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This essay examines comic book adaptations of the biblical story of Samson within the socio-political context of post-World War II and Cold War America. Challenging the notion that religious narratives in comics are inherently conservative, this study employs a history of interpretation approach to analyze five different adaptations, each illuminating the era's complex cultural landscape. Themes such as distrust, binary morality, the value of duty over individualism, defiant autonomy, and nuanced masculinity are explored, revealing how these comics were not merely religious retellings but cultural artifacts shaped by the broader societal concerns of the late 1940s and 1950s. The paper argues that comic creators were acutely influenced by Cold War-era ideologies and anxieties, thus adapting the Samson narrative to address contemporary challenges. The essay contributes to the understanding of comics as both interpretive tools for ancient narratives and reflective historical documents of postwar America. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper contributes to the debate of the Swedish welfare state by re‐examining the view of freedom underlying the design of this welfare model. The point of departure is two interpretations by Bo Rothstein and Henrik Berggren and Lars Trägårdh, which both describe advancement of individual autonomy as the ultimate point of the model. The paper argues that these readings are overly liberal in the sense that they exaggerate the importance of individualism and autonomy. The view of freedom that shaped the Swedish welfare state was not liberal, and individual autonomy was not the overriding goal for the founders of the model. Instead, the view is best described as quasi‐republican and nondomination based. It was mostly a result of semi‐Marxist ideas about capitalist power and exploitation that lingered on in the ideology of the Swedish social democratic party, the SAP, in the 1930s and 1940s. During the first decades of the 1900s, the SAP gradually revised these ideas in a domination‐based direction. It was the outcome of this process that more than anything else gave the impetus to the design of the Swedish welfare state. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we explore the extent to which individualistic and collectivist national cultural orientations are essential for green innovation. In this context, we also examine the extent of green innovation in countries at different levels of socioeconomic development. All data were collected for the latest available year (2020). This research was carried out on a sample of 60 selected countries, using parametric tests to identify statistically significant differences between variables and descriptive statistics to examine statistically significant differences in-depth. The results show that, on average, countries with prevailing individualistic cultural orientations and high levels of socioeconomic development perform better in green innovation than countries with prevailing collectivist cultural orientations. On average, countries with a prevailing individualistic cultural orientation scored moderate on green innovation, while countries with a prevailing collectivist orientation scored low. However, the level of socioeconomic development, including designing and implementing green policies, was recognized as essential to green innovation in both national cultures with prevailing individualistic orientations and national cultures with prevailing collectivist orientations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This introduction provides an overview of the major constructs that are the focus of this Special Issue. Individualism and collectivism have been the cornerstones of theoretical work on cultural values in psychological science, and conformity is an important component of theories related to motivational values. Individualism, collectivism and conformity values are reviewed in relation to parenting (warmth, knowledge solicitation, rules/limit‐setting, parents' expectations regarding children's family obligations) and children's adjustment (internalising and externalising behaviours). Background on the Parenting Across Cultures project, a study of children, mothers and fathers, in nine countries (China, Colombia, Italy, Jordan, Kenya, the Philippines, Sweden, Thailand and the United States) is provided as a prelude to the country‐specific papers from each of these countries that follow in the rest of the Special Issue before a final concluding paper that focuses on between‐country versus within‐country variation in cultural values, parenting and children's adjustment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Locally accepted moral standards shape healthcare legislation, yet such legislative decisions should not be insulated from scrutiny by non-local ethical theories. This paper aims to demonstrate the relevance and propriety of applying Western bioethical theories to healthcare scenarios beyond the Western cultural context. Western cultures place a strong emphasis on individualism, and value individuals' rights and liberties; in contrast, many non-Western cultures prioritise collectivist values, such as community wellbeing. These fundamental differences impact healthcare practice within a culture, including the way that a patient and their healthcare team make treatment decisions. A fair ethical analysis of healthcare practice must not involve axioms biased towards a particular cultural value for it is not possible to derive normative claims from cultural practices. This paper demonstrates that the three dominant theories in Western medical ethics-utilitarianism, deontology, and principlism-are not biased towards individualism, despite their origins in the Western cultural context. Each theory is assessed individually, paying particular mind to 'autonomy' and potential misinterpretations grounded in cultural biases. Additionally, this paper argues that to investigate a scenario in a non-Western culture using a Western theory of medial ethics is an opportunity to invite discussion between philosophers of different backgrounds, not an attempt to impose cultural norms upon others. Investigation of practices with non-local ethical theories fosters dialogues that can contribute to more robust ethical theories, better healthcare practices and, by extension, improved patient care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Charles Dickens often satirised and sharply criticised the unfortunate social realities of nineteenth-century England through his works such as Oliver Twist (1838), David Copperfield (1850), A Christmas Carol (1843) and Hard Times (1854). In my paper, I will be putting forward the argument that Dickens’s novels advocate for social change by exemplifying the theoretical doctrine of methodological individualism. As a social science doctrine, methodological individualism was first introduced by Max Weber in his work Economy and Society (1922). The central precept of Methodological Individualism, according to Weber, is that individual actions and motivations rather than social and cultural realities should be considered as the chief drivers of social change. However, it should be precisely noted that methodological individualism as a doctrine is not a reckless celebration of individualism, but, more importantly, a careful analysis of how the intentional states of individuals contribute to the unfolding of social changes in a given society. In other words, the doctrine of Methodological Individualism proposes that social structures are influential but they are not superstructures whose influence exceeds the agency of individual members of a society. In order to illustrate the argument, I will be specifically focusing on the novel Oliver Twist. The historical and social context of the novel consists of 1834 Poor Law Reforms and widespread economic and social inequalities in nineteenth century England. Within these contexts the characters of Fagin, Mr Bumble. Nancy, Harry Maylie and Mr Brownlow make highly individualistic choices that shape the narrative of the novel, challenge the established code of social relations and finally restores Oliver Twist to his rightful place in the society of nineteenth century England. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper uses Pope Francis's Fratelli tutti to develop traditional Catholic depictions of human dignity in both theory and practice. Black sociopolitical thought and social movement organizing are brought into conversation with theologies and philosophies that reflect on what gives life integrity. I posit that the substantialist (ontological) interpretation of human dignity logically extends from individuals to collectives. Further, I suggest religious leaders in the United States should emphasize this collective form of substantialism alongside the relational (Trinitarian) and functional (creative) interpretations of human dignity, thus identifying collectives as thematizing divine likeness and separating the notion of human dignity from individualism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper offers a critique of ontological individualism as a framework for social ontology. The phrase gives unjustified priority to facts about individuals over facts about higher-level social features. The paper reviews several important contributions to more nuanced views, including Giddens, Archer, Granovetter, Mahoney, and Thelen. It is argued that our guiding "map" of the social world needs to reflect the unavoidable reciprocal dependency over time between individual actors and social entities. The ideas of methodological localism (Little) and the diachronic character of the actor-social nexus explore the inherent interdependency between actor and structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Creativity is considered a global ability and crucial for ordinary-daily and special (e.g., science, aesthetic) activities. In this paper, from the position of Cultural-Historical Activity Theory (CHAT), we expand the debate about the creativity crisis and hypothesize that the noted crisis is only the tip of the iceberg represented by the crisis of the postmodern' incoherent mind, reflecting the crisis of self-realization as a leading activity in the individualistic epoch. By investigating creativity as an original functionality of the mind, two key titles are stressed. One is the halting of the activity system; two, it is the inconsistency between the objective meanings sphere and the subjective sense-making sphere. Both titles represent the epistemological rupture embedded in the mainstream culture and praxis rooted in the internal contradictions of individualism and post-modernism as worldview and practices, leading the mind to close its eyes on the contradictions which are the crucial source of grasping the internal content (abstraction and generalization) of the given experience, hence, a crucial source of creativity. Thus, it is considered that not only creativity is in crisis, but also the coherence of the mind as well, as an extreme result of the shattered postmodern existence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analyzes whether the cultural trait of individualism affects school performance by using Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) data. Our preferred empirical specification is an instrumental variable estimation with school fixed effects and individual control variables. We find that a 1 standard deviation higher individualism index is associated with an increase of between 19 and 36 score points in science, math, and reading tests, roughly equivalent to the content of 1.1–2.1 school years. The use of Hofstede's index or a derived individualism index from the PISA data leads to the same conclusions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Authenticity is now being used to describe things as diverse as politicians, wallets and holiday packages, and claims to authenticity have become increasingly marketable. Media sources from magazines to social media blogs are all inundated with a persisting, recurring message: that tapping into the "real you" will be the liberating force allowing you to live a happy and successful life. This paper draws on a social constructionist theoretical framework and discourse analytic method to critically analyse three interconnected discourses of personal authenticity (as success, change and work) explored in 10 marketing campaigns prominent in South African media. The constructions found in these media are important not just as reflections of current subject positions available in a particular context, but also in the (re)construction of these particular identities and the (re)production of particular social systems. More specifically, in this case, by closely tying authenticity to notions of success, work and change, these discourses produce "good neoliberal subjects"- ambitious, self-regulated, proactive and productive citizens committed to personal progress and contributing to a "functioning" society. In other words, through these discourses, individuals' personal aspirations (e.g. self-improvement or happiness) become inextricably linked with capitalist modes of being (work and consumption). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the past decade, the maker movement has gained prominence in China, garnering attention from policymakers, scholars, and practitioners. Although several studies have explored the movement's macro-level impacts on the country's economy and society, an adequate understanding of the individual makers' lived experiences, practices, and ideologies remains elusive. This paper addresses this gap by examining how individual makers negotiate and respond to the global maker movement's individualistic values and China's state-led techno-nationalism. Framed by concepts of "critical making" and "maker ideology," the study draws on qualitative data obtained from individual makers to offer insights into the evolving maker culture in China. Our findings suggest that Chinese makers have moved away from the Westernized critical-making paradigm and embraced a more techno-nationalistic orientation. By contributing to a nuanced understanding of the non-uniform and diverse development of the global maker movement in non-Western contexts, this paper sheds new light on the maker movement's ongoing transformation in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current study examines how women's roles have changed in Indian society through an analysis of Manju Kapur's Difficult Daughters (1998), Home (2006) The Immigrant (2009), and literary works. This paper analyzes the quest for feminine identity and the struggle for change in the female protagonists in the select works. Her fiction projects raise feminist concerns and feminist issues. In Indian tradition goddesses like Lakshmi, Saraswati, and Durga are worshipped in every household. Thus, the women are expected to have goddess-like characteristics to escape the scrutiny of critical eyes and feel trapped by such mundane situations. The prime objective behind the feminist movement was to change the destiny of women and make them realize that the time has come when they stop suffering silently in helplessness. Women in Indian society have never been recognized as persons apart from their assigned duties as mothers, wives, and daughters. The female protagonists of Kapur, Nina (The Immigrant), Virmati (The Difficult Daughters), and Nisha (Home) attempt to break away from the dependence syndrome that patriarchal agents have imposed upon them. The current study centers on the female protagonists' quest for uniqueness and self-identity and avoids being perceived as self-sacrificing rubber dolls. They must struggle for their existence, which has been going on for centuries and will probably continue for a long time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Martin Luther and John Wesley stand as towering reformers and transformers whose influence still defines ecclesiastical theology in the twenty-first century. Luther and Wesley survived 200 years apart in two different countries, and circumstances, and yet their responses to the challenges of their milieus present the lived legacies of Lutheranism and Methodism respectively. Factors contributing to the shaping of their backgrounds and theology force one to argue that: "without Luther's theology, the development of Methodism was a chance". The purpose of this paper was to reread the convergencies in the backgrounds and theology of Luther and Wesley and analyse how their life settings and writings influenced the twenty-firstcentury church. The paper reminds the twenty-first-century church that much as Luther and Wesley's biographies were influenced by the role of their parents, their conversion through nature, the impact of university life, unplanned marriages, and the fight against orthodoxy. Unfortunately, similar converging life experiences have not been taken seriously to "saltify" the rotting world as individualism and self-gain characterise the modern church. The paper also argues that Apostle Paul's theology of justification by faith, sola fide, sola scriptura, and sola gratia is central to both Luther and Wesley, and they are the anchors of the twenty-firstcentury church. This paper does not aim to bring superiority and inferiority intricacies between Luther and Wesley but to use Luther as the role model of Wesley with the two being the beacons of the twenty-first-century ecclesia and ecclesiology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of International Journal of Positivity & Well-Being (IJPW) is the property of International Journal of Positivity & Well-Being (IJPW) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Ubuntugogy as a method of teaching and learning emerged from the African theory and philosophy called Ubuntu. Ubuntugogy was introduced by Bangura (2005) as a proposed strategy for teaching and learning in the African classroom. For almost three centuries Africa has been subjected to and/or implementing Western methodologies, thus suppressing the notions of Ubuntu in African classrooms. This paper aims to critically analyse the literature and attempt to portray the viability of Ubuntugogy as a feasible pedagogical construct in education. It is also important to take note of the limitations that come with Ubuntugogy as a pedagogical construct. Utilising the SWOT analysis framework, this paper discusses the strengths and limitations that come with the practice of Ubuntugogy in the African context. Literature has revealed that Ubuntugogy has the potential to promote communalism, collaboration, respect in the classroom and appreciation of African knowledge systems. In contrast, literature has also indicated that Ubuntugogy can face challenges like individualism, stereotypical mentalities, and lack of interest from the stakeholders. Taking into account the analysis, it is safe to mention that Ubuntugogy is a viable pedagogical construct to be utilised in the African classrooms. This paper recommends a change in stakeholders' mindsets, the practice of collaborative instruction and collaborations between the stakeholders and students. Taking into consideration the literature presented in this article, it is proposed that the teaching and learning paradigm should change from non-Africa philosophies to African-based theories and philosophies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the ways in which critical reflection, a model for critical incident debrief within social work, is an act of abolition pedagogy and social work which confounds settler colonialism and carceral logics which pervade this profession as well as educational/learning environments. Theoretically grounded in the abolition thinking of Angela Davis and Mariane Kaba, this paper argues that opportunities to unpack binaries and hidden assumptions through collective learning are opportunities to unpack the ways in which Foucault's Panopticon Effect is unwittingly internalised and reproduced within 'helping' professions and at the micro level. In addition, an intersectional, critical autoethnographic exploration of a personal experience in a critical reflection group is interwoven throughout. I contend that the integration of these 'selves' serves as a reminder that use of self in its most authentic form has the potential to challenge and confound the constructed separation between personal and professional that attempts to depoliticise all realms of our lives and relegate our primary duties to that of working and consuming. As a site of potential transformation and liberation, critical reflection's alignment with abolition stands in direct contrast to neoliberal educational structures often focused on individualism, credentials, surface learning, and brevity. Finally, CRoP provides a site for abolition social work and pedagogy to take root in its capacity to foster an unrestrained imagination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper we analyze the relationship between antiracism and black self-defense. We draw a distinction between liberal and political black self-defense and argue that antiracism can at most sanction a juridical and individualistic notion of self-defense rather than a communal one. We argue that any and all theoretical conceptions of contestation, resistance, or revolution need to seriously grapple with the necessity of theorizing black self-defense. In doing so, we thematize antiblack violence through accounts of self-defense given by black radicals. Together, these arguments outline a perpetual conditional threat of violence against any and all black freedom projects, which in turn justifies enunciative black counterviolence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The discussion of the ethical ontology of states and the relationship between the legal system and the moral system and their influence on each other is one of the most important topics in contemporary legal philosophy and the trend of public law. The moral paradigm of states, which are divided into two spectrums of neutral and perfectionist states, is different. Neutral states, meanwhile, often fall into the category of moral non-realists due to their individualistic structure and belief in the contractual legitimacy of power and their acceptance of moral relativism. Proponents of anti-realism believe that moral values and requirements are not outside the minds and perceptions of individuals, and that the standard of morality is determined by individuals. In this theory, it is emphasized that ethics has no spatial ends and is relative. Therefore, this paper tries topresent the views in the field of moral anti-realism with an analytical and descriptive method, describing the theoretical foundations of neutral states and the intellectual foundations of the school of antirealism - in cases such as relativism, subjectivism, and non, emotionalism and non-driven is from ought. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Archivio Giuridico is the property of Mucchi Editore and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Major paradigms in sociology and social sciences usually embrace either individualism or anti‐individualism as fundamental worldview. This paper explores a third way between individualism and anti‐individualism developed by German sociologist Niklas Luhmann in his systems theory. Luhmann treats actors or individuals as psychic systems and he distinguishes them from social systems. In a nutshell, social systems produce communication, whereas psychic systems produce consciousness. In line with anti‐individualism, Luhmann therefore argues that social systems are irreducible to psychic systems and their actions. On the other hand, Luhmann joins ranks with individualism to assert that psychic systems are not rigorously constrained by social systems. Ultimately, Luhmann explains that social systems and psychic systems are part of each other's environment and that each type of systems provides the ecological conditions that the other type depends on to emerge and grow. To discuss this third way between individualism and anti‐individualism, the paper examines more specifically two central points in Luhmann's theory: (1) how social systems and psychic systems are separated from each other, and (2) how social systems and psychic systems are coevolving. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the impact of collectivism and individualism dimensions, both horizontal and vertical, on shared value actions, specifically within the realms of brand attitude, purchase intention, and social corporate engagement. Design/methodology/approach: An online survey, distributed through an external portal, was employed for data collection with a sample size of 366 participants from the USA. Subsequently, structural equation modeling (SEM) was applied to analyze the gathered data. Findings: It has been established that horizontal collectivism holds significant importance in the decision-making process regarding participation in Creating Shared Value (CSV) actions and can influence individual behaviors and additional purchase activities. Research limitations/implications: Given the study's focus on a specific demographic, extending the research to diverse cultural contexts may offer valuable insights into the generalizability of the results. Practical implications: The identified significance of horizontal collectivism in shaping decision-making processes and influencing behaviors presents practical implications for business experts seeking to enact changes in their enterprises. Recognizing the pivotal role of horizontal collectivism can guide strategic initiatives aimed at fostering shared value actions within organizations. Conversely, the insignificance of horizontal individualism highlights the need for businesses to focus on collective values and collaboration when implementing initiatives related to shared value. Originality/value: The research problem addressed in this paper is an intriguing topic for discussion in a business context, given the increasing influence of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives and the growing number of companies engaging in environmental and social activities. Consumers are becoming increasingly conscious during the decision-making process, and their consumption choices are becoming more sustainable and environmentally friendly. This trend will inevitably necessitate business decision-makers and producers to conduct new market analyses and, at times, redefine the goals or entire strategies of their companies, both now and in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Creativity drives profit in an idea economy, and many companies organize teams to facilitate creativity. This paper investigates the strategic deployment of individuals to boost a team's creativity. More individualistic team members tend to generate highly original ideas yet are less likely to share these ideas. We theorize that adding a connector—an individual strongly predisposed to form and foster relationships—to a team will enable more idea sharing among individualistic team members, thus increasing the likelihood that the team's creative potential will be realized. We leverage a new conceptualization of the "connector" construct to identify connectors and then use an experiment to study the impact of their presence or absence on team creative performance. Our results support these predictions and suggest that connectors improve team creativity by enabling others to share in the creative process and not because connectors themselves exhibit greater creative performance than their average peer. Data Availability: The data reported in the paper are available from the authors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper uses "A Travel to Diamond Mountains" (1930) and its author Jo Aeyeong (1911-2000) to explore gender and modernity, community and individuality, and distinctions between tradition and modern in a literary genre. It starts by juxtaposing Jo and her contemporaries, especially Baek Sinae (1908-1939), to examine the complexities of a woman writer situating herself in the early twentieth century. Noting the contexts and opportunities that affected each woman's path forward, it challenges the usefulness of established stereotypes or slogans such as "New Women" and "Wise Mother Good Wife" in understanding this era. The paper then reads Jo's travelogue alongside other travelogues by women, including those communally written in kasa form. In doing so, it complicates the implicit contrast between tradition and modern and illuminates changes to the "traditional" form of kasa. Along with Jo's "Diamond Mountains," women writers and their writings featured in this paper as a whole embody a moment of adaptation, flourishing, and decline within the evolution of women's literature in Korea. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

From a methodological standpoint, the following paper is based on a comparative analysis of two novels written by David Foster Wallace. With a specific perspective for each novel (the motivations of the character known as Rémy Marathe for the first novel, as well as §19 for the second one), the purpose of the paper is to highlight the main characteristics, flaws, and identity crises of the United States, as depicted by Wallace in both Infinite Jest and The Pale King. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study will investigate how patriarchy works as a vehicle for women's subjugation. Many female authors were born within a predominately patriarchal environment, where women have historically been subservient to socially imposed norms. Anita Nair has emerged as one of India's most committed modern authors. She freely expresses her views about women in autocratic Indian culture. She also offers insight into how society views women and what it expects of them. The paper will portray women's sufferings and the status of women in society. It will also shed light on the importance of education. The idea of 'half' by Simone De Beauvoir in her work The Second Sex will illuminate the concept of self. The paper will highlight the shifting scenarios of women and how new women transcend the confines of patriarchal setup and create new identities through Anita Nair's novels-Ladies Coupe, Mistress, and The Better Man. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is a meta‐analysis of experimental studies dealing with the impact of incidental emotions (happiness, sadness, fear, and anger) on financial risk‐taking, so as to explain traditional heterogeneity of outcomes in the literature. After devising a standard search strategy and including studies that comply with a list of eligibility criteria, we code 114 effect sizes at the treatment level from 26 selected articles, and a battery of moderator variables representing design and sample characteristics. Meta‐regressions with adjusted predictions find causal impact of fear on risk aversion, albeit to a small extent. On the contrary, average null effects characterize happiness, sadness, and anger. It also turns out that when studies provide financial incentives, country‐level individualism moderates the relationship between emotions and risk‐taking by increasing risk propensity. We discuss possible interpretations of our findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the effect of the national culture of the chief executive officers (CEOs) on their risk‐taking behavior in managing the banks, leading to banks' instability using a sample of 805 CEOs for 517 commercial banks in 33 countries from 2011 to 2017. Our empirical results confirm that bank risk‐taking behavior is negatively associated with the national culture of the CEOs who score high on the individualistic culture dimension. We also find that bank risk is likely to increase under the management of CEOs coming from high power distance countries. These results have largely remained unchanged across different settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores country-level macro-structural conditions that are associated with social capital, measured as individuals' access to social resources. To explain differences in social capital across societies, we formulate hypotheses based on welfare state generosity, cultural orientations (collectivism vs. individualism), and income inequality. We test our hypotheses using data from the International Social Survey Programme (ISSP) 2017, which comprises a total sample size of 50,010 individuals living in 33 countries. We use the position generator survey instrument to build two composite measures of social capital: the diversity and the socio-economic status of social contacts. Multilevel regression models reveal that diversity of social contacts is generally greater among individuals in countries with generous welfare states, while access to contacts of a higher socio-economic status is generally better among individuals in countries with higher levels of individualism. A country's income inequality is not associated with the social capital of its citizens. However, the association between a person's socioeconomic status and the diversity of their social capital is moderated by income inequality. As such, our study serves to demonstrate that macro-social conditions at the country level do influence individual social capital and have different implications depending on the dimension considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we examine the relationship between Hofstede national cultures and de jure central bank independence. We propose theoretical hypotheses to explain how cultural dimensions determine central bank independence and test these hypotheses using an international dataset. We find that two cultural dimensions, namely, individualism and uncertainty avoidance, are significantly related to central bank independence. Central bank independence is higher in collectivistic and uncertainty avoidance countries. We further reveal that these cultural dimensions affect central bank independence in different ways. Individualism and uncertainty avoidance are related to independence in policy formulation and limitations on lending to governments. Although power distance and masculinity are insignificantly related to total central bank independence, they affect independence in objectives, policy formulation and limitation on lending to governments. Our results are robust through a series of checks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alfred Marshall's and Léon Walras's works have often been compared in the literature, on the one hand underlining their several differences and on the other hand focussing on their possible resemblances building what was called 'neoclassical economics. This interpretation failed to pay due attention, however, to a number of important aspects that in fact stand in the way of a proper understanding of these two authors' contributions. This paper focuses on the analogies to be found between Walras's and Marshall's analyses of economic behaviour, which are related not to a supposed affiliation to a common neo-classical tradition but to a common conception of the relation between human economic agents and society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current Mother Tongue-Based Multilingual Education [MTB-MLE] policy in the Philippines is beset with numerous issues, and this adversely affects the quality of basic education provided across regions. To address this, this policy paper suggests reviewing the current MTBMLE policy through a more systematic policy reform mechanism that is participatory. This way, all concerned stakeholders in the Filipino education community contribute to the growth of the basic education instruction in the country by ensuring proper implementation of a mother tongue-based instruction policy. Anchored on the Rational Choice Theory (Becker, 1976), which believes on the following assumptions: individualism, optimality, structures, self-regarding interests, and rationality, this policy paper suggests a framework that the Department of Education can utilize in reviewing the existing policy and creating feasible decisions to improve the instruction in basic education. The proposal also drew inspiration from how the Bilingual Education Act of the United States of America became a promising legislation that has emphasized the importance of multicultural and multilingual classrooms in the country. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This paper aims to investigate whether culture has an impact on justifications for tax cheating, and if there is, indeed, a rationale for justifying this behavior. Design/methodology/approach: World surveys (V201) were used to measure justifications for tax cheating in 39 countries. Hofstede's culture dimensions were used as a measurement scale for the relevant cultural aspects that could have an impact on tax cheating. Findings: The results show that individualism and power distance increase the justification, while masculinity and uncertainty avoidance decrease the justification for tax cheating. Accordingly, when budgeting for tax revenues, governments need to consider the cultural dimension in their risk assessments for tax evasion. Originality/value: The findings of this research provide some implications for legislators and policymakers. For example, they need to give more consideration to their respective society's cultural dimensions and to the structure of their communities when they are imposing taxes. Legislators need to put more effort toward convincing people why it is necessary to impose and/or increase certain taxes, how society benefits directly and indirectly and why action needs to be taken when these taxes are not paid. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Discourse on social order considers fundamental roles that individuals versus social institutions play in engendering/endangering the existence and sustenance of social order. The fundamental roles of the individuals versus the social institutions in engendering/endangering the existence and sustenance of social order have led to dispute among social scientists/philosophers leading to different schools of thought categorized into two broad and distinct theories of individualism and holism. The former posits that social order is a function of outcomes of the actions of self-determining individuals, while the latter argues that society as a functioning whole determines the existence and sustenance of social order. Given the Yoruba intellectual tradition, this paper examines and demonstrates the fundamental roles of individuals versus social institutions in engendering/endangering the existence and sustenance of social order. Essentially, the paper argues the case that the roles of the individual(s), as compared to that of social institutions, are fundamentally indispensable in engendering/endangering the existence and sustenance of social order. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is concerned with the gap between the ideology of 'autonomous individualism' deeply embedded in Western-centric engineering ethics education and the social and relational nature of engineering practice. The so-called 'individualistic approach' to engineering ethics often treats students as fully rational and autonomous individual decision-makers. Such an approach mainly emphasizes teaching students moral reasoning skills, including the skills of applying dominant Western ethical theories (mainly deontology and consequentialism) into hypothetical cases. What might be overlooked or could be further emphasized in dominant approaches to engineering ethics education is what philosophers call the 'role ethics' of engineers. The role ethics approach to engineering ethics focuses on the the moral obligations of engineers that are derived from the specific roles they assume and the relationships they have developed with others in communal contexts. This paper aims to construct a role-based approach to teaching professional ethics to engineering students. It mainly draws on role ethics theories from the Confucian philosophical tradition. It first provides a short introduction to the fundamentals of Confucian role ethics from a comparative perspective. It then discusses what a role-based approach to engineering ethics might entail. Finally, this paper briefly explores how the insights from Confucian role ethics can inform future engineering ethics education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines Gustav Landauer's mystical anarchism, focusing on the concept of overcoming death as a core element of his thought. It explores Landauer's rejection of death as both a linguistic superstition and a limited worldview, emphasizing the collective whole over individualism. The essay suggests that Landauer's representation of revolution moving from space to time includes his account of mystical anarchy, which fosters a deep connection with the past and a sense of unity with the world and humanity. This shift in perspective promotes a more fulfilling and meaningful existence within a larger, authentic community that is an antidote to the constraints of death. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Copyright of Revista de Economía Institucional is the property of Universidad Externado de Colombia and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Revista Derechos y Libertades is the property of Dykinson SL and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Mary Leapor (1722-46) is one of the many under-studied women poets of the eighteenth-century. She is often described as a laboring-class poet which, while historically accurate, implies her immediate marginalization as an writer by her class and gender. Her focus of enquiry explores a new female authorial interiority, embracing her own volition, personality, and aesthetic sensibility through the act of writing itself. This nascent individualism, arising from the examination of feeling, lies at the heart of her work and heralds the social protest that will erupt later in the century. This paper hopes to offer a broader perspective on Leapor's work through close readings of a selection of her poems and analysis of the ideas this precocious, self-educated woman was exploring in her work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores how cultural values associated with individualism versus collectivism affect attitudes toward racial tolerance. Individualism refers to social norms and cultural values that support individual rights and self-determination. Therefore, individualism is inherently egalitarian and should transcend racial identities, fostering attitudes of racial tolerance. To empirically examine the correlation between values associated with individualism and attitudes favoring racial tolerance, individual-level data from the Integrated Values Surveys is collected across multiple countries and over a span of time (1981–2021). The results indicate a positive association between individualism and racially tolerant attitudes. Furthermore, this conclusion remains robust after controlling for demographic and socio-economic variables such as income, education, religious affiliation and attendance, social trust, as well as country and time fixed effects. The within-country analysis enables the isolation of the impact of individualism from other potential confounding factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It's widely held that a lack of intellectual humility is part of the reason why flagrantly unjustified beliefs proliferate. In this paper, I argue that an excess of humility also plays a role in allowing for the spread of misinformation. Citing experimental evidence, I show that inducing intellectual humility causes people inappropriately to lower their confidence in beliefs that are actually justified for them. In these cases, they manifest epistemic humility in ways that make them epistemically worse off. I argue that epistemic humility may fail to promote better beliefs because it functions for us against the background of our individualistic theory of responsible epistemic agency: until we reject such theories, intellectual humility is as much a problem as a solution to epistemic ills. Virtue epistemology is inadequate as a response to unjustified beliefs if it does not look beyond the virtues to our background beliefs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Globally, marriage breakup or divorce has become a significant issue, and Bangladesh is no exception. The divorce rate among urban women has dramatically increased in Bangladesh, particularly in Dhaka City. This study aims to uncover the factors contributing to the rising divorce rate among women in Dhaka. Utilizing desk-based research and expert interviews, it critically examines the causes of marriage breakdown. The study argues that industrialization, women's empowerment, and feminist movements have fostered a rise in individualism among women in Dhaka, making them more educated and empowered compared to those in other Bangladeshi cities. This individualism serves as a deterrent against physical and mental abuse, extramarital affairs, authoritarian attitudes, and other forms of discrimination traditionally faced by women. Women's sense of individualism also fosters intolerance toward unhappy marriages, allowing them to pursue independent lives due to their financial solvency. Additionally, the study identifies other factors negatively impacting divorce-seeking behavior, including drug addiction, marital dissatisfaction over infertility or impotence, extramarital affairs due to partner absence, and the influence of social media. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Forming a belief on the basis of accepting another's testimony often involves a kind of reliance on the (say-so of the) testifier. I argue that this reliance has epistemically relevant features that cannot be represented in most mainstream theories in the epistemology of testimony. The targeted views are those that embrace individualism about testimonial justification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The debate between individualism and generalism (qualitativism) concerns the status of individualistic facts and their relations with qualitative facts. It is argued that a proper definition of individualistic facts should be a modal one, and moreover that it requires the assumption of haecceitism for its adequacy, contrary to the common belief. Consequently, the positions of individualism and generalism are dependent upon the more fundamental stances of haecceitism and anti-haecceitism in the metaphysics of modality de re. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An individualist (I) or collectivist (C) cultural orientation affects individuals' attitudes, behaviours and values. This study aimed to identify the first-year secondary-school students' I–C profiles and explore their implications for students' trait emotional intelligence (EI), emotions towards school and academic achievement (GPA) throughout the 3-year secondary-school cycle. A total of 222 secondary-school students (58.6% females; Mage = 15.4; SD =.63 in the 10th grade) were enrolled in a longitudinal study. The cluster analysis identified three distinct I–C profiles: high individualist-low collectivist students, low individualistic-midlevel collectivist students and high individualist–high collectivist students. The results revealed significant differences between the I–C profiles regarding students' trait EI, emotions towards school and GPA throughout secondary school, in particular favouring the high individualist–high collectivist profile. These findings are discussed based on the practical implications for students' outcomes in the current secondary school system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: This meta-analytic review surveyed previous empirical studies that examined links between moral identity and indicators of emotional well-being. Additionally, this meta-analysis examined cultural origin as a moderator, testing if links between moral identity and emotional well-being differ in collectivistic vs. individualistic countries. Methods: A systematic literature review was conducted through ProQuest's 65 databases and PubMed. A random-effect meta-analysis and subgroup analyses were conducted using Comprehensive Meta-Analysis 4.0 (CMA) software. Results: Drawing on 27 eligible studies, moral identity was associated with greater emotional well-being (r = 0.27, p < 0.001). Follow up analyses on individual dimensions showed medium effect sizes in links between moral identity and greater happiness or positive affect (r = 0.28, p < 0.001), greater sense of purpose or meaning in life (r = 0.29, p < 0.001), and higher self-esteem (r = 0.25, p < 0.001). Moreover, moral identity was associated with greater life satisfaction showing a small effect size (r = 0.15, p = 0.011). Results showed that effect sizes of links between moral identity and overall emotional well-being did not significantly differ by cultural origin. However, effect sizes tended to be larger in the nine studies that were conducted in collectivistic countries (r = 0.30, p < 0.001) as compared to the 15 studies that were conducted in individualistic countries (r = 0.27, p < 0.001). Discussion: The results of this meta-analysis indicate a robust empirical relationship between moral identity and emotional well-being that is present across various dimensions of emotional well-being and in both individualistic and collectivistic cultures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

By examining a broad range of companies from both developed and developing nations from 2015 to 2021, we gather evidence on the occurrence and factors contributing to the existence of zombie firms. Approximately 10% of our observations are identified as zombie firms, and there is significant variability in the proportion of zombie firms across different countries. We find that countries with more efficient corporate insolvency rules tend to have a lower incidence of zombie firms. We also establish that a nation's culture plays a vital role in determining the prevalence of zombie firms. More specifically, our findings indicate that countries with higher levels of individualism culture tend to have lower numbers of zombie firms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Overcoming the harmful side of dualism is one of the key contemporary challenges. Theologically, this has meant a holistic turn in trinitarian theology. The article aims to bring relevant features of the patristic understanding—especially St Augustine's—into dialogue with the contributions of Luther and Bonhoeffer to trinitarian ontology. The thesis of this article is that Augustine's theological heritage can promote an ecumenical understanding of participatory trinitarian thinking which combines both Western and Eastern approaches. I suggest that it can provide valuable insights for the current theological discussion. The approach of the Augustinian tradition, which focuses on the concept of relation and develops its connection with substance, and the approach of the Greek Fathers and their theology of the primacy of the person of the Father are brought into dialogue. It is suggested that in Luther's and Bonhoeffer's further development of Augustinian theology, the understanding of the Trinitarian communion as a dialectic between person and community in love can in a constructive way overcome both ecclesial individualism and rigid collectivism and form a horizon for a holistic ecumenical theology for today. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, I argue that Kant has a far more communitarian theory of aesthetic life than is usually acknowledged. I focus on two aspects of Kant's theory that might otherwise be taken to support an individualist reading, namely, Kant's emphasis on aesthetic autonomy and his characterization of judgments of taste as involving demands for agreement. I argue that the full expression of autonomy in fact requires being a member of an aesthetic community and that within such a community, judgments of taste are issued as invitations to others to engage their faculties towards the goal of shared aesthetic appreciation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]