scholarly journals Bloody Women: How Female Authors Have Transformed the Scottish Contemporary Crime Fiction Genre

2017 ◽  
Vol 28 (1) ◽  
pp. 52-71
Author(s):  
Lorna Hill
Keyword(s):  
Social Issues ◽  
Crime Fiction ◽  
Female Characters ◽  
Political Issues ◽  
The Past ◽  
Female Authors ◽  
Crime Novel ◽  
Practice Based Research ◽  
Changing Attitudes

Abstract This study will explore the role of female authors in contemporary Scottish crime fiction. Over the past thirty years, women writers have overhauled the traditionally male dominated genre of crime fiction by writing about strong female characters who drive the plot and solve the crimes. Authors including Val McDermid, Denise Mina and Lin Anderson are just a few of the women who have challenged the expectation of gender and genre. By setting their novels in contemporary society they reflect a range of social and political issues through the lens of a female protagonist. By closely examining the female characters, both journalists, in Val McDermid’s Lindsay Gordon series and Denise Mina’s Paddy Meehan series, I wish to explore the issue of gender through these writers’ perspectives. This essay documents the influence of these writers on my own practice-based research which involves writing a crime novel set in a post referendum Scotland. I examine a progressive and contemporary Scottish society, where women hold many senior positions in public life, and investigate whether this has an effect on the outcome of crimes. Through this narrative, my main character will focus on the current and largely hidden crimes of human trafficking and domestic abuse. By doing this I examine the ways in which the modern crime novel has evolved to cross genre boundaries. In addition to focusing on a crime, the victims and witnesses, today’s crime novels are tackling social issues to reflect society’s changing attitudes and values.

Cultural Political System

2017 ◽  
pp. 221-237
Author(s):  
Kavita Karan
Keyword(s):  
Popular Culture ◽  
New Media ◽  
Social Issues ◽  
The Political ◽  
Political Issues ◽  
Indian Cinema ◽  
Election Process ◽  
Political Roles ◽  
Political Songs

The use of popular culture of music, dance, songs, theatre, videos and films for electioneering has been part of the Indian election process. Politics has been the narrative of Indian cinema since the beginning of century where political themes, political roles and political issues were exemplified through lead roles of politicians, enactment of political scenes, political satires and songs. This chapter examines the role of film artists in politics, popular political songs in films and campaign films that have expanded the levels of traditional and new media campaigning in India. Films and songs in the films glorify the country, arouse patriotism and whenever needed expose social issues such as high prices, corruption, feudalism, and other political issues. In the process, political campaign films became a way of marketing parties and candidates. This further characterizes the future of the political cultural system and the political economy of Indian cinema.

Setting the Regional Agenda: A Critique of Posthegemonic Regionalism

2018 ◽  
Vol 60 (1) ◽  
pp. 102-127 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mark Petersen ◽  
Carsten-Andreas Schulz
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Latin American ◽  
Social Issues ◽  
Regional Cooperation ◽  
The United States ◽  
The Past ◽  
Role Of The State ◽  
Regional Agenda ◽  
New Phase

AbstractThere is a growing scholarly consensus that Latin American regionalism has entered a new phase. For some observers, the increasing complexity of regional cooperation initiatives renders collective action ineffective. For others, the creation of new schemes signals a “posthegemonic” moment that has opened a space for collaboration on social issues. Both camps attribute this shift to the absence of the United States and the presence of left-leaning governments. By contrast, this study demonstrates that this agenda is not new, nor has the United States impeded similar initiatives in the past. In fact, the United States was instrumental in expanding regional cooperation on social issues in the early twentieth century. Instead, this article argues that agenda shifts are best explained by an evolving consensus about the role of the state. The “new agenda” is in line with historical attempts by governments to use regionalism to bolster their own domestic reforms.

scholarly journals Death and Woman: Comparing the Meaning of the Deaths of the Female Main Characters in the Works of Toni Morrison and Alice Munro

Lexicon ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Achmad Munjid
Keyword(s):  
Toni Morrison ◽  
Female Characters ◽  
Alice Munro ◽  
The Past ◽  
The Future ◽  
The Dead ◽  
Set Up

This paper seeks to explore the meaning of death in two important works by two female Noble Prize winning authors, Toni Morrison and Alice Munro. Hagin’s (2010) theory of role of death in storyline is used to analyze the works. The three deaths found in the story: initial death, intermediary death and story-terminating death all have significant meaningful relation to the past and the future. They have epistemological value of revealing and/or exposing the truth from the past. Death is used as technical instrument to reveal the truth, to transform ignorance into knowledge, dishonesty into accountability, to purify the past from falsehood and lies. Death also inserts its demand in the story by removing obstacle or giving opportunity for the living to set up new goal. The demand of the dead is possible since the deceased is “remembered” by the “cult” who may follow or manipulate their legacy. The two authors articulate “feminist voice” through the struggle of the main female characters. Toni Morrison articulates the dehumanizing consequence of racism, whereas Alice Munro voices her concern on the contradictory nature of orderly neat appearance of the modern people versus scandalous dark secret beneath the surface.Keywords: dehumanization, feminist voice, initial death, intermediary death, story-terminating death, racism.

scholarly journals An Exploratory Study of Civic Engagement and Participation Among a Panel of Adults Ages 85+

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 612-612
Author(s):  
John Rudnik ◽  
Taylor Patskanick ◽  
Julie Miller ◽  
Lisa D’Ambrosio ◽  
Joseph Coughlin
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Civic Engagement ◽  
Exploratory Study ◽  
Social Issues ◽  
Small Body ◽  
The United States ◽  
Public Attention ◽  
Political Issues ◽  
The Past

Abstract The past twenty years have seen a surge in public attention devoted to increasing civic participation opportunities for older adults in the United States. At the same time, technology has transformed the way that information related to political and social issues is shared. A relatively small body of research has explored how older adults use technology-mediated platforms for political participation. In this study, the 85+ Lifestyle Leaders were surveyed to understand their experiences of civic engagement and participation. Responses to a questionnaire (N = 24) and focus groups (N = 22) indicate that participants are interested in and feel knowledgeable about social and political issues, but some forms of participation have decreased. Findings also suggest that there are opportunities for technology to facilitate engagement with and participation in social and political issues, for adults ages 85 and over. Issues of equity and accessibility will be highlighted in this presentation.

scholarly journals Performing the Female Alternative in Victorian Popular Drama: The “Girl of the Period” and the “Fast Girl”

2021 ◽  
pp. 21
Author(s):  
Victoria Puchal Terol
Keyword(s):  
Nineteenth Century ◽  
New Woman ◽  
Social Issues ◽  
Women's Movements ◽  
Fin De Siecle ◽  
Woman Question ◽  
Female Characters ◽  
Political Issues ◽  
The New Woman ◽  
Popular Drama

During the nineteenth century, theatregoing became the favoured entertainment of both the lower and upper classes in London. As Davis (1994, 307) suggests, the plays were a “mirrored reflection” of society, and they had the ability to reflect important socio-political issues on stage, while also influencing people’s opinion about them. Thus, by turning to the popular stage of the mid-century we can better understand social issues like the Woman Question, or the tensions around imperial policies, among others. As such, this article scrutinises the ways in which Victorian popular drama influenced the period’s ideal of femininity by using stock characters inspired by real women’s movements. Two such cases are the “Girl of the Period” and the “Fast Girl”, protofeminists that would go on to influence the New Woman of the fin-de-siècle. We analyse two plays from the mid-century: the Adelphi’s Our Female American Cousin (1860), by Charles Gayler, and the Strand’s My New Place (1863), by Arthur Wood. As this article attests, popular plays like these would inadvertently bring into the mainstream the ongoing political fight for female rights through their use of transgressive female characters and promotion of scenarios where alternative feminine identities could be performed and imagined.

(Not) Dealing with War Crimes on Film

2021 ◽  
Vol 45 (3) ◽  
pp. 314-340
Author(s):  
Rimantė Jaugaitė
Keyword(s):  
Social Issues ◽  
War Crimes ◽  
Peace Building ◽  
The Past ◽  
Raising Awareness ◽  
Film Directors ◽  
The Media ◽  
Yugoslav Wars ◽  
Post War

Abstract This article argues that contemporary post-Yugoslav cinema contributes to a better understanding of the deeply divided societies in the aftermath the Yugoslav Wars (1991–2001), in terms of stimulating empathy for the Other, and, more specifically, raising awareness of the loss of human lives, thus memorializing and commemorating these experiences. It also explores how film directors deal with social issues, including war crimes, and how they appear as activist citizens while their governments struggle to take relevant action. The research aims to bridge the gap between the more theoretical literature that focuses on the role of the media in dealing with the past and more practical analysis providing examples from contemporary post-Yugoslav cinema, and to illuminate the link between film, peace-building and active citizenship. Finally, the article stresses how the idea of post-war reconciliation may be communicated through films and pertains to the notion that a positive film effect exists.

Cultural Political System

2019 ◽  
pp. 966-982
Author(s):  
Kavita Karan
Keyword(s):  
Popular Culture ◽  
New Media ◽  
Social Issues ◽  
The Political ◽  
Political Issues ◽  
Indian Cinema ◽  
Election Process ◽  
Political Roles ◽  
Political Songs

The use of popular culture of music, dance, songs, theatre, videos and films for electioneering has been part of the Indian election process. Politics has been the narrative of Indian cinema since the beginning of century where political themes, political roles and political issues were exemplified through lead roles of politicians, enactment of political scenes, political satires and songs. This chapter examines the role of film artists in politics, popular political songs in films and campaign films that have expanded the levels of traditional and new media campaigning in India. Films and songs in the films glorify the country, arouse patriotism and whenever needed expose social issues such as high prices, corruption, feudalism, and other political issues. In the process, political campaign films became a way of marketing parties and candidates. This further characterizes the future of the political cultural system and the political economy of Indian cinema.

scholarly journals Analyzing George Bernard Shaw’s Portrayal of Women in the Light of Postfeminist Theory

sjesr ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 438-443
Author(s):  
Dr. Shahid Abbas ◽  
Dr. Ijaz Asghar ◽  
Qamar Hussain
Keyword(s):  
Female Characters ◽  
Women In Academia ◽  
The Past ◽  
Women In Islam ◽  
The Social ◽  
The World ◽  
The Status ◽  
The Holy Quran ◽  
Status Of Women

The paper aims at investigating the critical opinions about Bernard Shaw’s ambivalent relation to feminism. In this regard, the researchers highlight the emerging role of postfeminism and its overlapping elements with the Islamic portrayal of womanhood. Shaw differs from his predecessors drastically – he portrays independent female characters as compared to the invisible and submissive females of the past. Thus, one of the striking features of Shaw’s drama is the depiction of liberated women. The Shavian women do not consider men folk as their rivals. There is a shift from powerless to empowered women in academia. The researchers find out that there is an ideological conflict between feminism and Islam but as far as postfeminism is concerned, there is none. Rather, postfeminism propagates and supports the Islamic concept of womanhood thoroughly. It is also worth noting that feminist ideas and ideology have greatly dented the social and political fabric of mankind and human civilization in general. Whereas, postfeminism propagates in favor of maintaining a balanced position for womanhood in life which is a balance between social and individual life, and a balance between professional and family life. The purpose of this article is to promote a better understanding of the status of women in Islam and its overlapping and common areas with postfeminism, that is, God has equated female folk at par with their male folk. The research is significant as it challenges the western notion of women in Islam and dispels the erroneous notions of suppression of women in Islam. The prime finding of this research is that postfeminism proclaims equal footing for men and women in life, as enshrined in the Holy Quran.  Further, the researchers lament that just because of myopic-minded people, the world is not making any progress intellectually. The researchers recommend that there is a dire need to promote liberal intellectuals like Shaw who harbor no bias against Islam and Muslims to maintain peace and order in the world.

scholarly journals Some additional notes on Shakespeare : his great tragedies from a Slovene perspective

2005 ◽  
Vol 38 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 3-48
Author(s):  
Mirko Jurak
Keyword(s):  
Final Part ◽  
Female Characters ◽  
The Past ◽  
Theatre Production ◽  
Role Of Women ◽  
Theatrical Companies

In the first chapter of this study the author stresses the importance of literature and Shakespeare's plays for our age. Although the enigma of Shakespeare's life still concerns many scholars it is relevant only as far as the solutions of some biographical details from Shakespeare's life influence the interpretation of his plays. In the section on feminism the focus of the author's attention is the changed role of women in the present day society as compared to previous centuries. In the final part of the article the role of the main female characters in Shakespeare's great tragedies is discussed. The author suggests that so far their importance has been underestimated and that Shakespeare left some of them open to different interpretations. Hamlet is definitely one of the most popular Shakespeare's plays in Slovenia and in addition to "classical" interpretations of this drama we have seen during the past two decades a number of experimental productions, done by both Slovene and foreign theatrical companies. In Appendix (1) the title of this paper is briefly discussed and the author' a work on Shakespeare is sketched; Appendix (2) presents a rap song on Hamlet written in English by a Slovene author. The song was used in the Glej Eperimental Theatre production (Hamlett/Packard, Ljubljana, 1992).

scholarly journals Communication, Coordination, Logistics and the Role of Non-Governmental Organizations (NGO’s) During Disaster in Malaysia

2019 ◽  
pp. 1383-1395
Author(s):  
Haslinda A. ◽  
Nazree Ismail ◽  
Nur Hidayah Roslan ◽  
Maimunah Omar
Keyword(s):  
Social Issues ◽  
Health Issues ◽  
The Past ◽  
Governmental Organizations ◽  
Non Governmental Organizations ◽  
Relief Efforts ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
And Training ◽  
Significant Factors

In times of crisis or disaster such as the recent floods of December 2014 in the northern and eastern Malaysian states of Kelantan, Terengganu, Pahang, Perak and Kedah, non-governmental organizations played a significant role in assisting the authorities and government agencies in collecting and providing aid to victims. Under normal circumstances non-governmental organizations vary in what they do and would normally focus on specific issues such as environmental issues, health issues or social issues. However in times of crisis or disaster, these organizations expand their role by assisting authorities with relief efforts ranging from financial assistance to manpower to basic necessities such as food, water, clothing and even logistical assets such as lorries, helicopters and other types of vehicles. The available literature has suggested that individuals, groups and organizations such as non-governmental organizations innovate as seen by countless relief effort activities conducted by non-governmental organizations in times of crisis or disaster in the past. The objective of this study is to examine the relationship between communication, coordination, and logistical factors toward the role of NGOs when faced with a crisis in Malaysia. The outcome of the study revealed that coordination and logistics are the main and significant factors contributing to the role of NGOs in times of crisis or disaster. With regard to communication, the findings revealed that this is a significant aspect however it does not contribute towards the role of NGOs in times of crisis. Finally, this study also found that preparation and training contributes to the successful role of NGOs in dealing with crisis or disaster situations, suggesting that more needs to be done in terms of planning, budgeting and training to prepare volunteers. The implications of this study on the surveyed respondents from various non-governmental organizations in terms of experience, requirements, support and issues are discussed.

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