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Indirect dialogue between Chinese Christians and Muslim Huis: on the concept of collective transcendence deeply rooted in Chinese culture
Get PDFThis thesis proposes that Chinese people transcend themselves on a collective basis, named as ‘collective transcendence’ in this thesis. This cultural transcendence is a product of Confucianism that relates individual quest for eternity to the survival of a person’s clan. The notion of collective transcendence facilitates better understanding of the phenomenon of ‘belonging but not believing’ commonly observed with Chinese people. This thesis argues that the concept of collective transcendence is deeply rooted in Chinese culture and its influence is to be found in the thoughts of Chinese theologians and in popular religion in China.
This thesis also examines the interactions of Chinese Christianity and Chinese Islam with Chinese culture, using the notion of collective transcendence as a hermeneutical lens. The influence of Chinese culture on Christianity is examined through: a) the tracing of the legacy of popular religion in Chinese converts; and b) the responses of Christian intellectuals to Chinese culture in the first half of the twentieth century. The Islamic response to Chinese culture is evidenced through the study of Muslim Hui Chinese writings, Han Kitab. Both Christian and Muslim scholars find that the notion of a personal god is lacking in Chinese culture. Thus, the manifestation of collective transcendence hinges on the survival of a person’s clan. It implies a sense of cultural superiority in Chinese culture which is likely to reject foreign religions.
Dialogue between Chinese culture and Chinese Christians on the concept of collective transcendence is compared with similar dialogue with Muslim Huis. This, in turn, facilitates a kind of ‘indirect dialogue’ between Chinese Christians and Muslim Huis regarding the concept of transcendence. This indirect dialogue suggests that the focus of contextualisation of the two religions is to find the means of crossing the religious group boundary, i.e., allowing easy accessibility for Chinese people
Kilburn Museum Lab
No full textKilburn, situated in North-West London, is a patch of land spanning three boroughs, Camden, Brent and Westminster. Kilburn has many different identities and voices. Kilburn is a welcoming neighbourhood that has evolved into a multicultural realm, where diverse identities intersect amidst a backdrop of constant change.
What gives a place its specificity is not a shared historical background but the network of social relationships and common experiences that build ‘a sense of place’. There are many different communities in Kilburn – that’s what makes Kilburn such an interesting place.
The use of the word Museum is a provocation that challenges traditional notions of institutionalised spaces. The addition of Lab suggests that museums can be participated self-determined entities that prioritize what is valuable and meaningful to their respective communities.
By documenting and celebrating the diverse narratives that shape our community, the Kilburn Museum Lab seeks to engage the community actively, fostering understanding and appreciation for our cultural, ethnic, and socioeconomic diversity, and sharing the myriads of hidden stories that contribute to shaping our collective sense of place.
The Kilburn Museum is a cultural space with a strong community focus, dedicated to positively influencing Kilburn’s social fabric. It serves as an agent for change to empower collective ownership of cultural heritage and shape future outcomes.
The museum is a work in progress, devoid of a fixed plan or plot, evolving with the collective vision of its community
The psychological dimension of living with fear of terrorism: Social identity, existential anxiety, and media influence
Get PDFThe purpose of this research was to investigate various dimensions of fear, terrorism, existentialism, and the wider societal implications of fearing terrorism, as well as examine the mechanisms influencing such fear and review existing literature. To achieve these objectives, the study recruited eight participants who are therapy patients and reside in Greater London and employed Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) as the analytical method.
The study revealed that fear of terrorism encompasses multiple dimensions, influencing individual experiences, media portrayals, and societal narratives, leading to a variety of coping mechanisms being adopted by individuals. There are many ways in which fear manifests, including feelings of entrapment and uncertainty, anger-driven responses, and a desire for security. Further, participants' narratives highlighted the significance of media in shaping fear perceptions and fostering a culture of blame and scapegoating.
This study made original contributions to the literature, particularly regarding Eurocentric and hyper-militaristic comments, which shed light on societal ideology and attitudes having a pervasive effect on fear responses. Considering novel findings regarding hyper-militaristic comments in this study, it is imperative for future research to further examine the underlying factors that contribute to such perspectives. Understanding the factors influencing fear perceptions can help develop more targeted and effective strategies for addressing terrorism-related concerns and promoting safety, well-being, and resilience
Beyond work-family conflict: work-life balance supports for employees with differing family structures
Get PDFWork-life balance can be defined in a variety of ways. The most prevalent model asserts that when an individual faces competing demands amongst roles it leads to conflict between roles. Research has focused on work-family conflict. The focus on ‘family’ has meant that research has largely focused on employees with children. A lack of UK based research has examined work-life balance experiences of those from a range of family structures. This includes perceptions of supports for work-life balance. Flexible working is one of the main supports. In the UK the right to request flexible working policy was extended in 2014 from parents and carers to all employees, so examining perceptions of fairness in relation to employees with differing family structures is particularly pertinent in light of this. Therefore, this research aimed to examine perceptions of supports for work-life balance, in particular the extension to the right to request flexible working, from the perspective of Human Resources (HR) and line managers and employees. It also explored the work-life balance experiences of employees with differing family structures, including work-personal life conflict, enrichment and boundary management. In study 1, HR managers and line managers were interviewed. They claimed they were already going beyond the right to request legislation prior to 2014 and that their workplaces were supportive. They could see benefits to the change in legislation, such as it being fairer to all employees. They also saw some barriers, such as the potential for value judgments to be made when considering requests, with employees without children possibly seen as having less legitimate reasons. In study 2, employees were interviewed. Differences in work-life balance experiences and the use of sources of support from work and outside of work were reported across employees with differing family structures. However, the vast majority recounted difficulties with work-personal life conflict and boundary management and reported guilt and self-blame for this, and few experiences of work-personal life enrichment were reported. While they felt the extension of the right to request was fair, contradictory responses suggested parents may be perceived as having a greater need. In study 3, findings from a quantitative survey showed minimal differences between employees with and without children. Work demands was a key predictor of both work-personal life conflict and personal life-work conflict. Resources, such as support and fairness perceptions were not predictors of reduced conflict. However, manager support and fairness perceptions (in terms of the availability of work-life balance supports) predicted work-personal life enrichment and being male predicted personal life-work enrichment. The results contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of work-life balance that includes the experiences of single people who live alone, and couples without children, as well as those with children. The findings have implications for managers to ensure fairness in their processes and to aid in establishing a healthy workplace culture that minimises work demands and work-personal life conflict. The implications for employees are to consider boundary management approaches which may help reduce work-personal life conflict. Future research should include an even more inclusive and diverse sample
Identifying cortical structure markers of resilience to adversity in young people using surface-based morphometry
Get PDFPrevious research on the neurobiological bases of resilience in youth has largely used categorical definitions of resilience and voxel-based morphometry methods that assess gray matter volume. However, it is important to consider brain structure more broadly as different cortical properties have distinct developmental trajectories. To address these limitations, we used surface-based morphometry and data-driven, continuous resilience scores to examine associations between resilience and cortical structure. Structural MRI data from 286 youths (Mage = 13.6 years, 51% female) who took part in the European multi-site FemNAT-CD study were pre-processed and analyzed using surface-based morphometry. Continuous resilience scores were derived for each participant based on adversity exposure and levels of psychopathology using the residual regression method. Vertex-wise analyses assessed for correlations between resilience scores and cortical thickness, surface area, gyrification and volume. Resilience scores were positively associated with right lateral occipital surface area and right superior frontal gyrification and negatively correlated with left inferior temporal surface area. Moreover, sex-by-resilience interactions were observed for gyrification in frontal and temporal regions. Our findings extend previous research by revealing that resilience is related to surface area and gyrification in frontal, occipital and temporal regions that are implicated in emotion regulation and face or object recognition
The impact of community music therapy intervention in older adults' care home communities: assessing community music therapists' views
No full textCommunity music-therapy (CMT) service evaluation in older adults’ care home communities is an important process to enhance the quality of therapists’ outputs and the development of client-centred approaches to meet the needs of residents and community. However, administrative limitations that could affect therapists’ contact time with clients may lead to the underestimation of service evaluation within the system. This study aims to explore community music therapists’ perceptions of the impact of their services in older adults’ care home communities using a qualitative approach based on semi-structured interviews. The therapists were asked to reflect on specific aspects of their community music therapy service, potential cognitive-behavioural and physiological effects of therapy, best-practices for assessment in MT and challenges experienced in this particular setting. Participants highlighted the unique value of CMT in care home communities. They demonstrated the ability to detect and assess impacts of CMT using clinical analysis methods, which can improve care plans for the residents. However, certain limitations, such as reduced hours, inadequate funding and a lack of recognition of CMT’s benefits by care home staff, were identified. Moreover, the analysis shed light on how COVID-19 impacted the CMT service in this context, emphasizing the need for adaptability and resilience in providing care. The implications of the results in an Italian community context are further analysed and discussed, stressing the importance of supporting CMT as a fundamental service in care home communities for older adults. By addressing the highlighted limitation and embracing the perspectives of community music therapists, care homes can optimize their services and enhance the well-being of their residents
AI-based malware threat prediction through CNN-SVM ensemble
Get PDFThe dynamic terrain of malware attacks presents noteworthy obstacles to cyber security, necessitating for proactive and resilient detection techniques. Conventional signature-based methods struggle to keep pace with the new malware strains and obfuscation strategies. A systematic literature review was conducted to investigate existing methods for malware threat prediction and detection using machine learning and deep learning techniques. The review identified several promising approaches: convolutional neural networks, graph neural networks, and visual malware characterization achieving 95-99% accuracy on malware classification and detection tasks. However, major gaps were identified in the models’ generalizability across diverse malware types, robustness against evasion attempts, lack of interpretability due to the black-box nature of deep learning models, and limited evaluation on real-world emerging threats as opposed to controlled datasets. This project aimed to develop an AI-based threat predictive algorithm that leverages the power of deep learning and machine learning for effective malware detection and prediction. The suggested method utilises an ensemble approach that combines a convolutional neural network (CNN) for pattern recognition in malware code structures with a support vector machine (SVM) for robust decision boundaries in the feature space, thereby enhancing generalization, interpretability and adversarial resilience. By evaluating the model on the MalImg dataset, the system achieved 92.37% accuracy. Although the developed system exhibits optimal outcomes, several areas could use more improvement. This project contributes to the ongoing efforts in combating malware threats and highlights the potential of combining deep learning and traditional machine learning techniques for effective threat prediction and detection
Overcoming obstacles in global requirements elicitation: a multicultural perspective
Get PDFNowadays, multiculturality is the norm. No country or organization is monocultural. Little previous work has been carried out specifically on how culture influences multicultural requirements elicitation. In this paper we look at the importance of culture with the aim of increasing understanding of the role of cultural differences in differences in multicultural requirements elicitation. This paper starts with a literature review demonstrating the importance of raising awareness and understanding of cultural diversity which often causes conflict and mistrust which can lead to failure of any project. The ultimate aim is the improvement of the whole systems development process as well as the resulting products and services. We present the development and validation of the Multicultural Requirements Elicitation [McRE) framework which helps prevent or at least minimize prejudice, conflicts, misunderstandings and misinterpretations arising from cultural differences. McRE is an instrument for carrying out processes, defining the purpose of these processes and the methods that must be used, as well practical suggestions for raising awareness of cultural diversity and reflecting on unconscious bias. Additionally, McRE suggests relevant training and learning. Finally, it advocates prevention and mitigation actions. The rationale and results from the validation of the framework by experts from industry and academia are presented. The validation provided strong indications that the McRE framework is both necessary and suitable for multicultural requirements elicitation in the software development process but also in other domains
A phenomenological inquiry into the experiences of men who have felt depressive symptoms while in a senior organisational leadership role
No full textThis research investigates the experiences of men who have felt depressive symptoms while in a senior organisational leadership role. While there is a considerable literature on employee mental health, relatively little is known about mental health in senior leaders, including their experiences of depression. This is a significant oversight because although senior leaders comprise only a small minority of the workforce, their roles are usually demanding and highly visible, with responsibility for many others and for their organisation’s continued viability. This makes having a mental health issue like depression potentially very challenging for those in a leadership role, and even more so because the societal stigma that surrounds mental health means that leaders, especially those who are men, can find it hard to get help.
The present study uses Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis to explore the lived experience of four male senior leaders who had felt depressive symptoms while in their roles. Each participant was interviewed on two occasions a few weeks apart. The analysis identified four superordinate themes capturing their experiences: 1) An enveloping sense of burden; 2) Pushing through: resisting depressive feelings to be a leader; 3) Pulling away; 4) Breaking open and connecting with others. Each superordinate theme contained either two or three sub-themes, totalling ten in all.
This study contributes to research and practice in counselling psychology and workplace mental health by revealing the often-hidden nature of senior leaders’ depressive experiences, the tension leaders feel between continuing to work and wanting to hide and hold back, and the process through which they can come forward and connect with others, prompting change in themselves and their organisations. The study has several clinical and organisational implications, including the importance of enabling leaders and those who support them to better recognise how depressive feelings may present, and interventions attuned to, and supporting change in, the particular contexts in which leaders are working
Mothers’ living experience of relationship breakdown and divorce: a heuristic inquiry
No full textRelationship breakdown and divorce are deeply personal, often traumatic transitions that can catalyse profound self-discovery and growth. Despite the growing prevalence of lone mother families in UK and the West, research has largely overlooked the subjective experiences of mothers navigating complex socio-emotional and psychological dynamics, focusing instead on the effects of single motherhood on children.
This heuristic study, grounded in the researcher’s autobiographical experience, explores the tacit, unspoken dimensions of mothers’ experiences of relationship dissolution. Employing Moustakas’ heuristic methodology (1990),14 mothers (ages 35–50) participated through interviews, journal entries, and artefacts, revealing the intrapsychic processes shaping their experiences and journeys toward self-discovery and post-traumatic growth.
Nine interconnected themes emerged:1) multiple traumas vortex, 2) dynamic self-identity processes, 3) intrapsychic conflict and body-mind split,4) interpersonal conflicts as trauma re-enactment, 5) multiple transitions and identity shifts, 6) struggles with sex and sexuality as trauma re-enactment, 7) unresolved loss and grief, 8) patriarchal systemic injustice, and 9) self-reclamation: awakening consciousness. Using Wilber’s (1995) integral model, the analysis illuminates the dynamic interplay between personal and systemic trauma within patriarchal contexts, shaping mothers’ experiences across intrapsychic, interpersonal, cultural, and structural dimensions.
Findings highlight the centrality of trauma in shaping these experiences, with "Self-Reclamation" emerging as a pivotal theme. This transformative process unfolds through conscious awareness, personal commitment, and active engagement with grief as a catalyst for post-traumatic growth.
This study advocates for integrated feminist therapeutic approaches, combining psychodynamic and trauma-informed perspectives to address personal and systemic trauma rooted in patriarchal structures. It emphasizes fostering women’s resilience, authentic expression, and post-traumatic growth alongside systemic reforms and community support.
By expanding academic discourse on maternal subjectivity, this study offers a nuanced holistic perspective on the intrapsychic, relational, and systemic factors shaping mothers' experiences, informing more responsive feminist-informed clinical practices and policies for mothers navigating relationship dissolution and single motherhood