Arts and Humanities

The presentation of these two projects the metaLAB (at) Harvard complements Jeffrey Schnapp's interview published in the section Perspectives of this issue of Humanist Studies and the Digital Age. The first project, A Flitting Atlas of the Human Gaze, performs an art historical experiment. The second project, Their Names, is an online Denkmal or monument that visualizes the names of 28,000+ fatal encounters with American police dating from the year 2000 up until the death of George Floyd on May 25, (...) 2020. (shrink)

Dialogamos con Cintia Rodríguez Garat, quien obtuvo el Primer Premio Bioética 2023 de la Fundación Jaime Roca por su trabajo “Resiliencia y salud pública de las mujeres mapuce ante el cambio climático. Un análisis desde una perspectiva intercultural, participativa y de derechos humanos”.

This article explores the influence of Islam among the Zulu Muslims in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN). Although several studies focus on the history and experiences of the Asian diaspora or Asian Muslim community, there is a considerable lack of literature on the influence of Islam on the Zulu Muslims’ personal experiences beyond the conversion narratives. This study seeks to examine the impact of Islam on the cultural and religious identities of individuals who have converted to Islam within the Zulu community. This research (...) article used qualitative research with a phenomenological approach conducted in several areas in KZN. The data for this study were acquired from literature, interviews and observations conducted among the Zulu Muslims in KZN. The data analysis technique employed in this work utilises a comprehensive approach, wherein all the acquired data are considered significant, and no reduction is applied.Contribution: The non-Muslim Zulus in KZN tend to stigmatise Zulu Muslim converts, perceiving them as having abandoned their cultural heritage. The Zulu Muslims who converted to Islam developed their own unique interpretation of the religion by blending Islamic principles with Zulu cultural elements. This allowed them to establish a sense of identity that they believe to be both authentically Zulu and free from colonial influences, in contrast to the Christianised Zulu population. (shrink)

Der Begriff der Lebenswelt ist ein genuin philosophischer Begriff, der ursprünglich in der Phänomenologie beheimatet ist und inzwischen von vielen anderen Fachwissenschaften sowie Fachdidaktiken aufgegriffen wurde. Geht es nun um die digitale Dimension der Lebenswelt oder - je nach Definition - die digitale Durchdringung derselben, ist die Forschung dementsprechend interdisziplinär aufgestellt. Ein spezifisch philosophischer Zugang zur 'digitalen Lebenswelt' findet sich bis dato nur vereinzelt und soll mit diesem Band bewusst unternommen werden. Nach grundsätzlichen Überlegungen zum Begriff werden ausgewählte Phänomene unter (...) den Aspekten des 'Selbst' und der 'Gemeinschaft' genauer betrachtet (z.B. Leiblichkeit, VR/AR, Internetpornografie, Metaversum, Soziale Netzwerke und digitale Teilhabe). Der letzte Teil befasst sich mit Computerspielen als Bereich, der besonders viele Anknüpfungspunkte philosophischer und ethischer Diskussion bietet. (shrink)

In 2023, the Maranatha Reformed Church of Christ (MRCC), originally called De Zulu Hervormde Zendingskerk, celebrated the centenary of its existence in an intricate missional relationship with the Nederduitsch Hervormde Kerk van Afrika (NHKA). This is a significant milestone. Over a period of 100 years, many churches have emerged, many have disappeared, many have merged and many have transformed, while many have persevered through challenges of all sorts. This article seeks to respond to a few questions: What were the circumstances (...) that led to the existence of this church? Who were the key role players? What were the terms and conditions under which the new church was born? In seeking to respond to these and other probing questions, the author will primarily depend on archival research with primary sources as the main pool from which data collection is done. Using qualitative analytical tools, the author hopes to make an appraisal of this inception stage. In concluding, the author will attempt to juxtapose the current church against the church 100 years ago and evaluate whether initial objectives were met or whether over this time there were any deviations.Contribution: To chronicle the emergence of mission work in the NHKA by which the inception of the MRCC came to existence in 1923. The article further investigates the prospects and challenges these beginnings had to face, and subsequently to evaluate this centenary history in retrospect. (shrink)

This book, written by Dr. Sadeghpour and the late Prof. Sharifian, field-defining scholars in Cultural Linguistics, consists of an overview and 16 chapters. It commences with an overview by the editors and the following chapters bring together an amalgam of 16 seminal studies, mostly Englishes in Asian countries by highly noted scholars; the book deals with the inspection of cultural conceptualizations underlying different varieties of English from the perspective of Cultural Linguistics plus analytical and theoretical frameworks from cultural cognition, conceptualization, (...) and language to present the profound effects of cultural concepts on World Englishes (WEs). The chapters deploy, unravel, and expound on the analytical devices and theoretical advancements in several disciplines including “cognitive psychology, anthropology, distributed cognition, and complexity science” (p. 242). (shrink)

Despite growing interest in risks of societal collapse due to anthropogenic climate change, there exists no consensus about how collapse should be understood. In this article, we critically examine existing definitions and argue that none adequately address the challenges for conceptualizing collapse that climate change presents. We therefore propose an alternative conception, which regards collapse as a reduction of collective capacity resulting in a pervasive and difficult-to-reverse loss of basic functionality. Our conception is dynamic in that it focuses on the (...) interrelations of constituent subsystems. It also distinguishes collapse from transformations needed to address climate change and provides insight into the relationship between collapse and sustainability. [Open access]. (shrink)

世界已经看到了环境灾难的发展，正如气候危机和生物多样性的损失所证实的那样。问题已经超过了无法挽回的地步，这是人类活动后果的体现。在《自然》杂志世界观专栏（第577卷, 295页, 2020年）中，沙阿（Shah）指出，全球环境问题不仅需要自然科学，还需要社会科学和人文科学的共同应对。写于越南科技日，并基于我们在研究、编辑、审阅和帮助年轻学者方面的经验，我们想提出五项原则，可以帮 助发挥人文和社会科学在构建生态盈余文化中的力量。文化对于促进生物多样性保护和气候变化减缓至关重要。.

Besides concepts such as ‘being’ (有 [you]) and ‘non-being’ (无 [wu]), nature and the One to reveal the relationship between Dao and the phenomenal world from a positive perspective, Laozi used negative words, forming a speech system comprising ‘opposite words’ (反言 [fanyan]), ‘forcible words’ (强言 [qiangyan]) and ‘non-words’ (不言 [buyan]). Opposite words contradict common sense to indicate that Dao should be understood in an intuitive way. Forcible words, by analogy with natural experience, describe the perceptive factors upon seeing Dao, trying (...) to restore the corresponding experience. Non-words declare the contradiction that Dao cannot be expressed by language and urge a leap beyond reason and speculation to encounter Dao. Early religious Daoist scholars understood the spiritual realm identified with Dao advocated by Laozi and combined the experience of seeing Dao with the belief in immortality (神仙 [shenxian]) and the alchemical arts (方术 [fangshu]) to enable the religious interpretation of Laozi’s Dao theory, thus constructing the theoretical correlation between the basic principles of religious Daoism and Laozi’s thought.Contribution: This article analyses Laozi’s negative words on Dao and the relationship thereof with the experience of seeing Dao, which is based on the interaction between an individual and Dao. Finally, it illustrates that the early Daoist classics studying Laozi understood the spiritual realm of Dao as underlined by negative words and combined the belief in immortality and the alchemical arts to transform Laozi’s thoughts to reveal the religious philosophy in Laozi’s Dao theory. (shrink)

Positive changes or transformations have been the subject of study within spiritual traditions as well as humanistic and transpersonal psychology. The aim of the current study is to understand the process of transformation among Moslems in Indonesia, who follow spiritual practices, to achieve the nafs al-muṭma ínnah [tranquil self]. Ten participants in Yogyakarta province were involved in this study. They were recruited using nafs al-muṭmaʾinnah scale developed by the authors. In-depth interviews of both the participants and their significant others were (...) conducted. To analyse the data, an interpretative phenomenological analysis was employed. Five themes emerged from the data, including deviation from the basis of religious environment, spiritual discipline, transformative experiences, new characters and a continuous process. We conclude that participants experience spiritual-religious transformation and achieve the state of nafs al-muṭma ínnah [tranquil self]. The process of transformation occurs gradually after a sudden experience, and it continuously happens throughout the course of life. Three factors contribute to the transformation, including the role of predisposition, the role of a spiritual guide and the role of spiritual experiences.Contribution: As the study of spiritual-religious transformation is mainly conducted within a Judea-Christian tradition, this study significantly contributes to the literature by providing spiritual-religious transformation from an Islamic-Sufi perspective. (shrink)

This article investigates why Humboldtian Science, as a heuristic concept, has gained prominence in the historiography of science and requires clarification. It offers an ideal-type model of comparative research and exact measurements across vast spaces, which Susan F. Cannon and others tied to Alexander von Humboldt (1769–1859). Yet, he himself was less “Humboldtian” than this concept suggests. The article proposes to disentangle Humboldtian Science from Humboldt’s science, which constituted a set of individual research practices that defied the ideal of precision. (...) Humboldt’s science was often impromptu, marked by epistemological and personal insecurities, and embedded in the protagonist’s peripatetic way of living and frequently erratic writing style. Historicizing Humboldt’s science undermines the exceptionalism that elevates the Prussian savant above his contemporaries and casts him as a singular figure. This critical reflection encourages biographical approaches to the history of science, balancing heuristic generalizations and attention to individual research styles. (shrink)

Environmental activism is crucial in increasing awareness of environmental degradation and preventing actions that harm the environment. A radical environmentalist movement has emerged within the community of activists. They advocate using illegal measures to attain their goals. This paper discusses these radical environmentalist groups’ motivations, their actions and their consequences. Activities that many consider unacceptable, such as art vandalism and road blockades, may result in adverse outcomes and diminish public support for environmental endeavors. We propose an alternative solidarity approach whereby (...) activists focus their efforts on disseminating information to the general public on climate change and other environmental issues, advocating for the adoption of eco-surplus culture, and fostering cooperation among governments, businesses, and individuals to develop effective solutions. (shrink)

This article offers a historical perspective on the emergence of narrative as a major area of research, with a sampling of the range of possible approaches. Key early figures, including Propp, Levi-Strauss, the French structuralists (Greimas in particular), and the linguist Labov are discussed. It aims to provide a framework in which some key concepts can be examined, in particular the term narrativity, which regards narrative as a semiotic structure that transcends the verbal domain. The work of Metz in cinema (...) is discussed. Another area is painting; it is noted that the conjunction of the notion of narrative with painting has a long history. (shrink)

The purpose of this essay is to point out the diversity in post-Proppian plot analysis—and, more specifically, to argue that within it one can discern two fundamentally different conceptions of narrative structure. These are not merely different theoretical grids superimposed upon the same phenomena, but represent, in fact, two objectively different types of narrative structure. These two types will be referred to as dramatic structure and instrumental structure, and they may be succinctly characterized by the antonyms 'play' and 'work' respectively. (...) It will be argued that there is a basis in Propp for both conceptions of narrative structure and that Bremond and Greimas, in their efforts to 'generalize' Propp, have each only isolated one of two tendencies coexisting in his analytic approach. Our point of departure will be Propp's concept of the basic unit of plot structure, which he terms the function. This is a complex term. Two senses are distinguished, biological and mathematical-logical. (shrink)

A story of my serendipitous moment behind a scientific finding.

Value systems, goals, beliefs, and worldviews need to be changed to leverage the sustainability transformation within the human society, as they define how humans interact with nature, generate knowledge and technologies, and utilize natural and artificial resources. Therefore, the humanistic values of this era demand the inclusion of environmental sustainability, and building an eco-surplus culture is essential for the social transition away from eco-deficit dystopia. The Topical Collection welcomes viewpoints, reviews, and theoretical and empirical work.

For a long time, many people have thought that one cannot have both beauty and wisdom. Therefore, many jokes have spread around about the misplacement of beauty and wisdom. Nonetheless, there’s been no logic or evidence behind the belief and jokes.

This short piece of communication has the sole purpose of identifying some evidence, supporting our view regarding a possible missing environment-nurturing cultural value. Here, we attempt to examine the existence of cultural research within the boundary of soil degradation, erosion, and pollution topic.

This short piece of communication has the sole purpose of identifying some evidence, supporting our view regarding a possible missing environment-nurturing cultural value. Here, we attempt to examine the presence of cultural studies within the boundary of deforestation research.

This short piece of communication has the sole purpose of identifying some evidence, supporting our view regarding a possible missing environment-nurturing cultural value. As groundwater depletion has recently emerged as one of the most crucial environmental issues, we aim to examine the extant cultural studies within the boundary of groundwater depletion research.

This short piece of communication has the sole purpose of identifying some evidence, supporting our view regarding a possible missing environment-nurturing cultural value. Here, we attempt to examine the presence of cultural studies within the boundary of waste management research.

This short piece of communication has the sole purpose of identifying some evidence, supporting our view regarding a possible missing environment-nurturing cultural value. Here, we attempt to examine the presence of cultural studies within the boundary of water pollution research.

This short piece of communication has the sole purpose of identifying some evidence, supporting our view regarding a possible missing environment-nurturing cultural value. Here, we attempt to examine the presence of cultural studies within the boundary of air pollution research.

This short piece of communication has the sole purpose of identifying some evidence, supporting our view regarding a possible missing environment-nurturing cultural value. Here, we attempt to examine the presence of cultural studies within the boundary of biodiversity research.

This short piece of communication has the sole purpose of identifying some evidence, supporting our view regarding a possible missing environment-nurturing cultural value. Here, we attempt to examine the presence of cultural studies within the boundary of climate change research.

Hôm nay là ngày Khoa học Công nghệ Việt Nam (KHCN). Có rất nhiều chuyện để bàn vì có biết bao thứ cần tới lao động KHCN. Nhưng có lẽ một chủ đề đang rất nóng chính là bảo vệ và phục hồi môi trường sinh thái trong bối cảnh đa dạng sinh học bị tác động tiêu cực nghiêm trọng và biến đổi khí hậu đang làm trầm trọng hóa thêm.

Juan Luna was a major force of painting tradition in the Philippines particularly in the late 19th Century. Like his colorful paintings, his life was also interestingly complicated which scholars and historians were fond of studying about. His paintings are known to be packed with symbolism. In this study, I tried to interpret the painter's works and the intricacies of his life as a nationalist and as a private person. By employing semiotic-hermeneutic interpretation, an exposition of various symbols embedded in (...) his works and what they signify was made. As gleaned in the works interpreted, messages and contents were conveyed and made powerful through his visual metaphors. Apparently, Luna concealed his nationalistic ideas and his innermost feelings in his work. (shrink)

The act of lying and violence should be considered as a means to fulfill a purpose, but not bad or good, as bad or good is for judging the purpose of the committers. To support my thought, some examples are provided. Based on the thought, I give a brief discussion on lying and violence in folktales with religious teaching factors.

The Hebrew Psalter is a repertoire of paired phenomena. From parallelisms to twin Psalms, biblical scholars have paid attention to these structural and poetical features as keys to unlocking and interpreting the meaning and theology of these psalms. Unfortunately, the otherwise admirable results of these exegetical works remain abstract and largely removed from the interests of the African reader. An alternative way of engaging these texts is to realise that paired phenomena are not exclusive to the Hebrew Psalter. African indigenous (...) sacred texts such as the Adinkra of the Akan people equally contain similar phenomena though relatively little attention has been paid to them. This article, using a dialogical approach of African Biblical Hermeneutics, studies the twin Psalms 111 and 112 as an example of a paired phenomenon in the Psalter. It brings this text into dialogue with the Adinkra denkyemfunefu to illustrate how focussing on similar structural phenomena in either text uncovers the same theme of the common good in either text and facilitates the reception of the biblical discourse in contemporary African contexts.Contribution: It is argued that common literary features in biblical and African indigenous sacred texts could be harnessed as vehicles for facilitating the reception of biblical discourse in contemporary Africa. (shrink)

LA LUMIÈRE ET LA LIBERTÉ; Traduit de The Kingfisher Story Collection.