scholarly journals Narratives in conflict and the limits on the interpreter’s agency: A case study from the UN Peacekeeping mission in Lebanon

2021 ◽  
Vol 20 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yolanda Moreno-Bello
Keyword(s):  
Military Personnel ◽  
Narrative Theory ◽  
Linguistic Analysis ◽  
Cultural Barriers ◽  
Military Deployment ◽  
Conflict Zones ◽  
Conflict Settings ◽  
Un Peacekeeping ◽  
Linguistic Barriers

This article presents a socio-linguistic analysis of interpreting in conflict zones and paints a picture of the limits on the interpreter’s agency when working in the field. It focuses on the interpreter’s behaviour towards cultural and linguistic barriers in communication between foreign military personnel and the civilian population in Lebanon. The aim is to analyse the level of agency that the interpreter has when working in a military deployment, taking into account the context and the narrative features that require mediation. Data were gathered through interviews with interpreters in Lebanon and analysed by applying narrative theory. Knowing and appreciating both the theoretical context and the linguistic and cultural barriers identified through the analysis are fundamental to understanding the difficult role that the interpreter-mediator plays in conflict settings and to reflecting on interpreter training that is appropriate to this context.

Exploring Prospects for Agonistic Encounters in Conflict Zones: Investigating Dual Narrative Tourism in Israel/Palestine

2019 ◽  
Vol 44 (2-4) ◽  
pp. 75-93 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lisa Strömbom
Keyword(s):  
Theoretical Understanding ◽  
Conflict Zones ◽  
Intractable Conflict ◽  
The Past ◽  
Alternative Tourism ◽  
Conflict Settings ◽  
Contemporary Practice ◽  
Participatory Observation ◽  
Agonistic Encounters

This article contributes to the emerging literature on possibilities to disseminate agonistic narratives in seemingly deadlocked conflict settings. In this context, conflict parties’ existence is often perceived as being under threat, which makes it demanding to question the current societal order. However, even in the most protracted of conflicts, narratives exist that challenge concurring understandings of identity. Efforts to communicate alternative narratives of identity and memory are the focus of this study, which has two foci: First, it creates a theoretical understanding of agonistic narratives as challenging antagonistic memory constructions in conflicted societies. These agonistic narratives are seen as potentially destabilizing boundary constructions in understandings of the past. Second, it performs an empirical excavation into a contemporary practice of such boundary rupture. It presents results from a study with interviews and participatory observation with guides working within alternative tourism in Israel and Palestine who try to present alternative narratives of the conflict to their audience. The case study thus investigates agonistic elements in these encounters, underlining the mixed logics underpinning the existence of alternative narrative tours in intractable conflicts. Furthermore, it delves into facilitating and inhibiting conditions for carrying out alternative narratives in settings of intractable conflict.

An Analysis of UN Peacekeeping as Pakistan’s Soft Power Asset

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ume Farwa ◽  
Ghazanfar Ali Garewal
Keyword(s):  
Soft Power ◽  
Public Diplomacy ◽  
Protective Role ◽  
International Community ◽  
Conflict Zones ◽  
Hard Power ◽  
Power Resources ◽  
Un Peacekeeping ◽  
The People ◽  
Peacekeeping Missions

The power of attraction and admiration is soft power. Generally, it is perceived that hard power cannot generate soft power, but the protective role of military in humanitarian crises and conflicts negates this prevailing misperception by specifying their contexts and effective utilizations; hard power assets can be transformed into soft power resources. This paper argues that the United Nations (UN) peacekeeping missions are the source of soft power and Pakistan, being an active participant in this field, can utilize this asset for shaping the preferences of others. Overall, it did earn admiration from international community and managed to build its soft image abroad through peacekeeping missions. Pakistani blue helmets not only earned the admiration and appreciation of the people of the conflict-zones and earned praises, but from international community also. However, to what extent has the country utilized this asset of soft power to exercise its influence in the global arena remains debatable. Although Pakistan’s UN Peacekeeping missions have been an instrument of building the country’s soft image, it is publicized in a far less productive manner. Peacekeeping can be used as a means to enhance the country’s presence and the level of participation in both international and regional organizations. By effective application of soft power strategy in tandem with public diplomacy, Pakistan’s UN peacekeeping can provide the country with the platform where its narratives can be projected effectively and its influence can be exercised adroitly.

scholarly journals Making dialogue with an existential voice in transition from military to civilian life

2017 ◽  
Vol 27 (6) ◽  
pp. 832-850 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jan Grimell
Keyword(s):  
Military Personnel ◽  
Military Service ◽  
Longitudinal Research ◽  
Meaning Making ◽  
Identity Work ◽  
Civilian Life ◽  
Self Identity ◽  
Dialogical Self ◽  
Dialogical Self Theory

Dialogical Self Theory has contributed to the endeavors to map and grid self-identity work in transition from military to civilian life throughout an empirical and longitudinal research project which focuses on existential dimensions. This article is based on a case study from this project and centers upon Sergeant Jonas, who, upon his return from deployment in Afghanistan, struggled with his transition as a new existential position was vocalized throughout the following annual interviews. This voice narrated feelings of meaninglessness, emptiness, and of having been deceived. In turn, this existential voice required an answer to a question which apparently had no answer. The meaning-making eventually evolved into an acceptance which enabled Jonas to proceed with his life. Dialogical processes between positions are important in order to go on with life amid existential concerns in the aftermath of military service since dialogicality of the self opens up a complex of dynamics of meaning-making processes, negotiations, and transformations. Based on the findings, it is suggested that the Personal Position Repertoire could potentially be strengthened by the addition of an internal existential position to its standard repertoire, at least when working with military personnel and/or veterans.

When Neutrality is Taboo. Navigating Institutional Identity in Protracted Conflict Settings - the Nigerian Ife/Modakeke Case

2003 ◽  
Vol 2 (3) ◽  
pp. 259-305 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peyi Soyinka-Airewele
Keyword(s):  
Social Institutions ◽  
Local Environment ◽  
Political Conflict ◽  
Cultural Pluralism ◽  
Conflict Transformation ◽  
Institutional Identity ◽  
Protracted Conflict ◽  
Conflict Settings ◽  
The University

AbstractThis paper explores the means by which social institutions located in African communities that are deeply and violently polarized along ethnic-related lines, navigate the institutional role and identity within such a local environment. Utilizing a case study of ethno-political conflict in the Ile-Ife and Modakeke communities of South Western Nigeria, the paper investigates how the local academy has sought to survive as a zone of diversities located in host cit(ies) with rigidly structured mythicohistories and conflicting geopolitical claims. Through this exploration of the paradox of the uneasy cohabitation of contested realities and the quest for postwar healing and rehabilitation, the paper unveils the unusual local interpretation, rejection and reconstruction of the concept of neutrality, and highlights the challenges, both philosophical and concrete, which confront the academy. The findings of the study suggest a need to cautiously, but decidedly, resituate the university as a civically engaged arena for the creative re-envisioning of diversity and cultural pluralism and ultimately for local and national conflict transformation in Nigeria.

scholarly journals A Case Study of International Students’ Social Adjustment, Friendship Development, and Physical Activity

2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Shuang Li ◽  
Sam Zizzi
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
International Students ◽  
Social Adjustment ◽  
Physical Activities ◽  
Cultural Barriers ◽  
Social Aspect ◽  
Activity Data ◽  
Current Case ◽  
Friendship Development

Previous literature has focused on international student’s social transition and monocultural and bicultural ties. Little research has explored international students’ multicultural friendship development and the role that physical activity plays in their social interaction. The current case study explored a group of international students’ friendship development and the social aspect of physical activity. Data from individual interviews (pre and post), and 5 months of participant observations was used to describe two female international students’ experiences. Results suggested international students faced both language and cultural barriers in their social interactions with American students. Engagement in physical activities served as the context where observations of peer-to-peer social behaviors happened. Researchers argued that the multicultural friendship developed and strengthened by engaging in these physical activities. This paper also discussed implications and limitations of the study as well as future recommendations.    

scholarly journals Linguistic Impediments of Communicative Proficiency: A Case Study of Students in the CSHS, Shaqra University, Thadiq, KSA

2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (11) ◽  
pp. 61
Author(s):  
Hatim Hassan Tawfiq ◽  
Abdelshafie Alrayeh Abdelshafie
Keyword(s):  
Saudi Arabia ◽  
Teaching Strategies ◽  
English Language ◽  
Communicative Competence ◽  
Linguistic Barriers ◽  
Language Communication

This paper examines the linguistic barriers that impede English language communicative proficiency of the students of English language in the college of sciences and humanity studies, Thadiq, Shaqra University, Saudi Arabia. The paper gives the specific linguistic problems that detain attaining a perfect English language communicative competence. The paper also examines the teaching strategies that help students reach competency in oral skill. It concludes with some suggestions that help students to achieve a higher proficiency in English language communication. 

Locating stylistics in the discipline of English studies: a case study analysis of A.E. Housman’s ‘From Far, from Eve and Morning’

2021 ◽  
Vol 50 (2) ◽  
pp. 127-149
Author(s):  
Andrew Goatly
Keyword(s):  
Discourse Analysis ◽  
Literary Criticism ◽  
Linguistic Analysis ◽  
Musical Structure ◽  
English Studies ◽  
Clause Structure ◽  
Music Criticism ◽  
Case Study Analysis ◽  
And Linguistics

Abstract Literary stylistics, whose subject matter is literary language, straddles the disciplines of literary criticism and linguistics, as Henry Widdowson pointed out 45 years ago. Since then, developments in discourse analysis and multimodal studies have had the potential to expand the map of the interactions between different disciplines. This case study performs a traditional stylistic analysis of the poem ‘From Far, from Eve and Morning’ from A E Housman’s A Shropshire Lad but also demonstrates the potential for a multimodal perspective on stylistics by relating it to a musical analysis of Vaughan-Williams’ setting of the poem. It begins with a linguistic analysis of phonology, graphology and punctuation, lexis, phrase structure, clause structure and clausal semantics. It proceeds to a discourse analysis of pragmatics and discourse structure. And it ends by relating the linguistic and discoursal analysis to the music through music criticism. By way of conclusion, it suggests that both linguistic analysis and appreciation of musical structure and mood are useful ways into Spitzer’s philological circle, by which linguistic analysis and musical appreciation can pave the way for literary appreciation.

Intentional Communities of Practice, the Challenge of Interactivity

2012 ◽  
pp. 305-325 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aaron Wiatt Powell
Keyword(s):  
Online Learning ◽  
Social Interaction ◽  
Literature Review ◽  
Online Community ◽  
Cultural Barriers ◽  
Design And Technology ◽  
Intentional Communities ◽  
Intentional Community ◽  
Community Portal

This chapter examines the support of social interaction in a cooperative, situated online learning environment, and the cultural barriers that hinder such intention and interactivity. The findings of a literature review suggest that the greatest challenge to intentional Community of Practice (CoP) is a sense of interdependence among CoP members, the authenticity of the practice or purpose, and a trajectory for the CoP’s future. This case study attends to these issues with a cohort of practicing teachers. It explores an initiative to nurture CoP with cooperative projects and with the support of an online community portal. The case challenges CoP theory from an intentional or instructional standpoint, and informs design and technology in support of CoP.

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