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Key to the Kingdom: Variation as a Key to Understanding the Arabic Gospel Manuscripts
No full textThis paper takes a fresh approach to the study of the Arabic Gospel manuscripts. Although considerable success has been achieved at mapping out macro-families, there are still large lacunae in our knowledge of the Arabic Gospels as well as of the linguistic and scribal cultures that produced them. Arabic Gospel manuscripts notoriously vary at every level, and much of the variation is idiosyncratic. In previous work, this variation has by and large been considered background noise to be filtered out. In this paper, I study variation in the lexical, grammatical, and orthographic domains in the Gospel of Matthew as attested in twenty-two manuscripts belonging to multiple manuscript families. I use a Principal Component Analysis (PCA) to detect possible patterns in the variation. At each level, the variation is patterned in ways that contribute to our understanding of the manuscripts and their production. Most significantly, I argue that grammatical variation is not random, as previously assumed, and that several distinct grammatical traditions are detectable. I thus show that far from being an obstacle to the study of the Arabic Gospels, variation is in fact key to fully understanding them
Corruption & Healthcare in Africa: A Comparative Assessment of the Effect of Paying of Bribe on Access to Medical Care and the Quality of Healthcare in Africa
No full textThe primary purpose of the present study is to examine the predictors of access to medical care and the quality of healthcare in Africa. Specifically, assessing the effect of corruption – paying bribes and other factors on access to medical care and the quality of healthcare on the continent. Responses from 45,823 respondents from 34 countries across the continent were analyzed using ordinary least squares regression. The results reveal that corruption influences both access to medical care and the quality of healthcare on the continent. Additionally, several sociodemographic variables such as religion, age, region, rural-urban residency, gender, and others influence access to medical care and the quality of healthcare in Africa. Theoretically, the present study fills a void and augments the existing literature. Policy-wise, the results serve as a guide to formulating and implementing realistic measures to address healthcare corruption and its negative impact on access to medical care and the quality of healthcare on the continent
An Adaptable Approach to Expanding our Knowledge of Medical Interpreter Experiences
No full textMedical interpreters represent a valuable resource for positively affecting the health of populations with limited English proficiency. Global Wordsmiths, a social enterprise based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, explored the experiences and needs of their medical interpreters using a survey adapted from a variety of qualified sources in health care quality improvement, health literacy, and needs assessments of populations with limited English proficiency. Participant voices suggest the presence of multiple roles of medical interpreters beyond word for word translation as well as lack of adequate training and psychosocial support among the profession. The presence of multiple roles outside their defined job responsibilities and need for more psychosocial support hinders medical interpreters’ ability to positively affect health care access, quality, and outcomes among populations with limited English proficiency. As such, we identify a vital need for health literacy research and practice to further investigate medical interpreters’ experiences. 
Changes for a Better Health and a Better Nation: Policy Reforms in Spain Based on the Catalonian HiAP Model
No full textSince decentralization of Spanish government, questions have remained as to developing policy that effectively impacts both regional and national population. Spain has developed an efficient socialized healthcare program. Due to the decentralization process, however, certain regions of Spain have developed far more advanced policy mechanisms. In particular, Catalonia steps outside the traditional rolls of government oversight to forecast visionary policy and policy-making techniques. Amidst the tug of war between willingness and resistance to implement healthcare policies that have a dedicated impact on improving the population health and healthcare, Catalonia employs original thinking and innovation in policy using the Health in All Policies (HiAP) model to create comprehensive strategies. By integrating health into every policy put forth, Catalonia ensures decision-making that prioritizes citizen health first and foremost. When all shareholders are on the same plane, better conversations can be facilitated to better avoid potential issues. Health, as this policy paper explains, is aspect of life that interweaves all other socioeconomic factors. Policy changes must be introduced to improve communication and coordination amongst regions and on a national level, thereby introducing horizontal, collaborative partnerships. The accountability that exists as a main tenet of HiAP limits the presence of the free rider issue in government at all levels. This paper demonstrates the needed nuanced conversations that compel policy-makers to work together to further advance effective efficiency in socialized medicine
Are Veggies and Fruits Always Good for You? An Analysis of Biblical Produce in the Book of Genesis
Get PDFThe Book of Genesis is a timeless account of the lives of various families and individuals and their complex relationships with God. Among the common threads that run through the different narratives, food emerges as a powerful symbol of the struggles and choices the characters face at that time. While many biblical figures succumb to the physical temptations of food, leading to their separation from the Divine, Abraham manages to elevate the everyday necessity into a spiritual and genuine experience. In contrast to Adam, Eve, and Esau, who distance themselves from their communities after indulging in their alluring snacks, Abraham prepares a meal to bring people together and ensure their well-being through his hospitable and inclusive approach. In the broader context of these stories, food becomes a powerful cipher for choice, where decisions about what to eat and when to indulge carry lasting consequences not only for individuals, but for the future of entire nations as well.
Enhanced Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT-E) as an Intervention for BIPOC Adolescent Girls with Eating Disorders
No full textEating disorders (ED) have some of the highest mortality rates of any mental health condition due to medical complications and high rates of suicidality. Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) adolescent girls and women are at especially high risk for developing EDs, which can have numerous negative mental and physical health consequences. Enhanced Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT-E) is a transdiagnostic cognitive behavioral treatment for EDs that, although originally designed to work with adults, has been shown to be effective with adolescents. Despite CBT-E’s proven efficacy across age populations, there is limited research on its effectiveness with BIPOC individuals. We argue that with culturally informed, competent, and sensitive clinicians, CBT-E can be used to treat underdiagnosed and undertreated BIPOC adolescent girls, whose EDs have been unjustly overlooked
Where Were the Social Workers? A Historical Overview of the Social Work Profession’s Complicity in the Family Policing System
No full textIn recent years, segments of the social work profession have highlighted the ways that social workers are complicit with carceral systems, including the foster care system. Following the advocacy of impacted families and communities, social workers have increasingly called for re-examination of standard social work practices such as mandated reporting. This paper seeks to strengthen historical understanding of the social work profession’s complicity in the creation of the modern family policing system, commonly known as the child welfare system. In particular, this paper explores the impacts of the anti-communist movements on social work advocacy and practice during crucial periods of racial and economic reckoning, with an emphasis on the profession’s complicity with the 1960s-era criminalization of the Black family structure
Can TBLT Be a Remedy for EFL Writing Anxiety? Towards Better-Quality Writing Output
Get PDFThis exploratory practice study addresses the puzzle of EFL writing anxiety experienced by pre-service teachers. To decipher the puzzle, probe its likely causes, and propose solutions, we conducted an exploratory study with a group of 37 first-year, preservice teachers at the Higher Institute of Human Sciences of Medenine (HIHSM), Tunisia, using a task-based language teaching (TBLT) approach as a potential remedy for the puzzle. Data were gathered via (a) a student needs analysis on the challenges encountered while doing writing assignments, (b) our reflections on the design and implementation of a TBLT lesson plan, (c) a student satisfaction survey on the TBLT experiment, and (d) students’ writing assignments. Our findings show that a TBLT-inspired writing sequence boosted students’ enthusiasm, motivation and self-confidence, lessened their anxiety, and improved their writing quality. The implementation of TBLT was, however, not without challenges. 
The Korean Zombie: Why We Won't Stop Fighting
Get PDFIn April of 2022, Chan-Sung Jung, also known as “The Korean Zombie,” became the first Korean to compete in an Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) main-event fight. After over a decade of trying to reach this point in his career, Jung finally got the chance to fight for a championship belt that he could proudly bring home to South Korea. Filled with pride and excitement, I had a live watch party on Zoom with seven of my Korean friends spread out across the world.
He lost. However, Jung survived a grueling four rounds against the best pound-for-pound fighter in the UFC, Australian Alexander Volkanovski, until he was forcefully stopped by the referee in a technical knockout (TKO). This was far better than expected. Looking at the betting odds before the fight, you would’ve wanted to bet on Jung being knocked out in the first round.
In other words, Jung was seen as an easy opponent, an easy target, even though he had proved himself a great fighter over a decade of wins. Although Jung may have lost the fight, it is the way he fought that makes him a winner to me and many other Koreans. While most fights end with the opponent on the floor via knockout or submission, the fight was stopped by the referee while Jung was still standing. He had taken many critical blows to the head but refused to go down, so the referee had to make a decision to end the fight to prevent long-term damage.
As a young Korean athlete myself, I have always looked up to Jung as someone who has met adversity with unwavering determination to prove his doubters wrong. In a combat sport that Asians aren’t “supposed” to be good at, he fought his way up simply through working harder than everybody else. I can relate to him because, at age 15, I started competing in rowing, a predominantly white sport, in a New England boarding school.
A particularly privileged and pompous teammate would outright tell me that I had no potential in the sport and should “join the soccer club team like everybody else.” Of course, the “everybody” he was referring to was other Asians that were small and frail like me. This lit a fire in me that still burns deep and has helped me to meet challenges and overcome obstacles in every aspect of my life. Just like Jung, I told myself that I would be the hardest worker in the room and never let anyone or anything stop me.
With the recent rise in violent hate crimes against Asian people, Jung defeating his opponents in a sanctioned fight is a form of defiance for not only Koreans, but also Asian people as a whole. Although Jung has never publicly expressed his opinion on the violent hate crimes against Asians in America, he breaks the stereotype of Asians being weak and docile through his fights. To me, he represents the fighting spirit of Koreans that has been passed down for generations. He shows that Asians shouldn’t be the targets of unprovoked and cowardly attacks just because people think that we won’t fight back.
Of course, the people these thugs often target are Asian women and seniors. It uncovers the pathetic and shameless nature of these attacks against the seemingly defenseless. As a college student in New York City, where Asian hate crimes are highly prevalent, I’ve learned that nowhere is truly safe for the most vulnerable Asians. On top of the countless videos I’ve seen of Asians being brutally attacked on streets and subways in broad daylight, I encounter Asians being targeted and mistreated on a nearly daily basis. The fact that I feel the need to walk my female Asian friends, who carry pepper spray in their bags, home at night enrages me and sheds light on the disheartening reality.
Win or lose, Jung gives everything he has in his mind and body to show the world that we won’t go down without a fight. In return, the Korean people give everything we have in our support for him. On the night of his fights, people gather in sports bars or in front of living room TVs with their families. Watching his fights as a community, we are unified in the feeling of representation and pride when he wraps the Korean flag around his body as he heads toward the ring.
His nickname “The Korean Zombie” perfectly sums up the spirit of Jung and the Korean people. No matter how bloodied up his face or how many times he is knocked out cold on the cage floor, he always finds a way to get back up and continue fighting. No matter how many cowardly and despicable hate crimes are committed against innocent Asians, we, too, will get back up and keep fighting.