Digital Commons Network^™

Economic Security And Strategic Rivalry: Industrial Policy And The U.S.–China Security Dilemma, Nurielle Rahav

Bates College Journal of Political Studies

In an era of geopolitical competition and technological dominance, industrial policy has reemerged as a crucial tool of economic strategy in both the United States and China. Industrial policies, particularly in the advanced manufacturing sector, were formerly understood as tools for strengthening the domestic economy. However, against the backdrop of the U.S.–China trade war, new industrial policies carry significant geopolitical implications. This paper argues that industrial policy intensifies the U.S.–China security dilemma, as both governments increasingly interpret economic self-sufficiency in advanced manufacturing as a matter of national security. Through an analysis of two cases, the U.S. CHIPS and Science Act …

Weaknesses Of Opponents, Strengths Of The Taliban: The Success Of The Taliban Insurgency, Isabella Ryan

Bates College Journal of Political Studies

How did the Taliban insurgency succeed in gaining control of the Afghan state in 2021 following the collapse of the Taliban regime in 2001? This paper argues that the Taliban’s success resulted from two key dynamics: the weaknesses of opponents and strengths of the Taliban. The Afghan State was undermined by governance failures including the 2004 Constitution, overcentralization, lack of rural governance, corruption, and a dependence on foreign aid. These internal weaknesses were compounded by international policy failures, including the Bonn Agreement, inconsistent counterinsurgency (COIN) and counterterrorism (CT) strategies, the failed peace process design embedded in the Doha Agreement, and …

Guerillas, Manpads, And How To Shift A Conflict In Favor Of The Weaker Side, Augustus Mfxu Giller

Bates College Journal of Political Studies

The Soviet Afghan War has emerged in popular culture and scholarship as a quintessential case of an innovative and superior technology being able to foil an enemy that would have otherwise emerged as the victor of a conflict. This is almost always in reference to the Afghan Mujahedin being able to counter technologically superior Soviet MI-24 Gunship Helicopters with American heat-seeking missiles. However, this assumption is largely shortsighted to the actual dynamics present in the Soviet Afghan conflict. Specifically, the failure to understand how an unconventional conflict like the Soviet Afghan war is fought, and an ineffective assessment of the …

Umcur 2026 Program Pdf

University of Montana Conference on Undergraduate Research (UMCUR)

This program includes the schedule for oral presentations and posters.

Three Pillars Advocacy, Practice Success, And Professional Development, Frank Iuorno, Jr. Dds

Virginia Dental Journal

No abstract provided.

How Social Are You, Theresa Stenger

Virginia Dental Journal

No abstract provided.

Va Dent J April, May And June 2021

Virginia Dental Journal

No abstract provided.

The Secret(S) To An Engaged Workplace, Lindsay O'Bar

Virginia Dental Journal

No abstract provided.

We’Re Back! Attending The 2021 Virginia Meeting Is Good For Your Well-Being, Ryan Dunn

Virginia Dental Journal

No abstract provided.

Full Issue, Kritika Kultura

Kritika Kultura

No abstract provided.

Landlocked: The Igorot Ili In The Cordillera Regional Autonomy Pageants, Jose Kervin Calabias

Kritika Kultura

The present essay intervenes in the resurgent discussions on Cordillera regional autonomy by relocating “autonomy” as it is showcased in the 2023 pageant “Search for Mr. and Ms. Cordillera Autonomy Youth Ambassador” (CAYA). This government-organized pageant simulates the simultaneously isolating and relational understanding of islands through the ili, an Indigenous form of self-governance, embodied by the youth “ambassadors” in the pageant. Through cultural analysis of the pageant space, contestant self-introductions, posters, and attires in the pageant, I argue that these minor agents of autonomy perform oratorical negotiations that uplift each of their ili’s alleged “self-sufficiency” to appeal to the government’s …

“We Malaysian” Or “We Chinese”?: Navigating Archipelagic Negative Affects In Jason Leong’S Anglophone Stand-Up Comedy, Harry Shi, Sophie Xu

Kritika Kultura

In this article, we argue that negative affects play crucial roles in shaping the identity of Malaysian Chinese within the context of Anglophone stand-up comedy. While prior studies on stand-up comedy have largely focused on individual affects such as shame or anger, little attention has been paid to the relational and synergistic dynamics of negative affects, particularly within racialized and postcolonial contexts. To address this gap, we conceptualize stand-up comedy as an affective arena, which allows for a nuanced examination of enduring social issues in Malaysia around conflicts and disparities in race and culture. To this end, we adopt an …

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 …

Fandom In Conflict: How Japanese K-Pop Fans Countered Anti-Korean Sentiment In The 2010s, Joho Yamamoto

Kritika Kultura

This article explores how Japanese K-pop fans responded to anti-Korean sentiment in the 2010s, particularly in the wake of xenophobic protests such as the 2013 Shin-Okubo demonstration. Drawing on Antonio Gramsci’s theory of the “war of position,” this study examines how fans— primarily young women without institutional power—engaged in affective and discursive resistance through everyday digital practices. Based on qualitative analysis of tweets posted in reaction to a hate rally announcement, this paper demonstrates how fans used emotional expressions, ethical arguments, and humor to challenge nationalist narratives. These tweets not only rejected hate speech but also redefined national identity by …

“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 …

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 …

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 …

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 …

Introduction, Vincenz Serrano

Kritika Kultura

No abstract provided.

Front Matter, Kritika Kultura

Kritika Kultura

No abstract provided.

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

Imaginings: creative practice and inquiry

This research examines how a serious game (Gee, 2007): 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 …

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 …

Penerapan Prinsip Kekebalan Dan Keistimewaan Diplomatik (Analisis Tcrhadap Kasus Penangkapan Dan Penahanan Diplomat Asing Di Indonesia), Syahmin Ak

Jurnal Hukum & Pembangunan

Abstract

Reformasi Undang-Undang Pemberantasan Tindak Pidana Korupsi, Muchsin Muchsin

Jurnal Hukum & Pembangunan

Abstract