Kurban in the Context of the Gagauz Orthodox Identity: History and Modernity

In this article, the Kurban rite (animal sacrifice), which occupies an important place in the Gagauz calendar and family rituals, is analyzed through the prism of Orthodox identity. The form and content of various varieties of this rite are considered, as well as its role and significance in the ethnocultural code of the Gagauz people. The author especially dwells on the study of the qurban of the church, in which the elements of Christian-pagan syncretism are clearly manifested. Based on the analysis, it is concluded that over time, the Kurban rite among the Gagauz people acquired the form of a ritual institution and became an important component of Orthodox rituals. The fact that it has survived is not a small merit of the Orthodox clergy. The article provides information that in the second half of the 20th – early 21st centuries. As a result, the ritual acquired a more Christianized form, but, despite this, some of its archaic features continue to be preserved. It is emphasized that in the Gagauz folk-religious culture this form of sacrifice is associated with the Old Testament tradition – the Abrahamic sacrifice, the plot of which is widely represented in the Gagauz song folklore. It is concluded that both the ethnic component of the Gagauz Orthodoxy and their characteristic Balkan cultural and regional identity are clearly expressed in private and general holiday celebrations, of which Kurban is an integral part. In conclusion, it is noted that the Kurban rite continues to remain an important part of the Gagauz Orthodox rituals and identity, being an integral component of their ethnocultural code. This is evidenced by the degree of preservation of this institution of sacrifice and its significance in the religious and folk ideas of the Gagauz people.

Transportation Among Returning Citizens: “You Just Want to Stay Down and Get High”

The United States is releasing more individuals from prisons than ever before. However, returning citizens face numerous challenges transitioning back into community life and many communities remain ill-equipped in successfully supporting them. This study focuses on transportation as in integral component to the success of returning citizens. Rapid and rigorous qualitative data analysis (RADaR technique) is applied to interviews ( n = 15) with individuals having returned to their community about the impact of transportation on their reentry. Analysis resulted in three primary themes; interviewees reinforced existing knowledge of the issues with transportation disadvantage, transportation is an extension of freedom, and transportation is directly connected to reentry success. These findings suggest a tiered structure of transportation freedom for returning citizens. This model of transportation will aid future researchers and policymakers in considering how to better resource returning citizens to maximize their success.

Teaching Freedom Song as Antiracist Praxis

In the teaching of history, oversimplification is, perhaps, unavoidable. In certain cases, however, that oversimplification can be deadly. There are some lessons that are too complex, some stories that are too nuanced, to be reduced in such a way. By their contours and particularities, they resist easy digestion. In the spirit of this particularity, my contribution to the colloquy is specific, but hopefully applicable to contexts beyond its specificity: I argue that the US Black Freedom Movement (or civil rights movement) and its music is a story that must be taught in all its complexity, for oversimplifying it does concrete harm to the ongoing struggle against white supremacy in the present. Teaching the US Black Freedom Movement and its music is also vital if we hope to enable our students to be forces of understanding, healing, and justice in the world, and should be an integral component of any undergraduate music curriculum that hopes to be antiracist.

Зоонимната фразеологиjа и надворешниот изглед на човекот (на материjал од македонскиот jазик)

Zoonymic phraseology and external Appearance (On Macedonian language material). Zoonyms as an important and numerous lexical layer are often in the focus of interest of linguists. In this paper, zonyms are considered as an integral component of the phrasemes in which they experience complete transformation and lose their basic meanings. More specifically, on this occasion we focus on the zonyms in Macedonian language phrasemes that describe the external appearance of man. For this purpose 54 phrasemes were collected and analyzed in order to determine the zonymic components present in the specific units and their impact on the motivation for the formation of the phraseme and in the formation of its meaning.

Internship alternatives: Solutions for the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond

Internships are an integral component of most undergraduate and graduate public administration programs. These learning opportunities allow students to get practical experience in a workplace setting before graduation and provide them with an opportunity to apply knowledge gained in the classroom to the “real world.” But what are students, departments, and employers to do when circumstances—including major disruptions like the COVID-19 pandemic as well as situations unique to specific students—complicate or even prevent on-site internship experiences? This article outlines a variety of approaches to finding a solution to this problem, weighing the benefits and drawbacks of each.

COVID-19, Suffering and Palliative Care: A Review

According to the WHO guideline, palliative care is an integral component of COVID-19 management. The relief of physical symptoms and the provision of psychosocial support should be practiced by all healthcare workers caring for COVID-19 patients. In this review, we aim to provide a simple outline on COVID-19, suffering in COVID-19, and the role of palliative care in COVID-19. We also introduce 3 principles of palliative care that can serve as a guide for all healthcare workers caring for COVID-19 patients, which are (1) good symptom control, (2) open and sensitive communication, and (3) caring for the whole team. The pandemic has brought immense suffering, fear and death to people everywhere. The knowledge, skills and experiences from palliative care could be used to relieve the suffering of COVID-19 patients.

Ceramides: Where do we stand?

Ceramides are an integral component of the epidermal barrier system. Alterations in ceramides levels are associated with various inflammatory dermatoses such as psoriasis, atopic dermatitis, ichthyosis, Gaucher’s disease, acne vulgaris, and skin aging. Various formulations containing ceramides have been developed so that exogenous ceramides can repair the barrier function. Herein, the authors have provided an overview of the basic anatomy, structure, functioning, and importance of ceramides and their role in healthy skin and various skin disorders. In addition, the authors review conventional and newer technologies for delivery of ceramides in various skin diseases.