Пътят – предпочитано място за магически действия

Author(s): Rachko Popov / Language(s): Bulgarian Issue: 1/2017

According to Wahrig Deustsches Woerterbuch the concept of the “road” refers to a place which you have to walk in order to obtain your wish, to change some life situation in a positive or negative way; there the desired result of the act is achieved. Therefore, in our traditional culture the road is the place where people most often perform all sorts of magical actions including “white” and “black” magic. The crossroad has the same meaning; in a sense, it outlines the model of the horizontal division of the world which finds expression in four main directions – east, west, north, south. The article shows some of the most common “white” magical actions which aim at positive results – mostly various healing practices against diseases such as “gorska mayka” and “vankashna bolest” as well as customs dedicated to the mythical master-guardian of the village such as “Kokosha cherkva” and customs against drought. The article also examines some “black” magical actions aiming at doing harm: “binding” of newlyweds, stealing the milk of somebody else’s cows.

Encounters between Disability Studies and Critical Trauma Studies: Introduction

Author(s): Anne-Marie Callus,Arleen Ionescu / Language(s): English Issue: 01/2018

When setting up the premises for a dialogue between disability studies and critical trauma studies and embarking on editing this pilot issue on ‘encounters’ between the two disciplines, we necessarily welcomed interdisciplinary approaches, ranging across disability studies, trauma studies, literary and cultural studies, media studies, as well as many other disciplines in the humanities. The first step in introducing this issue to our readers will be to present the histories of both disability studies and trauma studies in order to see how they evolved and see why our proposal that they should meet half way or at least more often can be considered a valid one.

On Being Woman, Other and Disabled: Navigating Identity

Author(s): Shahd Alshammari / Language(s): English Issue: 01/2018

This article addresses disability in a Middle Eastern context. It interrogates disability and identity from a Bedouin perspective. The author relays her experiences with a physical disability and society’s stigmatization of different bodies. More often than not, this usually creates psychological traumas and a complex terrain of emotional tensions when dealing with society’s oppression of individuals with disability. The author engages with a discursive discussion of the struggles of navigating spaces of shame, the traumas of stigma, and ultimately healing in finding a voice that is separate from the collective.

Reclamation of the Disabled Body: A Textual Analysis of Browning’s Freaks (1932) vs Modern Media’s Sideshow Generation

Author(s): Sasha Dilan Krugman / Language(s): English Issue: 01/2018

This article introduces Tod Browning’s 1932 film Freaks, in conversation with nineteenth century carnival and fair practices and further explains the creation and development of the freakshow. In tandem with theoretical work by authors such as Judith Butler, Rosemarie Garland-Thomson, Adrianna Cavarero and Lennard Davis, the article positions the freakshow within disability and trauma through the notions of ‘staring’, ‘normal’ and ‘horrorism’. Using two contemporary texts such as American Horror Story: Freakshow and the reality television series Freakshow, this article firstly introduces these texts thematically before analysing all three in conversation with one another as a means of further contextualizing the role of the freakshow in contemporary cultural products, then connecting these texts to the notion of violence and the use of disability as a tool for horror. The article concludes that although the freakshow has been dismantled in the literal sense, the obvious bodily difference that predicates it still remains present in today’s cultural sphere.

On Public Representation of Trauma: A Review of Jane Goodall and Christopher Lee’s Trauma and Public Memory (Houndmills, Basingstoke and New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2015)

Author(s): Arleen Ionescu,Rongrong Qian / Language(s): English Issue: 01/2018

This is a review article of a collection of essays entitled Trauma and Public Memory, edited by Jane Goodall and Christopher Lee.

Биоградината в училище – образователни, възпитателни, здравословни ефекти

Author(s): Albena Nakova-Manolova / Language(s): Bulgarian Issue: 3/2018

The article analyzes the specific urban agriculture practice of bio-gardening in schools, which continues the tradition of experimental and teaching plots in schools and combines the basic effects of urban agriculture: social, health-related, economic and ecological. Above all, this tradition illustrates the combined social benefits of urban agriculture related to education, upbringing, and social integration. The data presented in the article are drawn from the findings of research (in-depth interviews and focus groups) conducted in the framework of the project Urban Agriculture as a Strategy for Improving the Quality of Life of Urban Communities, financed by the National Research Fund. The data refer to bio-gardens in schools on the territory of Sofia Municipality.

Recommendations on Age-friendly and Gender-balanced Media Content Delivery of Products for Seniors: Findings from a Case Study

Author(s): Paula Alexandra Silva,Maria João Antunes / Language(s): English Issue: 26 (2)/2020

ociety is ageing at an unprecedented pace. In tandem, the number of technology-enabled solutions targeted at older adults continues to rise. It is therefore important to understand how to best communicate these solutions to seniors and facilitate use and adoption. To develop an understanding of what could be an improved strategy of communication and media content delivery for companies that provide older adults with technology-based solutions is the goal of this research. Aware of the potential stereotypes that may emerge towards the ageing population, this paper takes a special interest on ageism and gender to determine imbalances. With this in mind, this paper conducts an in-depth case study of the online presence of a company that developed a digital product for seniors that has been nominated for a Prize on Best Practice on Active and Healthy Ageing. Findings concerning the communication strategy of the company are extracted based on the analysis of their website and their five social media profiles. In total 120 posts were inspected, containing 120 text excerpts, 352 pictures, and 21 videos. Results show that the organisation sustains a continuous engagement with both seniors and the seniors’ organisations that use their product, privileging a relationship of close proximity. The representation of older adults is one that shows exceptionally happy and active seniors, who are surrounded by an aura of admiration. There seem to be no considerable differences with regards to gender.

За музикалнофолклорното творчество и работата на някои културни институции по време на пандемия

Author(s): Radka Bratanova / Language(s): Bulgarian Issue: 1/2021

The article regards and analyses examples from the new musical creation, inspired by the COVID-19 pandemic. Those examples are published on the global network and contain some intrinsic features of folklore. The most important among these features is the reaction to events or occurrences from the current life of society. Object of analysis is also the activity of certain cultural institutions, such as community centres (chitalishta), schools, dancing or hobby clubs, retired people’s clubs and schools for folklore singing and folklore instruments, during the pandemic. The author also features some cases of postponing or cancellation of festival activities on local level and the performance of local non-professional artists in such shows.

Етнология и епидемии. Социокултурни измерения на пандемията от COVID-19. Съставители: Вихра Баева и Ангелина Илиева. София: Издателство на БАН „Проф. Марин Дринов”, 2021

Author(s): Valentina Ganeva-Raycheva / Language(s): Bulgarian Issue: 1/2021

Book review

DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY AND HEALTH ADVOCACY ON COVID-19: A CASE STUDY OF TWITTER HANDLES OF THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION AND MINISTRY OF HEALTH OF INDIA

Author(s): Rajesh Das,Ipsita Banerjee / Language(s): English Issue: Supp. 1/2021

The article has intended to study the action of Twitter-based media advocacy promoted by the Ministry of Health (MOH) of the Government of India, and World Health Organization (WHO) during the Covid-19 pandemic. Its goal was to assess the degree of the WHO and MOH's media campaigning for Covid-19, as well as the public's perception of this advocacy. In this regard, mixed methods have been used for data collection where a survey has been conducted with 125 respondents, who use Twitter, from Kolkata (India) with the help of random sampling. A content analysis of two well-known Twitter accounts was conducted, which helped to reflect the current trends that they follow. The findings of this research have reflected the choice of medium preferred by the respondents for receiving news and information during the Covid-19 pandemic. It has also helped to identify the Twitter handles and tweets they mostly follow and thereby the major factors influencing their choice. The outcome of this research has helped to study whether Twitter can be used for institutionalized health communication or not in the future.

Възможни подходи при изследването на бедствията и кризите. Уводни думи.

Author(s): Stamen Kanev / Language(s): Bulgarian Issue: 4/2021

“Central and Eastern Europe after the First World War”. Edited by Burkhard Olschowsky, Piotr Juszkiewicz, and Jan Rydel. De Gruyter, Olderbourg. 2021. 435p.

Author(s): Paul Popa / Language(s): English Issue: 2/2021

An IoT system for healthcare in the smart city

Author(s): Aleksandra Labus,Branka Rodić,Miloš Radenković,Svetlana MITROVIĆ,Tamara Naumović / Language(s): English Issue: 02/2022

Urban lifestyle, stressful work, a large number of daily obligations significantly affect the occurrence of stress. If stress reduction is not addressed, adverse effects on human health may occur. This paper proposes a model of smart healthcare service based on the Internet of Things. The main goal is to develop an IoT system that will enable real time monitoring of citizens’ stress in a smart city, during their everyday lives. Users of this system can monitor stress level and receive notifications and recommendation how to low down stress via their mobile phones. Depending of the detected stress level, users of the proposed system can be provided with relaxation materials in the form of short relaxing video or audio contents. After the stress level is normalized, the user receives a notification and can continue with normal activities. Unlike well-known solutions for stress management, this solution is wearable and can provide biofeedback to both, users and therapist or healthcare workers. The proposed IoT system is developed using intelligent devices such as mobile phones, Raspberry Pi microcomputer, Arduino microcontroller, and sensors for monitoring heart rate and skin conductivity. As a support for monitoring stress level a responsive web application is developed. All the measured data are stored in the cloud. Based on obtained and analyzed data, users can manage the stress level and prevent disease. The obtained results could serve as a good basis for adoption and implementation of stress management as a smart city service.

Сензорност и институции – към една възможна сензорна етнография на града

Author(s): Mariya Slavcheva,Petya Petrova-Angelova,Meglena Zlatkova / Language(s): Bulgarian Issue: 4/2021

The paper describes the results from the research project “Sensory Ethnography of the City”. The authors discuss some aspects of the theoretical and practical models for the application of the sensory-ethnographic approach in urban studies. The focus of the study is on some multi-sensory aspects of the communication between people with disabilities and institutions. The field research in the framework of the project developed innovative methods, elaborated a theoretical model of the sensory aspects of the relationships between disabled people and institutions, and mapped the places where the citizens meet the administration. The final results of the project were a sensory exhibition, a conference, a book and a round table.

Assessing the communication needs of parents of children with cancer - semantic, grammatical and psychological analyses

Author(s): Elisabeta Niță,Maria - Magdalena Jianu / Language(s): English Issue: 1/2023

The objective of the present study is to evaluate the communication needs of the parents of children with cancer from the perspective of the semantic values of the morphological units used and integrated into sentence structures or sentence segments (with response status to open questions) and from the perspective of the factual analysis of the percentages of closed questions. We believe that the results we have reached, processed with interdisciplinary tools of psycholinguistics, morphology, syntax and semantics of the Romanian language and psychological analysis, can provide data that can contribute to the identification of the best strategies for ensuring emotional well-being and increasing the quality of life of families where there is a child with cancer.

Nieposłuszeństwo obywatelskie w Europie w okresie pandemii COVID-19

Author(s): Ewa Bogalska-Martin / Language(s): Polish Issue: 2/2022

The purpose of this text is to take up an analysis of forms of civil disobedience, occurred during the pandemic in Europe. Referring to works of such authors as H. Arendt,J. Habermas, J. Rawls we argue that civil disobedience, more or less contextual and varying, depending on the phase of the pandemic and on the country, has lead to the crisis of representative democracy and to the crisis of the art of governing (in technical and strictly legal terms) of the expert type. In the same time, civil disobedience has been a manifestation of the vitality of a democratic life. Disobedience can be seen as a sovereign political act – a consequence of a conviction that trust agreement between the ruling and the governed has been broken. Thus the disobedience aims at fixing it. In this sense, the civil disobedience became the collective reflective moment of democratic life in the meaning of U. Beck (2001).

Sektor ochrony zdrowia w obliczu konfliktu zbrojnego

Author(s): Mateusz Guziak,Zuzanna Bastrzyk / Language(s): Polish Issue: 1/2023

In many of the world's armed conflicts, the health sector has become a target of attacks, and the number of such attacks has increased significantly in recent years. The impact and consequences of armed conflict on health care are far-reaching and long-lasting. In addition to the direct casualties of armed conflict, indirect casualties remain significantly underestimated. The unstable situation as a result of armed conflict leads to the abandonment of preventive programs, the delay of diagnosis, or the abrupt interruption of the therapeutic process, which significantly reduces the prognosis of patients and leads to an increase in mortality. Mass migration, including the migration of patients, shortages of medicines and medical equipment, interrupted basic and clinical research, the mental strain on the population, or staff shortages, have a significant burden on the health sector. This article attempts to collect and describe the key problems faced by health systems affected by armed conflict, using examples in the context of the current war in Ukraine, among others. This paper aims to conduct an analytical study to develop recommendations for the health sector facing a humanitarian crisis. It describes the findings of a literature review regarding the impact of armed conflict on the health sector. The collected literature was the subject of critical analysis. The conclusions drawn were placed in the context of the current conflict in Ukraine.

Пета конференция на Националните асоциации в Международната социологическа асоциация „Социални трансформации и социология: лишености и овластявания“, 21‒24.11.2022 г., Нова Горица

Author(s): Mila Mineva / Language(s): Bulgarian Issue: 1/2023

Together or not? The Effects of Individual and Group Work of the Faculty of Philology Students During E-learning Online

Author(s): Anna Ślósarz / Language(s): English Issue: 1/2023

This article tested a widespread belief that by working in groups distance education students achieve cognitive goals of learning, and develop their social competencies and skills. The subject of the study was the achievements of 655 bachelor and master degree students enrolled in 22 on-campus and blended learning units offered within 2 university courses, full-time and part-time, during and after the COVID-19 pandemic, i.e. in the academic years 2020/2021 and 2021/2022. An instrumental case study was carried out: the grades students obtained for individual work were compared with grades obtained for work done in pairs and groups of threes within the same courses. It was found that a statistically significant difference did not exist. But the highest grades (on average 83.81) were obtained by students who had worked individually, and the lowest (81.64%) by those who had worked in groups of three. The highest grades were obtained by the final-year students. They showed an understanding of the assessment criteria and the ability to follow such. Also, they wanted to pass on the first attempt in order to have time to prepare for the final examination. International students were reluctant to work in groups. They focused on achieving good grades and preparing for the thesis due to the time limits of student visas and the unrest caused by the war in Ukraine. First-year students who had no experience in adhering to the assessment criteria and problems with communicating due to isolation caused by the pandemic obtained the lowest grades.

MEDICAL POPULISM AS A MEANS OF BUILDING A POLITICAL COMMUNITY DURING PANDEMIC-INDUCED CIVIL DISORDER

Author(s): Joanna Rak,Karolina Owczarek / Language(s): English Issue: 2/2024

This case study, embedded in the theoretical framework of medical populism, investigates how the TVP Info news portal, a public media entity controlled by the ruling party, strategically employed medical populism to cultivate a political community and concurrently legitimize Polish governmental actions amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The research relies on a source analysis of a population of news articles about the pandemic disseminated on TVP Info. The timeframe captures the pandemic during a transition from stringent pandemic measures to a period of eased restrictions, reduced infection rates, and a perceptible shift in focus towards the unfolding war in Ukraine. The study aims to unpack dimensions of medical populism existing in the narratives throughout this critical period. The analysis reveals the strategic deployment of dramatization, common-sense solutions, expertise invocation, and the dichotomy of “us” versus “them”. It underscores the media’s actions to shape public perception and consolidate support for the government’s response to the pandemic. The conclusions drawn from this analysis contribute to enriching the understanding of how medical populism was wielded as a tool for community-building and justification of government actions during a pivotal juncture in recent history of civil disorder.