Western Discourse Research Articles

Muslim Intellectual Responses to Interfaith Dialogue and Human Fraternity Documents

This paper discusses the intellectual response of INSISTS Muslims to interfaith dialogue and the document on human fraternity signed by Pope Francis and Imam Ahmad Al-Tayyeb which is a product of interfaith dialogue. This paper finds that INSISTS intellectuals reject interfaith dialogue as a method, but do not differ in their views on the universal values of Islam contained in the document. This paper is a literature study combined with observations on the INSISTS community. Rejection of interfaith dialogue is a consequence of a “respectful and critical” attitude towards Western discourse and the principle of caution in carrying out activities that will lead Muslims to infidelity.

„Sonnenpferde der Zeit“. Ansätze des jungen J.W. Goethe zur ästhetischen Subjektreflexion anhand von altersgruppenspezifischen Merkmalen

The article starts by drawing attention to the historical, western discourse of the eighteenth century, addresses the topic of a newly founded reflection on age groups, provides information on genetic aspects, on new evaluations of Goethe’s early, aesthetic, reflection on age-groups, focuses on his two historical dramas Götz von Berlichingen and Egmont, shows how the reflection on age groups is launched and is primarily generated by the interaction of literary figures that belong to different age groups: Götz – Georg, Götz – Karl, Egmont – Richard, Clara – Clara’s mother, Ferdinand – Ferdinand’s father, Ferdinand – Egmont. This interaction produces self-representations and interpretations of the counterpart that emerge in dependence on or in difference from certain age-group characteristics.

On Moral Capital, Heroism, and Victimization: 133 Theses

Abstract In this essay, written on the occasion of his retirement from full-time teaching, Jean Michel Chaumont succinctly summarizes his decades-long research and key findings on what he terms the production and reproduction of “moral capital.” Chaumont examines the specificities of moral capital as a distinct and significant form of of what Bourdieu used to call “symbolic capital”. By analyzing discourses on communist resistance to fascism and the Holocaust – by various societal actors, including witness accounts – Chaumont traces a broader shift in Western discourse from hero worship to the valorization of victimhood. In a series of provocative “theses,” Chaumont explores the mechanisms through which moral capital is produced and circulates, across borders and generations, as a source of privilege and as a reinforcement of communitarian identity.’

Appearance and Reality in Śaṇkara’s Advaita Philosophy

Appearance and reality is a prime concept in philosophical discourse both in Eastern and Western tradition. Starting from Monistic Idealism to Dualistic Realism the fundamental problem of philosophy is undoubtedly the problem of Reality. Two famous views are found regarding the reality of the appeared world – one is Idealism and another is Realism. As per the view of Idealism there is one spiritual principle underlying, evolving and sustaining the universe and the world of appearance is unreal. On the other hand Realism holds that the world of appearance is as real as it appears to us. But, if it is considered that there are two ultimate reality opposed to each other one is physical and other is spiritual then this is the view of Dualistic Realism. In Indian tradition most of the thinkers holds that Appearance is relative, bound by duality whereas Reality is only one and absolute. In this regard the view of Śaṇkarachārya, the great Vedantist philosopher gained attention in both Eastern- Western discourse. In this paper a humble attempt has been made to explain the idea of reality and appearance in Śaṇkaracharya’s Advaita Philosophy.

Unveiling Israel's Moral Claims: Truth and Western Collaboration

This paper will critically examine the prevailing narrative of Israel's self-proclaimed innocence that dominates Western discourse, often reinforced through censorship and selective publications. In doing so, it uncovers the evident disparity between Israel's proclaimed ethical standing and the documented instances of severe human rights violations against the Palestinian population, including Apartheid and the suppression of Palestinian voices. This paper will also shed light on the inconsistent reactions of Western media by contrasting responses to Israel's human rights abuses with those directed towards other nations committing similar atrocities. By unravelling these discrepancies, this research contributes to a deeper understanding of the ethical dimensions surrounding the Palestinian occupation and questions the portrayal of Israel's actions and their reception in the global media landscape. Author’s note: This was written in honor of Palestinian civilians suffering the ongoing genocide inflicted by Israel on the Gaza Strip and neighboring villages since October 7, 2023. More than 32000 Palestinians, 1/3rd being children, as of March 27th, 2024, have been murdered.

Quantifying Western Discourses about Technology

In this article, we explore the social impact of technology in contemporary societies using a dataset of multilingual newspapers in English, French, Spanish, Italian, and German. Our observational time covers twenty years (1999-2018). We filter documents using four technological key terms: nuclear, oil, internet, and automation, that we consider as proxies reflecting Smil 2006 taxonomy of technology. Our methodology is formed by a five-step pipeline: Topic modelling (Pachinko Allocation), word embeddings, Ward’s hierarchical cluster analysis, network analysis, and sentiment analysis. We analyze information stability (which we define as low levels of semantic diversity in our data outcomes over time at the individual key term level) and information homogeneity (which we understand as low levels of semantic diversity in our data outcomes across our selection of key terms). We seek to observe to what extent our selection of key terms permeates into press discourses similarly or differently, and whether those discourses fall into semantic categories that could be considered as essential elements of the fabric of contemporary societies (such as finance, education, or politics). Results show, firstly, a consistent overlap of content across newspapers’ semantic fields that could be considered as pillars of society. Secondly, we notice a progressive simplification of information historically, reflecting less polarizing views across countries and, therefore, demonstrating an increasing agreement on technologically related discourses. We interpret these results as an indicator of the rising intrusion of technology in Western, industrialized countries.

Gendered Exile: Examining the Avian and Nautical Metaphors in Julia de Burgos's Poetry

Abstract: This essay employs a literary analysis of Julia de Burgos's poetry to establish how she has been, borrowing from Dixa Ramírez's Colonial Phantoms (2018), misrepresented and "ghosted" in Western discourse and national archives as solely a Puerto Rican nationalist poet when she was an exile, too. Distinct from this misrepresentation, Burgos perceived herself as an exile. Part of the work of this essay is undoing the colonial ghosting of Julia de Burgos's legacy by remembering her as she was—an exile. Utilizing Edward Said's notion of an intellectual exile, I provide an examination of the nautical metaphors and avian imagery in Burgos's poetry collections as personal renderings of exilic status, and thus of an exilic writer. Denying Burgos's exilic status is to deny her the political significance of her poetry and her life. Everything she wrote and the way she lived was defined by the fact she could not reside or simply "be" in her homeland.

Putting the ‘critical’ in heritage studies from non-Anglophone regions: China and beyond

ABSTRACT Mapping the future trajectory of critical heritage studies, this paper provides a non-Anglophone perspective on the concept of ‘critical’ within the contemporary framework of critical heritage studies in China. It emphasises that scholarship from non-Anglophone regions should not be marginalised as a mere footnote, stereotypically portrayed as ‘the other’ in relation to Western discourse. Instead, these perspectives actively contribute to the field, engaging with global challenges. The notion of being ‘critical’ in this context is not a simple translation or appropriation of Western concepts, nor a straightforward critique of prevailing political and value systems. Rather, it represents an approach that integrates historical, transcultural, and political perspectives deeply rooted in local society and culture. These insights empower scholarship from non-Anglophone regions to enrich critical heritage studies with diverse intellectual resources, avoiding new forms of Western imperialism. In doing so, they fulfill critical heritage studies’ foundational promise of reshaping power dynamics in the realm of heritage studies.

Re-membering plant personhood: syntropic entanglements between Indigenous Naga vegetal ethos and Critical Plant Studies in Temsula Ao’s The Tombstone in My Garden

ABSTRACT The contemporary ‘plant turn’, driven by modern scientific researches into plant potentialities and a renewed philosophical appreciation of botanical lives within Critical Plant Studies, has spurred discussions about the attribution of personhood to plants. However, anxieties subtend the notion of plant personhood, for it being predominantly anchored in an anthropocentric paradigm of autonomous and embodied ‘extrinsic’ and ‘intrinsic’ properties of plant ontology. Drawing from Indigenous Naga animist vegetal ethos and building upon the arguments of Matthew Hall and Michael Marder, the article attempts to transcend this impasse by conceptualising a neological framework of co-constitutive and reciprocal syntropic capacities as the defining elements of a non-anthropocentric vegetal personhood. Subsequently, the study employs this syntropic model of plant personhood to analyse the ethno-literary representations of vegetal agency and communication as syntropic plant capacities within the context of Indigenous Naga animist culture in two short stories from Temsula Ao’s anthology The Tombstone in My Garden (2022). On the whole, the article explores how the syntropic capacities of plants can function as a connective complement between the Western discourses of Critical Plant Studies and the Indigenous Naga animist arboreal worldviews to facilitate re-membering of an ecocentric plant personhood.

Losing the Battle and Awareness of Unveiling the Postcolonial Struggle Against Western Philosophical Hegemony in Indonesian Aesthetic Textbooks

Objective: The objective of this research is to explore the hegemonic construction of Western philosophical concepts in Indonesian aesthetic textbooks, the methods of their construction, and the factors reinforcing this hegemony. Theoretical Framework: In this topic, can be analyzed through key postcolonial and orientalist frameworks, including Edward Said's concept of orientalism, which examines how Western discourses construct and dominate Eastern identities. Method: This study employs a qualitative research methodology with a naturalistic paradigm, utilizing a hermeneutic approach and descriptive qualitative analysis based on the Miles and Huberman model. Results and Discussion: The results show that Western hegemony is evident in the content of aesthetics textbooks in Indonesia, both in the substantive content domain of the subject matter and the figures. This hegemonic construction is propagated through persuasive methods. The enduring nature of Western-biased knowledge construction, mainly fuelled by the orientalist-postcolonial system, significantly reinforces this hegemony. Therefore, this research underlines the scenario of culture losing the battle and especially the effort to build awareness of unveiling the struggle to overcome the dominance of Western philosophy that is permeating Indonesian aesthetic education. Research Implications: The study reveals that Indonesian aesthetic textbooks heavily feature Western philosophical concepts, constructed, and reinforced through persuasive, non-coercive methods. Utilizing a qualitative research approach, it uncovers that Western hegemony is evident both substantively and in the representation of key figures within these textbooks. This enduring Western bias, perpetuated by orientalist systems, significantly influences Indonesian aesthetic education, highlighting the deep-rooted nature of this hegemonic knowledge construction. Originality/Value: This study offers original insights into the pervasive influence of Western philosophical concepts in Indonesian aesthetic textbooks, highlighting their construction and reinforcement through persuasive methods rather than coercion. Employing a qualitative methodology with a hermeneutic approach and descriptive analysis, it uncovers the substantive and figure-level dominance of Western ideas, driven by orientalist systems. This research contributes valuable understanding of the enduring nature of Western-biased knowledge construction in Indonesian aesthetic education, emphasizing the need for a critical re-evaluation of curricular content.

"That bastard chose me": the use of metaphor in women's cancer blogs.

Metaphors play a significant role in how cancer is experienced and discussed. This study delves into the utilization of metaphors by women bloggers grappling with colorectal and gynecological cancers. By focusing on cancer types less represented in mainstream media, we aim to shed light on cancer cultures associated with body areas often considered taboo. Our findings reveal that widely recognized expressions and stories about cancer, such as the metaphors of battle and narratives promoting optimism and heroism in the face of illness, are deeply ingrained. However, a notable discovery is the prevalence of personification alongside these conventional expressions. Personifying cancer endows it with human characteristics, providing an outlet for bloggers to express their fear and frustration, including articulating feelings of sadness and anger, diverging from narratives centered on heroism and positive thinking. Furthermore, our analysis reveals a significant emphasis on death, underscoring that despite advancements in treatment, bloggers still perceive cancer as highly lethal. Personification can serve both detrimental and therapeutic purposes for bloggers and for societal perceptions of cancer survivorship, both reinforcing and opposing dominant Western discourses surrounding the illness. These findings enrich our understanding of cognitive and cultural tools used to describe cancer within contemporary Western society.

One Universal Civilization: Superiority and Eurocentric Conception of the Rest

The prevailing notion suggests a universal or human civilization, positing all as subsets of a shared human experience. This article critiques this perspective, arguing that the contemporary concept of human civilization is predominantly synonymous with Western civilization. This article will elucidate its argument by drawing upon the insights of Western scholars in the field of civilizational studies. Subsequently, it will undertake a critical examination and assessment of the Western discourse, evaluating its outcomes as evidenced in contemporary foreign policy shaped by the historical backdrop of colonialism. The article uses direct quotations and historical narratives to not only scrutinize the inclination to depict Western civilization as singular, extraordinary, and unparalleled but also to highlight the persistent tendency to undervalue the importance of other civilizations, often termed as 'the rest'. It relies on primary materials authored by Western scholars concerning the notion of civilization, supplemented by secondary references citing influential intellectuals in the field. In addition to primary sources such as interviews and contemporary statements regarding pertinent events, secondary sources encompass literature on civilization within the framework of global south studies. The notion of Western civilization is depicted as a constructed political construct utilized to perpetuate Western hegemony, engender othering, and perpetuate colonialist agendas. This dynamic persists even in the post-Cold War era, wherein ongoing Western hegemony perpetuates dominance over non-Western powers. Instances reflecting this neo-colonialist paradigm include the US intervention in Iraq, the conflict in Afghanistan, and the ongoing Israeli military campaign in Gaza as of late 2023.

Te whāriki, citizenship and young children: re-considering the ‘pioneering’ pedagogies of early childhood education in Aotearoa New Zealand

ABSTRACT In response to growing attention to young children’s citizenship, and recent calls for critique of Western discourses and practices, we explore the movement of Western ‘pioneering’ pedagogies of early childhood education (ECE) and their localisation in Aotearoa New Zealand. Employing a poststructural positioning, and theoretical devices drawn from the work of Michel Foucault and Kuan-Hsing Chen, this article ‘bewilders’ discourses of children’s citizenship in Aotearoa by analysing the juxtaposition of pioneering pedagogies alongside complexities of power effects in early childhood settings. This article draws on data from the first author’s doctoral study and employs reflexive thematic analysis to interrogate data gathered in interviews with kindergarten teachers in Aotearoa. Based on these analyses, this paper bewilders pioneering pedagogies in Aotearoa by advocating that young children’s citizenship be recognised as a cultural-historical construct which acknowledges the syncretism of Western and Māori knowledges in ECE, and argues that children occupy a negotiated position as citizens in ECE settings in Aotearoa.

Rituals of myth and sacred, two legitimizing moments in ‘from the annals of the laboratory state’: A critique

This critique unfolds the areas of Visvanathan’s article which aims to open up challenges to ‘prevailing’ western discourse of science which, he assumes, is linked to and associated with political and economic interests. In this review, the writer seeks to draw attention to the concepts deployed both by the western scientists and Visvanathan, as well as to the methodology Visvanathan has adopted by combining the concepts in arts, science and humanities to advance with his agenda. The writer would show that defining any paradigm or procedure as a ‘sacred’ moment may easily lead to discipline-policing and to the reproduction of reductionist worldviews, implicated whether in the scientific or humanistic thought.

The Translation of Sound from the Postcolonial Perspective: A Case Study of the English Translation of Sandalwood Death Written by Mo Yan

Mo Yan, as the first Chinese Nobel Laureate in Literature, holds significant importance in the overseas dissemination of his translated works. The intentional retreating of Sandalwood Death writing makes it a unique narrative where characters, folklore, and culture weave together in a polyphonic tapestry of the era. Drawing upon post-colonial translation theory, this analysis delves into Howard Goldblatt's English translation of Sandalwood Death, focusing on the translation and retransmission of sound embodied in characters (narrative translation of characters), folklore (translation of idioms and proverbs), and culture (terms, Maoqiang). The study suggests that the translator employs a plethora of estrangement strategies, reflecting an overall trend of post-colonial translation. Many Chinese cultural terms seamlessly integrate into Western discourse, illustrating the potential for establishing a balanced discourse between East and West. This investigation explores the nuanced interplay of voices, unraveling how translation choices contribute to a broader discourse of cultural equality and understanding in the context of post-colonial translation.

Followers, customers, or partners? Comparing conceptualisations of students as partners in Australian, Mainland Chinese, and Hong Kong universities

Engaging students as partners (SaP) is an approach promoting meaningful pedagogical relationships in higher education. Scholars have called for more culturally situated research on SaP that compares Anglophone countries with other contexts. In response, we conducted an exploratory qualitative study by interviewing 36 undergraduate students from Australia, Mainland China, and Hong Kong. Adopting the relational lens of SaP, the interviews focused on conceptualisations of pedagogical partnership, specifically learner–teacher identities and power dynamics. Through comparative and reflexive thematic analysis, we found that understandings of partnership in different contexts were influenced by broader cultural differences. The findings showed that the perception of SaP in Australia was consistent with the prevailing Western discourse, but the notion of SaP was adapted and re-shaped in Mainland China, and in Hong Kong, there were diverse interpretations of it. This study contributes to new understandings of the influence of specific sociocultural and policy variations in SaP practises through culturally situated and comparative research using theorisations of perpetual translation. We argue for future research to contribute collective insights and nuanced, diverse understandings that expand SaP as an approach to global scholarship.

Problems and promises of postmodernism in (re)liberating disaster studies

PurposeThis paper is a critique of Western modernity and the problems and promises of postmodernism in (re)liberating disaster studies. It criticizes metanarratives and grand theories of Western discourses to advance postmodern discourses in disaster studies.Design/methodology/approachThis paper outlines a conceptual domain through which approaches of postmodernism can be employed to (re)liberate disaster studies.FindingsMetanarratives and grand theories frame the scope and focus of disaster studies. But the increasing number and the aggravated impacts of disasters and environmental challenges in the late 20th and early 21st centuries are proofs that our current “frames” do not capture the complexities of disasters. Postmodernism, in its diversity and various meanings, offers critical and complementary perspectives and approaches to capture the previously neglected dimensions of disasters.Research limitations/implicationsPostmodernism offers ways forward to (re)liberate disaster studies through ontological pluralism, epistemological diversity and hybridity of knowledge.Originality/valueThe agenda of postmodernism in disaster studies is proposed in terms of the focus of inquiry, ontological and epistemological positionalities, research paradigm, methodologies and societal goals.

Agonist relationships in the toddler classroom: Exploring the connection between conflict and care

Dominant Western discourse in early childhood education frames conflict as a disruptive and damaging force that is antithetical to the “ideal” classroom environment. However, critical early childhood scholars have begun to reconceptualize the role of conflict in early childhood classroom dynamics, exploring its potential as a productive and necessary force that supports current and future political participation for young children. This paper draws from data collected during an eight-month ethnography of care practices in an infant/toddler classroom at a university laboratory school in the Southeastern United States. Using Chantal Mouffe's theories political conflict, we interpret one teacher's understandings of conflict in her classroom and the practices that she engaged in support of what Mouffe would term “agonist conflict” (i.e., friendly, rather than antagonistic, conflict). Findings demonstrate that this teacher views agonist conflict to be a productive process for young children—one that enables them to articulate their political subjectivities as members of their classroom community and one that will foster their engagement as citizens of a broader democratic society. As such, the emotional support and scaffolding she provided to support such engagement constitute a political form of care. This research holds implications for reconceptualized understandings of peer conflict in early childhood contexts and insight into how teachers can better support children's developing political engagement through agonist conflict with their peers.

Exploring the Phenomenon of Timelessness in Morocco: Insights from Paul Bowles and Other Travel Writers

This article aims to explore the phenomenon of timelessness in Morocco through the insights of renowned travel writers such as Paul Bowles. The semi-systematic method was used primarily due to the limited amount of research done on the topic of timelessness. It will analyze the representations of Morocco in Western discourse, particularly in the context of Western Orientalism. Thanks to decolonization, deconstructionism, and Edward Said’s Orientalism, hitherto neglected travel writing has elicited academic responses from scholars who have recognized that travel writing is not simply an innocent and objective description of a traveler’s encounters in a foreign land. Instead, it is a genre that is inherently political, intertwined with projects of orientalism, colonialism, imperialism, and post-colonialism, and characterized by a hegemonic gaze directed towards the other, often marginalizing the voices of peripheral people. This research references books, notable authors, and Western explorers who commonly mention the unchanging quality of time in the Orient, particularly in Morocco. Additionally, the study will draw on the insights of Edward Said to explain why this timelessness was prevalent in the 20th century.

Discussion and Proposal of Alternatives for the Ecological Environment from a Daoist Perspective

Ecological thought and practice have a longstanding presence in the Daoist tradition, yet these principles are not adequately upheld in contemporary times. This can be attributed to two primary factors: firstly, adverse environmental conditions due to economic reasons have hindered the maintenance of a viable interconnection between humans and nature. Secondly, intense competition has impeded the preservation of human-to-human interconnections. In this regard, it is inappropriate to place the blame for ecological threats solely on the Daoist cultural sphere. Prior research has predominantly focused on Daoist ecological thought, often neglecting the real problems concerning ecological responsibilities and potential solutions. To address this, two theoretical bases were proposed. First, attention was given to the Daoist concept of “connection”, which emphasizes the relationship between humans and nature, and among humans themselves. As “connection” is a universal human concept, it carries significant weight even when discussed from a Daoist perspective. Second, through a critical reflection on “the myth of meritocracy” prevalent in Western discourse and the application of a “social model of disability”, understanding and assistance from developed countries were solicited. These theoretical underpinnings form the basis for advocating improvements within the fragile ecology of the Daoist sphere. Before criticizing the Daoist cultural sphere—often perceived as a global factory—it is crucial to confront the realities faced by both developed and developing countries and the disparities between corporate headquarters and impoverished factories. This study suggests that a portion of excessive profits should be invested in ecological improvement initiatives. This would enable entities within the Daoist cultural sphere to uphold its ecological thoughts and practices independently—an ethos deeply rooted in their long-standing practice of being one with nature. This philosophy is increasingly vital given our interconnected existence on Earth.