Abstract: This article analyses the Korean Netflix documentary series In the Name of God: A Holy Betrayal (2023) and its sequel I Am a Survivor (2025) as sites where religious authority, heresy, trauma, and victimhood are publicly renegotiated in contemporary South Korea. Focusing on the case of the Christian Gospel Mission (JMS) led by Jeong Myeong-seok whose seventeen-year prison sentence was confirmed by the South Korean Supreme Court in January 2025, this article argues that the two series enact what it terms mediatised religious unmasking: a documentary mode that performs explicitly theological functions, asking questions of legitimate authority, naming heresy, legitimating survivor testimony, and relocating sacred agency from the charismatic leader to the victim and witness. Drawing on the theoretical framework of digital religious authority, this article situates the series within the broader transformation of religious authority in the digital age whilst attending to the distinctive institutional and regulatory context of South Korean OTT documentary production. Close attention is paid to the formal and aesthetic dimensions of the two series. The article concludes that OTT documentary now functions as a critical domain for the public negotiation of religious authority, posing new challenges for religion-media studies and for the study of new religious movements.

Abstract: This article explores how memory emerges through material environments and em-bodied practices in historic wooden neighbourhoods. Drawing on research from the WoodiSH project (Wooden Cities: Memory, Sustainability and Craft in Historic Neigh-bourhoods), the study examines how knowledge and cultural memory become embed-ded in-built environments through everyday practices of dwelling, repair, and craft. The article proposes the concept of terroir as a conceptual framework for understand-ing historic environments as place-bound ecologies of memory. Originally associated with viticulture, terroir is here expanded to describe how relationships between land-scape, materials, craft traditions, and human practices shape the character and memory of place. By combining this concept with theoretical perspectives from mate-rial culture studies, phenomenology, and 4E cognition (embodied, embedded, enactive, and extended cognition), the article argues that memory is not located solely in human minds but distributed across people, materials, tools, and environments. The discussion further draws on Tim Ingold’s concepts of meshwork and wayfaring to show how knowledge about built heritage emerges through movement, engagement, and practical interaction with material environments. Historic wooden neighbour-hoods in Trondheim, Vilnius, and Pori are approached as living archives in which traces of use, repair, and everyday life accumulate in buildings and landscapes. The article concludes by suggesting that heritage environments should be understood not only as objects of preservation but also as pedagogical and cognitive landscapes. Through attentive engagement with materials, surfaces, and practices, researchers, craftspeople, and residents participate in ongoing dialogues with the past. Memory, in this perspective, is not simply remembered—it is encountered, inhabited, and sus-tained through material practice.

Abstract: Southern Chinese lion dance (nanshi) in Bangkok moves between temple ritual, community representation, school training, and judged competition, yet these domains are rarely analyzed together. Focusing on recent institutional transformation within one influential Teochew-centred ecology, this article examines how ritual governance, competition, and heritage-making have become mutually reinforcing. The study combines multi-sited historical ethnography in Bangkok and Guangdong (2022-2023) with documentary traces from the 2000s-2020s, including temple and association commemorative publications, municipal school records, Thai cultural and competition reporting, heritage registers, and transnational rule texts. It finds that huiguan and temples stabilize calendars, patronage, and authority, while judged competition introduces auditable norms of time, safety, team composition, and difficulty. These regimes do not simply displace ritual; they reorganize it. Certificates, trophies, lion heads, photographs, and anniversary volumes turn performance credentials into community archives that narrate continuity, merit, and public legitimacy. Rather than a linear shift from ritual to sport, the Bangkok case shows how codification, temple-linked patronage, and heritage discourse jointly reshape a diasporic ritual practice.

Abstract: The question of how meaning arises from communication, cognition, and experience remains unresolved across philosophy and cognitive science. Existing theories variously attribute meaning to intention, linguistic structure, interpretation, or subjective valuation, yet fail to integrate these dimensions into a unified framework.The Awareness-Based Meaning System (ABMS) proposes a process-based model in which meaning is not transmitted as an intrinsic property of messages but emerges through a valuation-dependent reconstruction within awareness. In this framework, messaging originates at the source as either Appearance-Based Messaging (ABM), grounded in shared conventions, or Intention-Based Messaging (IBM), which embeds generative depth through intention. At the recipient, messaging undergoes interpretive processing (IP), producing informational intelligence, followed by valuation processing (VP), which assigns relevance and transforms information into emotionally charged intelligence. Meaning arises only when this valuation-integrated content is incorporated into awareness as Recognition-Based Meaning (RBM).ABMS introduces a critical distinction between generative depth and realized meaning, and predicts a fundamental asymmetry between intention-based messaging and experienced meaning, contrasted with relative symmetry in convention-based messaging. This framework unifies and extends existing theories by specifying how intention, interpretation, valuation, and awareness interact to produce meaningful experience.Furthermore, ABMS generates empirically testable predictions, including the necessity of valuation for meaning formation and the dissociation between interpretive depth and meaningful experience. By formalizing the transformation from messaging to meaning, ABMS provides a coherent theoretical and experimental foundation for investigating meaning as an awareness-dependent and valuation-driven process.

Abstract: We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.”— Aristotle (paraphrased by Will Durant)Quality improvement is not merely a managerial obligation—it is an art of refinement and a disciplined pursuit of excellence that has shaped industries for over a century. From the statistical precision of Six Sigma at Motorola to the philosophy of continuous improvement embodied in Kaizen at Toyota, and from the investigative clarity of Fishbone Diagrams to the predictive foresight of Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA) used in aerospace systems, each methodology offers a unique pathway toward operational perfection. This article presents a structured exploration of twenty influential quality improvement methodologies. Each method is explained through clear procedural steps, illustrated with block diagrams, and supported by real-world case studies drawn from leading technology organisations such as Toyota, Google, Apple, Microsoft, Samsung, Amazon, Tesla, and Intel. Beyond industrial applications, these methods reveal broader principles of disciplined thinking, systematic learning, and continuous growth. Ultimately, the philosophy of quality improvement extends beyond organisations—it provides a powerful framework for improving personal learning, professional development, and everyday decision-making.

Abstract: Introduction: Bodybuilding is fundamentally influenced by biomechanical efficiency, which plays a crucial role in optimizing muscular development and minimizing the risk of injury. Despite its widespread significance, the systematic integration of biomechanical principles in bodybuilding practice remains insufficiently explored, especially within emerging fitness communities. Objective: The primary aim of this systematic review is to synthesize current scientific evidence regarding the biomechanical principles that underpin effective bodybuilding techniques. The review seeks to identify key mechanical factors that influence performance outcomes and to propose practical recommendations for enhancing training efficacy and athlete safety. Methodology: A comprehensive analysis of 23 peer-reviewed studies was conducted, focusing on the relationship between biomechanical variables such as joint angles, body alignment, and load application and their effects on muscle recruitment and strength enhancement. The studies were selected based on relevance, methodological quality, and contribution to applied bodybuilding biomechanics. Results: The findings indicate that precise manipulation of joint positioning, optimized load distribution, and correct body posture significantly improve muscle activation and strength development. These elements, when systematically applied, contribute to greater training efficiency and reduced injury incidence. Discussion: The outcomes of this review corroborate existing literature in sports science, while offering bodybuilding-specific insights that address a notable research gap. The contextual relevance to Albania further underscores the need for biomechanical education in evolving fitness sectors.Conclusions: Incorporating biomechanical principles into bodybuilding training can substantially improve performance, safety, and long-term health outcomes. Future research should pursue longitudinal and intervention-based studies to further validate these findings and inform practice.

Abstract: Religion, culture, and ethnic heritage play a significant role in shaping migrant identities. This paper investigates the interplay of these factors in the identity formation of African Christian migrants in Europe. In particular, it analyzes how second-generation (2G) migrants integrate Western secular values with Pentecostal orientations to facilitate upward social mobility. The analysis is based on a critical review of existing literature, supported by selected ethnographic case studies and qualitative interviews discussed in the cited works. By drawing on empirical research from various European contexts, this study aims to provide a rigorous and multidimensional understanding of intergenerational identity reconstruction among 2G African Christians. By centering the Pentecostal family as a primary site of socialization, this paper explores how 2G African Christians both distance themselves from indigenous African spirit cosmologies and adapt elements of these cosmologies to pursue secular, achievement-oriented objectives. This dialectical engagement highlights a generational shift: while first-generation migrants depend heavily on religion and religious institutions for integration, 2G migrants prioritize secular aspirations as they navigate socioeconomic structures, negotiate belonging, and construct new forms of transnational identity.

Abstract: The security crisis in Burkina Faso has displaced over two million people, disproportionately affecting women and children, who are exposed to multiple forms of violence. This study assesses the resilience capacity of internally displaced women in the Boucle du Mouhoun region. A mixed-methods approach was employed with 1,056 participants, combining questionnaires administered via KoboToolbox and semi-structured interviews, in compliance with ethical standards. Findings reveal statistically significant correlations between year of displacement and both physical (r = 0.150, p = 0.017) and psychological violence (r = 0.072, p = 0.022). Nearly 46.74% of respondents lost relatives in atrocious circumstances (summary executions, throat-slitting, immolation), generating post-traumatic disorders including chronic insomnia, flashbacks, and psychosis. Despite psychosocial support from NGOs, prayer (39.74%) and silence (23.36%) remain the predominant coping strategies. These findings underscore the imperative for psychosocial interventions grounded in the victims’ cultural habitus to enhance their effectiveness.

Abstract: Competency-Based Education (CBE) represents a significant shift from traditional higher education, emphasizing learning outcomes and mastery of specific skills over time-based credit systems. Synthesizing findings from 73 peer-reviewed empirical studies and official institutional data, the analysis examines the core principles of CBE, its implementation frameworks, and its practical application in higher education institutions. The analysis further reveals how CBE addresses current challenges in postsecondary education, including providing flexible learning pathways, developing industry-relevant skills, and achieving measurable learning outcomes. Through institutional case studies and implementation strategies, this analysis provides a framework for understanding CBE's role in transforming higher education and assessing student achievement.

Abstract: This study examined the potential of AI-assisted tools to improve English language learning for neurodiverse students (with ADHD, dyslexia, or autism) in low-resource settings in Iran, considering student and teacher perspectives and students’ lan-guage-learning outcomes. The study used a convergent mixed-methods design, and 142 neurodiverse learners and 97 teachers participated through surveys, a 4-week ex-perimental study involving 30 learners (15 AI intervention, 15 controls), and semi-structured interviews with 15 learners, 10 teachers, and five parents. The out-comes were positive: learners stated that they enjoy adaptive features such as multi-modal input and gamification (M=4.2/5) and are motivated by them, and teachers found inclusivity to be important but perceived low confidence (M=2.7/5) because of the training gaps. The AI group showed substantial improvements in vocabulary (+16.3, d=1.21), reading comprehension (+13.3, d=1.05), and oral fluency (+9.2 wpm, d=0.89) compared to controls. Qualitative themes emphasized personalization as em-powerment, as well as obstacles such as infrastructural constraints, exam-based cur-ricula, and cultural cynicism. Recommendations were provided on the transformative power of AI in promoting equity and the need to train teachers and make changes in low-resource schools.

Abstract: Strategic decision-making (SDM) has traditionally been viewed as a human activity based on judgment, experience, and negotiation among senior managers. These decisions are limited by attention constraints, incomplete information, and bounded rationality. Today, many firms embed artificial intelligence (AI) and algorithmic decision-making systems into strategic processes. In some cases, algorithms do more than support managers. They filter options, rank priorities, and strongly shape final decisions. This article asks when SDM remains meaningfully human and when it becomes effectively algorithmic in algorithmically mediated enterprises. The study uses a theory-building integrative review of 62 contributions from strategy, information systems, behavioural research, and governance. It compares human and algorithmic decision-making across five dimensions: interpretive authority, search structure, time orientation, accountability, and scalability. Based on this analysis, it develops a framework of human–AI decision structures. The framework identifies three main forms: human-dominant, sequential hybrid (AI-to-human or human-to-AI), and aggregated human–AI governance structures. Each form affects not only decision accuracy but also power, learning, agency, and accountability. The key challenge is not to defend purely human strategy. It is to design governance systems where decision rights, oversight, and contestability remain strong when algorithms act as active decision participants.

Abstract: This study examines how AI-assisted artistic practices reshape authorship, cultural ownership, and museum governance through the lens of cultural sustainability. Drawing on qualitative methods including literature analysis, expert interviews, and exhibition case studies, it explores emerging ethical challenges related to data provenance, creative agency, and institutional responsibility. The findings reveal hybrid forms of authorship that disrupt conventional intellectual property frameworks and highlight museums’ growing role as mediators between technological innovation and cultural preservation. While AI-driven exhibitions expand accessibility and engagement, they also risk cultural homogenization. The study offers strategic insights for policymakers and cultural institutions on fostering ethical, inclusive, and sustainable AI integration in artistic practice.

Abstract: The paper examines the acoustic properties of the production of the English vowels by the non-native speakers with two language and cultural backgrounds, namely Pakistani English (PakE) and Arabic English (ArE). The study, through a multi-methodological framework premised on machine learning, explores the impact of the first language on the production of English vowels amongst native speakers of Pahari in Pakistan and Arabic speakers in Saudi Arabia (KSA). The task of the participants (10 participants per region, mixed-sex) was to create a list of English words with specific emphasis on 10 target vowels inserted into carrier sentences with CVC (hVd) structure and no pauses. F1 and F2 formant frequencies and the duration of the vowel were extracted using PRAAT version 6.1.04. Analysis and visualisation of this data was performed in Python and involved the use of vowel space plots, computation of Euclidean distances, and patterns of clustering among the speakers. Vowel classification and predicting speaker groups were analyzed by supervised and unsupervised machine learning algorithms, including k-means clustering and logistic regression. This was the process that demonstrated phonological patterns in the two groups with system. The results indicated that there were consistent internal differences in each of the groups and significant differences compared to the British English vowel targets. These findings indicate that PakE and ArE have organized phonological regulations. The implications of the study are on the teaching of pronunciation, building of speech recognition systems, and the development of region-specific text-to-speech (TTS) synthesisers. The study also discusses the importance of open-source tools in computational phonetics, with Python-based analysis becoming a common element of code-driven processing.

Abstract: There has been an ongoing discussion regarding the significance of corpus-based methods in Stylistics. This study therefore investigates how corpus-based approach can enrich our understanding of themes and style of a literary writer, using one of Niyi Osundare’s collections, titled, The Eye of the Earth. While previous studies on Osundare have richly examined his poems individually through qualitative close reading, none of this scholarship has attempted a corpus-based quantitative method. Using Mahberg’s (2013) criteria, KWIC analysis show that content keywords (i.e. earth, like, sun, forest, and rain) in poems foreground the themes of nature and human ecosystem, which is further verified by the deliberate deployment of Yoruba lexical items like Olosunta and Iroko having the highest frequency of occurrence in the entire collection. These quantitative patterns corroborate submissions by earlier qualitative studies (Onyejizu & Obi, 2020; Amore & Amusan, 2016). The study also identified certain stylistic regularities in the poem that may not be easily recognized by close reading. This shows how a corpus-assisted discourse method amplifies detail that might be hidden to close reading especially the integration of relevant Yoruba words in strategic positions to invoke realities that are deeply rooted in Yoruba oral traditions. The smooth flow of Yoruba language as a means of complementing the thematic ideas already captured in English language depicts Osundare as not just a literary icon but a linguistic genius whose literary idiolect is a product of premeditation and perspiration to reflect cultural identity, cosmology, ecology.

Abstract: Examination malpractice remains a significant challenge in higher education, undermining academic integrity and the credibility of qualifications. This study aimed to explore students’ perceptions of invigilation as a strategy for preventing academic dishonesty, assess the adequacy of current invigilation practices, and examine how different types of invigilation influence cheating behaviors. An exploratory quantitative research design was employed, collecting data from 295 Zambian university students using a structured electronic questionnaire. Descriptive statistics, including means and standard deviations, were used to summarize participants’ responses. The results revealed that a majority of students perceive invigilation as effective in reducing cheating (M = 3.90, SD = 1.13) and are generally satisfied with the adequacy of current invigilation practices (M = 3.64, SD = 1.14). Strict invigilation was identified as the most effective approach to deterring malpractice (58.4%), while students reported moderate variability in adherence to proper examination procedures (M = 3.59, SD = 1.24). However, perceptions of the effectiveness of specific types of invigilation were lower (M = 2.54, SD = 0.58), suggesting that while supervision is valued, its implementation and style can influence its deterrent effect. The study concludes that vigilant, well-staffed, and consistently applied invigilation practices are crucial for maintaining examination integrity and minimizing academic dishonesty.

Abstract: This study takes Liu Tongfang's article Marx's Intellectual Measure, published in Guangming Daily, as its sole subject of investigation. Its objective is to examine the theoretical validity and interpretative boundaries of the author's approach to synthesising Marx's thought through the concept of ‘measure’. This analysis is conducted across three dimensions: conceptual legitimacy, historical interpretative mechanisms, and consistency with the Sinicisation of Marxism in the new era. The research thereby addresses the core question: ‘Does this article possess an academic argumentative structure that is reviewable, reproducible, and testable?’ Methodologically, this paper constructs and implements a triple-algorithm review process comprising ‘formal logical audit—generative verification through intellectual history—contemporaneous consistency testing.’ Employing a Chinese clause-numbering system and rule-driven quantitative metrics, it conducts structured, reproducible evidence audits on: the semantic stability of core concepts; the sufficiency of boundaries in social stage delineation; the explicitness of contradiction mechanism chains; and the operationality of era mapping. Calculations yield the following indices: Boundary Adequacy Index (Boundary Adequacy Index ≈ 0.389), Normative Substitution Index for Mechanism Explanation (Normative Substitution Index ≈ 0.161), Mechanism Explicitness Score (Mechanism Explicitness ≈ 0.738), and Sentence Coverage Rate (Sentence Coverage Rate ≈ 0.421). These quantitative outcomes anchor the scope of argumentation and strength of reasoning. Findings indicate that ‘scale’ concurrently fulfils dual functions of empirical description and normative evaluation within the text. Its transdisciplinary migration from physical or existential spatial extension to the boundaries of consciousness, cognition, and value lacks requisite mediating rules and verifiable derivation chains, thereby generating auditable semantic slippage risks. The text exhibits strong macro-level coherence in its phased narrative of ‘prehistory and true human history’ alongside ‘human dependency, material dependency, and free individuality.’ However, insufficient articulation of boundary conditions concerning mutual exclusivity, exhaustiveness, and transitional forms renders the phasing closer to a value hierarchy than a falsifiable explanatory model. Though multiple passages simultaneously present the contradiction between productive forces and relations of production alongside the developmental goal of free individuality, key arguments exhibit a tendency to substitute normative objectives for mechanism-chain decomposition, thereby weakening the testability of historical materialist explanations. The integration of Marx's theoretical resources across different periods within the intellectual history lacks explicit annotation of generative differences and methodological shifts, while the world-historical narrative insufficiently bridges the stage structure of capitalism with the deepening of imperialism theory. Within the framework of Sinicised Marxism in the new era, the indicator-based mapping interface for ‘people-centred development, practical verification, and Chinese-style modernisation’ remains relatively weak, hindering its direct translation into an operational evaluation system. The research concludes that Marx's Measure of Thought demonstrates theoretical ambition in its comprehensive exposition and value synthesis, yet its pivotal arguments require enhanced reviewability and reproducibility through conceptual semantic constraints, explicit phase boundary conditions, and the explicitation of contradiction mechanism chains. The proposed ‘logical-historical-epochal’ triple-audit framework and quantitative indicator system can provide transferable, top-tier structural assessment tools and standardised rewriting pathways for similar comprehensive philosophical texts.

Abstract: The study investigated the effect of Green Information and Communication Technology Adoption (GICTA) on adolescents’ perceptual, attitudinal, and behavioral adaptations regarding environmental sustainability at the higher secondary level. To determine causal relationships, a true experimental randomized pretest–post-test design was adopted. The sample comprised 84 adolescent boys and girls from schools of Kolkata, representing Science, Commerce, and Arts streams by one-to-one matched process to get equivalent experimental and control groups. A standardized questionnaire was used to collect data that measured perception, attitude and behavioral adaptation across the three environmental dimensions, i.e. pollution, energy efficiency and waste management. The experimental group received a structured GICTA-based intervention across 16 instructional sessions, while the control group received no intervention. Analysis of data was carried out using t-tests, ANOVA and MANOVA which demonstrated that GICTA produced significant and substantial improvements in perceptual, attitudinal, and behavioral adaptations among adolescents, with large effect sizes in the experimental group and negligible changes in the control group. The intervention was gender-neutral, which effectively removed the pre-existing gender differences in all domains. Behavioral adaptation was found to have the highest gains, then attitudinal and perceptual changes. Stream-wise analysis showed that Science students had experienced the greatest gains, Commerce students had a neutral effect and Arts students had weaker results, with no significant interactions effects. Comprehensively, the results make GICTA an effective, comprehensive, and pedagogically viable method of instilling complete environmental adaptation in adolescents.

Abstract: Public trust in the judiciary is fundamental for upholding the rule of law and ensuring democratic stability. However, in Puntland, Somalia, issues such as fairness, accessibility, and the influence of politics or clans may deter citizens from utilizing formal courts. This study assessed the level of public trust in the judiciary in Qardho, Garowe, and Bossaso. A cross-sectional mixed-methods approach was employed, involving a survey of 400 residents using a KOBO-based structured questionnaire and 12 key informant interviews with judges, lawyers, elders, and religious leaders. Quantita-tive data were analyzed through descriptive statistics, correlations, chi-square tests, and regression in Stata, while qual-itative data underwent thematic analysis. Overall, confidence was moderate: 62% agreed that the judiciary is fair and impartial, 55.25% had confidence in judges' independence, 63.5% trusted the enforcement of decisions, and 62.5% viewed processes as transparent. Confidence was most strongly linked to perceived enforcement (ρ = 0.730), judicial in-dependence (ρ = 0.699), and fairness (ρ = 0.686), with age (p = 0.001) and education (p < 0.001) significantly associated with confidence, unlike gender (p = 0.497) and work experience (p = 0.384). Enhancing decision enforcement, transpar-ency, access to information, and protections for judicial independence is vital for boosting public trust.

Abstract: The swift amalgamation of artificial intelligence (AI) into educational contexts has transformed the ways learners interact with instructional materials, offering new avenues for fostering autonomy. This narrative review investigates the role of AI-driven learning platforms in enhancing learner autonomy by examining features such as personalized learning pathways, adaptive feedback, and metacognitive support. Utilizing evidence from empirical studies, systematic reviews, and experimental research, the findings indicate that AI platforms significantly improve learners’ self-regulation, goal-setting, reflective practices, and independent engagement with content. However, the impact of AI on autonomy is mediated by learner characteristics, context, and the degree of control students have over AI tools. While AI personalization enhances motivation and digital literacy, excessive reliance without pedagogical guidance may impede autonomous learning. The study emphasizes the importance of intentional integration, equitable access, and scaffolding to maximize the benefits of AI for learner autonomy. These insights contribute to the growing discourse on technology-enhanced education, providing practical recommendations for educators and institutions seeking to cultivate self-directed learners in the digital era.

Abstract: The rapid integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) into education has created both transformative opportunities and complex challenges for teaching and learning. This study provides a comprehensive systematic narrative review of the existing literature on AI in educational contexts, focusing on its potential to enhance personalized learning, support instructional efficiency, and facilitate data-driven decision-making. AI-driven tools, including adaptive learning platforms, intelligent tutoring systems, and automated assessment technologies, were found to improve student engagement, academic outcomes, and collaborative learning when implemented thoughtfully. However, the study also highlights persistent challenges such as limited teacher preparedness, infrastructure constraints, and inequitable access to technology, which may hinder effective AI adoption. Ethical considerations—including data privacy, algorithmic transparency, cultural alignment, and academic integrity—further underscore the need for responsible and human-centered integration of AI in schools. Findings suggest that AI’s educational value depends not only on technological sophistication but also on its alignment with pedagogical objectives, ethical principles, and institutional readiness. To maximize benefits, the study recommends investments in professional development, infrastructure, equitable access, and clear ethical guidelines, alongside strategies that balance AI use with traditional teaching approaches. Overall, this research emphasizes that AI should complement, rather than replace, human educators, ensuring that technological innovation enhances learning while safeguarding student rights and fostering critical thinking.