriculture” models—comprising organic farming, regenerative agriculture, climate-smart agriculture, carbon-capture agriculture, and nature-based solutions—focus primarily on improving ecological sustainability through farm-level practices. These models emphasize reducing external, industrial inputs, enhancing biodiversity, and promoting climate resilience, relying on technological and market-based solutions to address environmental concerns. On the other hand, the “sustainable agrifood systems” models—agroecology, alternative food networks, and permaculture—offer more ambitious visions of systemic transformation. These approaches not only seek to implement environmentally sound practices but also aim to reconfigure the broader food system by challenging corporate power, promoting local governance, fostering food sovereignty, and prioritizing social justice. Grounded in grassroots movements, these models emphasize social justice and economic viability in addition to ecological sustainability. This paper’s contribution lies in its comparative analysis of the wide array of sustainable alternatives, highlighting both their strengths and limitations. Adopting an agrarian political economy perspective, it critiques the former camp for limited engagement with structural issues inherent in capitalist agriculture and the latter camp for underplaying the importance of industrial agriculture for national development in the Global South.

The Challenges and Opportunities of NEP-2020 in the Reference of Inclusive Education in India: An Overview

The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 provides a transformative vision for India's education system by emphasizing inclusive education and offering equal learning opportunities for children from varied socio economic, cultural and ability backgrounds. This paper looks at the challenges and opportunities given by NEP 2020 for promoting inclusive education in India. Infrastructure deficiencies, insufficient teacher preparation, and social biases are major hurdles, but policy-driven changes, technological integration, and financial support mechanisms present potential. This report gives an overview of the challenges and opportunities for implementing inclusive education in light of NEP 2020. Poor infrastructure, a lack of specialized teacher training and entrenched social attitudes about disability and marginalization all impede progress. However, opportunities arise as a result of policy-driven efforts, growing use of information and communication technology (ICT), and financing provisions aimed at fostering more equal learning settings. The research emphasizes the need of teacher capacity building, community participation, and long-term policy commitment in overcoming these challenges and realizing NEP 2020's inclusive vision. According to the findings, successful policy implementation requires stakeholder engagement to establish a more inclusive and easier to able education system in India.

Seeing into the entropic state: smart cities and COVID-19 management in Kerala

The Integrated Command and Control Centre (IC3) has emerged as a key component of the Smart Cities Mission (SCM) in India. Although the mission has been widely critiqued, IC3s were used for communications, resource allocation and inter-departmental coordination in many cities during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study, based in the state of Kerala, uses in-depth interviews with personnel who were actively involved in the pandemic response, along with secondary data, to examine how the IC3 was used. The research finds that the vision of digital transformation and centralisation is reinterpreted by various layers of the state. The paper propounds the idea of the ‘entropic state’ to explain the situation where state agencies are able to act synergistically in an emergency, but default back to misalignment and internal competition once the crisis has passed.

Machiavelli’s pendulum: Political action, time, and constitutional change

In this research, I advance an interpretation of Machiavelli’s philosophy for constitutional change. I suggest that Machiavelli’s reading of Polybius’s theory of anacyclosis (circular theory of political change) opens up a new vision for political action and historical transformation. Machiavelli subjects the inherited metaphysical conception of constitutional change to a secular view, one characterized by virtue of action and uncertainty of outcomes ( Virtù/Fortuna), social divisions (nobility/plebeians), and political ideals (Republicanism). The interpretive suggestion put forth here is that Machiavelli’s innovation of the ancient theory of constitutional changes can be appreciated in terms of an oscillating pendulum rather than as a cycle, thereby fictitiously referring to the pendulum as an instrument mimicking the ‘truth of the matter’ ( verità effettuale) of a perpetual shift between principalities and republics rather than as an esoteric rite to foresee the future.

Decentralized Web3 Reshaping Internet Governance: Towards the Emergence of New Forms of Nation-Statehood?

This article explores how decentralized Web3 is reshaping Internet governance by enabling the emergence of new forms of nation-statehood and redefining traditional concepts of state sovereignty. Based on fieldwork conducted in Silicon Valley since August 2022, this article systematically addresses the following research question: How is decentralized Web3 reshaping Internet governance and influencing the rise in new nation-statehood paradigms? It compares three emerging paradigms around Web3: (i) Network States (Srinivasan), envisioning digital entities rooted in crypto-libertarian principles; (ii) Network Sovereignties (De Filippi), emphasizing communal governance aligned with digital commons; and (iii) Algorithmic Nations (Calzada), drawing on Arendtian thought and demonstrating how communities—such as indigenous and stateless groups, as well as e-diasporas—can attain self-determination through data sovereignty. This article contributes a unique conceptual analysis of these paradigms based on fieldwork action research in Silicon Valley, responding to evolving technologies and their potential to reshape Internet governance. This article argues that decentralized Web3 provides a transformative vision for Internet governance but requires careful evaluation to ensure that it promotes inclusivity and equity. It advocates for a hybrid approach that balances global and local dynamics, emphasizing the need for solidarity, digital justice, and an internationalist perspective in shaping future Internet governance protocols.

Strategic priorities for digitalization of the mining sector of Kazakhstan

Global uncertainty has transformed the economy of Kazakhstan, which is striving to become a center of innovative development in Central Asia. According to the authors, one of the reasons for the raw material orientation of the country's economy, along with the predominance of energy-intensive types of production, is the technological backwardness of the mining sector. The article shows that the strategic goal of the Kazakhstan mining complex to integrate into the world economy involves a focus on innovative development. PEST analysis of the most important micro- and macroeconomic factors made it possible to assess the current situation of enterprises. It was revealed that one of the significant reasons for the innovative lag in the mining sector of Kazakhstan is the lack of a strategic vision of digital transformation and change management mechanisms among enterprises. The authors conclude that the continuous complication of mining and geological conditions and the growing demands of stakeholders require enterprises to build internal production processes, promote R&D, improve the organization of analytical work based on an engineering and economic approach to the selection of tools for the digital basis of production, and active interaction with external partners and startups. It is substantiated that for further progress an integrated approach to the creation of intra-production digital competencies is necessary; enterprises should focus on organizational and technological transformation, including changes in the organizational structure and transformation of the business model. The results of the study are of interest to industrial enterprises when they develop proactive innovative strategies focused on reorganizing operational activities and increasing investment to promote business.

Managing Digital Transformation for Nusantara New Capital City Project Construction

Abstract The Indonesian government targeted a radical change in how to develop the Nusantara New Capital City development through the digital transformation vision. Thus, this article presents a construction transformation framework to achieve the long-term vision. Despite the construction activities still in the same basic roles, the efficient operation, data processing, and entity role involvement are continuously affected by technology adoption. Meanwhile, along with the change it also required some supporting infrastructure for improvement that will be as well as the new investment for authority. The role of regulatory, supervisory, and performing entities will change to achieve effective operation integration. The state-of-the-art literature review and gap identification are used through various studies related to the research objectives. The study found that it requires 3 aspects that need to be widely improved to achieve the transformation vision for construction; the data-based activities, the efficient data management, and the selected integrative approaches used for the ecosystem. A regulation-based delivery is also required to effectively maintain the transformation objective. The study contributes to the framework of digital twin for aerial construction.

Sustainable Development Revisited: Rethinking Growth-Centric Paradigms Through the Lens of the Sabbath

This paper argues that the current growth-centric paradigm of sustainable development is fundamentally flawed and proposes a paradigm shift towards the biblical concept of the Sabbath. It critiques the internal contradictions of the SDGs and challenges the unsustainable pursuit of infinite growth in addressing social and ecological crises. By exploring Sabbath's principles of rest, recalibration, and redistribution, the paper offers an ethical foundation for self-limitation and a basis for human identity beyond productivity—addressing the shortcomings of the degrowth movement. It proposes practical applications of Sabbath principles at individual, community, and structural levels, drawing upon empirical examples to demonstrate their potential as pathways to environmental justice. These multi-level applications aim to bridge the gap between the intentions of international agreements and impactful local action. The paper concludes that Sabbath presents a transformative vision for sustainable development and environmental justice, fostering a harmonious relationship between humanity and the planet. Keywords: Sustainability, Development, Sabbath, Degrowth, Capitalism, Environmental Justice, Poverty, Well-being, Ethics, Religion.

National Education Policies and the Impact on Overall Development

This article delves into the transformative vision of India’s National Education Policy NEP 2020, highlighting its potential to reshape the educational landscape from pre - primary to university levels through the 5 - 3 - 3 - 4 curricular framework. By advocating for multidisciplinary approaches, integration with the Indian knowledge system, and emphasis on skill development, the NEP2020 aims to foster globally competitive human resources. The new horizon of India’s growth story will be achieved by the combination of her value based knowledge and enhancement of skilled human resources. The implementation of this policy, initiated in a phased manner since 2020, presents both significant challenges and solutions, such as the need for extensive infrastructure development, teacher training, and the incorporation of digital and environmental literacy. The article also discusses the policy’s impact on Assam’s education system, addressing local challenges and opportunities. With a holistic perspective, it underscores the NEP2020s potential to drive India towards educational excellence and societal transformation by 2047, urging stakeholders across the nation to contribute to its successful implementation.