Band 9, Heft 1

The contemporary defense of urban strolling finds one of its fundamental legacies in flânerie due to its aesthetic nature and its resistance to utilitarianism. Despite the ethnocentric and androcentric origins of the flâneur , there has been a strong revival of this figure from egalitarian, postcolonial, and gender perspectives, as exemplified by theories on the flâneuse . However, this study argues for the need to abandon this canon due to its limitations in accounting for the specific experiences and needs of female urban strollers. By demonstrating the “aesthetic injustice” of the traditional flânerie approach through various examples of poems, novels, and films from different Western urban contexts, this work proposes a recovery of narratives that have portrayed female urban strollers in alternative ways. These narratives will provide insights into a specifically feminine understanding of urban experience – one shaped by exposure to the male asymmetry of power that governs women’s symbolic access to public spaces, but also by the ability of these characters to momentarily subvert the frameworks of aesthetic injustice through creativity and idleness. Through this analysis, a new horizon of thought will emerge, envisioning alternative forms of urbanity that are authentically sensitive to the feminist perspective.

This contribution explores City Horses , a site-adaptive performance by the Scandinavian duo Byström Källblad, as a soft performative intervention in public space. Performed in various cities, female-read performers embody “wild” horses to engage with equestrian monuments that symbolize male power and military authority. Through gestures such as neighing, trotting, and lying down, the performers inscribe a movement-text into the cityscape that subtly challenges dominating narratives. Drawing on feminist theory and theories of public space and performativity, we analyse how choreographic acts create temporary spaces of resistance for marginalized bodies. Following Chantal Mouffe’s concept of artistico-activist dissensus, we understand the performance as a soft form of protest that shifts spatial meaning without direct confrontation or occupation. From a dance-theoretical feminist perspective, we argue that movement can become a resistant practice that contributes to shaping a feminist city – through care, presence, and disruption.

The Capuchin Order, a key Franciscan reform of the Tridentine Counter-Reformation, has historically emphasized strict, literal obedience to the Rule of Saint Francis. This article critically explores the lived experience of the vow of obedience within the Capuchin framework, focusing on how it can foster forms of “cadaveric obedience,” which may lead to abuse, regression, and depersonalization. Using an interdisciplinary approach, the study examines how these power dynamics persist in the order’s practices and structures. Despite contemporary shifts toward individual autonomy, the Capuchin Constitutions maintain a rigid interpretation of obedience, reinforcing a hierarchical system that demands both material and spiritual renunciation, thus reinforcing dependence on authority. By combining autoethnography with anthropological insights into violence, this article contributes to broader discussions on power, control, and abuse prevention within contemporary religious institutions and analogous frameworks.

Conceiving violences, in the plural, as stochastic, that is, probabilistic, phenomena remains of interest both for advancing the understanding of their open and undetermined nature, and for neutralizing narratives that naturalize them, using them to promote labeling, incite stigmatization, and manufacture scapegoats. What follows here is a prolegomenon focused on the inveterate subtlety of institutional violences. Do institutions generate or facilitate, undo or disregard violences? Are institutions and violences symbiotic? Would it be useful to recover the ecological vision of classical anthropologies to observe in detail the mode of operation of institutional violences? The hypothesis has evolved from observing that multiple conditions materialize in events that may or may not become violent and, that, if they do, in fact, are not necessarily equal, even within the same institution, since they are segmentary, function in non-homogeneous contexts, and with relative temporalities. The notion of stochasticity is promoted to advance the description and eventual explanation of why institutions (social, cultural, economic, or political; altruistic or charitable; public or private) sediment at some probable moment “violent possibles”; a promotion that aids in the critique of structural violence, since the possession of a “potential for violence” by institutions cannot be construed to mean that all institutions are structurally violent or that they necessarily employ force for control at any given moment.

This article presents a co-designed, transdisciplinary movement methodology for exploring and evidencing vulnerability with children, a central element of upstream violence prevention. The methodology blends the authors’ lived experience and professional knowledge of urban violence prevention, dance movement psychotherapy, and community-centred practice. We also build on the growing use of “visceral” artistic and kinetic methods to overcome the shortcomings of traditional talk-based methods in both social science and therapeutic settings. We first review the theoretical underpinnings of our methodology, then offer autoethnographic reflections on navigating vulnerability in our own lives and how those experiences shaped our work, and finally recount what the methodology looked and felt like in practice, focusing on the pilot we delivered in 2024. The 30 children aged 10–12 who participated reported feeling at ease, energised, and connected with each other afterwards, all feelings that counteract the anxiety, fear, and isolation that children often experience in the transition from primary to secondary school. We undertook this work in a London borough where preventing and mitigating violence affecting young people has been a strategic priority since 2009.

This article presents a reflection on the epistemological and vital implications of using autoethnographic enquiry to research sexual violence within higher education institutions and adjacent spaces. To explore the implications of using this methodology, we review the existing literature and the key discussions it raises, to which we add our own experiences writing and publishing an autoethnographic reflection on the sexual violence we suffered during research fieldwork. It begins by situating our work alongside similar ones in the context of the MeToo movement. Then, it explores five aspects of the autoethnographic enquiry that better define those reflecting on sexual violence within academia. First, it examines the capacity of this methodology to challenge current norms of knowledge production. Second, it highlights how the use of this methodology can make meaningful research contributions. Third, it reflects on the possibility of autoethnography to reclaim the silenced voices of survivors and on the multiple mechanisms of silencing victims and survivors. The fourth aspect is the power of sexual violence autoethnographies to create a reaction in the reader and society, behind which we see a collective endeavour. Finally, we reflect on the personal impact and therapeutic possibilities of this methodology.

This article presents a transtemporal analysis of subsistence land cultivation in late eighteenth and nineteenth-century Jamaica and British Guiana that unfolds into a reparatory theory of creolization. I examine the transconjunctural, transcontinental tributaries and hybridisation of specific elements of Greek thought and Islam through the Greek Arabic translation movement in ‘Irāq from the mid-eighth century. I focus on the sites where translations, counter-hegemonic political narratives and Ṣufism shaped one another. I then turn to transdisciplinary academic cultures in Timbuktu from the fourteenth century. I discuss kaleidoscopic, endlessly retheorised ideas of humanness that coiled through these cultural spheres. I show how colonial taxonomies and the contemporary systems of categorisation that descend from them erase these histories of cultural invention. I then discuss how these syncretic cultural forms were creolized with other materials in the Caribbean to produce practices of subsistence land cultivation, counter-taxonomies to modern racial typologies of humans and subhumans and broader counter-cosmologies and how provision ground cultivation was central to the formation of modern Britain. This analysis leads to an antinationalist, reparatory theory of creolization during a conjuncture defined by new wars, ultranationalisms and internationalisms.

With the effects of the climate emergency increasingly shaping our daily lives, feelings of ecological distress – particularly ecogrief and anxiety – have become palpable. In this article, we focus on these affective responses and examine how creative practice collaborations are curating possibilities for hope and resilience. We argue for the importance of such creative engagement, as ecological distress can lead to paralysis, nihilism, or despair, making it imperative to explore how creative practices open pathways for collective healing and actionable hope in the face of crisis. Following Lesley Head’s (2016. Hope and grief in the Anthropocene: Re-conceptualising human-nature relations . Taylor and Francis Group) proposition that grief and hope are intrinsically entwined – hope as an embodied act within the affective fabric of everyday life – we consider how these emotional registers are navigated through artistic and collaborative processes. Increasingly, contemporary practitioners are turning to creative methods to make space for emotional complexity and to cultivate new strategies for connecting grief with hope. This article brings together insights from the environmental humanities and creative practice research to consider how such approaches can support resilience and social change. Through examples where creative practice operates as method, approach, and intervention, we explore the affective terrain of climate justice, arguing that creativity and art are essential for fostering empathetic engagement and imagining more hopeful, liveable futures.

This article explores the role of Palestinian women as the guardians of memory in Bye Bye Tiberias (2023), a documentary by Lina Soualem that intertwines personal testimony, archival footage, and cinematic reenactments to reconstruct intergenerational narratives of remembrance by centering four generations of Palestinian women. Drawing on memory studies, feminist film theory, and a colonial approach, this study examines how Bye Bye Tiberias employs memory and nostalgia not as passive longing but as an active means of historical preservation. The documentary foregrounds oral storytelling, visual documentation, and embodied memory as key strategies in sustaining cultural heritage and countering historical amnesia. Through a close reading of the film’s visual and narrative techniques, this article argues that Palestinian women serve as custodians of collective memory, ensuring historical transmission despite displacement and generational fragmentation. Ultimately, Bye Bye Tiberia s reclaims lost histories and affirms the enduring significance of women’s voices in shaping Palestinian cultural identity.

This study advances the application of Pierre Bourdieu’s social field as a heuristic conceptual tool in the context of translation studies, offering a methodological framework that integrates socio-historical analysis with bibliographical research. By exploring the field of Arabic translations of English self-help literature in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) between 1982 and 2016, the article illustrates how Bourdieu’s conceptualisation of social fields can be operationalised to define the boundaries, agents, production, and practices within a translation field. A bespoke bibliographical database comprising 993 translated self-help titles was constructed to provide a detailed mapping of the field’s historical trajectory and production dynamics. Through this integration of theory and empirical data, the study demonstrates how field theory can enrich the analysis of translation as a social practice, revealing the interactions between translation agents and the socio-historical forces that shape the production of translations. The findings suggest that this integrated approach can serve as a heuristic model for the socio-historical analysis of translation fields across different language pairs, temporal periods, and geographic contexts, contributing to future research in translation sociology and translation bibliographies.

The purpose of the study was to investigate the linguistic and literary components within the framework of the cultural diversity of Central Asian peoples of the Turkic ethnic group. The study analysed the linguistic features of the Turkic languages and their mutual influence through literary texts and oral traditions, with an emphasis on the processes of borrowing and adaptation of linguistic elements in a multilingual environment. The study examined scientific sources on linguistics and ethnolinguistics, and compared phonetic, morphological, and syntactic features of the Kazakh, Uzbek, Turkmen, and Kyrgyz languages in a historical context. The analysis of borrowings from Persian, Arabic, and Russian languages, content analysis of literary texts and folklore works, and an assessment of the role of mass media and the Internet in popularising Turkic languages were also included in the study. The results showed that the Turkic languages have gone through a difficult path of evolution under the influence of various cultural and political factors, such as the Mongol conquests and Russification in the Soviet period. The languages were significantly enriched with borrowings from Persian, Arabic, and Russian, which affected their vocabulary and grammar.

This research investigated the strategies adopted to overcome the constraints encountered in the English translation of the Arabic novel Fiʾrān Ummī Hissa in light of Mughazy’s (2016) typology of equivalence and Baker’s (1992) strategies for dealing with idiomatic expressions. The data were collected and categorized thematically into four constraint types: social, political, cultural, and religious. The findings revealed that transliteration was heavily utilized in rendering cultural terms and phrases, such as names, titles, food, and clothing. Paraphrasing was the most used strategy in rendering religious terms requiring clarification, but the extensive details often disrupted the text flow and occasionally led to inaccuracies. Cultural substitution and less expressive words were used in rendering idioms and proverbs, resulting in several mistranslations. In a few cases, omission was applied to terms lacking direct equivalents, yet they were inconsistently reintroduced as transliterated terms in other occurrences. The study recommends that translators follow a consistent translation approach across similar types of cultural expressions to maintain uniformity across the translated text. Translators may use footnotes for terms that require transliteration to help readers understand the cultural context and significance. Further studies could compare similar text translations across languages to explore how cultural contexts influence translation strategies.

The current study aims to examine the persuasive strategies used in Facebook posts by the Egyptian Ministry of Health and Population and the British Department of Health and Social Care. A total of 400 Facebook posts, 200 by each department of health, were analyzed for persuasion strategies using a recent persuasion model by Dontcheva-Navratilova et al. (2020). The findings showed that both departments primarily relied on ethos-based strategies, followed by logo-based strategies, while their use of pathos-based strategies was minimal. The findings also showed that the Egyptian posts included more direct appeals to the audience, logical reasoning, and emphasis on care and responsibility than the British posts. In contrast, the British posts employed the strategies of reference to expert opinion, creating a sense of community, reference to facts and statistics, and provision of exemplification and evidence significantly more frequently than the Egyptian posts. The results are interpreted in terms of the existing literature and relevant cultural models.

Digital games have become a popular cultural pastime and a profitable media industry, with an average player age of 32. During the lockdown years, the many facets of digital games came to light, particularly their capacity to encourage the development of safe spaces for interaction and communities. Games that encourage creativity and content creation, like Second Life, Animal Crossing, and Minecraft, for example, give users a variety of safe spaces to express themselves and grow creatively. The article addresses the function of video games as safe spaces using a mixed-methods approach, emphasizing the role played during the pandemic and using Animal Crossing as an example. Three primary techniques for gathering data were an online survey, netnography, and document analysis. Through the Animal Crossing: New Horizons case study, we were able to confirm that players do, in fact, view the game as more than just a way to pass the time. They make expressive and proactive use of it, deriving immense pleasure from producing and disseminating content that is uniquely personalized for them. It is a tool for escapism and provides a feeling of belonging to players who agree that the New Horizons Fan Community is a united, helpful, caring, and generous community.

The aim of this article is to elaborate on the problem of traditional metaphors used to describe the beauty of Indonesian women. The traditional metaphors used to describe the beauty of Indonesian women originate from nature and show specific aspects of beauty, both physically and non-physically. Also, under the modern Western-dominated global beauty discourse and concepts, traditional forms and concepts of beauty are re-elevated and given new value to enrich global knowledge and culture. Through the ethno-semiotic method, the study shows that the traditional forms and concepts of beauty regarding Indonesian women cannot be separated from natural occurrences. Description based on natural objects and phenomena is not just a matter of metaphorical language as a rhetorical means to describe beauty but forms a significant relationship with the natural and cultural characteristics of body beauty. The union of the body and nature creates a powerful energy that positions women as subjects of nature, culture, and social life. This finding allowed for the development of a new discipline – the ecology of beauty.

Translating puns in audio-visual content is challenging, as they are often humorous, are paired with visual cues that restrict translators’ creativity, and do not last long on the screen. This research article investigates the translatability of puns in the animated movie Shark Tale from English into Arabic in both its subtitled and dubbed versions. The data are qualitatively analyzed according to Aleksandrova’s (2019. Audiovisual translation of puns in animated films. The European Journal of Humour Research , 7(4), 86–105) Taxonomy, and it is found that the translators generally tend to ignore or avoid translating puns in a way that preserves both or one of the pun signs or at least raises a sense of humor. This avoidance can take the shape of Literal Translation or No Translation (omission). Nonetheless, the alternative translations provided by the researchers confirm that puns can be translated by accepting the game of translation using two different strategies: (a) Quasi-Translation where the translator preserves one of the signs of the original pun and replaces the other with a suitable one from the target language and (b) Free Translation where the translator replaces the two signs of the source pun with new signs from the target language. Additionally, it is found in this study that the identity and complexity of puns are involved in their translatability. Specifically, visual puns and complex puns, which are culturally very local, are subject to being ignored by No Translation (i.e., omitting the linguistic host of a pun). Concerning the relation between translation of puns and modes of translation, no difference in the quality of pun translation in the subtitled and dubbed versions is found. These findings imply that humorous and figurative language is difficult to deal with while transferring them into another language; yet, they are translatable. Therefore, translators should have a positive attitude toward it, as translating this language, such as puns, can be obtained by more than one technique (i.e., Free and Quasi) that could preserve or raise a sense of humor.

This study applies Karen Horney’s theory of neurosis as a heuristic framework for analyzing bovarist characters in the literature, offering a comparative literary analysis that integrates psychoanalytic theory with cross-cultural textual examination. By exploring the characters of Emma Bovary in Gustave Flaubert’s Madame Bovary and Ayşen in Refik Halit Karay’s Bugünün Saraylısı , the article illustrates how Horney’s conceptualization of neurosis – specifically, the formation of an idealized self-image, the neurotic need for affection, ambition, and the ultimate descent into hopelessness – can be operationalized to understand the psychological underpinnings of bovarist figures. By situating the neurotic processes of Emma and Ayşen within Horney’s framework, the analysis demonstrates how their psychological conflicts, rooted in early childhood experiences and exacerbated by socio-cultural factors, manifest in self-alienation, external validation-seeking, and ultimately, existential despair. Through a close reading of textual evidence and theoretical integration, the study argues that bovarism exemplifies a literary articulation of neurosis, revealing the intricate relationship between psychological distress and narrative construction. The findings suggest that this interdisciplinary approach can serve as a model for future literary analyses, offering a nuanced perspective on the intersection of psychoanalytic theory and literary studies across different cultural and historical contexts.

Cultural connotation, artistic value, and aesthetic significance contained in the images of plants determine the importance of interpreting the images of flowers within the lyrical works, considering their profound conveyance of internal emotions. In addition to their aesthetic appeal, A.A. Fet’s floral imagery employs the “language of flowers,” conveying human emotions and social conventions. This article employs the lens of “plant studies” to examine flowers not only as symbols but as active participants in A.A. Fet’s narrative. This approach contributes to an epistemological discourse that examines the relationship between nature and human experience. The research aims to analyse the peculiarities and frequency of using floral imagery in the lyrical works of A.A. Fet, considering the plant symbolism of other landscape poets. To achieve the research aims, the following methods were used: descriptive, content analysis, and comparative. The study shows how floral imagery in A.A. Fet’s works conveys emotions and experiences alongside landscape elements. The content analysis allowed us to determine that A.A. Fet is the poet who most often uses images of flowers in his poems. The analysis of 806 lyrical works made it possible to identify 15 floral images in Fet’s poetry. To convey appropriate emotions through flowers, A.A. Fet uses metaphorical elements and anthropomorphic mechanisms that endow plants with a unique language and life cycle. This analysis explores the symbolic roles of roses, lilies, violets, and other floral imagery in A.A. Fet’s works.

The aim of this research is firstly to create a new motif from Kembar Mayang and Ronce. Secondly, process Keci Beling leaves and honey mango leaves into batik colors. Lastly, find suitable clothing from these motifs. The method of this research is research and development, from processing cultural and natural resources, and then questioning the public about the suitability of the fashion function. The Kembar Mayang and Ronce motifs are interpretations of cultural objects always present in traditional Javanese wedding ceremonies. Kembar Mayang symbolizes the eternal love of the bride and groom. Ronce is the bond between the two that forms harmony. The natural dye of Keci Beling leaves and honey mango leaves brings out turquoise blue as the base and bright yellow in the pattern. The result shows that batik with the motif of Kembar Mayang and Ronce with the natural dyes of Keci Beling leaves and honey mango leaves is a batik that deserves to be developed and can be used as a formal wedding outfit.

The study of transforming national classics within the performing arts highlights the innovative reinterpretations of dramatic masterpieces by contemporary creators. This exploration examines the intricate system of these transformations, delving into the role and function of each element that underpins them. Employing structural problem analysis, comparative studies, and systematization, the research integrates these methods into a cohesive artistic framework. The study conducted from February to June 2024 identifies challenges in unifying national classics into a singular, comprehensive performing arts system, emphasizing the interconnectedness and interdependence of its components. Kazakhstan’s national performing arts are spotlighted as a distinctive segment of global culture, showing the richness of Kazakh traditions in acting, stage imagery, costume, and scenic design within the context of globalization. This research holds a practical value for the scientific study of performing arts and serves professionals, including actors, directors, and designers in modern productions. It also informs educational curricula in drama and theatre studies, providing insights into innovative interpretations of classic works and their application in the global artistic landscape. By exploring the synergy between tradition and modernity, the study underscores the enduring significance of national classics in shaping contemporary performing arts.

This study aimed to explore the most frequently used congratulation strategies as well as positive politeness strategies used by Jordanian Facebook users during the royal wedding of Prince Hussein. To achieve these goals, a sample of 600 comments was collected from three posts related to three official Facebook pages. The comments were categorized and analyzed based on Elwood’s (2004) classification of congratulation strategies and the positive politeness strategies proposed by Brown and Levinson (1987). The results of the study revealed that the most frequent congratulation strategies used by Jordanian Facebook users in congratulating Prince Hussein and his bride were the employment of the illocutionary force indicating device (IFID), represented by congratulations, in combination with other strategies, followed by IFID as a single strategy, and the offer of good wish. Furthermore, the analysis showed that the most politeness strategies employed were intensifying interest to the hearer in combination with other politeness strategies, followed by giving gifts to the hearer and intensifying interest to the hearer as a single politeness strategy. Religious expressions and invocations to Allah were dominant among the congratulatory comments.

The study of the artstream cinema phenomenon is relevant because of its ability to synthesise national and international trends, contributing to the deep interaction of Kazakh cinema with the world cinematographic culture. The purpose of the study was to investigate the evolution of artstream cinema and its role in the emergence of a new audience that strives for deep content and author’s vision, while remaining within the mainstream format. The research methodology includes an analysis of key artstream films of Kazakh production to identify their impact on the development of the artstream. Content analysis is also used to determine the characteristics of art cinema and mainstream cinema inherent in artstream films. The study documented the uniqueness of artstream cinema in Kazakhstan, and its ability to reflect the cultural characteristics of the region and influence the sociocultural specifics of the country. Artstream is presented as a platform for experimentation and innovation, expanding the boundaries of traditional cinema. The study revealed that artstream cinema in Kazakhstan has evolved into a distinctive form that successfully bridges artistic depth with commercial appeal, enabling the preservation of cultural identity while adapting to global influences and attracting new audiences. The research demonstrated how artstream’s unique formal characteristics, including its blend of realism and modernism, self-reflection, and emphasis on internal conflicts, have contributed to enriching Kazakhstan’s cinematic language and strengthening its position in international cinema.

Alash-Orda is the name of the government (People’s Council) of the national-territorial autonomy formed in December 1917 on the territory of modern Kazakhstan. This study investigates the ideas of the Alash-Orda movement through the analysis and interpretation of literary translations of fables from Russian into Kazakh. The main national ideas embedded in these translations were examined using contextual analysis and comparative methods. Key ideas of the Alash intellectuals included the separation of religious and state institutions, autonomy within Kazakh unity, equality for all regardless of origin, religion, or gender, and the right to free education in the native Kazakh language. The analysis of literary translations revealed the following ideas: self-determination of the nation, ridiculing the totalitarian regime, condemning force, and enlightening society through science and art. This work can contribute to improving technical capabilities in translated texts and developing new translation strategies.

The article studies the changes in contemporary art practices within the framework of metamodernism, which combines modernism and postmodernism while introducing new sensibilities shaped by digital technologies and the Internet era. The aim of the study is to explore how metamodern sensibilities rethink audiovisual art practices, emphasizing the interaction between technology, culture, and human perception. The research draws on several methods, including comparative historical analysis, systemic typology, semiotics, hermeneutics, and an anthropological approach. This allows for an in-depth exploration of art practices across various media, including film, music, and sound art. Case studies, including Ariel Guzikʼs and Jana Winderenʼs experimental sound works and the net art project Pandemic Media Space, demonstrate how metamodern sensibility fosters new artistic engagement, blending digital and natural elements, promoting participatory culture, and decentralizing authorship. It was concluded that metamodernism deeply transforms contemporary art, dissolving boundaries between real and virtual, artist and audience, technology and nature. It promotes a multifaceted, polyphonic approach to art that reflects the complex sensibilities of the Internet era, encouraging new modes of self-expression and cultural understanding.

This article presents an intertextual analysis of the origins of the flâneur , tracing his literary evolution from early nineteenth-century attestations to Baudelaire’s Le Peintre de la vie moderne (1863). From the outset, this figure has embodied ambivalence and complexity, shaped by textual and cultural interactions. Through a philological approach, this study explores the historical transformations of the flâneur , focusing on four defining aspects: (1) his emergence alongside the industrial metropolis; (2) his evolution into the figure of the detective; (3) the dissolution of the self into the crowd; and (4) a new aesthetic that celebrates the fleeting, ephemeral beauty of modernity. A crucial moment in this analysis is the dialogue between French “panoramic literature” and Anglophone urban narratives, particularly Baudelaire’s translation of Poe’s The Man of the Crowd ( Nouvelles histoires extraordinaires , 1857). This engagement reshaped the flâneur ’s identity, evolving from a privileged observer of modernity to an increasingly critical figure attuned to its contradictions and darker facets. Rather than a static archetype, the flâneur remains fluid and evolving, ensuring his persistence in modern critical discourse. This study underscores his role not only as an interpreter of modernity but also as a creator of meaning, shaping urban experience and artistic representation.

This study investigates the extent to which Kyrgyz media influence public perceptions of ethno-cultural diversity and contribute to either tolerance or conflict. It identifies a significant correlation between media narratives and societal attitudes, demonstrating that the language, tone, and framing of media coverage can both foster inter-ethnic harmony and amplify social tensions. The methodology includes content analysis of materials from various media, such as television, online resources, and other media, from January to August 2024. The focus is on inter-ethnic relations, representations of ethnic groups, language and rhetoric of publications, and audience reactions. The study determined that the Kyrgyz media is dominated by materials aimed at supporting cultural diversity and inter-ethnic interaction, but there are also negative publications focusing on conflicts and migrant problems. Most of the positive materials focused on covering cultural events and ethnographic expeditions. A significant difference in content and influence between online media and television was noted: television is more inclined to neutral and positive coverage, while online media are more likely to focus on problems and conflicts. The study confirms the importance of the media in shaping public perceptions of ethnic and cultural diversity and emphasises the need to support positive and neutral materials that promote inter-ethnic tolerance in Kyrgyzstan.

This study investigated the use of persuasive strategies in argumentative academic writing by Arabic–English bilingual English as a foreign language (EFL) learners in their second language (English, L2), compared to their first language (Arabic, L1) and English L1 writing by native speakers of English. This tripartite comparison between bilinguals’ L1 and L2 writing and English native speakers’ writing is a key contribution of the study since it allows us to consider how persuasion is employed in the participants’ L2 in light of two baselines of comparisons. To this end, 60 Saudi undergraduates wrote argumentative paragraphs in English and Arabic, and these paragraphs were compared against one another and also against English argumentative paragraphs by American undergraduates for the use of persuasive strategies. The findings revealed statistically significant differences in the use of persuasive strategies across the three groups of paragraphs. While the EFL learners tended to employ logos and pathos strategies more frequently in their L1 and L2 writing than English Native Speakers (NS), the NS, in turn, produced significantly more ethos strategies than the EFL learners. The differences were most noted in the use of logos strategies involving logical reasoning, pathos strategies – such as evaluative expressions and fostering collegiality – and ethos strategies, including demonstrating involvement, sharing personal perspectives, and modulating commitment to claims and community use. In addition, the results showed that increased English language proficiency had a limited effect on the use of persuasive strategies by EFL learners in their English writing.

This study explores how Emirati Arabic speakers refuse requests, with a special focus on how men and women differ in refusal strategy use. While researchers have studied refusal strategies in different Arabic dialects, there has been little investigation into Emirati Arabic – a dialect shaped by Gulf Arab traditions, trade interactions, and religious influences. This study aims to fill that gap by analysing the specific linguistic and cultural factors that shape refusals in Emirati Arabic. To achieve this, the study employs a mixed-methods approach, combining both quantitative and qualitative analyses. Data were gathered through a written discourse completion task, which presented participants with eight real-life refusal scenarios involving various interlocutors. The refusal strategies were classified using Beebe et al.’s (1990). John Benjamin Publishing Company) framework, which categorises refusals as direct, indirect, or adjunct strategies. The results showed that indirect refusal strategies were the most common, followed by direct refusals and adjunct strategies. Among the major strategies, the findings indicated variegated use of sub-strategies based on gender and situation. Female participants were more likely to suggest alternatives or make promises, while male participants were more inclined to assert principles, avoid confrontation, or discourage the request, indicating a more direct approach. Situational variations also played a role. The highest number of refusals occurred in response to wedding and dinner invitations, emphasizing the cultural importance of such gatherings. Meanwhile, refusals to requests from mothers showed the lowest use of direct strategies, underscoring the significance of familial respect and obligation in Emirati culture. This study includes practical implications for cross-cultural communication, language education, and sociolinguistic research on Arabic dialects.

This article explores the identities that emerge and the processes through which these identities are shaped within the K-drama fan subculture, focusing specifically on the practices of urban Indonesian women on social media platforms, such as Facebook and WhatsApp. This research employs an ethnographic approach adapted to online environments, focusing on the female fandom groups “ Drama Mama ” on Facebook and “ Mamak Ngedrakor” on WhatsApp. The findings reveal that urban Indonesian women intentionally distance themselves from being labeled as typical fangirls within Hallyu fandoms. Their integration of social media into daily life, coupled with a strong interest in K-drama, educational backgrounds, social class, professional roles, and experience as family empowerment activists, contributes to the formation of a unique K-drama fan identity. This identity is further shaped by their proficiency in using digital media and their engagement in fan practices and collaborative actions within these subcultures, resulting in the emergence of what can be termed an “empowered female K-drama fan” identity. This study advances the understanding of fandom identity, particularly within female fandoms in which members predominantly serve as homemakers in urban settings.

This study investigates the linguistic errors and mistranslation of bottom-up public signs (BUPSs) in a tourist area in the southern region of Saudi Arabia, namely Abha. It specifically aims to identify the types of linguistic errors and inaccurate translations found in the static BUPSs. It also examines the underlying causes behind these errors and proposes remedial strategies that could minimize them. A conceptual framework was developed based on linguistic landscape and interlanguage analysis. A qualitative research design was utilized, which involved ethnographic walks at the research site and semi-structured interviews with translators and linguists. Thematic analysis was employed to achieve the research objectives. The findings showed morphological, syntactical, semantic, pragmatic, and contextual/discourse-related errors. Furthermore, transliteration and inaccurate translation were widely used. These errors were primarily traced back to several factors, including machine translation, the incompetence of sign producers, carelessness among the signs’ producers and business owners, and a lack of awareness of cultural differences. Effective and remedial strategies were proposed for stakeholders to minimize these distractors, including hiring qualified translators and professional linguists, minimizing overreliance on machine translation, activating official regulations for sign production, and reviewing the signs before circulation. Further research is recommended on ideological and linguistic choices in tourist areas. This study adds pragmatic and discourse-related errors to the list of errors displayed on public signs.

This study advances the methodological analysis of religious expression in Arabic by introducing a mixed methods framework for investigating the pragmatic functions of the phrase /ʔallaːh yaʕtiːk ʔilʕaːfje/(“may God grant you good health”) in Jordanian Spoken Arabic. By integrating both parametric and non-parametric statistical analyses, the research identifies and ranks the pragmatic functions of this religious marker across the sample and compares the accuracy of these analytical approaches, offering new statistical validations for the field. A central contribution of this work lies in its detailed examination of demographic and contextual factors in shaping the acceptability (ranking) of pragmatic functions. The findings demonstrate that while age influences acceptability, gender does not, and that contextual variables (physical setting, relationship dynamics, and formality levels) are pivotal in determining how religious expressions are perceived and used in everyday interactions. The study advances the methodological landscape of pragmatics and introduces statistical validations that would benefit future research. Limitations include the need for natural linguistic corpora and larger, more diverse samples.

This article seeks to examine and categorize the varied uses of the term geographical imaginaries within the broader fields of the social sciences and humanities. Like related concepts such as spatial imaginaries, geographical imaginations, and imaginative geographies, the term gained traction in the early 2000s and has grown in prominence since. Following PRISMA guidelines, this literature review is based on an analysis of 116 articles containing the phrase geographical imaginaries, retrieved from the Scopus database. The corpus was carefully screened according to eligibility criteria. Through selected excerpts and interpretative commentary, the review aims to contextualize how geographical imaginaries are employed across different studies. The findings confirm earlier assumptions that the term is often used loosely. Approximately half of the analyzed articles relied on a generic, commonsense understanding of the term. Moreover, even when a more rigorous definition – rooted in established literature and supported by clear criteria – was employed, its application was not always consistent or methodologically robust. Finally, the review identifies the diverse research contexts in which geographical imaginaries are invoked and distinguishes between different types of imaginaries based on their scope and range.

The present study offers an analytical nucleus of Joseph Conrad’s polemical novella Heart of Darkness (1899) that weaves and interweaves between Victorianism and Modernism, capturing the zeitgeist of its time. This is particularly punctuated through the way the novella’s characters epitomize Victorian notions of the collective consciousness of British imperialism, along with Conrad’s transcendental experimental style that emblematizes the rudiments of his modern narrative technique. Within this rationale, this study aims to elucidate the credibility of appropriating an interdisciplinary eclectic set of modernist-iconoclastic readings, by utilizing a postcolonial appropriation, as in Homi K. Bhabha’s theory of mimicry. More importantly, this study will propose an exploratory explication of colonial mimicry, along with its significant conceptual staples of postcolonialism; slippage, Trompe l’oeil, and the dialectical inclusionism/exclusionism, parsed with Hegel’s accentuation of master/slave dialectic. In consequence, the overarching goal of this study recapitulates that the novella is veritably timelier than ever, as its spectrum analysis still warrants a bevy of deconstructive re-readings of supremacist ideologies and colonialist/imperialist dimensions within contemporaneous contexts.

The development of contemporary Semarang batik as an expression of personal expression free from the boundaries of traditional rules is feared to threaten the existence of traditional batik. For this reason, we studied aesthetic hybridization as an approach to creating contemporary batik designs in Semarang. The research uses a qualitative approach with case study methods through observation techniques, interviews, and document studies to explore contemporary batik motifs by batik artisans in Semarang. The validity of the data was determined by triangulation of data sources and focus group discussions, which were analyzed in a descriptive-multidisciplinary manner with theories of culture, art, and creativity. The results of the study are as follows: (1) the creative exploration process of batik artisans in Semarang is carried out through the application of the concept of aesthetic hybridization that combines coastal and inland styles that produce the design of contemporary Semarang batik motifs; (2) the embodiment of Semarang batik works combines elements of traditional art identity and creative innovation based on personal expression that combines exclusive and egalitarian characteristics through aesthetic hybridization to form a new identity. This research contributes to artisans and entrepreneurs developing contemporary batik based on traditional batik aesthetic hybridization to form a new identity.

This research paper explores the causative factors of intergenerational trauma and potential pathways for community recovery from past traumatic events, particularly through the lens of collective memory, social identity, and individual memory, as depicted in Nadifa Mohamed’s novel The Fortune Men . By examining how latent conflicts within collective memory can perpetuate trauma across generations, the study highlights the significant impact on mental health and community stability. It investigates how intergenerational trauma is transferred and embedded within the memories of families and communities, proposing strategies for healing that emphasize communication, education, and reconciliation. By bringing attention to these elements, this research aims to illuminate the causes and processes of intergenerational trauma, offering therapeutic ideas that empower both survivors and their descendants to build resilience, while raising awareness about how individuals and societies can confront their histories to foster healing and rebuilding.

This article examines the autobiographical writings of Sarah Bernhardt and Fatima Rushdi as strategic acts of self-fashioning that articulate transnational modes of fin-de-siècle New Womanhood. Through a comparative analysis of Bernhardt’s Ma Double Vie and Rushdi’s memoirs, particularly Fatima Rushdi bayn al-Hubb wal-Fann , the study explores how theatrical women performers employed life writing to craft public identities that challenged prevailing gender norms. Drawing on feminist theory, autobiography studies, and performance theory, the article argues that both figures used narrative self-construction to assert artistic agency and resist patriarchal constraints. Bernhardt’s flamboyant cosmopolitanism contrasts with Rushdi’s grounded nationalism, yet both converge in their symbolic use of cross-gender theatrical roles – Hamlet and Napoleon II – as vehicles of gender transgression. Positioned within the broader framework of celebrity culture and transnational feminism, their autobiographical narratives highlight how local and global discourses of modernity, resistance, and cultural reform intersect in women’s self-representations. By examining their life writings as performative acts, the article redefines autobiography not merely as personal recollection, but as a political medium for constructing feminist selves across borders. Ultimately, the study contributes to rethinking the New Woman archetype beyond Eurocentric paradigms, emphasizing how autobiographical performance enabled women like Bernhardt and Rushdi to renegotiate womanhood on their own terms.

This article explores how the polyvalent nature of violence in Julia Ducournau’s film Titane (2021) orients viewers towards posthumanist ontologies and epistemologies. Titane follows the film’s polymorphously perverse female protagonist, Alexia, as she undergoes a physical and phenomenological transformation following a sexual encounter with a car. Drawing on Michel Foucault’s assessment of violence as the assertion of power, I examine the disarticulation – and rearticulation – of Alexia’s body as she transforms from human to cyborg. I argue that Ducournau uses violence on the mutable body to produce sites for potential liberation of the subject.

The article asks how the current Arab Anglophone fiction re-works violence to the environment as a legacy of empire, war, and displacement thus challenging the mainstream ecological discourse of presenting Arab geographies as passive, degraded, or ecologically marginal. Through close readings of A History of Water in the Middle East by Sabrina Mahfouz (2019), American War by Omar El Akkad (2017), and Salt Houses by Hala Alyan (2017) , the study shows how these writers use poetic collage, speculative dystopia, and diasporic realism as an aesthetic strategy to make ecological loss appear as historical, gendered and politically stratified. Based on postcolonial ecocriticism, the slow violence, and criticism of eco-orientalism, the article argues that these texts are not only a representation of environmental crises but theorize them by means of embodied memory, affective disruption, and literary form.