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Romeo and Julie: or The Corn is Always Greener
No full textAn article for Wales Arts Review, published 10/5/23 on Gary Owen's play Romeo and Julie, and its connection with Emlyn Williams' 1938 play The Corn is Green
Spatial attention is not affected by alpha or beta transcranial alternating current stimulation: A registered report
Get PDFUsing Electroencephalography (EEG) an event-related change in alpha activity has been observed over primary sensory cortices during the allocation of spatial attention. This is most prominent during top-down, or endogenous, attention, and nearly absent in bottom-up, or exogenous orienting. These changes are highly lateralised, such that an increase in alpha power is seen ipsilateral to the attended region of space and a decrease is seen contralaterally. Whether these changes in alpha oscillatory activity are causally related to attentional resources, or to perceptual processes, or are simply epiphenomenal, is unknown. If alpha oscillations are indicative of a causal mechanism whereby attention is allocated to a region of space, it remains an open question as to whether this is driven by ipsilateral increases or contralateral decreases in alpha power. This preregistered report set out to test these questions. To do so, we used transcranial Alternating Current Stimulation (tACS) to modulate alpha activity in the somatosensory cortex whilst measuring performance on established tactile attention paradigms. All participants completed an endogenous and exogenous tactile attention task in three stimulation conditions; alpha, sham and beta. Sham and beta stimulation operated as controls so that any observed effects could be attributed to alpha stimulation specifically. We replicated previous behavioural findings in all stimulation conditions showing a facilitation of cued trials in the endogenous task, and inhibition of return in the exogenous task. However, these were not affected by stimulation manipulations. Using Bayes-factor analysis we show strong support for the null hypotheses – that the manipulation of Alpha by tACS does not cause changes in tactile spatial attention. This well-powered study, conducted over three separate days, is an important contribution to the current debate regarding the efficiency of brain stimulation
A research agenda for African smart public value governance – Insights from a webinar series
No full textThe article discusses key insights gained from a webinar series that the authors of this article launched when founding the “Centre for African Smart Public Value Governance” (C4SP). As a research centre that aims to improve the quality of public governance approaches in Africa, C4SP invited international scholars and practitioners to talk about their perspectives on “Public Value Governance”, “Unpacking the African Context”, and “Smart Government” during four webinars, taking place between April 2021 and March 2022. The discussions revealed that: i) Smart Public Value Governance (SPVG) is a promising approach to tackle grand challenges; ii) local particularities might hamper the implementation of SPVG approaches in African countries; iii) it exists as a necessity to “listen” deeply to Africa. On this basis, we provide an outlook for future research on SPVG by suggesting studies that can be conducted along three guiding questions that can be addressed by a people-oriented or a concept-oriented research approach
Dzieci Trzeciej Kultury: konsekwencje wielokulturowości i nomadyzmu w kontekście tożsamości, dobrostanu i edukacji
No full textIn a globalizing world, increasing migration tendencies lead to broad social consequences. More and more young people can be defined as Third Culture Kids (TCK), individuals exposed to diverse cultural paradigms in the early developmental years. Being a TCK significantly affects the development of identity, well-being and overall functioning. There are also substantial consequences of TCKs experiences in the field of education. Yet, the problem of new forms of multicultural identities is not sufficiently represented within Polish research. The following review aims to fill this gap and present the latest trends in studies on the TCK phenomenon. This article critically evaluated existing research regarding Third Culture Kids. It further presented the consequences of the multicultural experience of TCK, emphasizing significant problems and benefits of multiculturalism and global nomadism in the areas of well-being, identity and education. Importantly, ways of dealing with multicultural identity, the so-called multicultural identity configurations, were presented as moderators of the influence of multiculturalism on the functioning of TCK. Factors supporting TCKs well-being and educational success were indicated, including psychological (multicultural identity integration, cultural intelligence, global mindset) and institutional (teaching systems, psychological support) attributes.W globalizującym się świecie obserwuje się wzrastające tendencje migracyjne o szerokich społecznych konsekwencjach. Coraz więcej młodych ludzi można włączyć do kategorii Dzieci Trzeciej Kultury (DTK), czyli osób wyeksponowanych na zróżnicowane paradygmaty kulturowe we wczesnych latach rozwojowych. Ma to znaczący wpływ na rozwój tożsamości, poziom dobrostanu i ogólnego funkcjonowania. Istotne są również konsekwencje doświadczeń DTK w obszarze edukacji. W polskiej literaturze psychologicznej problem nowych form wielokulturowych tożsamości nie jest dostatecznie reprezentowany. Niniejszy przegląd literatury ma na celu przedstawienie najnowszych kierunków badań nad zjawiskiem DTK. W artykule autorka dokonała szczegółowego opisu zjawiska Dzieci Trzeciej Kultury, a także podjęła się krytycznej analizy konsekwencji wielokulturowego doświadczenia DTK, podkreślając istotne problemy, ale także korzyści wynikające z wielokulturowości i globalnego nomadyzmu w obszarach dobrostanu i edukacji. Co istotne, sposoby radzenia sobie z tożsamością wielokulturową, tzw. konfiguracje tożsamości wielokulturowej, zostały przedstawione jako moderatory wpływu wielokulturowości na funkcjonowanie DTK. Wskazane zostały czynniki wspierające dobrostan oraz sukces edukacyjny DTK, w tym atrybuty psychologiczne (integracja, inteligencja kulturowa, nastawienie globalne) i instytucjonalne (system nauczania, wsparcie psychologiczne)
ChatGPT and consumers: benefits, pitfalls and future research agenda
Get PDFThe need of the hour is to encourage research on topics with newness and novelty. In this context, this article discusses multidimensional benefits and potential pitfalls of using artificial intelligence-based Chat Generative Pre-trained Transformer (ChatGPT), and provides numerous ideas for future research in consumer studies and marketing in the context of ChatGPT. ChatGPT provides algorithm-generated conversational responses to text-based prompts. Since its launch in the late 2022, ChatGPT has generated significant debate surrounding its hallmarks, benefits and potential pitfalls. On the one hand, ChatGPT can offer enhanced consumer engagement, improved customer service, personalization and shopping, social interaction and communication practice, cost-effectiveness, insights into consumer behaviour and improved marketing campaigns. On the other hand, potential pitfalls include concerns about consumer well-being, bias, misinformation, lack of context, privacy concerns, ethical considerations and security. The article concludes by outlining a potential future research agenda in the area of ChatGPT and consumer studies. Overall, this article provides valuable insights into the benefits and challenges associated with ChatGPT, shedding light on its potential applications and the need for further research
Exploration of functional connectivity of brain to assess cognitive and physical health parameters using brain-computer interface
Get PDFThe advancement of brain-computer interface (BCI) innovations has increasingly become an important field among researchers due to the numerous intriguing applications. BCI involves acquiring the neural activity, retrieving appropriate features from the raw electroencephalography (EEG), and translating this data into representations that can improve signal classification. The neural brain activations are triggered or stimulated by predetermined external influences, including music, videos, audio, meditation and several others. The impact of diverse stimuli on the brain is the core investigation purpose of this research. The response of the participants is evaluated in different frequency bands, such as beta, delta, alpha, and theta, and also in various brain regions like temporal, frontal, occipital, and parietal lobes, to better understand the impact. A total of 65 peer-reviewed publications were examined, with the articles being divided into six categories depending on stimuli: yoga and meditation, music, taste, scent, emotion, imagery and movement. The various types of stimuli, existing EEG databases, EEG equipment models, pre-processing techniques, feature extraction and classification approaches have been examined from the published literature on EEG-based investigations. Comprehensive research has been undertaken to describe stimuli and their effects on brain functional connectivity (FC). The proposed method describes the importance of the infinity walk, their effect on changes in humans’ cognitive and physical health parameters. This study aims to investigate the impact of the infinity walk and its effects on human mental health and perhaps to identify the active brain region in people who have practiced the infinity walk for months/years. This technique assists in the identification and justification of the truth behind the infinity walk
Responding to seismic change in Europe—The road to Reykjavik and beyond
Get PDFThe year 2022 will be remembered as one of “terrible violence and seismic change in Europe”, in the words of the High-Level Reflection Group established by the Council of Europe to consider the organisation’s future and how best to protect its “common heritage” of respect for human rights, democracy and the rule of law. Will 2023 be the year that the Council of Europe reinvents itself to meet the challenges posed not only by Russia’s barbarous invasion of Ukraine but also systemic, even existential, threats such as creeping authoritarianism and the climate emergency? This is the organisation’s ambition in calling a rarely-convened summit of heads of state and government on 16–17 May 2023 in Reykjavik2 which, according to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, must meet the daunting expectation of providing “a new strategic vision, a fresh political impetus and new responses in the face of the present extraordinary challenges”. The article outlines the journey taken by the Council of Europe to this point and previews the likely agenda of the Reykjavik summit. It focuses in particular on proposals to: ensure accountability for Russia’s aggression against Ukraine; improve states’ often lamentable implementation of judgments of the court; update the European Convention on Human Rights by recognising environmental rights; and address the ongoing scourge of human rights abuses in the context of armed conflict and “grey zones”. It concludes with discussion of the Council of Europe’s aspiration to increase its visibility and impact, and broad recommendations for priorities for the summit and beyond
Interconnectedness and the web of accountabilities: Humboldtian approaches to social and environmental accounting
Get PDFPurpose – Current accounting practice tends to split environmental complexities into quantifiable, codified elements, producing codified simplifications of the “complex” in pursuit of environmental externalities. This has led to standardization, but has done little to motivate organizations to engage in more environmentally-aware behavior that transcends the coercive dimensions of codification. The work of Alexander von Humboldt (1769–1859) can bring new insights and perspectives to social and environmental accounting (SEA). In discussing Humboldt’s philosophy of understanding the interconnectedness between people, their contexts (cultures), and their environment, we contribute to the emerging SEA literature on notions of interconnectedness and the web of accountabilities.We also explore how a Humboldtian approach may help break through the current epistemological boundaries of SEA by combining accurate measurement with imagery to make the “complex” manageable whilst embracing interconnectedness and hermeneutics.
Design/methodology/approach – In this conceptual paper, we humbly draw on Humboldt’s legacy and explore the underlying philosophical assumptions of Humboldtian science. We then contrast these with current SEA approaches in the literature, and derive new insights into their intentionality and practical use.
Findings – Re-examining Humboldt’s pioneering work enables us to pinpoint what might be missing from current SEA approaches and debates. Humboldt upheld an “ethics of precision,” which included both measurement accuracy and qualitative relevance, and combined hands-on scientific fieldwork with the aesthetic ideals and interconnectedness of the age of Romanticism. Drawing on Humboldtian science, we propose focusing on the interconnectedness of nature and humanity, embracing the qualitative and hermeneutical, and including aesthetics and emotion in environmental visualizations.
Originality – Our paper elucidates why and how Humboldtian science might inform, guide, and enhance the emancipatory potential of SEA in the 21st century. Specifically, we discuss Humboldt’s approach of linking accurate measurement with imagery to convey a sense of interconnectedness
White enough, not white enough: racism and racialisation among Poles in the UK
Get PDFThis paper discusses race, racialization and whiteness in relation to Eastern European migrants living in Western Europe. Focusing on Poles in the UK, it examines both Polish migrants’ experiences of racism as well as their own investment into racial exclusions of other racialized groups. The paper interrogates how migrants navigate their peripheral whiteness in broader racial hierarchies of Eastern European in-betweenness that are both historically rooted and constantly negotiated.
Benefitting from relatively easy access to the UK, Polish migrants occupy at once a racially privileged and racially marginal position that echoes historical tensions around the place of Eastern Europe in wider racial hierarchies of Europeanness. While being white enough to engage in racial exclusions Eastern Europeans are at the same time not white enough to escape racialization.
Drawing on semi-structured interviews with Poles in the UK conducted between 2019-2020 the paper offers insight into complex racializing practices of Polish migrants when they are both racialized and able to benefit from their position as ‘paler migrants’ to distance themselves from other migrants as well as ‘darker citizens’. It contributes to scholarship on racialization of East-West movers within Europe, in-betweenness and whiteness