scholarly journals Bearing Witness: Maoism as Religion

2005 ◽  
Vol 22 ◽  
pp. 5-37 ◽  
Author(s):  
David E. Apter
Keyword(s):  
State Power ◽  
Historical Events ◽  
Bearing Witness ◽  
Central Figure ◽  
Political Religion ◽  
Political Myth ◽  
Agnes Smedley ◽  
The Status ◽  
Communist Revolution

The role of foreign witnesses in describing exceptional historical events can contribute to the way those events unfold. Three examples serve to illustrate this: Edgar Snow, Anna Louise Strong and Agnes Smedley. At the start of the Chinese communist revolution each of these commentators offered personal testimony to and validation of what became a political myth and was elevated to the status of a state political religion with Mao the central figure. This paper discusses the differences between political religion and religion tout court. It suggests that the former is more ephemeral while the latter is more capable of self-replenishment, leading to the ritualization of the first in the exercise of state power. It also deals with the question of socialism as proto-religion and the problems posed by its disappearance.

scholarly journals Make comedy matter: Ernst Cassirer on the politics and morality of humor

2018 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 162
Author(s):  
Jennifer Marra
Keyword(s):  
Intrinsic Value ◽  
Third Reich ◽  
Ernst Cassirer ◽  
Political Forces ◽  
The Us ◽  
Political Myth ◽  
The Status ◽  
Public Consciousness ◽  
The Third Reich

Many of Ernst Cassirer’s later works are concerned with the dangers of political myth. His analysis speaks at length about the role of philosophy during the rise of the Third Reich, and Cassirer argues that philosophers failed to combat the dominant ideology. Today, philosophers struggle to explain their relevance to greater public and governmental powers that see no intrinsic value. Given the current political situation in the US, we find ourselves at a crossroads as philosophers. We can either retreat and remain within the comforts of academia, or we can take up arms against dangerous and divisive political forces. If we take Cassirer’s prescriptions seriously, we must choose the latter. Fortunately, philosophy has not disappeared from public consciousness completely. An emerging theme in contemporary cultural studies is the exploration of connections between humour and philosophy. I argue we ought to take advantage of the status of the comedian as public philosopher, and for philosophers to take seriously the political power of comedians. To do this responsibly, I analyse a portion of Cassirer’s work that has been widely ignored in scholarship – his understanding of the politics and morality of humour. By analysing these passages in relation to Cassirer’s later works, we are given the tools to understand the power of humour in political discourse, as well as the responsibility of that power. I argue that “joking responsibly”, for Cassirer, means to reveal the motives and values which underlie sophistry, particularly the sort which lends itself to political manipulation.

On the role of legislative bodies of state power of subjects of the Russian Federation in toponymical naming regulation

Neophilology ◽  
2019 ◽  
pp. 491-501
Author(s):  
Sergey A. Popov
Keyword(s):  
Russian Federation ◽  
State Power ◽  
Voronezh Region ◽  
Legislative Regulation ◽  
The Status ◽  
The Russian Federation ◽  
Regional Reference

We present a study of legislative regulation of toponymical processes in the subjects of the Russian Federation from 1994 to the present as exemplified Voronezh Region. We analyze regulatory legal acts of the Voronezh Region, which changed the toponymical system of the region (renaming, abolishing, merging, changing the status of individual settlements, changing the boundaries of municipalities). The purpose of the study is to show the role of legislative (repre-sentative) bodies of state power of the subjects of the Russian Federation in regulating naming processes in regional toponymy using the example of the Voronezh Regional Duma, which is a permanently acting supreme and the only legislative (representative) body of state power in the Voronezh Region. We conclude that it is necessary to establish uniform rules, norms and require-ments for the names of geographic objects, the deviation from the established rules creates incon-venience for the population and investors, complicates the work of state bodies and local govern-ments. In conclusion, we note that there are not all official changes of the Voronezh Region toponymicon in modern regional reference books and toponymical dictionaries, also there are not always the full details of a given regulatory legal act, according to which the settlement changed its status, was named or renamed, therefore it has become necessary nowadays to prepare and publish the “Toponymical Dictionary of the Voronezh Region”, which takes into account mentioned changes.

scholarly journals Graphic design for social justice in South Africa

2012 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Latha Ravjee
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Social Justice ◽  
Critical Thinking ◽  
Human Dignity ◽  
Graphic Design ◽  
State Power ◽  
Specific Reference ◽  
The Status ◽  
Visual Impact

In this dissertation I examine of the role of graphic design in the struggle for social justice in South Africa - with specific reference to the concept of human rights. I am motivated by an overwhelming awareness that the Bill of Rights in post-apartheid South Africa exists in striking contrast to the daily struggles for human dignity. In addressing this contradiction I present a historical examination that focuses on the visual impact of the creative combination of images and text to effect socioeconomic and political change. Drawing from Steve Biko’s philosophy of psychological liberation and Paulo Freire’s educational philosophy for critical thinking, I distinguish between propaganda and education. I take the stand that people are not really free if they blindly accept the myths of the established state order and I explore the various ways in which society is misguided by these myths. I argue that unlike graphic design that maintains the status quo and represents the propaganda of the established order, ‘graphic design for social justice’ represents the voice of people’s power against state power. Through this study and practice I conclude that the role of graphic design for social justice in South Africa is to uncover the myths of state power by presenting scenarios that encourage critical thinking, dialogue and open debate about power and the abuse of power in the continued struggle for human dignity. It is intended that this body of work, and the exhibition that results from it, contributes in part to the writing and documentation of a history of South African socio-political graphics.

scholarly journals Police Officers as Victims

2017 ◽  
Vol 81 (1) ◽  
pp. 33-49
Author(s):  
Osman Isfen ◽  
Regina E Rauxloh
Keyword(s):  
Law Enforcement ◽  
Comparative Study ◽  
Police Officer ◽  
Criminal Law ◽  
Police Officers ◽  
State Power ◽  
The State ◽  
Clear Understanding ◽  
The Status

While there is plenty of research into crime committed by police officers, surprisingly little debate can be found regarding the situation where a police officer becomes a victim. This is remarkable as the police not only embody criminal law enforcement but also epitomise state power. Based on a comparative study, this article examines how criminal law in England and Germany deals with attacks against police officers through separate criminal offences as well as increased sentences. The authors examine how the use of criminal law reflects on the state’s perception and valuation of the role of the police officer. It will be shown that while in England there is the clear understanding that the status of the victim as police officer has an aggravating effect, Germany strongly opposes the idea that the office-holder deserves more protection than ordinary citizens. On the contrary, the law takes in consideration that the offender finds him- or herself in a vulnerable situation when faced with the power of the state.

scholarly journals Overview of the Religious Situation in Malaysia

Adam alemi ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (86) ◽  
pp. 99-103
Author(s):  
Zh.E. Аldiyarova ◽  
K.A. Zatov ◽  
К.S. Bagasharov
Keyword(s):  
Developing Country ◽  
State Power ◽  
Colonial Period ◽  
Internal Stability ◽  
Religious Institutions ◽  
Orang Asli ◽  
The Status ◽  
Religion And State ◽  
Democratic Principles

The article examines the ethno-confessional situation in Malaysia, which today stands out as a dynamically developing country. Multi-ethnic and multi-religious Malaysia has a wealth of experience in maintaining internal stability and peace. In particular, the features of the Malaysian state, the historical roots of the Malay Muslims and the so-called “orang Asli”, the status of “Bumiputra” assigned to the Malays, the religious situation in the colonial period, especially of religion and state in Malaysia, the role of Islam in the evolution of state power. For secular, multi-ethnic and multi-confessional Kazakhstan, the ethno-confessional situation in Malaysia is of interest. This contributes to the improvement of relations between the state and religious institutions and the establishment of legal and democratic principles in such relations.

The History of the Development of Local (Self) Government in Serbia

2015 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 101-116
Author(s):  
Dobrosav Milovanovic ◽  
Darko Simovic ◽  
Zorica Vukasinovic Radojicic
Keyword(s):  
Historical Development ◽  
State Power ◽  
Technological Changes ◽  
Historical Method ◽  
State And Society ◽  
The Status ◽  
Territorial Organization ◽  
History Of

One of the key dilemmas faced in organizing a state and society concerns the importance afforded to central and local goals and interests. Adaptation to demographic, economic, political, scientific and technological changes in the environment requires changes in the status and role of local self-government. Adding to this mix, the constitutional and administrative traditions of Serbia affect the establishment and development of local self-government. Therefore, the enhancement of the model of local self-government must be studied using the historical method, among others. This paper aims to provide an overview of the historical development of local self-government in Serbia from the period of Developed Feudalism up to the mid-1990s. Historical considerations and traditions are vital to sustaining a certain practice of territorial decentralization of state power and to envisaging future solutions for the effective territorial organization and models of local (self) government in accordance with the realities of the region.

scholarly journals PROFESSOR LOSEV'S EVERYDAY LIFE: ESPIONAGE IN SOVIET POST-WAR CINEMA

2020 ◽  
pp. 85-92
Author(s):  
Евгения Андреевна Долгова
Keyword(s):  
Everyday Life ◽  
The Other ◽  
Historical Events ◽  
The West ◽  
The Status ◽  
Post War ◽  
The One ◽  
Science In Society ◽  
The Ideal

В статье анализируется трансформация сюжета шпиономании в советских игровых кинокартинах о быте советских учёных конца 1940-х - начала 1950-х гг. Кинематограф этого времени внимателен к фигуре ученого: картины, посвященные героическим биографиям или научной повседневности, отражали статус науки в обществе, повседневность научных работников. Автор анализирует мифологию современного кинолентам общества, реконструирует представления власти об идеальном типе взаимоотношений ученого и государства. Делается вывод о том, что роль учёного в кинематографе тех лет специфична - с одной стороны, его образ часто приобретал черты нравственной максимы, с другой - оказывался в фокусе шпиономании. Мотив шпиономании, отрицание «низкопоклонства перед Западом» и космополитизма - специфичные черты кинематографа тех лет, нашедшие отражение и в конкретных исторических событиях - например, предвоенной дескридитирующей компании против Н. Н. Лузина, послевоенном деле «КР». В основу работы с аудиовизуальными источниками положен метод поэтапного структурированного наблюдения. The article aims to study the plot of espionage in Soviet films about the life of Soviet scientists in the late 1940s-early 1950s. The Cinema of this time is attentive to the figure of a scientist: the films are dedicated to heroic biographies or scientific everyday life, they reflected the status of science in society. The author analyzes the mythology of films, reconstructs the authorities ' ideas about the ideal type of relationship between the scientist and the state. It is concluded that the role of the scientist in the cinema of those years is specific - on the one hand, his image often acquired the features of a moral maxim, on the other-was in the focus of espionage. The close intertwining of the spy motif, the negation of «admiration for the West» and cosmopolitanism - specific feature of the cinema of those years, as reflected in specific historical events - for example, the defamatory company against Nikolay N. Luzin, post-war case «КR». The audio-visual sources were analyzed with the method of step-by-step structured observation.

The study of interfacial reactions of nickel thin films on GaAs

1983 ◽  
Vol 41 ◽  
pp. 156-157
Author(s):  
L.J. Chen ◽  
Y.F. Hsieh
Keyword(s):  
Thin Films ◽  
Integrated Circuits ◽  
Interfacial Reactions ◽  
Metal Contacts ◽  
Nickel Thin Films ◽  
Thin Foils ◽  
The Status ◽  
Si Doped ◽  
Electron Microscopes

One measure of the maturity of a device technology is the ease and reliability of applying contact metallurgy. Compared to metal contact of silicon, the status of GaAs metallization is still at its primitive stage. With the advent of GaAs MESFET and integrated circuits, very stringent requirements were placed on their metal contacts. During the past few years, extensive researches have been conducted in the area of Au-Ge-Ni in order to lower contact resistances and improve uniformity. In this paper, we report the results of TEM study of interfacial reactions between Ni and GaAs as part of the attempt to understand the role of nickel in Au-Ge-Ni contact of GaAs.N-type, Si-doped, (001) oriented GaAs wafers, 15 mil in thickness, were grown by gradient-freeze method. Nickel thin films, 300Å in thickness, were e-gun deposited on GaAs wafers. The samples were then annealed in dry N2 in a 3-zone diffusion furnace at temperatures 200°C - 600°C for 5-180 minutes. Thin foils for TEM examinations were prepared by chemical polishing from the GaA.s side. TEM investigations were performed with JE0L- 100B and JE0L-200CX electron microscopes.

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