Today’s education system needs to be global. ‘World Class Education’ involves a globally accepted high standard of education. Every country needs an increasing number of highly educated people and skilled professionals in order to integrate into the globalization process. These professionals include scholars, philosophers and leaders with vision. Leaders are our human capital. The state must provide opportunities for higher education to create human capital that meets global standards. The overall development of a society is largely determined by the quality (...) of its education, especially higher education. A well-educated, well-trained population could propel a nation towards rapid economic growth. Despite lack of natural resources, countries such as Japan, Korea and Singapore have made rapid economic progress. This was because they invested heavily in education and training. On the other hand, countries such as Nigeria or Congo, despite enormous natural resources, are poor and backward because of large-scale illiteracy and lack of skilled workforce. The aim of education is to create well-trained, competent and progressive individuals who can perform all kinds of tasks and take on a lot of responsibilities. Higher education is the stage of education that takes place at the post-secondary level, and is provided mostly and most meaningfully by universities. A university introduces its students to discussions and debates that prevail in various disciplines and fields of knowledge. The objective of a university is not only to create and disseminate knowledge but also to develop human resources that will accelerate the socio-economic development of the nation. This is possible only when the employees working in these universities are motivated and empowered. To achieve this objective, universities must restructure and redesign their HRD practices and processes. In this background, the present article analyzes the existing HRD practices and processes in 10 leading universities in India and how should these universities go about transforming their HR systems and mechanisms to meet the rapidly changing environmental demands. The research approach and methodology adopted to carry out this study includes collection of primary and secondary data. Primary data has been collected by administering a well-structured and well-designed questionnaire on HRD climate survey developed by XLRI Jamshedpur (India). The questionnaire had been administered to 1,000 respondents selected from the 10 leading universities of India. Data from both the sources were analyzed statistically by applying various statistical tools and techniques to find the conclusions, based on which the guidelines, recommendations and policy implications were made for the improvement of HRD practices in the universities. (shrink)

Firms are central to wealth creation and distribution, but their role in economic inequality in a society remains poorly studied. In this essay, we define and distinguish value distribution from value creation and value appropriation. We identify four value distribution mechanisms that firms engage in and argue that shareholder wealth maximization approach skews the value distribution toward shareholders and top executives, which in turn contributes to rising economic inequalities around the world. We call on organizational scholars to study the value (...) distribution role of firms and its consequences for society, and introduce the articles in this volume of the special issue on economic inequality, business, and society. (shrink)

Religion has been in general neglected or even seen as a taboo subject in organizational research and management practice. This is a glaring omission in the business and society and business ethics literatures. As a source of moral norms and beliefs, religion has historically played a significant role in the vast majority of societies and continues to remain relevant in almost every society. More broadly, expectations for responsible business behavior are informed by regional, national, or indigenous cultures, which in many (...) parts of the world are heavily influenced by religious belief systems and religious institutions. In this essay, we discuss examples of how religion has functioned as a macro social force affecting business and society, discuss some of the key questions and issues related to research in this domain, offer some observations about why religion may be problematic with regard to its effects on business, and conclude by summarizing the articles contained in the special issue. (shrink)

In this paper, a proof-theoretic method to prove uniform Lyndon interpolation for non-normal modal logics is introduced and applied to show that the logics E\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \usepackage{amsmath} \usepackage{wasysym} \usepackage{amsfonts} \usepackage{amssymb} \usepackage{amsbsy} \usepackage{mathrsfs} \usepackage{upgreek} \setlength{\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \begin{document}$$\mathsf {E}$$\end{document}, M\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \usepackage{amsmath} \usepackage{wasysym} \usepackage{amsfonts} \usepackage{amssymb} \usepackage{amsbsy} \usepackage{mathrsfs} \usepackage{upgreek} \setlength{\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \begin{document}$$\mathsf {M}$$\end{document}, MC\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \usepackage{amsmath} \usepackage{wasysym} \usepackage{amsfonts} \usepackage{amssymb} \usepackage{amsbsy} \usepackage{mathrsfs} \usepackage{upgreek} \setlength{\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \begin{document}$$\mathsf {MC}$$\end{document}, EN\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \usepackage{amsmath} \usepackage{wasysym} \usepackage{amsfonts} \usepackage{amssymb} \usepackage{amsbsy} \usepackage{mathrsfs} \usepackage{upgreek} \setlength{\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \begin{document}$$\mathsf {EN}$$\end{document}, MN\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \usepackage{amsmath} \usepackage{wasysym} \usepackage{amsfonts} \usepackage{amssymb} \usepackage{amsbsy} \usepackage{mathrsfs} \usepackage{upgreek} \setlength{\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \begin{document}$$\mathsf {MN}$$\end{document} have that (...) property. In particular, these logics have uniform interpolation. Although for some of them the latter is known, the fact that they have uniform Lyndon interpolation is new. Also, the proof-theoretic proofs of these facts are new, as well as the constructive way to explicitly compute the interpolants that they provide. It is also shown that the non-normal modal logics EC\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \usepackage{amsmath} \usepackage{wasysym} \usepackage{amsfonts} \usepackage{amssymb} \usepackage{amsbsy} \usepackage{mathrsfs} \usepackage{upgreek} \setlength{\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \begin{document}$$\mathsf {EC}$$\end{document} and ECN\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \usepackage{amsmath} \usepackage{wasysym} \usepackage{amsfonts} \usepackage{amssymb} \usepackage{amsbsy} \usepackage{mathrsfs} \usepackage{upgreek} \setlength{\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \begin{document}$$\mathsf {ECN}$$\end{document} do not have Craig interpolation, and whence no uniform interpolation. (shrink)

It is a well-known fact that although the poset of open sets of a topological space is a Heyting algebra, its Heyting implication is not necessarily stable under the inverse image of continuous functions and hence is not a geometric concept. This leaves us wondering if there is any stable family of implications that can be safely called geometric. In this paper, we will first recall the abstract notion of implication as a binary modality introduced in Akbar Tabatabai (Implication (...) via spacetime. In: Mathematics, logic, and their philosophies: essays in honour of Mohammad Ardeshir, pp 161–216, 2021). Then, we will use a weaker version of categorical fibrations to define the geometricity of a category of pairs of spaces and implications over a given category of spaces. We will identify the greatest geometric category over the subcategories of open-irreducible (closed-irreducible) maps as a generalization of the usual injective open (closed) maps. Using this identification, we will then characterize all geometric categories over a given category $${\mathcal {S}}$$ S, provided that $${\mathcal {S}}$$ S has some basic closure properties. Specially, we will show that there is no non-trivial geometric category over the full category of spaces. Finally, as the implications we identified are also interesting in their own right, we will spend some time to investigate their algebraic properties. We will first use a Yoneda-type argument to provide a representation theorem, making the implications a part of an adjunction-style pair. Then, we will use this result to provide a Kripke-style representation for any arbitrary implication. (shrink)

One of the most important aspects of human life is the role of ethics and value judgments, which are unavoidable in everyday life. On the other hand, belief in the afterlife significantly influences various human affairs. This article explores the impact of belief in resurrection on moral values and judgments using a descriptive and analytical method. In this context, it critiques and analyzes the school of ethical utilitarianism, one of the most prominent ethical schools of the contemporary era. Several issues (...) arise when attempting to calculate the outcomes of actions both quantitatively and qualitatively. These include the conflict between profiteering and moral conscience in specific responsibilities, the conflict with justice in many instances, and the contrast between quantitative and qualitative criteria in the pursuit of pleasure. There is also a conflict between human intention and will, and a conflict between supporting the interests of the minority and those of the majority. Furthermore, utilitarianism fails to account for eternal life and how to live in the next world, and it neglects the spiritual dimensions and growth of humanity. Even without considering the afterlife, utilitarianism relies solely on quantitative and material calculations as criteria. Therefore, the moral system and profit-oriented logic, along with its various forms, are neither reliable nor practical. If we do not believe in the Return, we lack a complete rational justification for moral rules and value systems. From the perspective of the afterlife, the ideal and intrinsic good is happiness in its most comprehensive sense, encompassing both worldly happiness and happiness in the hereafter. When voluntary actions and attributes are connected to this intrinsically good and desirable end, their positive or negative moral judgments are determined. A system of political ethics that focuses on the hereafter possesses all the advantages and virtues of other systems, but it does not suffer from their shortcomings and faults. (shrink)

In pediatric cohort studies, disclosing findings and providing treatment counseling to parents, legal guardians, or other authorized representatives is an ethical imperative. Keratoconus (KC) is a corneal degenerative disease that can progress to severe vision impairment and need for corneal transplantation. This report concerns the disclosure of results to the parents of children who were diagnosed with KC in the Shahroud Schoolchildren Eye Cohort Study and received essential treatment in a timely manner.

The optimum science benefits to routine life have insufficiently been proved. Science progress is not merely reflected in machinery and technological breakthroughs. Subordinate impacts of science and scientists on global interactions are an evidence for the major deficiencies and futility of the many current science designations. A primary objective is to describe postmodern global interrelations of science mentoring policies and life quality. Also, global programs are proposed that will aid in the timely achievement of optimal real-life science goals. The global (...) wholeness of science pictures should be visible, acknowledged, and educated. The wholeness of science, no matter how exposed or sophisticated, should never change. Definitive paths should be developed to bestow science with sufficiently empowered authorities to lead and optimize economics, politics, and international relations. Mentoring rather than teaching of science will be a main frontier for quality lives. Postmodern mentors will be cognizant of the science entirety. Mentors will create and designate definitive shapes from discoveries and findings that will grant human life with ongoing peace and ultimate satisfaction. (shrink)

The objective is to introduce and describe a new philosophy for global science edification that will determine the extent and nature of humans’ accomplishments. These will affect life quality worldwide. Science as an ultimate essence encircles theoretical and applied findings and discoveries. These can only contribute to forming a trivial core, whilst the most crucial are insightful moral surroundings. Morality is most concerned with mentorship commitments. To sustain a dense and rigid shape that progressively improves science and life quality, imagination (...) must be complemented with harmonizing approaches. Such perceptions become an obligation as growing knowledge creates novel questions and challenges. The upper tree of science glorified with blooming branches of knowledge, particularly over the last few centuries, is predicted to undergo progressive declines in the strength of its edification foundations unless the lower tree receives most-deserving mentorship contemplations. The upper tree describes tangible science products in routin life, and the lower tree represents sustainable mentorship. Mentors must replace teachers, by definition, and commit to generating more qualified educators than themselves. Mentors are expected to welcome and manage challenges from mentees. Challenges play crucial roles in granting mentees with integrated pathways of scientific development. The resulting pictures will be eagerly prone to revisions and elaborations as mentees themselves step into the pathway. This systematic edification will strengthen science roots in mentees’ minds and will uphold a sturdy science body for society. Science pictured as an integrated circle grants a prospect to envision where humans are and where not to end up. Maintaining a definitive shape for science in any major before and while enriching central cores with experimental novelties in minds and laboratories is crucial to improving man’s fulfillment of time in the third millennium. Such integrities are an obligation to optimally preserve and utilize what humans have achieved thus far and continue to accomplish. (shrink)

In this paper, the notions of tense operators and tense filters in \-algebras are introduced and several characterizations of them are obtained. Also, the relation among tense \-algebras, tense \-algebras and tense Boolean algebras are investigated. Moreover, it is shown that the set of all tense filters of a \-algebra is complete sublattice of \\) of all filters of \-algebra \. Also, maximal tense filters and simple tense \-algebras and the relation between them are studied. Finally, the notions of tense (...) congruence relations in tense \-algebras and strict tense \-algebras are introduced and an one-to-one correspondence between tense filters and tense congruences relations induced by tense filters are provided. (shrink)

The COVID-19 pandemic has challenged the world for a year, where a study in China showed that the disease increased psychological distress among adolescents and college students, such as anxiety about the academic setback, economic effects, and impact on their daily life. However, a further study examining the impact of the disease on the mental health of students is required. Social support is the most vital psychosocial protective resource, where effective coping can reduce stress levels and prevent individuals from experiencing (...) more severe psychological distress. Therefore, this study investigated the coping strategy, social support, and psychological distress among university students in Jakarta who are also the epicenter of COVID-19 in Indonesia. The psychological distress and coping strategy variable were measured through the Hopkins Symptoms Checklist-25 and the COPE Brief instrument, respectively. Meanwhile, the Multidimensional Perceived Social Support-12 instrument was used to measure the social support variable. The study was disseminated via an online form and the number of research subjects included 250 students who matched the research criteria, including DKI Jakarta domicile and active students registered in the area that were confirmed to be COVID-19 positive. According to the results, coping strategies and increased social support were significantly correlated with decreased psychological distress and may serve as the basis for interventions. (shrink)

A number of innovative hermeneutical approaches emerged in Muslim exegetical discourse in the second half of the 20th century. Among these developments is a trend of systematic reform theology that emphasises a humanistic approach, whereby revelation is understood to be dependent not only upon its initiator, God, but also upon its recipient, Prophet Muhammad, who takes an active role in the process.Ali Akbar examines the works of four noted scholars of Islam: Fazlur Rahman, Abdolkarim Soroush, Muhammad Mujtahed Shabestari and (...) Nasr Hamid Abu Zayd. His study shows that the consequences of taking a humanistic approach to understanding revelation are not confined to the realm of speculation about God-human relations, but also to interpreting Qur'A nic socio-political precepts. And the four scholars emerge as a distinctive group of Muslim thinkers who open up a new horizon in contemporary Islamic discourse. (shrink)

\(\nabla \) -algebra is a natural generalization of Heyting algebra, unifying many algebraic structures including bounded lattices, Heyting algebras, temporal Heyting algebras and the algebraic presentation of the dynamic topological systems. In a series of two papers, we will systematically study the algebro-topological properties of different varieties of \(\nabla \) -algebras. In the present paper, we start with investigating the structure of these varieties by characterizing their subdirectly irreducible and simple elements. Then, we prove the closure of these varieties under (...) the Dedekind-MacNeille completion and provide the canonical construction and the Kripke representation for \(\nabla \) -algebras by which we establish the amalgamation property for some varieties of \(\nabla \) -algebras. In the sequel of the present paper, we will complete the study by covering the logics of these varieties and their corresponding Priestley-Esakia and spectral duality theories. (shrink)

This article addresses a theoretical gap in the literature by highlighting the significance of nonbargaining nonmarket strategies of firms. Relying on neo-statist political theory, we propose a theoretical model that hypothesizes a reliance on nonbargaining nonmarket strategies in situations marked by historically and situationally conditioned weakness of societal forces relevant to a firm (including the firm itself) as well as when relevant state institutions display high degrees of professional, structural, and ideological bureaucratic insularity. We survey 165 managers (each representing a (...) separate firm) from 14 countries in Eastern Europe and Central Asia about the strategic importance of the nonmarket strategic initiatives. Our novel survey instrument captures a broader range of nonmarket strategic initiatives than previous empirical research has examined. The survey results provide preliminary support for our model, although the findings suggest the need for more research in different regional contexts. (shrink)

Although the German philosopher Hans-Georg Gadamer was not a religious thinker or theologian, his work and approach have influenced thinkers in the field of theology. This article explores some ‘overlaps’ between Gadamerian hermeneutics and the ideas of some contemporary Muslim scholars such as Nasr Hamid Abu Zayd, Abdolkarim Soroush, Muhammad Mujtahed Shabestari and Hassan Hanafi regarding issues of textual interpretation and understanding. In particular, the article seeks to understand how such ideas have appeared in these Muslim scholars’ approaches to interpreting (...) the Qurʾan. It also explores some of the implications that follow from incorporating Gadamer’s ideas into Islamic theological and political discourses. The article argues that the application of Gadamer’s hermeneutic philosophy to the realm of Qurʾanic studies is not only fruitful insofar as it provides new insights into the interpretation of the Qurʾan, but also has important consequences for Islamic theological and political discourses more broadly. (shrink)

Literacy plays a significant role in community development. Without literacy, development goals cannot be achieved easily. Through literacy, the community does not face any challenge to improve their quality of life. For this reason, developed and developing countries nowadays are investing a lot on social and natural innovations, plus human capital in communities to increase their level of literacy. Iran is no exception. For this purpose, the government of Iran has formulated several community literacy development programs in the country. One (...) of the major programs that has been implemented for this purpose is the Community Learning Centers Program (CLCP) (Mehdizadeh, 2003). In the Islamic Republic of Iran, CLCP was implemented in early 2000. It has had very encouraging results in solving the problem of illiteracy in this country. All communities that have pioneered the program have experienced a remarkable increase in their literacy level (Ebrahimian, Bahirai, & Iranian National Commission for ISESCO, 2006). What are the reasons of such achievements? Therefore, the main purpose of this study is to investigate the factors that have contributed to the success of CLCP in community literacy development in the Islamic republic of Iran. (shrink)

Anchored in stakeholder theory, the study aimed at examining the extent of voluntary human capital disclosures in annual reports of top 20 Bangladeshi and Indian listed companies. In addition to qualitative content analysis of the annual reports for the year 2010–2011, this study also conducted a series of in-depth interviews with a range of stakeholders of the companies of both the countries to understand their views on voluntary HC disclosures in corporate annual reports. It was found that the level of (...) voluntary HC disclosures was very low in case of the companies of both the countries. Moreover, it was observed that HC disclosures of companies mostly composed of positive information. From the views of stakeholders, it was evident that stakeholders unanimously recognized the necessity of credible HC disclosures in corporate annual reports. The HC disclosure index framed in this study may be useful in developing a South Asian model of corporate HC disclosures. This study contributes to the existing literature on HC disclosures where there has been a distinct lack of engagement-based research works. (shrink)

The first colleges of the Society of Jesus, since the foundation of the one at Messina in 1548, chose to follow the notably participative pedagogy of the University of Paris. The article shows why and how the option for the modus parisiensis was made. The University of Paris, which the first companions knew through having studied there, had an academic structure more centred on the professor's authority than at the other European universities. This, however, did not prevent numerous contacts between (...) the students and the teaching body, with each group having its precise rules. Parisian teaching was progressive and systematic, very open to the culture of the Renaissance, and to ancient languages and authors. The influence of the «Brothers of the Common Life» is clear, especially regards their attention to the human and spiritual formation of the students. (shrink)

In perturbative quantum gravity, the sum of the classical Lagrangian density, a gauge fixing term and a ghost term is invariant under two sets of supersymmetric transformations called the BRST and the anti-BRST transformations. In this paper we will analyse the BRST and the anti-BRST symmetries of perturbative quantum gravity in curved spacetime, in linear as well as non-linear gauges. We will show that even though the sum of ghost term and the gauge fixing term can always be expressed as (...) a total BRST or a total anti-BRST variation, we can express it as a combination of both of them only in certain special gauges. We will also analyse the violation of nilpotency of the BRST and the anti-BRST transformations by introduction of a bare mass term, in the massive Curci-Ferrari gauge. (shrink)

One of the most important aspects of human life is the role of ethics and value judgments, which are unavoidable in everyday life. On the other hand, belief in the afterlife significantly influences various human affairs. This article explores the impact of belief in resurrection on moral values and judgments using a descriptive and analytical method. In this context, it critiques and analyzes the school of ethical utilitarianism, one of the most prominent ethical schools of the contemporary era. Several issues (...) arise when attempting to calculate the outcomes of actions both quantitatively and qualitatively. These include the conflict between profiteering and moral conscience in specific responsibilities, the conflict with justice in many instances, and the contrast between quantitative and qualitative criteria in the pursuit of pleasure. There is also a conflict between human intention and will, and a conflict between supporting the interests of the minority and those of the majority. Furthermore, utilitarianism fails to account for eternal life and how to live in the next world, and it neglects the spiritual dimensions and growth of humanity. Even without considering the afterlife, utilitarianism relies solely on quantitative and material calculations as criteria. Therefore, the moral system and profit-oriented logic, along with its various forms, are neither reliable nor practical. If we do not believe in the Return, we lack a complete rational justification for moral rules and value systems. From the perspective of the afterlife, the ideal and intrinsic good is happiness in its most comprehensive sense, encompassing both worldly happiness and happiness in the hereafter. When voluntary actions and attributes are connected to this intrinsically good and desirable end, their positive or negative moral judgments are determined. A system of political ethics that focuses on the hereafter possesses all the advantages and virtues of other systems, but it does not suffer from their shortcomings and faults. (shrink)

In this paper, the notions of tense operators and tense filters in \-algebras are introduced and several characterizations of them are obtained. Also, the relation among tense \-algebras, tense \-algebras and tense Boolean algebras are investigated. Moreover, it is shown that the set of all tense filters of a \-algebra is complete sublattice of \\) of all filters of \-algebra \. Also, maximal tense filters and simple tense \-algebras and the relation between them are studied. Finally, the notions of tense (...) congruence relations in tense \-algebras and strict tense \-algebras are introduced and an one-to-one correspondence between tense filters and tense congruences relations induced by tense filters are provided. (shrink)

In recent years there have been increasing calls to ‘decolonize’ the curriculum across different levels of education. This has been met with significant opposition at both the school and university levels. For many, there is a lack of clarity concerning why students, particularly in school, should study a decolonized curriculum. I reflect on the notion of an ‘epistemic urgency’ to decolonize the secondary school curriculum in England, and I focus particularly on History and Religious Education (RE) as examples. Using theories (...) of epistemic injustice, and my own experiences in teaching, I build the case for this ‘urgency’ from two arguments: one from justice and one from purpose. On justice, I argue that current curricula create negative epistemic consequences that we might consider to be unjust. On purpose, I argue that some curricula also fail to meet the purposes that they are intended to meet, thereby creating further negative epistemic consequences. On both arguments, I hope to show that the negative epistemic consequences create an ‘urgency’ to decolonize curricula, which I hope encourages educators in England and beyond to begin considering whether decolonizing their curricula will lead to better outcomes for their learners. (shrink)

This paper discusses translation practices from a historicist viewpoint, contextualizing them in their emerging “episode.” The latter is a concept drawn from sociology of literature and accounts for the rise of certain discourses and ideologies in a society. On the basis of the argument that translation practices are informed by the general literary and socio-cultural milieu in which they are produced and consumed, the paper studies the translators’ prefaces to three translations published between 1953 and 1978—a period dominated by Leftist (...) and Marxist discourse in Iran. Drawing on a historically oriented model which holds that the translator’s ideology is revealed at the moment in which he/she chooses a text, and continues through the discourse he/she develops to translate that text, the research embarks on studying translation practices on two levels of choice mechanism and prefaces. Prefaces are discussed in the light of the dominant ideology of representation that is characterized by a revolutionary discourse. The research demonstrates that these translators opted for a strategy that incorporates the translations in the Persian cultural setting with minor changes in a way that politicizes the foreign literature. (shrink)

In this paper, we will analyse the superloop space formalism for a four dimensional supersymmetric Yang–Mills theory in deformed superspace. We will deform the \ superspace by imposing imposing non-anticommutativity. This non-anticommutative deformation of the superspace will break half the supersymmetry of the original theory. So, this theory will have \ supersymmetry. We will analyse the superloop space duality for this deformed supersymmetric Yang–Mills theory using the \ superspace formalism. We will demonstrate that the sources in the original theory will (...) become monopoles in the dual theory, and the monopoles in the original theory will become sources in the dual theory. (shrink)

Recently, research on uncertainty modeling is progressing rapidly and many essential and breakthrough stud ies have already been done. There are various ways such as fuzzy, intuitionistic and neutrosophic sets to handle these uncertainties. Although these concepts can handle incomplete information in various real-world issues, they cannot address all types of uncertainty such as indeterminate and inconsistent information. Also, plithogenic sets as a generalization of crisp, fuzzy, intuitionistic fuzzy, and neutrosophic sets, which is a set whose elements are characterized by (...) many attributes’ values. In this paper, our aim is to demonstrate and review the history of fuzzy, intuitionistic and neutrosophic sets. For this purpose, we divided the paper as: section 1. History of Fuzzy Sets, section 2. History of Intuitionistic Fuzzy Sets and section 3. History of Neutrosophic Theories and Applications, section 4. History of Plithogenic Sets. (shrink)

This article examines the ideas of three contemporary Muslim reformists, namely Abdolkarim Soroush, Nasr Hamid Abu Zayd, and Muhammad Mujtahed Shabestari, concerning the relationship between democracy and the Islamic principle of shura. The article aims to demonstrate how the theological-philosophical approaches of these scholars—particularly with respect to their methods of interpreting the Qurʾan and the distinctions they draw between the pre-modern and modern worldview—have contributed to the rise of a political discourse which seeks to understand concepts such as shura and (...) democracy within their own specific epistemological and cultural contexts. This political discourse, as the article argues, supports democracy without any narrow religious justification and promotes a form of government whose legitimacy is not based on religious sources or authority, and thus is neutral towards different religions and their followers. (shrink)

In an attempt to move towards a non-linear dynamic system the present study concerns itself with investigating the applicability of sacred text motivation for general second language learners rather than specific learners with religious preferences. A mixed methods research was conducted with the help of 400 participants to examine the relationship between being motivated by sacred text and improving reading comprehension. The research confirms significance of relationship between STM-based treatment and improving reading comprehension as a result of quantitative analyses and (...) that the majority of participants hold positive opinion concerning the use of sacred texts in L2 learning to improve reading comprehension based on qualitative analyses. The analyses of the interviews conducted following the administered treatment revealed that the quantitative effect of STM-based treatment can be better explained through qualitative findings. (shrink)

The rise of global terrorism presents a critical challenge to peace and stability worldwide, fueled by divisive ideologies that promote hatred and violence. There is a growing need for alternative frameworks that promote understanding, tolerance, and reconciliation. This paper explores the doctrine of Sufi philosophy as a powerful antidote to global terrorism, examining its principles and practices in fostering peace and countering extremist ideologies. A comprehensive review of literature on Sufi philosophy, Islamic mysticism, and counter-terrorism strategies was conducted to elucidate (...) the principles and practices of Sufism in promoting peace and countering extremist narratives. The findings reveal that Sufi philosophy embodies principles of love, compassion, and spiritual enlightenment, potent antidotes to the rhetoric of hatred and violence propagated by extremist groups. Sufi teachings emphasize the interconnectedness of humanity, fostering a culture of tolerance, understanding, and mutual respect. In conclusion, the doctrine of Sufi philosophy offers a transformative framework for countering global terrorism by addressing its root causes of ignorance, fear, and alienation. Through its emphasis on love, compassion, and spiritual enlightenment, Sufism provides a compelling alternative to extremist ideologies, inspiring individuals and communities worldwide to embrace a path of peace, unity, and understanding. (shrink)

This study investigates how Human Factors is applied when designing and developing Immersive Visual Technologies, including Augmented Reality, Mixed Reality, and Virtual Reality. We interviewed fourteen people working at different organizations, that develop IVT applications in the Nordic region. We used thematic analysis to derive themes from the interviews. The results showed an insufficient knowledge and application of HF in IVT development, due to the lack of awareness of both scope and significance of HF, resource allocation strategy, market inertia, stakeholder's (...) involvement, standardization of HF application and IVT uses, and technology maturity. This situation could be improved by allocating experts, adjusting organizational strategy to balance resource allocation, training developers and user organizations to raise awareness and to encourage co-creative design and knowledge sharing, create a sense of ownership amongst stakeholders, and ensure the usefulness of the technology to the user's work. (shrink)