Cross-National Analysis of Bereavement From COVID-19 and Depressive Symptoms Among Older Adults in Europe

The COVID-19 pandemic has left older adults around the globe grieving the sudden death of relatives and friends. We examine if COVID-19 bereavement corresponds with older adults’ depressive symptoms in 27 countries, and test for variation by gender and country context. We analyzed the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE) COVID-19 data collected from N=51,383 older adults (age 50–104) living in 27 countries between June-August 2020, of whom 1,363 reported the death of a relative or friend from COVID-19. We estimated pooled-multilevel logistic regression models to examine if COVID-19 bereavement was associated with depressive symptoms and worsening depressive symptoms for older men and women, and we tested whether the national COVID-19 mortality rate in their country had an additive, or multiplicative, influence. COVID-19 bereavement from the death of a relative or friend is associated with significantly higher odds of reporting depressive symptoms, and reporting that these symptoms have recently worsened since the outbreak of COVID-19. Net of personal loss, living in a country with the highest COVID-19 mortality rate corresponds further with women’s depressive symptoms; however, living in the midst of more COVID-19 deaths does not alter the implications of personal loss for depressive symptoms. COVID-19 deaths have lingering mental health implications for surviving older adults. Even as the collective toll of the crisis is apparent, bereaved older adults are in particular need of mental health support.

The Impact on Private Customization of Network Information

In the era of new media, private customization of network information is widespread, which has affected the development process of individuals and society. The previous research on private customization of network information focused on algorithm research, which mostly starts from the micro analysis such as news products, entertainment products, social products and so on. This paper uses qualitative analysis and in-depth interviews with users based on their use of various apps to explore the behavioral and psychological. Through the information obtained from in-depth interviews, the results are as follows: Private customization of network information helps individuals break through the load of information, but brings personal loss. Customization technology of network information has the problem of technology supremacy to restrict personal freedom and power. In addition, it is also worth thinking about the problem of the construction of public areas. Through the discussion of this macro impact, a comprehensive explanation can be obtained. These findings of the research indicate that the macro impact of private customization of network information is not just the responsibility of the information provider, but also do the audiences, government and industry departments need to think about together. Only when it abides by the social benefits, can it achieve sound progress.

Volume 13, 2021 Number 1: General Issue under Continuous Mode Number 2: Special Articles on Health Humanities and General Articles Volume 12, 2020 Number 1: General Issue under Continuous Mode Number 2: General Issue under Continuous Mode Number 3: Special Collection on “India and Travel Narratives”, guest-edited by Ms. Somdatta Mandal, PhD Number 4: General Issue under Continuous Mode Number 5: 1st RIOC Conference Issue Number 6: Special Articles on Health Humanities and General Articles Volume 11, 2019 Number 1: (Special Issue on Human Rights and Literature, guest-edited by Prof. Pramod K. Nayar) Number 2: General Issue Number 3: General Issue Volume 10, 2018 Number 1: (Special Issue on “Interrogating Cultural Translation: Literature and Fine Arts in Translation and Adaptation”, in collaboration with the Department of English, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham) Number 2: (On Frankenstein 200, 1818-2018 and the General Areas) Number 3: (General Issue) All Issues>> Of Crows and Humans: The Affective Economy of Mourning and Grieving

This paper aims to examine the representation of animals in Max Porter’s Grief is the Thing with Feathers (2015), a multi-awarded novel about an academic’s struggles on coping with the grief of losing his wife. Previous scholarship on Grief is the Thing with Feathers focuses on an anthropocentric approach to grief and melancholia. However, I argue these emotions can be approached through an examination of the Crow, a fantastical talking bird who makes itself known during the funeral, against the human protagonists of the novel. My approach focuses on how the Crow manages to facilitate what Sara Ahmed calls an “affective economy” which aids the human characters to process their emotions. I critically analyze in this paper how the novel blurs the boundary that separates the human and beasts through its representation of animal emotion. I speculate on how the moments of encounter between the crow and humans emphasize the acts of touching and smelling as a mode to cope with melancholia and grief. Lastly, I look at how its hybridization of prose and poetry performatively imitates affective and emotional responses to personal loss.

The rāg that Burned down Delhi: Music and Memory between 1857 and 1947

The Urdu litterateur Shahid Ahmad Dehlvi (1906–1967) recorded a series of reflections and reminiscences about Delhi, its culture, and how that culture was brought to an end by the violence of Partition in 1947. In his essays on music, he documented the performances and personal histories of a range of singers, dancers, and instrumentalists based in Delhi in the first half of the 20th century and considered their plight after Independence. In this article, I examine three of these essays—two in Urdu and one in English—and ask two questions. Firstly, how does this author develop a sense of historical depth to the social and cultural rupture he experienced in 1947? I suggest that his Urdu essays draw upon a longer history of literary nostalgia and connect a Delhicentric understanding of Partition to the earlier crisis of 1857. Secondly, how did attending to music allow Shahid Dehlvi to explore the nuances of cultural rupture and personal loss?

PSYCHOLOGISM OF THE NOVEL “THE BOOK OF TOMORROW” BY CECILIA AHERN

The article reveals the phenomenon of psychologism in fiction and the ways of its actualization in modern English literature concerned with psychological aspects. The notion is analyzed on the basis of Cecilia Ahern’s novel “The Book of Tomorrow” that depicts the protagonist’s psychological crisis as a result of personal loss and the ways of coping with negative experience. Lexical-stylistic and compositional means are studied through the prism of the representation of the protagonist’s internal feelings caused by inner and outer factors. The role of symbols, fairy-tale allusions, personifications, artistic details and comparative tropes in depicting the young girl’s crisis state and her reactions to life changes is traced. The function of key words, implicit details, temporal fractures and the title in the compositional framing of the text is researched. The role of the mentioned-above linguistic means in the reflection of transformations taking place in the protagonist’s consciousness is studied. Some peculiarities of Cecilia Ahern’s individual author’s style, such as wide use of fairy-tale allusions and personifications, contrastive application of some lexical-stylistic means (artistic details) and the coherent function of the others (an implicit detail, extended metaphors), are outlined. The author’s favourite key words are listed; the stylistic role of their repetitions in different contexts is shown. The retrospective actualization of the lexeme tomorrow presented in the title is traced.

Reconciling with others, within oneself, and the circle(s) of time

This visual essay depicts my personal experiences with the San peoples of South Africa. Almost twenty years ago, I learned of a personal loss while examining their ancient rock carvings and used the San people’s beliefs about the reconciliation of death and nature to heal. In 2019, I ran a workshop for young Khoe-Sans peoples, offering them a chance to connect and find harmony within themselves. They shared their personal stories and visual creations with each other, reviving the disappearing storytelling tradition. As Indigenous peoples have often been treated as objects without respect, following the ethical rules of research was part of reconciliation. My approach throughout the workshop was to embody connectedness and care; according to the feedback, our interaction succeeded despite our cultural differences.

Teaching literature following loss: teachers’ adherence to emotional rules

Purpose This study aims to explore how teachers changed literature instruction in English language arts (ELA) classrooms following personal loss, and identifies factors influencing those changes. The author argues teachers regulated their responses to literature according to emotional rules they perceived to be associated with the teaching profession. Understanding teachers’ responses helps educators, teacher educators and educational researchers consider what conditions and supports may be required for teachers and students to share emotions related to loss in authentic ways in ELA classrooms. Design/methodology/approach To examine changes teachers made in literature instruction following personal loss, the author conducted a thematic analysis of 80 questionnaire responses. Findings The author found teachers changed literature instruction related to three areas: teachers’ relationship to students, teachers’ instruction surrounding texts and teachers’ reader responses. Responses highlighted how teachers adhered to emotional rules, including a perception of teachers as authorities and caretakers of children. Teachers considered literature instruction to require maintaining focus on texts, and avoided emotional response unless it aided textual comprehension. Originality/value Scholars have argued for literature instruction inclusive of both loss experiences and also emotional response, with particular focus on students’ loss experiences. This study focuses on teachers’ experiences and responses to literature following loss, highlighting factors that influence, and at times inhibit, teachers’ authentic sharing of experiences and emotions. The author argues teachers require support to bring loss experiences into literature instruction as they navigate emotional response within the relational dynamics of the classroom.

Mission Reborn in the COVID Crisis

The COVID crisis continues to affect many in ways which have led to health, economic, and personal loss of no small consequence. All of us have a unique and personal perspective on the pandemic. I share my experience as a front-line attending physician caring for critically ill COVID patients in the intensive care unit, and how it relates to the call of mission we receive as Catholic physicians.

Representations of The Gurkhas (Lahures) in Modernist Narratives

The representation Gurkha soldier or Lahures in British military writings and Nepali modernist narratives vary drastically. The British writings expose their martial skill and strength with high degree of integrity and loyalty in different wars including the First and Second World Wars. For instances, Brian Houghton Hodgson’s “Origin and Classification of the Military Tribes of Nepal”, J. P. Cross’s In Gurkha Company: The British Army Gurkhas and John Pemble’s British Gurkha War reflect their gallantry and unconditional loyalty. On the contrary, Nepali modernist narratives unravel their personal loss, separation, unpatriotic feeling and irresponsibility. Such unpleasant connotations in Nepali literature appears in ‘Aamali Sodhlin ni’ (Mother May Ask), a song of Jhalak Man Gandharva, “Sipahi” (Soldier), a story of Bishweshwar Prasad Koirala, Sisirko Phul (Blue Mimosa), a novel of Bishnu Kumari Baiba ‘Parijat’ and poems of Bhupi Sherchan. This article explores drastically different types of the representation of the Gurkhas (Lahures) in British military writings and Nepali narratives, and the socio-political contexts of their representation. The social, cultural and political contexts of representation and the motives of the writers render variations in their representations. This article unfolds the connection between the representation of the Gurkhas (Lahures) and the condition under which they are represented. While doing so, this paper supports an instance of the representation of Gurkha soldiers as an ideological construct on ground of political and sociological phenomena.

Mother of Three and Widow of the Nation: The Hungarian Mrs Vachott (1828–96) as Protégé-Editor

This article focuses on the editorial undertakings of the Hungarian Mária Csapó (1828–96), better known as Mrs Vachott. Using her personal correspondence, memoirs, and the magazines she edited, the article traces the particularities of Mrs Vachott’s career as an author and periodical editor. It does so by examining her performed identities in real life and as editor of various magazines. Furthermore, it intends to demonstrate that Mrs Vachott’s professional endeavours were defined and shaped by a personal loss that eventually became her strongest symbolic capital in building up a literary career. Finally, the article suggests that Mrs Vachott’s case offers valuable insights into the types of editorial roles that women inhabited during the nineteenth century.