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Article
Arts and Humanities
Religious Studies

Anderson Fabián Santos Meza,

Hugo Córdova Quero

Abstract: Christian Zionism has been one of the most influential theological currents within global evangelicalism, with a significant impact in Abya Yala [the Americas] through evangelical missions[1] and the growth of Pentecostalism and Neo-Pentecostalism. Its close relationship with dispensationalist premillennialism has consolidated an interpretation of biblical history that places Israel at the center of eschatological events, promoting unconditional support for the Israeli state. However, this vision has been strongly questioned by other Christian currents in the region, especially by Latin American Liberation Theology (TLL) and the ecumenical movement, which have denounced the strategic use of the Bible to legitimize the Israeli occupation in Palestine; moreover, it is relevant given that “in our region, economic, political and military apparatuses violently deploy discourses of religious content, in the manner of crusades to reach power and dispose of territories, goods, and peoples.”[2] Despite these tensions, sustained dialogues on the subject have been absent, which calls for an in-depth analysis of its theological, political, and social implications.On the systematic approach to Christian Zionism, it is essential to note the two premises that Elizabeth Philipps, in 2008, pointed out in her research entitled Apocalyptic Theopolitics: Dispensationalism, Israel/Palestine, and Ecclesial Enactments of Eschatology: “(1) exposé pieces written journalistically for audiences unfamiliar with Christian Zionism, and (2) awareness-raising pieces written by evangelical leaders and scholars to dissuade evangelical audiences from adherence to Christian Zionism. Of the few recent works on Christian Zionism written for scholarly readers, none is written by a theologian” (p. 4).[3]Likewise, for authors such as Gerald R. McDermott, Zionism is a phenomenon before the appearance of dispensationalist premillennialism and evangelical Zionism. This author assures that Zionism traces its roots some eighteen centuries earlier with antecedents in the Hebrew Bible —the covenant of Yahweh with Israel and the promised land— and in the Jewish authors who wrote part of the Christian Bible maintaining that vision in the figure of the return of the Jewish Diaspora to establish a new Israel.[4] On the other hand, some authors argue that it is not necessarily possible to equate premillennialism and fundamentalism, since although there are notable coincidences, there are also many divergences.[5] This chapter addresses the relationship between evangelical Zionism and the evangelical churches in Abya Yala, exploring both their expansion and the critical responses from liberationist and ecumenical perspectives. To this end, it is divided into four main sections. The first section analyzes the theological framework that has shaped Christian Zionism. It will explore dispensationalist premillennialism, its influence on the literalist interpretation of biblical prophecy, and its impact on global politics, especially concerning Israel. It will examine how this view has influenced Latin American evangelical churches, shaping their perspective on the Jewish people's role and the world’s eschatological destiny.The second section addresses how evangelical missions have promoted Christian Zionism in the region. It studies the role of missionary organizations and evangelical leaders in disseminating narratives that reinforce support for Israel and how these positions have influenced the foreign policy of Latin American countries. In addition, we analyze the evangelization strategies used and their impact on the construction of religious identities in Abya Yala.The third section explores the response of progressive theological movements to Christian Zionism. It examines how the TLL has denounced the instrumentalization of the Bible to justify oppression and how ecumenical churches have promoted a critical view of the Israeli occupation. The lack of an open debate between these sectors and Christian Zionism is also discussed, as are the reasons behind this absence of dialogue.Finally, the fourth section proposes the importance of opening a space for debate among the different Christian currents in Abya Yala. It reflects the need for a theology that prioritizes peace and justice, instead of apocalyptic narratives that reinforce geopolitical conflicts. The possibility of building bridges between evangelical, liberationist, and ecumenical sectors to promote a more ethical vision committed to the social reality of the region is raised.This chapter, therefore, offers a comprehensive analysis of Christian Zionism’s impact in Abya Yala, its theological roots, its expansion through evangelical missions, and the responses it has generated in progressive Christianity. In doing so, it seeks to contribute to a deeper debate on the role of religion in international politics and its influence on faith communities in the region. [1] It is important to recall that, since the Missionary Council of Panama in 1916, the historic Protestant churches in Latin America —direct heirs of the sixteenth-century Reformation— began to adopt the name evangélicas instead of protestantes. This shift, however, should not be confused with the use of the term “evangelical” in the U.S. context, which typically refers to conservative evangelical churches that emerged in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. In this chapter, this distinction is crucial for Latin American religious studies: iglesias evangélicas históricas (mainline Protestant churches) are differentiated from iglesias evangelicales, often aligned with U.S.-style evangelicalism in theology, practice, and political positioning. For more information, see: Córdova Quero, Hugo (2014). El desafío del diálogo. Historia, definiciones y problemáticas del ecumenismo y la pluralidad religiosa (Buenos Aires: GEMRIP Ediciones). [2] Cardoso Pereira, Nancy, Sandra Nancy Mansilla, and Larry Madrigal Rajo. “Introducción.” Revista de Interpretación Bíblica Latinoamericana 93 (2024): 7. [3] Philipps, Elizabeth. Apocalyptic Theopolitics: Dispensationalism, Israel/Palestine, and Ecclesial Enactments of Eschatology (Cambridge: University of Cambridge, 2008). [4] McDermott, Gerald R. “A New Christian Zionism.” Providence Magazine (April 2016): pp. 57-62. [5] Martins Campos, Breno, and Aretha Beatriz Brito Da Rocha. “Aproximações e distanciamentos entre fundamentalismo e pré-milenarismo: por uma tipologia do protestantismo a incluir John Gresham Machen.” Revista Caminhando 24, no. 1 (2019): pp. 193-213.
Article
Arts and Humanities
Architecture

Jorge Andrés Velázquez Peña

Abstract: Interior design has a profound impact on the perception and psychological well-being of individuals within a space. This effect is driven by the interaction of elements like color, textures, decorative items, and lighting, which influence the senses and emotions. A thoughtfully planned interior design can serve as a strategic tool to enhance mental health, boosting productivity, creativity, and overall well-being, while also affecting the sensory experience through lighting, colors, textures, spatial layout, and materials. The research employed documentation of specialized texts and direct observation of modified spaces. It concludes that a well-balanced interior design transforms spaces into functional and emotionally engaging environments, highlighting the link between interior design and environmental psychology.
Article
Arts and Humanities
Humanities

Aadil Bouhlaoui

Abstract: This article presents a comprehensive analysis of artificial intelligence (AI) agent deployment strategies for countering online extremism, with particular focus on addressing the phenomenon of digital radicalization in Islamic contexts. Drawing upon recent developments in AI capabilities, evolving legal frameworks including the EU AI Act, and emerging patterns of extremist adaptation to digital technologies, this study examines the technical feasibility, legal permissibility, ethical implications, and theological dimensions of AI-mediated counter-extremism operations. The research integrates contemporary case studies, including the Islamic State's 2023 AI propaganda guide and the systematic migration of extremist activities to gaming platforms, to provide evidence-based strategic recommendations for policymakers and security practitioners. The analysis reveals a fundamental tension between the definitional ambiguity surrounding "Keyboard Jihad" and operational requirements for precise targeting. While academics employ the term to describe legitimate intellectual efforts to rectify misperceptions of Islam, security practitioners use it to denote online terrorist propaganda and recruitment activities. This definitional dichotomy presents severe operational risks of misidentifying legitimate discourse, potentially validating extremist narratives and causing strategic blowback that undermines counter-extremism objectives. Through systematic evaluation of three distinct AI agent deployment models—overt analytical agents, direct engagement agents, and covert engagement agents—this study demonstrates that transparent, community-partnered approaches offer superior strategic effectiveness compared to surveillance-based or deceptive methodologies. The research establishes that direct engagement AI agents, designed to provide authentic theological guidance and counter-narratives, represent the most promising paradigm for addressing critical gaps in legitimate Islamic knowledge (Al-Ilm Al-Shari) that extremist groups exploit for recruitment and radicalization purposes. The study concludes that covert AI agents for engagement and influence operations present insurmountable legal, ethical, and strategic barriers under current regulatory frameworks, particularly the EU AI Act's comprehensive requirements for high-risk AI systems. Conversely, the principle of maslaha (public interest) in Islamic jurisprudence provides theological justification for transparent AI agents that offer authentic guidance while respecting community values and democratic principles. The article proposes a three-track strategic framework prioritizing immediate deployment of overt analytical capabilities with comprehensive safeguards, pilot development of direct engagement agents through extensive community consultation and theological validation, and suspension of covert engagement capabilities pending explicit legal authorization and public debate. This approach emphasizes competing with extremist narratives through superior theological authenticity and genuine community partnership rather than through deception or surveillance, aligning strategic effectiveness with democratic values and human rights protections.
Article
Arts and Humanities
Architecture

Diana Salgado Benítez

Abstract: Interior design is closely related to the diversity of the spaces we inhabit on a daily basis. In the educational context, this study aims to analyze how the application of interior design principles can transform university students’ workspaces by evaluating various strategies and elements such as furniture arrangement, lighting, color and ergonomics. Through a review of the literature on environmental psychology and its link to academic performance, as well as surveys applied to university students, it was possible to obtain a deeper understanding of how these factors influence their daily experience and academic outcomes. The findings led to a set of specific recommendations for optimizing university spaces to enhance student well-being, creativity and academic performance.
Essay
Arts and Humanities
Architecture

Xiaogang Xu

Abstract: The construction ruler (营造尺,Yingzao chi) for this hall is 320.6 mm. It adopts the system of large and small rulers that has been in practice since the Tang and Song dynasties. Each large ruler is divided into 10 cun(寸), which is equivalent to 12 small cun(小寸). It uses architectural modulus similar to modern ones. The basic module is 1 chi. Based on this, the macroscopic dimensions are determined and the proportion of the main body is controlled. Four small cun are used as the sub-module, which is one-third of the basic module. Half a chi, that is, six small cun, is also a sub-module of one chi. Based on this, the height of columns, the height of bracket sets, etc. are determined. 0.4 small cun are also a sub-module, which is one-thirtieth of the basic module. This is used to measure various components, such as dou (斗,square blocks), gong (栱,cross-shaped brackets), and fang (枋,horizontal bars).
Article
Arts and Humanities
Music

Bomin Wang

Abstract: This study explores how Philip Glass's post-minimalist techniques in the film score of *The Hours* interact with the film’s non-linear narrative structure. By integrating musicological analysis and film narrative theory, the paper examines the use of micro-variations, additive processes, and repetitive harmonic structures in Glass’s score. These techniques are shown to not only intensify the emotional resonance of the film but also reinforce its fragmented temporal flow across three interwoven storylines. Case studies of specific scenes illustrate how the music's subtle evolution parallels the narrative’s thematic continuity and psychological depth. This research contributes to the understanding of post-minimalist film scoring, emphasizing the aesthetic and structural synergies between music and moving image.
Article
Arts and Humanities
Architecture

Jorge Pablo Aguilar Zavaleta

Abstract: Public works financing faces a critical challenge: while traditional projects meet deadlines and budgets by 75-80%, those with public-private partnerships (PPPs) achieve 90-95% efficiency (MEF-Perú, 2023). However, a study of 37 cases in the US reveals that 40% of PPPs generate disputes due to regulatory failures or financial management (ASCE, 2024). Even more striking, "green bonds" are emerging as a solution, mobilizing USD 500 billion in 2023 for sustainable infrastructure, although "greenwashing" threatens their credibility (Climate Reality Project, 2023). The paradox: while private investment drives innovation (e.g., 20% savings in highway maintenance, CBO, 2024), its focus on profitability can neglect social benefits. Technology (AI, digital twins) promises to optimize costs by 30%, but only 15% of governments adopt it (McKinsey, 2024). The verdict PPPs and innovative tools are key, but they require robust legal frameworks to balance efficiency and equity.
Article
Arts and Humanities
Other

Nina Cristina Ditoiu,

Radu Tarau,

Daniel-George Dumitrașcu,

Altan Abdulamit,

Dan-Sebastian Sacui

Abstract: The main focus is on the cultural, solar, and environmental large-scale contexts that impact small traditional agricultural plots, following the technical input data of agrivoltaics solar power or fish-friendly micro hydropower, considering the cultural landscape. The case study on an existing polder addresses several environmental issues, risk management concerns, energy requirements, and aspects of renewable energy transition, including potential solutions and their impact. Cultural landscape, agricultural plot management, and ecology focusing on traditionally inspired design in rural wetland areas in Romania, Technical vs. Humanistic as a solving path through some inspiring "Dyads" is emphasised in the proposed paper.
Article
Arts and Humanities
Humanities

Ismail A Mageed

Abstract: Fractions continually gift substantial conceptual and procedural hurdles for number one and early secondary college students (Key Stages Two and Three) in arithmetic schooling. Traditional coaching techniques regularly war to bridge the space among concrete expertise and summary illustration, main to rote memorisation in place of actual mastery. This article proposes and explores a singular pedagogical technique: leveraging the inherent homes of fractal geometry to train fractions. Fractals, with their self-similarity, scaling, and recursive nature, provide intuitive visible and structural analogues for fractional principles along with components of an entire, equivalence, ordering, and operations. The paper outlines the conceptual demanding situations normally confronted with the aid of using college students and information how a fractal geometric angle can deal with those. It identifies key open issues that warrant similarly empirical investigation, which includes curriculum integration, trainer training, and efficacy throughout numerous mastering populations. Furthermore, it synthesises a blended theoretical framework, drawing on cognitive load theory, constructivism, inactivism, embodied cognition, and Vygotsky's Zone of Proximal Development, to underpin the fractal technique. Finally, the object explores the combination of sensible exercise methodologies to decorate and support mastering inside this framework, offering a pathway toward attaining deep conceptual mastery of fractions.
Article
Arts and Humanities
Literature and Literary Theory

Christiana Alalinga

Abstract: Proficiency in English is a prerequisite for Ghanaian Senior High School graduates seeking admission into tertiary institutions, yet nearly 50% fail to meet this requirement. This study explores the use of cohesive devices in academic writings (essays) by Assin North Senior High Technical School (Assin North SHTS) final-year students. The study employs a descriptive design. A qualitative approach was utilized, and 105 final-year students were selected through a simple random sampling method. Students’ written texts in mock examinations were used as data sources and were analyzed for their frequency of use of reference, conjunction, ellipsis, substitution, and lexical devices. The findings reveal significant differences between essay types in the use of linguistic ties with conjunction and reference highest in frequency. Informal essays achieved an overall higher average mark (24/50) compared to formal essays (24/50) and story writing (23/50). Successful essays employed a balanced variety of cohesive devices while weaker essays relied heavily on limited types such as conjunctions. Equally striking was a complete absence of ellipsis across all essays in line with previous literature illustrating it in academic writing. The study identifies a need for explicit instruction regarding linguistic ties to enhance writing quality and coherence levels, particularly in high school. This study contributes to the literature on L2 writing in cohesion and also provides insights into curriculum development in an attempt to prepare candidates adequately to fulfill the demands of academic writing in subsequent years.
Article
Arts and Humanities
Humanities

Kassan Kaselema,

Paul Batala

Abstract: This study assesses the impact of crop diversification on crop productivity among smallholder farmers in Malawi, focusing on the interplay of socioeconomic and agronomic factors. Using cross-sectional data from the 2019–2020 Fifth Integrated Household Survey (IHS5), which includes 11,434 observations, a logit regression model was employed to analyse the determinants of crop productivity. Key independent variables included crop diversification, type of fertilizer, farm asset ownership, crop variety, educational level, age, gender, and household size. Diagnostic tests, including the Hosmer-Lemeshow goodness-of-fit test, confirmed the model's suitability and robustness. Results reveal that crop diversification significantly enhances productivity by mitigating risks and optimizing resource use, while factors such as fertilizer type, farm assets, and household size also exhibit positive and significant effects. Conversely, excessive crop variety negatively affects productivity, highlighting the need for an optimal balance in crop selection. The study provides actionable insights for policymakers to promote diversification strategies, improve access to inputs, and strengthen extension services to enhance smallholder productivity. These findings underscore the importance of tailored agricultural interventions in achieving sustainable growth in Malawi’s agricultural sector.
Review
Arts and Humanities
Literature and Literary Theory

Theodor-Nicolae Carp

Abstract: The present essay manuscript proposes and analyzes a new literary-philosophical current termed Axiological Cosmopoetics, exemplified by the book manuscript Lost and Found in the Maze of Desperation. Integrating existential, poetic, and cosmological thought, this current synthesizes values (axiology) and cosmic symbolism in response to the escalating moral crisis of modernity. The text critiques the collapse of moral resonance, human connection, and spiritual meaning, portraying this collapse as a descent into a "Moral Black Hole"—a symbolic structure that embodies not only existential collapse but a gravitational pull toward cultural numbness, metaphysical despair, and the disappearance of truth. This cosmopoetic vortex is simultaneously a threat and a threshold: the site of annihilation or transformation.Through comparative analysis with Schopenhauer’s metaphysical pessimism, Eminescu’s Romanticism, Arghezi’s Symbolism, Cioran’s aphoristic despair, Blaga’s metaphysical mystery, and Eliade’s sacred mythopoeia, the essay establishes Axiological Cosmopoetics as a metaphysical response to spiritual orphanhood. It affirms that only through sacrificial love and the rebirth of cosmic consciousness—symbolized in the union of the New Eve and the fallen Morning Star—can a New Eden arise. This rebirth occurs not through the intensification of Luciferic Knowledge—defined here as the apex of the Fall through the illusion of mastering good and evil—but through its collapse. As the soul reaches the metaphysical midpoint of the Black Hole, it undergoes a metamorphosis into Holy Forgetfulness: an ontological innocence that transcends corrupted reason. Out of this collapse emerges Homo constellatus, the new human capable of connecting the visible and invisible, despair and divinity.Axiological Cosmopoetics emerges from a world in existential collapse, where traditional narratives of meaning no longer suffice to address the experience of disorientation, alienation, and spiritual fragmentation. In this context, Lost and Found in the Maze of Desperation becomes both testimony and blueprint: a metaphysical cartography of despair that dares to articulate the possibility of spiritual reconstitution through poetic structure. The central metaphor of the Moral Black Hole functions as a multidimensional signifier: at once astrophysical, theological, and psychological. It expresses the gravitational force of moral entropy, swallowing the light of meaning, yet paradoxically offering a passage through singularity toward ontological resurrection.This symbolic tension is embodied in the archetype of the Morning Star—the morally lucid, intellectually burdened, and emotionally exiled soul whose descent into the black hole reflects both Christological kenosis and Promethean sacrifice. His implosion, however, is not final. It is contingent on the intervention of the New Eve, the soul-bearing co-savior whose love, humility, and moral courage catch his falling fire and convert collapse into supernova. Their union is not merely romantic but cosmopoetic: a fusion of metaphysical meaning and celestial design that restores balance to a universe fractured by individualism, cynicism, and spiritual decay.In Chapter 5, The Supernova Overcoming the Black Hole from Within, this cosmopoetic architecture reaches its ontological apex. The collapse into the Moral Black Hole does not culminate in annihilation but ignites a metaphysical supernova from within. The protagonist and the New Eve, rather than escaping the abyss, enter it sacrificially. Their shared implosion becomes the crucible of moral ignition, transfiguring entropy into ontological light. The Black Hole is not merely survived—it is rewritten. This lightburst, born from collapse rather than triumph, affirms Axiological Cosmopoetics as a theology of sacred descent. The morning light does not erase the night—it consecrates it. Through this lens, the archetypes of the New Adam and New Eve become not restorers of Eden, but cosmic re-forgers, whose fire renders the void meaningful.The poem The Old and the New exemplifies this redemptive cosmopoetic arc. By reinterpreting the Edenic myth, the poem reframes Eve not as a scapegoat but as a mirror, a gift, a redeemer, whose sacrificial act completes the salvific circuit of the Morning Star. In a reversal of Genesis, the poem argues that feminine agency is not derivative but initiatory, not submissive but salvific. Together, the New Adam and New Eve model a template for moral healing that transcends theological binaries and affirms a mutual path to wholeness.The Drought Before the Armageddon articulates the ecological and eschatological dimension of Axiological Cosmopoetics. The metaphor of drought functions not only as a commentary on environmental degradation, but as a lament for the moral dehydration of modern consciousness. The withering of springs, the dissonance of celestial alignments, and the silence of Heaven suggest the intensification of apocalypse. And yet, the poem’s closing vision—a “paper maze” opening a gate to “Heaven’s Gold”—reaffirms the salvific potential of the written word, of poetics as portal to transcendence.A Dialogue with Mine Guardians of Sleep extends this cosmology inward. Set within a small, dimly lit room, the poem stages a solitary soul’s existential vigil—hovering between death and transformation, despair and divine visitation. The appearance of an ambiguous long-haired figure (possibly angel, reaper, or feminine savior) blurs the boundary between annihilation and rescue. The guardian’s presence—though elusive—signals that even in abandonment, the soul is not alone, and that spiritual resuscitation may yet arise through recognition and communion.The book’s subtitle—Is the Centre of my Cosmic Axis a Black Hole of Alienation?—encapsulates the work’s metaphysical core. It poses a question that reverberates through every chapter, suggesting that the alienated self, though exiled from meaning, may paradoxically become the origin of redemption. The individual soul is both the gravitational center of despair and the latent seed of resurrection.“Through the Land of Nowhere as a Nobody," "The drama of the Cosmic Orphan," and "The humans who connect everything... and everyone" constitute three additional poems that collectively illuminate the theoretical framework of Axiological Cosmopoetics as articulated in Carp's broader manuscript "Lost and Found in the Maze of Desperation." These works demonstrate the movement's central concern with synthesizing values (axiology) and cosmic symbolism in response to modernity's escalating moral crisis. The archaic biblical language ("mine temple," "hast been stolen") combined with contemporary technological imagery ("metal birds," "sound portals") creates the temporal dissonance characteristic of cosmopoetic discourse—a language adequate to spiritual displacement that nonetheless reaches toward eternal truth. Moreover, the progression from “cosmic orphans” to "constellated ones" traced across these three poems illustrates the movement toward "Homo constellatus"—the new human capable of connecting visible and invisible realms. The healing agents of the final poem, "made of the essence of / The Eternal Morning Light," represent the emergence from collapse of beings who can restore authentic connection and protect indigenous wisdom against spiritual plagiarism.With the addition of From Hyperion to Homo constellatus: The Descent of the Morning Star and the Birth of Axiological Cosmopoetics, the work also maps a sacred literary geography, interpreting Maramureș and Bukovina as the heart of the European continent and the ovaries of ancestral memory, forming the cosmic uterus of metaphysical gestation. Vrancea, in this vision, becomes the cervix of manifestation: the seismic threshold through which Homo constellatus is delivered. The Romanian geographical context—particularly the Carpathian birth-waters “held by the floodgates of river dams”—suggests the biogeographical dimension of Carp's cosmology, where Vrancea becomes the "cervix of manifestation" through which spiritual renewal emerges. While rooted in symbolic interpretation, this framework does not diminish the real human cost of natural disasters; rather, it seeks to understand how such events become woven into the metaphysical and literary imagination. The three historical earthquakes (1940, 1977, and the anticipated future quake) are framed as sacred contractions—with the next one not marking catastrophe, but crowning. Thus, the Earth itself is understood as midwife in a spiritual birth that unites geography, theology, and literature.The descent of Mihai Eminescu from Bukovina to Southern Romania—mirrored by Carp’s own trajectory from Suceava to Bucharest—now appears not merely historical but prophetic. Read cosmopoetically, it charts the descent of the Morning Star through the symbolic anatomy of Romania: from the northern womb of spiritual memory, through the seismic cervix of Vrancea, and into the moral theater of the South. It is here, in the tremor before birth, that meaning may be rekindled. This biogeographical arc does not imply causality but evokes a sacred narrative of descent and delivery—a national liturgy hidden in topography.As such, Axiological Cosmopoetics is not simply a literary genre—it is a spiritual tradition forged in the furnace of metaphysical collapse. Rooted in the anguish of modern consciousness yet reaching toward transcendent reconciliation, it reclaims the poetic word as a vessel of truth, resurrection, and sacred moral orientation. This essay outlines the contours of this movement through a deep reading of Lost and Found, showing that this work represents a significant and necessary step toward the reintegration of the sacred, the beautiful, and the moral in contemporary literature.Framing this entire system is the Axiomatic Declaration titled From Eminescu to Regenesis, which serves as a poetic manifesto of the cosmopoetic descent. It contrasts Mihai Eminescu’s suspended Hyperion—the weeping Morning Star of metaphysical estrangement—with Carp’s own vision of sacred incarnation: the Morning Star falling into the Temple of Biology, igniting a supernova in the core of the moral black hole. This cosmic act, catalyzed by the sacrificial courage of the New Eve, marks a new genesis—not from above, but from within.What was once mourning becomes Morning. The light no longer hovers — it dwells. It resurrects.Footnote: The framing of earthquakes as “sacred contractions” and river dams as “floodgates” whose rupture would symbolize a “break of national birth water” is used strictly within a cosmopoetic and metaphorical register. These images are not intended, in any way, to diminish or trivialize the profound human suffering caused by real seismic events. Their function is symbolic, not descriptive or predictive.
Article
Arts and Humanities
Humanities

Wendy Carter

Abstract: The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly altered the global economic landscape, impacting not only macroeconomic systems but also the financial behaviors and psychological states of individuals. This paper investigates the economic consequences of the pandemic at the individual level, focusing on decision-making under uncertainty and the role of low mood in shaping financial choices. Integrating perspectives from behavioral economics and cognitive psychology, we examine how heightened uncertainty, perceived loss of control, and affective disturbances, such as anxiety and depression, have influenced economic behaviors including risk tolerance, time discounting, and consumption postponement. The findings suggest that economic decision-making during crises is deeply intertwined with psychological conditions, revealing how emotional priming, stress-related cognitive distortions, and uncertainty-induced pessimism can lead to suboptimal financial choices. These insights underscore the need for interdisciplinary approaches in designing policy measures that address not only material welfare but also psychological resilience in times of economic turmoil.
Article
Arts and Humanities
Humanities

Fang Fang,

Yaru Meng,

Lingjie Tang,

Yu Cui

Abstract: In the evolving landscape of online language learning, Informal Digital Learning of English (IDLE) plays a crucial role, particularly among EFL learners. Previous research has investigated the direct impact of IDLE on online learning engagement. However, little attention has been given to the underlying mechanisms that drive this relationship. To address the gap, this study examined the mediating roles of online learning flow,self-efficacy (OLSE) and behavioral intention in the relationship between IDLE and engagement, with survey data collected from 1,194 Chinese EFL learners. Findings reveal that flow, OLSE and behavioral intention serves as key mediators between IDLE and engagement in the digital setting. These results provide deeper insights into how informal digital learning shapes engagement in digital contexts, offering valuable implications for both educational theory and digital learning practices.
Review
Arts and Humanities
Other

Oluwakemi Olurinola

Abstract: This review critically synthesizes 43 empirical, conceptual, and policy-driven studies on AI integration frameworks in education (2021–2025), guided by PRISMA methodology, studies were selected for thematic synthesis based on peer-reviewed literature sourced from Scopus, ERIC, Web of Science and others. The review explores key domains of AI integration, key findings reveal thematic convergence around pedagogical alignment, ethical AI use, teacher capacity, contextual relevance for LMICs, and infrastructural considerations. Global frameworks such as UNESCO’s Competency Model and adaptations of TPACK and SAMR dominate the discourse, but often fall short of addressing LMIC-specific realities. The Educators’ Artificial Intelligence Literacy (EDAIL) framework emerges as a context-sensitive extension, developed through co-creation with African educators. EDAIL’s emphasis on the “What, Why, How, and When” of AI use offers a pragmatic, teacher-centered roadmap, bridging ethical imperatives and pedagogical integration. The study highlights the urgent need for adaptable, equity-oriented AI strategies in education and positions EDAIL as a scalable model to guide AI implementation in resource-constrained educational settings.
Review
Arts and Humanities
Literature and Literary Theory

Theodor-Nicolae Carp

Abstract: The present manuscript, rooted in literary review and philosophical exploration, is inspired by Theodor-Nicolae Carp’s poetic-prophetic manuscript The Conquest from Within and the Incoming Platonic Revolution. The work situates itself in the lineage of Arthur Schopenhauer’s ontological suffering and Mihai Eminescu’s cosmic melancholy, while proposing a transformative continuation: the reawakening of platonic intimacy as a redemptive force for human and cultural fragmentation.Drawing upon literary arts as its primary lens, the paper explores platonic intimacy—understood as non-romantic, spiritually conscious emotional connection—as both metaphor and method for reintegrating the fractured modern soul. At its core lies Carp’s Philosophical Prelude, a lyrical reflection that rejects despair and embraces the “intellectual fire” of suffering as a crucible for metamorphosis.The manuscript engages with the poem Inner Monologue: Future, Progress and Knowledge, in which geographic exile, spiritual orphanhood, and prophetic renewal converge to reveal the moral collapse of modern society while gesturing toward cosmic reintegration. Further reflections on this poem are explored in the Introduction section.This vision finds further expansion in the lyrical fragment Elegy of Mine Exile, where suffering is transfigured into a prenatal fire and invisibility becomes a sacred threshold. A considerable number of stanzas unfold this vision into ecological, theological, and anthropological dimensions: the soul's descent becomes the fermentation of a New Eden; cosmic orphanhood is reimagined as archetypal human identity; and Homo constellatus emerges as a being forged through elemental union and divine inheritance. The poem culminates in a vision of resurrectional intimacy and co-creative union, presenting exile not as disappearance but as divine gestation.Newer stanzas enrich this vision further, introducing additional metaphors of embodied transfiguration. The speaker, buried in societal invisibility, likens his soul to a seed planted in the soil, from which a “New Tree of Life” shall grow—rooted in suffering yet destined for cosmic communion. Rain becomes divine tears; the grave becomes sacred fermentation; and emotional exile is reimagined as sacramental gestation for the birth of Homo constellatus. Echoes of Gethsemane and the nativity recur through lines portraying the soul’s descent into darkness not as disappearance, but as poetic mission. Through this, Carp’s voice declares that the pain of being forsaken becomes the very altar of reconnection, and the lonely prophet becomes the first fruit of planetary resurrection.A crucial cosmic-theological dimension is added in the Philosophical Prelude: the figure of the Morning Star—symbol of both descent and transfiguration—whose fall is reinterpreted not as defeat, but as the herald of an “Eternal Dawn”, whose light will be generated and expanded as a result of the Morning Star’s “explosion”. This luminous imagery, embedded in the metaphysical theme of “labour through exile,” reinforces the work’s central claim: that the pain of alienation is the price of planetary rebirth. This vision is further enriched by Carp’s reinterpretation of Eminescu’s poetic detachment—notably the line “Tu rămâi la toate rece” (“Remain untouched by all things, and stay cold”)—which he reframes not as indifference, but as a survival reflex of the visionary soul: a subconscious, first-line defense against what is, from a relative-experiential standpoint, a 'soul-backstabbing' condition of imposed exile and existential isolation. In contrast to Hyperion’s cosmic withdrawal—captured in “Eu rămân în lumea mea, nemuritor și rece” (“I remain in my world, immortal and cold”)—Carp’s Morning Star overcomes this initial, first-line, subconscious and inherited reflex. She descends not into erasure, but into compassionate incarnation. Thus, Romantic detachment is not denied, but fulfilled—through a metaphysical theology of luminous descent.This vision is not only a philosophical commentary, but a literary and symbolic call for healing, manifested through metaphor, poetry, and interdisciplinary resonance. Combining narrative analysis, literary theory, and interdisciplinary review, the work explores Carp’s poetic fragments (The Exile, The Fire, The New Eden) in parallel with empirical studies on human touch, post-traumatic growth, neurodivergence, and urban intimacy. It introduces the metaphor of the Milky Way–Andromeda collision as an emblem of eventual reconnection, arguing for poetic literature as a visionary force capable of healing societal isolation. Platonic intimacy emerges not as nostalgia, but as revolution—one rooted in sacred presence, metaphorical restoration, and embodied care.Furthermore, the publication chapters that may bring novel points of literary and artistic perspectives to intellectual exploration. Namely, Chapters 12 and 13 of this work deepen the metamodern mythos introduced earlier in the text, completing the philosophical, spiritual, and poetic descent at the heart of The Conquest from Within.Chapter 12, “A Chaos of Inexistence or an Existential Chaos,” explores the lived experience of social and psychological invisibility, particularly among intellectually lucid and morally sensitive individuals. These souls, often marginalized for their depth, undergo a paradoxical transformation: the more they see, the more they are unseen. Drawing on figures such as Kierkegaard, Sartre, Camus, and Plato, the chapter reinterprets inexistence as a crucible—an epistemic and moral exile that initiates the individual into deeper clarity and compassion. The invisible are likened to the first butterflies—those whose metamorphosis signals the symbolic end of winter. Their descent is not a collapse but a gestation into presence. In this context, platonic intimacy emerges as a sacred recognition of interiority, forged through shared suffering and existential lucidity.Chapter 13, “The Moral Black Hole — A Portal to New Creation?” continues this descent, developing the metaphor of the black hole as a space not of destruction but of sacred implosion. Referencing the Harrowing of Hell, the descent of Christ, and the fall of Hyperion, the chapter reframes suffering, ego collapse, and obscurity as a portal to singularity—the essential core of the self, refined through spiritual gravity. The journey through the “moral black hole” is thus a movement from ego to essence, from fracture to radiance. Here, the archetype of the wounded healer takes full form: those who return from the depths, stripped of pride and lit by interior resurrection.Two new symbolic expansions emerge in this framework. First, the metaphor of a pilot flying through the North Pole of human coldheartedness captures the soul’s journey through spiritual apathy and moral desolation, guided only by inner conscience. The destination, the Land of the Spiritually Free, reflects Carp’s vision of ethical clarity born from endurance. Second, the image of a medical singularity, entered by those navigating trauma through behavioral therapy and SSRI interventions, represents not pharmacological flattening, but a sacred passage into psychic reorganization. Both metaphors reinforce Carp’s core thesis: that collapse is not terminal—it is transformational.Across both chapters, the poetic cycle is completed through two original works—“The Star That Fell to Save the Night” and “The Embrace of Singularity”—which weave cosmic, theological, and psychological imagery into a redemptive literary theology. Together, these final chapters offer a vision of a New Eden: not as innocence regained, but as maturity born of descent—a society rooted in vulnerability, presence, and the moral clarity that emerges only from the fire of compassionate collapse.Chapter 28 (The Womb of Time — Evolution as Divine Pregnancy and the Chant of Creation) proposes a metaphysical-literary model of evolution framed as a "divine pregnancy," integrating evolutionary science with theological and poetic insight. The concept reinterprets human development not as random adaptation but as sacred choreography—an intentional, time-bound unfolding of consciousness aimed at manifesting the imago Dei. Through the chapter, the following concept is explored and discussed: Linguistic Symbolism and Sacred Evolution: The Echo of “Eu” in Dumnezeu. In Romanian, the word for God—Dumnezeu—ends with eu, meaning “I” or “me.” Though not an etymological derivation, this phonetic coincidence becomes a poetic metaphor: within the divine name, the human self is concealed, waiting to awaken.Stepping into the eternal realm through chant mirrors God's creative act—the sacred, rhythmic emergence of humanity through the long pregnancy of time. Each evolutionary wave is not chaos, but divine cadence. Chant, like evolution, repeats with purpose: syllables forming a hymn of becoming. In this vision, eu is both echo and endpoint—culminating in the human “I am” rising in response to the divine “I Am”, completing creation with conscious intimacy. The model emphasizes non-linear progression, symbolic depth, and the spiritual significance of repetition and intimacy in both biological and relational evolution. Just as a game developer iterates endlessly—sketching, coding, adjusting animations, running simulations—to breathe life into a single playable character, so too did the Creator repeat countless evolutionary drafts. Each prototype of early humanity was not a failure but a frame—a frame in the animation of being. A gesture toward the final form. A divine developer, crafting not pixels, but persons; not mechanics, but meaning.This cosmic anthropology is further deepened in the Interlude (The Author’s View on the Divine — Language, Creation, Breath of Love and the Triune Mystery), which presents a poetic theology of divine speech. Here, the Trinity is envisioned not as abstraction but as relational poetics: the Father as Source, the Son as Word, and the Spirit as Breath—together forming a cosmos spoken into being through love. The Interlude draws from Eastern Orthodox Christian mysticism and resonates across religious traditions, suggesting that ultimate reality is not indifferent, but relationally alive. In this view, language becomes sacrament, speech becomes participation, and evolution itself becomes the chant of God—calling each soul by name into communion.Chapter 47 (The Eclipse of True Affection) shifts from metaphysical themes to emotional scarcity in the modern age. Through the paradox of Gabriel’s Horn, the chapter critiques an age of abundant but superficial relations—wide in reach, but hollow in depth. In contrast, platonic intimacy is reimagined as a sacred and countercultural act: one rooted in kenosis, emotional courage, and the Cross as both a theological and symbolic axis. This vision frames the heart as a vessel of openness and suggests that only through humility and sacred affection can human beings emerge from their emotional isolation and begin again as “Trees of Life.” Against the backdrop of urban alienation, this chapter reclaims platonic love as an essential path to spiritual and communal renewal.Chapter 48 (The Icon of the Cross) presents cruciform love as the architecture of a new humanity—where spiritual verticality and compassionate horizontality meet at the sacred heart. The present manuscript also proposes a vision of Homo constellatus not as a future mutation, but as a sacred return—an iconic humanity reawakened through neurodivergent insight, symbolic memory, and cosmic communion—via Chapter 50 (From Homo sapiens to Homo constellatus — The Return to Iconic Humanity). This figure embodies the convergence of intellect and intimacy, suffering and structure, offering a prophetic alternative to both technocratic progress and existential fragmentation.Chapter 51 (The New Tree of Life) imagines each soul as soil ready to bear fruits of divine love through inner suffering and shared joy, likening human communities to forests of mutual shelter. Chapter 52 (The Metamorphosis of the New Angels) concludes the journey with an image of souls transfigured by suffering, who rise not with thunder, but with tenderness, silence, and the sacred memory of a more intimate world-to-come.The text calls for a literary revival that not only critiques but reimagines. It envisions cities as “urban wombs,” housing models based on “cuddled architecture,” and cultural rituals rediscovering lullabies, silence, and holy touch. Importantly, the present manuscript also explores A Proposed Continuation of Mihai Eminescu’s Literary Manifesto—a poetic declaration that reimagines Eminescu’s metaphysical and Romantic legacy for the modern age. Structured in four symbolic movements—cosmic vigilance, creative sacrifice, paradoxical unity, and nature’s silent wisdom—the manifesto calls for a literature rooted in transcendence, synthesis, and spiritual renewal. By bridging past and present, it positions the poet as a visionary force capable of healing cultural divides and rekindling humanity’s connection to the eternal.Grounded in literary writing but supported by 50–100 interdisciplinary references, this preprint reasserts literature’s power to bridge suffering and hope—building not only symbolic but tangible structures of reconnection. Lastly, the manuscript frames the “fall” of the Morning Star not as erasure, but as a luminous metaphysical explosion—the symbolic ignition of the Eternal Morning that marks the end of the Old World and the rebirth of integrated consciousness.Commentary: Carp’s Philosophical Prelude and poetic excerpts are a luminous call to embrace suffering as a crucible for transformation, echoing existential and mystical literary traditions. The imagery of “intellectual fire” and “holy forgetfulness” elevates the narrative to a prophetic vision, grounding the scientific in the soulful.
Article
Arts and Humanities
Architecture

Ali Esmaeilpour,

Seyed Yahya Islami,

Farzin Ghadami

Abstract: Water plays a key role in middle east architecture which is shaped by both geographical necessities and cultural aspects. This research examines the transformations in the role of water from a revered element in traditional middle eastern architecture to a predominantly functional resource in contemporary design. Through a historical investigation of architectural examples spanning different periods, this study identifies how traditional water management approaches and its manifestations in architecture—characterized by qanats, central pools, and symbolic representations—effectively responded to water scarcity, and spiritual and social customs. Following industrialization and modernization, water usage shifted toward technical efficiency, resulting in the forgetting of an indigenous knowledge and the diminishment of water's conceptual significance. This study demonstrates that contemporary middle eastern architecture has neglected the frugality-based traditions and spiritual dimensions that historically guided water use, contributing to current environmental challenges. The findings establish a framework for sustainable architectural practices that reintegrates traditional water wisdom with contemporary needs. By rethinking both the efficient consumption practices and forgotten spiritual aspects of water, contemporary middle eastern architecture (Iranian architecture as a case study) can better address the pressing water crisis while maintaining a cultural continuity.
Article
Arts and Humanities
History

Mark A. Winstanley

Abstract: Rationality has long been considered the quintessence of humankind. However, psychological experiments revealing reliable divergences in performances on reasoning tasks from normative principles of reasoning have cast serious doubt on the venerable dogma that human beings are rational animals. According to the standard picture, reasoning in accordance with principles based on rules of logic, probability theory, etc., is rational. The standard picture provides the backdrop for both the rationality and irrationality thesis, and, by virtue of the competence-performance distinction, diametrically opposed interpretations of reasoning experiments are possible. However, the standard picture rests on shaky foundations. Jean Piaget developed a psychological theory of reasoning, in which logic and mathematics are continuous with psychology but nevertheless autonomous sources of knowledge. Accordingly, logic, probability theory, etc. are not extra-human norms, and reasoners have the ability to reason in accordance with them. In this paper, I set out Piaget’s theory of rationality, using intra- and interpropositional reasoning as illustrations, and argue that Piaget’s theory of rationality is compatible with the standard picture but actually undermines it by denying that norms of reasoning based on logic are psychologically relevant for rationality. In particular, rather than logic being the normative benchmark, I argue that rationality according to Piaget has a psychological foundation, namely the reversibility of the operations of thought constituting cognitive structures.
Article
Arts and Humanities
Architecture

Daria Bręczewska-Kulesza,

Małgorzata Kaus

Abstract: The architectural cultural heritage is of great importance for the sustainability of cities and their historic centres. A significant part of it consists of residential buildings, rows of townhouses and houses built according to local building traditions, filling streets and squares. The main aim of the study was to explore the significance of this unique, traditional and uniform development as a carrier of historical and social cultural values and an identifier of the city. Using selected examples of cities where residential buildings with specific characteristics have been preserved, their value for cultural heritage and sustainable development is analyzed, as well as various models of revitalization efforts, taking into account local traditions and needs. Attention was also paid to the impact of multi-tracking and interdisciplinarity on revitalisation outcomes, analysing the action models in the selected centres in terms of their strengths and weaknesses. In addition to tangible cultural heritage, the issue of intangible heritage and their interrelationships was also taken into account. The research revealed the very high value of the historic, residential architecture, which, together with the urban layout, is an important part of the architectural cultural heritage. Attention was also drawn to the fact that this part of the architectural heritage is often neglected. The studies have also shown the great role of local authorities and conservation organisations, urban communities and the necessity of multi-track and interdisciplinary, well-planned revitalisation measures. The research allowed the formulation of some general principles that should be taken into account in the revitalisation process. However, it was found that each city or town has different building traditions, a different degree of preservation of historic architecture and different opportunities. Therefore, it is not possible to create a ready-made, universal programme for historic preservation. Nevertheless, it is of great importance to promote good models, especially when it comes to residential architecture, which is often undervalued and neglected, but has very great potential.
Review
Arts and Humanities
Philosophy

Sora Pazer

Abstract: In a time of profound upheavals in the world of work – characterized by automation, crises of meaning and psychological exhaustion – the question of the meaning and purpose of work arises with new urgency. This article undertakes a transdisciplinary reflection that integrates anthropological, sociological, psychological, and theological perspectives in order to understand work not only as an economic necessity, but as an existential site of human self-realization, social participation, and spiritual vocation. Based on classical thinkers such as Aristotle, Marx, Weber and Frankl as well as modern authors such as Rosa, Han and Koe, work is analysed as an ambivalent sphere between heteronomy and freedom, between self-optimisation and self-transcendence. The thesis is: Work acquires meaning where it becomes not only a means, but also an expression, relationship and answer. In this way, an integrative understanding of work is developed that takes into account both the social framework conditions and the potential for personal interpretation.

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