bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A study on the Efficacy of Alcohol Detection in the prevention of Drunken Driving
Authors: Ram Kumar S , Shripriyan S , Vinithraja R , Manikandan G , Sandeep M
Published: May 2021

Accidents on roads due to drunken driving have become increasingly common. We have developed a device which can prevent the accidents that occur due to drunken driving by stalling the vehicle. We are using the (MQ-3) sensor which can detect alcoholic content from the driver’s breath. The Arduino NANO board is very flexible and can be programmed to the MQ-3 sensor’s sensitivity requirements which in turn can actuate the relay to break the circuit which connects the starter motor and the battery, thereby stalling the vehicle. This circuit is quite compact and be integrated in all types of vehicles.
Application of Bipolar-Fuzzy-Graphof a Semigroup in Fuzzy Logic Systems and Networks
Authors: Mounikalakshmi Remala , Ragamayi S , Jaya Lalitha G , Sharma Avinash
Published: May 2021

The ultimate objective of a piece of research work is to correlate bipolar fuzzy, Computer Network Systems(
CNS) and graph theory with a semigroup. Here, we present the thought of
BFG
symptomatic of a network systemon
SG
, it’s isomorphism, the thought of BFGS, group, and the idea of anti-BF-IGS as a speculation of anti-
BF-IS
,
BFG
, and graph. We concentrate a portion of their properties and demonstrate that the
CNS
, Gr (V
1, A
1, B
1, µ

A1, σ

B1) and Gr (V
2, A
2, B
2, µ

A2, σ

B2) be
BFGS
are isomorphic if their complements are isomorphic and vice versa.
A Review on Structural Behaviour of Natural Fibre Reinforced Polymer Laminate
Authors: Bharani S , Gulshataj M N A , Gargi P , Ramya S , Jegan  , Rameshkumar G
Published: May 2021

This paper will review the behavior of structural elements using natural fiber reinforced polymer laminate is going to be examined. In construction industry, the structural elements are strengthened by using fiber reinforced polymer laminate which is highly effective, but since the laminates which we use here has fabricated using steel. This is a drawback since, the initial production of synthetic fiber reinforced polymer laminate is highly expensive. So here in this paper we have come up with an alternative by giving an ecofriendly solution as well as cost effective one, here the laminates are going to be fabricated using natural fibers like jute and abaca and the behavior of both the materials are going to examined and the best one from it is going to be produced. The fabrication of laminates using natural fibers will provide a very good shear strength to structural elements, as well as, it is cost effective.
Studies on Mechanical properties of hybrid fiber reinforced polymer matrix composites
Authors: Rathish R , Aravindkumar N , Abhijith S , Jaya Suriyaa K K , Shivaganesh G
Published: May 2021

Composite fibers are becoming one of the inevitable sources, the inculcation of synthetic fibers and natural fibers hold a pivotal position in the engineering technologies. The process of combining composites without reduction in their properties like mechanical and physical have significantly led to increase in the quality of the product. Some of the process that can be done pertinent towards the polymers are tensile test, impact test, shear test, etc. To synthesize the component, hand layup process is been implemented in this process. The composition of components that include jute, hemp, basalt, glass and epoxy resin which when added with SiC will also be providing superior properties.
Differentiation of the material characteristics in an arandela muelle valvula
Authors: Joel E , Janarrthanan D , Harshavardhan V , Jeevakumar D
Published: May 2021

Arandela Muelle Valvula (Valve Spring Washer) is a component used in valves for avoiding leakage while withstanding high pressure. In a manufacturing industry, these valve spring washers are produced as per the customer needs. Based on grades, four different grades of Muelle variants are used, they are UNS S15500 (15 – 5 pH), UNS S17400 (17 – 4 pH), INCONEL X-718, INCONEL X-750. In these variants, UNS S15500 (15 – 5 pH) and UNS S17400 (17 – 4 pH) have almost similar element composition, except the chromium level. From the raw material UNS S15500 (15 – 5 pH) Sheet, Arandela Muelle (Spring Washer) are cut by either Waterjet cutting process, Laser cutting or Wire cutting processes. While examining, some UNS S15500 (15 – 5 pH) grade Arandela Muelle (Spring Washer) are reported as UNS S17400 (17 – 4 pH) grade steel, in the Positive Material Identification Test (PMI). To properly identifies the differences, other chemical and mechanical tests are carried out.
Experimental investigation of glass fiber reinforcement with nano materials
Authors: Raghul K S , Giridharan K , Gobikrishnan R , Gowthamaa Vra , Jeffrin Jill V S
Published: May 2021

The development of reinforced composite fibre has received a lot of attention in recent years. Reinforced composite fibres have superior mechanical properties to glass and carbon fibre, such as stiffness, impact strength, durability, and modulus. Poor moisture tolerance and the formation of its forms during processing render it more difficult to use them in a specific application. The effect of adding silica nano particle content to a glass fiber-reinforced composite fabricated through hand lay-up followed by hot press moulding is investigated in this study, and mechanical properties such as tensile strength, flexural strength, and impact strength are evaluated. The findings showed that when 5 percent Nano-silica is applied to the glass fibre, optimum tensile and flexural strength is obtained, and that the addition of 1 percent Nano-silica has major effects on the Charpy impact behaviour.
An Engine performance analysis and emission characteristics of IC engine using mixture of canola and pongamia oil as biodiesel
Authors: Mohan K , Sharfaraaz Ismail R , Rudresh S , Sanjayram K S , Vinodh Kumar A
Published: May 2021

In India ranks 6th in Diesel consumption, 3.5% total commercial power. Current usage of diesel in India is about 88.8 billion liter (70% of total petrol production consumption) and is expected to reach 130 billion liter in 2025 as demand is growing at a rate of 5.6% per annum. While at home crude oil and natural gas production will remain around 33.97 mt during 2006-07. So, there will be a huge gap between demand as well a supply that needs to be met with increased fuel intake or increasing biodiesel production by improving biodiesel fields without sacrificing world food security. Biodiesel is a renewable energy source created for renewable energy waste and degraded areas. Biofuel is a fuel that contains high-fat mono-alkyl esters acids of vegetable oil or animal fats, found in plant or animal. Consumption of biofuel requires very little modification or not of the engine when combined with diesel up to 20% (B20). Biofuel consumption results in a significant reduction in non-combustible hydrocarbons by 30%, carbon monoxide by 20% and compound by 25%. It has almost there is no sulfur. Other than that, it has about 10% of the built-in oxygen, i.e., helps with fire burning and several positive Cetane. So, we have proposed Bio diesel production from Canola oil and Pongamia oil, we have used acid catalyst and methanal to produce Bio diesel. Green seed canola oil and Pongamia oil is Low grade oil. In this research, biodiesel was produced from canola oil, Pongamia oil, Transesterification of both oil with Alcohol, and Methanal catalyst (Canola) H2SO4 Acid catalyst (Pongamia oil). The reaction was conducted at Room Temperature and a stirring speed of 50 Rpm for 10 min. Prior to transesterification, green seed canola oil was bleached to remove pigments using various adsorbents at different conditions. We have tested various blend of Biodiesel named as B10, B20, and B30 in Single Cylinder Four-stroke VCR Diesel Engine. The Break thermal efficiency and Mechanical Efficiency was Increased 15% and fuel consumption and cost was reduced.
An Experimental Investigation of Marble Dust in Luffa Fibre Reinforced Concrete
Authors: Anandaraj S. , Deepa N. , Manoj Kumar P. , Anusha G. , Gobinath R. , Krishnaraja A.R. , Harihanandh M , Sandeep Karthick S.
Published: May 2021

Typically, Concrete mixture is firm in Compression yet sickly in Tension and shear. Reason for this examination is to discover the conduct of cement built up with half-breed full-scale strands. By adding Luffa strands in rates like 0.5%, 1%, 1.5%& 2% to the solid, the mechanical properties are researched. The ideal level of Luffa fiber was discovered to be 1%. Marble has been generally utilized in structures since old occasions. The current examination is pointed toward using waste marble dust (WMD) in development industry itself as fine total in solid, supplanting characteristic sand and furthermore by adding the ideal level of Luffa fiber. The substitution is done halfway and completely in the different extents like 0%, 20%, 40%, 60% and 80% and its impact on properties of cement were examined. The ideal level of the solid by adding 1% of Luffa fiber and the extents was discovered to be 20%
Experimental Investigations on Flexural Behaviour of Self Compacting Concrete Beam with Silica Fume
Authors: Rajendra Prasath C. , Vivek D. , Elango K. S , Dharmaraj R.
Published: May 2021

The proposed investigational programme aims to assess SCC efficiency by altering the percentage of silica fumes used as a substitute material. A study of the reliability of fresh and hardened concrete properties was conducted. In this study, the test mix which really compensates the fresh concrete properties provides the highest compressive strength was used. Silica fume is used to substitute cement in varying percentages (0, 10%, 15% and 20%). As compared to other cement replacement, Self-Compacting Concrete with 15% silica fume showed higher performance. Three beams were cast and assessed for flexural behaviour: conventional RCC, self-compacting concrete Beam, and SCC with 15% silica fume. As compared to other instances, SCC with 15% silica fume performed well, which is shown in the load deflection graph.
Three-dimensional Computational Analysis of Transverse Injection in a Supersonic Combustor
Authors: Karthikeyan P , Sri Santhosh Kumar G , Yuvaraj R , Jeeva A
Published: May 2021

The scramjet engine plays a promising role for a successful future hypersonic flight system. The performance of scramjet system depends on many factors like mixing rate of fuel and air, proper flame stabilization mechanism and suitable injection system. The flame stabilization is provided by means of introducing a Cavity along the wall of the combustor. The cavity effects on the performance of supersonic combustion will be studied here with the help of three-dimensional combustor CFD model. The reliability of the numerical results obtained by using the computational approach depends on the proper validation of the CFD code with their corresponding experimental results. The corresponding experimental results from the literature will be identified and used here for the validation of the numerical code. The final CFD results after its validation with the experimental results will be presented in terms of x-y plots and contours for the discussion.
Study on Construction of Roads Using PVC Wastes-review
Authors: Chandrasekaran P , Nirmalkumar K , Uthra R , Vihash Kumar K S , Vishnu R
Published: May 2021

Roads of late square measure created of deep strength asphalt, bitumen, stone, chalk rock, compacted sand, as most as rural roads square measure targeted, are factory-made from earth sand, loam, gravel and organic compound spray seal. For years throw-away merchandise factorymade from PVC square measure variety one reason behind organic compound pollution in incinerators and once burned it fires. Finding correct use of disposed PVC waste is that the wish of the hour. On the other road traffic is increasing, so the necessity to increase the load bearing capacities of the roads, the employment of PVC mixed organic compound or asphalt or PVC coated combination in pavement construction permits the employ of PVC waste. Throughout this study, the assorted properties of PVC modified organic compound like softening purpose, penetration worth square measure reaching to be reviewed. The results indicate that PVC waste may be used with success in construction. Strength and stability of the combo magnified when incorporation of PVC waste; it had been additionally ascertained that addition of PVC waste showed increase resistance to permanent deformation in terms of rutting. On the idea of experimental work, it’s ended that the asphalt mixtures with waste PVC modifier may be used for versatile pavement construction.
Investigation of Solid State Welding of Copper Nickel Alloy (Cu-Ni 90/10)Using FSW Process
Authors: Balu Mahandiran M , Vigneshkumar M , Ashoka Varthanan P , Abishek S , Abdulriyazdeen A , Abilash S
Published: May 2021

In traditional joining process, copper alloys are hard to weld owing to its thermal and electrical properties. Owing to the high melting temperature and large thermal conductivity, excessive heat is needed for the joining operation of copper alloys. With Increased heat input, the heat affected region of the welded part increases, the mechanical and thermal properties of the component deteriorate. The objectives of this research are to discover the ideal mechanical performance of FSW of copper alloys. Two main factors such as tool speed and traversing speed has been investigated. A cylindrical profile of tool pin is used for all the experiments. A total of four experiments were conducted with two rotational as well as traversing speed for this investigation. The response such as tensile strength was analysed for accessing the integrity of the welded joints. At a steady load, the joints manufactured are found to have a highest tensile strength of 262 Mpa. Thus the 93.57 percentage of joint efficiency is achieved.
Sequestration of Potential Enzymes from Mushrooms compost waste
Authors: Surendran G , Karunakaran S , Prabhu N , Karthika Devi S , Gajendran T
Published: May 2021

Mushrooms are type of white-rot fungi such as basidiomycetes, which degrades a lot of agro wastes by the secretion of precious bioconversion enzymes and produce the final enriched product. These enzymes take part in organic and inorganic waste remediation in the environment. This review analysed from the standpoint of scientists reserching in lignolytic enzyme production from various mushroom cultivation and also highlights the role of recent approaches within the production of giant volume of commercially important enzymes from biodegradable wastes. Then the proceeding work is to survey the novel lignolytic enzyme production aspects and their major characteristics, microbial sources such as basidiomycetes (white-rot fungi), downstream processing, relevant biochemical properties, diverse applications, enzyme mycotechnology and some recent research developments.
Erosion Studies of WC-Co-Cr Mixed TiC Powder Sprayed by HVOF Process on 16/5 Martensitic Stainless Steel
Authors: Prakash Guru , Manjunath Yadav S , Nath Sumeer K
Published: May 2021

WC-Co-Cr powder was mixed with 5 % micron sized TiC powder to form blended powder. The blended powder was deposited on 16/5 martensitic stainless steel (16/5 MSS) by high velocity oxy fuel process. The microhardness of the blended coating, WC-Co-Cr and 16/5 MSS was found to be 1271, 1081 and 337 VHN respectively. The coated specimen and 16/5 specimen were examined for slurry erosion test for 48h. The weight loss of the coated and coated specimen was measured after every 6h. WC-Co-Cr coating has the maximum erosion resistance behavior followed by blended coating and 16/5 MSS. The volume loss of modified coating due to erosion was found to be 65% less in comparison to 16/5 MSS. The enhanced erosion resistance of the blended coating is attributed to higher hardness of the coating w.r.t 16/5 MSS.
Dynamic behavior of molten pool flow field for active laser welded-thick stainless steel plates
Authors: Mei L-F , Xie S , Yan D-B , Lei Z-Q , Yin W , Qin J-H
Published: May 2021

By combining numerical simulation and experimental investigation, this paper intensively investigated the influence rules of adding three active agents (SiO2, TiO2 and NaF) on the dynamic behaviors of flow field in the laser welding 304 stainless steel thick plate pool. First of all, the mathematical model of the activating laser welding stainless steel thick plate was constructed to numerically investigate the impact of active agents on the fluid flow in the pool. Secondly, based on the tungsten particle tracing principle test, the high speed camera system was adopted for real-time monitoring to investigate the mechanism of action of the active agents on the flow field in the pool. The results suggested that, the active agents partially affected the mode of fluid flow. The velocity vector from both sides of the pool to the center occurred on the pool surface, while vortex from the pool margin to the center occurred on the pool cross section. The phenomenon that the tracing tungsten particles moving from the pool margin to the center, it shows that the flow direction of the fluid changed after coating with the active agent, the fluid flew from the pool margin to the center. At the same time, the coating of active agents changed the flow velocity of fluid inside the pool, and SiO2 active agent has the most significant increase effect, the maximum velocity of fluid flow on the upper surface, the longitudinal and cross sections at the same position of the SiO2 active agent coated specimen increased by 25.8%, 8% and 33.8%, respectively, compared with that without the active agents.
Thickness optimization of a double-layered microwave absorber combining magnetic and dielectric particles
Authors: Kurniawan Affandi Faisal , Anwar Mohammad Syaiful , Nadiyyah Khoirotun , Mashuri M , Triwikantoro T , Darminto D
Published: May 2021

The purpose of this study is to optimize the thickness of the double-layered microwave absorber for obtaining the highest absorption. The graphenic-based carbon compounds and Fe3O4 magnetic particles were combined to fabricate the double-layered absorber. The thickness was optimized by employing a genetic algorithm (GA) to obtain high reflection loss

R

L

min

values. These samples at a thickness of 2 mm were measured for reflection loss (RL) with a Vector Network Analyzer (VNA). Input variables, such as relatively complex permeability and relatively complex permittivity, were obtained using a conversion program that uses Nicolson-Ross-Weir (NRW) method from VNA S-parameter values (S11 and S21) data. By entering the permeability and permittivity of the complex relative to GA, the thickness can be optimized to produce high

R

L

min

value. Optimization of the double-layer thickness of 12 absorbers produces the optimum thickness of

d

1

= 5.99 mm and

d

2

= 0.87 mm among the materials combination, which results in a high

R

L

min

(−44.69 dB). This optimization is very important for designing double-layer radar absorbing material (RAM) which results in high

R

L

min

values.
Research of thermal oxygen ageing on tensile properties of rubber based on Peck-Yeoh model
Authors: Li Kunheng , Shi Wenku , Ding Hang , Chen Zhiyong
Published: May 2021

Vulcanized natural rubber (NR) is widely used in the industrial areas for absorbing vibrations and shock due to their excellent elastic stability. However, with the increase of exposing to sunlight and oxygen and the change of temperature in their working environment, NR tends to be hardened and lose damping properties. Therefore, the thermal aging effects on the mechanical properties of vulcanized NR need to be considered. In the present work, the effect of thermal oxygen aging on tensile properties of NR is experimentally investigated. Dumbbell-type specimens of different hardness(45/55/65HA) are selected and subjected to thermal oxygen ageing tests at different ageing temperatures (60/70/80/90 °C) for 5,12,24,48 and 72 h.The nominal stress and strain can be measured and recorded by the computer in the process of uniaxial tensile test of aged NR. In the process of analyzing the results of uniaxial tensile test of aged rubber, the modulus of elasticity is chosen as the aging evaluation index, and the hardness, ageing time and temperature are analyzed qualitatively with the aid of the Yeoh hyperelastic constitutive model, while the Peck-Yeoh model is combined to calculate the modulus of elasticity after ageing for the quantitative analysis of the influencing factors. The results of qualitative and quantitative analysis reveal that the NR hardness, ageing temperature and ageing time have a descending order effect on the modulus of elasticity of aged NR. The conclusions drawn from this paper not only provide a basis for the study of the influence of ageing phenomena on the static stiffness properties of rubber elements, but also can give some reference to the design and optimization of the ageing resistance of vulcanized NR.
Single-step chemical synthesis of CoFe2O4 nanowire arrays/Cu foam integrated electrode as binder-free anode with enhanced lithium storage properties
Authors: Li Xinqi , He Liang , Li Ping , Liu Xinran
Published: May 2021

The properties of lithium ion battery largely depend on the structure of active materials. In the present work, CoFe2O4 nanowire arrays /Cu foam three-dimensional integrated electrode (denoted as CFO/Cu-foam NWAs) was firstly designed and synthesized via a simple hydrothermal method follow annealing as a binder-free anode for lithium ion battery. The CoFe2O4 nanowires with diameter of 50–100 nm are uniformly anchored on the porous conductive substrate. Lithium ion battery based on the CFO/Cu-foam NWAs integrated electrode exhibits a high initial capacity of 882.7 mAh · g−1 and excellent cyclic stability of 832.1 mAh · g−1 after 100 cycles at 1.0 A · g−1 which is much better than traditional coated electrode of CoFe2O4 nanowire (defined as CFO NWAs) and CoFe2O4 nanowire/Cu foil integrated electrode (named CFO/Cu-foil NWAs). The improved electrochemical performance might be attributed to superior conductivity and porous skeleton structure which not only reduce contact resistance and polarization, but also relieve volume alteration during the lithiation/delithiation process. These advantages make the CoFe2O4 /Cu foam integrated electrode a promising anode for Li-ion batteries.
Simulation analysis of deformation spring-back of free-form surface composite with cellular foam filling
Authors: Jing Xishuang , Xie Xin , Chen Zhengsheng , Qian Dongxiang , Zhang Jie , Zhang Chengyang , Chen Siyu , Zhang Guihua
Published: May 2021

Due to the complex thermo-chemical-mechanical coupling during the curing and forming process of composite materials, spring-back is commonly observed after forming, which makes the shape of parts after curing and forming deviate from the design shape, resulting in difficult or even impossible assembly. In order to reduce the influence of the spring-back deformation on the forming, the finite element analysis software was used to analyze the curing deformation of the free-form composite part with foam filling, and the numerical simulation and analysis of the curing deformation of the complex curved parts were realized. The simulation analysis involves warping deformation under different angles and radii, which breaks through the unitary shape of previous research objects. In addition, the effect of foam on skin is also considered in the simulation process, and it is found that the shrinkage of the foam will affect the spring-back deformation of parts. Through finite element software, the spring-back simulation of multi-surface composite material after curing was carried out, and the results were compared with those obtained by digital measurement, the comparative analysis shows the effectiveness of the curing deformation prediction model in this paper.
An enhanced T-wave delineation method using phasor transform in the electrocardiogram
Authors: Rahul J , Sharma L D
Published: May 2021

Accurate detection of key components plays a vital role in determining cardiovascular diseases in the ECG. In this method, we propose an enhanced T-wave delineation method using the phasor transform. Discrete Wavelet Transform (DWT) and median filters were used to suppress the high-frequency noise and baseline drift during pre-processing. The phasor transform was used to detect and locate the delineation points before and after the T-wave. The proposed method was tested on the QTDB for R-peak, T-peak, and Toff detection. It achieved both sensitivity (Se%) and positive predictivity (+P%) values of 100 for R-peak detection. In T-peak detection, method shows Se % = 99.46 and +P % = 99.54, respectively. This method has reported Se% = 99.34 and +P% = 99.48 for Toff detection in the ECG. The achieved results show that the method can be used for cardiac arrhythmia detection related to the morphology of T-wave.
Theory of the Novel
Authors: Rosenthal Jesse
Published: May 2021

Novel theory sets out to explain a set of literary objects that are already fairly familiar to most modern readers. In fact, it is this assumed familiarity—the sense that there is something in the novel form that aligns with the lived experience of modernity—that animates the tradition of novel theory. Instead of seeking to explain one novel, or to narrate a history that includes all novels, theories of the novel tend to describe a certain set of recognizable, usually formal, features that conform to certain notions of modern subjectivity. The result, nearly across the board, is that theories of the novel operate by excluding far more books in the category of “novel” than they include. Although assuming a descriptive rhetoric, they are instead prescriptive, vastly delimiting the field of possible novels into a much smaller, more manageable, group. This is not offered as a critique as much as definition: what separates novel theory from a critique or history. By seeing the tradition of novel theory in terms of its exclusions, we are better able to understand both the larger “novel theory” genre. But we are better able to understand its blind spots too. By focusing on a particular model of European modernity, and centering its formal concerns around realism and the everyday, academic discussions of the novel have often found difficulty in describing non-European experiences, the experiences of historically marginalized populations, and the catastrophic changes brought about by the Anthropocene. Yet this is not so much a shortcoming of the novel form, as some have suggested, but rather a set of possibilities that lies in the negative space of the novel demarcated by previous novel theory. Reading the history of novel theory in terms of its exclusions, then, offers a sense of the future possibilities of the novel form.
Clothes, Costume, and Fashion in Russian Modernism
Authors: Rann James
Published: May 2021

Writers have always been conscious of the contribution that clothes can make to their work—as material objects, as outward signs of inner character, and as metaphors, especially for language itself. In the early 20th century, however, a time of rapid technological change, as well as of industrialization, globalization, and urbanization, literary interrogations and descriptions of dress evolved to respond to the new ways in which garments were designed, made, marketed, and sold, and to fashion’s increasing pervasiveness in society. Particularly sensitive to these changes were many of the writers associated with modernism, who shared with the nascent fashion industry a preoccupation with questions of novelty and the presentation of the self. Russia was no exception, and there poets, playwrights, and novelists explored and exploited the meanings of clothes and fashion in order to address the urgent questions concerning sex, gender, and race that were thrown up by life in the modern city. Moreover, as elsewhere, these explorations were not limited to the page; rather, writers’ own wardrobes played a part, especially among those who styled themselves as dandies. In other ways, however, Russia diverged from the European norm in its relationship to clothes and fashion and, therefore, in their intersection with literature. First, the habit of appropriating motifs and styles from non-European cultures, which was further galvanized by the modernist turn away from 19th-century culture, had a very different significance in Russia. The long history of ambivalence about Russia’s place in European culture meant that Russians were capable of finding the exotic in their own backyard, leading, for instance, to a vogue for peasant poets. Second, Russia experienced a particularly intense craze for masquerades in the first two decades of the century, which was both reflected in contemporary literature and, in part, a product of an obsession with the connection between inner essences and outer appearances that also manifested itself in modernist poetry. Third, Russian writers of the time were more inclined than most to see their work as part of a wider transformative mission; this often took the form of an attempt to overcome the perceived division between life and art by infusing the everyday with creativity. Clothes, both on the page and in the streets, were an important front in this battle. Finally, the upheaval caused by the revolutions of 1917 and the emergence of the socialist state had profound effects on the organization of fashion as both industry and discourse. Some writers responded by imagining the post-fashion future; others by involving themselves in reconfiguring what socialist commodities might look like; still others by criticizing a surprisingly resilient consumer culture, at least until the Stalin-inspired reorganization of many aspects of society, including fashion and literature, in the late 1920s and early 1930s.
African American Queer Cinema
Authors: Evans Victor
Published: May 2021

African American queer cinema was born as a reaction to the AIDS/HIV epidemic as well as the blatant homophobia that existed within the Black community in the 1980s. It began with the pioneering works of queer directors Isaac Julien and Marlon Riggs and continued during the new queer cinema movement in the 1990s, particularly including the works of lesbian queer director Cheryl Dunye. However, these works were infinitesimal compared to the queer works featuring primarily White lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) protagonists during that time. That trend continues today as evidenced by looking at the highest-grossing LGBTQ films of all times: very few included any African American characters in significant roles. However, from the 1980s to the 2020s, there have been a few Black queer films that have penetrated the mainstream market and received critical acclaim, such as The Color Purple (Spielberg, 1982), Set It Off (Gary, 1996), and Moonlight (Jenkins, 2016), which won the 2018 Academy Award for Best Picture. The documentary film genre has been the most influential in exposing audiences to the experiences and voices within the African American queer communities. Since many of these films are not available for viewing at mainstream theaters, Black queer cinema is primarily accessed via various cable, video streaming, and on-demand services, like Netflix, Hulu, and HBO.
Sexual Satisfaction in LGB Relationships
Authors: Holland Madeleine Redlick
Published: May 2021

Sexual satisfaction plays an important role in the mental, physical, emotional, and relational lives of all individuals of all sexual orientations. However, the study of sexual satisfaction among lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) individuals has been hampered by a number of conceptual and methodological shortcomings. Research on sexual satisfaction has largely been conducted among individuals in mixed-gender relationships, thereby developing and utilizing measures that are heteronormative, penis–vagina focused, and centered on monogamy. Although conceptualizations and operationalizations of sexual satisfaction in the lives of LGB individuals have been imperfect, some key findings related to this construct can be drawn from the literature. Sexual satisfaction is directly related to relationship satisfaction and quality of communication, and inversely related to homonegativity. It varies by relationship arrangements, commitment levels, living arrangements, individual difference variables (such as age, socioeconomic status, and religious affiliation), and sexual orientation. Research on sexual satisfaction can continue to grow by searching for core elements of sexual satisfaction that might be stable across all orientations, incorporating insights from both quantitative and qualitative methods, and being mindful of traditionally excluded populations, such as individuals who are lesbian, gay, or bisexual.
Collaborative Governance
Authors: Voets Joris , Brandsen Taco , Koliba Christopher , Verschuere Bram
Published: May 2021

Collaborative governance (CG) refers to a mode of policy and service delivery that shifts away from government- or market-centric settings to a setting in which public, private nonprofit, and private business actors are jointly involved in and accountable for policymaking and service delivery to create public value that could otherwise not be achieved. This mode has arisen as a result of societal issues’ becoming increasingly “wicked,” lacking consensus about what the exact nature of the problem is and what the appropriate solutions are (e.g., migration and refugees, climate change, poverty). These CG networks can often be fragmented and deprived of resources as part of increased fiscal stress, stimulating the search for cross-boundary arrangements for policy and management. Consequently, both practitioners and academics explore how more and better collaboration between semi-autonomous actors with different interests and resources can be achieved in efforts to tackle wicked issues. CG refers to a trend, an era, a practice, a paradigm, and a holistic framework. While there are variations in the way scholars conceptualize or define it as a model, some common features can be discerned. CG is about identifying/being aware of/dealing with the initial conditions of collaboration and the broader context or system in which cross-sectoral governance is situated. We seek ways of structuring and institutionalizing the collaboration in smart and effective ways that are deemed critical to achieving success and performance. The intentional and deliberative design and implementation of CG arrangements can result from deeper awareness of process and structure, as well as requiring active and smart management strategies and leadership roles to be used and played, while acknowledging the importance of being aware of downsides, risks, and constraints in doing so. Effective CG must be accountable, it must lead to public value and effective outcomes, and, in many countries, it must be democratically legitimate.
Storytelling and Narrative Research in Crisis and Disaster Studies
Authors: Jerolleman Alessandra
Published: May 2021

Storytelling is a common and pervasive practice across human history, which some have argued is a fundamental part of human understanding. Storytelling and narratives are a very human way of understanding the world, as well as events, and can serve as key tools for crisis and disaster studies and practice. They play a tremendously important role in planning, policy, education, the public sphere, advocacy, training, and community recovery. In the context of crises and disasters, stories are a means by which information is transmitted across generations, a key strategy for survival from non-routine and infrequent events. In fact, the field of disaster studies has long relied on narratives as primary source material, as a means of understanding individual experiences of phenomena as well as critiquing policies and understanding the role of history in 21st-century levels of vulnerability. Over the past several decades, practitioners and educators in the field have sought to use stories and narratives more purposefully to build resilience and pass on tacit knowledge.
The U.S. Politico–Military–Industrial Complex
Authors: Alic John A.
Published: May 2021

The three large military services—Army, Navy, and Air Force—comprise the core of the U.S. politico–military–industrial complex. They dominate decision making on multi-billion dollar weapon systems and the operational concepts these are intended to embody. The armed forces need private firms to realize their visions of new weaponry, since government has limited capacity in engineering design and development and limited production facilities. Running a successful defense business means giving the services what they want, or think they want, whether this makes technical and operational sense or not; thus industry caters to the views of the services, and while it seeks to influence them, does so mostly at the margins.

The political dynamics of the complex take place in two primary domains, only loosely coupled. The first is largely contained within the Defense Department. This is the main arena for conflict and bargaining within and among the services and between the services, individually and collectively, and Pentagon civilians. Most of what happens here stays hidden from outsiders. Service leaders generally seek to resolve disagreements among themselves; the goal, often although not always achieved, is to present a united front to civilian officials and the public at large. The second domain extends to the rest of government, chiefly Congress, with its multiple committees and subcommittees, and the White House, home of the powerful Office of Management and Budget among other sources of policy leverage.

The complex as a whole is an artifact of the Cold War, not greatly changed over the decades. Repeated efforts at restructuring and reform have led to little. The primary reason is that military leaders, senior officers who have reached the topmost ranks after lengthy immersion in generally conservative organizational cultures, usually have the upper hand in bureaucratic struggles. They believe the military’s views on choice of weapons—the views of seasoned professionals—should have precedence over those of civilians, whether Pentagon appointees and their staffs, elected officials, or outside experts. They usually prevail, since few of the political appointees on the civilian side of DoD and in policy-influencing positions elsewhere can command similar authority. If they do not prevail on a particular issue, service leaders expect to outwait their opponents; if they lose one battle over money or some cherished weapon system, they anticipate winning the next.
Botswana: The Evolution and Influence of the Military in Politics
Authors: Sebudubudu David
Published: May 2021

The military in Botswana has sustained its withdrawal from active involvement in politics since its formation in 1977. This has made its military one of a few outliers in Africa, owing to its positive record, where active involvement in politics was mostly the norm. Its withdrawal from overt politics can be linked to the evolution and nature of the military in Botswana. At independence, the country had taken a decision not to establish a military. This, in part, explains the lack of an established and known history of the military as an institution in Botswana, when compared to countries such as Nigeria. Consequently, Botswana’s military has historically remained underdeveloped as an institution, as it was established 11 years after the country had gained self-rule. Owing to its withdrawal from politics, the influence of the military in the politics of Botswana could be considered as largely indirect.
The History of the Soga Family, Race, and Identity in South Africa in the Late 19th and Early 20th Centuries
Authors: Erlank Natasha
Published: May 2021

The history of African Christianity in South Africa in the 19th century would be incomplete without a discussion of Tiyo Soga, the first Xhosa man to be ordained a minister in South Africa. His work as a preacher and translator was key to the spread of African indigenous Christianity in the Cape. In 1866 he completed his translation of The Pilgrim’s Progress into Xhosa, a book that had a greater impact than the Bible on how many Africans learned about Christianity. Less well known is the history of his family, including his parents, his wife, his children, and his grandchildren. While it is possible to reconstruct lives of some of the Soga men, it is difficult to uncover the lives of the women. Tiyo Soga and his wife, Janet Burnside, had seven children, and the four sons (William Anderson, John Henderson, Jotello Festiri, and Allan Kirkland) became prominent figures in Eastern Cape and South African history. The daughters, Isabella, Frances, and Jessie, had less prominent careers. African Christianity was important for all of them, and the sons pursued careers as a doctor, a historian, a veterinarian, and a journalist. The third son, A.K. Soga, was important as both a journalist and an African nationalist.
The Politics of Archives in Uganda
Authors: Peterson Derek R.
Published: May 2021

Since the beginning of the 21st century, archivists in Uganda have been pursuing a number of projects to make previously inaccessible archival collections available for research. All of this work of archival rehabilitation makes it hard to see the longer history of control and curatorship in the management of Uganda’s public record. Uganda’s archives have, over the course of decades, been rearranged and pruned in response to changing political and intellectual demands. In the 1950s and 1960s British and Ugandan officials sought to shield the paper record from examination. This regime of access control deprived campaigners of inspiration and evidence. During the 1970s, with the ascendancy of Idi Amin’s government, archives were rendered into a national patrimony. Civil servants hastened to ensure that the record of their accomplishments was stored in safe custody. Since the late 1980s the government of Yoweri Museveni has disinvested the state from the legacies of the past. For the Museveni government the slow decay of the public record has allowed the foreclosing of divisive debates about history.

Uganda’s political history has been episodic and interrupted, and every new regime has had to struggle anew to author a narrative about national self-becoming. That is why Uganda’s governments have taken such dramatically different positions on the management of historical knowledge. Opening or withholding archival materials is a way of editing the public record. It makes some kinds of information state secrets and renders other aspects of the past into a legacy, a source of inspiration and orientation.
The Indian Diaspora in Tanzania
Authors: Bertz Ned
Published: May 2021

The Indian diaspora in Tanzania emerged in waves from the subcontinent. While its internal religious and cultural diversity has been a hallmark, the diaspora accreted into a political category and community identity through the crucibles of colonialism and nationalism. Its origins were more disparate. East Africa and western India—especially peninsular Gujarat and Kutch—were fused by the monsoon winds that drove premodern Indian Ocean trade, when small numbers of Indian merchants sojourned and settled across the sea. The diaspora received a fillip after the Sultan of Oman shifted his capital to Zanzibar in 1840, granting positions to Indians and attracting trade and migration, largely of Indian Muslims.

Britain used the suppression of the slave trade—in which its Indian subjects had participated vigorously—as a wedge to declare a protectorate over Zanzibar and established Tanganyika on the mainland after German East Africa was ceded following World War I. This was a boom time for settlement from India, and while the migrants were mostly poor, they thrived in the transformation into an imperial diaspora, working within segregated colonial structures and attaining advantages denied to Africans. Indians—a majority of them Shia Muslims of several sects—numbered around 110,000 when African nationalism won independence in Tanganyika and Zanzibar in the early 1960s, and in the postcolonial period their privilege made them targets of public animosity and state action. While protected by the inclusivist first president of united Tanzania, the diaspora integrated into the new nation in limited ways. When socialist reforms nationalized housing and made business challenging in the 1960s and 1970s, almost half of the Indians left, largely to Canada and the United Kingdom. Those who remained suffered occasional moments of political pressure even after socialism collapsed, but in the early decades of the 21st century they continue to reside in urban centers as a secure but marked minority with lives revolving around commerce and diverse community institutions.
The Economics of Identity and Conflict
Authors: Chowdhury Subhasish M.
Published: May 2021

Conflicts are a ubiquitous part of our life. One of the main reasons behind the initiation and escalation of conflict is the identity, or the sense of self, of the engaged parties. It is hence not surprising that there is a consistent area of academic literature that focuses on identity, conflict, and their interaction. This area models conflicts as contests and focuses on the theoretical, experimental, and empirical literature from economics, political science, and psychology. The theoretical literature investigates the behavioral aspects—such as preference and beliefs—to explain the reasons for and the effects of identity on human behavior. The theoretical literature also analyzes issues such as identity-dependent externality, endogenous choice of joining a group, and so on. The applied literature consists of laboratory and field experiments as well as empirical studies from the field. The experimental studies find that the salience of an identity can increase conflict in a field setting. Laboratory experiments show that whereas real identity indeed increases conflict, a mere classification does not do so. It is also observed that priming a majority–minority identity affects the conflict behavior of the majority, but not of the minority. Further investigations explain these results in terms of parochial altruism. The empirical literature in this area focuses on the various measures of identity, identity distribution, and other economic variables on conflict behavior. Religious polarization can explain conflict behavior better than linguistic differences. Moreover, polarization is a more significant determinants of conflict when the winners of the conflict enjoy a public good reward; but fractionalization is a better determinant when the winners enjoy a private good reward. As a whole, this area of literature is still emerging, and the theoretical literature can be extended to various avenues such as sabotage, affirmative action, intra-group conflict, and endogenous group formation. For empirical and experimental research, exploring new conflict resolution mechanisms, endogeneity between identity and conflict, and evaluating biological mechanisms for identity-related conflict will be of interest.