bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Intercultural communication as a scientific problem: research aspects
Authors:   Borys Grinchenko Kyiv University, Boichuk Valentyna
Published: June 2023

The article analyses the main aspects of the study of intercultural communication as a scientific problem. The reasons for the relevance of studying this issue are indicated: the processes of globalization and integration, the dynamic development of intercultural relations. The purpose of this study is to identify scientific directions (aspects) of the study of the phenomenon of intercultural communication. The main methods used are the analysis and systematization of scientific literature to identify the main directions (aspects) of the study of the phenomenon of intercultural communication, their comparative and comparative analysis, and the definition of the concept of “intercultural communication” from the point of view of various aspects. The article presents the positions that are fundamental in the context of the research problem, namely: approaches to solving the problem of correlation of the concepts of “communication” and “converse”; foreign theories of intercultural communication (uncertainty reduction theory, adaptation theory, constructivist theory, theory of social categories and circumstances, theory of conflicts); methodological approaches to the study of intercultural communication (functional, explanatory, critical); main aspects of intercultural communication (cultural, linguistic, ethical, social and communicative, psychological, professional and applied). Taking into account the mentioned theories, approaches, categories and other scientific instruments, the concept of “intercultural communication” can be defined, firstly, as an integrative discipline that investigates the functioning of the system of laws and rules of interaction of representatives of different cultures and synthesizes the knowledge of the humanities of the philosophical and cultural, social and psychological, communicative and linguistic orientation; secondly, as a socially conditioned communicative process of informational interaction and targeted activity in the context of cultural exchange, which is carried out with the aim of achieving mutual understanding.
Definitional analysis of the phenomenon of «facilitation»
Authors:   State Institution Luhansk Taras Shevchenko National University, Moldovanov Artur
Published: June 2023

The relevance of the article is due to the European integration vector of development of modern society, Ukraine’s acquisition of the status of a candidate for accession to the European Union, as well as the challenges associated with a full-scale war and the introduction of martial law, which have objectively changed the emphasis of modern higher education in the direction of training specialists, in particular, social workers, as facilitators who ensure the adaptation and rehabilitation of various segments of the population of Ukraine. The article analyses the basic phenomenon of the study, which is the concept of «facilitation». The essence and logic of the definition analysis as a logical operation aimed at revealing the essential features of the concept of «facilitation» are considered. The essential features and properties of the phenomenon of facilitation are clarified, which are: focus on personal development; truthfulness, openness, sincerity, congruence in attitude towards the student, his/her acceptance and trust, empathic understanding; unobtrusive assistance to a group or an individual; mutual influence aimed at activating mental processes, improving well-being; stimulating the development of people’s consciousness, independence, freedom of choice; focus on creating humanistic relationships with children aimed at supporting the personal growth of the student; development of facilitation skills that contribute to the creation of a facilitative environment; interaction based on humanism, tolerance and poly-subjectivity; focus on increasing the productivity of the subject through the actualization of his/her consciousness; ensuring the effectiveness of the organization of group activities; openness of the teacher’s position; facilitating interaction within the group, non-directive style of management based on the self-organization of the managed system; orientation of the educational process towards the formation of a favourable social and psychological climate and partnership in a higher education institution.
Subject-object component of the system of professional training of future social pedagogues and social workers to work with vulnerable categories of the population
Authors:   State Institution Luhansk Taras Shevchenko National University, Yurkiv Yaroslava
Published: June 2023

The article provides a meaningful description of the subject-object component of the system of professional training of future social teachers and social workers to work with vulnerable categories of the population. The subject-object component of the system is considered as a combination of mutually conditioned interaction of a subject-object nature, which is based on the generalized concepts of «subject» and «object». The subject-object component reflects the professional portrait of the subjects (scientific and pedagogical workers and various stakeholders) and the individual and psychological characteristics of the objects (future social pedagogues and social workers), the relationship between which is built on the basis of subject-subject project interaction and partnership.
Coaching in the activity of a teacher of a higher education institution: specifics, tools, difficulties of perception and use
Authors:   State Institution Luhansk Taras Shevchenko National University, Krasnovа Nataliia
Published: June 2023

The article discusses coaching as an innovative technology of personally oriented training in the process of professional education of future specialists in social work, which is relevant and promising and meets the social risks of today. Coaching is characterized as a style of educational interaction, which makes it possible to justify its use as a pedagogical technology in the professional training of future social workers, since coaching and social work, as self-sufficient professional practices, are at the same time complementary to a certain extent, identical in terms of value and meaning contexts of their application, and precisely for the purpose of supporting a person in his life activities. The specific ways of applying coaching by teachers are revealed, as well as some potentially problematic points related to their perception of the essence of the coaching approach and the features of its inclusion in activities, in particular: the lack of a generally accepted definition of coaching, the difficulty of distinguishing it from other types of activities regarding the provision of support in difficult situations or focused on expanding human capabilities, the teacher’s awareness of his area of competence. The functions of a teacher who uses coaching techniques are highlighted, which include promoting awareness and accepting responsibility for solving a specific task, helping the student initiate and deepen reflection on the activity he is carrying out, helping the student eliminate internal obstacles to increase and realize his potential. The basic tools of coaching are defined: control, educational, developmental, open, effective (advancing) questions, as well as the ability to listen, the teacher’s role position, an individual approach in working with students.
Competency approach in the extracurricular work of future language teachers
Authors:   State Institution Luhansk Taras Shevchenko National University, Karlova Nadiia , Lapko Olena ,   State Institution Luhansk Taras Shevchenko National University
Published: June 2023

The article is devoted to topical issues of the organization of extracurricular work, which is one of the important factors in the successful implementation of educational and professional programs for the training of specialists in the field of language and literature education. The purpose of the research is to generalize the experience of extracurricular work at the Faculty of Ukrainian Philology and Journalism of the State Institution “Luhansk Taras Shevchenko National University”, specifically the experience of language and literature weeks. The types of activities provided by the analyzed forms of extracurricular work for higher education students are considered in the context of the competence approach to training future Ukrainian language and literature teachers. The article clarifies the competence potential of the forms of extracurricular work implemented within the framework of the programs of the “Ukrainian Language Week” and “Shevchenko Week” events. Considered various types of activities in which higher education students are involved both as participants and as organizers during the preparation and realization of creative competitions, scientific and practical conferences, literary and musical compositions, etc. The importance of these types of activities for the formation of language-communicative, subject-methodical, informational-digital, evaluative-analytical, projective, psychological, organizational and other professional competencies of the teacher of Ukrainian language and literature is outlined.
Determining the level of learner autonomy of pre-service English teachers
Authors:   H. S. Skovoroda Kharkiv National Pedagogical University, Chekhratova Olena
Published: June 2023

The article discusses the importance of promoting learner autonomy and life-long learning in the modern education system. In Ukraine, there is a significant challenge in implementing learner autonomy at all levels of education, as students are required to comprehend the relevance, application, and potential outcomes of knowledge rather than just acquiring it. Monitoring tools are becoming essential in assessing educational outcomes and adapting to current educational requirements. Constructing a factor-criterion model of pre-service English teachers, the article identifies factors affecting learner autonomy, such as assessing the initial level of knowledge, skills, and abilities of students and evaluating their readiness to take responsibility for their learning. The article explains that students at the zero level of learner autonomy lack a sufficient understanding of the concept and have little ability to plan their educational activities. Students at the first level have a general understanding of the concept and apply it to some extent when planning, organizing, and controlling their own learning. Students at the second level have a deep understanding of the concept, consistently apply the principles of learner autonomy, and possess strong skills in goal-setting, planning, self-control, and self-assessment. They are also able to allocate their resources efficiently, exhibit high levels of sociability and academic success, and actively take responsibility for their own training. The article concludes that promoting learner autonomy and providing adequate monitoring tools can help students develop not only subject knowledge but also professional skills relevant to their future careers.
Theoretical and methodological foundations of stages, periods of development of problems and aspects of sports selection
Authors:   State Institution Luhansk Taras Shevchenko National University, Shynkarov Serhii , Kostenko Serhii ,   State Institution Luhansk Taras Shevchenko National University
Published: June 2023

Identifying the factors of the formation of sports skills of young athletes is necessary for increasing the level of preparedness, improving the management of the educational and training process, forecasting in the field of sports, specifying tasks, choosing means, and rationalizing the planning of the training process. The analysis of literature and practice shows that selection is a system of organizational and methodical measures of a complex nature, including pedagogical, sociological, psychological and medical-biological studies, on the basis of which aptitudes and abilities are revealed. The development of a system of methods for the selection and forecast of promising athletes requires knowledge of the requirements of the sport, which include the presence of specific morphofunctional features, physical qualities, coordination abilities, functional features of support and regulation systems, as well as mental qualities. Of particular importance is the selection of not only those future athletes whose anthropometric and physiological or some other indicators are suitable, but also athletes with aptitudes. With their help, you can solve the problems of training sports reserves, without which progress in sports is impossible. The method of sports selection at the stage of initial training is determined by the main task of the first level of selection – to help the child choose the right sport for classes and future improvement. The ideal solution to the selection problem is model characteristics for all aspects of physical development and sports-pedagogical activities from beginners to highly qualified athletes.
Modern approaches to the formation of health-preserving and health-developing competence of students of basic secondary education
Authors:   Poltava Academy of Continuing Education M. V. Ostrogradsky, Dudko Serhii
Published: June 2023

The article emphasizes the relevance of the formation of health-preserving and health-developing competencies of students during the adaptation cycle of basic secondary school education (5–6 grade students). It is noted that over the last decade the situation in science regarding the problem of health care has changed significantly and the research data have become the object of study of pedagogical science, which significantly influenced the expansion of the spectrum of interpretation of the concept of “health preservation competence”. Since the definition of “health preservation competence” does not have an unambiguous interpretation, various approaches to defining the terms of health-preserving and healthdeveloping competences have been investigated. It has been established that scientists attach different meanings to the concept of “health preservation competence”, which defines it as an ambiguous and broadfaceted meaning and offers different approaches to its formation in students. Attention is focused on the fact that for students of grades 5–6, it is important not only to preserve health, but also to strengthen and further develop it, and therefore, the formation of health-preserving and health-developing competencies in students of this age. The analysis of the scientific and pedagogical literature proved that the category “health development competence” is considered in the scientific literature not as often as the concept of “health preservation competence”. The stages, tasks and directions of the formation of the researched competencies developed by the scientists and the proposed ways of their formation and development through the prism of the implementation of socio-pedagogical activities, the implementation of pedagogical and health-development technologies, through the use of a system of health and physical culture activities and methodical techniques that direct the educational process to formation of students’ health-preserving and health-developing competencies, healthy lifestyle skills and appropriate health culture.
Peculiarities of inclusive education in general educational institutions
Authors:   Oles Honchar Dnipro National University, Lopuha Hanna , Reshetilova Valeriia ,   Prydniprovska State Academy of Physical Culture and Sports, Mikhailenko Yuliia ,   Prydniprovska State Academy of Physical Culture and Sports, Prysiazhna Mariia ,   Oles Honchar Dnipro National University
Published: June 2023

The article analyzes the features of inclusive education in educational institutions. Attention is focused on the fact that inclusive education involves building a learning system that meets the needs of each child, provides all children with psychological and pedagogical support that allows them to be successful and feel safe. Inclusive education aims to develop an approach to teaching and learning that is more flexible to meet the different educational and educational needs of children. Inclusive education covers not only the educational sphere, but also the entire spectrum of social relations: work, communication, entertainment. An accessible friendly atmosphere must be created in all spheres, the barriers of the environment and social consciousness must be overcome. The work defines the main values of inclusive education. A comparative analysis of the concepts “integration” and “inclusion” was carried out. The authors revealed the huge educational potential of inclusive education, analyzed the advantages and disadvantages of inclusive education. Based on the results of the research, substantiated conclusions and recommendations are presented, it is suggested to increase attention to the support service, equipment (inclusion in many cases involves changing the environment and materials), as well as to conduct additional work with all school employees.
Characteristics of components of the social and personal competences of senior students
Authors:   Private School ", Shvets Tetiana ,   Athens"
Published: June 2023

The article analyzes different approaches of domestic and foreign researchers to the concept of social and personal competence. The author defines the components of social and personal competence and provides their characteristics. The article uses the theoretical method of research, namely: analysis of scientific sources, comparison, generalization and systematization of scientific data to characterize the components of social and personal competence of senior students. The article provides separate characteristics of scientific and pedagogical approaches on social and personal competence of senior students. On the basis of the analysis of the domestic source base, the author concludes that there is a dominance in the scientific space of a separate study of the phenomenon of social and personal competence. The documents of the Council of the European Union and other international organizations, which define the essence of social and personal competence, are analyzed, and it is emphasized that they are considered together. The author considered the constituent elements of both social and personal competence and stated that they should be considered together. Based on the generalization of domestic and foreign scientific developments, it was concluded that social and personal competence consists of the following components: communication skills and cooperation; critical and creative thinking, which are constantly developing; such an integral characteristic of a person who is able to identify and realize his capabilities and the capabilities of others, peculiarities and needs, to develop, improve and implement his educational and life plans, as well as to make choices and bear responsibility for them based on a system of values, which ensures the ability to self-determination.
Consent, assent and randomised evaluations
Authors: Sanders Michael , Summers Jack , Hirneis Vanessa , Hume Susannah , McGannon Gabrielle
Published: June 2023

Background:

Randomised trials have been on the rise in social policy over the last decade and a half, particularly in areas working with young people and vulnerable adults. Informed consent is an important principle for ethics committees governing research conducted by universities.

Aims and objectives:

We consider the arguments for and against opt-in consent by parents, and opt-out assent, when it comes to trials taking place, particularly in schools.

Methods:

We review what is known about this from a methodological standpoint.

Findings:

We find that extant evidence suggests that requiring opt-in consent, rather than assent, to participation, risks reducing the ethical standards of trials by minimising participation; and by potentially risking disclosure of sensitive information about a child’s life to their parents. Moreover, there are important equity considerations, with more vulnerable groups likely to be excluded from research findings under an opt-in framework.

Discussion and conclusion:

We conclude that the ethical argument for assent rather than consent is compelling under some circumstances, and should be considered on a case-by-case basis. Precautions must always be taken to safeguard participants.
Laser emission from tapered fiber-based liquid-crystal microsphere for sensing
Authors: Zhou Dong , Zhao Na , Chen Yuzhou , Sun Jing , Li Yuxiang , Peng Zenghui , Liu Yongjun
Published: June 2023

This Letter introduces a novel laser emission probe for liquid-crystal microspheres based on a tapered fiber. A cholesteric liquid crystal (CLC) is injected into a hollow glass microsphere (HGM) attached at the front end of a tapered fiber in order to produce laser. Tapered fibers are preferable to rectangular fibers for liquid-crystal microsphere laser emission. The whispering gallery mode (WGM) laser is significantly suppressed by the tapered fiber-based liquid-crystal microsphere, which also displays an apparent single-mode photonic bandgap (PBG) laser peak. The stimulation response of tapered fiber-based liquid-crystal microspheres to organic vapors causes a modification of the laser peak wavelength with increasing gas concentration. In addition, laser emission generated by tapered fiber-based liquid-crystal microspheres is expected to be used in fields such as microenvironmental biosensing.
The role of the physical environment in stroke recovery: Evidence-based design principles from a mixed-methods multiple case study
Authors: Lipson-Smith Ruby , Zeeman Heidi , Muns Leanne , Jeddi Faraz , Simondson Janine , Bernhardt Julie
Published: June 2023

Hospital design can impact patient outcomes, but there is very little healthcare design evidence specific to stroke rehabilitation facilities. Our aim was to explore, from the patient perspective, the role of the physical environment in factors crucial to stroke recovery, namely, stroke survivor activity (physical, cognitive, social), sleep, emotional well-being, and safety. We conducted a mixed-methods multiple-case study at two inpatient rehabilitation facilities in Victoria, Australia, (n = 20 at Case 1, n = 16 at Case 2) using “walk-through” semi-structured interviews, behavioural mapping, questionnaires, and retrospective audit. Four interrelated themes emerged: 1) entrapment and escape; 2) power, dependency, and identity in an institutional environment; 3) the rehabilitation facility is a shared space; and 4) the environment should be legible and patient-centred. Quantitative data revealed patterns in patient activity; stroke survivors spent over 75% of their time in bedrooms and were often inactive. Convergent mixed methods analysis was used to generate a new conceptual model of the role of the physical environment in stroke survivors’ behaviour and well-being, highlighting the importance of variety and interest, privacy without isolation, and patient-centred design. This model can be used by designers, healthcare providers, and policy makers to inform the design of rehabilitation environments.
Hierarchical control of differential steering for four-in-wheel-motor electric vehicle
Authors: Tian Jie , Yang Mingfei
Published: June 2023

The purpose of this paper is to study the control of differential steering for four-in-wheel-motor electric vehicles. The so-called differential steering means that the front wheel steering is realized through the differential driving torque between the left and right front wheels. With the consideration of tire friction circle, a hierarchical control method is proposed to realize the differential steering and the constant longitudinal speed simultaneously. Firstly, the dynamic models of the front wheel differential steering vehicle, the front wheel differential steering system and the reference vehicle are established. Secondly, the hierarchical controller is designed. The upper controller is to obtain the resultant forces and resultant torque required by the front wheel differential steering vehicle tracking the reference model through the sliding mode controller. In the middle controller, the minimum tire load ratio is selected as the objective function. Combined with the constraints, the resultant forces and resultant torque are decomposed into the longitudinal and lateral forces of four wheels by the quadratic programming method. The lower controller provides the required longitudinal forces and tire sideslip angles for the front wheel differential steering vehicle model through the tire inverse model and the longitudinal force superposition scheme. Simulation results show that the hierarchical controller can guarantee the vehicle to track the reference model well on both of the high and low adhesion coefficient road with all of the tire load ratios smaller than 1. It can be drawn that the control strategy proposed in this paper is effective.
The impact of the Oakland sugar-sweetened beverage tax on price promotions of sugar-sweetened and alternative beverages
Authors: El-Sayed Osama M. , Powell Lisa M.
Published: June 2023

The goal of sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) taxes is to raise the prices of SSBs to decrease consumption. Price promotions play an important role in the sales of SSBs and could potentially be used by manufacturers to weaken the impact of such taxes. The purpose of this study is to determine how price promotions changed after the introduction of the 2017 Oakland SSB tax. A difference-in-differences study design was used to compare changes in prices and the prevalence and amount of price promotions for beverages in Oakland, California, relative to Sacramento, California, using two different datasets. Nielsen Retail Scanner data included price promotions for beverages sold and store audit data included price promotions offered by retailers. Changes were analyzed for SSBs, noncalorically sweetened beverages, and unsweetened beverages. After the implementation of the tax, the prevalence of price promotions for SSBs did not change significantly in Oakland relative to the comparison site of Sacramento. However, the depth of price promotions increased by an estimated 0.35 cents per ounce (P<0.001) based on the Nielsen retail scanner data and by 0.39 cents per ounce (P<0.001) based on the store audit data. This increase in the amount by which SSBs were price promoted following the introduction of the Oakland SSB tax may reflect a strategy by manufacturers to weaken the tax and/or retailers to bolster demand.
Effect of Healthy Transitions intervention in improving family planning uptake among adolescents and young women in Western Nepal: A pre-and post-intervention study
Authors: Thakuri Dipendra Singh , Bhandari Rajan , Khatri Sangita , Dhungana Adhish , Balami Roma , Hanson-Hall Nana Apenem
Published: June 2023

Background

Contraceptive use can prevent unintended pregnancies, early childbearing, and abortion-related deaths. Despite these benefits, the use of modern contraceptives remains low among adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) in Nepal. To address this gap, the Healthy Transitions Project was implemented in Karnali Province, Nepal from February 2019 to September 2021. This study aimed at measuring the effect of Healthy Transitions’ intervention on improving knowledge and use of modern family planning methods among AGYW in Nepal.

Methods

We used a pre- and post-intervention study design to assess the effect of Healthy Transitions project. A quantitative survey was conducted at baseline and after the first cohort of AGYW had completed the intervention (1 year later). The baseline survey was conducted in 2019 with a cohort of 786 married and unmarried AGYW aged 15–24 years. An end line survey was conducted in 2020 with 565 AGYW who were interviewed at baseline. Data analysis was done using STATA version 15.1. The exact McNemar significance probability value was used to decide the significance of difference between baseline and endline.

Results

The knowledge and uptake of modern family planning methods have increased in the endline compared to the baseline. AGYW recognised 10 out of the ten modern methods at endline, a significant increase from 7 at baseline (p<0.001). Among AGYW, 99% were aware of sources to obtain family planning methods, compared with 92% at baseline (p< 0.001). The proportion of married AGYW using modern contraceptive methods was significantly higher at the endline 33%, than baseline (26%) (p<0.001).

Conclusion

Our results show that multilevel demand and supply-side interventions, targeting adolescents and young women, their families, community, and health system helped to improve knowledge and use of modern family planning methods among AGYW. The study suggests that these intervention approaches can be adopted to improve family planning use among adolescents and young women in other similar settings.
Video-based teach-to-goal intervention on inhaler technique on adults with asthma and COPD: A randomized controlled trial
Authors: Al-Kharouf Mohammad Samer , Abdeljalil Mariam Hantash , Obeidat Nathir M. , Oweidat Khaled Al , Awwad Oriana
Published: June 2023

Background

Incorrect use of inhalers is a problem associated with poor patient outcomes. Despite improvement in the technique after verbal educations, this deteriorates over-time requiring re-enforcement through different educative strategies. This study aimed to assess the impact of a novel video-based teach-to-goal (TTG) educational intervention on: mastery of inhaler technique, disease control, medication adherence and disease-related quality of life (QoL) over-time among asthma and COPD patients.

Methods

This prospective, open-label, randomized controlled trial was registered in ClinicalTrials.gov: Identifier NCT05664347. After baseline assessment participants received either a verbal (control group) or a video-based (intervention group) TTG strategy. After 3-month the intervention was assessed for impact on the intended outcomes. Inhaler technique was assessed using standardized checklists, disease control using the Asthma control test and COPD assessment test respectively for asthma and COPD patients while adherence using the Morisky Green Levine scale. For QoL, the mini asthma quality of life questionnaire and the St. George respiratory questionnaire were used for asthmatic and COPD patients, respectively. Differences in outcomes between intervention-control groups were analyzed using either Chi-Square (X2)/Fisher Exact or Mann Whitney test. The impact of intervention on outcomes over-time was examined using either McNemar or Wilcoxon test.

Results

At baseline, intervention (n = 51) and control (n = 52) groups had comparable demographic/clinical characteristics. At follow-up, inhaler technique improved among intervention group compared to control group (93.4% vs 67%) and to baseline (93.4% to 49.5%), (P<0.05). Similarly, medication adherence ameliorated among the intervention group in comparison to control group (88.2% to 61.5%) and to baseline (88.2% to 66.7%), (P<0.05). In regards to disease control, results showed an amelioration among the intervention group compared to baseline (35.3% to 54.9%) (P<0.05). QoL scores improved significantly among asthma patients (intervention group) at follow-up vs baseline. Better scores were also observed for COPD patients compared to controls, (P<0.05).

Conclusion

Video-based (TTG) was effective in enhancing inhaler technique over time as well as improving disease control, medication adherence, and QoL.

Trial registration

ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT05664347. https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT05664347.
Muslim women consumers: Critical interpretations of US modest fashion brands entangled with the fashion-advocacy-capitalist-façade
Authors: Amalanathan Shanti , Reddy-Best Kelly L.
Published: June 2023

Following 9/11, some young Muslim American women have been wearing hijabs to assert their Islamic identities. They are also seeking fashionable modest clothing, yet, despite their growing buying power, the US modest fashion market targeting Muslim women appears underserved. The purpose of this study was to critically examine how niche modest fashion brands in the United States target Muslim women while drawing upon theoretical concepts centring on oppression and agency related to the long history of gendered Islamophobia Muslims have experienced. We analysed eleven brands’ websites and social media applying the constant comparative method and identified four themes: empowering Muslim women, reclaiming modesty as modern and beautiful, meeting fashionable modest wear demand, and rejecting and perpetuating colourism. In our analysis of the digital discourses of US modest fashion brands, we revealed that these brands emerged to meet the demand of young Muslim woman in the United States who are embracing the hijab and modest clothing as a potent symbol of resistance against western ideologies, the fashion system’s oppressive acts towards Muslim women and traditional Islamic dress codes. Yet, their advocacy-centred messages – empowerment, reclaiming modesty as beautiful – operate within a profit-driven system, which we theorize as a fashion-advocacy-capitalistic-façade. The fashion-advocacy-capitalist-façade concept helps explain the slippery slope that fashion brands are tiptoeing as they aim to empower Muslim women, offer trendy modest clothing, reject traditional Islamic dress codes for women and create space in the fashion market for this unmet demand. Although these brands aim to promote a positive sense of self for Muslim women, they cannot be withheld from critical examination and potential interpretations when operating within the capitalist-driven industry that is so often plagued with significant injustices.
Intersections between Italian and Slavic cinemas
Authors: Laviosa Flavia
Published: June 2023

The purpose of this issue is to explore the encounter between Italy and Central, Eastern and Southeastern Europe and Russia during and after the Soviet period, as well as the fervid cooperation and fruitful co-productions between the film industries in this vast geographic region. More specifically, this Special Issue covers the following topics: the reception of neorealist films in Slavic countries and the influence of neorealism in Slavic cinema, the links between Italian political cinema and Slavic media, the presence of popular Italian genres of television shows and series in these geographical areas, transnational stardom in cinema and television, co-productions and their adaptation to the needs of national film and television markets, Soviet–Italian film institutional exchanges and co-productions and Italian film festivals in Russia and Italy.
Italy through Russian eyes: Italy’s evolving imagined geography in Russian cinema
Authors: Martiniuk Jill
Published: June 2023

Italy has long been a source of fascination and inspiration for Russian writers, artists and filmmakers due to its extensive cultural heritage. Russian filmmakers have played with how Russians view Italy, and they offer viewers the opportunity to see Italy through Russian eyes. Whether in collaboration with Italian filmmakers or on their own, Russian directors have sought to explore Italy: both its real geography and its imagined one. Imagined geography gives us a new way to examine Russian–Italian film collaboration. By examining the imagined geography of Italy in Ryazanov’s Unbelievable Adventures of Italians in Russia (1974), Tarkovsky’s Nostalghia (1983), Mikhailkov’s Dark Eyes (1987), Kravchuk’s The Italian (2005) and Konchalovsky’s Sin (2021), this article proposes that Russian directors map similarity and inspiration onto Italy to establish an affinity towards Italy that exists beyond the boundaries of the film collaborations.
The influence of Tarkovsky on the mystical gaze in Pontecorvo’s Fatima (2020)
Authors: Iordache Florin-Alexandru
Published: June 2023

Unlike his predecessors, who made films about the event Milagre do Sol (‘The miracle of the sun’) that occurred in Fatima (Portugal, 13 October 1917), Marco Pontecorvo represents an enriched and original mystical gaze in his 2020 film Fatima. To achieve this, the Italian filmmaker drew inspiration from the creations of other directors, whose cinematic works have been described by some theorists or commentators as ‘mystical’. This article explores Andrei Tarkovsky’s influence on the mystical gaze in Pontecorvo’s film, considering the poetics of the four elements (air, earth, water, sun) and other motifs such as the bird or the angel, as well as various cinematic techniques. Going even further into the history of Soviet cinema, via Tarkovsky, this article shows that Pontecorvo uses various poetic means of expression specific to Ukrainian director Alexander Dovzhenko’s Earth (1930) and converts them into elements characteristic of the epiphany. In addition to these influences, there are also attributes of an original mystical gaze like Plato’s cave myth and the cave–cinema analogy.
Andrei Tarkovsky, Kazimierz Kutz and Federico Fellini: References and counterpoints
Authors: Shrager Miriam , Matskevich-Levin Natalia
Published: June 2023

This article provides a detailed analysis of references to other films found in two of Andrei Tarkovsky’s works, thus highlighting the films’ intertextual and intermedial nature. More specifically the article examines several referential elements found in Tarkovsky’s Ivanovo detstvo (Ivan’s Childhood) () and , which, as scholars suggest, borrow elements from Kazimierz Kutz’s Krzyż Walecznych (Cross of Valour) () and Federico Fellini’s 8½ (), respectively. Through the theoretical analysis of filmmaking techniques as well as intertextual analysis, the article seeks to explain why and how Tarkovsky employs these references in his films. The article therefore examines the cinematography of the three directors in addition to their films’ visual stylistics and formal elements. By analysing mise en scènes, types of shots, lighting, editing and more, the article proves that the references Tarkovsky employs in his two films not only justify connections to his films’ main ideas but also serve as incontrovertible evidence that his films contain references and counterpoints to Kutz’s and Fellini’s works.
Slow narration in Voyage in Time by Andrei Tarkovsky and Tonino Guerra (1983)
Authors: Sidorova Svetlana
Published: June 2023

The main purpose of this article is to rethink the documentary filmmaking of Andrei Tarkovsky and Tonino Guerra in the context of the new spiritual challenges of the modern era and to assess the potential of the audio-visual language of the travelogue Tempo di viaggio (Voyage in Time) () within the slow cinema discourse. This article focuses on the analysis of the ways to slow down the narrative in Voyage in Time. Apart from focusing on the significance of screen images, it aims to define the role of background audio content, including spiritual singing, which is used by the filmmakers in the prologue and epilogue to create a ‘circular frame’. The documentary narrative of Voyage in Time is transformed into a slow poetic film text in which the everyday rises to the level of the artistic, and the temporary to the level of the eternal.
Alexandre Volkoff’s Casanova (1927): Text, myth, film
Authors: Gubareva Marita
Published: June 2023

Alexander Volkoff’s acclaimed silent masterpiece Casanova (1927) is an excellent example of the many links between Italian and Russian cultures: this international super-production, led by a group of Russian émigrés, is based on the memoirs of a famous Venetian, and shot largely in Venice. While the film’s production history is relatively well studied, little has been written on the relationship between the film and the text on which it is based. This article aims to fill in this gap. It demonstrates that Volkoff’s Casanova, often considered to be merely a spectacular genre film, actually offers a subtle reading of Giacomo Casanova’s autobiography. Volkoff’s Casanova both illustrates myths and stereotyped images linked to the famous adventurer and subtly questions them. It also highlights the contradictory nature of the character, reproducing many of the oppositions which underlie the original text of the memoirs.
Rino Lupo before Portugal, Russia and Poland: A biography for poetics under construction
Authors: Cucinotta Caterina
Published: June 2023

In recent years, the figure of the Italian filmmaker Rino Lupo (1884–1936) has taken on alternative developments that not only keep attention on his cinematographic work, but also expand to the birth of a new poetic centred on his numerous travels. The essence of Rino Lupo’s transnational and pro-European cinema is linked to an idea of the ‘search for beauty’ through ‘the discovery of the new’. In Poland, Rino Lupo worked on some of the most important concepts that were developed in the following years in Portugal and Spain. In particular, in this article I explore his period in Russia and Poland (1916–21), when Lupo began to expand his cinematographic activity beyond directing movies to creating a journal and a film school, the first in Warsaw.
Aldo Vergano, Umberto Barbaro and Devil’s Ravine: Italian filmmakers in early People’s Poland: 1948–56
Authors: Miller-Klejsa Anna
Published: June 2023

This article traces and analyses the activities of Umberto Barbaro and Aldo Vergano in the People’s Republic of Poland during the late 1940s. It focuses on the production and reception of Czarci żleb (Devil’s Ravine) () in order to examine the extent to which the activities of the Italians were used by the Polish communist authorities for their own political ends. The article draws attention to the opinions formulated by both filmmakers and relevant critics in interviews about the relationship between film art and politics. This part of analysis is of crucial importance, as both Barbaro and Vergano came to Poland bearing the aura of artists who had been deprived of their jobs in Italy for political reasons. The article investigates how far these filmmakers were instrumentalized for political purposes by the Polish communist authorities.
Reception of neorealist films in the Polish Film School
Authors: Baszak Ewa
Published: June 2023

In this article, I examine the influence of neorealism on the ideological and artistic establishment of the Polish Film School. In the first part, I discuss theoretical assumptions about the Polish Film School, focusing on its characteristics and the reasons behind its foundation. Then, I analyse neorealism’s contribution to the Polish Film School in the 1950s using examples from Polish literature. In the last part, I present an analysis of the two Polish films most strongly imbued with the spirit of neorealism: Pokolenie (A Generation) () and Godziny nadziei (The Hours of Hope) (). Through a critical analysis of interviews and press coverage from 1953 to 1955 that takes the historical perspective of Italian neorealist films into account, I conclude that the Polish Film School was most fascinated by the Italian observation of reality and curiosity about human affairs.
(Un)desired others: Central Eastern European refugees in post-war Italian cinema
Authors: JóŹwiak Karol , Petocz Orsolya Katalin
Published: June 2023

This article studies the representation of Central Eastern European refugees in post-war Italian cinema. In our essay, we identify three films that deal with ‘displacement’: Lo sconosciuto di San Marino (The Unknown Man from San Marino) (Waszyński 1948), Donne senza nome (Women without Names) () and Stromboli: Terra di Dio (Stromboli) (). In the immediate post-war period, Italy was a country deeply affected by a Central Eastern European refugee crisis. As Hannah Arendt wrote, many people were in a ‘stateless’ situation either because of the war or because they had fled Soviet domination. The three films represent refugees marginalized for their social status, cultural background or nationality as well as for their sexuality or gender. Starting from Noa Steimatsky’s revealing revision of neorealism vis-à-vis the story of the refugee camp at Cinecittà, we analyse the responsibility cinema had in the erasure of these asylum-seekers from the screen and public awareness.
The Trieste Film Festival: Interview with Nicoletta Romeo
Authors: Laviosa Flavia , Grusha Anastasia
Published: June 2023

Nicoletta Romeo, artistic co-director of the Trieste Film Festival (TSFF), gives a historical overview of the TSFF established in 1989 and how it has changed in the past 30 years. She also explains how this festival, focused on Central Eastern Europe, is fully integrated in the economic, artistic and ethnic ‘fabric’ of the city of Trieste. The festival features films, auteurs and modes of cinematography that are less known in Italy, and in particular productions that belong to the so-called ‘cinéma du réel’, in other words, films that are not simply documentaries, but that represent a form of borderline cinema with documentaries recounting reality in a narrative way, often character-driven.
Andrej Tarkovskij: Il cinema come preghiera (Andrei Tarkovsky: A Cinema Prayer), Andrei A. Tarkovsky (dir.) (2019), Italy: Andrei Tarkovsky International Institute, Klepatski Production, Hobab and Revolver
Authors: Marcucci Giulia
Published: June 2023

Review of: Andrej Tarkovskij: Il cinema come preghiera (Andrei Tarkovsky: A Cinema Prayer), Andrei A. Tarkovsky (dir.) (2019), Italy: Andrei Tarkovsky International Institute, Klepatski Production, Hobab and Revolver
Italia–Russia: Un secolo di cinema, Italija–Rossija: Vek kino, Olga Strada and Claudia Olivieri (eds) (2020)
Authors: Paranyuk Viktoria
Published: June 2023

Review of: Italia–Russia: Un secolo di cinema, Italija–Rossija: Vek kino, Olga Strada and Claudia Olivieri (eds) (2020)

Moscow: ABCDesign and PBN Print, 416 pp.,

ISBN 978-5-91103-558-7, h/bk, price unavailable
Políticas públicas y planificación energética en la Amazonia: análisis de las convergencias y divergencias entre el Plan Nacional de Energía y el Plan Amazónico Sostenible
Authors: Pereira Simas Julyana , Assunção de Farias André Luís
Published: June 2023

El presente artículo busca problematizar la política energética nacional implementada en la Amazonia, una región dotada de peculiaridades socioambientales, con el objetivo principal de responder cómo el gobierno articula intereses tan dispares en el mismo territorio, a través de planes en sectores estratégicos, como el Energético y el Desarrollo Regional. Para ello, se realizó una evaluación del Plan Amazonia Sostenible (2008) y del Plan Nacional de Energía (2007), con base en el modelo propuesto por Subirats, Knoepfel, Larrue y Varone (2008), que busca vincular el ciclo de políticas públicas a un análisis transversal de los actores implicados en la elaboración de la política, de los recursos por ellos movilizados, así como de las diferentes instituciones. Las políticas públicas nacionales continúan siendo replicadas, sin que sean consideradas las diversidades de cada región, sobre todo, en la Amazonia. En ese escenario, fue posible percibir la falta de integración entre los actores gubernamentales, traduciendo una deficiencia en las redes de interacciones que forman el espacio de la política pública. En la práctica, la superposición de intereses será la que determine la efectividad de cada política pública, como demostró el análisis de los planes aquí presentados. Para garantizar la articulación entre las políticas públicas es preciso respetar los límites locales y consolidar las propuestas de desarrollo, de forma territorial. Con la finalidad de corroborar los análisis, se realizó un estudio de campo con la producción de dendê en la región amazónica, por incentivo del Plan Nacional de Producción y Uso del Biodiesel, política esta que presenta la intersección de las políticas públicas de las esferas ambiental y energética.