The Hidden Center in Domestic Violence Shelter Fields of Power A Structural Analysis of Primary Source Agents Situated Within the ‘Domestic Violence Shelter’ Field through the Lens of Bourdieu’s Center-Periphery Axis.

This paper is an exploratory study that uses Bourdieu’s ‘Field of Power’ theory to contextualize and place the expressed and hidden centers of power within the domestic violence shelter system, as a function of direct feedback from agents within that system. Data for the study was collected from Reddit, a popular ‘chat-room’ style forum for a variety of social and technical issues. Direct feedback about domestic violence shelter experiences from all participants in that ecosystem was coded based on agent/power dynamics. Results from the study indicate that certain actors within the domestic violence shelter system, namely abusers represent a hidden center of power.

Interdisciplinary Approach in Professional Training for Future Petroleum Engineers

The article deals with the problem of training specialists in the field of petroleum engineering ready to work in interdisciplinary teams and projects. Interdisciplinary approach including globally conditioned interdisciplinarity has been discussed in the context of engineering education since the beginning of the 21th century. This approach contains a number of basic components, namely: structure, process, language, identity, and technologies. Efficiency of interdisciplinary training depends on the general dynamics of a team. The international community has not disputed on the significance of interdisciplinary approach for engineers, but the key issue remains – how to apply theory for practice in both curricula development and learning process itself. Interdisciplinarity in the petroleum education is considered as a basis for critically new competitive engineering solutions. The indicators proving the presence of interdisciplinary management system at university are outlined. Based on the elaborated principles of interdisciplinary activities a set of required tools and elements to manage interdisciplinary training of petroleum engineers is presented. The significance of an interdisciplinary approach in professional training for future petroleum engineers is grounded. It has been proved that interdisciplinarity in its broadest sense is the trend, challenges of a global nature, which are updated set of circumstances, reasons that are multifaceted, varied and contradictory. It has been substantiated that the methodological part, multidisciplinary update of economics has become a constructive synthesis of theoretical research in this area, which includes not just interdisciplinary cooperation and mutual enrichment at the methodological level, forming a systematic, holistic vision of the economy, the problems and contradictions of development.

A note from the Editor-in-Chief

A note from the Editor-in-Chief

Language Endangerment and the Need for Technology for Language Empowerment: Case Study of the Brahui language in Balochistan

Diaspora and indigenous speech communities are under the threat of extinction in Balochistan. Local inhabitants with a lower economic and commercial value symbolize cultural and ethnic genocide in western Pakistan. In my study, I investigate the scope of technology for the documentation and maintenance of the Brahui language in the province of Balochistan. Also, I discuss how language policy and the digital divide are creating unfamiliar pedagogical, socio-cultural and linguistic practices, along with putting minority speech communities in danger of losing their identity and bringing about linguistic extinction. Drawing on the work of critical theorists, perceptions of indigenous Brahui community are recorded to understand the influence of digital technology for language survival. The study identifies that digital divide and flawed educational policies in Balochistan are potent instruments of Brahui endangerment. I call for inclusive and unbiased language policies and uniform access to technology for linguistic empowerment of the Brahui speech community in Balochistan.

Pursuing Higher-Purpose Education in a Globalized Society

Education serves the role of preserving and passing down to future generations’ valuable aspects of traditions and cultures, forming the building blocks for advanced civilizations. The world is culturally diverse, yet bonds can be created through cultural exchanges, and found a global peaceful coexistence. The transmission of a variety of cultures can be inhibited or promoted by governments, yet civil society has an autonomous and important role. The author discusses examples from her personal experience in teaching music in a variety of cultural and socio-economic settings, and the impact of governmental policies on artistic teaching. The author also establishes why education in the humanities, conscience, music and fine arts form the structural underpinnings of an advanced society and culture that is sustainable and respects human rights for all.

Teaching sociological subjects in English to university students: a case study of the Polish university

Nowadays, the role of English in teaching sociology has been increasing significantly, as far as the English language is an international medium of academic communication worldwide. Polish universities also follow this global trend. Students are offered not only general English courses but also specialised facultative courses in English. Taking into account the last one, a reflexive qualitative research has been carried out at the Institute of Philosophy and Sociology, the Maria Grzegorzewska University in Warsaw. The objective of four face-to-face expert interviews with the academic teachers was exploring teaching methods and techniques, as well as difficulties in the process of teaching sociology with the use of English as a foreign language. An expert interview was designed starting from the teaching background, followed by teaching reflections on their didactic practice and ending with the academic teachers’ thoughts on the role of English in sociology. The following issues were considered: 1) methods and techniques of incorporating English in teaching sociology to Polish students; 2) strategies of motivating students to use English in sociology; 3) the perception of difficulties; 4) reflections on empowering students.The research results in the field of the sociological facultative English-based courses revealed the dominance of some ways of using the language over others. All experts acknowledged that they aimed to develop sociological English through the communicative and task-based approaches. They engaged students in reading sociological texts and critically discussed them. Some of the academic teachers referred also to watching and listening to native speakers as important ways to activate students during their classes. Moreover, the experts took into account students specific interests and encouraged them to prepare a presentation or to write a short essay. Some experts used also the collaborative methods when students were involved in group projects and group presentations. In general, the experts developed interesting and important topics of social life and research to strengthen the students’ intrinsic motivation. It was noticed that the presence of foreign students becomes a reasonable factor of improving English-based communication among Polish and foreign students in classroom. The experts pointed out that there were various linguistic, psychological and institutional barriers in teaching sociological subjects in English for Polish university students. Nevertheless, they tried to overcome those obstacles whenever it was possible.

A critical analysis of the theories and models of self-education

Human behaviour researchers argue on self-education matters, which accumulate the complex of unsolved contentious problematic issues, referring to classical antinomies: freedom, socialization, and self-consciousness. There are many controversies concerning the interpretation of the self-education notion in social sciences and corresponding theories. The author of the paper presents those theories and explains approaches to self-education, as they have inspired countless pedagogical and psychological issues. Concurrently he underlines different activities, which illustrate two contrasting theoretical standpoints. The first one treats self-education as perfectio prima. It happens when the striving to perfection is realized by Socratic (“self-oriented”) model. Such an approach is the only motivation of individual activity and the aim in itself. On the other hand, the second perspective understands self-education as the Promethean (“out-oriented”) activity. In the light of its assumptions, it is a kind of spontaneous, nonintentional man’s activities aimed to transform reality out of oneself, the surrounding world, and the environment of life. Here, self-education is the perfectio secunda category, which means that the individual self-educates itself by reaching excellence per accidens. Such distinction is crucial for project constructing and empirical research questing.

Chemistry-kit as an Intervention Tool in Emergency Education in Secondary Schools

This paper presents a Chemistry-kit as an intervention tool to grant spaces for, hands-on learning in Chemistry, in formal Emergency Education (EE) programs. Emergencies may arise due to either civil unrests or natural catastrophes. More literature is dedicated towards the former than the latter (Burde et al., 2017). This paper aims to contribute towards filling the gap. The COVID-19 pandemic is the most recent emergency of the latter kind to promulgate a colossal impact on the formal education of children (WHO, 2020). Organisations such as UNHCR and UNESCO have been continuously working towards this endeavour of formalising secondary education (cite). EE programs lack extravagant school infrastructure, chemistry labs being a section of it. This paper argues that an analogue Chemistry-Kit is a practicable route to valuable learning experiences and is both cost-effective and student-friendly. Even in the presence of virtual schools, the kit can afford a medium to impart hands-on learning and encourage the practical essence of the subject.

Social family background: Exposure to technology and its use by preschool children

Today one cannot understand the communication, interaction of people, and their professional development without the use of smartphones, iPads, laptops, etc. New parents are facing personal challenges in using technology. At the same time, they are confused about parenting in the digital age, while children are in their infancy for the development of digital competence. The purpose of this qualitative research is to shed light on how parents of different social backgrounds use technology for themselves and in what ways their children are exposed to technology and given the opportunity to use it themselves. The study sample was 29 Albanian parents, who had children aged 5-6 years. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews, which were processed based on thematic analysis as well as labelling and coding techniques. It was noted that the duration of use of Media Technology by children and the purpose of use vary depending on the age, educational level of parents, their professions, how parents themselves use technology, but also the number of children in the family. The findings of this study guide targeted interventions for media technology education for parents, but at the same time can be used by the policymakers and pedagogical staff to find new strategies to be able to use the paradigm of media pedagogy more effectively, in order to improve the experience and the outcomes of digital learning for preschool children.

Proffesional Activity at Multinational Aviation Companies: Impact of Socio Cultural Factors

The article deals with the peculiarities of professional activity of aviation personnel working for multinational aviation companies and socio cultural factors influencing their work. It is stressed that socio and cross cultural issues may be the reason for misunderstanding in professional and everyday communication. Miscommunications may broadly be applied to a range of verbal communications problems ranging from misunderstandings, such as those due to ambiguity, language structure, to more technical problems. The authors underline that those misunderstandings may be due to cultural differences. Special attention is paid to professional radio communication between an air traffic controller and pilot, which is very important for promotion of flight safety. Studies indicate that miscommunication is a pervasive problem in air traffic control and, although infrequent when considered as a percentage of daily transactions, nevertheless, has been a causal factor in numerous fatal accidents. The conclusion is made about the importance of social factors influencing the choice of certain lexical units and functional styles in radio communication.