Digital Commons Network^™

Post-Anthropocentric Relations Unbound: Affirmative Ethics Of Loneliness In Children’S Robinsonades, Chengcheng You

Kritika Kultura

Informed by critical island studies, loneliness studies and posthumanist thought, with a particular emphasis on Rosi Braidotti’s propositions of affirmative ethics and zoe, this study focuses on children’s Robinsonades, specifically Scott O’Dell’s Island of the Blue Dolphins (1960) and Peter Brown’s The Wild Robot (2016), to examine how the isolation setting intensifies characters’ experiences of loneliness in a productive tension with the island’s abundant ecological responsiveness. It delves into the shift in loneliness from negative to affirmative, and its narrative potential for crafting a posthuman condition in which the recognition of zoe elicits post-anthropocentric relations. Through intersectional theoretical lenses, loneliness …

Beyond Romance: Feminist Imagination Of Intimacy In Female-Centered Mengnü (Dream Girl) Fan-Fiction On Chinese Social Media, Gemma Yantao Sun

Kritika Kultura

This article examines female-centered mengnü fan-fiction emerging on the Chinese social media platform Xiaohongshu as a feminist recontextualization of heteronormative romantic narratives. Unlike conventional mengnü fiction, which centers on male protagonists and heterosexual desire, these storiettes center female celebrities and intimacies between women. Drawing on frameworks of post-romantic culture and feminist criticism, this article read texts of this new genre through two dimensions. First, it examines how these narratives articulate emotionally intense yet ambiguous relationships. From these emerge nomadic, non-binary, and nonteleological forms of intimacy that resist fixed binary categories. Second, the study investigates how these fantasies of nomadic intimacy …

From Affective Placemaking To Fandom Activism: A Reinterpretation Of Contents Tourism In The Context Of K-Drama Fandom, Hanki Jo, Areum Choi

Kritika Kultura

This study reconceptualizes contents tourism not as simple consumption or sightseeing but as a cyclical structure of affective practices—an “affective practice loop”—comprising emotional invocation, spatial performativity, and digital narrativization. This analytical framework explains how fans respond affectively to media narratives, project emotions performatively onto places, and digitally narrativize these experiences, thereby co-constructing personal identity and cultural space. Using the 2024 Korean drama Lovely Runner as a case study, this study shows how this loop is enacted through field-level fan engagement in contents tourism. It further reinterprets fandom practices along this sequence, not as mere media consumption but as fandom activism …

“Into The New World”: Sonic And Scenic Politics By/For/Of K-Pop Fandom, Jungwon Kim

Kritika Kultura

K-pop is not merely a specific musical genre or style produced and promoted by the South Korean entertainment industry, but can also be understood as a cultural, social, and political phenomenon both inside and outside Korea. As a major part of participatory culture, K-pop fans have taken part in various social movements. Specifically, fans have been involved in political activities, creating new forms of activism through their participation in K-pop fandom. This paper explores how K-pop fandoms can become involved in politics at both local and global levels. To do this, it reviews case studies of Thai, American, Filipino, and …

How Does Fandom Contribute To Content Ip Value Formation?: Proposal For Fandom Asset Model, Sungmin Lee, Kyuchan Kim

Kritika Kultura

Despite the escalating importance of intellectual property (IP) in the entertainment industry, perspectives for assessing its holistic value beyond the conventional legal framework have been insufficiently discussed. This study posits fandom as a core source in the formation of value for content-based IP. To this end, the study critically examines the limitations of traditional IP perspectives and aims to establish a theoretical foundation for a fandom-centric theory of IP value by drawing upon participatory culture theory and brand equity theory. Furthermore, this paper proposes the Fandom Asset Model (FAM), which incorporates the scale (S), intensity (I), and duration (D) of …

Too Much Love Will Kill Everything: K-Pop Fandom’S Shift From Prosumer To Market Distorter, Hyungjong Lee, Jimmyn Parc

Kritika Kultura

Fandom activities gained increasing visibility during the 1980s and 1990s, fueled by the growing prominence of popular culture. This visibility has been further amplified since the 2010s by the rapid advancement of digital technology and the evolving media landscape. Generally, fandom is regarded as a positive force in the global music industry, and the K-pop phenomenon is often cited as a prime example—its global expansion largely attributed to the fervent support of dedicated fans. It remains questionable though whether fandom activism has advanced the music industry without generating adverse effects. As fandoms have transitioned from passive consumers to active prosumers, …

Co-Creating Korean Culture In Europe Through Digital Media: The Rise Of Transculturator, Éva Judit Gajzágó, Mária Keresztes

Kritika Kultura

Over the past decade, Korean pop culture (including K-pop and K-drama series) has conquered the world and left its mark on the European market. Today, the number of fans of Korean culture exceeds 225 million. This study examines this fan phenomenon through a European sample. It focuses on fans who are not only consumers but also content creators, producers, and shapers of culture in digital media. The study is based on a multi-country dataset from Europe. The authors’ primary survey, conducted in 2024, targeted fans of Korean culture in twelve European countries. The research explores fans’ interest in Korean entertainment …

Practices Of The Global Hallyu Fandom As A “Post-Creator”, Taehyun Baek, Jiyoung Joo

Kritika Kultura

This study reconceptualizes global Hallyu fandom as a form of post-creation, where fans operate as cultural agents who reorganize affective structures and ethical codes within the algorithmic and economic conditions of platform capitalism. Drawing on Nicolas Bourriaud’s concept of postproduction and Kang Sumi’s formulation of the post-creator, this study positions fan practices as participatory or remixed acts while at the same time highlighting their role as politically and aesthetically significant interventions that reshape the meaning and circulation of cultural texts. Methodologically, this study conducts a comparative analysis of digital fan activities, including stage mixes, fan-subtitled translations, reaction videos, and performancebased …

The Practices Of Hallyu Fandom As A Digital Neo-Tribe: Trans-Bricolage And Post-Coding, Soongbeum Ahn, Taeryong Kim

Kritika Kultura

This study examines global Hallyu (Korean Wave) fandom as a pluralistic, heterogeneous counter current within the decentralizing flow of global popular culture. It conceptualizes this fandom as a form of digital neo-tribe and interprets its fluid, ever-shifting character through the theoretical lens of liquidity. To better understand the performative practices of these fan communities, the study adopts and applies the concepts of trans-bricolage and postcoding. Hallyu fandom practices can be broadly divided into two types: cultural practices and economic practices. Cultural practices are expressed through the reappropriation of K-content’s forms and messages via modes such as quotation/commentary, reference/borrowing, and transformation/modification. …

Introduction: Homo Connectus And Fandom Activism: Fansumers As Cultural Transmitters, Soongbeum Ahn, Ratan Kumar Roy

Kritika Kultura

The transformation of fandom in the age of digital media and hyperconnectivity calls for renewed scholarly attention. Earlier studies of participatory culture highlighted the role of the “prosumer,” who blurs the boundary between production and consumption. This special section shifts the focus to the concept of the “fansumer,” which captures a more specific mode of engagement in which emotionally invested fans mobilize coordinated consumption and activities to shape cultural visibility, influence market outcomes, and practice fandom activism. Fans also actively generate new cultural forms and position themselves as agents of communication, thereby amplifying the dynamism of the global popular culture …

From Journey To The West To Black Myth: Wukong: The Haunted Ghost And Gaming Politics In China, Kaihui Bi, Tianyu Yu

Kritika Kultura

This article offers a theoretical reading of the political allegory expressed in Black Myth: Wu Kong. It argues that the reincarnated Destined One can be viewed as the returned ghost, which represents the trauma that has been left unresolved and lurks deep in the collective memory of contemporary Chinese society. This ghostly figure transgresses and appears in the medium of the game, helping players remain engaged and fascinated in the process of exploring unknown stories through the digital representations in the game. In doing so, the game aims to intervene and release issues such as personal and collective trauma in …

Frontier Crossings Of A 19th Century French Missionary Foundress Of British Malaya: Mathilde Raclot, Anne Vanessa Vincent, Shanthini Pillai, Suziana Mat Saad

Kritika Kultura

This article explores the life and work of Mathilde Raclot, a French Catholic nun who became the first missionary foundress in British Malaya. Catholic nuns were obligated to adhere to stringent canon laws, which mandated them to lead a secluded life immediately upon taking their solemn vows. When Raclot was called to serve in Malaya, embarking on a journey of geographical transitions from European to Asian waterways brought her out of seclusion. We analyze Raclot’s journey to British Malaya by incorporating the concepts of heterogeneous frontiers from the perspective of a female French missionary to unearth gendered perspectives of French …

The Burden Of Truth: Illness, Failed Mourning, And The Porous Body, Kim Jonggab

Kritika Kultura

“Why me?” When illness strikes, this visceral cry is not merely a psychological plea for comfort, but also an ontological rupture that shatters the modern myth of the atomistic, closed body. This paper argues that depression, particularly “depression without cause,” functions as a catalyst for a radical existential shift. Unlike clinical models that seek a discrete etiology, the experience of causeless suffering bypasses linear causality, exposing the limitations of a substance-based ontology. Grounded in a critique of the “bounded ego,” this study rethinks the discourse of the body by approaching illness and failed mourning through a relational and ecological perspective. …

Fluid Solidarity: The Taoist And Indigenous Water Philosophies In Rita Wong's Undercurrent, Yiyi He

Kritika Kultura

To criticize exploiting water as an extractive resource and to provide an alternative way of engaging with water, I highlight the philosophical “undercurrents,” the hidden threads of Taoism and Indigenous streams of thinking in Chinese Canadian poet Rita Wong’s undercurrent (2015). Central to water-based ecological thinking, the notions of reciprocity and resilience are important components within both Taoist and Indigenous water philosophies. The confluence of Taoism and Indigenous ways of knowing water is key to understanding Wong’s hydro-poetics and hydro-politics. I further adopt “fluid solidarity” to address the dynamic and complex allyship between Chinese Canadians and Indigenous Peoples. I argue …

Feminine Supernaturalism: Matter, Gender, And Spirit In Traditional Chinese Theatre, Yixuan Li

Kritika Kultura

Traditional Chinese theatre distinguishes itself by weaving human figures, natural landscapes, and supernatural forces into powerful expressions of emotion, often embodied in the interplay between female characters and the environment. Its philosophical foundation lies in the concept of yin—a principle in traditional Chinese cosmology that represents the generative, transformative, and enigmatic dimensions of femininity. Within this worldview, the environment is not a passive backdrop but an active agent that participates in and even shapes the life trajectories of female protagonists. Drawing on this framework and the lens of material ecocriticism, this article explores the ecological, material, and spiritual dimensions of …

The Ghost Of Empire: Asian Horror And Postcolonial Pastiche In The Filipino Visual Novel The Letter (2017), Christoffer Mitch C. Cerda

Kritika Kultura

This essay analyzes the horror visual novel The Letter (2017) developed by the Filipino video game company Yangyang Mobile. Using theories of postmodernism from Fredric Jameson and Hiroki Azuma and postcolonialism from Homi Bhabha and Souvik Mukherjee, the essay introduces and uses the concept of postcolonial pastiche to describe the ability of The Letter to mimic the form of the visual novel and reuse the tropes of Asian horror to depict the personal anxieties and social inequalities experienced by the seven main characters of the game as perennial problems inherent in the modern global capitalist society. By using the visual …

Front Matter, Kritika Kultura

Kritika Kultura

No abstract provided.

Pediatric Cardiac Imaging With Second- And Third-Generation Dual Source Ct Scanners: Radiation Dose, And Diagnostic Accuracy In Comparison With Echocardiography And Mri—A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis, Lamia Ghazi Jamjoom, Razan Kamal Daghistani

Journal of the Saudi Heart Association

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy, imaging speed, radiation dose, and clinical utility of second- and third-generation dual source computed tomography scanners, in comparison with echocardiography and magnetic resonance imaging in diagnosing congenital heart disease in paediatric patients.

Material and Methods: A systematic literature search was conducted in PubMed, Embase, Scopus, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials from 1 January 2006 to 30 April 2025.  Eligible studies included pediatric populations undergoing cardiac imaging with modern computed tomography scanners and compared outcomes against echocardiography or magnetic resonance imaging. Study selection followed PRISMA guidelines. …

Brief State And Trait Happiness Scales: Validation And Work Arrangement Differences In Thai Workers, Rapinpat Yodlorchai, Panrapee Suttiwan, Sompoch Iamsupasit

Journal of Health Research

Background: This study aimed to develop and validate brief measures of state (CUHI-S-SF) and trait (CUHI-T-SF) happiness derived from the Chulalongkorn University Happiness Inventory and to examine differences in happiness and psychological distress across work arrangements among Thai working adults.

Methods: A cross-sectional online survey collected data from 452 participants using convenience sampling. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was conducted with Sample I (n ¼ 250; Mage ¼ 33.04) to examine internal structure, followed by confirmatory factor analysis with Sample II (n ¼ 202; Mage ¼ 35.29). Independent-samples t tests compared on-site and non—on-site workers on happiness and psychological …

Isolation, Identification And Antibiotic-Resistance Profiling Of Bacteria Isolated From Mobile Phone Surfaces In Karbala., Kawkab Abdullah Alsaadi, Zahraa Raheem Murshidy, Dhuha Ali Hussein, Sura Abd Ali Kadhim, Kawakib Aboudi Hanoon

Karbala International Journal of Modern Science

Due to the diverse environments that mobile phones are exposed to via human handling they become reservoirs of microorganisms. The objective of the current study was to determine the level and character of bacterial contamination on mobile phones by identifying bacterial strains, and the degree of antimicrobial susceptibility. A cross-sectional study was conducted from April to July 2025 where phones belonging to 115 individuals were randomly chosen from various departments and units at Kerbala University and swabbed. The VITEK 2 automated system was used to identify bacterial taxa and test for antimicrobial susceptibility, and 50 of the swabs exhibited bacterial …

Different Regime Applied To Liability For Oil Pollution Damage, Lefiana Ferdinandus

Jurnal Hukum & Pembangunan

Abstract

Haatzaai Artikelen Dan Fungsi Kritik Sosial Dar! Pers, Rudy Satrio

Jurnal Hukum & Pembangunan

Abstract

Pemberdayaan Masyarakat Sebagai Implikasi Kesadaran Ham (Kajian Dalam Perspektif Global), F.X. Adjie Samekto

Jurnal Hukum & Pembangunan

Abstract

There’S No Place Like Home: A Wizard Of Oz Inspired Self-Portrait, Lana Webster

Imaginings: creative practice and inquiry

This project examines how lived experience shapes creative practice through a digital self-portrait inspired by The Wizard of Oz. Rather than positioning identity as subject matter alone, the work investigates how personal history informs visual decision-making, including posture, composition, colour, and symbolic environment. Using a creative practice research approach supported by autoethnographic reflection, the illustrated artefact and written exegesis operate as interconnected modes of inquiry. The project demonstrates how illustration can hold responsibility, emotional weight, and uncertainty without forcing resolution. It frames creative practice as a way of generating understanding, grounded in lived experience yet shaped through the viewer’s own …

The Colour Of Becoming, Monique Mazza

Imaginings: creative practice and inquiry

The Colour of Becoming explores the relationship between identity and creative practice through two experimental watercolour portraits. Positioned between the freedom of artistic expression and the conformity of professional life, the work visualises an internal tension between authenticity and expectation. Drawing from theories of identity (Hall, 1990), écriture féminine (Cixous, 1976), and semiotics (Barthes, 1972), the research examines how symbolic visual language can represent fractured or evolving selves. Through contrasting palettes, gestures, and acts of erasure, the paintings reveal how selfhood is not fixed but continually negotiated within social frameworks. This exegesis places painting as both method and mirror, a …

Solarvale: Exploring Australian Ecology And Culture Through Serious Game Design, Ping-I (Adam) Ho, Elliot Birch

Staff Scholarship - Australia & Dubai

This research examines how a serious game: Solarvale: Tale of the Sun Root (Birch et al., 2024), developed by students from SAE University College addresses the importance of ecological conservation and cultural awareness specifically in relation to the Australian landscape. While some Australian serious games, such as Catchment Detox (2008), Paperbark (2018), and Bleached Az (2019) engage with similar themes, few titles integrate storytelling with interactive ecological environments and cultural awareness in a way that encourages players to reflect on their own role and actions—which is the central focus of Solarvale. Drawing on the concepts from serious game (Gee, 2007), …

Emotion Regulation And Autism: A Literature Review, Quinn Bethea

Honors Theses

This comprehensive literature review investigates the increasing research on emotional regulation and autism, as well as the effect they have on each other.

The literature search was conducted using databases such as Google Scholar, National Institute of Health, and the Mississippi State Library. The inclusion criteria focused on studies that examined emotion regulation, autism, or the impact of emotion regulation and autism on each other.

The review accomplished several points. First, it defined what autism is, and it defined what emotion regulation is. Second, it examined how autism and emotion regulation, or dysregulation, affect each other. Third, it brought attention …

All-Sky Search For Long-Duration Gravitational-Wave Transients In The First Part Of The Fourth Ligo-Virgo-Kagra Observing Run, A. G. Abac, I. Abouelfettouh, F. Acernese, Teviet Creighton, Mario C. Diaz, Raul A. Espinosa, J. Lawrence, Francisco Llamas Villarreal, Soma Mukherjee, Volker Quetschke, Miriam Ramos Arevalo, Wenhui Wang

Physics & Astronomy Faculty Publications

We present an all-sky search for long-duration gravitational waves (GWs) from the first part of the LIGO-Virgo-KAGRA fourth observing run (O4), called O4a and comprising data taken between May 24, 2023, and January 16, 2024. The GW signals targeted by this search are the so-called “long-duration” ( ≳1  s) transients expected from a variety of astrophysical processes, including nonaxisymmetric deformations in magnetars or eccentric binary coalescences. We make minimal assumptions on the emitted GW waveforms in terms of morphologies and durations. Overall, our search targets signals with durations of ∼1–1000  s and frequency content in the range 16–2048 Hz. In …

Rethinking Psychological Safety In The Work Environment: Nursing Students' Perspectives, Olivia Nyarko Mensah, Elizabeth Boatemaa, Anita Fosua, Egya Gyanzah Eshun, Mary Ani-Amponsah

Creating Healthy Work Environments (CHWE)

Background: When the right working environment is created, it fosters the right behaviour in employees, A conducive environment is one that allows people to freely express themselves and escalate their concerns without fear of repercussion, victimization or undue consequences, it helps enhance work satisfaction (Ip et al., 2025; Turner et al., 2023). The classroom and the clinical work environment if appropriate and conducive should be such that it allows and not hinder free expression which can go a long way to ensure participation, satisfying individual concerns and group achievement (O’Connor et al., 2022). The central problem of the study was …

The Clinical Passport: Documenting Competency Across Undergraduate Nursing Education, Sandra Rogers, Cindy Hudson, Jesse B. Stallsworth

Creating Healthy Work Environments (CHWE)

Background: Exposure of undergraduate nursing students to essential clinical skills and the opportunity to perform those skills under appropriate supervision, is often variable and limited. Contributing factors are most likely multifactorial including the increasing time constraints placed upon lab and clinical faculty and the irregular and unstructured way that clinical skill instruction is delivered within some nursing programs. These factors have contributed to variability in students’ clinical preparedness and confidence in performing fundamental nursing skills. The purpose of this project was to develop and evaluate a Clinical Passport for the tracking of clinical skills in an undergraduate nursing program.

Intervention: …