Search Results (99)

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has profoundly altered the global geopolitical landscape. Owing to its geographical proximity, the conflict has had a considerable impact on Europe. Marked by the professionalisation and democratisation of technology, it has underscored the growing significance of hybrid warfare, in which disinformation and propaganda serve as additional instruments of war. Within this context, the aim of this article is to examine the characteristics of false information related to the war between Russia and Ukraine in four European countries between 2022 and 2023. To this end, a content analysis of 297 hoaxes was conducted across eight fact-checking platforms, complemented by ten in-depth interviews with specialised professionals. The findings indicate that disinformation is characterised by viral audiovisual hoaxes, particularly on Facebook and X (formerly Twitter), with a notable surge in disinformation flows at the onset of the invasion. In the early months, misleading content predominantly consisted of decontextualised images of the conflict, whereas a year later, the focus shifted to narratives concerning international support and alliances. The primary objective of this disinformation is to polarise public opinion against a perceived common enemy. The conclusions provide a broader and more nuanced understanding of wartime disinformation within the European context. Full article

This paper investigates the cultural landscapes established by nineteenth-century German immigrants in South Australia and the southern Riverina of New South Wales, with particular attention to settlement patterns, architectural traditions and toponymic transformation. German immigration to Australia, though numerically modest compared to the Americas, significantly shaped local communities, especially due to religious cohesion among Lutheran migrants. These settlers established distinct, enduring rural enclaves characterized by linguistic, religious and architectural continuity. The paper examines three manifestations of these cultural landscapes. A rich toponymic landscape was created by imposing on natural landscape features and newly founded settlements the names of the communities from which the German settlers originated. It discusses the erosion of German toponyms under wartime nationalist pressures, the subsequent partial reinstatement and the implications for cultural memory. The study traces the second manifestation of a cultural landscapes in the form of nucleated villages such as Hahndorf, Bethanien and Lobethal, which often followed the Hufendorf or Straßendorf layout, integrating Silesian land-use principles into the Australian context. Intensification of land use through housing subdivisions in two communities as well as agricultural intensification through broad acre farming has led to the fragmentation (town) and obliteration (rural) of the uniquely German form of land use. The final focus is the material expression of cultural identity through architecture, particularly the use of traditional Fachwerk (half-timbered) construction and adaptations such as pug-and-pine walling suited to local materials and climate. The paper examines domestic forms, including the distinctive black kitchen, and highlights how environmental and functional adaptation reshaped German building traditions in the antipodes. Despite a conservation movement and despite considerable documentation research in the late twentieth century, the paper shows that most German rural structures remain unlisted and vulnerable. Heritage neglect, rural depopulation, economic rationalization, lack of commercial relevance and local government policy have accelerated the decline of many of these vernacular buildings. The study concludes by problematizing the sustainability of conserving German Australian rural heritage in the face of regulatory, economic and demographic pressures. With its layering of intangible (toponymic), structural (buildings) and land use (cadastral) features, the examination of the cultural landscape established by nineteenth-century German immigrants adds to the body of literature on immigrant communities, settler colonialism and landscape research. Full article

The Republican era of China witnessed three primary positions regarding Buddhist monastic robe reform. Taixu advocated preserving canonical forms (法服) for ritual garments while adapting regular robes (常服) to contemporary needs; Dongchu proposed diminishing ritual distinctions by establishing a tripartite hierarchical system—virtue-monk robes (德僧服), duty-monk robes (職僧服), and scholar-monk robes (學僧服); and Lengjing endorsed the full secularization of monastic robes. As a reformist leader, Taixu pursued reforms grounded in both doctrinal authenticity and contextual responsiveness. His initial advocacy for robe modifications, however, rendered him a target for traditionalists like Cihang, who conflated his measured approach with the radicalism of Dongchu’s faction. Ultimately, the broader Buddhist reform collapsed, with robe controversies serving as a critical lens into its failure. The reasons for its failure include not only wartime disruption and inadequate governmental support, but also the structural disadvantages of the reformists compared to the traditionalists, which proved decisive. This was due to the fact that the traditionalists mostly controlled monastic economies, wielded institutional authority, and commanded discursive hegemony, reinforced by lay Buddhist alignment. These debates crystallize the core tension in Buddhist modernization—the dialectic between “disenchantment” and “preservation of monastic discipline”. This dynamic of negotiated adjustment offers a vital historical framework for navigating contemporary Buddhism’s engagement with modernity. Full article

This article examines Wittgenstein’s wartime private notebooks (MS 101–103), shifting attention from his philosophical reflections on religion and prayer to the abundance of written addresses to God found within the coded sections. Wittgenstein’s well-known assertion that “to pray means to think about the meaning of life” is juxtaposed with direct invocations of God and the Spirit, including the Pater Noster and prayers for courage and submission to the divine will. These invocations, accompanied by strokes or varied long em dashes framed by dots or exclamation marks which Martin Pilch has hypothesized to be symbolic representations of prayers—invite further reflection. Wittgenstein’s religious utterances are not merely outpourings of anguish, but manifestations of a sustained effort to align both life and work with the will of God, and to offer them for His glory. A compelling illustration of this spiritual orientation appears in M. O’C. Drury’s recollection of Wittgenstein’s declaration that his only wish was for his work to conform to the divine will. The interplay between philosophical inquiry and prayer evokes the Confessions of Saint Augustine, a spirit present throughout Wittgenstein’s work. Augustine’s integration of prayer and confession has similarly inspired 20th-century thinkers such as Jacques Derrida and Jean-François Lyotard. These Augustinian traces challenge conventional understandings of language and its limits, as well as the role of written language and punctuation, demanding a profound hermeneutics of the philosopher’s prayer. Full article

This article examines the intersecting forces of gender, class, and education in early twentieth-century Britain through a feminist reading of Pip Williams’ historical novel The Bookbinder of Jericho. Centering on the fictional character Peggy Jones—a working-class young woman employed in the Oxford University Press bindery—the study explores how women’s intellectual ambitions were constrained by economic hardship, institutional gatekeeping, and patriarchal social norms. By integrating close literary analysis with historical research on women bookbinders, educational reform, and the impact of World War I, the paper reveals how the novel functions as both a narrative of personal development and a broader critique of systemic exclusion. Drawing on the genre of the female Bildungsroman, the article argues that Peggy’s journey—from bindery worker to aspiring scholar—mirrors the real struggles of working-class women who sought education and recognition in a male-dominated society. It also highlights the significance of female solidarity, especially among those who served as volunteers, caregivers, and community organizers during wartime. Through the symbolic geography of Oxford and its working-class district of Jericho, the novel foregrounds the spatial and social divides that shaped women’s lives and labor. Ultimately, this study shows how The Bookbinder of Jericho offers not only a fictional portrait of one woman’s aspirations but also a feminist intervention that recovers and reinterprets the overlooked histories of British women workers. The novel becomes a literary space for reclaiming agency, articulating resistance, and criticizing the gendered boundaries of knowledge, work, and belonging. Full article

Background/Objectives: War conflicts impact public health and patient hospital presentations. We aimed to assess the incidence and severity of acute appendicitis (AA) in children during the 2023 Israeli–Hamas–Hezbollah war. Methods: This multicenter retrospective cohort study included children (<18 years) admitted with AA in six medical centers in a 2-month period during the war (7 October–30 November 2023) and a comparable period in 2022. Demographic, clinical, laboratory, imaging, treatment, and outcome data were collected at individual medical centers and analyzed, with subgroup analysis based on proximity to conflict zones. Statistical tests used were Kolmogorov–Smirnov test, Student’s t-test, Mann–Whitney U, and Pearson chi square. p < 0.05 was considered significant. Results: Among 209 patients (106 in 2023, 103 in 2022), a higher rate of complicated AA during wartime was observed, although not statistically significant (27% vs. 18%, p = 0.11). The median symptom-to-presentation time remained 24 h (p = 0.64). The overall incidence of AA decreased by 20% in medical centers near conflict zones but increased by 28% in centers distant from conflict zones. The proportion of complicated AA doubled during the war in hospitals close to conflict zones as compared to during pre-war time (16% vs. 9%, respectively, p = 0.016), with a trend toward higher C-reactive protein (CRP) levels [26.5 (5.3–107.0) vs. 13 (3.4–40.9), respectively, p = 0.075], although symptom-to-presentation times remained unchanged (24 h in both groups, p = 0.32). Conclusions: Proximity to war zones was associated with an increase in the rate of complicated appendicitis in children. While the causes remain unclear, this finding highlights the complex impact of war on healthcare in general and on the well-being of children in particular. Full article

Love and intimate relations between German men and Norwegian women were a widespread phenomenon during WWII. Like in many other European countries, these women were stigmatized and humiliated both by the authorities and by the civilian population. In this article, I discuss four postmemory literary works that address this issue: Edvard Hoem’s novel Mors og fars historie (The Story of My Mother and Father, 2005), Lene Ask’s graphic novel Hitler, Jesus og farfar (Hitler, Jesus, and Grandfather, 2006), Randi Crott and Lillian Crott Berthung’s autobiography Ikke si det til noen! (Don’t tell anyone!, 2013), and Atle Næss’s novel Blindgjengere (Duds, 2019). I explore how the narratives create a living connection between then and now and how they deal with unresolved questions and knowledge gaps. Furthermore, I discuss common themes such as the fate and identity of war children, national responsibilities versus individual choice, and norms connected to gender and sexuality. I argue that these postmemory interpretations of wartime love affairs not only aim to retell the past but to investigate the normative frameworks within which these relationships took place. My contention is that the postmemory gaze pays primary attention to the power of cultural constructions—of nationality, identity, and gender—as well as their context-related historical changes. Full article

Objective: Although there has been substantial research on post-traumatic stress disorder and its commonly comorbid conditions, the unique associations among these mental health symptoms and relationship adjustment have not been investigated. The purpose of this paper is to extend understanding of the associations among PTSD and relationship adjustment for female and male veterans, as well as to account for the impact of comorbid symptoms of depression and problematic alcohol use in a large sample. Method: Participants were 2325 (n = 1122 men and 1203 women) veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan from a larger study exploring wartime experiences and post-deployment adjustment. Chi-square analyses and regressions tested the associations among mental health symptoms (PTSD symptom severity, depressive symptoms, and problematic alcohol use) and relationship status and adjustment. Results: For both men and women, those with probable PTSD were less likely to be in an intimate relationship than those without probable PTSD, and those in intimate relationships had lower PTSD symptom severity compared with those not in intimate relationships. However, when accounting for PTSD, depression, and problematic alcohol use simultaneously, only depression emerged as a significant negative predictor of relationship adjustment. Conclusions: Shared variance among these common post-traumatic mental health conditions comorbidities may be most responsible for PTSD’s negative association with relationship adjustment. Unique remaining variance of depression is also negatively associated with relationship adjustment. Treatment implications of these findings for individual and couple therapy post-trauma are provided. Full article

This paper addresses critical challenges in renewable energy research, particularly under the difficult operational conditions caused by the military conflict in Ukraine. Despite significant infrastructure loss due to the armed conflict (13% of solar and 70% of wind power), Ukraine maintains a commitment to reach 27% renewable energy in final consumption by 2030. However, the wartime conditions present unique challenges to scientific research, with laboratories vulnerable to missile strikes and frequently requiring evacuation. This paper introduces innovative portable laboratory stands designed for comprehensive analysis and monitoring of photovoltaic (PV) module parameters. These portable platforms, integrating advanced microcontrollers, sensors, and data-processing units, enable effective real-time monitoring and parameter estimation of PV modules, thereby enhancing their operational efficiency and reliability. Two distinct portable laboratory setups were developed and are detailed: the first focuses on real-time voltage and current measurements, while the second, termed the photovoltaic module parameter scanner (SPFEM), emphasizes data collection, remote data transmission, and database integration for subsequent analysis. This research provides essential tools for ensuring continuity in scientific activities and practical training for students and researchers amidst the ongoing security threats. The presented systems significantly contribute to optimizing the performance of PV systems in Ukraine and underscore the necessity for continuous adaptation and technological advancement in renewable energy infrastructure. Full article

Pregnancy and transition to motherhood are significant experiences accompanied by manifold changes, particularly during times of crisis, such as exposure to traumatic events, which involve further levels of complexity and vulnerability. This is especially true for Arab women in Israel, considering the interactions between their physical, mental, and social environments, and their impact on health during pregnancy and childcare in wartime. This study sought to examine the experience of Arab women in Israel, who experienced intersectional marginalization as women in a traditional patriarchal society who belong to a minority group, during the perinatal period, following the events of 7 October 2023, and the subsequent Israel–Hamas war. Semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted with ten participants in different stages of pregnancy and young mothers to infants up to a year old. The thematic analysis revealed four main themes: The impact of the war on intrapersonal identity; The impact within the couple’s relationship identity; The impact on family identity; Socio-political identity. Shining a spotlight on the experiences of Arab women in Israel and their daily functioning in the current complex reality reveals unique challenges, encompassing profound feelings of fear, anxiety, and imposed silence. Deepening the understanding of marginalized women’s experiences can help policymakers in the field of women’s health to design tailored adaptations in health policies for Arab women from minority groups, navigating the complexities of transitioning to motherhood during periods of social instability and wartime challenges. Full article

It has always been understood that Pablo Picasso imbued his arts with a rich symbolism. Those representations could be understood readily, at times only with some effort, or utterly inaccessible at others. A part of that symbolism is yet to be understood, with numerous points of information and cross-reference “hiding” in plain sight. He was fond of newsprint as a substrate and medium for painting, not only during wartime, but especially so in the deprivations of World War II. The relationship between some paintings typical during the period and the newsprint on which they were done was intense, such that the substrate inhabits the medium, sharing equal part with the composition. Around the same time or after, Picasso was crafting poems of an often cryptic nature. An in-depth look at two poems reveals a multitude of references to paintings on newsprint and to the contents of that newsprint. With new understandings of those symbols, evidence emerges that Picasso’s “palette of words” was more than just metaphor, but also descriptive of a theory and a method which the artist put into practice in at least two instances of WWII-era newsprint paintings and famously cryptic poems, detailed here. Full article

Natural disasters often occur unexpectedly, catching people off guard, such as the Hualien earthquake on 3 April 2024. Many of the evacuation-monitoring systems currently in place lack real-time updates of shelter capacities, which raises the risk of overcrowding under wartime scenarios. This study developed a system for the targeted assignment of evacuation sites during air raids. The DBSCAN algorithm was used to group data based on pedestrian flow patterns and an LSTM model was used to enhance the prediction speed and accuracy. Weighted Voronoi diagrams delineated regions to identify optimal evacuation points, while real-time SMS notifications through base station positioning disseminated evacuation information to the public. The experiment results demonstrated the effectiveness of the proposed system in facilitating safe evacuations across a broad range of geographic regions while reducing the number of LSTM models. Dynamic updates on the shelter capacities make it possible for citizens to make informed decisions during air raid emergencies. Full article

Are wartime dream diaries a testimony to violence and its impact on society and culture? Do dreams shape and respond to history and the collective remembrance of war? This article argues that wartime dream collections constitute a testimonial practice that brings visibility to experiences hidden from the public domain and missing from dominant discourses on war. Connecting post-2022 Ukrainian dream diaries and theoretical contributions to cultural dream analysis by Charlotte Beradt, Georges Didi-Huberman, and Wilfred Bion, I argue that recognizing dream sharing as witnessing raises ethical and political questions because it is not a constative speech act, but a form of thinking about and action on history. Within this ethical–political perspective, sharing dreams is never merely about relaying contents to the reader but a relational act of self-disclosure. I conclude that to read records of war dreams is inseparable from being called upon to receive and offer hospitality to a dream. Full article

This paper examines how Korea’s Buddhist community accepted the ‘Imperial Way’ (J. kōdōshugi; K. hwangdojuui 皇道主義), the wartime ideology of the Japanese Empire, during the colonial period and how it supported and contributed to the war waged by the Japanese Empire. In the process, it analyzes the ways in which the Buddhist community transformed Buddhist theory in order to justify its collaboration with the Japanese war effort. In this paper, the Buddhist doctrinal basis of this wartime collaboration is examined regarding three of its core aspects. First, when the colonial Korean Buddhist community accepted the ideology of the ‘Imperial Way’ and advocated secularism, it did so by means of the logic of the ‘non-duality of the real and the conventional’ (K. jinsokbuli 眞俗不二). Second, when colonial era Korean Buddhism encouraged its own participation in the war, it regarded war as a site of practice that ‘transcends life and death’ and thus affirmed it. Third, the colonial Korean Buddhist community proposed the concept of ‘Buddhist totalitarianism’ (K. Bulgyo Jeonchejuui 佛敎全體主義) to inquire into a totality that transcends individuality in Buddhism. Accordingly, this paper’s goal is to examine how the Buddhist community in colonial Korea transformed Buddhist doctrine for non-Buddhist purposes in a particular historical situation where its cooperation in war was demanded. Additionally, as a starting point for discussion, this issue will also be explored in parallel with the logic of Japanese Buddhism’s war contributions at the time. Full article

Background: The ongoing military conflict in Ukraine has had a devastating impact on children’s health, exposing them to a range of illnesses. The aim of this study was to analyze the most common medical conditions among Ukrainian children since the beginning of the conflict, with a focus on identifying and understanding these problems in a wartime setting. Method: To assess the health status of affected children, we collected data from 422 pediatric patients who presented to the emergency department. The analysis included reviewing medical records, documenting the nature of illness, treatments administered, and the need for hospitalization. Results: Preliminary results indicate that interstitial pneumonia, contusions, gastroenterocolitis, and traumatic brain injury were the most common conditions. Of the 422 children studied, 80% received appropriate care without hospitalization, while 20% were admitted for further evaluation. Conclusions: Interstitial pneumonia was diagnosed in 23% of patients, highlighting the vulnerability of the respiratory system under conflict conditions. Contusions were predominant among musculoskeletal injuries, accounting for 81% of cases, and gastroenterocolitis was diagnosed in 46% of patients, reflecting the impact of poor living conditions. Full article