The Real Aftermath: How COVID-19 Changed the Way Science Fiction is Conceived, Read, and Interpreted

Edited by Riccardo Retez

'The Real Aftermath: How COVID-19 Changed the Way Science Fiction is Conceived, Read, and Interpreted' offers a profound exploration of how the COVID-19 pandemic has redefined the boundaries of speculative fiction. Through contributions from scholars in literature, media, and cultural studies, this volume examines the pandemic's deep impact on science fiction as a genre and cultural phenomenon. The book navigates the thematic, stylistic, and ideological shifts that have emerged in response to the global health crisis, revealing how science fiction has become a mirror of contemporary societal anxieties, from isolation and contagion to resilience and dystopia. Drawing from a rich array of media, including literature, film, and video games, 'The Real Aftermath' delves into the portrayal of existential threats and explores how speculative narratives provide frameworks for imagining future crises and solutions. By addressing both cultural and technological disruptions, the book positions itself within the growing body of critical literature on the intersection between global crises and fiction, offering original insights into the transformative power of science fiction in post-pandemic society. This volume is an essential resource for scholars and students in literature, science fiction studies, media, and cultural analysis. It can serve as a reference for academic research, a methodological aid in classroom discussions, and a guide for practitioners interested in the role of fiction in interpreting and responding to global crises.

Ways Forward: Progressive Approaches to Providing Therapy with Autistic Individuals

Edited by Britt Angela Couchman, Autism Approach

'Ways Forward' is a groundbreaking text completely unique in its approach as it brings together the experiences of Autistic practitioners, research practices from the field and lived experiences. 'Ways Forward' offers progressive approaches and strategies for practitioners to better understand consumer needs. The text is designed to assist practitioners who work with Autistic individuals along with those who are completing undergraduate or postgraduate studies related to providing mental health support to Neurodivergent people. 'Ways Forward' is underpinned by research that notes the importance of the inclusion of first-hand accounts and co-researching within Autistic Communities. Reviews of this text have noted its importance in reshaping the landscape of therapy approaches for Autistic Individuals in that it is uniquely written by Autistic practitioners and can be employed in the field for the empowerment of Neurodivergent service users. Within the research, there is a call for more work of this nature to be increasingly present in an effort to inform therapists from a lived experience perspective.

Center and periphery: Twenty-first-century literature, cinema, media from Spain

Edited by Amparo Alpañés, Washington & Jefferson College

In a country where the richness of diverse cultures is often overshadowed by historical conflicts, this book delves into the complex relationship between the so-called “center” and “periphery” within Spain’s borders. Traditionally, the center has symbolized Castilian identity, while the periphery encompassed other regional cultures. But in today’s rapidly evolving social landscape, what do these terms really mean? This groundbreaking work reexamines the “center vs. periphery” paradigm through the lens of contemporary Spanish literature, cinema, and media. It poses critical questions about the existence and nature of a unified Spanish identity and investigates whether the tension between these cultural spheres persists. The book also challenges readers to consider which aspects—linguistic, gender, or other forms of identity—play the most significant role in this dynamic. Furthermore, it scrutinizes whether marginalized groups such as BIPOC, LGBTQ+, and differently-abled communities are relegated to the periphery in modern Spain. With no other published work focusing on these issues in 21st-century Spain, this book offers a fresh and nuanced perspective on cultural tensions that have shaped and continue to shape the nation. Its innovative approach makes it an indispensable reference for researchers and students in gender and women’s studies, Queer studies, media studies, Spanish literature, and language, as well as those exploring nationalism, separatism, race, and Blackness.

False Idols: How Diversion is Destroying Democracy

Kurt Warner

The ancient Roman poet and satirist Juvenal stated that people were distracted by “bread and circuses” rather than engaged in their civic duty. Juvenal argued these bread and circuses, or basic needs and entertainment, consumed the thoughts and lives of the average Roman no matter what was happening in the Republic around them. The powerful political forces in society used many different forms of distraction to enable them to do what they wanted unimpeded by the masses. 'False Idols: How Diversion Is Destroying Democracy' picks up where Juvenal left off. The book is a journey through contemporary America and it illustrates how the concept of “bread and circuses” is as powerful and as relevant now as it was in the days of ancient Rome. It examines the deliberate distractions that are created by the cultivation of false idols. The distractions include the adoration of celebrities and parasocial interactions, the economic culture and the implicit belief systems contained within it, sports and the adoration of athletes, the political system and structure, the art, music, and literature we spend our time listening to and watching, the internet and social media that occupies so much of our time, and the video games that occupy the minds and much of the lives of so many people. As long as everybody is chasing and distracted by these bread and circuses, they are willfully negligent to the goings-on in the very fabric of the social network that is of our society, government, and country. The more negligent they become, the more the democracy continues withering and dying. This book systemically deconstructs a modern society that seems designed to consistently pull us away from rather than draw us toward the creation of a better existence for all.

Space, Philosophy and Ethics

Edited by William H. U. Anderson, Concordia University of Edmonton in Alberta

Space is infinitely interesting! Space has both scientific and cultural currency because it has captured the imagination of human beings from ancient times until today. What seemed like science fiction centuries and only decades ago, is now science fact. Technological developments present and on the cusp are putting more and more of space into our hands. That is both exciting and frightening at the same time (think Lovecraft)! This book attempts to speak to the philosophical and ethical issues raised by space. Who owns space? Who should pay for space exploration and what is the impact on human beings on earth today? What happens if we’re not alone in the universe? What is the value and meaning of space exploration? What are the ethical implications of AI and Technology in relation to space exploration (what if they get away from us?!)? Questions! Questions! Questions! The Call for Chapters for this book Space, Philosophy and Ethics read: “For space science people, this conference is a platform to discuss the subconscious philosophical and ethical implications of their research that have been in the back of their minds while researching. For philosophers and non-specialists, it is an opportunity to learn together and struggle to find solutions for the philosophical and ethical quandaries that space science, exploration and technology present to humanity”. The approaches to space seem endless. Physics, as Aristotle discovered, inevitably leads to metaphysics, and metaphysics always have ethical concerns. The book loosely follows this outline. It begins and ends with the metaphysical implications of space, the spiritual, if you will. It leads with poetry. That seems appropriate since while we may ask many questions regarding space, we are likely to find very few answers. Then the book briefly looks at the ethical implications of AI and Technology for space exploration. There are chapters that deal with the material ethics of space commerce and ontology. Telos and Axiology (Value) are also explored. This book hopes to facilitate human struggle with the ethical implications of space rather than presuming to solve all its problems.

Stories from the Front Line: The People Behind the NHS Headlines

The People Behind the NHS Headlines

Yvonne Bennett, Canterbury Christ Church University and Christina Stead

NHS Scotland appears to be in crisis. Today the British media is full of headlines such as “89-year-old great-grandmother waits 5 hours for an ambulance.” These are a talking point for a day or two and then another headline of a similar ilk takes over. This book examines the traumatic experiences of the elderly people whose stories make up these headlines. The authors have carried out research into the effects of long waiting times for ambulances and the problems that NHS Scotland is facing through chronic staff shortages. The waits and the limitations to patient care have long term implications for the patients, the relatives and the staff. Throughout the book we discuss iatrogenic disease/harm that is occurring daily for patients, visitors and staff. The book concentrates on the new Glasgow hospital, The Queen Elizabeth University Hospital, which opened its doors in 2015. This is one of the largest hospitals in Europe and replaces 5 older Glasgow hospitals and has been beset by major problems since its opening. By interviewing relatives and staff, the authors have examined their experiences both during and following a traumatic event. Themes found throughout the book include poor communication, trauma, low staff morale, suicide and the problems caused by the size and design of the hospital. The authors have also analysed statistics from NHS Scotland and Scottish Ambulance Service regarding waiting times and the use of agency staff. The overarching goal of this book was to give a voice to those behind the statistics.

Nostalgia, Anxiety, Politics: Media and Performing Arts in Egypt, Central-Eastern Europe, and Russia

Edited by Tetyana Dzyadevych, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign

This volume shows that the cultural production of nostalgia is a major tool for structuring feelings of resentment and anxiety. The current volume is concerned with collective nostalgia as it has been elicited, channeled, and weaponized by media production agents. The book aims to analyze how the performing arts and media (music, cinema, TV, etc.) generate and shape the feeling of collective nostalgia. It shows how the cultural production of nostalgia reflects distinct social-political contexts and serves particular political purposes. The collective monograph prioritizes cases from the post-Soviet context. However, the authors do not argue that the collapse of the socialist bloc in general, and the USSR in particular, has established some unique nostalgic precedent. The book claims that mechanisms of producing nostalgia and marshaling it for political purposes are broadly similar in most (modern or postmodern) settings. It is not our intent to demonize Russia, nor do we want Russia to be our dominant frame of reference, even if, in most of our cases here, 'nolens volens' appeared first in Russia-centric post-Soviet discourse. The “Russian bloc” has been placed in the second part of the book in order to give primacy to non-Russian subjects.

Modern Czech Literature: Writing in Times of Political Trauma

Edited by Andrew M. Drozd, University of Alabama

Modern Czech culture has experienced a series of political traumas starting in the 1930s. Despite the difficult, shifting conditions, Czech writers have not only managed to contend with the situation, but have produced many fine literary efforts. This volume consists of seven articles by an international team of authors who are specialists in Czech literature. The first four chapters treat very well-known writers. There is one chapter on Karel Čapek and his play "The White Plague." There are three chapters on Milan Kundera, the internationally best-known Czech writer, with one of these chapters covering both Kundera and Bohumil Hrabal. The last three chapters deal with more recent and/or lesser-known writers. One chapter treats the Brothers Topol and the music underground, one chapter treats Czech literary responses to the period of the Normalization, and the final chapter treats Eda Kriseová. This volume presents new perspectives on Czech literature and will be of interest to specialists in Czech literature and history, Central European literature and history, Nazism and Communism. For example, although much has been written about Kundera, the three articles provide further treatments of three different aspects of his work: his ties to Russian literature, his misogyny, and the philosophical content of his novels. Specialists interested in the period of the Normalization (and after) will find the last three chapters particularly useful. The chapters are suitable for classroom use in courses in both Czech literature and Czech (or Central European) history. All material from Czech-language sources presented in the chapters is given in English translation.

Scientific Thought and Research Methodology

Concepts, Principles, Philosophy of Science, and Ontological Dimension

Aydin Beraha, Cankiri Karatekin University, Turkey

This book presents an easy introduction for undergraduate students, graduate students, research assistants, and researchers new to the profession. It is very important to come to a state of scientific mind who are interested in both social and natural sciences. This book provides fertile content, including ontological, cognitive, technic, logical, philosophical, and ethical dimensions of making science. It presents the roles of science, such as classification along with actual examples in both social and natural sciences to readers for a better understanding. It also contains special content to warn readers about pseudoscience and the art of deception and to guide them on how to detect and recognize fake science. The glossary section of this book contains unusual terms related to scientific reasoning. The author’s words to readers –I wish a pleasant reading to the science-loving passengers of this 'pale blue dot.-'

Asian Perspectives on Education: Inclusivity and Diversity

Edited by Jie Zhang, State University of New York (SUNY) Brockport, USA and Natalie Sarrazin, State University of New York (SUNY) Brockport,USA

The idea of “Asia” is contested in the literature as a concept in terms of unification in any sense e.g., regionally, economically, and politically (see Duara [1995] 2019; Acharya, 2010), which makes a book of this nature challenging. The use of inclusion and diversity as a lens of discovery is not only synchronically topical but provides an important outlet for unheard voices and marginalized perspectives otherwise silenced or ignored in education and Asian literature. The lens by which the book is written combines multiple streams of diversity and inclusion with that of K-12 and higher education in an Asian context, and it allows room for individual Asian voices and perspectives both in and outside the classroom. Inspired by a panel presented at the 2021 New York Conference on Asian Studies (NYCAS) on the very topic of inclusivity and diversity in Asian education, the book broadened the original focus from the COVID-centered to one that allowed the exploration of a wider geographic area and cultural area as well as new subjects. Moreover, our text includes a focus on individuals with disabilities, multicultural education, and cross-disciplinary efforts across cultures. This book covers broader topics regarding inclusivity and diversity in education from multiple Asian perspectives and ranges from various educational levels (that is, elementary, secondary, and post-secondary institutions), different school settings (that is, public and private schools), and a variety of Asian countries and areas (that is, Bangladesh, China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Jordan, and Taiwan). This book gives a well-rounded representation of the issues through theoretical focus, practical applications, and research studies, contributed by authors from various international institutions and countries or countries of origin, including Bangladesh, China, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, Jordan, and the United States.

Style, Meaning and Pedagogy

Rachid Acim, Ibn Zohr University, Agadir, Morocco

'Style, Meaning and Pedagogy' can be useful to students and researchers of different backgrounds; it can assist them to deeply fathom literary and non-literary texts and scaffold their critical thinking when approaching human language like poems, headlines, blurbs or paintings. Admittedly, the print and visual texts chosen in the book were produced in the 14th, 18th, 19th and early 20th centuries. Whereas some of them are up-to-date and timely as they tap upon the emotions of the last pandemic (i.e., “And the People Stayed Home”), others: - Provide a profound view of peace and fellowship (i.e., “Abou Ben Adhem”); - Introduce a description of the system of etiquette followed in 1918 (i.e., “Manners”); - Unravel the dichotomy of face and beauty (i.e., “Memory”); - Examine the dialectical relationship between rhetoric and metaphors (i.e., “How Do I Love Thee?”); - Stress the power of art and pedagogy in the medieval age (i.e., “Laurentius de Voltolina’s Painting”); - Revisit dialogism and intertextuality in Afro-American Literature (i.e., “Dreams”); - Stimulate students’ critical reflections (i.e., “Poem in Your Pocket”); - Showcase the informative and persuasive dimension of media discourse (i.e., “The NYT”); - Bring to the fore reader-response theory and positive self-talk (i.e., “Thinking”). The book is a gem for students pursuing their English Studies in Higher Education. It is a rich resource for novice researchers and university professors teaching courses such as Literary Linguistics, Discourse Analysis, Literary Criticism, Poetry, Rhetoric, to mention but a handful. With an exhaustive list of readings and references, insightful methodology and signposts for critical reflections, 'Style, Meaning and Pedagogy' proffers you a chance to question the textual and semiotic selections people dwell on to produce their own texts. And with the short tasks and exercises at the end of each chapter, you will be able to savour and simultaneously retain much of the invaluable input prepared just for you.

Shakespeare and Religion: Global Tapestry, Dramatic Perspectives

Edited by Margie Burns, University of Maryland, Baltimore County

Twelve research articles deal with aspects of religion in the plays of William Shakespeare, from early in the dramatist’s career to the end. Ordered by chronology, two chapters focus on history plays; three chapters focus on comedies and three on tragedies; one deals with "Troilus and Cressida," and three chapters deal with the late romances. The anthology does not cover all of Shakespeare’s plays and collaborations or the lyric poems. The collection is ecumenical and transnational. While the contributors all recognize that Shakespeare wrote in a Renaissance Christian universe, Christianity is not the only world religion dealt with. Approaches involve history and philosophy as well as theology, and individual perspectives vary. One thing the collection makes clear is that religion, in some sense, operates in every Shakespearean work, and its large spectrum ranges through plot and character from shallow to deep, self-interested to elevated, bloody to harmonious. Religion and religious differences were also part of the fabric and history of the playwright’s world, manifesting in the plays in situation, language, and iconography. From various perspectives, a common denominator is that the authors approach aspects of religion as one element in an informed analysis of the works.

Reproductive uncertainty: Understanding the regulations on assisted reproductive technologies in China

Tiantian Chen, University of Cambridge

This book provides the first sustained account of intense debates in China over the ban on single women’s access to assisted reproductive technologies (ARTs). Drawing on the author’s fieldwork in clinics and government agencies in Beijing, it mainly explains Chinese policymakers’ and clinicians’ rationale for restricting single women’s use of ARTs even if they celebrate ARTs as a success of Chinese modernization strategies. The main concept explored in this book is uncertainty. ARTs become a source of discomfort for the Chinese government and clinics because they reveal the uncontrollability of human destiny; they introduce ambiguities into genetic and legal paternity; and they undermine clinical and bureaucratic authority. This book uses ARTs as a lens on broader social changes in China. The uncertainty of ARTs reflects the limits of Chairman Deng Xiaoping’s reform. It also informs that the Chinese government has reversed policies by repackaging tradition and tightening party control. The book’s interpretation of uncertainty challenges the linear and progressive paradigm of modernization. China’s development path is distinct from the sequential logic of Western, modernist conceptions of history.

The Old and the New: Churching a Secular Age from Solovyóv to Bulgakov

Michael Lee Miller, University of Cambridge

Global Perspectives on Online Education During a Time of Emergency: Conditions, Contexts and Critiques

Edited by Patricia Marybelle Davies, Prince Mohammad Bin Fahd University, Dammam, Saudi Arabia

‘Global Perspectives on Online Education During a Time of Emergency’ presents viewpoints on the unprecedented shift to online education as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. It aims to broaden and deepen readers’ understanding of studies that could better address academic issues related to teaching and learning online. The pandemic triggered the disruption of national educational systems and a rapid transition to online education, but there were few guidelines on how to proceed. Consequently, the role of educational technologies and distinctions between formal and informal learning became blurred (Greenhow & Lewin, 2016). This volume examines how educators adopted new pedagogical practices, adapted to flexible working environments, and tackled new technologies to maintain educational systems following the global outbreak of the coronavirus. It showcases innovative practices and critiques several learning theories of online education. The chapters are developed using two main approaches: empirical investigations and reviews of existing research. The empirical chapters present significant new findings of broad relevance. The review chapters use established studies to describe recent developments of broad significance and highlight unresolved questions and future directions. The volume, as a whole, provides research-based insights on evidence on the contexts and conditions of the emergency transition to online education worldwide and useful recommendations on emergent directions in online education. This is a vital text for educational researchers, technologists, and practitioners. It includes empirical data, theoretical questions, and methodological approaches addressing online education. The volume explores flexible learning, alternative pedagogical practices, and changes in digital environments, examining futuristic approaches at a crucial moment of global reform in online education.

Jesuits in Science Fiction: Reason and Revelation on Other Worlds

Edited by Richard Feist, Saint Paul University

From their founding in 1540 to this day, Jesuits have been controversial. Their centuries of missionary work have taken them to all corners of the world. They have been accused of killing Kings and Presidents and contributing to colonization and destruction of cultures—even participating in enslavement. But the Jesuits have also been seen as bringers of light and education. With their ferocity of purpose and intellectual rigor, the Jesuits’ impact on world history cannot be ignored. No surprise then, that Jesuits appear in literature, especially that literature of ideas, exploration, and social commentary, otherwise known as science fiction. This unique collection of essays explores how the Jesuit has long been part of science fiction’s history and how Jesuit ideas and characters are featured in some of science fiction’s greatest works. In this collection, we see Jesuits continue their missionary spirit as they take leave of the earth, moving their missionary labors literally towards the heavens. Reason and revelation are now indeed on other worlds. In this collection, we have explorations of philosophy, science, theology, and culture, all done in typical Jesuit fashion, always in various and foreign contexts. This collection is akin to others in its linking of religion and science fiction, but it is unique in its concentration on the Jesuits and science fiction. This collection will be of interest to scholars working and researching in the field of science fiction studies and would be suitable for courses on science fiction. But it will also be of interest and accessible to those of us who simply love science fiction for its power to explore other worlds and, in this case, to take some of the deepest human reflections, namely those on God, morals and culture, lift them up, and see what forms they may take on other worlds.

Philosophy’s Gambit: Play and Being Played

Edited by Jeremy Sampson, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, Scotland, UK

Living in an era of immense and bewildering change in technology, pandemic and war, humanity has had cause to challenge the apparent old fixities and certainties of life. Essentially, are we being played? The premise of this volume is that all of human life is underpinned by powerful dynamic systems, so tightly interwoven into our daily lives that we are barely aware of them, whose true nature only comes to light at times of profound disruption or crisis. These powerful dynamic systems, philosophical or otherwise, often fall under the umbrella of ludic theory. Within these pages, some of the leading thinkers of ludic theory from three continents explore its diversity and relevance through the perspectives of some of the world’s most famous philosophers. In many ways, this volume follows on from Sampson’s 'Being Played: Gadamer and Philosophy’s Hidden Dynamic' (2019). It also draws upon other ludic-centred and ludic-inspired texts that include Mattice’s 'Metaphor and Metaphilosophy' (2014) and Arthos’ 'Gadamer’s Poetics: A Critique of Modern Aesthetics' (2014), together with Frazier’s 'Reality, Religion and Passion' (2009) and Homan’s 'A Hermeneutics of Poetic Education' (2020). Although this is not the first volume offering an integrated approach to ludic theory, see Ryall (ed), 'The Philosophy of Play' (2013), it offers a diverse and detailed approach to the subject, including not only Western philosophers, but also thinkers from Ancient China, 16th-century India and modern South America. This volume will be not only of interest to scholars and students of ludic theory and philosophy in general, but because of its deliberate globalised content, it is hoped it might have a wider appeal globally as humanity continues to grapple with significant challenges created by these current winds of change.

Central Banking and Monetary Policy in the G20: Paradigms and Challenges

Edited by Irfan Kalayci, İnönü University, Malatya, Turkey

Behind productive and prosperous economies are independent central banks that implement effective monetary policies. This observation is especially valid for the G20, which comprises the world’s top twenty economies in terms of gross domestic product and the largest stakeholders of the global economic system. These economies include Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, South Korea, Turkey, the United Kingdom, the United States, and the European Union. Three features of this book, which focuses on central banking and monetary policy in the G20, an intergovernmental platform, stand out: Firstly, as contemporary theories and global practices confirm, the main purpose of central banks is to ensure monetary and price stability, not despite the government but in cooperation with it. This principle is strongly emphasized here. Governments, which must maintain fiscal discipline, are key to the success of central banks in combating inflation and deflation. Secondly, since the authors of the book chapters come from various countries and academic institutions, the book offers a range of perspectives and intellectual richness. Without deviating from the book's main axis, the authors examine the changing paradigms in central banking and the increasing challenges of monetary policy. This examination is based on developed and emerging economies, integrations, financial organizations, and economic crises within the G20, informed by significant sources. Thirdly, this book offers university researchers, professional business practitioners, and curious readers the opportunity to explore and reflect on new concepts such as green central banking, digital money, and interest-free monetary policies, which have gained prominence in the wake of the global COVID-19 pandemic, alongside mainstream topics. It is hoped that this book, consisting of 14 chapters, will inspire those who wish to conduct new and renewed academic studies on global central banks and monetary policies and will fill a gap in the literature.

Untangling Whiteness: Education, Resistance and Transformation

Jennifer Gale de Saxe, Victoria University of Wellington

With the prominence of workshops, trainings, and anti-racist books popping up over the past few years, it may seem confusing as to what it really means to engage in deliberate and meaningful learning that challenges the many facets of racism and whiteness. 'Untangling Whiteness' directly interrogates the assumption that the teaching and learning about race and whiteness, particularly within the university context, can be condensed to one course, one workshop, or even a few trainings. It is a life-long process that may begin in one university classroom, but must continue as part of who we are as unfinished and undetermined beings. Through a deep and multi-faceted interrogation of racism and white supremacy, this book untangles critical theories of race, whiteness and resistance in an accessible and dialogical manner. It also situates whiteness in Aotearoa, New Zealand, demonstrating the importance of context and location when working to undermine and challenge it. As a theoretical provocation of existing scholarship on race and white supremacy, 'Untangling Whiteness' is underpinned by educating for critical consciousness, as well as a phenomenological engagement that aims to both interpret the world differently and transform it.

Power and Politics in Africa: A Boundary Generator

Takuo Iwata, Ritsumeikan University, Kyoto, Japan

Africa’s potential and challenges in the 21st century make it a focal point for global attention. The continent’s political landscape is now more diverse, with a mix of democracy, authoritarianism, peace, and conflict. Understanding the dynamics of African politics is crucial. This comprehensive book delves into African Politics and International Relations, exploring power through the lenses of politics, geography, sociology, and anthropology. It is based on the author’s three decades of fieldwork and research across Africa, Asia, and the West. Ideal for academic scholars, students, diplomats, government officials, journalists, and NGO staff seeking to deepen their understanding of African politics and international relations.