Skhid

Mr CONTENDING HISTORICAL AND HISTORIOGRAPHICAL PERSPECTIVES IN ETHIOPIA: A POST- MODERNIST CRITIQUE

Solomon Weldeananiya

Ethiopia's history is deeply rooted and intertwined in the country’s polarized politics, leading to a complex and contested historical landscape and interpretation between Ethio-nationalist and ethno-nationalist schools. The positivistic meta-narrative of Ethiopian historiography held by the Ethio-nationalists argues that the postmodernist approach espoused by the ethno nationalists threatens the grand narrative of Ethiopian history and challenges the objectivity of history. This article aims to expose and criticize these fallacies and contradictions in Ethiopianist historiography. A qualitative explorative case study design was used to gather data from primary and secondary sources. The primary sources were interviews with purposely selected eight key informants representing varying historical perspectives. Content analysis from documents, established literature, and social media comprised secondary sources. Content and thematic analyses were used for data interpretation and generalization. Accordingly, foreign writers' perspectives, Ethio-nationalist perspectives, ethno-nationalist perspectives, and successive Ethiopian regimes' historiographical perspectives have contributed to Ethiopia's historiographical contradictions. The historical debate has been entangled with national-level political debate, negatively impacting national reconciliation and cohesion. The article recommends policy implications to enhance national cohesion through historical deconstruction, reinterpretation, and inclusivity of marginalized voices through new historicism.

Keywords: Ethiopia’s history; Ethno-nationalism; historical perspectives; national cohesion; new historicism; postmodernist historiography.

CORPORALITY: FROM COMMONALITY TO STRUCTURALITY

Andrey Koss

The article conducts a philosophical and ethical investigation into the interaction between human corporeality and the technologies that transform it. As the focus on these technologies shifts, the understanding of the model of corporeality changes as well. An analysis of historical teachings about the essence of corporeality and its structural components is carried out, allowing for the determination of the limits of changes that do not distort human nature. The relationship between corporeality and spirituality in various philosophical traditions and spiritual practices is also examined.

The contribution of Rene Descartes to the doctrine of corporeality is highlighted, as he approached this duality from a new perspective, using analytical methods to identify patterns in the existence of the bodily and the spiritual. He concluded that matter has the property of divisibility, while spirituality is indivisible. Corporeality has structural elements, whereas the spiritual does not possess such characteristics, which allowed for a reevaluation of corporeality and the application of a new methodology for study.

Over time, structurality began to transform into functionality as an expression of corporeality. This led to the formation of doctrines, one of which viewed humans as functioning soulless machines (block-functional model), while another approach contributed to the emergence of cellular theory (ontogenetic-epistemological), as one of the key directions in the study of human corporeality.

The article examines the views on corporeality of Plato and Aristotle, focusing on their interpretation of the model of the immortality of the soul after physical death. It reveals the connections between body and spirit in the models of G.-W.-F. Hegel (the concept of interiorization) and F.-W. Nietzsche (the formation of the soul). The perspectives on corporeality by J. Baudrillard ("differentiated prosthesis", "matrix of simulation", "body as an object of fetishization") and the socio-cultural constructions of corporeality in the teachings of J.-P. Sartre, E.-G.-A. Husserl, and M. Merleau-Ponty are also discussed. Additionally, a philosophical analysis of the understanding of immortality is conducted.

The article examines the influence of neuroscience on cognitive activity and bodily experiences, the expansion of embodiment beyond the physical body, CRISPR technologies, and the impact of virtual reality on existentialism.

Scientometric research of the migration waves of Ukrainian scientists at the beginning of the XXI century

Leonid Kostenko — 2024-09-30

The article contains the results of a scientometric assessment of the current state of scientific migration processes in Ukraine. Their features and main trends were identified, methodical approaches to their fixation and consolidation of the obtained data in national bibliometric systems were formed using methods of source studies and analysis of scientific publications on the researched topic, as well as methods of statistical, comparative and structural analysis. The sources of data for the research were the international multi-subject databases of scientific publications, Web of Science, Scopus, as well as the multidisciplinary registrar of unique scientific identifiers ORCID, the Scopus SCImago Journal & Country Rank indicator (for evaluating the scientific weight of publications) and the information-analytical system "Bibliometrics of Ukrainian science". The authors found that the phenomenon of scientific migration is constantly present in all periods of Ukraine's existence, and one of its consequences is the decline of the country's intellectual potential, marked by the deterioration of scientometric indicators of the activity of domestic science. At the same time, the positive consequences of intellectual migration have also been recorded, in particular, the conduct of scientific research in the conditions of emigration, which could not be carried out in the scientist's homeland, the increase in the knowledge of Ukrainian scientists and their demand, stimulation of the development of science in general. When analyzing the functionality of bibliometric and scientometric databases for monitoring changes in the affiliations of domestic scientists, the advantages of the ORCID registry as a source database for conducting scientometric studies of migration processes were revealed. The concept of a general approach to recording and evaluating the phenomenon of scientific migration of domestic scientists by national bibliometric systems is proposed, which should involve a combination of the citation-numerological scientometric approach with expert conclusions.

Value priorities in labor behavior of Ukrainian war refugees

Halyna Tymofieieva — 2024-09-30

The article examines the peculiarities of the labor behavior of Ukrainians who, due to the full-scale invasion of Russia into Ukraine, left en masse to other countries to seek temporary protection and asylum. Therefore, they replenished the ranks of war refugees and, fulfilling the rules and requirements of the host countries, carry out labor activities. The peculiarities of their work behavior are considered through the prism of values, understood as the basis of individual socialization (T. Parsons). The criterion basis for the selection of values for the author's analysis was the European Social Survey of the Values of Democracy and Ways to Achieve Personal Well-being (ESS), in which Ukraine was included in 2012. At that time, the value priorities of Ukrainians in relation to work related to the level of income, job reliability, the ability to combine work and family responsibilities, to improve qualifications and the ability to take the initiative. Having chosen this scale of values as a basis and having processed a number of open statistical and scientific sources, sociological studies, the author found out how much these values have changed/transformed among war refugees who left for European countries, as of the beginning of 2023. In particular, several types of the employee's labor mentality are highlighted, which are based on the ambivalence of the elements of the national labor pattern, and the correlation of these elements with the image of the Ukrainian war refugee of the sample of 2022-2023 years is made (mostly women aged 30-60, with children, has a higher education, is a representative of the average class with high adaptability). It is shown that the prospects of Ukrainian refugees to integrate into the labor market of the host country are generally high due to their high ability to adapt to new social and economic conditions.

Inequality as a challenge in the Western cultural and civilizational paradigm

Maksym Biryuk — 2024-09-30

The article focuses on the problem of social inequality in the Western cultural and civili-zational paradigm. It is noted that in the history of Western philosophy and culture, there have always been two different approaches to understanding inequality. The first path of elitism involved the apology for inequality, proposing ideas of aristocracy (inequality within a single society) or racial domination (inequality between peoples and civilizations). This phil-osophical tradition can be called traditional-authoritarian (Plato, Aristotle) or romantic-conservative (H. Chamberlain). The second way is egalitarian, which insists on creating a society built on the idea of equality (the philosophy of liberalism and Marxism). If representa-tives of the liberal wing of egalitarianism (Locke, Bentham) focus on the justification of a society of equal opportunities with an emphasis on natural human rights, the tradition of Marxism tends to consider social contradictions caused by inequality as antagonistic. There-fore, protest, revolution, rebellion become a specifically Western way of eradicating inequali-ty (Marx, Camus). At the same time, the article notes that the deep worldview basis of this way of solving the problem of inequality is the nihilistic nature of Western civilization, its "Faustian spirit" (Spengler).

Immigration Discourse as a Distraction from Institutional Failures

Teodor Hryvna — 2024-09-30

This paper examines how the intense focus on immigration in Western societies serves as a distraction from more fundamental institutional failures across various sectors. Through a multi-faceted qualitative approach combining critical discourse analysis, comparative institutional analysis, and philosophical inquiry, we investigate the rhetoric surrounding immigration and its purported impacts. Our findings reveal that immigration discourse often functions as a smokescreen, obscuring systemic issues such as economic stagnation, housing crises, healthcare inefficiencies, and educational shortcomings. By applying theoretical frameworks from thinkers like Girard, Habermas, and Žižek, we demonstrate that the scapegoating of immigrants is a complex societal mechanism allowing for the displacement of anxieties stemming from institutional dysfunction. The research highlights the contrast between stagnation in traditional sectors and the dynamism of the technology industry, underscoring the need for comprehensive institutional reform. We argue for reframing public discourse away from divisive immigration debates and towards addressing root causes of social and economic challenges. This study contributes to a more nuanced understanding of contemporary societal issues and calls for a shift in focus towards meaningful institutional reform to create more efficient, institutions capable of addressing 21st-century challenges.

Liminality in migration

Oksana Tereshchenko — 2024-09-30

The article addresses the issues of population migration, both planned and systematic, as well as uncontrolled and illegal, which have become an integral part of the existence of a globalized world. These processes serve as a vivid example of the blurring of borders and demonstrate the deepening interdependence of various factors and regions in the socio-economic, political, and cultural-spiritual spheres. Understanding migration processes, as multidirectional movements within the socio-cultural space of individuals and communities, driven by both objective and subjective reasons, is particularly important for Ukraine during the war with Russia, which has led to the displacement of numerous internally displaced persons, as well as the migration of millions of women and children beyond Ukraine's borders. The concept of liminality, especially in migration, is explained, explored, and philosophically substantiated, and how it influences migration processes in general, acculturation, and the adaptation of emigrants to foreign environments. It explores how this concept affects migration processes in general, acculturation, and the adaptation of emigrants to a foreign environment. The study looks into changes in micro- and macro-societies, the cultural environment of emigrants, and presents the author's concept of acquiring dual identity as one of the positive outcomes of the liminal state of emigrants. This concept suggests that quality integration into a foreign space can be achieved while preserving one's own national identity and gaining a new status as an immigrant. The article shows how the concept of "dual identity" helps emigrants or refugees overcome the liminal period during their integration into a foreign society.

Modern life experience of Ukrainian migrants in the context of intercultural strategies

Maryna Kolinko — 2024-09-30

The article reveals the current aspects of the problem of intercultural relations, adaptation and integration of Ukrainian refugees in a new social and cultural envi-ronment. The stages of acculturation of migrants are systematized using the classic works of K. Oberg, J. Berry and modern sociological research. It was found that the processes of assimilation of values, forms of behavior of a new community, crea-tion of new cultural algorithms contribute to the separation of a person from the traumatic experience of the past and overcoming post-traumatic cultural stress.
An important component of adaptation processes of migrants is the support of their host state and civil society. The need to work with migrants is emphasized, in particular, work with injuries caused by the military conflict, strategies to counter violence caused by the consequences of war, work to achieve dialogue and peace-ful resolution of conflicts, countering discrimination, integration of refugees into the everyday and cultural space of the local community, assistance in the development of social entrepreneurship to resolve socio-economic conflicts.

Religious security as a component of the national security of Ukraine: actualization of the problem in wartime

Liudmyla Fylypovych — 2024-06-30

The article updates the issue of religious security of Ukraine, which is a component of national security. For a long time, despite expert assessments, this problem was not taken into account by the state and society, however, religious security is an important part of general national security, and this issue is relevant not only for Ukraine. The article analyzes threats to religious security provoked by Russian armed aggression. The concept of the "Ukrainian world" as the living space of Ukrainians in its historiographical, axiological, ontological, and existential content should become the dominant basis for the formation of religious security in its relationship with national security. The main vectors for the need to observe the religious security of modern Ukraine and to prevent irreparable damage to the national and state security of Ukraine with the use of the religious factor are highlighted: legal and legal; social and civil; institutional and organizational; worldview-ideological; educational and educational; military chaplain. The authors draw attention to the danger of the existence in Ukraine of those religious organizations that are affiliated with the aggressor country - organizationally, historically, mentally, culturally, linguistically - and prove that the narratives promoted by these structures in sermons, communication, comments, and holo - even in the actions of their religious leaders, affirm in Ukraine foreign values of "Russian world", "one Slavic and Orthodox people", "Moscow - the third Rome", etc. The authors prove that the activity of anti-Ukrainian institutions should be banned. According to the authors, this does not contradict the principles of freedom of conscience and religion, but protects the Ukrainian people from hostile ideological and religious influences that led to a large-scale Russian-Ukrainian war.

Violence and Freedom: A Phenomenological Inquiry into the Practices of Freedom

Amon Bekele — 2024-09-30

It’s difficult to give an account of human history without alluding to the reigns of terror and the fascination with violence perpetrated in the name of freedom and justice. Freedom and violence are two contrasting concepts that have shaped the history of humanity. While freedom is often associated with liberation, violence is characterized by the use of force and coercion. This study delves into the complex relationship between violence and freedom from a phenomenological perspective.

Our understanding of freedom is shaped by the Kantian conception of freedom as the property of the will. It’s a model of freedom which associates freedom with mastery. It’s not only the negative and positive conceptions of freedom that have fallen prey to this attitude but postmodern freedom also operates within the same framework. The paper challenges this conventional understanding of freedom and its alignment with violence by drawing on phenomenological philosophy to explore the experiences of individuals who are both subject and objects of violence. It argues that freedom is not simply the absence of physical constraints, but rather a complex interplay of social and existential factors that shape individuals' experiences of agency and autonomy.

Migration Policy, Net Migration Rates, & The Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of ASEAN Member States (2012 – 2022)

Don Antonio Velez — 2024-09-30

Over the past 10 years, the ASEAN region has experienced robust economic growth, driven by several factors including increasing foreign investment, growing domestic consumption, and favorable demographics. Statistics show that migration of workers make up a significant portion of the labor force in the ASEAN region. Asia has a long history of international migration, but in recent years it has grown in scope, diversity, and significance. Several factors have contributed to ASEAN's economic development, including government initiatives to improve the business environment, investment in infrastructure, and efforts to promote trade and regional economic integration. Migration-development discourse and existing studies recognize the potential role of migrants in boosting economic situations. The average annual growth rate of ASEAN's GDP was around 5% between 2011 and 2019, with some countries such as Vietnam and the Philippines growing at a much faster pace. Despite comprising only about 1.5% of the global economy, there is no denying that the contribution of countries like Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand is still highly significant in the context of East Asia. The objective of this study is to describe the intricate relationship between migration and domestic development. This paper took notes on the changes in ASEAN nations' immigration policies over the past ten years and observed how these have affected the patterns of net migration and economic performance. Understanding the linkages between migration and economic performance becomes crucial for understanding how sustainable development, social harmony, and long-term prosperity is affected by human movement.

Features of the social beliefs of the Orthodox Church and Christians of the Evangelical Faith

Mykola Stadnyk — 2024-06-30

The article examines the peculiarities of social beliefs of the Orthodox Church and Christians of the Evangelical Faith and their reflection in educational practices. It is shown that the formation of social doctrines is one of the basic tasks of modern Christianity. Social doctrine systematizes and actualizes the role and significance of social beliefs of Christianity, in their essence multi-vector, multi-dimensionality, inte-gration as the main characteristics of the spiritual sphere of the church. Social doc-trines are based on various aspects of theological and ecclesiological beliefs. They can be expressions of the theological tradition’s response to historical problems, social transformations of the digital age, in the confessional discourse, and can also reflect the modern view of a certain church on the issue of the relationship between faith and reason, science and religion, and humanitarian security. Approaches to social beliefs may differ depending on the "confessional color" of a certain religious organization and the information support of this process. According to this study, the implementation of the social doctrines of Christianity is impossible without an analysis of their beliefs aimed at solving both social issues in general and educa-tional ones. The need to develop basic strategies of spiritual education is empha-sized, outline the priorities facing education in a secularized world, but also suggest the development of sustainable concepts in the direction of highlighting the confes-sional worldview regarding the challenges of modern humanitarianism. It is proposed to consider the peculiarities of social beliefs in the system of educational processes of the Orthodox Church and the Christian Church of the Evangelical Faith. The con-clusions emphasize that the social doctrine of the Ecumenical Patriarchate presup-poses a progressive attitude to science and technological progress, encourages the church to use the resources of technological progress and informational resources for preaching. The need for the introduction of an integrated approach in spiritual education, constant informational innovations in the field of training of qualified min-isters who are able to conduct missionary preaching activities taking into account the conditions of the time for an efficient educational process and humanitarian security in the context of transformations of the digital age is being updated.

The religious factor of national self-identification in the context of digital transformation

Olena Alekseienko — 2024-06-30

The article is devoted to the analysis of the religious factor’s peculiarities of national self-identification in the context of digital transformation. The relevance and novelty of the study lies in the actualization of the problem of the real state and potential possibilities of preserving national and religious identity by Ukrainian migrants using the Internet in the conditions of a full-scale Russia’s invasion to Ukraine. The role of the religious factor in the formation of the Ukrainian people’s national self-identification is analyzed. It is noted that the study of identity can also include the analysis of using language, symbols, religious rites and other cultural manifestations that affect the perception of self and others by Ukrainians. Characteristic features of the Ukrainian national character are identified - peacefulness, disinclination to aggression and violence, high appreciation of one's inner freedom. The role of religious identity as a means of counteracting psychological trauma caused by war is determined. The challenges and dangers to national and religious-cultural identity that Ukrainian migrants face are analyzed. Internet communities of Ukrainian religious denominations in social networks, their fields of activity and fields of constructive activity for the preservation of national and religious-cultural identity by Ukrainian migrants are characterized.

Theological perspectives for post-war Christianity in Ukraine. "Тheology after Bucha"

Pavlo Pavlenko — 2024-06-30

The town of Bucha became a collective symbol of the modern genocide of Ukrainian people, because it was there where the scale of all the crimes committed against Ukrainians was revealed during the liberation of Kyiv Oblast from the Russian occupiers in March-April 2022. It was Bucha that gave many people in Ukraine the reason to debate if there is God at all. Today, Ukrainian churches began to consider the possibility of "theology after Bucha", asking practically the same questions that Christians and Jews were concerned with after World War II. As then the main question was "Where was God at Auschwitz?" Now the question is where Biblical God was during Bucha genocide, and in a broader context, where God is with the love and mercy in Ukraine after February 24, 2022. The article is nearly the first scientific research of Christianity in Ukrainian academic religious studies during the ongoing Russian-Ukrainian war. The author examines the conditions for the foundation of a new theological system in the realm of Ukrainian Christianity after the victory over rushism, following the example of the theology after the Holocaust/Shoa in Western Christianity after WWII. The article analyses a number of caveats that, if not addressed today, could make the constructive development of the abovementioned theology impossible. The author predicts possible parallels between "theology after Auschwitz" and the future "theology after Bucha". In fact, “theology after Auschwitz" did not radically affect Western, primarily European Christianity after 1945 because it did not provide unambiguous answers to a range of urgent essential questions related to the existence of a believer in the world recovering from the great war. So, with a considerable degree of probability (already evident from the remarks of individual representatives of different religious denominations) there is concern that "theology after Bucha" may fail practically at its beginnings, becoming a "pure theory", having no chances to be applied at the all-Christian level. It is partially clear today that an attempt would be made to launch "theology after Bucha" exactly along the ideological tracks of "theology after Auschwitz", that is, to direct it exclusively to the search for the arguments shifting the burden of responsibility for "Bucha" from God and thereby possibly save Christianity from the ideological crisis it has been in Ukraine after February 24, 2022. The author concludes that if "theology after Bucha" really begins to move along the similar ideological fairway like "theology after Auschwitz", the post-war Christianity in Ukraine will face a disappointing perspective to lose social relevance and, as a result, will be radically reduced to ritualism.

Internet generation in religious cyberspace: worldview challenges of the digital age

Iryna Lomachinska — 2024-06-30

The article is devoted to the analysis of the peculiarities in the perception of reli-gious cyberspace by the Ukrainian Internet generation. The relevance and novelty of the research consists in determining the specifics of the religious cyberspace func-tioning in the context of the spiritual and intellectual needs of the Internet generation, clarifying the essence of worldview challenges that the globalized digital age poses to young people in the religious cyberspace. The peculiarities of the religious cyber-space formation in the Ukrainian and world context are analyzed. It is noted that functioning of the virtual religious space can be considered through several key as-pects: online worship, virtual prayers, educational programs of spiritual develop-ment, platforms for discussing religious topics and sharing experiences in social networks, electronic libraries, digital missionary programs, virtual pilgrimage, the use of various mobile applications for prayer practices, etc. The peculiarities of the digi-tal religion phenomenon are defined as a dynamic process in which religious groups and individuals adopt digital technologies and adapt to them depending on their values and capabilities. The essential features of the Internet generation, the specif-ics of its intellectual and spiritual requests, and self-presentation in religious cyber-space are analyzed. The challenges and dangers produced by religious cyberspace in the modern globalized era are characterized. The Conclusions state that religious cyberspace provides the Internet generation with unique opportunities for spiritual growth, learning, communication and active participation in religious life, however, the safe use of religious cyberspace is possible through digital culture and continu-ous self-education. Among the measures of counter social manipulations and reli-gious extremism in the online space are educational programs aimed at raising awareness of different religions and culture, which promotes tolerance and mutual understanding, development of media culture and critical thinking among users of religious cyberspace, active use of social media to spread positive and truthful reli-gious content, creation of mechanisms for checking facts and exposing disinfor-mation in the religious sphere.

THE PROBLEMS OF ADAPTATION AND IDENTITY OF «HOMO MIGRANS» IN THE AGE OF DIGITAL NOMADISM

Nina Bilokopytova

The article is devoted to a philosophical reflection on the problems of identity and adaptation of the "homo migrans" in the era of digital nomadism. In the study was found an analogy and the correlation between the emergence of the social phenomenon "downshifting" and "digital nomadism". The global financial crisis, the pandemic, the demographic crisis caused the international migration explosion not only as a dangerous challenge, but also as new opportunities for development. During the study of the identity process of the "homo migrans" in the era of digital nomadism, certain subject areas were highlighted. For their representation, along with the philosophical, sociological, and psychological categorical apparatus, it was decided to supplement them with key cultural codes: metaphorical concepts, narratives that came into circulation together with the new social practice. Thus, we define this discourse as interdisciplinary. The following theories formed the methodological base of the research: concepts of electronic nomadism by J. Attali, digital nomadism by T. Makimoto and D. Menners; J. Urry's theories of mobility and social capital, M. Foucault's models of freedom and knowledge, Z. Bauman's theory of identity, J. Baudrillard's theory of simulacra, and others. It was focused attention on the main adaptation strategies wich was included in the "ideal construct", it was summarized the understanding of the concepts of identity and identification. It was concluded that the modern form of identity of the «homo migrans» is digital nomadism, which creates illusions of real life - simulacra that blur the boundaries between real, natural and artificial. A digital nomad can be called a whimsical personality, he is a "techno-Bedouin" who lives a constantly connected life through his smartphones and laptops, he combines the natural and the artificial, he becomes a bio-extension of his gradjet in his subjective reality. And the paradigm of stability, avoidance of uncertainty is already thought of as archaic.

Hindu Religious and Philosophical Concept in Context of Globalization and Multiculturalism: “Jivatman”

Maria Ryzhik — 2024-06-30

In the 20th and 21st centuries, active interactions have occurred between representatives of various cultures and traditions. This influences religious and philosophical concepts, including those in India. Modern people wish to learn more about ancient Hindu concepts and values.

The concept of the soul plays an important role in the formation of personal and cultural identity. In this article, we focus on the term “jivatman.” Within the framework of Indian culture and philosophy, concepts such as “Atman,” “Paramatman,” “jiva,” and later “jivatman” are integral to the traditional heritage that is preserved and passed down through generations. In the context of philosophical knowledge, it is important to distinguish concepts such as Atman and soul, since they have different meanings in the religious and philosophical traditions of India. Atman is the inner Higher Self, while the soul (jiva) is the bearer of life and is subject to the laws of karma. Some philosophers and researchers identify “jivatman” as a synonym for “jiva,” meaning the soul, while others equate it with the concept “Atman.” Cultural memory plays a key role in preserving this heritage, and the various interpretations of the term “jivatman” can be attributed to the processes of globalization and the politics of multiculturalism. We examined the interpretation of the term “jivatman” in dictionaries, analyzed its use in ancient texts, and considered the opinions of philosophers, neo-Hindu religious leaders, and researchers, including Mircea Eliade, Sri Aurobindo, Srila Prabhupada, and others. The emergence of representatives of the “new Indian mythmaking,” such as Devdutt Pattanaik, also influenced modern Hindu religious and philosophical thought. Analyzing his works, we observe a tendency to conflate the two terms (Atman and jiva) leading to their identification as a single concept.

Our research indicates that Devdutt Pattanaik’s analysis often lacks depth and fails to delve into the fundamental essence of Indian philosophy. This tendency towards simplification can lead to a superficial comprehension of the foundational principles and ideas that form the basis of Indian spiritual traditions.

Worldview and religious-cultural orientations of the "Digital Age Human"

Nargiz Medzhidova — 2024-06-30

This article explores the impact of the digital era on fundamental aspects of human life, including issues of faith, morality, and cultural identity. It highlights that digital technologies have become an integral part of modern human life, making it impossible to ignore their obvious cultural significance today. The focus is on analyzing how contemporary technologies, such as artificial intelligence and the Internet of Things, are reshaping traditional religious practices, facilitating the emergence of new forms of spirituality, and altering traditional religious structures. Both positive and negative consequences of such transformations for individuals and society are discussed. By utilizing digital products and technologies and entering cyberspace, religion strives to make religious heritage, culture, and tradition more understandable and accessible to a larger number of people. The adaptation and transformation of religion can be traced in various directions of activity related to the implementation and mastery of cyberspace and digital space. Examples of the digitalization of religion and religious digital products are provided to substantiate the transformation of religion. The idea is substantiated that studying digital culture today means not so much analyzing its phenomena and artifacts per se, but rather studying the broad transformations occurring with the spread of digital technologies in culture at large.

Transit of Hindu Mythology: Role of Biographical Method in Multicultural Landscape

Maria Ryzhik — 2024-09-30

The study offers a biographical examination of the “Ramayana,” an ancient Indian epic renowned not only for its cultural significance and literary eminence but also for its scrutiny within the framework of modern philosophical discourse that includes a biographical dimension. In the “Ramayana,” we trace how conventional cultural archetypes, such as devotion, justice, and love, are revealed through distinct biographical circumstances and narratives. In the epic, each character serves as a bearer of specific archetypal attributes and concepts, which reflect diverse facets of human nature and are also distinct symbols embodying virtues, devotion, love, morality, evil, etc. With the help of mythological plots through biographical practices, people identify themselves with the characters of myths. In recent decades, there has been a popularization of modern adaptations of the “Ramayana” across India. The emergence of “new Indian mythmaking” and the renewed perception of profound archetypes within Indian culture coincides with the growing expansion of biographical and pseudo-biographical content in mass media. The protagonists of epics serve as foundational elements for the biographical strategies embraced by modern audiences, playing an integral role in shaping the culture of modern India and determining specific options for constructing a life course. In this article, we have examined contemporary interpretations of the “Ramayana” by writers such as Kavita Kané, Amish Tripathi, and Devdutt Pattanaik. In the works of these authors, one observes a transformation in the biographies of characters, shifts in their conduct, and even depictions of their emotional states, all of which reflect modern socio-cultural realities. This philosophical turn, characterized by the fusion of ancient myths with modern realities, values, and reader expectations, leads to a rethinking of traditional images, as well as a cultural dialogue between the East and the West.

Values of humanitarian security concerning institutional and public support

Olena Hryhorevska — 2024-04-30

The study of humanitarian security’s value orientations is based on the results of a content analysis of the content of national documents and current publications of Ukrainian and European researchers. It was determined that the values of humanitari-an security are correlated with the general humanistic values of strategic develop-ment – intellectual freedom, justice, tolerance, people-centeredness. In the condi-tions of war, one of the key values is "security" (informational, national, personal). From the point of view of national security, the importance of the Strategy’s imple-mentation for Popularization of the Ukrainian Language until 2030 "A Strong Lan-guage – a Successful State" and the Strategy for the Development of Reading for the period until 2032 "Reading as a Life Strategy" was noted. The formation, devel-opment and ability to practically apply critical thinking and media literacy were noted as influential factors for ensuring the humanitarian security of the individual as a result of the civic education development. Special attention is paid to the spectrum of existential problems of humanitarian security, which the author highlights in the context of the study "Psychological well-being in Europe after the outbreak of war in Ukraine", carried out by a research group from many European universities. The re-sults of this study were published in the journal Nature Communications in early 2024.

Communicative products of social networks and the Internet as a social glue in times of social crises and disasters

Halyna Tymofieieva — 2024-04-30

The article presents the quantitative and qualitative impact of social networks and the Internet products on social bonding during crises and disasters. The study is based on the data of psychological experiments, the results of sociological research and various models of news broadcasting and presents consideration about the nature of this impact. In particular, it is shown that informal communication, being a "social glue", has been replenished with new powerful communication channels due to the development of Internet technologies. Despite such an important characteristic as unverified information and other features of counter-knowledge, these channels are massively used by people, thus, according to the author, their communicative and informational products can be studied regarding the possibilities and conditions their expansion and heuristic ability, so they can be analyzed as a factor of social bonding. It has been proven that informal communication in its massive forms are activated in situations of social crises and disasters, because the users are traumatized, often lose control, plunge into a state of social deprivation and need constant communication with like-minded people in similar circumstances. In this way, the community is bonding by social glue by overcoming common problems, and relevant information products and their rapid sharing by the Internet contribute to this. The very information content of for the informal communication through social networks and the Internet allows people to explain reality better and "modify" or alter its representation to a more comfortable one. It has been proven that such factors as "cognitive simplicity" of the information content, its myth-producing component and the high status of an addressee of a message contribute to this. The article also outlines considerations on how people could be taught to navigate the information and choose those products of social networks and the Internet that not only glue community together, but also unite it on the basis of real knowledge. People should be taught to approach information messages critically, to understand the nature and properties of media messages, their communicative and destructive influences. Media literacy and critical thinking could be very helpful in these situations as they facilitate informational culture, teach media literacy, increase personal self-confidence, help people shape their own view of reality and consciously choose partners for constructive communication.

Biographical Analysis of Ramayana’s Mythological Symbols in Modern Indian Culture: Philosophical Turn

Марія Рижик

Pope Francis' influence and public opinion in the EU in the context of national resilience

Oleksander Kostiuk — 2024-06-30

Studying Pope Francis' influence on public opinion in European Union countries in the context of national resilience is a pressing research question. Although the Pope enjoys high moral authority among Europeans, a comprehensive analysis of his role in shaping societal positions, particularly on security and defense issues, is lacking. Investigating this problem enables a deeper understanding of the religious factor's role in strengthening European unity, countering destructive influences. The research materials include Pope Francis' public speeches and statements, primarily those circulated through mass media and social networks, as well as sociological survey results on the EU public's perception of the pontiff's position on crucial socio-political issues. Content analysis methods are used to examine the content and tone of the Pope's messages, while comparative analysis of sociological research data identifies correlations between the Pope's rhetoric and shifts in public sentiment regarding national resilience. The results show that despite Pope Francis' high popularity in EU countries, where the vast majority of the population approves of the pontiff, his public statements have a limited and short-lived impact on public opinion. Empirical evidence indicates that most Europeans do not consider the Pope a decisive factor in shaping their views on various socio-political problems, such as nuclear disarmament, migration, pandemics, or basic income. The Pope's pacifist stance on war, a topic of discussion in the context of the Russian-Ukrainian war, is not a determining factor that risks critically undermining the personnel and motivation of EU countries' armed forces. The population's willingness to defend their homeland militarily varies significantly among EU states and is influenced by a complex interplay of historical, geopolitical, and socio-cultural factors that outweigh the pontiff's religious rhetoric. In conclusion, while papal pacifism somewhat resonates with the anti-war sentiments of some Europeans, it does not pose major challenges to ensuring the defense capabilities and resilience of EU countries. Pope Francis' high moral authority does not automatically translate into a dominant influence on public opinion and societal attitudes regarding national security in European Union member states.

The role of the media in security strategies (on the example of Bayelsa State, Nigeria)

Ide John Elliot — 2024-04-30

Mass media as an important element of mass communication influence the formation of public opinion, the perception of security challenges in society. In an effort to fulfil its statutory role of informing the people, the radio media reports security issues so as to arm residents with the needed information. To this end, this study investigated the public perception of radio reports on security issues in Bayelsa State, Nigeria. Agenda-setting and perception theories served as the theoretical foundation of the study. A mixed-methods research design was employed. From the population of 2,277,961, a sample size of 384 was drawn for the study using the Wimmer and Dominick online sample size calculator. Meanwhile, a qualitative population was drawn from security operatives within the state as well as staff from the two private radio stations and two public radio stations. Questionnaire and interview guide were used as the instruments for data collection. Multistage and purposive sampling techniques were used in the study. Findings revealed that, on average, 62% of Bayelsa residents are exposed to radio reports on security issues within the state to a large extent. The qualitative data revealed similar findings. Further findings revealed that, at an average mean score of 3.1 (N = 377), respondents have positive perceptions. They are of the view that radio reports on security issues are objective. Also, the qualitative findings are in tandem with the quantitative findings.

Digital culture in scientific libraries

Iryna Lomachinska — 2024-04-30

The article reveals the main areas of higher education institutions scientific librar-ies’ work in the field of forming the youth digital culture and ensuring the basic prin-ciples of digital citizenship. The relevance and novelty of the research lies in clarify-ing the need for constant improvement of digital culture in its relationship with digital citizenship in the modern educational space with the involvement of the scientific libraries’ experience. The research methodology is based on a combination of com-parative analysis, systematic, heuristic and logical methods of scientific research. The essential features of information culture, digital culture and the culture of knowledge management in the modern educational space are analyzed, in particular, the dynamics of knowledge management in higher educational institutions stimulate students to exchange experience and knowledge not only within the boundaries of one educational institution, but also in the network educational space in general. Digital technologies provide effective communication in the network public space and create prerequisites for successful professional and personal self-realization of a person. It is noted that the formation of digital culture is based on the develop-ment of digital competences, as a dynamic combination of knowledge, abilities, skills, ways of thinking, views, other personal qualities in the field of information, communication and digital technologies for communication, personal development, learning, work, participation in social life. The main features of digital citizenship are defined as the awareness of universal cultural and social issues related to technolo-gies, the formed practice of legal and ethical behavior; safe, legal and responsible use of information and technologies; demonstration of a positive attitude towards the use of technology, that support collaboration, learning and productivity; a sense of responsibility for one's lifelong learning; commitment to intellectual honesty; re-spect for different cultures and societies in the virtual environment and the preserva-tion of personal information. The Conclusions emphasize the worldview component of digital culture, which contributes to a change in thinking style based on new digital competencies. In the conditions of globalization challenges of modern times, the formation of digital culture of youth contributes to ensuring information security not only of an individual, but also of society as a whole.