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Jacques Lecoq’s Embodied and Ecological Actor Training
No full textThis chapter argues that Jacques Lecoq’s pedagogy, which nurtures creative expression through embodied identification with the more-than-human world and operates through non-hierarchical group creation, can be understood as a form of ecological enquiry, one that functions less as a fixed technique and more as an epistemology: a living methodology. Jacques Lecoq founded his school in Paris in 1956. Over the last seventy years, it has trained over 5,000 graduates from more than 80 countries, many of whom have gone on to teach and adapt his approach across the globe. Lecoq’s pedagogy offers students a distinctive journey of creative self-discovery. Unlike mainstream theatre programmes that centre on human psychological and social relations, Lecoq’s approach is predicated on the maxim tout bouge (‘everything moves’), a philosophy that invites students to experience their human selves as an integral part of a field of lively and vibrant organic and inorganic materials, rhythms, colours, spaces, atmospheres and beings. Grounded in the authors’ experience as Lecoq-trained theatre-makers, scholars and educators, this chapter analyses key exercises from the first year of Lecoq’s training programme. These include: the neutral mask, mimed identification with non-human animals and materials, and the theatrical transposition of ethnographic research (Les Inquêtes). These practices foreground movement, play and multisensory attention and observation as ways of knowing. They unsettle entrenched binaries such as nature/culture, self/other, human/non-human, and foster an ontological shift through which students come to experience themselves as part of an interdependent ecology. While acknowledging Lecoq’s origins in a European master-teacher tradition, this chapter explores how his methods are being re-imagined in a range of global contexts. Drawing on examples from Canada, Chile, France, South Africa and the United Kingdom, we show how Lecoq’s pedagogy is being adapted to address urgent environmental, social and cultural questions. Often, this work takes place in site-responsive and community-based settings, well beyond the walls of conventional theatre spaces. In a theatrical landscape no longer confined to the proscenium arch or ‘black box’ theatre, and in a world marked by environmental uncertainty and social precarity, we suggest that actor training must now prepare performers not only to represent, but to performatively engage with: systems, spaces, one another, and the living world around them. Read through an ecological lens, Lecoq’s pedagogy offers a compelling relational, responsive and embodied foundation for this shift.<br/
Desmond Jones (1937–2024)
No full textAn obituary for the British mime teacher and performer, Desmond Jones, a seminal figure in the history of mime and physical theatre in the UK
Diagnosing Prolonged Grief Disorder:Cultural Challenges to the DSM-5-TR Criteria
No full textProlonged grief disorder (PGD) was added to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5-TR) in 2022. It proposed that after persisting in an acute manner for more than a year, grief becomes pathological. This article explores cultural challenges to the application of the DSM-5-TR in diagnosing PGD and discusses culturally sensitive approaches to addressing grief pathology. We have identified three key dimensions that present cultural challenges to the PGD diagnosis: duration of mourning, intensity of emotions, and anomalous cognitions. While the DSM-5-TR clarifies that PGD symptoms must exceed contextual norms (Criterion E), here we critically assess the relevance and limitations of PGD from a cultural perspective and discuss the role rituals and traditional healing might play in grief interventions.</p
Supportive self-management in postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS):A systematic review
No full textAim: This systematic review aimed to identify components of supportive self-management for postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome and critically appraise the evidence base. Design: Systematic review Data Sources: EMBASE, MEDLINE, CINHAL and charity databases, trial registries and grey literature were searched until December 14th, 2023.Review Methods: The PRISMA guidelines were followed for the search strategy. Data were mapped to the Practical Reviews in Self-management Support taxonomy components and the Middle Range Theory of Self-Care in Chronic Illness. Synthesis and analysis followed guidance on reporting without meta-analysis with summary tables, a logic model, harvest plot, and narrative synthesis.Results: 36 studies were included. Components of supportive self-management were found in 1) lifestyle advice, 2) provision of equipment, and 3) support with adherence. No studies were found on 1) education, 2) psychological well-being, 3) communication needs with health professionals and social support networks, 4) reliable sources of information, 5) training for practical self-management, or clinical action plans, and 5) social support. Studies efficacy’ was hampered by poor research designs, short studies of one day duration, and appropriateness of outcome measures. Conclusions: Significant gaps were identified requiring further research 1) self-care monitoring activities 2) self-care management activities, 3) provision of education, information and resources 4) addressing psychological well-being and 5) addressing social support. A specific gap exists in the POTS evidence base in nurse led interventionsImpact: This review evaluates supportive self-management components and identifies key issues with the current evidence base that require addressing to improve and inform the support needs and services of this often disabling, and predominantly female condition. This review is a novel integration of the taxonomy and theory.Patient and Public Contribution: Findings were discussed with a postural tachycardia syndrome advisory group, providing important insights into key issues with the studies validity, reliability and generalisability from their perspectives
An intelligent GUI for machine learning-based prediction of SFRC compressive strength under high strain rates
No full textThis study presents a novel approach consisting of integrating experimental mechanics and machine learning (ML) to predict the dynamic compressive strength of plain and steel fibre reinforced concrete (SFRC) under high strain rates. It addresses key challenges of conventional Hopkinson bar experiments, including high costs, limited accessibility to specialized equipment, and difficulties in replicating extreme conditions. A comprehensive database of 157 experimental datasets was compiled to develop robust predictive models, including random forest, gradient boosting (GB), extreme gradient boosting, and categorical boosting. Among these, GB demonstrated the highest predictive accuracy, emphasizing the dominant influence of strain rate. A key contribution of this study is the development of a user-friendly graphical user interface, which transforms these ML models into a practical tool for researchers and civil engineers, enabling cost-effective and time-efficient estimation of SFRC’s compressive strength under dynamic loading. This work highlights the transformative potential of ML-driven approaches in civil engineering, offering innovative solutions to long-standing experimental challenges
Could AI technologies be harnessed to break down barriers to inclusivity for women entrepreneurship in tourism?
Full text linkDespite growing scholarly attention to artificial intelligence (AI) and gender-related challenges in tourism research, a void exists in how the responsible AI could be harnessed to enhance women’s inclusivity in tourism entrepreneurship. Drawing on Rawls’ theory of justice, this study aims to fill this glaring gap by exploring whether and how AI could contribute to fostering a more equitable, inclusive and ethically responsible entrepreneurial ecosystem for women, help break down existing barriers, and thus, support women’s entrepreneurial endeavors in the tourism sector. Based on qualitative data collected from semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions with elite informants, the study highlights significant positive externalities of AI technologies adoption, beyond the generally recognized benefits in customer engagement and personalized offerings, efficiency, and overall performance, to help female entrepreneurs in particular deal with work-life balance predicaments, unanimously considered the most significant barrier to inclusivity. The findings also emphasize how responsible AI design, adoption and governance can help deal with prevalent ethical concerns of AI in tourism, namely, bias, lack of transparency, fairness and privacy, the absence of a human-centered approach, and accountability. The latter two, alongside gender biases, emerge as the ‘most sensitive ethical parameters’ for women’s inclusivity in tourism entrepreneurship. By integrating Rawls’ perspective the study offers a novel analytical lens for understanding how responsible AI can foster a more just and equitable entrepreneurial ecosystem for women in tourism, and for evaluating attendant strategies contributing to sustainable and inclusive growth. Important theoretical contributions and actionable managerial implications flow from the findings
Online Marketing Tools and Students’ Career Decision Processes: Managerial Insights from Iraqi Higher Education
Full text linkThis study explores how digital and traditional marketing tools influence higher education students’ career decision-making, satisfaction, and career commitment during students’ educational trajectories in Iraq’s rapidly expanding university sector. Using an explanatory sequential mixed-methods design, a survey of 622 students was analysed with partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM), followed by 24 semi-structured interviews with marketing and recruitment professionals. The quantitative findings show thatstudents’ first-choice preferences, demographic factors, and engagement with LinkedIn, WeChat, blogs, and university webpages significantly shaped their career choices and satisfaction levels. Qualitative insights reveal that authenticity, transparent communication, and alignment between institutional messaging and lived experiences were key to sustaining trust. Traditional channels such as brochures and fairs remained important for credibility, supporting a hybrid marketing approach. The study contributes to management theory and practice in universities by linking digital communication strategies to student engagement and institutional performance. It also highlights the need for inclusive, transparent, and culturally adaptive marketing that reflects local and global contexts. These findings provide actionable guidance for higher education administrators seeking to build sustainable student trust, enhance recruitment effectiveness, and strengthen institutional reputation in competitive and resource-constrained systems
Deadline-Aware, Energy-Efficient Control of Domestic Immersion Hot Water Heater
No full textTypical domestic Immersion water heater systems are always turned on during the winter, it heats quickly rather than efficiently and ignores predictable demand windows and ambient losses. We study deadline-aware control, where the aim is to reach a target temperature at a specified time while minimising energy. We introduce an efficient Gymnasium environment that models an immersion hot-water heater with first-order thermal losses and discrete on and off actions W applied every 120 s. Methods include a time-optimal bang-bang baseline, a zero-shot Monte Carlo Tree Search planner, and a Proximal Policy Optimization policy. We report total energy (Wh) under identical physics. Across sweeps of initial temperature (10–30 °C), deadline (30–90 steps), and target temperature (40–80 °C), PPO achieves the most energy-efficient performance at a 60-step horizon (2 h) it uses 3.23 kWh, versus bang-bang’s 4.37–10.45 kWh and MCTS’s 4.18–6.46 kWh, yielding savings of 26\% at 30 steps and 69\% at 90 steps. In a representative trajectory (50 kg, 20 °C ambient, 60 °C target), PPO consumes 54\% less energy than bang-bang and 33\% less than MCTS. These results show that learned, deadline-aware control reduces energy under identical physics where planners provide partial savings without training, while policies offer near-zero-cost inference once trained
Ear Haptics:A Preliminary Suitability Study of a Novel Auricular Haptic Human-Machine Interface
No full textObjective: Following both software and hardware development, this study presents the development of the EarPi system – a new haptic human-machine interface (HMI) that produces vibrotactile feedback at four ear locations of the auricle. This paper details the development of all system components and presents key findings from a preliminary semi-structured interview, providing insight into both user attitudes towards ear-based haptics and initial impressions of the experimental prototype. Method: The HMI has been designed using Fusion 360 and 3D printed using an UltiMaker Method X. This paper outlines the development from concept design and 3D modelling to manufacturing, software development, and electronic component integration. All software, hardware, and methods employed are presented to provide insight for future research and development. The study involved 26 participants answering two sets of semi-structured interview questions separated by a familiarisation task. Interview answers were synthesised and coded to find key themes. A theme was included as a significant result if the frequency among participants was at least 10%. As there were 26 participants, a frequency of 3 was selected to be counted as a key theme. Results: Familiarity with haptics, openness to the technology, perceived usefulness, and excitement for future development was high among participants. Participants were divided on the comfort level and texture of the earpiece but did not see the weight and aesthetics as a problem. Work must be done to improve the design of the earpiece clip and centre column. Various other improvements, such as adding rubber, smoothing out the surface, making the sizing adjustable and improving the way it attaches to the ear emerged as primary problem points. Conclusions: A fully functioning HMI prototype has been successfully developed following an iterative design process. Preliminary interviews show a high level of acceptance towards the use of ear-based haptic HMIs, while highlighting the importance of developing bespoke devices tailored to the specific needs and physiology of each individual. Clear design improvements emerged and will be taken forth into future design iterations.</p
Suprapto Suryodarmo and my quest for Ke-Jawa-an
No full textDuring my interaction with Suprapto Suryodarmo between 2013 and 2019, as a researcher and as a student of Amerta Movement, I became curious about what it is to be ‘Javanese’. The term ‘Ke-Jawa-an’ in Bahasa Indonesia is a translation of the term ‘Javaneseness’ in English. Ke-Jawa-an (‘Javaneseness’) is closely related to ‘kejawen’ the Indigenous religious practices and beliefs of the Javanese people. In my quest, I learned about the Javanese as conceived through the studies by foreign scholars, such as Thomas Raffles, Denys Lombard and Clifford Geertz. Searching for my own understanding, I approach Suryodarmo as my Javanese interlocutor. Through Amerta Movement, his meditative movement art, his work opens a dialogue between Java and the rest of the world, with Javaneseness no longer confined within a particular time and space. This article is my personal reflection as a Javanese social researcher in dialogue with Suprapto Suryodarmo and his movement approach