Religion, Medien und die Corona-Pandemie

Suddenly a new virus has appeared which is threatening society. Fragility, illness and death have become fundamental topics in daily life and social distancing a new form of solidarity. In this unexpected transformation, digital media is playing a crucial role in conveying information about a public sphere that is no longer easily accessible. These changes have also influenced religious communities and their rituals. Through a broad range of selected case studies, this book addresses the complex relationship between religion and the media during the pandemic. On the one hand, it explores processes of (digitally) adapting rituals and messages; on the other hand, it highlights the ambiguous role of religious semantics and practices in addressing the crisis. With contributions by Verena Marie Eberhardt, Matthias Eder, Paulina Epischin, Hannah Griese, Anna-Katharina Höpflinger, Florian Kronawitter, Yifan Li, Michael Maderer, Katharina Luise Merkert, Jochen Mündlein, Guido Murillo, Caterina Panunzio and Daria Pezzoli-Olgiati.

A Study on The Perception and Acceptance of UiTM’s Undergraduates Towards Open and Distance Learning Method in Mandarin Language Teaching and Learning During COVID-19 Movement Control Order Period

The unexpected transformation from traditional face-to-face classes to Open and Distance Learning (ODL) mode, due to the implementation of Movement Control Order (MCO) caused by COVID-19 pandemic, has deeply affect the basic Mandarin learners in higher education institutes. After studying Mandarin level 1 through face-to-face classes for only three weeks, students were forced to adjust and adapt to ODL mode within a short amount of time. This situation would inevitably affect their learning quality and progress during the MCO period. Hence, a study on the students’ perception and acceptance towards ODL under this circumstance is crucial as a pilot test, to establish a better understanding on the possibility of ODL’s sustainability as a necessary component in learning Mandarin henceforward. Such study will also help to apprehend and further satisfy students’ requirement on studying Mandarin through ODL, so that it will become an ideal complement, or even a more preferred main option compared to the conventional teaching activities.

Electronic Structural and Optical Properties of Multilayer Blue Phosphorus: A First-Principle Study

Using the density functional theory, we systematically calculated the stability, electronic, and optical properties of monolayer and multilayer blue phosphorus. The results show the structures are all dynamically stable, and the gaps decrease with an increase of the number of layers. An unexpected transformation from indirect to direct band gaps is also observed as the tensile strain increases. In addition, the optical properties indicate the optical absorption peak of the material is in the ultraviolet region.

Sulfur Betaines from S-Propargyl Xanthates. Unusual Chemistry from a Simple Functional Group

S-Propargyl xanthates undergo upon heating a [3,3] sigmatropic rearrangement followed by a reversible ring closure into a novel betaine. This betaine can be implicated in carbon–carbon bond forming processes, in the synthesis of esters, in the inversion of secondary alcohols, in the formation of alkenes, for the generation of rigid, cisoid dienes that are highly reactive in both inter- and intra-molecular Diels–Alder cycloadditions, and in various other synthetically useful transformations.1 Introduction2 An Unexpected Transformation3 Evidence for the Betaine Intermediate4 A Method for the Synthesis of Esters and for the Inversion of Secondary Alcohols5 A General Alkylation Process6 The Case of Carbon Acids7 A Synthesis of Alkenes8 Further Trapping Experiments. Concerted or Not Concerted?9 Rigid Cisoid Dienes10 Propargyl Radicals11 Concluding Remarks