‘When Hunger Makes Everything Better Looking!’: The Effect of Hunger on the Aesthetic Appreciation of Human Bodies, Faces and Objects

Background: Research evidence suggests that physiological state of hunger might affect preference for female body weight, such that hungrier, compared to satiate, men prefer heavier body weight and rate as more attractive heavier female figures. Here, we seek to extend these findings by comparing the effects of fasting and snack on aesthetics judgements of the bodies and faces of conspecifics and of objects in a sample of female and male participants. Methods: Forty-four participants (women: n = 21, mean age = 23.70yrs ± 0.62) provided aesthetic liking judgments of round and slim human bodies, faces and objects, under at least 12 h of overnight fasting and immediately after having eaten a snack (i.e., bananas). An anthropometric measure of adiposity (i.e., Body Mass Index, BMI) was also collected from each observer. Results: Overall, we found that participants’ aesthetic judgements were higher for slim stimuli compared to round ones. However, after fasting, participants rated round stimuli as more attractive compared to when they had a snack. This hunger-based shift in ratings not only was apparent when stimuli depicted a human body or face, but also when they depicted an object, thus suggesting a general modification of observers’ aesthetic preference related to hunger. Importantly, this effect was modulated by participants’ BMI so that only participants with a high BMI provided higher aesthetic judgements for round stimuli after fasting than after a snack. Conclusions: Our results demonstrated that both the modification of the physiological state and the individual differences in adiposity level of the observers might affect the aesthetic appreciation of the external world.

The depiction of war in literature for children. An approach to the topic

Last great-armed conflicts resulted in literary reactions, and after World War ii it was a huge production of children’s literature in order to approach the issue to young readers and help them to understand what happened. It can be considered the prelude of the recent politicization and introduction of different conflicts that children’s literature is nowadays experiencing. When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit (Judith Kerr 1971), Carrie’s War (Nina Bawden 1973) and Good Night Mister Tom (Michelle Magorian 1981) are part of these post-war publications and through their analysis, it is aimed to study how the historical circumstances of the World War II are approached to children. Addressing how their authors represent the conflict, the separation and the family relations that play a crucial role on these works and children literature in general. Analyzing how society of the time is portrayed trough different motifs as the journey, the female figures or the war itself. The techniques they use and how do they overcome a common conflict of displacement, what can help young readers to learn strategies to face their own problems in real life.

Politically Marginalized Female Figures: Female Grassland and Celestial Bath

Yan Geling’s early work Female Grassland雌性的草地 (Yan, 1989) is a novel published in 1989, while Celestial Bath 天浴 (Yan, 2008) is a short story published in 1996. Both of Yan Geling’s works focus on female sent-down youth, with stories set in the grasslands of the Tibetan pastoral countryside during the mid-1970s, in the waning years of the Cultural Revolution 文化大革命 (1966-1976). This paper discusses women’s fragmentation to analyze the obstacles to women’s liberation during the sent-down youth movement, illustrating how female sent-down youth’ tragic experiences resulted because of political power.

Perspectives on Women in Plutarch’s Apophthegmata Laconica

The paper analyzes role and reputation, words and behaviors, duties and activities of the female figures described and quoted in Plutarch’s Apophthegmata Laconica. Depending on status and context, the role played by women in Spartan families and society seems to be fundamental for several reasons, in crucial situations and in different historical periods. And Plutarch, relating anecdotes, customs and sayings of the Spartans, allows to identify a remarkable variety of perspectives on women and their field of action. So, the internal and external focus on Spartan women’s everyday life helps to show the female loyalty to a Spartan ‘system of values’, through a series of aphorisms that outline the contribution of women to the historical and political experience, tradition and literary narration of Sparta over the centuries.

Gender Bias in New South Wales Higher School Certificate (HSC) Physics

A sense of belonging is an important factor for the persistence of girls in the study of physics. Content and imagery that presents the field as a masculine domain will undermine belonging and make it more difficult for girls to establish a physics identity that is congruent with their gender identity. The physics syllabus, final examinations and commonly used textbooks associated with the New South Wales Higher School Certificate were examined for gendered content. It was found that an emphasis on the history of physics in the syllabus has resulted in content and images in which male figures significantly outnumber female figures. This gendered content will be counter-productive to other efforts to increase the participation of girls in physics and suggestions on how this can be addressed are made.

Peranan Harem dalam Institusi Sosial dan Politik Uthmaniyyah

The history of harem institution has been a subject of interest among researchers on the Ottoman era for the reason of extraordinary involvement of women in administrative affairs of Ottoman politics, military and international relations. The emergence of some prominent Ottoman female figures such as Hurrem Sultan, Kosem Sultan and Turhan Sultan proved that the harem institution is very significant and dynamic.Therefore, the purpose of this article is to study the history of the Ottoman harem institution in general, besides analysing related issues on its role in the social and political aspects. This research uses a qualitative approach through the methods of historical study and content analysis, in gathering and analysing information from relevant materials and academic sources. From the results of the study, this research argues that the main role of the harem institution in the social aspect is the segregation of women to assigned spaces. In the political aspect, the harem has a significant effect on Ottoman administrative affairs, particularly in the 16th and 17th centuries. The harem institution was responsible for the continuity of administration, by giving birth to heirs for the throne and shaping a new dimension for the Ottoman’s international relations or external affairs through the role of diplomatic agents.

Dinamika Pertumbuhan Feminisme Di China Dalam Perspektif Konstruktivisme

This article describes how the growth process of feminism in China in the perspective of constructivism regarding the life-cycle of norms. In theory, there are three stages of how a norm which in this case is feminism through the life-cycle of norms. This research method uses a qualitative method of literature study. In this article, the findings are that there are three propositions related to the emergence of international norms in feminism in China, the first is Norm emergence which is described by the emergence of one of the famous female figures, namely, He Zhen, who adopted western feminism by not leaving Chinese cultural identity which was considered good for her. Chinese women's social change. In contrast to other reformers, He Zhen specifically separates the case of feminism from nationalism, stating that women's liberation is not for the sake of the nation, but rather a moral necessity. Second, the Norm Cascade is illustrated by the influence of China's state ratification of the Convention Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) held in Copenhagen Denmark, by accepting international norms on gender equality which in turn will require domestic laws to make some changes to suit the issue. Third, Internalization is described by the growth process of Chinese feminism, namely the process of fusion with culture within the body of feminism itself, or in other words, feminism that develops has its own unique characteristics that are not owned by other countries and only China has it.Keywords: Chinese feminism, constructivism perspective, the life-cycle of norms

La voz femenina en Albacete. Sopranos destacadas en la segunda mitad del siglo XX

This research is devoted to the recovery of the musical artistic heritage in the recent history of the city of Albacete. Thus, this paper sought to find out which were the most outstanding female figures in the city during the second half of the 20th century; specifically, the soprano singers. To this end, a series of relevant female singers has been selected. These singers were born in Albacete or have developed their professional career in this city, contributing with their careers in different professional fields to maintain and increase the musical legacy of Albacete.

Nilai-Nilai Moral Islam dan Keseteraan Gender dalam Novel Eliana Karya Tere Liye

Eliana's novel emphasizes Islamic moral values and gender equality, where these values are inserted through dialogues and activities carried out by the characters. Starting from the first chapter, Eliana has been depicted as a girl who has an awareness that society treats boys and girls differently solely based on their sex. So she tried to show that her abilities were commensurate with boys deserving of awards. This characteristic is considered strange and unusual for the society in the village. The moral values of Islam contained in Eliana's novels include tauhid, honesty, courage, cooperation, qana'ah, discipline, love, birrul walidain, responsibility, keeping promises, harmony, love of nature, forgiveness and earnest . The value of gender equality in Eliana's novel is seen from three things, namely the views of male and female figures and vice versa, the image of male and female leaders, and the roles of male and female leaders.

Women’s Voices and Patriarchal Hegemony of the Edo Period in Shinju Tenno Amijima (1720)

The Edo Period (1603-1868), known as the feudal era, lasted for nearly three centuries in Japan. Confucian teachings applied in all sectors of life had a great influence on the expansion of the patriarchal system in Japanese society at this time. Under the strict control of the Tokugawa shogunate government, the implementation of social class stratification was firmly established, including in the hierarchical relationship between men and women. The period of peace that occurred throughout the Edo period had contributed to a conducive situation for the rapid development of Japanese culture. Male artists were very dominant in the development of Japanese culture, and they were centred in big cities during this period. On the other hand, this era had become a dark age for women who did not get the opportunity to speak and create as men did. The female figures of the Edo period were presented in the works of male writers. This study focuses on examining women’s voices in the works of these male writers in the period. After exploring research on this period’s literary works, we found that these studies have various focuses related to the disclosure of women during the period, starting from the representation of women, their relationship with a male and other female characters, to their roles and positions. This research will contribute to discussions on gender, history, and literature, as well as on the way women's voices in this work serve a purpose in supporting the patriarchal hegemony that occurred in the period. We aim to reveal women’s voices in a male writer's play Shinju Tenno Amijima (1720) by Chikamatsu Monzaemon (1653-1725) through a feminist critique approach. To explain women's voice and patriarchal hegemony, we apply the concepts of silence from Olsen (2003) and hegemony from Antonio Gramsci. The results of this study indicate that women’s voices raised in this play are the ones who support men's interests and are subject to patriarchal values. This play consistently displays the exclusion of women's voices of opposition and defiance. This work also shows its existence as a locus for the dominant values emphasized for women in the Edo period.