Digital Commons Network^™

Grief As A Constitutive Shadow Of Queer Joy: Reclaiming Negativity And The Ethics Of Staying For Education Research, Akira Sawata

Journal of Queer and Trans Studies in Education

In education scholarship, authors have increasingly called to center queer joy to disrupt the conventional deficit model that normally accompanies queer communities. However, in this paper, I argue that an exclusive emphasis on joy may risk instituting and normalizing a happiness duty that marginalizes negative affects and subjects. I propose queer grief not as an opposite, but as a constitutive shadow of joy. Drawing on theories of queer, trans, and crip negativity and the studies on loss, grief, and mourning, I critique the imperative to mobilize affect solely for future utility and teleological meaning. I contend that such mobilization-driven …

On Christian Nationalism: Critical And Theological Perspectives, Edited By David M. Gides And Joan Braune. Routledge, 2026. Routledge Studies In Fascism And The Far Right. 406 Pages. $46.39 Isbn 978-1032805665, Kim Shively

Journal of Hate Studies

Anthropologist Kim Shively reviews On Christian Nationalism: Critical and Theological Perspectives, edited by David M. Gides, a theologian, and Joan Braune, a philosopher. Nineteen authors contribute essays on four topics: defining Christian nationalism, trends in the United States, international and comparative analyses, and theological responses to Christian nationalism. Christian nationalism is a platform for grievance, the contributors argue, and the theme of loss runs throughout the book: nostalgia for an imagined social history and loss or perceived loss of White privilege, with its attendant racism, antisemitism, Islamophobia, sexism, and homophobia.

Teaching Objects Of Hate: The Jim Crow Museum Of Racist Memorabilia, Sara Moslener

Journal of Hate Studies

Dr. Sara Moslener interviews Dr. David Pilgrim, founder, curator, and director of the Jim Crow Museum at Ferris University. The Jim Crow Museum is undergoing a major renovation that will allow the museum’s more than 30,000 artifacts to be displayed and cared for. They discuss the place of material culture in teaching about racism, sustainability in anti-hate work, and the changing language of anti-hate education. The Jim Crow Museum at Ferris State University will celebrate its grand opening with a special presentation at 1 pm on September 30, followed by a ribbon cutting and self-guided tours. At 10 am on …

Introduction To “Reviews & Interviews”, Rebecca Barrett-Fox, Jennifer Schlegel

Journal of Hate Studies

An introduction to the 25th anniversary of the Journal of Hate Studies from Rebecca Barrett-Fox, editorial board chair, and Jennifer Schlegel, managing editor.

The Ketupat War As A Cultural Performance: Ritual, Community Participation, And Cultural Preservation In Tempilang, Bangka Belitung, Fawarti Gendra Nata Utami, Budi Setiyono, Muhammad Fazli Taib Saearani

Bahasa dan Seni: Jurnal Bahasa, Sastra, Seni, dan Pengajarannya

This study examines the Perang Ketupat tradition in Tempilang Village, Bangka Belitung Province, Indonesia, as a form of cultural performance. It aims to analyze the tradition through five dimensions: ritual, performing arts, community participation, cultural education, and community-based safeguarding of intangible cultural heritage (ICH). Employing a qualitative approach based on performance ethnography, data were collected through participant observation, in-depth interviews, document analysis, and a literature review during the 2024 Ketupat War Festival. The findings reveal that the tradition functions not only as a ritual for warding off misfortune but also as a living cultural performance that reinforces cultural identity, strengthens …

Relationship Between Language, Culture, And Thinking Of The Kajang Community From The Perspective Of Anthropological Linguistics, Harlinah Sahib, Jumardin Muchtar, Herawati Abbas, Ferawaty Syam

Bahasa dan Seni: Jurnal Bahasa, Sastra, Seni, dan Pengajarannya

In terms of anthropological linguistics, the study aims to explore the interaction of language, culture and cognitive tendencies in the community of Kajang. It particularly looks into the traditional oral expressions (kelong) of the community, including Kelong Basing Rikong, Lok-lok, and Ati-ati Raja, as their understandings of life, death, spirituality, and social values are expressed. A qualitative ethnolinguistic approach, informed by anthropological linguistics, was used in this study. Data collection methods included field observations, in-depth interviews with traditional leaders (Ammatoa), cultural practitioners and community elders, and a documentary analysis of oral texts, especially Kelong. …

Regulating Religious Coexistence : The Intricacies Of Interfaith Cooperation In Coastal Kenya, Erik Meinema

Ohio University Press Open Access Books

Regulating Religious Coexistence offers a compelling ethnographic analysis of how Muslims, Christians, and practitioners of indigenous African religions negotiate coexistence in Kenya’s coastal region. The book conceptualizes religious diversity as a dynamic field shaped by multiple partly intersecting and partly conflicting models of interaction. These include the political secularism promoted by the Kenyan state and civil society organizations focused on interfaith harmony, forms of competition between religious groups, and pluralistic practices in which individuals draw on multiple traditions to meet spiritual needs.

Through a close examination of civil society initiatives funded by Western donors to foster peacebuilding and to counter …

Class(Room) Culture: New Conceptualization And A Model Of Culture-Aware Teaching, Ravit Heskiau

International Journal of Transformative Teaching and Learning in Higher Education

As higher education becomes increasingly personalized and students’ individual identities are increasingly considered, this article explores the concept of classroom culture as part of assessing, embracing, and shaping each class’s shared characteristics as a collective. I define classroom culture and explain why it is paramount for educators to understand the unique cultures of their classes and actively assess them, striking a balance between supporting classroom culture and shaping it. Following a critical literature review, I demonstrate the application of commonly used cultural frameworks from the organizational culture literature to higher education classes. Specifically, I expand on how they can help …

Data-Driven Risk Mapping For Safer Roads: Unincorporated Dekalb County, Georgia, Getachew B. Demisse, Stacy C. Grear, Araya D. Araya, Shimelis Gebru, Solomon Negash, Leo Ladefian, Carlo Frate

The Geographical Bulletin

This study presents a decade-long spatiotemporal analysis of more than 206,000 traffic accidents recorded between 2015 and 2024 in unincorporated DeKalb County, Georgia. The primary goal of the study is to identify critical patterns of roadway risk and inform data‑driven safety interventions. Using crash records from the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) AASHTOWare Safety platform and standardized crash‑rate calculations, the analysis revealed strong temporal regularities, including elevated crash frequencies during afternoon peak hours, Fridays, and seasonal transition periods such as October. Spatial analyses further demonstrate that crashes are highly concentrated along a limited subset of corridors, consistent with High Injury …

Volume 67-1, May 2026, Nancy Hoalst Pullen, Mark W. Patterson

The Geographical Bulletin

Volume 67-1, May 2026: Complete

Cover And Foreword, Nancy Hoalst Pullen, Mark W. Patterson

The Geographical Bulletin

Cover and Foreword

What We Love Online: A Deductive Thematic Analysis Of Thoughtforms, Parasocial Agent Connection, And Bidirectional Fictophilia In The Digital Liminal, Michael P. Ross

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

As artificial intelligence (AI) systems become integrated into daily life, users are forming connections with non-human agents that are functionally useful, emotionally significant, and sometimes experienced as relational. This qualitative study examined how individuals make meaning of AI thoughtforms, how online disinhibition shapes perceived connection, and how personal histories and belief systems inform whether AI companions feel emotionally or symbolically “real.” Seven adults who reported meaningful AI interactions participated in semi-structured video interviews through Microsoft Teams. Interviews were recorded, transcribed, de-identified, and analyzed in NVivo 15 using deductive thematic analysis informed by parasocial attachment, fictophilia, social cognitive theory, and online …

Experiences Of Mozambican Women Before, During, And After Divorce: A Phenomenology, Emídio Mário Dimande

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this study was to understand the transitional experiences of women in Mozambique from marital conflict through post-divorce life. It was guided by Schlossberg's Transition Theory (STT). The theory supported exploration of the psychological, social, and cultural dimensions of women’s lived experiences of divorce and patterns surfaced that deepened understanding of their realities. Using an interpretive phenomenological design, data were collected from 15 women, aged 19 and older, residing in Mozambique, who had experienced marriage and divorce, through a demographic questionnaire and semi-structured interviews. The data were analyzed using the Moustakas’ phenomenological approach, including horizonalization and clustering verified …

A Qualitative Exploration Of The Emotional And Psychological Impact Of Pornography Consumption Among Young Christian Hispanic Adult Males In Las Vegas, Zeferino Solis

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This qualitative phenomenological study explored the lived experiences of young adult Christian Hispanic men residing in Las Vegas, Nevada, who struggle with pornography use. Chapter One introduced the problem, purpose, significance, and research questions that guided the study. Chapter Two reviewed the relevant empirical, theoretical, and biblical literature related to pornography addiction, behavioral addiction, cognitive dissonance, spiritual conflict, and Hispanic Christian identity. Chapter Three described the qualitative phenomenological methodology, participant recruitment, data collection procedures, and thematic analysis process used to examine the participants’ experiences. Chapter Four presented the findings that emerged from participant interviews. Major themes included early exposure to …

A Framework For Teaching Maya Aspect System: Pedagogical Strategies For Maya Grammar, Quetzil E. Castañeda

Journal of Maya Heritage

Abstract. Maya, an Indigenous language spoken primarily in Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula, remains under-resourced in materials for second-language and heritage-language learners. Its agglutinative morphology, split ergativity, and aspect system pose particular pedagogical challenges, especially when Maya grammar is explained through Spanish or English tense categories. Based on a critical review of existing teaching resources and the author’s more than twenty years of experience teaching Maya, this article proposes a pedagogical framework for understanding its aspect grammar. Rather than organizing verbal morphology around tense, the framework distinguishes four principal conjugational forms: Ongoing Incomplete, Simple Past, Completed Present, and Subjunctive. It also introduces …

Refereed Research - Indispensable Yet Not Fully Legitimate: Street Markets As Invisible Subsistence Infrastructure, Raji Srinivasan, Maria C. Merino

Subsistence Marketplaces

Street markets are key provisioning systems across the Global South, supplying fresh food, employment, and retail access absent formal infrastructure. Yet despite street markets’ functional indispensability to millions of low-income consumers, their legitimacy is chronically contested, affirmed by vendors and communities yet challenged by planners, developers, and state authorities who apply formal-economy criteria in evaluating them. We theorize this as a legitimacy paradox and ask what structural mechanisms sustain it? Using composite vignettes grounded in fieldwork, we theorize three mechanisms. First, visibility without recognition: street markets are hyper-visible yet excluded from cognitive templates of legitimate, formal retail. Second, asymmetric essentiality: …

From Monopoly To Orchestration: The Hilltop And Farm Youth And The Changing Organization Of State Coercion - The Israeli Case, Idan Yaron

Emancipations: A Journal of Critical Social Analysis

Drawing on more than a decade of ethnographic fieldwork – as a social anthropologist, studying the Far Right in Israel, on the ground, and through intimate and prolonged relationships with opinion leaders and rank-and-file activists – this essay examines the Hilltop and Farm Youth in the West Bank to reconsider Charles Tilly's influential account of state formation and the organization of coercion. It asks a simple but troubling question: why would a powerful modern state, fully capable of suppressing autonomous violent actors, sometimes allow them to persist? I argue that Tilly's theory should be confirmed, adapted, and amended. His fundamental …

Lived Experiences Of Spiritually Communicating Individuals Regarding Identity And Relationship Development In Early Adulthood, Bonnie Jean Kane

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Spiritually communicating individuals (SCIs), those who report interactions with non-physical entities, may face misunderstanding, stigmatization, and pathologization. Although spiritual experiences are recognized across cultures and hold significant psychological importance, they remain largely absent from developmental psychology, leaving a gap in understanding how SCIs navigate identity formation, emotional regulation, and social integration in early adulthood. The foundation of this study is transpersonal theory, which incorporates spiritual and transcendent dimensions of human experience, and phenomenology, which served as the guiding methodological and philosophical approach to explore lived experiences as subjectively perceived. This study examined the lived experiences of SCIs aged 26–35, investigating …

From Source And Summit To Parish Practice: A Qualitative Analysis Of Eucharist And Social Outreach, Erik Sorensen S.J.

Journal of Global Catholicism

A small-scale qualitative study in a Catholic parish situated in Ottawa, Canada, offers insights into the complex relationship between that community's worship and its commitment to social justice. This article brings the lived theology of this community into dialogue with the academic and magisterial perspectives on the Eucharist as the source and summit of Christian life. The dialogue is framed by the Theological Action Research Network's four voices of theology: operant, espoused, formal, and normative. This framework helps to center the marginalized theology of the faithful in the pews. In this case, the parish offered a dynamic theology of welcome …

“Ite Missa Est”: How Can The Altar Alter Attitudes And Actions?, Ebenezer Akesseh

Journal of Global Catholicism

This paper brings into focus the relationship between personal agency and so-

cial structure, demonstrating that what we celebrate on the altar forms within

us the proper dispositions that can help prevent the occurrence of corruption.

The first part examines corruption from a socio-cultural perspective and ex-

plains the incidence and effects of corruption. The second part discusses the

relationship between worship and the formation of actions and attitudes. It

highlights the need to embody the social implications of our celebrations. Using

responses from interviewees, the third part illustrates that the celebration of the

Eucharist shapes the commitments and conduct …

The Lived Liturgical Experience Of Non-Catholic Participants In The Roman Catholic Mass: Tactical Ecumenism In Overlapping Ritual Systems, Sarah Kathleen Johnson

Journal of Global Catholicism

In religiously diverse social contexts, liturgical practices anchored in one reli-

gious tradition often gather diverse communities. In such contexts, it is wise to

assume that people who are not Catholic may be present at any Roman Cath-

olic Mass. This article explores the lived liturgical experience of non-Catholic

Christians who participate routinely in the Roman Catholic Mass through a

mixed-methods study of a religiously diverse treble vocal ensemble that sings

weekly at Mass on a Catholic university campus. It describes how Catholic and

non-Catholic Christian singers interpret practices surrounding the eucharistic

meal in contrasting ways: non-Catholic Christians experience the …

La Santa Muerte And The Characteristic Damage Of Canonization, Ellen Webber

Journal of Global Catholicism

Devotion to La Santa Muerte, a Mexican folk saint who personifies Death, has

been condemned by the Catholic Church for its affiliation with Mexican drug

cartels. This article challenges mainstream interpretations of La Santa Muerte

devotion using the theological framework of characteristic damage, as defined

by Lauren Winner and Paul J. Griffiths. This framework understands liturgy

as celebrated by sinners in a damaged world, and therefore necessarily damaged

itself. As much as liturgy and Christian practice form us for good, they also per-

petuate damage. I argue that the sins present in La Santa Muerte veneration are

an expression of …

Negotiating Plurality: Korean Catholic Funerals As Lived Religion, Jieun Han

Journal of Global Catholicism

This article examines Korean Catholic funeral rites through the lenses of ritual

guidebooks and lived religion, arguing that Catholic funerary practice in Korea

has emerged through sustained engagement with Confucian and Buddhist tradi-

tions as well as modern nationalism. Focusing on Catholic manuals such as the

Sangjang yesik [Rites for Mourning and Funerals] and related texts, it traces how

officially sanctioned liturgical forms coexist with, accommodate, and reinterpret

indigenous ritual logics surrounding mourning, burial, ancestor veneration, and

care for the dead. Rather than viewing Korean Catholic funerals as a simple

localization of Roman rites, the article conceptualizes them as a …

Editor's Introduction, Brent H. Otto S.J.

Journal of Global Catholicism

No abstract provided.

Analyzing Cultural Alignment In Rwandan Sexual And Reproductive Health Education, Amit Gerstein

Journal of Critical Global Issues

Rwandan education cannot be understood outside the context of colonization. This study investigates the cultural alignment of Rwandan sexual and reproductive health (SRH) education. Using existing literature on indigenous sexuality and reflective practice from teaching in a Rwandan secondary school, this paper analyzes three SRH curricula to examine the extent to which they incorporate local knowledge versus Western scripts. The analysis focuses on four key areas: the definition of sex, contraception, consent, and female anatomy.

The findings reveal significant disconnects, where Western narratives regarding sex and sexuality appear to overwrite or displace indigenous sexual knowledge and practice. This study concludes …

Religious Night Tourism During Ramadan In Mashhad, Iran: Lived Experiences Of Pilgrims, Neda Zarandian, Razieh Rabani, Daniel H. Olsen

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

Mashhad, located in northeastern Iran, is one of the most significant pilgrimage destinations in the Islamic world, attracting millions of visitors annually to the Imam Reza Shrine (The eighth Imam of Shia Muslims). During Ramadan, the city transforms into a vibrant spiritual and social space where nocturnal religious practices and social gatherings shape distinctive emotional and temporal experiences for both pilgrims and tourists. Understanding these lived nighttime experiences is essential for developing culturally sensitive and spiritually meaningful tourism approaches. Despite the growing attention to religious tourism, the temporal, emotional, and sensory dimensions of night tourism in pilgrimage contexts remain unexplored. …

Religious Tourism And Local Development In Rural Areas: Analysis Of The Social And Economic Impact Of Holy Week Celebrations In Osuna, Spain, Elena Garcia-De-Soto-Camacho, Miguel A. Garcia-Gordillo Dr., Antonio Montaño-Valle, Carlos Chavarría-Ortiz, Rosa María Vaca-Acosta

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

This study explores the role of religious tourism in promoting rural development through the case of Holy Week in Osuna, Spain. By applying a quantitative methodology with fieldwork conducted during the 2022 celebration, the research analyses the social and economic impacts derived from the influx of visitors. The study segments tourists based on their motivations, demographic profiles, levels of satisfaction, spending behaviour, and future intentions. Through cluster analysis, three distinct visitor profiles were identified, reflecting varying degrees of religious and cultural interest. The findings confirm that Holy Week tourism generates significant economic benefits for the locality through direct, indirect, and …

Religious Visitors’ Spiritual Values And Their Relative Importance: Evidence From Chinese Buddhist Tourism Contexts, Zhiqing Wang, Keji Huang, Jiankang Zhang, Yunyun Fan, Ge Zhang

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

Spiritual values are affected by diverse factors with different roles and influence daily life in various ways. Using Mount Jiuhua and Mount Putuo, two mountains in Mainland China with great importance in Buddhism, as examples, this study explores the specific dimensions of religious visitors’ spiritual values. Through a survey study, five factors of these spiritual values were extracted and their relative importance was measured. The identified factors were transcendence, general connectedness, inner balance, positive life direction and special religious feelings. According to factor importance analysis, these spiritual values can be categorised into three levels: fundamental, reflective and surpassing. This study …

Hajj Pilgrimage And Spatial Behaviour In Sacred Space, Zuhriddin Juraev, Young-Jin Ahn, Ji-Yeong Gu

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

This study examines the behavioural and spatial dynamics of the Hajj pilgrimage through the conceptual lens of behavioural geography, focusing on how sacred space, ritual choreography, and communal experiences shape religious engagement. Centred on the Kaaba and surrounding pilgrimage sites, this study explores how ritual practices such as Tawaf, Sa’i, and standing at Arafat construct immersive and affective experiences for pilgrims. Drawing on an interpretive analysis of visual and textual sources, the study argues that sacred space operates not only as a physical setting but also as a symbolic framework that mediates spiritual transformation and social cohesion. It also highlights …

From Disaster To Resilience: Developing Smart Settlements In The Himalayas, Keshav Bhattarai, Ambika P. Adhikari

Himalayan Research Papers Archive

Nepal’s catastrophic 26 August 2026 Bhote Koshi–Trishuli flood should be understood not only as a humanitarian tragedy but also as a potentially major turning point in updating national settlement and reconstruction policy. Engineers and scientists have described the floods as a glacier–bedrock collapse that triggered an ice-rock avalanche and debris flow. As per the live updates on September 7, 2026, the total death toll was 1,355, and 4,996 people were missing (The Hindu, 2026). Indian and Nepali rescuers worked urgently to locate and rescue people buried under hydropower tunnels, buildings, mud, and landslide debris.

UN News reported on September 3, …