Search Results (412)

This article addresses the issue of historical heritage revitalization using the example of a tavern. The concept presented in this study constitutes an attempt to establish a connection between the community’s tangible historical legacy and the green space that both highlights and reinforces its significance. The Tatary district in Lublin includes areas along Mełgiewska Street, Zadębie III, and the village of Hajdów. It is a residential and industrial district with landmarks such as the Graff Manor and the Krauze Brothers’ Mill. Since the Middle Ages, a crossing existed here at the narrowing of the Bystrzyca River valley, where major communication routes from Lithuania to Łęczna and from Ruthenia to Mełgiew intersected. Located in this area, the Red Inn has one of the oldest culinary traditions in Lublin, dating back to the 16th century. The building is listed in the register of monuments under number A/268. The revitalization of this currently non-operational inn should focus on restoring the building to preserve its original character and historical value while adapting it to modern standards. The inn and its surroundings have been subjected to field analyses on multiple research levels, culminating in a land development project. A key element of the plantings here are native species that support biodiversity. Full article

Due to negative natural changes in the population and intense emigration over the past three decades, from the end of the 20th century, the Republic of Serbia (RS) and Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) have faced a demographic decline of villages. Even villages closer to larger cities struggle with natural population decrease. Agriculture has an increasingly smaller impact on rural sustainability. Rural tourism is one of the activities that can save villages. The aim of this study is to, using a comparative analysis of the attitudes of the citizens of the two aforementioned countries, determine their familiarity with rural tourism and available development support funds, their interest in engaging in rural tourism as an additional or primary activity, and their satisfaction with the involvement of the local community in providing education for rural tourism. To obtain a response, we carried out interviews with 12 respondents from RS and 12 from BiH. The research instrument was the semi-structured in-depth interview. The respondents from BiH are more determined and more engaged in rural tourism than in RS. They are aware of how important rural tourism is for villages, since that is their only option for recovery and sustainability. The respondents from both countries agree that they need the support of the local administration to develop rural tourism. This kind of tourism also requires the demographic improvement of villages, since, without human resources, it is more difficult for the majority of the older population to engage more intensely in rural tourism. Full article

Dvora Baron’s “Ogmat Nefesh” exemplifies the complexities of early 20th-century Jewish multilingualism, offering distinct Hebrew and Yiddish versions of the story to explore intersections of gender, ideology, and identity. This paper draws on theoretical frameworks from Harshav’s concept of the “language of power”, Miron’s notion of “amphibianism”, Even-Zohar’s polysystem theory, and Brenner’s “lingering bilingualism” to examine how Baron’s bilingual authorship shapes her narrative strategies and critiques systemic inequities. Through close readings of key passages, it analyzes how her linguistic choices influence character portrayal, narrative tone, and thematic emphasis across the two versions. Situating “Ogmat Nefesh” within the historical contexts of Eastern European and Palestinian Jewish communities, the study also considers Baron’s engagement with Zionist and diasporic frameworks and her feminist critique of patriarchal structures. Finally, Baron’s personal experiences of exile and literary seclusion further illuminate the interplay between individual circumstances and cultural production in her work. By engaging with secondary scholarship and feminist perspectives, this study highlights Baron’s contributions to early 20th-century feminist writing and her enduring relevance to debates on multilingualism and cultural identity in Jewish literature. Full article

At the end of the 18th century, due to the neighbouring states of Austria, Prussia, and Russia, Poland lost its independence. Despite not being represented on the political maps of Europe, its citizens embarked on numerous initiatives that fostered their sense of belonging to the Polish national community. This was achieved, among other things, through various organisations that promoted Polish culture, language, customs, and faith. Additionally, a space was created for organic efforts aimed at individual and social development, ultimately intended to lead to the regaining of independence. One of the organisations involved in these activities was the Catechists’ Association, which sought to develop the professional qualifications of its members through various initiatives. This, in turn, was expected to enhance the level of education and religious formation within Polish society, particularly concerning children and youth. The article aims to define and characterise the activities of the Catechists’ Association in Galicia that were aimed at advancing professional competencies in the first decade of the 20th century in the territories annexed by the Habsburg Monarchy. Full article

In 995, Yuanqing 源淸, a renowned master of the Tiantai school in China, requested the Japanese Buddhist community to critique his work, the Guanjing shu xianyao ji 觀經疏顯要記 (Xianyao ji). In response, Genshin 源信 and Kakuun 覚運, two prominent Japanese Tendai scholars, authored the Kan muryōju kyō sho kenyō ki hamon 観無量寿経疏顕要記破文 (Hamon) containing 21 critiques. This paper examines the historical context, content, and influence of the Hamon. The Hamon serves as an important example of Sino-Japanese Buddhist exchange, as it was the Chinese side that first initiated this intellectual engagement with the Japanese monks—and not the other way around. The analysis of the text indicates that the Hamon was not merely a critique but a platform for intellectual exchange. Genshin and Kakuun’s critiques reflect Silla’s Pure Land Buddhism, whereas Yuanqing’s Xianyao ji embodies the Chinese Tiantai commentary tradition on the Guan wuliangshou jing 觀無量壽經. Although not directly recorded in Chinese sources, some records suggest that the Hamon had reached China and potentially influenced Zhili’s 知禮 thought. This study aims to deepen our understanding of Sino-Japanese Buddhist exchanges during the late 10th and 11th centuries, illustrating what may be described as ‘Buddhism on a countercurrent.’ Full article

If modern Western disciplinary structures, laid forth by Dilthey and others in the 19th century, have helped structure the world in ways that bring about climate change and gross economic inequities (along with many “good” things such as vaccines and some modern comforts), how might we re-structure our thinking and learning in ways that address these violent lacunae? What does it mean to educate in a truly globalized world that is facing climate change, extinction, and growing injustice? The answer to that surely cannot be “more of the same”. Following the work of critical theorists and the ideas of Paulo Freire and bell hooks, among others, this essay argues that education should be about imagining and working toward a more just and ecologically sound version of the planetary future in a way that is attentive to as much input as possible from multiple perspectives (human and non). The goals of such an education are connective, grounding, and encountering “others” rather than reductive, productive, and geared toward technology transfer. What would it mean to undiscipline or open our disciplinary categories in ways that reattune us to the changing, entangled planet of which we are a part? What will it take to develop planetary humanities and technologies? If humans are not exceptions to the rest of the natural world, and if the nonhuman world is not just dead matter to be used toward human ends, then how do we go about re-grounding our epistemologies within the planet, rather than continuously thinking “out of this world”? The first part of this essay offers a critique of the reductive and productive model that turns the world into a “standing reserve” for use by some humans. The second part of the essay outlines some principles for knowledge that are more connective, grounding and enable us to counter the multiple others within the planetary community. Such “planetary” knowledge reminds humans of the humus of our humanity, connects us to other life found through compassion (to suffer with), reminds us of the justice of good company (sharing of bread/resources), and focuses on the playfulness of public, political conversations (the ability to be converted to another’s point of view). In the third part, I suggest some grounded metaphors for planetary thinking: wild and slow thinking, elemental and grounded thinking, and creaturely and mycelium thinking. Full article

From the late 19th to the early 20th century, Argentina experienced a wave of mass migration due to political, economic, and social instability in Europe. This study examines how idiomatic expressions in Argentine Spanish incorporate Italianisms and Rioplatense slang (lunfardismos), focusing on linguistic contact, transcoding, and performativity. The integration of these lexical and phraseological elements occurred through direct borrowings, phraseological calques, and neological formations influenced by both languages, shaped by continuous interactions between immigrant and local communities. Based on a corpus of 179 phraseological units (PUs) from the Diccionario fraseológico del habla argentina. Frases, dichos y locuciones (DiFHA), compiled by Barcia and Pauer, the study analyzes semantic and structural changes resulting from this exchange. The findings highlight linguistic contact, reflecting the interaction between Italian and Rioplatense Spanish; transcoding, illustrating the adaptation of linguistic elements to a new sociocultural context; and performativity, demonstrating how these expressions acquire distinct meanings in daily communication. By examining these phraseological units, the research reveals how language embodies Argentina’s migratory and cultural history, showing how linguistic contact enriches communication and identity through the interaction of different communities. Full article

During the Modern Age, Seville was known as the Port of the Indies due to its key role in transatlantic trade, although the actual port was located in Triana, a riverside quarter outside the city walls along the Guadalquivir River. This area was essential for maritime and commercial activities, shaping Seville’s economic and social development. This study analyses Triana’s urban layout, social composition, and architecture in the 16th century using historical sources and graphic representations. The quarter combined defensive structures, religious buildings, and residential complexes, reflecting both its strategic importance and distinct identity. Its streets and architecture supported defense, commerce, and daily life, while its diverse community (including sailors, merchants, craftsmen, and dockworkers) was central to its mercantile and manufacturing activity. Architecturally, Triana featured traditional dwellings, corrales de vecinos, mesones, and posadas, that facilitated trade and travel. Examining these elements reveals Triana’s adaptability to economic and social conditions, highlighting its resilience, diverse population, and rich architectural heritage within Seville’s historical context and Atlantic trade. Full article

The Lower Silesian Voivodeship is one of 16 Polish voivodeships—it covers the Lower Silesia region. The area was chosen for this study due to its location at the crossroads of three countries (Poland, the Czech Republic, and Germany), centuries-old traditions in terms of the tourist function, wealth of nature, and the specificity of its demographic potential (almost total replacement of the regional community after World War II). The article identifies the main components of the settlement network and refers to the 11th Sustainable Development Goal. The purpose of this article is to analyze demographic changes and the evolution of the tourist function in Lower Silesia, with particular focus on their correlations and spatial diversification. The conducted analyses were based on the statistical data provided by the Local Data Bank of the Statistics Poland (LDB SP). Synthetic measures of development were used to analyze the tourist function. The research period varies depending on the particular stage and results from the availability of statistical data. The core of the research covers the years 1946–2023. It was established that Lower Silesia is characterized by a developed tourist function but, simultaneously, has been experiencing an increasingly pronounced demographic crisis. The research findings point to divergent choices made by the users–residents and users–tourists. The leaders in terms of the tourist function include, i.e., the Karkonosze County and Jelenia Góra city with county rights and, at the same time, the rapidly depopulating areas. The leading cities of Lower Silesia are not developing in an even manner; in this respect, the region is moving away from the 11th Sustainable Development Goal. Full article

Analyzing how urban ritual spaces transform into everyday living environments is crucial for understanding the spatial structure of contemporary historical districts, particularly in the context of ancestral temples. However, existing research often neglects the integration of both building-level and block-level perspectives when examining such spatial transitions. Grounded in urban morphological principles, we identify the fundamental spatial units of ancestral temples and their surrounding blocks across the early 20th century and the post-1970s era. Using the topological characteristics of an access structure, we construct corresponding network graphs. We then employ embeddedness and conductance metrics to quantify each temple’s changing position within the broader block structure. Moreover, we apply community detection to uncover the structural evolution of clusters in blocks over time. Our findings reveal that, as institutional and cultural factors drive spatial change, ancestral temples exhibit decreased internal cohesion and increased external connectivity. At the block scale, changes in community structure demonstrate how neighborhood clusters transition from a limited number of building-based clusters to everyday living-oriented spatial clusters. These insights highlight the interplay between everyday life demands, land–housing policies, and inherited cultural norms, offering a comprehensive perspective on the secularization of sacred architecture. The framework proposed here not only deepens our understanding of the spatial transformation process but also provides valuable insights for sustainable urban renewal and heritage preservation. Full article

Historically, natural pigments have been used to color textiles, food, and cosmetics, but the rise of synthetic dyes in the 19th century reduced their use. Recently, interest in plant-based pigments has surged due to health and environmental concerns. Among Thailand’s ethnic groups, the Karen use plant colorants extensively, but their practices remain understudied. In this study, we document the knowledge of plant colorants of the Karen community in Chiang Mai province, assess the color stability of the plant colorants, and evaluate their cytotoxicity in HepG2 cells. Interviews with 113 informants revealed 52 plant species used for dyeing, primarily through hot water extraction. The most common color was brown, and Strobilanthes cusia had the highest color use value (0.93). The study identified 10 color shades, with blue showing the highest consensus. Color stability was tested at room and elevated temperatures, which showed that colorants from Oroxylum indicum were the most stable, and those of Strobilanthes cusia had the lowest toxicity (CC₅₀ = 994.1 µg/mL), while Artocarpus lacucha had the highest toxicity (CC₅₀ = 63.96 µg/mL). Oroxylum indicum, which has excellent color stability and moderate cytotoxicity (CC₅₀ = 294.4 µg/mL), is recommended as a promising natural colorant. This study provides valuable insights into preserving traditional knowledge in Karen communities. Full article

It is often said that Jacques Maritain, having disavowed his earlier right-wing political views, became a foremost enthusiast for liberalism among the Catholic cognoscenti of the mid-20th century. In this paper, I suggest that there is another reading of Maritain, one found in the thought of T.S. Eliot, whose political thought was, by his own insistence, inspired by his study of Maritain. In Eliot’s reception and use of Maritain, the modern age has not put an end to the traditional Christian teaching that Jesus Christ’s authority must be acknowledged not only by private individuals but by all temporal, political powers. Rather, the complexities of the modern age have brought to the fore the priority of personal holiness—and by extension, the holiness of the Christian community—in establishing a Christian social order over any causal power of legislative or executive acts by political leaders. In developing my case, I indicate that Eliot emphasises the categorically embodied character of the Christian life, and I highlight that the corollary of this observation is that Christian integralists and secular liberals may be falling into precisely the same error, namely the privileging of abstract schemas over existential spiritual and moral transformation. Full article

From the 16th to the 18th century, Jesuit missionaries in China pioneered inter-cultural exchange by integrating cultural accommodation with groundbreaking linguistic research. By adopting Confucian scholarly practices and systematically studying the Chinese language, they developed innovative approaches to Chinese phonetics, grammar, lexicography, rhetoric, and teaching. Their linguistic achievements not only facilitated missionary work but also contributed to early modern sinology and cross-cultural communications. This paper examines the Jesuits’ dual strategy of cultural accommodation and linguistic research, demonstrating how their deep engagement with Chinese intellectual traditions enabled them to study the Chinese language successfully, to communicate with local elites smoothly, and to disseminate Christianity effectively. Through the combination of local philological traditions with Western linguistic techniques, they introduced new perspectives on the Chinese language, influencing both Western sinology and China’s linguistic development. Their translations of religious, scientific, and philosophical texts also played a key role in shaping Sino-Western intellectual exchanges. By analyzing the Jesuits’ linguistic activities and the strategies they employed in the process, this study highlights the Jesuits’ impact on Chinese linguistic scholarship, the transmission of Christianity, and their role in cross-cultural communication. Their work also exemplifies how language, culture, and religion can effectively collaborate in cross-cultural encounters, shaping historical narratives and fostering dialogue between civilizations. Full article

The history of addiction treatment in Italy reflects a complex evolution shaped by cultural, social, and legislative changes from the mid-20th century to the present. This paper explores the transition from more moralistic and punitive to public health-oriented approaches, the development of therapeutic communities, and the establishment of specialized outpatient clinics. It highlights the impact of pivotal legislation, the rise of harm reduction strategies, and the integration of behavioral addictions into the healthcare framework. Challenges such as stigma, emerging addiction patterns, and the need for integrated care models are some of the future directions of the addiction treatment alongside Italy’s progressive steps in offering personalized and multidisciplinary care. Full article

The origin of this article lies in the concurrent existence of multiple religious groups in the United States and the interactions between them. This essay examines the dynamics of religious pluralism through the interaction of two religious groups—African Americans and Jews—in the realms of religion, society, and politics. Among the diverse religious groups in the United States, the growing presence of Jews, bolstered by migration from Germany in the 19th century and from Eastern Europe in the 20th century, introduced new traditions and significantly contributed to the development of religious experimentation among African Americans. The phenomenon of African American communities embracing Judaism exemplifies how religious pluralism and diaspora intersect to produce new forms of religious and cultural identity. These communities challenge traditional notions of both Jewishness and African Americanness, demonstrating the fluidity of identity in diasporic contexts. Full article