![Book review](/api/image/getissuecoverimage?id=picture_2023_82331.jpg)
We kindly inform you that, as long as the subject affiliation of our 300.000+ articles is in progress, you might get unsufficient or no results on your third level or second level search. In this case, please broaden your search criteria.
The archival collection of Mstislav Vyacheslavovich Shakhmatov, a historian of Old Russian law and Russian emigrant, was transferred to the Masaryk Institute and Archives of the Czech Academy of Sciences in spring 2023, comprising 34 boxes of records documenting his scientific, political, public, and personal life. Shakhmatov, who passed away in Prague in December 1943, left behind materials that offer a rich resource for studying the history of law and the phenomenon of Russian emigration in interwar Czechoslovakia. The collection is organized into six sections, including personal and official documents, correspondence with legal historians, documents from archeographic expeditions, literary works, scientific papers, and old Russian legal terminology cards.
More...
The terrorist attack by Hamas against Israel on October 7, 2023 brought to the fore the issue of Israeli state security policy. This article answers the question of whether Israel has a national security doctrine and how it is formulated. The emphasis falls on the role of the Balkans as a strategic partner for Israel in achieving its broad political goals and ensuring the security of Israeli citizens and Jews abroad.
More...
The study examines the psychology and sociology of a fraudster: Implications for today accounting profession. The investigation was guided by three questions and a hypothesis. The study employed a survey research approach, and the 274 auditing businesses in Nigeria's South-South geopolitical zone comprised the study's population., the Taro Yamane was uses to determine the sample of the study and Spearman rank correlation was used to analyse the data. Results from the research reveal that there was a correlation in capability (r= 0.121 p< 0.05), lifestyle (r= 0.561 p< 0.05 and environment (r= 0.108 p< 0.05) and the psycho-social behaviour of the perpetrator of fraud. The implication was that the professional auditors should apply professional scepticism and exercising due care in engaging their work for better delivery and discharge of their duties, as this will lead to the detection of fraud and the reporting of red flags that are of material misstatement. The study recommended that an active, strong and proper supervision of internal control system will put to serious check the action of fraudulent activities.
More...
The focus of the study is directed to the analysis of existing deficits in some of the plans for integrated development of the municipalities in the Republic of Bulgaria, having a direct relation to the development of a sustainable agricultural sector. On the basis of the identified weaknesses/gaps, specific proposals have been prepared to valorise the potential of this sector. Unpopular, "soft measures" aimed at realizing fruitful cooperation between interested parties have been proposed. Cooperating efforts of farmers, public authorities and civil society are the basis of this targeted cooperation.
More...
This study looks into issues facing Indonesian multicultural education and offers solutions based on the worldview of Bhinneka Tunggal Ika. The study tries to clarify how Bhinneka Tunggal Ika’s worldview applies to the nation’s rich history, numerous tribes, nations, races, worldviews, including customs. The worldview is deeply established in the historical background of the Majapahit Kingdom and deeply embedded in Indonesia’s identity as the world’s largest Muslim nation; it can serve as a foundation for promoting religious freedom and building a peaceful, multicultural society for multicultural education.
More...
Defended PhD theses in Bulgaria in the field of linguistics, literature, history, folklore, ethnography and art studies.
More...
This study employs an innovative approach to untangle the intricate web of science dialogue in Bulgarian online forums, providing insights into the societal patterns that influence these discussions. Using advanced topic modelling techniques, we meticulously map the dominant topics that emerge from Bulgarian online forum discussions, revealing how science is intertwined with the everyday lives and interests of the population. Our research extends beyond the digital domain a representative survey to explore the socio-demographic nuances of the individuals involved in these science conversations. By categorising participants according to their birth cohort, we explore generational perspectives on science. Similarly, we dissect the discourse through the prism of social class, describing how education, income, and occupation shape engagement in scientific dialogue. Trust in institutions emerges as a key axis in our analysis, shedding light on how different levels of trust in societal structures influence the nature and tone of scientific discussions. We also explore the ideological underpinnings of these conversations, examining how personal beliefs and values steer the discourse in different directions. Through a comparative analysis using pseudo-R-squared values, we delineate the explanatory power of each factor – birth cohorts, social class, trust in institutions, and beliefs providing a nuanced understanding of the forces that animate science dialogue in Bulgarian online forums. Our findings not only provide a detailed view of the current state of science communication in Bulgaria but also illuminate the broader societal dynamics at play. By linking online discussions on science with demographic realities, this study contributes valuable insights into the complex interplay between science communication, public engagement, and societal factors, paving the way for informed strategies to promote a more enlightened and inclusive science discourse in Bulgaria.
More...
The article discusses the relationship between the researcher’s external (ethical) and applied (internal/emic) positions towards the subject of the study based on the introduction of the so-called (educational) design research from a theoretical-methodological perspective. Regardless of the researcher’s aim and in that case, dual roles – the scientific-cognitive viewpoint (theoretical) and the practical-applied one – complement one another. In design research, as an epistemological genre, these two viewpoints are taken simultaneously throughout the research. The key features are, first and foremost, the dual aim and the ongoing ad hoc updates in the decisions; second, the iterative nature of the process; and third, the ongoing involvement of the researcher as a practitioner with a specific assignment and the frequent direct engagement of stakeholders from the practice field (education) in the research procedures and analysis. This introduction of Educational Design Research and its methodological specifics is based on the author’s experience within a three-year doctoral study with the methodology implemented for the first time in Bulgaria in the context of higher education with a brief discussion of procedures or results.
More...
My observations of the school environment as a student, later as a parent and a teacher have provoked various questions. How do social and political changes affect children’s school behaviour? What are the reasons for the significant differences between the generations before and after the Millennium? Who is responsible for the future of generations? Searching for answers to these questions coincided with the launch of ChatGPT – the first Open AI model. As an example of authority without responsibility, it is used in this article to test its responses to the question “Who is responsible for the future of education?”. These responses are compared to data and conclusions from recent reports by the OECD, World Bank and UNICEF and examined through Hannah Arendt’s perspectives on the crisis in education. Although her observations are based on the educational system in the USA about 70 years ago, they reveal the reasons for many existing issues in the field and provide sources for a critical reflection on them. Such a reflection is essential to build connections between generations, between humans and technologies, and between the past and the future of the world.
More...
Review of: Reay, E. (2023). The child in video games: From the meek, to the mighty, to the monstrous. Palgrave Macmillan.
More...
Review of: Aliano, K. I. (2022). The performance of video games: Enacting identity, history and culture through play. McFarland & Company.
More...
This article deals with an underrated novel by Didier de Chousy, Ignis (1883), published during the craze for scientism and positivism. This anticipation novel, fraught with grating irony, went against the optimism that defined the craze, as the author used the boundless technical possibilities flaunted by the industrial age to imagine a robot-assisted “augmented humanity”. Utopia was thus turned into scathing social dystopia and, a few years before Jules Verne’s novel, a “topsy-turvy” world on the brink of self-destruction was depicted. This ground-breaking work, which tackled both social criticism and the need for environmental awareness, heralded many of the themes that inspired H. G. Wells and the “brave new world” Chousy imagined was just as relevant as the ones of our modern dystopias: the model of development that largely remains ours found itself relentlessly questioned, as a call for immediate change was issued.
More...
The idea for a better life of the present and future generations is the basis for the conception of sustainable development. Bulgaria, like every other country, is striving to reach such a development. The third sustainable development goal is ensuring healthy lives and promoting the well-being of the people. To analyze the achievement of this goal, Eurostat recommends an indicator set. The dynamics of these indicators for Bulgaria are studied in the present work and an aggregated indicator is composed. The calculated indicators are compared with the average values for the EU-27 countries. Bulgaria’s progress in terms of ensuring healthy lives and promoting the well-being of the people is assessed. It is concluded that our country marks progress towards the achievement of the third sustainable development goal.
More...
This paper investigates the dichotomy between Dismaland, a dystopian inversion of Disneyland, and Disneyland as an enduring bastion of joyous illusion. Through the lenses of heterotopia, non-places, and chiasmus, it explores how their coexistence authentically grounds one while estranging the other. Banksy's inadvertent use of а chiastic structure in transforming Dismaland is analyzed for its reorganizational logic, and challenging norms. Drawing on Lefebvre, Foucault, Rancière, and Nikolchina, the paper examines cultural representations, spaces, and social relations. The analysis extends to non-places vs. heterotopias, emphasizing Dismaland's resistance to non-place classification. The paper advocates for heterotopias, like Dismaland, to challenge norms and foster alternative cultural production, critiquing interpretations of Situationist theories and proposing Rancière's spatial occupation. The conclusion explores how chiastic structure and heterotopian thinking fuel Dismaland's revolutionary potential, challenging predetermined environments, and underscores art's transformative role in societal evolution towards a renewed existence.
More...
Phenomenological Pluralism (PP), grounded in the existential phenomenology of Maurice Merleau-Ponty, offers a novel approach to religious pluralism by emphasizing the unique and irreducible experiences individuals and communities have with the divine. Central to PP is the concept of "My (personal) God," which acknowledges that each person's encounter with the divine is uniquely personal and contextually grounded without a genuinely polytheistic implication. Unlike Universalist Pluralism (UP), which seeks common theological ground, and Particularist Pluralism (PaP), which focuses on cultural context, PP asserts that each religion operates within its own distinct reality. This approach fosters deeper interfaith dialogue by appreciating the diversity of spiritual narratives and promoting empathy and inclusivity. PP's practical implications extend to conflict resolution, social integration, and educational advancement, making it a robust framework for understanding and managing religious diversity. By validating the unique spiritual experiences of all participants, PP creates an inclusive environment conducive to genuine interfaith dialogue and societal cohesion.
More...
"The HeartMath Tree Rhythm project is a citizen science interconnectivity initiative. Interconnectivity refers to the hypothesis that all life forms are interconnected via intersecting magnetic energy fields. HeartMath tree rhythm research complements the HeartMath Global Coherence Initiative (GCI) and Global Consciousness Project (GCI). Related websites are as follows: https://treerhythms.net/ https://www.heartmath.org/gci/gcms/live-data/ and https://gcp2.netThe present contribution employs a narrative methodology to introduce the iBhubesi Tree Rhythm project at Umhlanga Rocks South Africa. The isiZulu term “iBhubesi” denotes an African lion. Ubuntu connotes humanity. Its deeper meaning is that we only become human through others (umuntu umuntu ngabantu), especially, ancestors, family and friends. African dialogue is epitomized by respectful greeting and openness in human relationships. Umhlanga Rocks iBhubhesi Mango has a unique ecological ancestry and eco-spiritual story. Mango trees are originally indigenous to India, its people and continent. They are also connected to everything else - nature, people, continents, planets and cosmos. The following contribution intends to unpack some universal, differential and unique aspects of this interconnectedness. "
More...