Search Results (40)

Cultural heritage is increasingly mobilized as a tool of international engagement, yet the diplomatic uses of heritage remain conceptually underdeveloped and analytically fragmented. This paper introduces the Heritage Diplomacy Spectrum, a multidimensional framework that maps how states and affiliated actors use heritage—both tangible and intangible—to pursue strategic, symbolic, and normative goals in cross-border contexts. Drawing on critical heritage studies, international relations, and memory politics, this study identifies six analytical dimensions (e.g., proactive vs. reactive, cultural vs. historical, strategic vs. moral) and develops seven ideal types of heritage diplomacy, ranging from soft power projection to post-dependency and corrective diplomacy. These ideal types, constructed in the Weberian tradition, serve as heuristic tools to illuminate the varied motivations and diplomatic postures underlying heritage-based engagement. A central matrix is presented to illustrate how each type aligns with different strategic logics and affective registers. This study argues that heritage diplomacy constitutes a distinct modality of heritage governance—one that transcends soft power narratives and encompasses conflict, reconciliation, symbolic redress, and identity assertion. The framework contributes both to theory-building and policy analysis, offering a diagnostic lens through which the ethical, political, and communicative dimensions of heritage diplomacy can be more systematically understood. Full article

As Artificial Intelligence systems increasingly surpass or replace traditional human roles, institutions founded on beliefs in human cognitive superiority, moral authority, and procedural oversight encounter a more profound challenge than mere disruption: expiration. This paper posits that, instead of being outperformed, many legacy institutions are becoming epistemically misaligned with the realities of AI-driven environments. To clarify this change, the paper presents the Expiration Theory. This conceptual model interprets institutional collapse not as a market failure but as the erosion of fundamental assumptions amid technological shifts. In addition, the paper introduces the AI Pressure Clock, a diagnostic tool that categorizes institutions based on their vulnerability to AI disruption and their capacity to adapt to it. Through an analysis across various sectors, including law, healthcare, education, finance, and the creative industries, the paper illustrates how specific systems are nearing functional obsolescence while others are actively restructuring their foundational norms. As a conceptual study, the paper concludes by highlighting the theoretical, policy, and leadership ramifications, asserting that institutional survival in the age of AI relies not solely on digital capabilities but also on the capacity to redefine the core principles of legitimacy, authority, and decision-making. Full article

The ability to effectively engineer robots with appropriate social behaviors that conform to acceptable social norms and with the potential to influence human behavior remains a challenging area in robotics. Given this, we sought to provide insights into “what can be considered a socially appropriate and effective behavior for robots charged with enforcing social compliance of various magnitudes”. To this end, we investigate how social robots can be equipped with context-inspired persuasive behaviors for human–robot interaction. For this, we conducted three separate studies. In the first, we explored how the android robot “ERICA” can be furnished with negative persuasive behaviors using a video-based within-subjects design with N = 50 participants. Through a video-based experiment employing a mixed-subjects design with N = 98 participants, we investigated how the context of norm violation and individual user traits affected perceptions of the robot’s persuasive behaviors in the second study. Lastly, we investigated the effect of the robot’s appearance on the perception of its persuasive behaviors, considering two humanoids (ERICA and CommU) through a within-subjects design with N = 100 participants. Findings from these studies generally revealed that the robot could be equipped with appropriate and effective context-sensitive persuasive behaviors for human–robot interaction. Specifically, the more assertive behaviors (displeasure and anger) of the agent were found to be effective (p < 0.01) as a response to a situation of repeated violation after an initial positive persuasion. Additionally, the appropriateness of these behaviors was found to be influenced by the severity of the violation. Specifically, negative behaviors were preferred for persuasion in situations where the violation affects other people (p < 0.01), as in the COVID-19 adherence and smoking prohibition scenarios. Our results also revealed that the preference for the negative behaviors of the robots varied with users’ traits, specifically compliance awareness (CA), agreeableness (AG), and the robot’s embodiment. The current findings provide insights into how social agents can be equipped with appropriate and effective context-aware persuasive behaviors. It also suggests the relevance of a cognitive-based approach in designing social agents, particularly those deployed in sensitive social contexts. Full article

As part of the substantial public discourse surrounding the distribution and use of mifepristone, which is used with misoprostol to facilitate drug-induced abortions, claims comparing the safety of this regimen to that of common pharmaceuticals have emerged and proliferated. Offered in forums ranging from social media to the Supreme Court, these claims have so gained public acceptance that they are now echoed without scrutiny and, at times, reference. Yet the simplistic slogan that “mifepristone is safer than Tylenol”, though easily disseminated, defies both an intuitive understanding of how we evaluate drug safety and our norms and regulations for doing so. Indeed, if such an assertion was attributable to the manufacturer, it would precipitate a reprimand by the FDA given the lack of specific, controlled, and head-to-head evidence rightly required for its support. To the extent that these claims persist, however, including among the outputs of medical societies, abortion centers, clinical researchers, and government officials, and to the extent that they aim to inform both individual and public decision-making, it is critical that the evidence offered for their support be thoroughly explored. Such examination reveals these claims to be wholly unfounded, offering deficient and disingenuous representations of safety for any of the drugs compared. Full article

The present research revisits the mythological fiction of Shakuntala: The Woman Wronged (2015) through an ecofeminist lens. Author Utkarsh Patel approaches the legendary tale of submissive Shakuntala and recreates it by arming her with the attributes of resilience, assertiveness, and compassion. Her deep bond with nature equips her with the strength to fight against patriarchal strictures. Based on the study of ecofeminism, this paper draws parallels between the exploitation of women and nature at the hands of mercenary and oppressive forces. An analysis of this work suggests that nature itself provides strength and succour and is also a source of empowerment. The strength gained through communion with nature allows her to make her voice heard. The ecofeminist perspective reveals how Shakuntala’s connection with nature offers her a sanctuary where she can explore her identity and voice, unimpeded by the norms that seek to suppress her. Her love for and defence of the environment transcends mere ecological concern—it becomes a catalyst leading to her transformation. Additionally, Shakuntala’s deep connection with Aranyani, the Forest Goddess, aligns with the concept of nature as a mother figure. By drawing attention to the intertwined dynamics of nature, nurture, and empowerment, this research celebrates and propagates the harmony between nature, feminine forces, and their transformative power. Full article

This article explores the power dynamics underlying verbal abuse within the parent-child interaction. Through a reception-based approach, it focuses on condemnation acts of being (e.g., you are a good for nothing) directed by abusive parents towards their children and reported by the latter in anonymous testimonies published on the Francophone Instagram account Parents toxiques; a sample of ten testimonies is examined. The analyses conducted show that (i) the ontological assertion of power over the other is constructed from the predicative level, with processes that concern their being in its entirety and present condemnation as an objective reality. (ii) The condemnation of being draws its pragmatic force from its legitimisation—by relying on norms presented as self-evident and universal and by highlighting the harm caused by the other. (iii) As a speaker, constructing the other’s being as at fault involves, to varying degrees, essentialising and downgrading them as well as conflating their intrinsic worth with one’s beliefs and needs. In conclusion, the notion of condemnation acts of being—along with its descriptors—provides an effective framework that can be applied to reports and direct observations to help various professionals identify and assess transgressions and/or dysfunctions in authority relationships. Full article

The individual, as found primarily in modern Western civilization, is defined as “the independent, autonomous and thus (essentially) nonsocial moral being”, “the rational being” who is “the normative subject of institutions”. This is the definition of the individual we adhere to in this text. This text delves into the intricate dimensions of the concept of the individual by exploring the theological foundations inherent in Western thought. Rooted in Max Weber’s assertion regarding the theological meanings of Man’s self-perception, the entry emphasizes the pivotal role of theological understandings in shaping the concept of the individual. Focusing on the influence of Christian perspectives on the development of the concept of the individual, the article traces the historical entwining of theology and the concept of Man between antiquity and medieval times. Full article

Background: The sexual double standard (SDS) governs behaviors related to sexual activity and abstinence, promoting negative evaluations of sexually assertive women. Conversely, the sexual agency norm encourages young women to express their sexuality freely. This study explores how this complex normative context, combining SDS and sexual agency norms, impacts young women’s self-concept and attitudes toward sexual consent. Methods: A total of 154 Spanish university women (M_age = 19.69 years; SD = 2.23) participated in a 2 × 2 quasi-experimental design [Personal Reputation Threat: Sexual Activity vs. Sexual Abstinence × Agency Belief Affirmation: High vs. Low]. Participants completed a self-perception measure and the Spanish Adaptation of the Sexual Consent Scale-Revised. Results: Personal Reputation Threat influenced positive self-evaluation, with higher scores in the Sexual Activity (vs. Abstinence) condition. Agency Belief Affirmation also affected self-evaluation, with higher scores in the low-agency (vs. high-agency) condition. An interaction effect emerged on attitudes favoring sexual consent: participants showed greater support for sexual consent when devalued for sexual assertiveness rather than abstinence, but only under low-agency belief affirmation. These findings highlight identity conflicts and inconsistent sexual attitudes that young women may experience within the complex normative frameworks of contemporary Western societies. Full article

In the contemporary postsecular context, where the influence of religion has become increasingly significant, this study explores the substantial influence of New Religious Movements (NRMs) in India. Focusing on Brahma Kumaris (BKs), a prominent NRM, this study examines their role as proponents of social change across various public spheres in modern society. The BKs’ deviation from traditional religious doctrines, their emphasis on self-transformation, and their capacity to adapt to contemporary challenges render them particularly relevant in the postsecular context. This study analyzes the pragmatic approach that BKs employ to engage with and assert their influence in contemporary public life. Specifically, it delineates five critical processes that underpin the organization’s pragmatic pursuits: detraditionalization, synergism, gender sensitization, agro-spiritualism, and digitalization. By subverting varied normativities and contesting the religious/secular dyad through their pragmatic pursuits, the BKs illuminate the shapeshifting edges and fluid integration of religion and secularity within the contemporary postsecular milieu. Full article

This article delves into two Iranian Sufi women’s approaches to the Qurʾān, gender, and visual culture: (1) Parvāneh Hadāvand, a Sufi leader in Tehran, uses visual means to enhance the spiritual–aesthetic–emotional experiences of her students. She challenges gender norms within male-dominated spaces by reinterpreting visual-material objects and asserting her authority as a woman Sufi guide. (2) Mītrā Asadī, a Sufi teacher in Shiraz, problematizes the overall visual culture of gender roles by arguing that, through the spiritual transformation of the human being’s genderless essence (Arabic rūḥ; Persian jān), categories of gender become ephemeral and irrelevant. These two case studies are examined in terms of how these Sufi women utilize aesthetic experience, visual aspects, and visual-material culture in their Sufi practices and teachings. Further, it is investigated how these practices shape Hadāvand’s and Asadī’s gender performativities. Full article

Is it possible for Aquinas’s moral theology to engage constructively with contemporary moral naturalism? The proposed question has already been a subject of scholarly interest, eliciting various responses. Some authors emphasize the difficulties and contradictions, while others identify potential affinities. This paper explores the extent to which Aquinas’s concept of Natural Law might align, albeit partially, with a form of moral non-reductive, non-non-cognitivist ethical naturalism. Specifically, it aims to assess how his view of Natural Law, rooted in practical reason and natural inclinations, incorporates a teleological understanding of nature, which provides a foundational basis for this consonance. Within this framework, moral virtue emerges as central in bridging bio-psychological facts with ethical principles. Aquinas’s assertion that gratia non tollit naturam, sed perficit “grace does not destroy nature but perfects it” (ST I. q1. a8) further underscores the continuity between nature and normativity, suggesting that while grace and revelation introduce true novelty, they enhance rather than supplant the natural moral order. Full article

This article studies different forms of martyrdom in secular contexts, tracing their roots back to Western European Christian traditions. The article argues that distinct trajectories of martyrdom have emerged: (a) the more passive martyr, who refuses to acknowledge sovereign power and dies for a transcendent truth, and (b) the more assertive martyr, who sacrifices their life fighting for God and the sovereign. In secular contexts, this assertive martyr fights for secular ideals such as ‘freedom’ or ‘nation’ and represents the symbolic body of the sovereign. The historical distinction between divine truth and state falsehood has been turned into differentiations between democratic rule and threats like terrorism. To further study this transition, this article studies discourses following the deaths of Pim Fortuyn and Jaques Hamel, as both were strongly labeled as martyrs. This results in the final part of the article that examines the cult of commemoration surrounding soldiers in the US and the Netherlands. It argues that the assertive martyr has reached its fully secularized form in these contexts. The transcendent imagery of state sovereignty is evident in the sacrificial discourses around fallen soldiers. At this point of death, the state’s power is reinforced as a transcendent norm and reveals itself in those who ‘sacrifice’ their lives for the freedom of many. Full article

Film, as a medium, serves not only as a significant source of entertainment but also as a powerful instrument in shaping attitudes, beliefs, behaviours, social norms, and identities. Since its inception, cinematic art has been closely intertwined with religious themes, with many film narratives drawing implicitly or explicitly from biblical texts and religious traditions. Consequently, theologians and ecclesiastical authorities were quick to identify film as a potential locus theologicus. Given film’s ability to spark debates on deeply ingrained views and beliefs, feminist theology, which critically reflects on gender power relations within religious communities and theological texts, finds it intriguing to explore how cinematic narratives can challenge the millennia-old depiction of God as a man. This article aims to examine how the art of cinema contributes to theological reflections on the female metaphors of God, particularly through female Christ-figures and God-figures, which occasionally appear in films such as Chocolat, All That Jazz, Always, Dogma, and The Shack. These characters defy traditional religious language, which often employs masculine imagery and metaphors for God, portraying female God as an independent chocolatier, a single mother, an elegant hairdresser, a beautiful young seductress, a curvaceous African American bread maker, and a witty, clownish girl. In these cinematic depictions, female God is compassionate, empathetic, kind, witty, forgiving, and profoundly in love with her human creations. At the same time, all of these female characters are powerful, assertive, strong, and self-confident. Full article

Assertion is the use of declarative sentences to convey information, which necessitates meeting the “justified-belief norm” as a prerequisite. However, a significant amount of misinformation that did not meet these conditions was spread during COVID-19, leading to a reintroduction of the assertion norm. One possible hypothesis is that the threatening content of the misinformation influenced the perception of the norm. However, this remains unclear to researchers. Therefore, we conducted two experiments to investigate the effect of threatening content in information on individuals’ perceptions of norms. In all the experiments, participants read backstories with and without threatening content, followed by answering assertion questions. It was observed that people do follow a looser assertion norm for information that contains threatening content. Additionally, further exploration revealed that threatening factors also lead individuals to more easily perceive the related content as truth and reduce the probability of being blamed. These two outcomes provide some explanation for the underlying mechanism of threatening factors’ influence. The research results further refined the theory of assertion norms, offering a certain basis for information management. Full article

This paper aims to justify that mysticism can be considered rational from the perspective of practical reason. Particularly, we will argue that mysticism embodies the oxymoron inherent in practical wisdom (phronesis), namely, an ordered openness. Our roadmap for substantiating this hypothesis is as follows: we will start by explaining that if the concept of rationality is approached in a scientistic manner, then mysticism cannot be deemed rational. We will employ Kant’s approach to rationality to support this assertion (2). Next, we will demonstrate that while the modern scientific approach to rationality is effective for fields of study where the subject matter typically unfolds in a regular or predictable manner, it proves insufficient in dimensions of existence that resist normative descriptions. In this section, following Aristotle and Gadamer, we will contend that theoretical reason should be complemented by practical reason, which is characterized by normative openness (3). Finally, we will argue that mysticism, although not rational from a theoretical viewpoint, is indeed rational from a practical standpoint (4). To avoid inappropriate generalizations when discussing mysticism, the third section will be centered on the work of Evelyn Underhill. Full article