Ivory is one the precious and sought materials in most of the ancient Near Eastern civilizations in Mesopotamia, the Levant and ancient Egypt, and man has excelled in using ivory since ancient times, to produce carved and polished pieces of great artistic value, and ivory carvings are of great importance as one of the materials that show us the amount of Luxury in the Assyrian royal court, as they are included in the inlay of furniture, thrones, chairs and tables, as (...) well as decorative boxes, scales, combs and others, and the Assyrian kings paid great attention to this material and became one of the faces of art in the modern Assyrian era. (shrink)

This article presents a fairness principle for evaluating decision-making based on predictions: a decision rule is unfair when the individuals directly impacted by the decisions who are equal with respect to the features that justify inequalities in outcomes do not have the same statistical prospects of being benefited or harmed by them, irrespective of their socially salient morally arbitrary traits. The principle can be used to evaluate prediction-based decision-making from the point of view of a wide range of antecedently specified (...) substantive views about justice in outcome distributions. (shrink)

Trust and trustworthiness are central concepts in contemporary discussions about the ethics of and qualities associated with artificial intelligence (AI) and the relationships between people, organisations and AI. In this article we develop an interdisciplinary approach, using socio-technical software engineering and design anthropological approaches, to investigate how trust and trustworthiness concepts are articulated and performed by AI software practitioners. We examine how trust and trustworthiness are defined in relation to AI across these disciplines, and investigate how AI, trust and trustworthiness (...) are conceptualised and experienced through an ethnographic study of the work practices of nine practitioners in the software industry. We present key implications of our findings for the generation of trust and trustworthiness and for the training and education of future software practitioners. (shrink)

Trust and trustworthiness are central concepts in contemporary discussions about the ethics of and qualities associated with artificial intelligence (AI) and the relationships between people, organisations and AI. In this article we develop an interdisciplinary approach, using socio-technical software engineering and design anthropological approaches, to investigate how trust and trustworthiness concepts are articulated and performed by AI software practitioners. We examine how trust and trustworthiness are defined in relation to AI across these disciplines, and investigate how AI, trust and trustworthiness (...) are conceptualised and experienced through an ethnographic study of the work practices of nine practitioners in the software industry. We present key implications of our findings for the generation of trust and trustworthiness and for the training and education of future software practitioners. (shrink)

In this paper, chaotic dynamics of a mixed Rayleigh–Liénard oscillator driven by parametric periodic damping and external excitations is investigated analytically and numerically. The equilibrium points and their stability evolutions are analytically analyzed, and the transitions of dynamical behaviors are explored in detail. Furthermore, from the Melnikov method, the analytical criterion for the appearance of the homoclinic chaos is derived. Analytical prediction is tested against numerical simulations based on the basin of attraction of initial conditions. As a result, it is (...) found that for ω = ν, the chaotic region decreases and disappears when the amplitude of the parametric periodic damping excitation increases. Moreover, increasing of F 1 and F 0 provokes an erosion of the basin of attraction and a modification of the geometrical shape of the chaotic attractors. For ω ≠ ν and η = 0.8, the fractality of the basin of attraction increases as the amplitude of the external periodic excitation and constant term increase. Bifurcation structures of our system are performed through the fourth-order Runge–Kutta ode 45 algorithm. It is found that the system displays a remarkable route to chaos. It is also found that the system exhibits monostable and bistable oscillations as well as the phenomenon of coexistence of attractors. (shrink)

The current study aimed at identifying the awareness level of artificial intelligence applications' risks among faculty members and its relation to the attitude towards digital culture at Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University. The descriptive survey method was used. A questionnaire was designed to measure the awareness of the artificial intelligence applications' risks, and a scale for measuring the attitude towards digital culture. They were administered to a sample of [463] faculty members at Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University. The study concluded (...) that there is an average awareness of the artificial intelligence applications' risks and the attitude towards digital culture among faculty members. A significant relationship was found out between awareness of the artificial intelligence applications' risks as a whole and the attitude towards digital culture. The results indicated that there are no differences in the awareness level of the artificial intelligence risks due to the variables of: gender, use duration of digital applications, and colleges. There are no differences in the variable of the attitude towards digital culture with its various dimensions: cognitive, psychomotor, and affective and its total score. The current study recommended designing a professional development plan for faculty members on the negative effects and risks of artificial intelligence, and launching an Arab platform based on artificial intelligence applications. (shrink)

Background and ObjectivesFocal cortical dysplasia is a type of malformations of cortical development and one of the leading causes of drug-resistant epilepsy. Postoperative results improve the diagnosis of lesions on structural MRIs. Advances in quantitative algorithms have increased the identification of FCD lesions. However, due to significant differences in size, shape, and location of the lesion in different patients and a big deal of time for the objective diagnosis of lesion as well as the dependence of individual interpretation, sensitive approaches (...) are required to address the challenge of lesion diagnosis. In this research, a FCD computer-aided diagnostic system to improve existing methods is presented.MethodsMagnetic resonance imaging data were collected from 58 participants. Morphological and intensity-based features were calculated for each cortical surface and inserted into an artificial neural network. Statistical examinations evaluated classifier efficiency.ResultsNeural network evaluation metrics—sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy—were 96.7, 100, and 98.6%, respectively. Furthermore, the accuracy of the classifier for the detection of the lobe and hemisphere of the brain, where the FCD lesion is located, was 84.2 and 77.3%, respectively.ConclusionAnalyzing surface-based features by automated machine learning can give a quantitative and objective diagnosis of FCD lesions in presurgical assessment and improve postsurgical outcomes. (shrink)

The current study explored the effects of using digital flashcards and mobile devices on learning academic vocabulary. The participants were 86 university students majoring in Psychology in two experimental conditions and one control group. A list of 361 core academic words frequently used in Psychology was taught to the participants using different materials, and the learning outcomes were compared across the three groups. Accordingly, the participants in the experimental group 1 used a DF application, participants in the experimental group 2 (...) used traditional materials, and those in the control group were given a list of target words with their definitions. Receptive knowledge of the target words was tested before and after the treatment, and the learning outcomes were compared across the groups using one-way between-groups ANOVA. The findings of the study indicated that using DFs enhanced students’ engagement with learning their discipline-specific academic vocabulary and that experimental group 1 outperformed those participants in other learning conditions. The findings add to the existing literature on mobile-assisted vocabulary learning and provide empirical support for the effectiveness of such platforms for learning academic vocabulary. The implications of the study were discussed in terms of the affordances provided by DFs on mobile devices and corpus-based word lists for informing vocabulary learning components in teaching English for Academic Purposes. (shrink)

BackgroundBurnout is a recognized challenge among the oncology workforce. It affects both genders with a higher frequency among women. This study examined the factors contributing to the development of burnout among female oncologists from the Middle East and North Africa.MethodsAn online cross-sectional survey was distributed to oncology professionals from different countries in the MENA region. The validated Maslach Burnout Inventory of emotional exhaustion, Depersonalization, and Personal Achievement plus questions about demography/work-related factors and attitudes toward oncology were included. Data were analyzed (...) to measure BO prevalence and related factors.ResultsBetween 10 February and 15 March 2020, 545 responses were submitted by female oncologists. The responses pre-dated the COVID-19 pandemic emergence in the region. BO prevalence was 71% among female professionals. Women aged 25% on administrative work daily. Nearly half of the respondents expressed a recurring thought of quitting oncology and 70% had no burnout support or education. Inability to deliver optimal care was reported as distressing for career development in 82%. Factors significantly influencing the BO risk were identified. Marital status, having children, academia and years in practice did not impact the risk of BO among female oncologists from MENA.ConclusionFemale oncologists from the Middle East and North Africa were found to have a high prevalence of BO. In this cohort, the majority of women oncology workers were young and in their early to mid-career stages. Burnout was linked to being younger, practicing in North African nations, having a heavy administrative load, and having persistent thoughts of quitting. Practicing a hobby and engaging in oncology communication, on the other hand, reduced the chance of BO. Burnout support and education, specifically for oncology women, is required. (shrink)

Objectives: We investigated how often journal articles reporting on human HIV research in four developing world countries mention any institutional review boards (IRBs) or research ethics committees (RECs), and what factors are involved.Methods: We examined all such articles published in 2007 from India, Nigeria, Thailand and Uganda, and coded these for several ethical and other characteristics.Results: Of 221 articles meeting inclusion criteria, 32.1% did not mention IRB approval. Mention of IRB approval was associated with: biomedical (versus psychosocial) research (P = (...) 0.001), more sponsor-country authors (P = 0.003), sponsor-country corresponding author (P = 0.047), mention of funding (P < 0.001), particular host-country involved (P = 0.002), journals having sponsor-country editors (P < 0.001), and journal stated compliance with International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE) guidelines (P = 0.003). Logistic regression identified 3 significant factors: mention of funding, journal having sponsor-country editors and research being biomedical.Conclusions: One-third of articles still do not mention IRB approval. Mention varied by country, and was associated with biomedical research, and more sponsor country involvement. Recently, some journals have required mention of IRB approval, but allow authors to do so in cover letters to editors, not in the article itself. Instead, these data suggest, journals should require that articles document adherence to ethical standards. (shrink)

ABSTRACT Objectives: We investigated how often journal articles reporting on human HIV research in four developing world countries mention any institutional review boards (IRBs) or research ethics committees (RECs), and what factors are involved. Methods: We examined all such articles published in 2007 from India, Nigeria, Thailand and Uganda, and coded these for several ethical and other characteristics. Results: Of 221 articles meeting inclusion criteria, 32.1% did not mention IRB approval. Mention of IRB approval was associated with: biomedical (versus psychosocial) (...) research (P = 0.001), more sponsor‐country authors (P = 0.003), sponsor‐country corresponding author (P = 0.047), mention of funding (P < 0.001), particular host‐country involved (P = 0.002), journals having sponsor‐country editors (P < 0.001), and journal stated compliance with International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE) guidelines (P = 0.003). Logistic regression identified 3 significant factors: mention of funding, journal having sponsor‐country editors and research being biomedical. Conclusions: One‐third of articles still do not mention IRB approval. Mention varied by country, and was associated with biomedical research, and more sponsor country involvement. Recently, some journals have required mention of IRB approval, but allow authors to do so in cover letters to editors, not in the article itself. Instead, these data suggest, journals should require that articles document adherence to ethical standards. (shrink)

The article examines the cultivation ideals that have emerged in public debates surrounding Moderna Museet – the Swedish Museum of Modern Art – between 1972 and 2006, with a focus on how these ideals have been shaped by evolving societal and cultural policy expectations. The concept of cultivation ideals [kultiveringsideal] refers to the perceived roles that the museum should play in cultivating specific qualities in its visitors, as well as the means through which this cultivation should be achieved. Throughout the (...) debates, six distinct cultivation ideals emerged. Rather than being fixed or universally agreed upon, the cultivation ideals emerging from the public debate on Moderna Museet have been continuously reshaped throughout the museum’s history. However, although the ideals have shifted, they all emphasise the modern art museum’s role as a cultivating institution. (shrink)

A long lasting debate in the field of implicit learning is whether participants can learn without acquiring conscious knowledge. One crucial problem is that no clear criterion exists allowing to identify participants who possess explicit knowledge. Here, we propose a method to diagnose during a serial reaction time task those participants who acquire conscious knowledge. We first validated this method by using Stroop-like material during training. Then we assessed participants’ knowledge with the Inclusion/Exclusion task and the wagering task . Both (...) experiments confirmed that for participants diagnosed as having acquired conscious knowledge about the underlying sequence the Stroop congruency effect disappeared, whereas for participants not diagnosed as possessing conscious knowledge it only slightly decreased. In addition, both experiments revealed that only participants diagnosed as conscious were able to strategically use their acquired knowledge. Thus, our method allows to reliably distinguish between participants with and without conscious knowledge. (shrink)

G protein‐coupled receptors (GPCRs) constitute the largest family of transmembrane proteins and play a crucial role in regulating diverse cellular functions. They transmit their signaling via binding to intracellular signal transducers and effectors, such as G proteins, GPCR kinases, and β‐arrestins. To influence specific GPCR signaling behaviors, β‐arrestins recruit effectors to form larger signaling complexes. Intriguingly, they facilitate divergent functions for the binding to different receptors. Recent studies relying on advanced structural approaches, novel biosensors and interactome analyses bring us closer (...) to understanding how this specificity is achieved. In this article, we share our hypothesis of how active GPCRs induce specific conformational rearrangements within β‐arrestins to reveal distinct binding interfaces, enabling the recruitment of a subset of effectors to foster specialized signaling complexes. Furthermore, we discuss methods of how to comprehensively assess β‐arrestin conformational states and present the current state of research regarding the functionality of these multifaceted scaffolding proteins. (shrink)

Structurally, cognitive and biological evolution are highly similar. Random variation and constant but blind selection drive evolution within biology as well as within cognition. However, evolution of cognitive programs, and in particular of grammar systems, is not a subclass of biological evolution but a domain of its own. The abstract evolutionary principles, however, are akin in cognitive and biological evolution. In other words, insights gained in the biological domain can be cautiously applied to the cognitive domain. This paper claims that (...) the cognitively encapsulated, i.e. consciously inaccessible, aspects of grammars as cognitively represented systems, that is, the procedural and structural parts of grammars, are subject to, and results of, Darwinian evolution, applying to a domain-specific cognitive program. Other, consciously accessible aspects of language do not fall under Darwinian evolutionary principles, but are mostly instances of social changes. (shrink)

This article presents a discussion with Australian Iranian artist Hoda Afshar, in which we explore some of the social and political contexts of contemporary creative practice from a Deleuzian perspective. Our discussion references work from across Afshar’s career, though we focus on a recent exhibition ( The Fold) staged as part of the National Gallery of Victoria’s Triennial in Naarm (Melbourne), Australia, in late 2023 into 2024. This exhibition featured works partially derived from Afshar’s investigations in the archive of (...) the French psychiatrist and photographer Gaëtan Gatian de Clérambault (1872–1934), which included thousands of images of veiled Islamic women and men taken in Morocco in the 1920s. Employing diverse visual strategies and artistic techniques to restage these images, The Fold invites the viewer to question the political and aesthetic representation of marginal subjects, the colonist’s fascination with the veil, and the contemporary resonances these questions evoke. The title of Afshar’s exhibition has obvious Deleuzian echoes, though we also draw out wider references taken from Deleuze’s discussion of the ‘people to come’, including some of his own brief references to de Clérambault’s work in The Fold: Leibniz and the Baroque. We preface this discussion by way of a brief introduction to Afshar’s practice, including relevant aspects of her training and exhibition history, while also touching upon the broader social and political interests that often feature in her work. We then explore the key resonances between these interests and our shared readings of the work of Deleuze and Guattari. We return to these themes in a brief conclusion where we offer some final thoughts on the contours of a Deleuzian creative life. (shrink)

Although the existence of implicit motor learning is now widely accepted, the findings concerning perceptual implicit learning are ambiguous. Some researchers have observed perceptual learning whereas other authors have not. The review of the literature provides different reasons to explain this ambiguous picture, such as differences in the underlying learning processes, selective attention, or differences in the difficulty to express this knowledge. In three experiments, we investigated implicit visual learning within the original serial reaction time task. We used different response (...) devices in order to manipulate selective attention towards response dimensions. Results showed that visual and motor sequence learning differed in terms of RT-benefits, but not in terms of the amount of knowledge assessed after training. Furthermore, visual sequence learning was modulated by selective attention. However, the findings of all three experiments suggest that selective attention did not alter implicit but rather explicit learning processes. (shrink)

The present research investigates the role of voluntary, conscious processing in strategy change. In 2 experiments, we address whether the switch to a new strategy is the result of data - driven, automatic processes or of voluntary processes. Experiment 1 demonstrates that participants performing an alphabet verification task are able to transfer a newly adopted strategy to dissimilar information never encountered before, verbally describe the task regularity that allows for the generation and application of the new strategy immediately after the (...) strategy was adopted. Using the same experimental task, Experiment 2 shows that participants, and decide against adopting a new strategy when the available evidence suggests that the new strategy cannot be used for the entire range of problems encountered. Overall, the obtained results support the view that strategy change is mediated by voluntary controlled processing. They do not support the view that strategy change is an inevitable, automatic consequence of task practice. The present research thus highlights a potential function of conscious human processing. (shrink)

This paper describes the central role of peace in the Bahá’í Faith. For Bahá’ís, peace begins at the level of the individual and migrates outward to the community, nation, and the world. The article explains how the Bahá’í Faith outlines a covenant – an agreement between Bahá’ís and between Bahá’ís and the world – made manifest in an Administrative Order in which the ascertainment of peaceful principles and the establishment of peaceful practices are developed. The paper explains how concepts like (...) the oneness of humanity, the symbiosis between science and religion, and the unity of religion and God combine with ideals like justice, equality, and consultation to form a Bahá’í approach to the creation and maintenance of peace. Integration and disintegration – broad-structured, dynamic effects that shift societies and the world – will help to usher in two main aspects of a present and future Bahá’í order: the Lesser Peace and the Most Great Peace. The Lesser Peace is defined by the efforts of nations and international actors to form a broad-based, global peace. The Most Great Peace describes the arrival and ascendance of the Bahá’í Administrative Order, which will result in an unprecedented level of global peace and security. (shrink)

This paper explores the representation of Laji’een and Muhajireen in Jordan News Agency. It uses the headlines of a 2.5 million word corpus of Arabic news articles in a time span of 5 years from 2012 to 2016. Chronologically analyzing the headlines shows a change in the representation of and attitudes towards refugees and migrants over the investigated period. The analysis of the headlines shows that 2012 starts with providing the assistance to the refugees then at a later stage of (...) 2012 and in 2013 and 2014, the language is shifted to calling for assistance to the country to contribute to solving the problem. In 2015, the language is changed to be more alerting about the scarce in funding. In 2016, the headlines have changed the focus to Europe due to the migration of the refugees. This motivates the National News Agency of Jordan to highlight the suffering of Europe because of the refugees despite having the capacity and resources to host the migrant refugees. The paper concludes that language in general, and the language of media in particular can change the attitudes of people and governments toward critical issues and phenomena like migration and asylum. (shrink)

In diesem Aufsatz wird der Begriff „Technik“ bis zu seinem griechischen Ursprung, τέχνη, zurückverfolgt. Wir erkennen seine erste Bedeutung als eine geistige Aktivität, die auf Wissen und systematischer Erforschung beruht und auf die Schaffung eines technischen oder eines moralischen Werks abzielt. Im vorliegenden Aufsatz wird argumentiert, dass der Hauptunterschied zwischen der Technik, wie sie von den klassischen griechischen Philosophen gesehen wurde, und unserer heutigen Technik, in dem Ziel liegen könnte, welches der Mensch für die Technik setzt.

Emotion recognition systems have been of interest to researchers for a long time. Improvement of brain-computer interface systems currently makes EEG-based emotion recognition more attractive. These systems try to develop strategies that are capable of recognizing emotions automatically. There are many approaches due to different features extractions methods for analyzing the EEG signals. Still, Since the brain is supposed to be a nonlinear dynamic system, it seems a nonlinear dynamic analysis tool may yield more convenient results. A novel approach in (...) Symbolic Time Series Analysis for signal phase space partitioning and symbol sequence generating is introduced in this study. Symbolic sequences have been produced by means of spherical partitioning of phase space; then, they have been compared and classified based on the maximum value of a similarity index. Obtaining the automatic independent emotion recognition EEG-based system has always been discussed because of the subject-dependent content of emotion. Here we introduce a subject-independent protocol to solve the generalization problem. To prove our method’s effectiveness, we used the DEAP dataset, and we reached an accuracy of 98.44% for classifying happiness from sadness. It was 93.75% for three, 89.06% for four, and 85% for five emotional groups. According to these results, it is evident that our subject-independent method is more accurate rather than many other methods in different studies. In addition, a subject-independent method has been proposed in this study, which is not considered in most of the studies in this field. (shrink)

carrington places race and racism at the center of his densely written analysis of science fiction, fantasy, utopia, and other forms of popular culture. He moves easily between a broad range of forms, which include memoirs, television series, comic books, novels, novelizations, fandom and fanzines, and short fiction and fiction circulated on the Internet. Popular culture helps us to construct notions of identity and race, and for carrington many constituent groups, notably fans, develop its key concepts and values.Speculative fiction is (...) for carrington a framework that links these various forms of popular culture. Here, SF is a genre different from literature, as it is situated closer to, and is more deeply... (shrink)

Building design based on principles of architecture in harmony with the climate of each region, in addition to creating thermal comfort in building interiors, reduces fuel consumption and more important it will demonstrate a clean and green environment. This issue becomes more intense in some geological areas like Khoramshahr in Iran, which has a warm, tropical and critical climate, since if this issue is not taking into account, using air conditioning utilities would be necessary in most periods of the year. (...) According to the studies, buildings in harmony with the climate of Khorramshahr will be able to adjust the thermal conditions of their interiors naturally to the human comfort level in 82 % of cases during a year. In such a building, only in 18% of cases during a year, using mechanical systems for cooling the internal spaces is essential. The main problem in this climate is cooling the interior spaces in hot season but in winter these spaces can be kept warm at the level of comfort by using passive or active solar energy or by using simple thermal devices in some situations. This all issues give a good answer to the rules of green architecture which they were carried out by traditional architects as well. Research method of this paper is mainly descriptive and analytical which study the traditional housing of Khorramshahr has been considered for achieving climatic design principles. The results of the studies show that the most problematic issue in this climate is the dry and dusty wind in summer. Since in winter, using solar cooling systems perform a situation that restricts unfavorable climatic factors. In this paper both of above mentioned issues were solved through some guidelines in the area of green architecture. (shrink)

Ovaj se rad bavi Lévi-Straussovim proučavanjem »mitskog« mišljenja u Divljoj misli, kako mnogi tvrde, njegovom najznačajnijem djelu. »Divlja« misao je logika uma svojstvena svakom čovjeku, a kao takva određuje sva ljudska društva. Antropologija, koja se bavi proučavanjima institucija i običaja, treba zahvatiti nesvjesnu strukturu na kojoj oni počivaju. Svojom nesvjesnom djelatnošću um nameće oblik sadržaju. Jedna od temeljnih pretpostavki jest da su ti oblici isti kod svih umova – davnih i suvremenih, primitivnih i civiliziranih – i ona nalaže da se (...) otkrije nesvjesna struktura na kojoj počiva svaka institucija i običaj.This essay deals with explorations of the ‘mythical’ thought in Lévi-Strauss’s most significant book – The savage mind. ‘Savage’ thought is logic of mind which is inherent to every human being, and as such it determines all human societies. Anthropology should reveal unconscious structure in which institutions and customs are rooted. Unconscious activity of mind dictates forms to the content. One of the key assumptions is that those forms are basically the same to all people – ancient and contemporary, primitive and civilized – and it calls for revelation of unconscious structure which determines every institution and custom. (shrink)

We examined the current field identity of Islamic banks and its evolution. We conducted interviews with 44 Sharia (Islamic law) scholars and related professionals in the fields of Islamic and conventional banking, representing nine jurisdictions. We found that Islamic banks are still hybrid organizations belonging to two equally powerful fields of Islamic law (Sharia) and conventional banking. Consequently, Islamic banks abide by two completely different institutional logics. The hybrid identity of Islamic banks resultantly became static due to institutional pressures exerted (...) by both root fields. We discuss how hybrid fields evolve focusing on the conditions that prevent hybrid field identities from becoming independent. We also contribute to the literature on elastic hybrid identity of organizations by theorizing an elastic fatigue model. Finally, we suggest some practical motions to boost the static hybrid identity of Islamic banks and transform it to an elastic one. (shrink)

This article surveys the non-violent leadership of Abdul Ghaffar Khan or Bacha Khan, an example that is still too widely neglected in philosophical studies of pacifism and nonviolence today. Here we recount key details of his birth, upbringing, and impact as leader of a uniformed non-violent army known as the Khudai Khidmatgars. In Bacha Khan’s early years, we show how he developed a passion for education and non-violence based upon his experiences under British rule in the Northwest Frontier Province (NWFP) (...) of India, which today lies within Pakistan along its border with Afghanistan, including the legendary Khyber Pass. We summarize the story of the role that Bacha Khan and the Khudai Khidmatgars played in the nonviolent resistance to British rule and the legacy that prompted the India National Congress to offer him the post of president, a position that he declined. We present Bacha Khan’s legacy in the form of four main components: Nonviolence, Social Justice, Pashtunwali, and Islam as we consider the relationship of his legacy with that of Gandhi’s. We argue that Bacha Khan offers a worthy model of critical study and practice, especially with regard to nonviolence, education, youth leadership development, humane nationalism, and interfaith relations. We note that Nobel Peace Prize laureate Malala Yousafzai’s favorite quote comes from Bacha Khan. (shrink)

Objective: Governments consistently aim to enhance services and establish online connections to efficiently deliver necessary information. This study aims to evaluate the future potential of digital libraries in public libraries in Pakistan by examining various projects that have introduced innovative approaches to foster the development of digital library services. Methodology: The analysis utilized the Amos 24 version, employing the Structural Equation Model (SEM) for assessing model fit indices and validating hypotheses. Additionally, Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 24 was (...) employed for Pearson correlation and factor analysis. Findings: The results suggest the appropriateness of discussing three out of the seven elements/factors used to assess competence improvement. The study reveals that public library managers can offer both physical and online workshops to community members, addressing emotional management for customers, including children and adults, during post-crisis information retrieval. Practical Implications: The study on public library user literacy skills, user behavior, and digital resources and services integrates the exploration and development of online databases to address challenges faced by public library management and users amidst the information explosion in academic and research activities. This contributes to enhancing the satisfaction levels of public library users. Originality/Value: Librarians are encouraged to conduct online workshops to address challenges faced by research students in information-seeking scenarios, focusing on improving reading and literacy skills, understanding user behavior, and optimizing digital resources and services through a study of online databases. (shrink)

This article examines the Zaydi doctrine of the imamate through an analysis of historical depictions of the 169/786 revolt of Ḥusayn b. ʿAlī at Fakhkh by three different authors: Aḥmad b. Sahl al-Rāzī (d. late third/ninth century), al-Nāṭiq Yaḥyā b. al-Ḥusayn (d. 424/1033), and ʿAlī b. Bilāl al-Āmulī (d. fifth/eleventh century). The classical model of the Zaydi imamate holds that a descendant of ʿAlī b. Abī Ṭālib (through either Ḥasan or Ḥusayn) with the proper qualities becomes Imam by summoning supporters (...) (daʿwa), administering the oath of allegiance (bayʿa), and rising up in rebellion (khurūj) against a tyrant. This article investigates the relative importance of these components in historical accounts composed after the establishment of Zaydi political power in Yemen and the Caspian region. It argues that the emergence of dynastic rule may have lessened the importance of rebellion while elevating a candidate’s exemplary personal qualities and political skill. This change is potentially embedded in narrative differences between the three sources. (shrink)

This chapter sets out the historical background of the Biharis and their position in contemporary Bangladesh. Who are the Biharis? What is their historical background? How does their repatriation process work? What are the problems of their repatriation? What is their legal status in Bangladesh? What kinds of problems do they face? This chapter will deal with these questions. I argue in this chapter that the Biharis in Bangladesh are the products of the partition of India in the 1940s. They (...) migrated to the former East Pakistan (Bangladesh) to avoid communal violence in India as well as to have a better future in Pakistan. Here I also argue that the Biharis remain unintegrated with the local Bengalis because of their separate culture and way of life. Many of them opposed the freedom struggles of the Bengalis in the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s and supported the ruling elites of Pakistan to serve their own political and economic interests. After the birth of Bangladesh, virtually the Biharis became stateless, unwanted, and the targets of assaults. However, in 2008, the Bangladesh Supreme Court declared them citizens of Bangladesh which led to their transition from statelessness to citizenship. (shrink)

Dystopian literature authored by Arab novelists serves as a reflective medium that elucidates the traumatic experiences endured by individuals in the Arab world amidst on-going crises and conflicts. This article employs trauma theory to explore the complexities of establishing a dystopian text showing how trauma manifests within the unconscious layers of the human psyche, thus leaving an indelible scar that persists over time. The article argues that the events associated with such traumatic experiences emerge into the realm of reality through (...) literary texts, a process that not only allows for the articulation of hidden traumas but also provides the writer with a means to alleviate personal dilemmas through the act of writing. By briefly analysing a selection of prominent and translated Arabic dystopian works, this article examines how certain narratives encapsulate experiences of trauma resulting from oppression and societal upheaval and explores how these texts present harsh realities while engaging readers and fostering resistance against personal adversities. The depicting of dystopian themes and characters in these texts enables readers to understand genuine traumas that bridge the gap between imaginative constructs and lived realities. In conclusion, the article asserts that Arabic dystopian literature acts as a mirror that reflects the injustices and oppression faced by Arabs under authoritarian regimes and the legacies of former colonial powers. (shrink)

Workplace deviance has long been a subject of discussion in various industries, including the healthcare sector. The poor working conditions in the nursing profession have made nurses feel pressured to perform more than their contractual tasks, resulting in job dissatisfaction, which has prompted them to engage in workplace deviance, which may jeopardize the hospital’s well-being and wealth. The negative behaviors exhibited by the nurses had a significant impact on hospital function, which may also endanger the lives of patients, which is (...) an issue that warrants further investigation. The Pakistani nursing sector has been emphasized by the study due to the different working conditions in Pakistan as compared to Western countries. The nursing profession in Pakistan is different due to its dominant Islamic context. To elucidate the issue, this study aims to examine the influence of destructive leadership behaviors and citizenship pressure on job dissatisfaction among nurses and the influence of job dissatisfaction on workplace deviance. The role of job dissatisfaction as a mediator has also been examined. By adopting the quantitative approach, data were collected from 383 nurses in Pakistani Hospitals. Analysis was done using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). The findings revealed that citizenship pressure and destructive leadership behaviors (i.e., laissez-faire, supportive-disloyal, and tyrannical leadership) are significant predictors of job dissatisfaction. Job dissatisfaction, in turn, was found to mediate the effect of citizenship pressure and all destructive leadership behaviors, except derailed leadership, on workplace deviance. The findings of the present study are theoretically and practically relevant as they provide new insights into the behavioral mechanisms that could be addressed to eliminate the occurrence of workplace deviance in the healthcare context. (shrink)

Acts of violence arising from hatred, racism, and bigotry have no place in a world of civility. The brutal attacks on Muslim worshippers at two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand, leaving 51 dead and 49 injured, can never be justified. Through adopting Van Dijk's ideological square of 'Us. vs. Them' [3], the present study uncovers the impact statements of the attacks' survivors and victims' families, denouncing the severity of the event and expressing the shattering effects of the attacks on self, (...) society, and humanity at large. Over a period of three days, about 90 people delivered their statements in the High Court in Christchurch. The data were compiled through YouTube videos and news articles that reported the testimonies. The findings showed that the overall discursive strategy used in the impact statements is that of positive self-presentation and negative other-presentation. Such presentations are realized by focusing on the positive aspects of the ingroup members represented by the attacks' survivors, victims' families, and people of New Zealand on the one hand, and the negative characteristics of the out-group members represented by the terrorist, on the other. As the paper sends a strong message for accepting 'otherness' and rejecting antagonism, it is of significance to readers and researchers in inter-faith dialogue, human rights, equality, freedom, and justice. (shrink)

This chapter presents and discusses the findings of my fieldwork in Bangladesh. The central question of this chapter is to investigate whether the Biharis have access to important rights associated with citizenship rights that make citizenship meaningful. I interviewed 75 Biharis and twenty-five Bengalis. The interviews were conducted in the Bengali language and on a one-on-one basis. I present and discuss my research findings in two main sections. Section “Introduction” deals with the socio-economic background of the Bihari respondents, their nationality, (...) political involvement during the pre-liberation period, the role of the Biharis in the Bangladesh Liberation War, the Biharis’ views regarding repatriation to Pakistan, camp life, impediments to integration and remedies, as well as their views regarding their status in Bangladesh. Section “The Social and Economic Conditions of the Bihari Respondents” deals with the composition of the Bengali respondents and their attitudes toward the Biharis. It will look at the Bengalis’ views regarding the repatriation of the Biharis, perspectives of the Bengalis regarding the challenges of Bihari integration, and finally Bengalis’ perceptions on how to ensure human rights and citizenship rights of the Biharis. (shrink)

This chapter has twin goals. I begin by outlining the concept of statelessness and then explore the distinction between de jure statelessness and de facto statelessness. I also look at how international law and international human rights law address the issue of statelessness. In this chapter, I argue that stateless people are unable to access citizenship rights and their exclusion is tantamount to domination, exploitation, and marginalization. Next, I conceptualize nationality and citizenship and discuss the evolution and development of citizenship. (...) I also analyze the differences and similarities between nationality and citizenship and discuss the rights associated with citizenship. I further examine the constitutional laws of Bangladesh and the citizenship rights that exist in the constitution of Bangladesh. I argue that citizenship should be understood not just as a legal status or membership of a country. Rather, citizenship should be understood as a transaction of rights and responsibilities between a state and its members. (shrink)

The Biharis, while legally Bangladeshi citizens, are in practice unable to access some important citizenship rights. Most Biharis in Bangladesh have been recognized as legally entitled to citizenship in Bangladesh. However, there are a few important rights that are associated with citizenship, and it is the ability to access these rights in practice that makes citizenship meaningful. My field research shows that many Biharis in Bangladesh are unable to access these rights. On the basis of my fieldwork, I argue in (...) this chapter that the Biharis’ access to citizenship rights is inconsistent with citizenship theory (i.e., right to have rights), citizenship laws in Bangladesh, and the Constitution of Bangladesh, that is, fundamental principles and fundamental rights. (shrink)