The Snow Leopard and Cultural Landscape in Contemporary Kazakhstan

2018 ◽  
Vol 28 (1) ◽  
pp. 58-80
Author(s):  
Kristopher D. White
Keyword(s):  
Cultural Landscape ◽  
Social Science Research ◽  
Science Research ◽  
Snow Leopard ◽  
Natural Landscape ◽  
Landscape Research ◽  
The Republic ◽  
Traditional Natural ◽  
Zoological Park ◽  
Panthera Uncia

Abstract The snow leopard (Panthera uncia) is commonly seen in the cultural landscape within the Republic of Kazakhstan. This contrasts rather starkly with the endangered species’ presence on the natural landscape there. Three contemporary cultural landscape sightings of the snow leopard in Kazakhstan—the Almaty zoological park, the Kazakhstan 2030 strategy initiative, and the 2011 Asian Winter Games—are explored here. The positive imagery and symbolism linking the snow leopard to the Republic of Kazakhstan cements the non-human animal’s status as an unofficial state symbol. The borderlands of snow leopard landscapes, those spaces of cultural and natural environmental overlap, are vital for conservation efforts. Reincorporating non-human animals into social science research offers the opportunity for cultural landscape investigations. For the snow leopard, cultural landscape research may prove as important as traditional natural landscape research in Kazakhstan and throughout this majestic non-human animal’s territorial range.

scholarly journals Impact of the Constitution's Normative Framework on the Interpretation of Provisions of the Companies Act 71 of 2008

2019 ◽  
Vol 22 ◽  
pp. 1-24
Author(s):  
Christa Rautenbach ◽  
Brighton M Mupangavanhu
Keyword(s):  
Common Law ◽  
Social Science Research ◽  
Science Research ◽  
Company Law ◽  
Bill Of Rights ◽  
Commercial Law ◽  
Normative Framework ◽  
The Common ◽  
Research Questions ◽  
The Republic

Given the intention of section 7(a) of the Companies Act 71 of 2008 (the Act) to promote compliance with the Bill of Rights in the interpretation and application of company law in SA, this article assesses the extent to which the Act actually does this. The article thus seeks to showcase evidence of the Act's intentional alignment with the normative framework of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996 (the Constitution). The paper does this by answering the question: what are the implications of the Constitution's normative framework on the interpretation and application of the Act? The term "normative framework" is defined, and a distinction is drawn between the descriptive and explanatory social science research questions and the legal research questions which are evaluative and normative in nature. The article provides examples of the contexts in which the intentional alignment of the Act with the Constitution's normative framework is evident. To this extent, commentary is made on the following selected issues: remedies to facilitate the realisation and enjoyment of rights established by company law; the direct and indirect horizontal application of the Bill of Rights to provisions of the Act; and a discernible court's duty to develop the common law as necessary to improve the realisation of the rights established by the Act. A point is made in the article that judicial decisions involving the application of company law must be justified by reference to a cohesive set of values from the Bill of Rights. This is part of transformative constitutionalism. It demands that even commercial law principles should no longer be blindly accepted simply because precedent says so, or for the reason that it is expedient for the purposes of commercial certainty. The article argues that the Act permits the direct horizontal application of the Bill of Rights on its provisions in two stated ways. It is also argued that the Act permits the indirect application of the Bill of Rights through the development of the common law where it is deficient in promoting the spirit, purport and objects of the Bill of Rights. The development of the common law, it is argued, is vital for producing an incremental and cohesive body of constitutionalised common law in the company law context.

Crime in the Republic of Ireland: A Suitable Case for Social Analysis

2000 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 3-26
Author(s):  
Paul O'Mahony
Keyword(s):  
Social Deprivation ◽  
White Collar Crime ◽  
Social Science Research ◽  
Science Research ◽  
White Collar ◽  
The Media ◽  
The Republic ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Suitable Case

This article argues that there has been a lack of critical, theoretically-based analysis of Irish criminal justice. It focuses on three areas that require further theoretically grounded analysis: the relationship between social deprivation and crime, white-collar crime, and the role of the media with respect to crime. It concludes with a possible framework for future social science research on crime in Ireland.

scholarly journals A Multi-Perspective View on Immersive Virtual Environments (IVEs)

2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (8) ◽  
pp. 518
Author(s):  
Olaf Kühne ◽  
Dennis Edler ◽  
Corinna Jenal
Keyword(s):  
Social Science ◽  
Social Science Research ◽  
Actor Network Theory ◽  
Science Research ◽  
Social Relevance ◽  
Perspective View ◽  
Immersive Virtual Environments ◽  
The Social ◽  
Technical Issues ◽  
Landscape Research

In recent years, the presence of immersive virtual reality (VR) in everyday life has increased, and VR is also being studied in research. However, this research is essentially limited to technical issues, while the social relevance of VR remains largely unconsidered. Current social science research on VR remains bound to an empiricist paradigm; a theoretical framing is only done in exceptions. This article presents current social science theories related to space and landscape research, describes their application and potentials, with regard to the investigation of virtual spaces, and discusses which theoretical positions are suitable for the investigation of particular immersive VR-related questions. This investigation presents a range of approaches such as essentialism, positivism, and constructivism; theories such as critical, conflict, and discourse; and more-than-representational theories such as Phenomenology, Assemblage, and Actor-Network-Theory.

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