A nested cortical hierarchy of neural states underlies event segmentation in the human brain

A fundamental aspect of human experience is that it is segmented into discrete events. This may be underpinned by transitions between distinct neural states. Using an innovative data-driven state segmentation method, we investigate how neural states are organized across the cortical hierarchy and where in cortex neural state and perceived event boundaries overlap. Our results show that neural state boundaries are organized in a temporal cortical hierarchy, with short states in primary sensory regions and long states in anterior temporal pole and lateral and medial prefrontal cortex. Neural state boundaries overlap with event boundaries across large parts of this hierarchy. State boundaries are shared within and between groups of brain regions that resemble well known functional networks, such as the default mode network that fractionates into two subnetworks – one fast, one slow. Together these findings suggest that a nested cortical hierarchy of neural states forms the basis of event segmentation.

Migration and the geopolitics of Boko Haram terrorism in Nigeria

Terrorism is increasingly becoming a major threat to global peace and security given the changing geopolitical terrain on which it is enacted. This has given rise to new metageographies of geopolitics characterised by intricate operational networks used by terrorists to achieve their goals. Closely linked to the growing problem of terrorism is globalisation, which has altered our understanding of the geopolitical behaviour of states in the international system. Although it has not removed state boundaries, globalisation has also opened states up for flows and exchanges. Terrorist groups are part of these flows and they have been able to exploit this new geopolitical situation through the recruitment of migrants and the development of terrorist networks across state boundaries. Boko Haram in Nigeria is a typical example of a terrorist group that has evolved into a sophisticated terrorist sect with illegal migrant recruits and transnational networks through the changing geopolitics brought on by globalisation. This article therefore explores the metageography of Boko Haram in Nigeria and how this is aided by migration and social networking occasioned by globalisation. It does so by examining the various structures of the sect, and the nature of its networks. By using the mutual or collective interest theory, the article attempts an explanation of how Boko Haram operates as a group with linkages to diverse transnational terrorist groups bound by a common group interest; anti-Westernisation and global Islamisation. It concludes that Boko Haram has developed a decentralised but sophisticated transnational network which makes it even more difficult for the Nigerian government to deal with its spread.

Rethinking Authoritarian Power: The Logistics Space and Authoritarian Practices in and between Secondary Port Cities of the Global South

How to rethink authoritarian power in ways that better account for authoritarian connections beyond nation-state boundaries? By reconceptualizing the context in which to analyze authoritarian power, we bring to light transregional authoritarian connections between the secondary port cities Aqaba/Jordan and Buenaventura/Colombia. We demonstrate that processes of privatization and a continuum of pre-emptive, technocratizing, and repressive authoritarian practices with the overall purpose of enabling capital accumulation occur in a remarkably entangled manner in both locales, even if located at seemingly unconnected geographical sites. By thinking of Aqaba and Buenaventura as occupying the same “transregional authoritarian logistics space” (TALS), we understand Buenaventura through Aqaba, and vice versa. This crisscrossing of established notions of context has important implications for our understanding of authoritarianism and future transregional research designs. As a unit of analysis, the TALS allows us to highlight the role of global logistics players and “developmental aid” agencies—actors rarely discussed in literature on authoritarianism—in rearticulating boundaries within and beyond the nation-state based on class and race. Our contribution calls for an understanding of authoritarian power as transregionally entangled, rather than separate and limited to the nation-state and builds on literatures on authoritarian practices, authoritarian neoliberalism, critical logistics, and transregional connections.

Death Across the Border and the Prospects of Improved People to People Relationships

The chapter explores the meanings of death among East Timorese who are living in Indonesian West Timor. It particularly focuses on death and transnational relationships, as increasingly East Timorese in West Timor are opting to transfer the deceased across the border to be buried in their home villages in Timor-Leste. At the same time, however, there are other East Timorese who insist on burying the dead permanently in West Timor. This phenomenon, the chapter argues, demonstrates not only the enlivening ties between people and the dead but also the prospects of death rituals for improving relationships between East Timorese divided by violent conflicts, past atrocities, forced displacement, different political allegiances, and nation-state boundaries.

Detecting neural state transitions underlying event segmentation

Segmenting perceptual experience into meaningful events is a key cognitive process that helps us make sense of what is happening around us in the moment, as well as helping us recall past events. Nevertheless, little is known about the underlying neural mechanisms of the event segmentation process. Recent work has suggested that event segmentation can be linked to regional changes in neural activity patterns. Accurate methods for identifying such activity changes are important to allow further investigation of the neural basis of event segmentation and its link to the temporal processing hierarchy of the brain. In this study, we introduce a new set of elegant and simple methods to study these mechanisms. We introduce a method for identifying the number of neural states in a brain area, and another one for identifying the boundaries between these states. Furthermore, we present the results of a comprehensive set of simulations and analyses of empirical fMRI data to provide guidelines for reliable estimation of neural states and show that our proposed methods outperform the current state-of-the-art in the literature. This methodological innovation will allow researchers to make headway in investigating the neural basis of event segmentation and information processing during naturalistic stimulation.HighlightsBoundaries between meaningful events are related to neural state transitions.Neural states are temporarily stable regional brain activity patterns.We introduce novel methods for data-driven detection of neural state boundaries.These methods can identify the location and the number of neural state boundaries.Simulations and empirical data support the reliability and validity of our methods.