scholarly journals Introducing Solid Fluids

2021 ◽  
pp. 026327642110309
Author(s):  
Tim Ingold ◽  
Cristián Simonetti
Keyword(s):  
Ecological Crisis ◽  
Intellectual Tradition ◽  
Look Back ◽  
The World ◽  
Statics And Dynamics ◽  
Western Intellectual

This issue opens an inquiry into the tension between solidity and fluidity. This tension is ingrained in the Western intellectual tradition and informs theoretical debates across the sciences and humanities. In physics, solid is one phase of matter, alongside liquid, gas and plasma. This, however, assumes all matter to be particulate. Reversing the relation between statics and dynamics, we argue to the contrary, that matter exists as continuous flux. It is both solid and fluid. What difference would it make were we to start from our inescapable participation in a world of solid fluids? Is solid fluidity a condition of being in the midst of things, or of intermediacy on a solid-fluid continuum? Does the world appear fluid in the process of its formation, but solid when you look back on things already formed? Here we open new paths for theorizing matter and meaning at a time of ecological crisis.

Psalm 104: The Panorama of Life

2021 ◽  
Vol 51 (1) ◽  
pp. 4-14
Author(s):  
Robert Gnuse
Keyword(s):  
Global Warming ◽  
Ecological Crisis ◽  
Biblical Text ◽  
Modern Age ◽  
The World ◽  
Formal Presentation ◽  
Genesis 1 ◽  
The Creation ◽  
Insight Into

Psalm 104 is a majestic hymn to creation, a dynamic corollary to the more formal presentation of the creation of the world in Genesis 1. Reflection upon some of the passages provides us with insight into the biblical author’s appreciation for nature, an attitude that needs to inspire us in this age of ecological crisis. Though the biblical text is unaware of such an ecological crisis; nonetheless, passages shine forth that can speak to us in our modern age of global warming and environmental collapse.

Can Animism Save the World? Reflections on Personhood and Complexity in the Ecological Crisis

Sociologus ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 71 (1) ◽  
pp. 73-92
Author(s):  
Guido Sprenger
Keyword(s):  
Intimate Relationships ◽  
Ecological Crisis ◽  
Ontological Status ◽  
Moral Commitment ◽  
Nature And Culture ◽  
The World ◽  
Human World ◽  
Communicative Processes ◽  
Politics Of Life

The term “animism” is at once a fantasy internal to modernity and a semiotic conduit enabling a serious inquiry into non-modern phenomena that radically call into question the modern distinction of nature and culture. Therefore, I suggest that the labelling of people, practices or ideas as “animist” is a strategic one. I also raise the question if animism can help to solve the modern ecological crisis that allegedly stems from the nature-culture divide. In particular, animism makes it possible to recognize personhood in non-humans, thus creating moral relationships with the non-human world. A number of scholars and activists identify animism as respect for all living beings and as intimate relationships with nature and its spirits. However, this argument still presupposes the fixity of the ontological status of beings as alive or persons. A different view of animism highlights concepts of fluid and unstable persons that emerge from ongoing communicative processes. I argue that the kind of attentiveness that drives fluid personhood may be supportive of a politics of life that sees relationships with non-humans in terms of moral commitment.

Moderation and al-Ghazali in Turkey

2018 ◽  
Vol 32 (3) ◽  
pp. 29-43
Author(s):  
Taraneh Wilkinson
Keyword(s):  
Religious Pluralism ◽  
Active Engagement ◽  
Graduate Study ◽  
Intellectual Tradition ◽  
Making Sense ◽  
Western Intellectual ◽  
Freedom Of Thought ◽  
Religious Other ◽  
Intellectual Independence

Turkish theology faculties are an important but understudied source of moderate Muslim responses to the challenges of modernity. Although it is strongly associated with questions of such Enlightenment values as tolerance and freedom of thought, modernity is also tied to skepticism, atheism, and pluralism. Thus one way to examine whether the label of “moderate” applies to a given case is to examine how such a position reflects both the positive values of modernity in addition to how it addresses modernity’s challenges. This paper deals with the resources for religious moderation found in the thought of al-Ghazali and how they are used and analyzed in modern Turkish theology faculties. By focusing on two recent works by Turkish theologians Mehmet Bayrakdar and Adnan Aslan, this paper explores skepticism, atheism, and religious pluralism. I argue that not only are both thinkers “moderate,” but that they also engage this label by using their own theological interests and interpretations of al-Ghazali. Both theologians were trained in Turkish theology faculties and did significant graduate study in Europe. Their work reflects an active engagement with the western intellectual tradition. Al-Ghazali plays a crucial – but not final – role in each of their responses to modernity and the western intellectual tradition. For Bayrakdar he functions as a symbol of Muslim intellectual independence, whereas for Aslan he serves as a fundamental resource for making sense of the religious “other.” Thus, a case is presented for the increasing relevance of Turkish theological responses to debates outside Turkey.

scholarly journals A Global Environmental Constitution for the Anthropocene?

2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 11-33 ◽  
Author(s):  
Louis Kotzé
Keyword(s):  
United Nations ◽  
Best Practice ◽  
Environmental Law ◽  
Regulatory Reform ◽  
Ecological Crisis ◽  
General Assembly ◽  
International Environmental Law ◽  
Global Environmental ◽  
The World ◽  
Un General Assembly

AbstractInternational environmental law (IEL) has been unable to respond effectively to the Anthropocene’s global socio-ecological crisis, which is critically existential and requires radical interventions and regulatory reform. This article explores the potential of the recent United Nations (UN)-backed initiative to adopt a Global Pact for the Environment as an opportunity to reform IEL. It does so by (i) reflecting on the Anthropocene’s demands for a constitutionalized form of IEL through the lens of global environmental constitutionalism; (ii) investigating the extent to which the Global Pact could contribute to such a vision; and (iii) suggesting ways in which to strengthen the constitutional potential of the Global Pact in this endeavour. To this end, the article revisits the World Charter for Nature of 1982, which seems to have slipped off the radar in academic as well as policy circles. A case is made for renewed support of the Charter – which already enjoys the backing of the majority of UN General Assembly member states, and which has constitutional qualities – to serve as a ‘best-practice’ example during the ensuing negotiation of the Global Pact.

scholarly journals 2021 miles conrad award lecture: Heather Joseph

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-10
Author(s):  
Heather Joseph
Keyword(s):  
Open Access ◽  
Communication System ◽  
Scholarly Communication ◽  
Initial Reaction ◽  
Structural Barriers ◽  
Production Of Knowledge ◽  
Look Back ◽  
The World ◽  
Pipe Dream ◽  
Scholarly Communication System

This paper is based upon the 2021 Miles Conrad Award Lecture that was given by Heather Joseph at the second annual NISO Plus conference held virtually from February 22–25, 2021. The lecture provided a brief look back at the emergence of the Open Access (OA) movement in scholarly communication beginning with the E-biomed proposal in 1999 that was shortly followed by the Budapest Declaration released on February 14, 2002, through how far it has come in almost two decades. The author notes that the initial reaction to OA was often just a quick dismissal of it as an idealistic pipe dream and as the idea began to grow in popularity, skepticism changed into hostility. OA was criticized as being too disruptive to the then-existent publishing paradigm. Yet, far from disappearing, the movement towards the open sharing of knowledge steadily advanced. Today conversations about “why” or “whether” to open up the scholarly communication system have evolved into conversations about how best to do it. The author notes that the Budapest Declaration underscored that the end goal of OA is to empower individuals and communities around the world with the ability to share their knowledge as well as to share in accessing the knowledge of others. She warns that members of the global scholarly communication community must look critically at who currently can participate in the production of knowledge, and whose voices are represented in the “global intellectual conversation” that need to be facilitated. Whose voices are still are left out because structural barriers – be they technical, financial, legal, cultural, or linguistic – prevent them from joining?

scholarly journals Smooth Sailing or Rough Seas: The Future of International Liner Shipping

2006 ◽  
Vol 17 (2) ◽  
pp. 28-38
Author(s):  
David A Menachof
Keyword(s):  
Liner Shipping ◽  
International Shipping ◽  
Look Back ◽  
The World ◽  
The Future

The last 5 years have been exciting for the world of international liner shipping. Mergers, new and larger vessels, charter rates becoming more volatile and demand continuing to increase are just part of this world of liner shipping. This article is an attempt to highlight some of the issues that will be affecting international shipping in the forthcoming years. At its best, this article will be right on the money. At its worst, readers will look back at this article and wonder how the author could have been so wrong. More likely is that some things will occur as predicted, while others have not even been thought of yet.

scholarly journals A Retrospective Look at Rescuing and Restructuring General Motors and Chrysler

2015 ◽  
Vol 29 (2) ◽  
pp. 3-24 ◽  
Author(s):  
Austan D. Goolsbee ◽  
Alan B. Krueger
Keyword(s):  
Automobile Industry ◽  
Decision Process ◽  
General Motors ◽  
Difficult Decision ◽  
Industrial Companies ◽  
Us Economy ◽  
The Us ◽  
Look Back ◽  
The World ◽  
Us Government

The rescue of the US automobile industry amid the 2008–2009 recession and financial crisis was a consequential, controversial, and difficult decision made at a fraught moment for the US economy. Both of us were involved in the decision process at the time, but since have moved back to academia. More than five years have passed since the bailout began, and it is timely to look back at this unusual episode of economic policymaking to consider what we got right, what we got wrong, and why. In this article, we describe the events that brought two of the largest industrial companies in the world to seek a bailout from the US government, the analysis that was used to evaluate the decision (including what the alternatives were and whether a rescue would even work), the steps that were taken to rescue and restructure General Motors and Chrysler, and the performance of the US auto industry since the bailout. We close with general lessons to be learned from the episode.

Perfumar la rabia. El ecofeminismo de Françoise d’Eaubonne en la era del barbijo

2021 ◽  
pp. 125-128
Author(s):  
Alicia Migliaro González
Keyword(s):  
Ecological Crisis ◽  
Feminist Movement ◽  
Current Crisis ◽  
World Crisis ◽  
The World ◽  
Colonial Capitalism ◽  
Francoise D'eaubonne

Françoise d’Eaubonne (1920-2005) proposed the term «ecofeminism», between the ‘60s and ‘70s, to explain the necessary convergence between feminism and ecologist as an alternatives to the world crisis. The drifts of ecofeminism is a fascinating path as well as a window to understand the tensions of feminist and ecologist; even more so since the current crisis of reproduction, where feminist struggles in defense of the bodies-territories detain the advanced destroyer of patriarchal and colonial capitalism. However, in these debates, the figure of Françoise d’Eaubonne and the vehemence of her proposals usually remain as a mere encyclopedic reference. The feminist movement, the urgencies of the ecological crisis, and the COVID-19 pandemic, awaken our interest in her work and her figure.

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