Feminist theory, method, and praxis: Toward a critical consciousness for family and close relationship scholars

Feminism provides a worldview with innovative possibilities for scholarship and activism on behalf of families and intimate relationships. As a flexible framework capable of engaging with contentious theoretical ideas and the urgency of social change, feminism offers a simultaneous way to express an epistemology (knowledge), a methodology (the production of knowledge), an ontology (one’s subjective way of being in the world), and a praxis (the translation of knowledge into actions that produce beneficial social change). Feminist family science, in particular, advances critical, intersectional, and queer approaches to examine the uses and abuses of power and the multiple axes upon which individuals and families are privileged, marginalized, and oppressed in diverse social contexts. In this paper, I embrace feminism as a personal, professional (academic), and political project and use stories from my own life to illuminate broader social-historical structures, processes, and contexts associated with gender, race, class, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, nationality, and other systems of social stratification. I provide a brief history and reflections on contemporary feminist theory and activism, particularly from the perspective of my disciplinary affiliation of feminist family science. I address feminism as an intersectional perspective through three themes: (a) theory: defining a critical feminist approach, (b) method: critical feminist autoethnographic research, and (c) praxis: transforming feminist theory into action. I conclude with takeaway messages for incorporating reflexivity and critical consciousness raising to provoke thought and action in the areas of personal, professional, and political change.

Facadism: An Approach for Spatial Reconfiguration

Baghdad’s historical center is a rich site of heritage and cultural values, yet it suffers from urban deterioration. Many urban spaces and historical structures are aging, which has caused a decline in the vitality and function of axes and open spaces. This research is based on the principle of facadism as one of the main approaches to the preservation and rehabilitation of historic and traditional buildings. The purpose is to address urban degradation and the spatial reconfiguration of urban space in a way that promotes its sustainability and revitalization. This research aims to formulate a theoretical framework that includes a list of interference patterns and their role in spatial reconfiguration. This will be applied to the spatial reconfiguration and development of Al-Rasheed Street in the historic center of Baghdad. A questionnaire elicited the opinions of experts, designers, and implementers in academic and executive institutions on the possibility of reshaping local spaces using facadism. The results of the questionnaire showed that experts support the possibility of adopting this method in spatial reconfiguration in order to intervene in the degradation of historical environments, and also to create a homogeneous and interconnected urban environment that prevents the eradication of cultural and urban heritage. By adopting the preservation of a façade in its various forms, considerations need to be made regarding its compatibility with the nature of the problems in the study area and the ineffectiveness of the pattern of dismantling and transferring a building to another place. This is due to the importance of the historical place and the need to preserve all its historical items within the fabric, in addition to the effectiveness of some detailed patterns in different items of formation.

Self-centering seismic-resistant structures: Historical overview and state-of-the-art

This state-of-the-art review provides an overview of the evolution of self-centering structures from early historical structures that inherently exhibited a recentering response to modern systems engineered for enhanced seismic resilience. From the early research investigations that were conducted since the 1960s, to the sharp increase of interest in this topic over the last two decades, self-centering seismic-resistant structures that can mitigate both damage and residual drifts following major earthquakes have seen significant advances. These systems achieve the intended self-centering response by either allowing for the rocking of primary structural elements in a controlled manner, commonly coupled with mechanical restraints and energy dissipation devices, or by including self-centering devices as main structural or supplemental structural members. To better explain the concepts and the underlying mechanics governing their seismic response, detailed schematic illustrations were developed in this article, highlighting the fundamentals behind each of these systems. This article covers a historical overview, presents the state of the research and of the art, discusses general design challenges and practical considerations, and concludes with future research needs to advance the development and broader application of self-centering systems in real structures.

Analysis of the structural behavior of a historical mosque damaged due to an earthquake: Sofular mosque example

Since the earliest period of history, many civilizations have ruled our country. Historical structures, which we inherited from these civilizations, should be transferred safely to future generations. For this purpose, it is essential to clearly determine the behavior of these historical structures. In the present study, one of these historical structures, Sofular mosque located in Merzifon, was examined in detail by static and dynamic analysis. In the analysis, the mechanical properties of the material obtained by experimental studies were used. In the static analysis, the mosque was analyzed under its own weight, and it was obtained that the stresses have large values at the supports of the main dome. So, it can be said that the dome has to be supported at these points. The results of the modal analysis show that the mosque has translational displacements with great mass ratios through two orthogonal directions. This shows that the mosque will have out of plane deformation during an earthquake. Also, under the dynamic effects of seismic forces, it was identified that critical out of plane deformations could occur at the upper parts of the eastern and western facades. Also, it is clear that large stress and deformation values could occur at the narthex part. Moreover, it is determined that the dome portion is involved in translational motion and can be damaged during an earthquake.

Inspection and Assessment of Masonry Arch Bridges: Ivanjica Case Study

The importance of masonry arch bridges as a traffic network element calls for a thorough analysis focused on both structural stability and loading capacity of these historical structures, considering the usage of these bridges in contemporary traffic conditions. This paper focuses on the analysis of longitudinal cracks in a single span masonry arch bridge to evaluate its influence on structural behaviour of the system. As longitudinal cracks do not necessarily present an inevitable collapse mechanism, analysis of the causes is crucial for evaluating the serviceability and functionality of the bridge investigated. The methodology is based on the following: literature review, observation of the stone bridge in Ivanjica, geological testing of the site, geophysical testing of the bridge, laboratory testing of mechanical characteristics of stone used for the bridge construction and biological analysis of the samples of implemented materials on the bridge. Finite element analysis of the bridge was conducted to define the causes of the longitudinal cracks. The 3D simulation model was based on the data collected through observation and experimental analysis. This paper provides extensive research on a single span masonry bridge, examining how different deterioration mechanisms, in conjunction, can lead to the appearance of cracks in masonry arch bridges and provide remedial measures accordingly.

Edith Stein's Contribution to Critical Phenomenology: On Self-Formation and Value-Modification

One defining claim that critical phenomenologists make of the critical phenomenological method is that description no longer simply plays the role of detailing the world around the describing phenomenologist, but rather has the potential to transform worlds and persons. The transformative potential of the critical phenomenological enterprise is motivated by aspirations of social and political transformation. Critical phenomenology accordingly takes, as its starting point, descriptions of the oppressive historical social structures and contexts that have shaped our experience and shows how these produce inequitable ways of being in the world (Guenther 2020, 12). For example, critical phenomenologists have provided rich descriptions of marginalized lived experience, particularly racialized experience (Ngo, 2017; Yancy, 2017), dis-abled experience and experiences of illness (Lajoie and Douglas, 2020; Toombs, 1993), gendered experience (Beauvoir, 2009; Salamon, 2010), and so forth. What is common across these accounts is the assumption that these descriptions provide means of enacting political change. First, they illuminate the existence of oppressive structures and their effects upon us, our possibilities, and our relations. Second, through increasing awareness they begin to denaturalize the oppressive historical structures that “privilege, naturalize, and normalize certain experiences of the world while marginalizing, pathologizing, and discrediting others” (Guenther 2020, 15). Third, through strategic responses (e.g., hesitation in Alia Al-Saji’s work), they produce new possibilities of action and experience, which initiates the process of creating different ways of being in the world (Al-Saji 2014).2

Civic Participation Among Latinx and African American Older Adults, an Intersectionality Life-Course Perspective

Older adults’ civic participation has received considerable attention, but most scholarship has focused on formal volunteerism and voting. The literature shows that rates of voting and volunteering have been consistently lower among African Americans and Latinx older adults compared to their White counterparts. However, little research has explored civic participation in the context of historical structures of inequality that exclude these populations from participating in formal civic activities and continue to do so today. In addition, other civic activities are going unrecognized. To understand civic participation through the lens of Latinx and African American older adults I draw from intersectional life course perspective to contextualize participants’ lived experiences across the life course and within historical and current socio-political space in which they live and participate. Study’s findings could improve conceptualizations and measurements of civic participation for future studies, and inform efforts to support civic participation among these populations.

Building facade components in a historical corridor. Case study: Karet Street, Surabaya

Today’s cities are developing at a breakneck pace, resulting in physical modifications to buildings. This growth can also be witnessed in the presence of new structures designed to house city-related operations. This research was conducted in the corridor area of Surabaya’s Karet Street, a historical district. Numerous historical structures may be seen along Karet Street, including surviving colonial and Chinese-style structures. Historically, this Karet Street corridor region served as a commerce hub due to its proximity to the Kali Mas (Mas River) trade route. However, as the era progressed, the buildings in the corridor of Karet Street became abandoned, many were neglected, and other structures were added, resulting in inconsistency between buildings. Thus, this research aimed to characterize the building facade components along the Karet Street corridor. The research technique used was descriptive qualitative research. Sixty-two structures along the Karet Street corridor comprise the sampled area. The factors consisted of the building’s door/entrance, windows, walls, roof, and the stylef the building—a qualitative descriptive analysis based on the state of the building’s facade in the field. Direct observation, existing literature, and documentation were employed to obtain data. The study’s findings revealed inconsistencies in the building’s exterior components, particularly in the structure’s modern style. In an area that contains colonial and Chinese-style buildings, this contradiction might undermine the area’s historical assets. Additionally, modifications and damage to facade components might obliterate the authenticity of existing historical value.