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The Failure of Commons? The Obscure Beijing Mushrooms & the Mycelial Networks of Transformation in Everyday Life
No full textAgainst a backdrop of state-orchestrated calls for commoning, this article examines how a curatorial project – Beijing Mushroom – sprouted out of daily encounters between the non-living mushroom-looking objects and the ordinary residents has generated fungal-like contamination that spreads and triggers affective interconnections for citizens to engage with and reflect on the discursive practices of commoning in urban living environments. The analysis draws on ethnographic research that combines observations and interviews with local residents and project curators conducted in 2023, media materials, and the curatorial report. This article argues that dissensus with state-sanctioned commoning parallels fungal movement – surviving, growing, and thriving in hidden and often poor conditions – in interconnected mycelial networks. These mushrooms become what Despret (2013) called “companion-agents”, inciting actions that connect ordinary people in invisible rhizomatic networks; together they engender collaborative efforts and alternative possibilities in questioning and practising how to claim and sustain the commons
We Dream You Up: Psychedelic Provocations to the Synthetic Sacred
No full textThis interdisciplinary research paper recombines Indigenous knowledges, postcolonial and new materialist theory, as well as fictional vignettes and drawings, to critically examine the biological synthesis of psilocybin through yeast. Against the backdrop of the “psychedelic renaissance” and consensus in the synthetic biology industry that generally, edited genes are “beyond containment”, the study addresses emergent ethical, cultural, and ecological implications of this nascent technology. The article charts potential ramifications of synthetic fungi on the intertwined relationships among space, time, and matter. Speculative narratives serve as conduits for exploring the multifaceted dimensions of non-human/human relationships and engage postcolonial perspectives on the commodification of beings traditionally embedded in Indigenous cultural practices. New materialist perspectives also inform discussion of matter’s agency and its entanglements with human interventions. This research contributes to ongoing onto-epistemological and psychedelic discourses, posing critical provocations to the ethical boundaries of synthetic biology frontiers, encouraging nuanced approaches to this new field
Sparring with Femininity: An Urban Ethnography of a Youth MMA Sport-for-Development Program
No full textThis ethnography explores how a group of adolescents—predominantly girls—negotiated a sport-for-development program centred on the traditionally masculine pastime of mixed martial arts (MMA). The ethnographic setting was a youth centre in central Montréal that provides free after-school programming for youths aged 11 to 18 years. Our analysis yielded three prominent themes: 1) ‘girls don’t do MMA,’ in which we discovered how young female pugilists actively challenged residual stereotypes that cast them as ‘too soft’ to play violent sports such as MMA; 2) ‘a mixed bag of martial artists,’ in which we learned how local youths conceived MMA as a vehicle for supporting innovative agendas that extended well-beyond the sport of MMA; and 3) the ‘racialization of self-defence,’ in which we witnessed how self-defence against complex social realities (profiling and marginalization) experienced by many non-white youths in the area were integrated into the teachings of the MMA program. Collectively, these themes raise important questions about the socially significant role(s) that MMA plays in the lives of local youths with respect to their race, class, and gendered identities
Profiling the Esports Bettor: Evidence from a Sample of European Video Game Consumers
No full textWhile esports betting is becoming a big business worldwide, scientific studies primarily focus on an Anglo-Saxon perspective to understand the phenomenon and its users. In this cross-sectional online survey study, we therefore investigated the esports betting profile and motivations of Dutch-speaking, European adults playing or watching video games. We conceptually replicated the American esports bettor profile to the study of Abarbanel, Macey, Hamari, and Melton (2020) in a European context, assessed the robustness of our replication with gambling-behavioral variables, and used an adapted version of the Modified Gambling Motivations Scale to unravel EU-esports bettors’ most salient betting motives. Our results reveal that the America-oriented esports bettor profile cannot be replicated in our European sample, making us question whether socio-demographics, such as gender and age, and gameplay-related variables such as video gaming frequency are robust correlates of esports betting participation. Instead, these findings suggest that involvement in esports spectatorship and the breadth and depth of participation in other gambling activities deliver the most accurate predictions, and that esports bettors are mostly driven by intrinsically- and extrinsically-oriented motives such as excitement, intellectual challenge, and monetary gain. This study may form a starting point for future research into the measurement, targeting, and regulation of esports, and gambling-related ‘at risk’ behaviors and audiences, within the European Union
Nigerian eSports and Video Gaming as the Next Economic Frontier: Market Efficiency, Restraints and Opportunities
No full textAs the internet and digital tools become more accessible, video gaming enthusiasts are emerging worldwide. Esports refers to video game competitions involving professional players using acquired skills to win. Nigeria generated an estimated 46.5 million gamers in 2021. This study uses mixed methods to explore the Nigerian esports landscape and the factors that limit its growth. 390 young Nigerian gamers responded to surveys, and four esports entrepreneurs were interviewed. Through the uses, gratifications, and media economics theories, the findings revealed that young Nigerians are participating and earning a living from video gaming across virtual and physical arenas in Nigeria. Other young Nigerians are enthusiastic about esports; however, the industry requires an infrastructural, policy, technical and visibility drive towards actualization. I recommend that actionable steps should go beyond immediate revenue generation by also deepening the development of esports in Nigeria towards sustainable socioeconomic development
Effects of Coaching Behaviors and Differences in Sport Injury Anxiety Among Cheerleaders
No full textThe athleticism required in cheerleading has increased dramatically, yet the amount of training cheerleading coaches receive varies considerably. With the skill complexity increasing, one can speculate that sport injury anxiety would be present. Sport injury anxiety is a sport-specific anxiety that focuses on athletes’ apprehensions about sustaining an injury while participating in their sport. Specifically, a cheerleader’s perception of their coach’s behavior may influence their sport injury anxiety. The current study examined coaching behavior as a predictor of sport injury anxiety as well as differences in sport injury anxiety between sex, stunt position, and team type in cheerleaders. Participants included all-girl and coed collegiate teams and all-star teams. Participants completed an online survey consisting of the Leadership Scale for Sport and the Sport Injury Anxiety Scale. Results indicated the coach’s level of training and instruction was able to predict anxiety related to experiencing pain. Female cheerleaders had higher levels of anxiety related to being perceived as weak, experiencing pain, and having an impaired self-image compared to males. All-girl collegiate members had higher levels of anxiety related to losing athleticism, being perceived as weak, and experiencing pain. Coaches should be educated to help reduce sport injury anxiety especially in female cheerleaders
Block Time Lesson Planning in Managing Teachers’ Workload
No full textThe purpose of this action research was to study the potential of block time lesson planning (BTLP) as a viable alternative to detailed daily lesson planning in managing teachers’ workloads. The study delved into primary responsibilities of a teacher such as resourcing lessons, carrying out assessments and daily lesson planning as workloads. A combination of qualitative and quantitative methods was carried out with 40 teachers of Dagapela Middle Secondary School, in Dagana district of Bhutan. Quantitative data was gathered through online survey questionnaires while qualitative data was obtained through semi-structured interviews and participant observations. Results demonstrate that BTLP addressed teachers’ workload by creating time to resourcing lessons with teaching learning materials (TLM) and for assessment of student works. We conclude that the BTLP as an alternative to detailed daily lesson planning can help in managing teachers’ workload while creating time to concentrate on teaching learning materials (TLM) and assessment routines.
Shifting From Content Based Approach to Skills Based Approach: Impact Study Research Report on the One Child Seven Skills Program
No full textEducation in Bhutan aims to provide holistic education focused on developing Head, Hand and Heart aspects of human development. Currently, the school programs are mainly focused on head development with a heavy emphasis on cognitive skills and testing. To help students maximise their individual potential, schools in one area (n=18) implemented an intervention program called, “One Child Seven Skills” to provide each student opportunity to learn at least seven skills. Through written interviews with key stakeholders from a primary school (teachers=5 & students=50), and a high school (teachers=14 & students=217), this study examines perceptions of the effectiveness of the intervention program. The findings revealed that the program helped students develop multiple skills, realize their innate potential, enhance self-confidence, and prepare for an uncertain future. The study suggests that adopting “One Child Seven Skills” program could be a much-needed alternative to the prevailing exam driven education in Bhutan
Une poétique du « discours des tricots » : l’écriture du quotidien chez Marie Cardinal
No full textThis article proposes a cross-analysis of the correspondence of Franco-Canadian writer Marie Cardinal (1928-2001) and the novel La clé sur la porte(1972) in connection with the theme of the “discours des tricots". By combining the critical tools of gender and literary genetics, I will show how the author\u27s embrace of a taboo, marginal and banal discourse tinges her creative process with a strong subversive dimension. Thus, we will understand how this poetic choice engages Cardinal in a process of distancing himself on the one hand, and on the other hand, with regard to the issues of reception, in what way this discourse implies a global deconstruction of the feminine and so-called “écriture féminine.”Il s’agira dans cet article de proposer une analyse croisée de la correspondance de l’écrivaine franco-canadienne Marie Cardinal (1928-2001) et du roman La clé sur la porte (1972) en lien avec la thématique du « discours des tricots ». En croisant les outils critiques du genre (gender) et de la génétique littéraire, je montrerai en quoi la prise en charge par l’autrice d’un discours tabou, marginal et banal, teinte son processus créatif d’une dimension subversive forte. Ainsi, nous comprendrons comment ce choix poétique engage Cardinal dans une démarche de mise à distance de soi d’une part, et d’autre part, vis-à-vis des enjeux de réception, de quelle manière ce discours implique une déconstruction globale du féminin et de la littérature dite féminine
Rouleau de textes / Textrolle
No full textVingt ans de textes manuscrits (2004-2024)
Objet, support d’information – support potentiel
Processus de pensée enregistré chronologiquemen