scholarly journals Northern Ireland’s Interregnum. Anna Burns’s Depiction of a (Post)-Troubles State of (In)security

Text Matters ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 64-83
Author(s):  
Ryszard Bartnik
Keyword(s):  
Main Idea ◽  
Northern Irish ◽  
Social Fabric ◽  
The Troubles ◽  
Sense Of Security ◽  
False Sense ◽  
Political Milieu ◽  
Underlying Mechanisms ◽  
Literary Output ◽  
Personal Understanding

This paper aims to present the main contours of Burns’s literary output which, interestingly enough, grows into a personal understanding of the collective mindset of (post)-Troubles Northern Ireland. It is legitimate, I argue, to construe her fiction (No Bones, 2001; Little Constructions, 2007; Milkman, 2018) as a body of work shedding light on certain underlying mechanisms of (post-)sectarian violence. Notwithstanding the lapse of time between 1998 and 2020, the Troubles’ toxic legacy has indeed woven an unbroken thread in the social fabric of the region. My reading of the novelist’s selected works intends to show how the local public have been fed by (or have fed themselves upon) an unjustified—maybe even false—sense of security. Burns, in that regard, has positioned herself amongst the aggregate of writers who feel anxious rather than placated, hence their persistence in returning to the roots of Northern Irish societal divisions. Burns’s writing, in the above context, though immersed in the world of the Troubles, paradoxically communicates “an idiosyncratic spatiotemporality” (Maureen Ruprecht Fadem’s phrase), namely an experience beyond the self-imposing, historical time limits. As such, it gains the ability to provide insightful commentaries on conflict-prone relations, the patterns of which can be repeatedly observed in Northern Ireland’s socio-political milieu. Overall, the main idea here is to discuss and present the narrative realm proposed by Burns as (in)determinate, liminal in terms of time and space, positioning readers between “then” and “now” of the region.

Love, Inc.

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laurie Essig
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Global Climate Change ◽  
Structural Changes ◽  
Global Climate ◽  
Dating Apps ◽  
Sense Of Security ◽  
True Love ◽  
The Future ◽  
False Sense ◽  
Global Movements

In Love, Inc., Laurie Essig argues that love is not all we need. As the future became less secure—with global climate change and the transfer of wealth to the few—Americans became more romantic. Romance is not just what lovers do but also what lovers learn through ideology. As an ideology, romance allowed us to privatize our futures, to imagine ourselves as safe and secure tomorrow if only we could find our "one true love" today. But the fairy dust of romance blinded us to what we really need: global movements and structural changes. By traveling through dating apps and spectacular engagements, white weddings and Disney honeymoons, Essig shows us how romance was sold to us and why we bought it. Love, Inc. seduced so many of us into a false sense of security, but it also, paradoxically, gives us hope in hopeless times. This book explores the struggle between our inner cynics and our inner romantic.

scholarly journals Is a reduction in viability enough to determine biofilm susceptibility to a biocide?

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-7
Author(s):  
Katarzyna Ledwoch ◽  
Maddalena Magoga ◽  
Dulcie Williams ◽  
Stefania Fabbri ◽  
James Walsh ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mechanical Action ◽  
Atmospheric Plasma ◽  
Sense Of Security ◽  
Biocidal Products ◽  
False Sense ◽  
Sodium Dichloroisocyanurate ◽  
430 Stainless Steel ◽  
Cross Transmission ◽  
Product Test ◽  
Cleaning And Disinfection

Abstract Objective: The abundance and prevalence of dry-surface biofilms (DSBs) in hospitals constitute an emerging problem, yet studies rarely report the cleaning and disinfection efficacy against DSBs. Here, the combined impact of treatments on viability, transferability, and recovery of bacteria from DSBs has been investigated for the first time. Methods: Staphylococcus aureus DSBs were produced in alternating 48-hour wet–dry cycles for 12 days on AISI 430 stainless steel discs. The efficacy of 11 commercially available disinfectants, 4 detergents, and 2 contactless interventions were tested using a modified standardized product test. Reduction in viability, direct transferability, cross transmission (via glove intermediate), and DSB recovery after treatment were measured. Results: Of 11 disinfectants, 9 were effective in killing and removing bacteria from S. aureus DSBs with >4 log10 reduction. Only 2 disinfectants, sodium dichloroisocyanurate 1,000 ppm and peracetic acid 3,500 ppm, were able to lower both direct and cross transmission of bacteria (<2 compression contacts positive for bacterial growth). Of 11 disinfectants, 8 could not prevent DSB recovery for >2 days. Treatments not involving mechanical action (vaporized hydrogen peroxide and cold atmospheric plasma) were ineffective, producing <1 log10 reduction in viability, DSB regrowth within 1 day, and 100% transferability of DSB after treatment. Conclusions: Reduction in bacterial viability alone does not determine product performance against biofilm and might give a false sense of security to consumers, manufacturers and regulators. The ability to prevent bacterial transfer and biofilm recovery after treatment requires a better understanding of the effectiveness of biocidal products.

scholarly journals Richard Bean’s The Big Fellah (2010) and Jez Butterworth’s The Ferryman (2017): two plays about the Northern Troubles from outside of Northern Ireland

2020 ◽  
Vol 73 (2) ◽  
pp. 115-126 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hiroko Mikami
Keyword(s):  
Northern Ireland ◽  
Northern Irish ◽  
The Troubles ◽  
Good Friday ◽  
Good Friday Agreement

During the three decades of the Troubles of Northern Ireland (1969-1998), a remarkable amount of plays about the Troubles was written and almost of them, it seems, had been ‘monopolised’ by (Northern) Irish playwrights. Recently, however, certain changes about this monopoly have been witnessed and those who do not claim themselves as Irish descendants have begun to choose the Northern Troubles as their themes. Also, there have been growing concerns about violence worldwide since 9.11. This article deals with two plays, Richard Bean’s The Big Fellah and Jez Butterworth’s The Ferryman, neither of which was written by an Irish playwright and examines whether and to what extent it is possible to say that they can transcend regional boundaries and become part of global memories in the context of the post-Good Friday Agreement and the post 9.11.

scholarly journals A false sense of security

2008 ◽  
Vol 183 (7) ◽  
pp. 1317-1317
Author(s):  
Mike Rossner
Keyword(s):  
Sense Of Security ◽  
False Sense

Opening forces or failure of commercially available equine headcollars and other safety devices

2021 ◽  
pp. 175433712110396
Author(s):  
David J Marlin ◽  
Kirstie Pickles ◽  
Roberta Ferro de Godoy ◽  
Jane M Williams
Keyword(s):  
Safety Devices ◽  
Risk Of Injury ◽  
Sense Of Security ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
Custom Made ◽  
False Sense ◽  
Breaking Points ◽  
Horse Owners ◽  
Very High ◽  
Increasing Load

A recent survey by the authors of the present study indicated that headcollar (halter, USA) related incidents resulting in horse injuries may be common. From the survey, 134 incidents involving horse fractures and 167 fatalities were reported. Headcollar design and materials vary markedly from traditional leather to “safety” headcollars and safety devices. Despite their almost universal use, there has been minimal study as to how these items function or specifications for performance. The aim of the present study was to select a range of commercially available standard headcollars and a number of safety devices, to test the force required to break or release them. Safety devices selected included baler twine, which is widely used by equestrians to attach a horse by a headcollar to a lead rope and in turn to a fixture. This system practice is perceived to increase safety. Devices were subjected to increasing load in the poll to lead-rope attachment axis (i.e. to simulate a horse pulling backward) using a custom-made steel rig incorporating an electric 1000 kg winch. The force was increased incrementally until either the headcollar or device opened or failed. The lowest mean opening force of 357 ± 50 N was for a safety headcollar, which is equivalent to a load of approximately 36 kg. The highest breaking force was 5798 ± 265 N for one of the eight different webbing headcollars tested. Breaking for safety devices ranged from 354 ± 121 N for “fine” baler twine to 1348 ± 307 N for a “heavy duty” baler twine. Variability in opening force was lowest in two of the webbing headcollars (CV < 5%) despite these having very high breaking points (>3500 N). The greatest variability was found for fine baler twine (CV = 34%) and one of the commercial safety devices (CV = 38%). The range of opening forces and variability in opening forces for standard headcollars, safety headcollars and safety devices is a cause for concern and may give horse owners/handlers a false sense of security with regards to safety, and actually predispose horses and handlers to an increased risk of injury.

Can regular blood counts help to prevent drug-induced blood dyscrasias?

1974 ◽  
Vol 12 (18) ◽  
pp. 69-72
Keyword(s):  
Sore Throat ◽  
Cytotoxic Drugs ◽  
Rational Approach ◽  
Drug Induced ◽  
Recent Advances ◽  
Sense Of Security ◽  
False Sense

The practice of performing regular blood counts during therapy with drugs known to cause dyscrasias has varied over the years. For a time they were thought essential during treatment with drugs like thiouracil and phenylbutazone, but they were abandoned when it was realised that blood changes can develop so quickly that a normal count might give only a false sense of security. It seemed better to take a preliminary count to exclude prior abnormality and to warn patients to stop the drug and report at once if they developed symptoms such as sore throat or mouth ulceration, so that a count could be done and the treatment changed if necessary. However, this approach is not satisfactory when either gold or cytotoxic drugs are used because potentially fatal irreversible aplasia may occur before symptoms are noticed. Recent advances in knowledge of the mechanisms of drug-induced blood dyscrasias1 allow a more rational approach to their detection and avoidance. These dyscrasias may be divided into five types.

scholarly journals Continuous assessment and matriculation examination marks – An empirical examination

2015 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 17 ◽  
Author(s):  
Servaas Van der Berg ◽  
Debra Shepherd
Keyword(s):  
South African ◽  
Career Planning ◽  
National Curriculum ◽  
Continuous Assessment ◽  
Empirical Examination ◽  
Sense Of Security ◽  
False Sense ◽  
Matriculation Examination ◽  
School Careers ◽  
Examination Preparation

<p>This study analyses information and feedback from matriculation level continuous assessment in the South African education system. Continuous assessment (CASS) at the time carried a 25% weight in the final matriculation (Grade 12) mark, and it provides feedback that affects examination preparation and effort. Weak assessment in schools sends wrong signals to students that may have important consequences for the way they approach the final examination. Moreover, similarly wrong signals earlier in their school careers may also have affected their subject choice and career planning.<br />This study compares CASS data to the externally assessed matric exam marks for a number of subjects. There are two signalling dimensions to inaccurate assessments: (i) Inflated CASS marks can give students a false sense of security and lead to diminished exam effort. (ii) A weak correlation between CASS and the exam marks could mean poor signalling in another dimension: Relatively good students may get relatively low CASS marks. Such low correlations indicate poor assessment reliability, as the examination and continuous assessment should both be testing mastery of the same national curriculum. The paper analyses the extent of each of these dimensions of weak signalling in South African schools and draws disturbing conclusions for a large part of the school system.</p>

scholarly journals Against Ethnicity: Democracy, Equality, and the Northern Irish Conflict

2018 ◽  
Vol 57 (4) ◽  
pp. 783-811 ◽  
Author(s):  
Simon Prince
Keyword(s):  
Political Conflict ◽  
Explanatory Models ◽  
Popular Sovereignty ◽  
Northern Irish ◽  
Modern Democracy ◽  
Political Actors ◽  
The Troubles ◽  
The Core ◽  
Political Ideas ◽  
Group Identities

AbstractThe study of the Northern Irish Troubles is dominated by ethnic readings of conflict and violence. Drawing on new scholarship from a range of different disciplines and on fresh archival sources, this article questions these explanations. General theories that tie together ethnicity with conflict and violence are shown to be based on definitions that fail to distinguish ethnic identities from other ones. Their claims cannot be taken as being uniquely or even disproportionately associated with ethnicity. Explanatory models specifically developed for the case of modern Ireland do address that weakness. Yet, this article contends, they rest upon the fallacy that the Catholic and Protestant peoples are transhistorical entities. Political ideas, organizations, and actions cannot be reduced to fixed group identities. This article argues instead that the Troubles centered on a political conflict—one over rival visions of modern democracy. The pursuit of equality, the core value of democracy, led not only to conflicts but also to some of those conflicts becoming violent. Focusing on Belfast in the summer and autumn of 1969, this article sets out how the main political actors asserted competing claims to popular sovereignty and traces how multiple dynamic and intersecting conflicts became arrayed around the central one.

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