Transnational Aspects Research Articles

Rethinking the geography of sustainability transitions by considering human-nature connections in rural areas

Despite recent studies which emphasize the importance of human-nature connections (HNCs) in sustainability transitions, the literature on the geography of sustainability transitions focuses mainly on urban areas and transnational aspects, ignoring the role of HNCs. In this paper, we study HNCs in rural areas through a case study of the French mountains. Based on 31 interviews with local actors, the results show that individuals’ proximity to nature in the French mountains enables them to reconnect with nature and that this generates knowledge and leads to strong HNCs. The results also call for investigation of the roles that tourism and revised local governance could play in fostering sustainability transitions. Overall, this paper demonstrates the need for studies on the geography of sustainability transitions to consider HNCs and rural areas.

Transnational citizenship: political practices of Kurdish migrants’ descendants in France and Germany

ABSTRACT Over the last decades, scholars have increasingly called for the ‘deterritorialization’ of the notion of citizenship. The realities concerning citizenship have changed with new expressions of transnationalism. However, whereas the main body of research has focused on the transnational aspects of citizenship among migrants in the form of their transnational political practices and dual nationalities, their descendants have received far less attention. This paper examines the political practices of Kurdish migrants’ descendants in France and Germany and their narratives of identity and citizenship. We employ migrant descendants’ political activism as an empirical entry point to gain insight into the meanings they attach to citizenship. The paper draws from two qualitative datasets collected in France (2015–2017) and Germany (2015–2023) with individuals of Kurdish background, who were born to migrant families arriving from Turkey in the 1980s and 1990s. The findings show that national contexts – both in grandparents’/parents’ country of departure and the country of arrival – and the transnational, diasporic and even supranational space (EU) shape migrant descendants’ political activism, identity construction and consequently resonate in the meanings they attach to citizenship. This study highlights the need to approach migrants’ descendants as transnational citizens in their own right.

The West German and Italian Left in the “Two Cultures” Debate: Trasnationalization and Localization (1964–1969)

Abstract This article delves into the transnational aspects of the “Two Cultures” debate initiated by the British chemist and writer C. P. Snow, and explores how Italian and West German intellectuals localized and translated aspects of the debate within their respective political landscapes. Snow described the relationship between science and the humanities, and attributed a unique social responsibility to science. Prominent leftist thinkers, including Gino Martinoli, Adriano Buzzati Traverso, Aldo Visalberghi, Giulio Preti, Pier Paolo Pasolini, Karl Steinbuch, Hans Mohr, Hilde Domin, Jürgen Habermas, and Robert Jungk, engaged Snow's ideas, each formulating their stance on the role of science. These intellectuals were divided in their response. Some concurred with Snow, viewing scientific advancement as a cornerstone of social progress and considering the scientific ethos as a model for political emulation. Others, however, were critical, questioning the very notions of scientific progress, rationality, and modernization. This intellectual discourse foreshadowed the New Left's critique of scientism in the 1970s, a movement that significantly challenged the longstanding marriage between socialism and science.

Современное состояние высшего образования в Сирии и проблемы миграции

The article presents an analysis of the current situation in the field of higher education in Syria. In the context of the prolonged military conflict and political instability that has engulfed the country, the Syrian higher education system has faced serious challenges. The author highlights the most important problems of Syrian higher edu-cation, including its accessibility, the quality of educational programs, financing and infrastructure of educa-tional institutions. The impact of the conflict on academic research, migration mobility of students and teachers, and prospects for the restoration of the higher education system in Syria are also assessed. Along with this, the article contains recommendations and suggestions for improving the state of higher education in the country. Sociological theories and approaches were also applied in this work, which used research analysis methods, and were based on qualitative and quantitative research approaches such as interviews, questionnaires, statis-tical analysis and the theory of transnationality: this approach emphasizes the links between countries and transnational aspects of migration. The author analyzes how education affects transnational mobility and the reverse impact of migration on educational processes. The author used a Structural and functional approach to analyze the functionality of the Syrian higher education system and identify problems in its key structural ele-ments. The study is important for understanding the problems faced by higher education institutions in conflict countries, and can serve as a starting point for further research and development of educational, youth and migration policy in Syria.

Transnational Aspects of Punitive Memory Laws Evidence from Germany, Poland, and Israel

Transnational Aspects of Punitive Memory Laws Evidence from Germany, Poland, and Israel

Another Avant-Garde: Rethinking Tondar Kia’s Approach to Poetic Expression in a Transnational Context

Abstract This article explores the concept of avant-garde artistic expression and argues that it should be regarded as a transcultural phenomenon that surpasses geographical boundaries. It emphasizes the importance of adopting a transnational perspective to fully grasp the intricate interactions between diverse avant-garde movements across cultures and regions. To illustrate this point, the article focuses on the Iranian avant-garde poet Tondar Kia, challenging the perception that his work is merely a replication of Western movements. Instead, it proposes that a transnational lens enables a more comprehensive understanding of the distinctive contributions made by Iranian avant-garde poets to the global avant-garde movement. The article extensively examines Kia’s work within the local context of Persian literary evolution while also shedding light on the transnational aspects present in his compositions. It highlights Kia’s critique of established aesthetic norms, particularly the notion of organic unity, and explores his innovative approaches to rhythm, tone, and polyphony in Persian poetry.

Investigating the Medical Aspects of the World's Worst Industrial Disaster.

The 1984 disaster in Bhopal, India caused much mortality and morbidity of a multisystemic nature in the exposed population. Heated scientific debates occurred about the spectrum of health effects, toxicology, and treatment. The national and transnational aspects of the disaster impeded scientific public health investigation. Some of them included the lack of accident-related and toxicological information, expertise, and funds to conduct investigations. Government agencies failed to coordinate with each other and use validated methods in epidemiological investigation. The complexity of the Bhopal crisis was underscored by the severe mortality and morbidity as well as its occurrence in a developing nation that had little experience in dealing with chemical disasters. Lessons to be learned from the disaster include the use of scientific investigative methods to facilitate clinical investigation, long-term monitoring, rehabilitation, and treatment of the gas victims.

Between here and there: comparing the worry about the pandemic between older Italian international migrants and natives in Switzerland

Since the beginning of the pandemic in 2020, people have been worried about COVID-19. As one of the risk groups, persons aged 65 and older are especially vulnerable. Additionally, minorities and migrants are hit harder by the pandemic than natives. Using data from the TransAge survey, a study including over 3000 older persons (65+) living in Switzerland and Italy, we show that the levels of worry about the pandemic are significantly higher among Italian international migrants living in Switzerland than among Swiss natives. We are not able to fully explain the difference using sociodemographic variables, the COVID-19 situation at the time of the interview, and international migrants’ transnationalism behavior. Nevertheless, transnationalism explains a large part of the difference in worry between the two groups and our study sheds light on the importance of two specific transnational aspects, having Swiss nationality and voting behavior, for the prevention of elevated levels of worry of international migrants.

Transnational scientific advising: occupied Japan, the United States National Academy of Sciences and the establishment of the Science Council of Japan.

Given that the practices and institutions of knowledge production commonly referred to as 'science' are believed to have 'Western' origins, their apparent proliferation entails negotiations and power dynamics that shape both science and diplomacy in specific locales. This paper investigates a facet of this co-production of science and diplomacy in the emergence of knowledge infrastructure in Japan during the Allied Occupation. It focuses on the 1947 delegation from the United States National Academy of Sciences to Japan and its role in creating the Science Council of Japan (SCJ). While historians view this mission as having been dispatched to provide advice on the foundation of the SCJ, it was in fact an unintentional outcome. The original plan was to recruit long-term scientific advisers on science policy to Douglas MacArthur's headquarters. The creation of the SCJ was not the brainchild of any individual but the result of an unforeseen alteration of the original idea through negotiations among various actors. By examining the transnational aspects of this process and the complex social process underlying it, and drawing on Manuel DeLanda's assemblage theory, this paper proposes the concept of 'techno-diplomatic assemblage' for understanding the transnational construction of knowledge infrastructure such as the emergence of the SCJ.

Some Transnational Aspects of Environmental Disputes in Kazakhstan and Its New Environmental Code

Environmental tort litigation is widely seen as an appropriate mechanism to redress wrongs caused by pollution, oil spills and other kinds of environmental degradation. Victims and NGOs try to find ways to sue parent companies in their country of incorporation, which is usually different from the country where the harmful event occurred. Central Asia is a region where part of the population suffers from similar situations. Kazakhstan, for instance, is very rich in minerals and foreign and domestic extractive companies often damage the soil and the air quality of towns and communities in the vicinity of their operations. The practical disappearance of the Aral Sea, partly due to the inappropriate use of water by Uzbekistan, is another example. Environmental regulation and administrative fines imposed by the countries concerned leaves the prosecution of reckless industrial practices in the hands of the Government, in countries were collusion between Governmental cliques and extractive industries is well known and where courts are often poorly trained or far from independent. Cases of transnational environmental damage are also possible due to the large border that Central Asian countries share with each other, as well as with other industrial giants like Russia and China. In such a scenario, what are the chances of using tort law and civil litigation for victims and other stakeholders, especially in view of the new Environmental Code of 2021? Central Asian countries basically belong to the civil law tradition and are greatly influenced by Russian legislation. This means that tort law and conflict of laws are usually codified in civil codes and in codes of civil procedure. Heads of jurisdiction and applicable law rules are not that different from those of other civil law countries. However, those rules often display certain “nationalist” features in that nationals or residents of the country of the forum usually have easier access to court against foreign defendants, at least on paper. Key words: Environment, Code, Litigation, Kazakhstan.

Disentangling the transnational belongingness of children in and beyond a Danish school

AbstractThe aim of this study is to unravel the multifaceted sentiments of belonging which children who are born in Denmark but whose parents have direct personal experiences of transnational migration can have within and beyond the Danish comprehensive public school system. The empirical basis of the study stems from fieldwork at one school in Denmark and consists primarily of interviews with children (n = 19). This study shows how language, religion, and the countries of birth of the children’s parents play very different roles in the children’s narratives of belonging, which, in turn, indicate that the school to varying degrees accommodates the transnational aspects of children’s lives according to how well they fit into the ‘Danishness’ that the school prescribes. The paper concludes by considering ways forward to better understand and counteract tendencies towards alienation, which schools’ handling of the transnational aspects of children’s lives might entail.

Growth and/or development; market and/or plan; foreign and/or national capital?

From the management point of view, the economic system (in particular, Ukraine) is characterized (as well as from the structural point of view) by two coordinates: sectoral-transterritorial and territorial-intersectoral management subsystems. In this dichotomy, there are not two, but three subjects of management: transsectoral corporations as centers of management and realization of private interests in the national and transnational aspects; the national state as the center of management and implementation of public interests in the national and intersectoral aspect; The UN and the European Union (where Ukraine aspires) as a center of supranational management and coordination of intersectoral, national and transnational interests. The questions become very interesting: whether to pursue economic growth or economic development; how much to leave on the "market" and how much - on national plans and programs; should we count on foreign, national-private, or national-state capital in the future? Conclusion. As one can see, solving these issues is standing not only before Bulgaria and Ukraine, but also before most countries of the world; in general, the interests of these 7 billion people of the current 7.8 billion people in the world lie in this direction, so these are democratic approaches to socio-economic development.

Gothic and the Ethnic Other: An Interview with Enrique Ajuria Ibarra


 Enrique Ajuria Ibarra is a senior assistant professor and director of the PhD program in Creation and Culture Theory at the Universidad De Las Americas Puebla (Mexico) where he teaches courses on film, media, cultural studies, and literary theory. He specializes in visual culture, cinema studies, gothic and horror. He's the editor of the online journal Studies in Gothic Fiction published by the Cardiff University Press and he has published extensively on topics related to the Gothic, in particular focusing on transnational aspects and the Mexican context. Among his most recent publications there have been chapters in volumes such as 21st Century Gothic: An Edinburgh Companion (2019), Gothic Afterlives: Reincarnation of Horror in Film and Popular Media (2019), and Doubles and Hybrids in Latin American Gothic (2020).

Unintended Transnational Effects of Sanctions: A Global Vector Autoregression Simulation

ABSTRACT The debate on unintended consequences of sanctions, such as their adverse effects on human rights, public health, or the economy beyond intended sectors in the target state, has become increasingly popular over the last couple of decades. Interestingly, however, this debate has mostly overlooked the transnational aspects of these unintended consequences. This study examines one such aspect, namely the economic spillover of sanctions to neighboring countries. Our global vector autoregression oil and inventory model (GOVAR) simulations on Indonesia, a medium-level oil producer, indicate sanctions may spill over to its neighbors’ domestic economy. The risk and nature of spillover varies with respect to the type of sanctions employed, timing of sanctions, and the macroeconomic indicator in the neighboring state in question. Equity markets appear especially susceptible to a contagion effect. Understanding how a sanction spills over to neighboring states can help sender states design sanctions that minimize regional disruptions.

“CHANGE IS JUST AROUND THE CORNER”: ENGAGING STAKEHOLDERS FOR A CIRCULAR FUTURE

INTRODUCTION
 The ‘Engaged and Entrepreneurial European University as a Driver for European Smart and Sustainable Region’ (E³UDRES²) project involves universities and university colleges from six European countries. Within E³UDRES² the transnational university campus of the future is developed. One of the main challenges for the future is the transition to a circular economy.
 Circular economy (CE) has been proposed as a crucial strategy to reduce climate change. A circular economy reduces emissions and material losses by increasing the use of renewable and recyclable resources. Approaches to achieve a circular economy are multitude, such as sharing material and resources, prolonging the life cycle of resources, reusing, redistributing, refurbishing or remanufacturing materials and recycling resources. Several barriers exist in preventing the transition to a circular economy.
 Multistakeholder engagement is needed for this transition to be successful. One of the most difficult aspects in the transition process to a circular economy is changing the attitude and decision-making process of stakeholders. There is a need to develop more engaging approaches for sharing information about a circular economy.
 The Change Corner, originating from the E³UDRES² consortium, is a transnational space supporting multistakeholder engagement.
 MATERIALS AND METHODS
 Desk research is performed to find out the most appropriate form of the Change Corner Hub (CCH). The CCH concept envisages a virtual, physical or hybrid format across the different regions.
 By integrating research methods from implementation science, citizen science, participatory action research and Human Centred Design (HCD), stakeholder barriers and needs concerning the transition to circular economy are explored. Starting from these needs and barriers, the desired impact of stakeholders concerning circular economy in their regions is envisioned in co-creation sessions.
 Change Corner consists of transnational and region specific aspects. Photovoice challenges are organised across the regions of E³UDRES². In these photovoice challenges, participants are asked to share pictures of their good practices and barriers concerning the transition to a circular economy.
 At the University College Leuven-Limburg in Belgium, a series of lunch lectures are the basis for Change Corner. Good practices from the region are presented to stakeholders in order to inspire action and overcome powerlessness in the face of climate change. During the lunch lectures, barriers and good practices are discussed with participants, resulting in co-created challenges in the transition to a circular economy. Lunch lecture sessions are recorded so that information gathered in the sessions can feed back into the other regions. After the sessions, participants receive a qualitative questionnaire in which individual good practices and barriers are gathered.
 RESULTS
 A concept is developed of the Change Corner Hub (CCH) by all E³UDRES² project partners in physical or virtual format with different approaches. The CCH is used for information sharing, raising awareness and activities to prepare for future changes, which will take place during the implementation of a circular economy.
 Upcoming results will form the basis for future research projects. Within the scope of Change Corner, a method-mix of contextual analysis, co-creation sessions, workshops and photovoice is applied to reach multistakeholder engagement.

Editorial - Cultural Practices, Civic Engagement and Forms of Organisation: International, transnational and multi-level aspects of local governance

Editorial - Cultural Practices, Civic Engagement and Forms of Organisation: International, transnational and multi-level aspects of local governance

Use of AI to Help Researchers Improve their Research Funding Capacities, Relevance, and Performance

Researchers and scientists face globally, and parallel to their core research activities, increased pressure to successfully lead or participate in fundraising activities. The field has been experiencing fierce competition with success rates of proposals falling dramatically down, while the complexity of the funding instruments and the need for acquiring a wide understanding of issues related to impacts, research priorities in connection to wider national and transnational (e.g. EU-wide) policy aspects, increase discomfort levels for the individual researchers and scientists. In this paper, we suggest the use of transdisciplinary AI tools to support (semi-)- automation of several steps of the application and proposal preparation processes.

Duke Ellington, El Rey del Jazz and the Mexico City Massacre of 1968

AbstractFrom September 24 to October 2, 1968, two apparently unrelated events took place in an area of less than two square miles in downtown Mexico City: Duke Ellington performed in the Palacio de Bellas Artes, and the Mexican army massacred hundreds of protesting students. The student-driven movement of 1968 attracted people from different backgrounds in Mexican society. Their desire for freedom of speech and civil liberties echoed the struggles of the Civil Rights movement in the United States. Received as El rey del jazz (the King of Jazz), Ellington's visit to Mexico constituted a musical place of cultural encounters. In this essay, I explore the connections between jazz, cultural diplomacy, race, and social justice. I argue that neither paradoxes nor seeming contradictions account for the fluidity of social activism on both sides of the border and its connections with playing and listening practices of jazz; rather I look at this social phenomenon as an example of an audiotopia, borrowing Josh Kun's term for a musical space of differences where contradictions and conflicts don't cancel each other out—a kind of identificatory contact zone. I do so by setting aside nationalistic approaches to music and viewing jazz as more than an emblem of U.S. national identity; rather, I explore the transnational aspects of the cultural artifacts resulting from these exchanges and the dynamic processes that took place in Ellington's visit with and among Mexicans.

Internationalisation of Far-Right Terror?

On November 24, Dr. Daniel Koehler presented The Internationalisation of Far-Right Terror? History and Examples of International Far-Right Networks at the 2021 CASIS West Coast Security Conference. The overarching discussion of Dr. Koehler’s presentation centered on ways that right-wing terrorism is developing, as well as the transnational aspects of far-right extremism. The presentation was followed by a question and answer period directed at a panel of presenters allowing an opportunity for audience members and CASIS Vancouver executives to engage with the content of each speaker’s presentation.

Emancipating the Bracketed Self: Articulating Transcultural and Transnational Identity in Sunetra Gupta’s Memories of Rain

The postcolonial diasporic writers’ favourite trend is diaspora, dislocation, and memory. Women Indian writers living in host countries are far more advanced in this discipline than male writers. Their narratives are reminiscent of the past they left behind, as well as a reflection of the challenges they face in articulating new identities in the host country. Memories of Rain (1992) by Sunetra Gupta is a complicated and difficult postcolonial novel about numerous facets of migration and diaspora, including displacement, acculturation, transculture, and transnationality. Gupta illustrates interculturality and cultural hybridity through the protagonist's marriage to a foreigner. The goal of this research is to investigate the transcultural and transnational aspects of Gupta’s Memories of Rain by applying postcolonial cultural theory of Homi K. Bhabha and Avtar Brah.