Search Results (129)

This article explores the transformative changes in Catholic liturgy during the twentieth century and their implications for the stability of religious meaning and cultural identity in the West. In critical dialogue with Chantal Delsol’s diagnosis of the decline of Christianitas, this study argues that the reform of ritual following the Second Vatican Council, rather than political entanglements, played a decisive role in weakening the public credibility of Catholic truth claims. Drawing on Roy A. Rappaport’s theory of ritual as a stabilizer of cultural meaning, the author analyzes how this postconciliar liturgical reform altered the semiotic structure of Catholic worship—shifting communication from indexical to symbolic forms and reorienting the liturgy from a vertical–concentric order to a more decentralized horizontal dynamic. The chosen method combines theoretical reflection with liturgical anthropology to assess how changes in the Roman Missal, ritual posture, and spatial arrangement disrupted the transmission of canonical messages. The conclusion suggests that this semiotic transformation undermined the liturgy’s capacity to ritually confirm the truths of faith, contributing to the broader civilizational disintegration observed by Delsol. Ultimately, this article contends that any future revitalization of Catholic culture will depend less on political influence and more on recovering the liturgy’s ritual capacity to sustain belief in transcendent truth. Full article

There are discriminatory, structured, opaque human rights violations that keep the socioeconomically vulnerable subservient, a social problem that goes against the core Christian principle: humans are created in the image of God and all share equal dignity. Studies show that sociocultural, political, and economic elements are available in society, which form into clusters, namely social representations, helping people to categorize others and interact with her/him. They carry with them the historical consciousness, providing the people with social-living tools such as social identity and the like. The qualitative empirical research conducted among the Catholic youth of Tamil Nadu, India, showed that the enslaving semantic elements contained in the social knowledge facilitate the youth to affiliate with a group and to disaffiliate from another. Caste-ridden endogamic semantic elements are part of this knowledge. This affects individual as well as social cognition. Therefore, besides conceptual understanding, epistemological approaches are necessary to eliminate the enslaving elements contained in social knowledge. This is possible through the Ego–Alter dialogue. Ego stands for an individual, group, institution, movement, or anything similar. Alter can stand for social knowledge, which is available in society. Full article

This study examines the relationship between student loan debt and civic engagement among college graduates, with particular attention to differential effects by field of study. Drawing on data from the College and Beyond II dataset, this research analyzes how varying levels of debt burden impact political and community participation among 1673 graduates, including 1059 liberal arts majors and 614 graduates from professional, STEM, and other fields. Employing OLS regression models with multiple measures of debt burden and distinct dimensions of civic engagement, this study finds that both medium and high levels of student loan debt (USD 201–500 monthly and >USD 500 monthly) are associated with significantly higher political engagement—a pattern that aligns with relative deprivation theory’s proposition that financial strain may motivate political action aimed at systemic change. This relationship is particularly pronounced among liberal arts graduates, who demonstrate stronger positive associations between debt and civic participation than their peers from other fields. Debt-to-income ratio analysis reveals a potential “sweet spot” at 10–15% of income, where debt appears to optimize civic engagement without overwhelming resources. These findings suggest that liberal arts education may fundamentally alter how graduates respond to financial constraints, potentially by providing analytical frameworks for understanding debt as a systemic issue and civic skills that facilitate participation despite economic pressures. The results challenge assumptions about debt’s uniformly negative civic consequences and highlight the importance of educational context in mediating economic effects on democratic participation. Full article

E-polis is a serious digital game designed to gamify sociological surveys studying young people’s political opinions. In this platform game, players navigate a digital world, encountering quests posing sociological questions. Players’ answers shape the city-game world, altering building structures based on their choices. E-polis is a serious game, not a government simulation, aiming to understand players’ behaviors and opinions; thus, we do not train the players but rather understand them and help them visualize their choices in shaping a city’s future. Also, it is noticed that no correct or incorrect answers apply. Moreover, our game utilizes a novel middleware architecture for development, diverging from typical asset-prefab-scene and script segregation. This article presents the data layer of our game’s middleware, specifically focusing on data analysis based on respondents’ gameplay answers. E-polis represents an innovative approach to gamifying sociological research, providing a unique platform for gathering and analyzing data on political opinions among youth and contributing to the broader field of serious games. Full article

Background: The global space economy has grown remarkably, witnessing a 10-fold increase in active satellites during the last 15 years. This growth was accompanied by both the increase in geopolitical tensions feeding huge investments (the New Space Race), on the one hand, and the transformation, shifting from a domain historically dominated by government-led programs to one partially energized by commercial players and innovative business models (“New Space”), on the other hand. Objective: To assess the space economy’s current state and future prospects by considering its economic and social dimensions. Methods: Over 120 scholarly articles and “grey” literature positions (e.g., industry reports) were reviewed. The review was structured by a modified Structure–Conduct–Performance framework originally developed by industrial organization (IO) scholars. Findings: Outer space creates extremely harsh conditions for placing and operating objects in orbits, which results in high launching costs, steep reliability standards, capital intensity, and risks that are unmatched in most terrestrial industries. One of the main motivations to venture into this harsh domain was, and still is, the desire to dominate or the fear of being subjugated by others. This “original sin”, born of geopolitical rivalries, continues to cast a shadow over the space economy, channeling the majority of public space budgets into military-related programs. Moreover, many space technologies have a dual-use feature. Not surprisingly, governments are still the major source of demand, dominating midstream in the space value chain. This triad—harsh physics, great power rivalry, and a state-centric midstream—produces a specificity of the sector. In the recent two decades, new entrants (called “New Space”) have begun altering market structure, resulting in new conduct patterns focused on pursuits towards serial production, reusability, and lowering costs. Performance outcomes are mixed. While some efficiency gains are unprecedented, some doubts about market power and negative externalities arise. The assessment of the space economy’s performance is a challenge, as such, due to the blurred boundary between political objectives (supplying public goods, mitigating negative externalities) and economic optimization. Such trade-offs are becoming even more complicated considering the potential conflict between national and global perspectives. The paper offers a preliminary, descriptive study of the space economy through the lens of the modified S-C-P framework, laying basic foundations for the future, possibly more rigorous research of the increasingly important space economy. Full article

Background: Vaccine hesitancy (VH) is a significant public health challenge, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite extensive research on the psychological and socio-political determinants of VH, its psychophysiological mechanisms remain unexplored. Grounded in the Somatic Marker Hypothesis, this study aims to investigate the neurophysiological and affective processes underlying VH. Methods: Two experiments will assess sensorimotor resonance and affective processes in VH. In the first experiment, motor-evoked potentials (MEPs) will be recorded from the deltoid and extensor carpi radialis muscles while participants view images of people receiving COVID-19 and influenza vaccines, as well as blood injections (Block 1), and images of vial containing the same substances (Block 2). Facial electromyographic (EMG) activity will measure disgust and fear responses. In the second experiment, skin conductance response (SCR) will be recorded during a virtual reality-based fear conditioning and extinction paradigm. Expected Outcomes: We hypothesize that vaccine-hesitant individuals will exhibit altered sensorimotor resonance, higher affective responses to vaccination stimuli, and impaired fear extinction learning. Psychological traits such as disgust sensitivity, paranoia, anxiety, and dogmatism are expected to be associated with VH. Conclusions: By identifying the psychophysiological mechanisms of VH, this study will contribute to developing effective vaccine promotion strategies to address future public health emergencies. Full article

Brexit, the exiting of the United Kingdom (UK) from the European Union (EU), has impacted socio-political relationships, both internally, and externally with other countries and economic groups. This has been especially true regarding international trade, and legal and market standards for food and food security. This paper examines how the enacting of Brexit has framed and underlined contemporary perceptions of the UK neoliberal food system, the relative importance of food standards, and the impact of policy transition on food security. Using a positional approach, perspectives and narratives within the literature are critiqued and synthesized, including academic sources, parliamentary debates, economic reports, and media analysis. The politico-economic effects of Brexit have altered food-related relationships, recalibrating trade interactions and changing the public funding that UK farmers receive. Through realigning extractive economic models, the pre-Brexit UK food system has been reset, and new perspectives about neoliberalism have emerged. Government intervention has steered away from traditional neoliberal framings towards neo-developmentalism. A dichotomy thus exists between recognizing the intrinsic right to adequate and nutritious food and maintaining existing cultural dynamics of food supply, and the use of agri-food policy as a politico-economic tool to drive higher economic growth. The implications of this policy change are stark for UK agri-food actors within food system transition post-Brexit. Full article

This article examines the complex process of establishing a unified structure for the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church (UGCC) within the post-World War II diaspora, focusing on the formation of the Bishops’ Conference and the concurrent pursuit of the recognition of patriarchal status. Building on earlier inter-diocesan meetings, efforts to create a coordinating body for the dispersed UGCC episcopate gained momentum in the 1950s, culminating in the establishment of the Episcopal Conference. However, these conferences progressively revealed significant internal disagreements, particularly concerning the scope of the Conference’s authority and its relationship with the Roman Curia. The release of Josyf Slipyj from Soviet imprisonment and his subsequent exile in Rome, coupled with the proclamation of the Decree on the Eastern Catholic Churches, dramatically altered this dynamic. Slipyj’s advocacy for ritual jurisdiction clashed with the Roman Curia’s desire for centralized control and the divergent views of individual bishops. Significantly, the growing activity of the laity, characterized by persistent demands for autonomy and patriarchal status, and fueled by disillusionment with Vatican policies, played a crucial role in shaping the UGCC’s trajectory. This analysis underscores the intricate interplay of canonical, political, and personal factors that influenced the UGCC’s attempts to forge a coherent identity and assert its rights in the post-war diaspora. Full article

Since its origins, the debate on the interaction between religions and psychoactives has been strongly influenced, both positively and negatively, by prejudices, policies, fashions and trends that had little to do with scientific research. Stigma and exaltation in different historical moments have equally characterized the study of the presence and use of so-called entheogens in the different declinations of the shamanic phenomenon around the world. This article attempts to shed light on the various trends regarding the state of the art, providing new epistemological elements on the basis of an ethnographic investigation among some Indigenous peoples of India. The production of alcoholic beverages (fermented and distilled, but sometimes in combination with other psychoactive or hallucinogens among the starters) is a fundamental trait of the aboriginal (ādivāsī) cultures of the Indian subcontinent. Not immune from an attempt at political instrumentalization, which occurred both in the colonial period and in the contemporary era, the discourse on the natural production of these sacred substances is today the key to understanding indigenous ontology and its traditional idea of sustainability. Far beyond the mere documentation of the induction of altered states of consciousness, this investigation involves the discovery of local pharmacopeias, as well as principles of fermentation and food preservation. Full article

The goal of the study is to reveal the reasons (strategies) behind the use of “virtual masks” (fake profiles and altered identities) by real (human) users of social media networks (SMNs) within a cultural context, specifically in Armenia. Applying Erving Goffman’s Dramaturgical Theory and concepts of virtual identity, the research explores how users construct their online personas, either reflecting their real identities or modifying them to achieve specific communicative goals. A statistical analysis of the most popular SMNs in Armenia, combined with semi-structured interviews with 400 users, reveals diverse approaches to virtual communication. While SMNs facilitate news consumption, socializing, and professional networking, many users deliberately conceal personal information or engage in deceptive practices. Approximately 35% prefer anonymity when following others, and 24% of men and 11% of women admit to posting false information. Additionally, 26% of men and 12% of women alter their online appearance to enhance attractiveness. The study also highlights the role of anonymity in expressing controversial opinions, particularly in political discussions. Men are more inclined than women to create fake accounts and manipulate information to avoid social repercussions. Ultimately, the study highlights how “virtual masks” in Armenia reflect both cultural attitudes and broader global digital communication trends. Full article

The expansion of empires and colonial rule significantly shaped the movement of religious communities, practices, and institutions across borders. This article examines the intersections of empire, colonialism, and religious mobility with a view to exploring how colonial administrations facilitated, restricted, or co-opted religious movements for governance and control. Religious actors—such as missionaries, clerics, traders, and diasporic communities—played roles in transnational exchanges, carrying faith traditions across imperial networks while simultaneously influencing local spiritual landscapes. The study situates religious mobility within the broader framework of colonial power structures and analyzes how missionary enterprises, religious conversions, and state-sponsored religious policies were used to consolidate imperial control. It also considers how indigenous religious movements navigated, resisted, or transformed under colonial rule. The case studies include Christian missionary networks in British and French colonies, the movement of Islamic scholars across the Ottoman and Mughal empires, and the role of Buddhism in colonial southeast Asia. These examples highlight the role of religion not just as a tool of empire but as a vehicle for indigenous agency, resistance, and syncretic transformation. This article explores the transnational mobility of religious artifacts, sacred texts, and pilgrimage networks, demonstrating how colonial expansion altered religious landscapes beyond political boundaries. The study critically engages with postcolonial perspectives to interrogate how colonial legacies continue to shape contemporary religious diasporas and global faith-based movements. Full article

This paper explores the dynamics of political competition, resource availability, and conflict through a simulation-based approach. Utilizing agent-based models (ABMs) within an evolutionary game theoretical framework, we investigate how individual behaviors and motivations influence collective outcomes in civil conflicts. Our study builds on the theoretical model developed by Basuchoudhary et al. (2023), which integrates factors such as resource availability, state capacity, and political entrepreneurship to explain the evolution of civil conflict. By simulating boundedly rational agents, we demonstrate how changes in resource availability can alter the nature of civil conflict, leading to different equilibrium outcomes. The findings highlight the importance of understanding individual motivations and adaptive behaviors in predicting the stability and resolution of conflicts. This research contributes to the growing body of literature on the use of agent-based models in evolutionary game theory and provides valuable insights into the complex interactions that drive civil violence. Full article

This article examines the functional transformation of Buddhist temples from religious edifices to elements of the political landscape in Northern Wei Luoyang, in order to elucidate the grandiose portrayal of these temples in geographical records. The proliferation of Buddhism significantly altered the spatial configuration of the capital city, previously dominated by imperial architectural complexes. Buddhist temples emerged as emblematic structures of Luoyang, surpassing palaces in prominence due to their extensive occupation of urban space, enhancement of the empire’s international standing, and involvement in the political vicissitudes of Northern Wei. Yang Xuanzhi drew upon the literary techniques of Han fu 漢賦, particularly its elaborate descriptive style, to articulate the sentiments of the emperor’s subjects and extol the ruler’s virtue while subtly conveying criticism and advice. By shaping Buddhist temples into imperial landscapes, Yang Xuanzhi conferred on Luoyang a legitimacy comparable to that of the Han Dynasty. The evolving social functions and literary representations of Buddhist temples during the Northern Wei Dynasty reflect the profound integration of Buddhism, politics, and literature. Full article

This study examines historical water management practices as a means of addressing climate change, focusing on the Tyski Stream catchment in Upper Silesia, Poland, a region marked by extensive urbanization and industrial evolution. It investigates the effectiveness of historical hydrotechnical systems, such as bead-like ponds from the 15th to 18th centuries, in enhancing water retention, reducing flood risks, and supporting ecosystem services. In a critical period, over 54 years (1827–1881), the number of reservoirs decreased from 142 to 31 (the area of ponds decreased from 161 to 32 ha). Throughout the entire period, between 1748 and 2017, the surface area of the analyzed reservoirs decreased from 163 ha to 16.8 ha. This was related to progressive industrialization, urban sprawl, and changes in legal frameworks, such as land ownership laws, leading to ecosystem degradation, loss of biodiversity, and altered hydrological processes. The research emphasizes the potential of reviving historical water management systems on natural processes to mitigate the impacts of climate change. By analyzing historical cartographic resources, this study assesses the feasibility of reconstructing lake systems in areas with similar topographic and hydrological features. It also stresses the necessity of community engagement and securing widespread social and political support to ensure public acceptance and the success of renaturation initiatives. The findings indicate that restoring these systems can offer diverse benefits, including improved water management, enhanced biodiversity, and greater urban resilience, while addressing the socio-political complexities of implementing large-scale environmental restoration projects. The aim of this study is to utilize archival materials for engineering solutions to prevent flooding and enhance water retention. Full article

The Trump era marked a turning point for political satire, where The Daily Show’s coverage of the last two election cycles reveals a dynamic interplay between satire, ideology, and democratic processes. This study examines how The Daily Show has progressively altered its satirical voice and multimodal strategies to capture the changing landscape of U.S. presidential elections, spotlighting the different eras of Trevor Noah in 2020 and Jon Stewart in 2024. It decodes how news satire along with visuals reflect political and cultural moments, and the way social and political representations are depicted in this show. To achieve these aims, a Multimodal Critical Discourse Analysis (MCDA) approach is used to analyze the semiotic and multimodal features of four episodes of The Daily Show, ranging from Noah’s pandemic-era coverage of the 2020 elections to Stewart’s live studio format in 2024. This article reveals both hosts’ role in social and political representation by different means of satirical and multimodal techniques. It highlights how The Daily Show has remained a cultural touchstone, adapting its style and substance to meet the demands of its time. Full article