The Banality of Disaster

2019 ◽  
pp. 105-138
Author(s):  
John Patrick Walsh
Keyword(s):  
Central Theme ◽  
Self And Other ◽  
The Past ◽  
Making Sense ◽  
History Of ◽  
Fault Lines

This chapter returns to Yanick Lahens’ Failles to draw out further the critique of cultural, social, and political fault lines that existed well before the earthquake. It opens by defining the idea of a “literary witness” as an ethical representation of self and other in the act of witnessing and representing the earthquake. Failles is equal parts testimony and chronicle, and these modes overlap as the writer grapples with the role of literature in making sense of the earthquake and its historical repercussions. Lahens unsettles received ideas on disaster, first by deconstructing the ideology of the “natural” and then by contextualizing its political and humanitarian manipulation of disaster in a longer history of Haiti’s place in the Americas. The second part of the chapter turns to the fictional texts that precede and come after Failles. It argues that the ordinary vulnerability of the Haitian people, or what Lahens calls “the banality of disaster,” is the central theme of the fiction. In reimagining the past, these texts offer compelling implications for critical and creative ways of reconstructing the present. As a literary witness, Lahens calls on readers to refuse the banality of disaster.

MAKING SENSE OF THE WAYS WE MAKE SENSE OF THE PAST: THE PERIODO PROJECT

2016 ◽  
Vol 59 (2) ◽  
pp. 42-55 ◽  
Author(s):  
ADAM RABINOWITZ ◽  
RYAN SHAW ◽  
SARAH BUCHANAN ◽  
PATRICK GOLDEN ◽  
ERIC KANSA
Keyword(s):  
Data Visualization ◽  
Data Model ◽  
Linked Data ◽  
Digital Data ◽  
The Past ◽  
Making Sense ◽  
The Future ◽  
History Of ◽  
Future Direction

Abstract The PeriodO project seeks to fill a gap in the landscape of digital antiquity through the creation of a Linked Data gazetteer of period definitions that transparently record the spatial and temporal boundaries assigned to a given period by an authoritative source. Our presentation of the PeriodO gazetteer is prefaced by a history of the role of periodization in the study of the past, and an analysis of the difficulties created by the use of periods for both digital data visualization and integration. This is followed by an overview of the PeriodO data model, a description of the platform's architecture, and a discussion of the future direction of the project.

Receptions of the Past: Commemoration, Racism, Desire

Somatechnics ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 288-303
Author(s):  
Michael Connors Jackman
Keyword(s):  
Critical Point ◽  
Social Relations ◽  
White Privilege ◽  
Body Politic ◽  
The Body ◽  
Race And Racism ◽  
Lesbian And Gay ◽  
The Past ◽  
History Of

This article investigates the ways in which the work of The Body Politic (TBP), the first major lesbian and gay newspaper in Canada, comes to be commemorated in queer publics and how it figures in the memories of those who were involved in producing the paper. In revisiting a critical point in the history of TBP from 1985 when controversy erupted over race and racism within the editorial collective, this discussion considers the role of memory in the reproduction of whiteness and in the rupture of standard narratives about the past. As the controversy continues to haunt contemporary queer activism in Canada, the productive work of memory must be considered an essential aspect of how, when and for what reasons the work of TBP comes to be commemorated. By revisiting the events of 1985 and by sifting through interviews with individuals who contributed to the work of TBP, this article complicates the narrative of TBP as a bluntly racist endeavour whilst questioning the white privilege and racially-charged demands that undergird its commemoration. The work of producing and preserving queer history is a vital means of challenging the intentional and strategic erasure of queer existence, but those who engage in such efforts must remain attentive to the unequal terrain of social relations within which remembering forms its objects.

Moment's Monument

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sharon Hecker
Keyword(s):  
Art World ◽  
Self And Other ◽  
Single Culture ◽  
Modern Sculpture ◽  
The World ◽  
History Of ◽  
Critical Account ◽  
Modern Experience ◽  
Artistic Heritage

Medardo Rosso (1858–1928) is one of the most original and influential figures in the history of modern art, and this book is the first historically substantiated critical account of his life and work. An innovative sculptor, photographer, and draftsman, Rosso was vital in paving the way for the transition from the academic forms of sculpture that persisted in the nineteenth century to the development of new and experimental forms in the twentieth century. His antimonumental, antiheroic work reflected alienation in the modern experience yet showed deep feeling for interactions between self and other. Rosso's art was transnational: he refused allegiance to a single culture or artistic heritage and declared himself both a citizen of the world and a maker of art without national limits. This book develops a narrative that is an alternative to the dominant Franco-centered perspective on the origin of modern sculpture in which Rodin plays the role of lone heroic innovator. Offering an original way to comprehend Rosso, the book negotiates the competing cultural imperatives of nationalism and internationalism that shaped the European art world at the fin de siècle.

The Role of the Constitutional Court in the Development of the Rule of Law in Kosovo

2018 ◽  
Vol 43 (3) ◽  
pp. 274-313
Author(s):  
Enver Hasani
Keyword(s):  
Material Culture ◽  
Rule Of Law ◽  
Constitutional Court ◽  
Constitutional History ◽  
Constitutional Courts ◽  
The Rule Of Law ◽  
The Past ◽  
History Of ◽  
Communist Countries

Kosovo’s Constitutional Court has played a role of paramount importance in the country’s recent history. The author uses a comparative analysis to discuss the role of the Court in light of the work and history of other European constitutional courts. This approach sheds light on the Court’s current role by analyzing Kosovo’s constitutional history, which shows that there has been a radical break with the past. This approach reveals the fact that Kosovo’s current Constitution does not reflect the material culture of the society of Kosovo. This radical break with the past is a result of the country’s tragic history, in which case the fight for constitutionalism means a fight for human dignity. In this battle for constitutionalism, the Court has been given very broad jurisdiction and a role to play in paving the way for Kosovo to move toward Euro-Atlantic integration in all spheres of life. Before reaching this conclusion, the author discusses the specificities of Kosovo’s transition, comparing it with other former communist countries. Among the specific features of constitutionalism in Kosovo are the role and position of the international community in the process of constitution-making and the overall design of constitutional justice in Kosovo. Throughout the article, a conclusion emerges that puts Kosovo’s Constitutional Court at the forefront of the fight for the rule of law and constitutionalism of liberal Western provenance.

MEASURING SOLAR DIAMETER WITH 2012 VENUS TRANSITS

2013 ◽  
Vol 23 ◽  
pp. 451-453 ◽  
Author(s):  
COSTANTINO SIGISMONDI
Keyword(s):  
Past History ◽  
Logarithmic Derivative ◽  
Solar Limb ◽  
Absolute Calibration ◽  
The Sun ◽  
Solar Diameter ◽  
The Past ◽  
History Of ◽  
Better Than

The role of Venus and Mercury transits is crucial to know the past history of the solar diameter. Through the W parameter, the logarithmic derivative of the radius with respect to the luminosity, the past values of the solar luminosity can be recovered. The black drop phenomenon affects the evaluation of the instants of internal and external contacts between the planetary disk and the solar limb. With these observed instants compared with the ephemerides the value of the solar diameter is recovered. The black drop and seeing effects are overcome with two fitting circles, to Venus and to the Sun, drawn in the undistorted part of the image. The corrections of ephemerides due to the atmospheric refraction will also be taken into account. The forthcoming transit of Venus will allow an accuracy on the diameter of the Sun better than 0.01 arcsec, with good images of the ingress and of the egress taken each second. Chinese solar observatories are in the optimal conditions to obtain valuable data for the measurement of the solar diameter with the Venus transit of 5/6 June 2012 with an unprecedented accuracy, and with absolute calibration given by the ephemerides.

scholarly journals What Are Predictors for Persistence in Childhood Stuttering?

2018 ◽  
Vol 39 (04) ◽  
pp. 299-312 ◽  
Author(s):  
Evan Usler ◽  
Anna Bostian ◽  
Ranjini Mohan ◽  
Katelyn Gerwin ◽  
Barbara Brown ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Language Processing ◽  
Poor Performance ◽  
Nonword Repetition ◽  
Dynamic Interactions ◽  
The Past ◽  
History Of ◽  
New Evidence ◽  
Sensorimotor Processes ◽  
Speech Motor

AbstractOver the past 10 years, we (the Purdue Stuttering Project) have implemented longitudinal studies to examine factors related to persistence and recovery in early childhood stuttering. Stuttering develops essentially as an impairment in speech sensorimotor processes that is strongly influenced by dynamic interactions among motor, language, and emotional domains. Our work has assessed physiological, behavioral, and clinical features of stuttering within the motor, linguistic, and emotional domains. We describe the results of studies in which measures collected when the child was 4 to 5 years old are related to eventual stuttering status. We provide supplemental evidence of the role of known predictive factors (e.g., sex and family history of persistent stuttering). In addition, we present new evidence that early delays in basic speech motor processes (especially in boys), poor performance on a nonword repetition test, stuttering severity at the age of 4 to 5 years, and delayed or atypical functioning in central nervous system language processing networks are predictive of persistent stuttering.

scholarly journals COVID-19: Anthropocene and Capitalocene Caused Pandemics

2020 ◽  
Vol 14 ◽  
pp. 15-21
Author(s):  
Madhusudan Subedi
Keyword(s):  
National Level ◽  
Epidemiological Studies ◽  
Historical Inquiry ◽  
Journal Articles ◽  
Global Effect ◽  
The Past ◽  
Fundamental Causes ◽  
History Of ◽  
To Come

  Most epidemiological studies focus on the direct causes of diseases while wider, social causal factors are ignored. This paper briefly highlights the history of major epidemics and the role of Anthropocene and Capitalocene for the emergence and reemergence of pandemics like COVID-19. Books, journal articles, and statistics offer information that can explain the phenomena. A historical inquiry can inform us about the fundamental causes of pandemics. Human security and ecology are intertwined, and the global effect of pandemics responded to at the national level is inadequate. The lessons from the past and present help us devise effective ethically and socially appropriate strategies to mitigate the threats. If the present crisis is not taken seriously at the global level, the world has to face more difficult challenges in years to come.

THE ROLE OF SECRETING FUNCTION OF DECIDUA IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF COMPLICATIONS OF GESTATION PROCESS IN PREGNANT WOMEN WITH A PAST HISTORY OF CHRONIC ENDOMETRITIS

2020 ◽  
Vol 73 (11) ◽  
pp. 2416-2420
Author(s):  
Olena О. Taranovska ◽  
Volodymyr К. Likhachov ◽  
Ludmyla М. Dobrovolska ◽  
Oleg G. Makarov ◽  
Yanina V. Shymanska
Keyword(s):  
Pregnant Women ◽  
Past History ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Predisposing Factor ◽  
Chronic Endometritis ◽  
The Past ◽  
Early Stages ◽  
History Of ◽  
In The Beginning

The aim: To determine the serum FAMG in the I and II trimester of pregnancy in women with a past history of chronic endometritis, and to clarify its impact on the development of pathology of pregnancy. Materials and methods: The level of FAMG was determined at 6-8 and 16-18 weeks of gestation in 135 pregnant women with a past history of chronic endometritis, who received treatment of chronic endometritis at the stage of pregravid preparation and 168 women who became pregnant without its prior treatment. The dependence of the development of pre-eclampsia on the level of FAMG at the early stages of pregnancy has been evaluated. Results: At 6-8 weeks of pregnancy, the level of FAMG in women with a past history of chronic endometritis was 20.6% lower (122.4 ± 7.6 ng/ml) compared to the control group. In FAMG of 90.3 ± 4.3 ng/ml at 6-8 weeks of gestation, spontaneous abortion occurred in 100% of cases within the next 2 weeks. FAMG lower than 122,1 ± 3,0 ng/ml can be the predisposing factor for the development of pre-eclampsia. Conclusions: Reduced FAMG in the beginning of pregnancy in women with untreated chronic endometritis in the past history increases the incidence of miscarriages at the early stages by 2.6 times, and by 1.8 times the probability of preeclampsia development. Treatment of chronic endometritis at the stage of pregravid preparation promotes the increase of FAMG by 24,6% compared to untreated women that reduces the probability of complications during the subsequent course of pregnancy.

Everybody's War

2021 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Lived Experience ◽  
International Humanitarian Law ◽  
Humanitarian Law ◽  
War Economy ◽  
The Past ◽  
Postcolonial State ◽  
The Face ◽  
History Of

This book explores the history of health care in postcolonial state-making and the fragmentation of the health system in Syria during the conflict. It analyzes the role of international humanitarian law (IHL) in enabling attacks on health facilities and distinguishes the differences between humanitarian solutions and refugee populations’ expectations. It also describes the way in which humanitarian actors have fed the war economy. The book highlights the lived experience of siege in all its layers. It examines how humanitarian actors have become part of the information wars that have raged throughout the past ten years and how they have chosen to position themselves in the face of grave violations of IHL.

Veronicas and Artists

2017 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Contemporary Art ◽  
Religious Images ◽  
The Public ◽  
The Past ◽  
History Of Art ◽  
The Status ◽  
History Of ◽  
The Way ◽  
Contemporary Artists

Chapter One deals with several central issues with regard to understanding the role of religious motifs in contemporary art. Besides being a repetition of imagery from the past, religious motifs embedded in contemporary artworks become a means to problematise not only the way different periods in the history of art are delimited, but larger and seemingly more rigid distinctions as those between art and non-art images. Early religious images differ significantly from art images. The two types are regulated according to different sets of rules related to the conditions of their production, display, appreciation and the way images are invested with the status of being true or authentic instances of art or sacred images. Chapter One provides a discussion of the important motif of the image not made by an artist’s hand, or acheiropoietos, and its survival and transformation, including its traces in contemporary image-making practices. All images are the result of human making; they are fictions. The way the conditions of these fictions are negotiated, or the way the role of the maker is brought to visibility, or concealed, is a defining feature of the specific regime of representation. While the cult image concealed its maker in order to maintain its public significance, and the later art image celebrated the artist as a re-inventor of the old image, contemporary artists cite religious images in order to reflect on the very procedures that produce the public significance and status of images.

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