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In Arthur Danto's The Seat of the Soul: Three Chairs, the chair is a source of power and authority. This paper explores the aesthetic importance of chairs and their designers and determines why people from various cultures create different designs that all perform the same function: seating. Here, the chair is examined as an artwork and design phenomenon from historical, cultural, stylistic, and aesthetic perspectives. Data were gathered through a comprehensive literature review, reports, archival materials, and museum visits. Descriptive, historical, and analytical methods were used to explore the religious, symbolic, spiritual, artistic, competitive, and academic legacies of the chair. Despite the similarity in function, the chair is more important than a sofa, bed, or bench. It displays one's status, education, knowledge, and artistic taste. However, practicality, low-cost materials, and money have trumped aesthetics in recent years. The findings may help young chair designers highlight their competitiveness and inventiveness.

The existing literature on terrorism focuses on the "rally-around-the-flag-effect" – a relatively short-term phenomenon. The non-immediate effects of terrorist attacks on trust in institutions, however, remain largely unexplored. Arguing that maintaining law and order and upholding peace is considered the responsibility of the political and legal institutions in democracies, we theorize the "accountability effect" suggesting that terrorist activities indicate institutional failures in preventing casualties, undermining residents' trust in these institutions. Using over 350,000 individual-level observations from the European Social Survey, we find evidence of the accountability effect showing that exposure to terrorist activities undermines self-reported trust in various national and international institutions, including the parliament, legal institutions, the police, politicians, political parties, the European Parliament, and the United Nations. Whereas this negative relationship does not weaken with additional terrorist attacks, strong governance and high trust in institutions mitigate these adverse effects. Lastly, terrorist attacks do not affect trust among people.

Communication is central to leadership and determines how organizations function and how employees are motivated. Therefore, this research paper aims at comparing English language ability, and management skills, and other elements of leadership. This paper undertakes a qualitative approach wherein the authors review literature and numerous case studies from diverse industries to explore the role of English language proficiency in facilitating leaders to articulate a vision, mobilise people and get things done. At the same time, the paper considers how different managerial approaches, including transformational and transactional leadership, depend on communication to be executed. High English language proficiency improves the message clarity and interpersonal communication, but it is the ability to find and implement effective management approaches that promotes creativity, teamwork, and effectiveness when working in a global environment. The present study demonstrates the co-dependency of language skills and strategic management for the accomplishment of organizational goals and aims.

AbstractThis study investigates the strategic role of carbon disclosure in shaping firm performance and board heterogeneity among heavily polluting companies in Bangladesh from 2013 to 2023. Using empirical data from 150 companies listed on the Dhaka Stock Exchange, the research examines the impact of board diversity—specifically gender, tenure, and educational heterogeneity—on carbon disclosure practices. The findings reveal that board gender and tenure heterogeneity negatively affect carbon disclosure, whereas educational heterogeneity has a positive impact. Additionally, firm performance shows a negative effect on carbon disclosure but does not significantly moderate the influence of board heterogeneity. These results underscore the importance of board diversity in enhancing carbon disclosure practices, thereby contributing to improved environmental management and firm performance in heavily polluting industries in Bangladesh. This research, grounded in legitimacy theory, stakeholder theory, and corporate governance literature, provides valuable insights for academics, practitioners, and policymakers focused on business strategies for environmental sustainability.

abstract: Traditional agrarian elites have often been portrayed as obstacles to the expansion of the state. Because landed actors are particularly exposed to taxation, inequality is expected to exacerbate their resistance to the development of fiscal capacity. This article argues that when propertied actors are politically dominant and obtain benefits from public spending that are proportional to their capital endowments, wealth inequality is associated with greater elite support for capacity investments. Using early twentieth-century Brazilian data, the author shows that where landed elites faced fewer political threats, higher levels of landholding concentration were associated with increased fiscal and administrative capacity. Tests of mechanisms corroborate the idea that this relationship results from elite demands for specific types of public spending. These findings contribute to the broader literature on state-building by providing new insights into the interaction between economic interests and political dominance in shaping subnational variation in the reach of the state.

This research discusses the use of Sikkam bark (Bischofia javanica Blume) as a digestive medicine in Perjuangan Village, Dairi Regency. Through a Health anthropology approach, this research explores local knowledge about the properties of Sikkam bark which is used to treat various digestive problems such as diarrhea, constipation and bloating. Data was collected through direct interviews and literature studies. The research results show that Sikkam bark is popular because of its availability, economical cost, and traditional belief in its efficacy. Its use involves certain processing processes and has side effects that need to be taken into account, such as stomach irritation and allergic reactions. People's belief in the medical and magical benefits of Sikkam bark also influences the practice of using it. This research makes an important contribution to the preservation of traditional knowledge and strengthens scientific evidence regarding the benefits of Sikkam bark in traditional medicine

Keywords: Traditional Medicine, digestion, beliefs

The integration of technology into Brazilian social work has presented both potentials and challenges. Social workers, historically engaged in socio-educational interventions from various perspectives, have experienced changes in their working conditions and tools due to technological innovations, especially following the COVID-19 pandemic. The analysis presented reveals that while technology provides greater access to information and connections, it can also be used to amplify neoliberal influences, prioritising low-cost intervention methods at the expense of service quality and distancing professionals from the population they serve. Social work must adopt a critical and proactive approach, guided by its ethical-political project, to identify the challenges and possibilities of this process. Ignoring technological advances can lead to a detachment from social reality or submission to institutional and neoliberal demands. Methodologically, a systematic literature review and qualitative analysis of secondary data were employed, guided by contemporary critical perspectives within social work.

Does citizen belief in the non-instrumental principles of the political regime, such as strongman leadership, patriotism, or attachment to a charismatic leader, collectively known as normative support, help stabilize authoritarian regimes? While a large literature recognizes that authoritarian regimes depend on popular support to lower the costs of staying in power, existing research mainly views mass support for these regimes as instrumental, fuelled by performance. Using novel experimental evidence from two original online surveys fielded in Turkey and observational data, we find high levels of normative support for Turkey's authoritarian rule. Further, our results demonstrate that instrumental and normative dimensions of support may be more closely related than previously theorized. Importantly, we show that both forms of support prevent voter defections in times of crisis. These findings, which revisit the importance of citizens' support for regime resilience, have implications for research on mass opinion and defection cascades in electoral autocracies.

This study explores the impact of Industry 5.0 on discriminatory behaviors toward migrant employees within organizations. Through semi-structured qualitative interviews with 15 migrant workers in the UK, this research identifies key challenges faced by migrant employees amidst the integration of advanced technologies like AI and robotics in HRM systems. Thematic analysis reveals that while Industry 5.0 has the potential to mitigate human biases, it can also perpetuate existing prejudices if not managed effectively. This study highlights two main themes: the experiences of discrimination and challenges in the context of Industry 5.0, and the role of technology in HRM systems. The findings indicate that automated HR systems can both reduce and increase biases, highlighting the importance of inclusive practices and targeted support programs to help migrant workers adapt to a technologically advanced labor market. This research contributes to the literature by providing insights into the duality of technological advancements in reducing and reinforcing workplace discrimination.

This paper explores the question of whether fascism is an epochal phenomenon or a generic set of characteristics by looking at the playable faction, the Imperium of Man, in the tabletop game and lore of the Warhammer 40k universe. It examines the fascist elements present in the Imperium's governance, societal structures, and leadership, drawing parallels with historical fascist regimes like Nazi Germany. Within the context of the debate in the literature on fascism, it raises the argument that though Warhammer 40k is a fabricated, fictional universe, the mobilizing passions of its martial ethos and the repressive logic of its ideology demonstrate how fascism can exist beyond the time and place of the interwar period and the Second World War. Ultimately through the exploration of the Imperium of Man, this paper shows fascism is more than an epochal phenomenon, and should be seen as a seductive epiphenomenon capable of returning as an emergent and powerful political force.

Gender equality is essential for economic and societal advancement, as outlined in the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goal 5. This research examines the obstacles that hinder women's progression from higher education to empowerment in Pakistan. Using a comprehensive descriptive survey questionnaire, we collected quantitative data to gain insights from a diverse sample of various provinces. The survey consisted of two sections: background information and 25 constructs of barriers from the existing literature. Data analysis involving 399 respondents included descriptive and inferential statistics, cross-tabulation, and significance testing using non-parametric tests. The findings highlighted significant sociocultural, familial, and professional barriers, with regional disparities underscoring the need for targeted interventions. Women respondents consistently perceived barriers more keenly than men, underscoring the gender-specific nature of these challenges. This study emphasizes the need for focused policies and educational initiatives to address barriers and promote gender equality in Pakistan's higher education and professional spheres.

Purpose: It has been argued in literature that culture has significant influence on the education implementation. While it is undeniable that education quality is the most important in the education implementation, many attempt to ensure quality assurance at all levels of education. Hence this Study investigates the culture approach in Quality assurance in Elementary School. Design: A Qualitative approach was applied in this study. Using explorative research with a naturalistic phenomenon exposure in Elementary school in Bangkalan city, Madura Island, East Java Province, Indonesia. Data collection using in depth interview while data analysis using descriptive with deductive methods. Findings: Teachers showed a strategic approach with an integrated culture in quality assurance as the students' good grade is the focus of the teaching. Support system in developing a more cultural, independent, self-reliant approach in teaching to achieve good quality in education is needed. Teachers perceive themselves doing well in their job, however teachers need close guidance and support when undertaking quality assurance assessment.

ABSTRACTThis research investigates engagement for refugees within the German socio‐political landscape. Following the arrival of one million forced migrants from Ukraine to Germany in 2022, we conducted two surveys on those who volunteered in support. The first was on general engagement (N = 2000) and the second was on individuals who provided homestay accommodation (N = 3682). Our analysis explores the driving motivations for different types of engagement, comparing individuals involved in political activities with those engaged in social‐humanitarian activities. We find that value‐based motivations impact both political and social‐humanitarian engagement, with universalism driving political engagement and benevolence linked to social‐humanitarian involvement. Further, differing motivations and types of engagement align with varying beliefs about the role of the state, suggesting that individuals engaged politically believe in increased state responsibility, contrasting with views held by socially engaged individuals. These findings are contextualized within the broader literature on engagement and migration regimes.

This article explores the role of subjective agency and politicised union leadership in exercising societal (discursive) power through a frame and rhetorical analysis of the writings, speeches and media interviews of Mick Lynch, General Secretary of the National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers (UK). Findings demonstrate Lynch engaged in a dynamic process of framing identity fields to support a collective action frame around the redistribution of wealth in society, developing a complex network of protagonist, antagonist and audience characteristics under three main categorisations: value, power and action identity fields. He did so in dialogic response to opponents' counter-identity frames, utilising rhetorical techniques to present opposing arguments ( dissoi logoi and logoi versus anti-logoi), other argumentation ( inventio) and figures of speech ( elocutio) for public persuasion. These findings extend literature on union power resources by illuminating how discursive power is generated through identity field framing as a dialogical and rhetorical process.

How do target states react to third-party sponsorship of rebel groups? In this article, we provide a typology of responses from target states based on their severity and comprehensiveness level. We argue that the external support level and existing strategic interaction between targets and sponsors are crucial to explain the variation in target responses toward state sponsors since they affect the target states' level of perceived threat. We test our theoretical claims using an original dataset featuring target responses between 1991 and 2010. Our findings show that strategic rivalry is the most crucial factor in increasing the severity and comprehensiveness of responses. Higher levels of support for rebel groups increase only coercive responses and do not impact comprehensiveness, whereas formal alliances decrease the adoption of mixed responses. Our study contributes to the literature on the external support of rebels and conflict management with implications for predicting target states' responses to sponsorship.