The Lumumba Commission (1999-2002): Shame, Guilt, and the Post-Imperial Self

2021 ◽  
pp. 030582982110509
Author(s):  
Zeger Verleye
Keyword(s):  
International Society ◽  
Sense Of Self ◽  
Ontological Security ◽  
Self Identity ◽  
Parliamentary Debates ◽  
Shame And Guilt ◽  
Identity Based ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Insight Into

This article aims to explore the process of colonial redress from the theoretical scope of ontological security. In this theory, shame denotes a challenge to the consistency of state self-narratives, compelling the state to actions that reaffirm its sense of self. However, other works on ontological security argue that post-imperial states are more likely to experience guilt than shame because of their historical connection to international society. By juxtaposing shame and guilt as characteristic of the process of colonial redress, this article gives insight into the challenges, opportunities, and constraints of colonial redress. Empirically, the article discusses parliamentary debates during the Lumumba Commission (1999-2002), a significant moment in Belgium’s struggle with its imperial legacy. To adequately trace the anxieties and narrative changes that ontological insecurity implies, this case-study is approached using a narrative and interpretative sentiment analysis. The analysis indicates that Belgian MPs deployed a comedic narrative, sided by discourses of serenity, objectivity, and guilt. This particular narrative countered Belgium’s anxiety, facilitated an apology, and restated its self-identity. Based on these findings, the article concludes that the conceptual borderline between shame and guilt is less distinct than is assumed in the literature and suggests that further research is needed into the relationship between narratives and emotions.

Taiwan–Myanmar Relations within the Framework of the New Southbound Policy

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-31
Author(s):  
Kristina Kironska
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Soft Power ◽  
The United States ◽  
Political Transformation ◽  
Military Rule ◽  
Political Relations ◽  
Trade War ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Insight Into

Abstract This article combines the study of Taiwan’s New Southbound Policy with a case study of Taiwan–Myanmar relations from a perspective of political relations, economic cooperation, and Taiwan’s (un)recognisability in Myanmar—i.e. Taiwan’s soft power in Myanmar. The first part of the paper introduces the policy and compares it with the previous ones, and sheds light on Taiwan’s motivation to engage with Myanmar. It considers the ongoing trade war between the United States and China, due to which investment relocation from China is expected to sharply increase. The second part of the paper provides an insight into the relationship between Taiwan and Myanmar after Myanmar’s state-led political transformation from military rule and economic liberalisation since approximately 2010. It explains the main aspects and determinants of the relationship between two countries that share a neighbouring potential hegemon which they both wish to balance against.

Anthropological Study of a Young Perm Family

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (3) ◽  
pp. 300-309
Author(s):  
Ksenia A. Yarushina
Keyword(s):  
Gender Identity ◽  
Dominant Role ◽  
Married Couple ◽  
Self Identity ◽  
Gender Culture ◽  
Anthropological Study ◽  
The Family ◽  
In The Beginning ◽  
The Relationship

The article considers the gender culture in the family, one of the most closed and local socio-cultural institutions. The relevance of this topic is determined by the anthropological turn in modern humanitarian knowledge, and the involvement of new data in scientific circulation, which is obtained as a result of the use of case-study semi-formalized techniques for interviewing respondents. Thus, on the basis of the interviews received, there are reconstructed contradictory forms of gender identity in a young married couple in Perm. The article presents the materials of the respondents’ interviews in the form of narratives consistently presenting the key stages of the relationship. Gradually, the narrative’s characters begin to construct a gender identity in a new cultural institution – their own family. There can be seen a conflict between the characters’ symbolic self-identity and their real practices. The man takes a dominant role in the beginning of the relationship. He objectifies the woman and alone decides when to start the relationship. Then the situation changes. The man’s dominant role is replaced with a passive one. The initiative goes to the woman, who repeats the man’s behavior. At the same time, it turns out that in everyday life, the respondents fill the roles of the husband and wife with special content. The wife’s role includes the mother’s behavior towards her husband, and the husband’s role includes the child’s behavior towards his wife. The family is an inverse patriarchal type of relationship. The woman has a dominant role, but identifies herself as an obedient wife.

Judicial Biography and the Behavioral Persuasion

1971 ◽  
Vol 65 (3) ◽  
pp. 704-715 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Woodford Howard
Keyword(s):  
Case Studies ◽  
Empirical Investigation ◽  
Judicial Politics ◽  
Judicial Behavior ◽  
Central Theme ◽  
Political Analysis ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Insight Into ◽  
Considerable Insight

This paper appraises the relationship between judicial biography and judicial behavior research in two ways: (1) conceptually, by comparing them as modes of inquiry; and (2) empirically, by making an inventory of the behavioral content of 15. leading judicial biographies. The central theme is that judicial biographies and judicial behavior research are complementary. Conceptually, they have important common premises and problems as well as major differences. Empirically, judicial biographies also offer considerable insight into judicial behavior. Using generous standards, the inventory of 15 biographies derived 2,232 behavioral-like propositions in eight categories of behavioral research. More importantly, the biographies suggest a substantial number of hypotheses worthy of empirical investigation and validation. When viewed as case studies in judicial politics, judicial biographies thus become related to behavioral inquiry. And their strengths and weaknesses fall into place as reflecting properties generally associated with case study as a mode of political analysis.

scholarly journals Ontological Security, Trauma and Violence, and the Protection of Women: Polygamy Among Minority Communities

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ayelet Harel-Shalev ◽  
Rebecca Kook
Keyword(s):  
State Level ◽  
The State ◽  
Minority Women ◽  
Complex Relationship ◽  
Ontological Security ◽  
Minority Communities ◽  
The Right ◽  
Women Violence ◽  
The Relationship

In this article, we examine the special challenges posed by the practice of polygamy to minority women, focusing on the ways that the state and the women confront the related experiences of violence and trauma associated with this practice. Based on analysis of both policy and interviews with women, we demonstrate the tension between the different mechanisms adopted by the state as opposed to those adopted by the women themselves. We suggest that the concept of ontological security is valuable for a deeper understanding of the range of state motivations in cases related to minority women, violence, and the right for protection. Our case study is the Bedouin community in Israel. We explore the relationship between individual and state-level conceptions of violence and trauma and the complex relationship between these two. We examine state discourses of ontological security through a gendered lens, as frameworks of belonging and mechanisms of exclusion.

scholarly journals Becoming a Confucian in Contemporary Singapore: The Case of Nanyang Confucian Association

Religions ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (10) ◽  
pp. 854
Author(s):  
Chang Woei Ong ◽  
Khee Heong Koh
Keyword(s):  
Cultural Dimensions ◽  
Chinese Diaspora ◽  
Confucian Tradition ◽  
Self Identity ◽  
Chinese Identity ◽  
Cultural Affiliation ◽  
Chinese Studies ◽  
History Of ◽  
Identity Based

Using the Nanyang Confucian Association (NCA) as a case study, this paper explores the multi-faceted processes through which a segment of Singapore’s Chinese community constructs its self-identity based on an understanding of Confucianism that dismisses its religious attributes while underscoring the ethnic and cultural dimensions. Tracing the history of the association since its formation in 1914, the paper hopes to contribute to recent overseas Chinese studies on the rethinking of the notion of the Chinese diaspora within the context of the formation, circulation, and contest of a global Chinese identity by asking the following questions: Does identifying with the Confucian tradition necessarily require one to acknowledge their connection with China? Would a self-proclaimed Confucian be perceived as someone who looks to China for ethnic and cultural affiliation and thus appears less local? The authors argue that, while still acknowledging the spatial–temporal centrality of China as the origin of Confucianism and Chinese civilization, leaders of the NCA clearly intended to simultaneously position the NCA at the center of global Confucian activism. What emerges from the processes initiated by the NCA in constructing its identity is a complex overlay of history, geography, and culture that gives rise to a vision of multiple centers.

scholarly journals Can I teach these students? A case study of Vietnamese teachers’ self-efficacy in relation to teaching English as a Foreign Language

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nga Thi Tuyet Phan
Keyword(s):  
Data Collection ◽  
Foreign Language ◽  
Self Efficacy ◽  
Sense Of Self ◽  
Efficacy Beliefs ◽  
The Self ◽  
Teaching English ◽  
University Teachers ◽  
The Relationship

The study looked at factors that influenced the self-efficacy in teaching English as a Foreign Language (EFL) of a group of university teachers in Vietnam. This study explored the relationship between Vietnamese teachers’ discourses of effective teaching practices and their self-efficacy beliefs, the influence of Vietnamese culture and context on teachers’ self-efficacy beliefs, and whether participating in the research led to a change in the self-efficacy beliefs of the teacher participants and of myself as researcher.The research took the form of a qualitative case study. Participants were eight university teachers of the English language at a technical university in Vietnam. Data collection lasted six months. Data collection tools included focus group discussions, individual interviews, journaling, and observations. An inductive coding process and thematic analysis were used for analysing data. Findings indicate that social persuasion was the most influential source of self-efficacy information. The study shows that different sources of self-efficacy information interacted with one another to influence the two dimensions of self-efficacy. Besides, it appears that teachers’ understanding of a number of environment and workplace factors appeared to constrain some teachers into adopting the Grammar Translation Method (GTM) approach and possibly reduced their self-efficacy in adapting a Communicative Language Teaching (CLT)-oriented approach. After participating in the study, the teaching approaches of study teachers and my own approaches seemed to be more CLT-oriented although most of us were characterised by a low sense of self-efficacy in adapting this approach in the Vietnamese classrooms. Findings also suggest that several aspects of Vietnamese culture, e.g. the concept of face, are likely to have influenced the way the study teachers selected, weighted and interpreted efficacy-building information. In addition, it is plausible that changes in context, e.g. teaching different kinds of students, led to a change in the way the teachers and I weighed and selected self-efficacy information. Self-reflection, self-doubt and self-regulation were other factors causing fluctuations in the study teachers’ and my self-efficacy. My study contributes to a widening understanding of how different aspects of culture can impact on self-efficacy. It provides examples to challenge the claim that the self-efficacy of experienced teachers is stable and the widespread view that a negative sense of self-efficacy induces individuals to give up and make less effort. The study shows the relationship between teacher self-efficacy beliefs and their discourses of EFL instruction, i.e. their self-efficacy in using different aspects of a communicative approach fluctuated at different stages of the study. The study points to the need to improve leadership practice and teaching conditions at the faculty and university. Preparing teachers for regulation strategies, encouraging them to work collectively, and offering more professional development programs are likely to develop a stronger sense of self-efficacy among teachers.

scholarly journals The ontological security of special relationships: the case of Germany’s relations with Israel

2018 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 79-100 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kai Oppermann ◽  
Mischa Hansel
Keyword(s):  
Power Relations ◽  
Theoretical Argument ◽  
Special Relationship ◽  
Ontological Security ◽  
The Holocaust ◽  
Special Relations ◽  
Special Relationships ◽  
Political Leverage ◽  
The Relationship

AbstractThis article suggests studying special relationships in international politics from an ontological security perspective. It argues that conceptualising the partners to special relationships as ontological security seekers provides a promising theoretical angle to address gaps in our understanding of three important dimensions of such relations: their emergence and stability; the processes and practices of maintaining them; and the power relations within special relations. The article illustrates its theoretical argument in a case study on the German-Israeli relationship. The close partnership between the two countries that has developed since the Holocaust ranks as one of the most remarkable examples of special relationships in the international arena. We argue that foregrounding the ontological security that the special relationship provides, in particular for Germany, sheds important new light on how German-Israeli relations have developed. Specifically, we hold that Germany’s ontological security needs were already an important driver in establishing the relationship and have been a key stabiliser of it ever since; that the ontological security perspective can make sense of three interrelated practices of maintaining the ‘specialness’ of the relationship; and that the asymmetries between the ontological security needs of the two partners help account for Israel’s political leverage in the relationship.

Modelling the subjective experience of fun at work

2019 ◽  
Vol 41 (3) ◽  
pp. 520-537 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maeve Clancy ◽  
Carol Linehan
Keyword(s):  
Psychological Contract ◽  
Subjective Experience ◽  
Psychological Contracts ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Fresh Insight ◽  
Practical Implications ◽  
Insight Into

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to explain some divergent findings on experiences of fun at work. It explains conflicting findings by moving from a focus on classifying the activity (as, e.g. task/managed/organic) to foregrounding the dynamics of the experience, adding to the growing conceptualisation of fun at work as a multi-dimensional construct.Design/methodology/approachThis research draws on empirical data obtained through case study and interviews with 13 participants from two organisations. These interviews were subjected to intense thematic analysis.FindingsIt was found that an individual’s underlying beliefs about the organisation; the perceived drivers of the fun practice; and the level of control exerted over a fun practice significantly shape the experience. The paper draws on the concept of the psychological contract to frame the relationship between these three key interacting elements.Practical implicationsThis paper provides a greater understanding of the dynamics of fun experiences, enabling management to better recognise and contextualise the impact of fun practices.Originality/valueGiven conflicting findings on both the experience and outcomes of fun at work, this study elucidates the dynamics underpinning the experience of fun at work. It is novel to consider experiences of fun through the lens of psychological contracts, which offers fresh insight into the understanding of individual experiences of fun.

Recognition gaps in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict

2016 ◽  
Vol 15 (2) ◽  
pp. 193-214
Author(s):  
Elie Friedman
Keyword(s):  
The Self ◽  
The Other ◽  
Political Leaders ◽  
Self Identity ◽  
Official Discourse ◽  
Essential Aspect ◽  
Recognition Theory ◽  
Analytical Tools ◽  
The Relationship

This study identifies gaps in official discourse between recognition of the other as a nation and recognition of the other’s right to statehood within identity conflicts. Using as a case study the discourse of Israeli political leaders during three distinct periods from 1967 until the present, the study proposes analytical tools based on recognition theory to examine how the relationship between recognition of the other and constitution of the self impact recognition gaps. The study illustrates that partial recognition of the other — either affirmation of peoplehood coupled with denial of statehood or conversely affirmation of statehood coupled with denial of peoplehood — can result from an untenable view of self based on ontological dissonance. Recognition of the other is shown to be an essential aspect of self-constitution within the context of a transformation of self-identity towards an identity that frees itself of mastery over the other.

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