Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Information War In The Religious Sphere In The Context Of The "Battle" For The Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra, Bogdan Synchak, Yurii Yelisovenko, Svitlana Romanchuk

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

The study examines the issue of non-religious activities of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate (UOC-MP) in the context of its involvement in the information war within the sphere of religion. It is based on a significant precedent for Ukrainian Orthodoxy concerning the expiration and non-extension of the contract by the Ministry of Culture with the UOC-MP for operation on the premises of the UNESCO World Heritage Site, the architectural complex of the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra. Certain prerequisites for depriving the UOC-MP of the right to use the premises of the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra are presented and analyzed. Separate photographs …

"Terrorist Design" Of The Russian Federation In The Destruction Of Churches In Ukraine From 2014 To 2023, Valeriy Bulatov

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

The article highlights issues related to the justification by the Russian Federation for the destruction of places of worship on the territory of Ukraine since the beginning of the war in 2014. The ongoing war in Ukraine, which began with the annexation of eastern Ukraine and Crimea in 2014, has continued with a full-scale invasion of Russian troops into Ukraine. The proclamation by the President of Russia, Putin, regarding "Russian freedom" was presented in its entirety in the destruction of the civilian population of Ukraine, including children, the elderly, and pregnant women, which is being carried out to this day …

Indestructability In The Fight Against Evil: The Theological View On The Russian-Ukrainian War, Hnat Mierienkov

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

The article shows that the fight against evil, namely Russian aggression against the Ukrainian people, creates a unique concept of “indestructibility.” The appearance of the term “invincibility” in the theological world, as a rule, is associated with the side of goodness and freedom. The Russian Federation has shown in the 21st century aggression unprecedented in its scale, including the desire to appropriate foreign territory, the bombing of peaceful territories and civilians, the distortion of faith, religion, and ideology to achieve goals by military means, etc. As a result, in the theological world of Ukraine, this phenomenon was called “evil.” That …

Strategy And Tactics Of Soviet Security Bodies In The Fight Against Religion And Religious Communities On The Territory Of Ukraine, Olha Shakurova, Oksana Vysoven, Yuriy Figurnyi, Natalia Varodi

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

The article analyzes the strategy and tactics of state security agencies in the fight against religion and religious Protestant communities on the territory of Soviet Ukraine. It was revealed that the communist totalitarian system, in order to maintain its dominant position in society and master fully the consciousness of its population and influence its spiritual life (strategic task), shortly after the end of the Second World War, in 1946 in the system of the newly formed Ministry of State Security of the Soviet Union of the Socialist Republics and its republican departments created new special operational departments endowed with extraordinary …

Post-Soviet History Of Jehovah's Witnesses In Ukraine: From A Closed Sect To An Open Denomination, Vita Tytarenko, Liudmyla Fylypovych

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

This article considers the changes that have taken place in the Jehovah's Witnesses (JW) from the time of the USSR to today, when believers and their communities are having to fit into new historical circumstances. In peacetime JW occupied a relatively insignificant niche in the structure of religious life of Ukraine, overcoming the wary and sometimes openly negative attitude of the state, society, and other religious communities, formed by the Soviet regime. After 2014 JW are more and more confidently declaring their presence in Ukrainian society. Those who survived persecution and deportation during the Soviet era are regaining their rights …

Considering The Shrinking Physical, Social, And Psychological Spaces Of Rohingya Refugees In Southeast Asia, Kendra L. Duran, Robin Al-Haddad, Saleh Ahmed

Global Studies Faculty Publications and Presentations

Refugees experience shrinking social, economic, political, and physical spaces at astonishing rates. However, these shrinking spaces are challenging to trace simultaneously and are rarely considered in policymaking or analysis. Using the Rohingya case study, this paper implores policy analysis to include these spaces, conceptually categorizing them into physical, social, and psychological spaces. Here we chronologize the plight of Rohingya refugees and identify how their spaces have changed over time. Our findings reveal four primary causal relationships linked to Rohingya refugees' fluctuating spaces, including: (I) Bangladesh's policy framework has kept the Rohingya largely isolated, yet their public-private partnerships have expanded their …

Ya Llegamos | We Are Here, Audrey Hermila Salgado

Senior Projects Spring 2023

ya llegamos | we are here, a Senior Project submitted to The Division of Arts of Bard College, is piece on gender and migration. It is a play that explores how family dynamics, class issues, education, and gender play a role in why people leave their home country. It explores the journey and relationship of Saturnina and Francisco as they travel across the Mexico/U.S. border.

Russia’S False Claims To Holiness And Spiritual Superiority, Paul B. Mojzes

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

Among the many reasons given by President Putin and Patriarch Kirill, the secular and spiritual heads of the Russian Federation, for waging a totally unnecessary yet exceedingly cruel war against Ukraine is that Ukraine is allegedly a front for the corrupt and voracious West which aims to partition Russia. These two and their retinue claim that their synthesis of holiness and moral superiority is destined to cleanse the world of decadence.

Frontmatter (Volume 43, Issue 3), Paul B. Mojzes

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

No abstract provided.

In Double Jeopardy: For Ukrainian Orthodox Church, A War On Two Fronts, Geraldine Fagan

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

The Ukrainian Orthodox Church faces trouble from its own government as well as its Russian brethren.

"War In Ukraine: Religious, Geopolitical And Cultural Dimensions Of Value-Worldview Clashes At The Beginning Of The 21st Century": International Theological Conference, Vladyslav Fulmes

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

On June 15, 2023 Volyn Orthodox Theological Academy (Lutsk, Ukraine) held an international theological conference “WAR in UKRAINE: Religious, Geopolitical and Cultural Dimensions of Value-worldview Clashes at the Beginning of the 21st century”. Brief information about this international scientific conference is given.

Semantics Of The Symbol "Z" In The Religious Ideology Of The Russian Federation, Ivan Ostashchuk, Volodymyr Litkevych

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

The article analyzes for the first time the identification and content of Russian military symbols and their use in Russian Orthodoxy. At the linguistic level, it was found that such word formation Z-Orthodoxy was taken from the publications and public speeches of Archimandrite Kyrylo Govorun. Our study focuses on the proposal to use the neologism Z-Orthodoxy to demonstrate some semantic interpretations in the context of the military aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine and the entire democratic world. As a result of the analysis of the military symbols of the Russian Federation, Russian Orthodoxy found that after February 24, …

Propaganda, Criticism, And War: A Study Of Regime Criticism By Propagandists In War, Jack C. Seay

Honors Undergraduate Theses

This paper investigates when propagandists criticize their country's war effort, examining instances where propagandists openly criticize the regimes they are expected to support during an armed conflict. This is a unique and relatively unexplored angle on propaganda, differing from widespread research on the range of effects that propaganda has on a target population, the reasons behind using propaganda on a target population, and the methods propagandists use to raise support for a political authority. Understanding when propagandists criticize their country's war effort can mitigate their influence by helping audiences identify when and how propagandists use criticism to their advantage. The …

The Demands Of Displacement, The Micro-Aggressions Of Multiculturalism: Performing An Idea Of "Indianness" In Singapore, Orlando Woods, Lily Kong

Research Collection College of Integrative Studies

This paper explores the ways in which state-defined discourses of multiculturalism can unintentionally create a framework through which micro-aggressions are enacted against those interpreted as "other". These definitions cascade down from the state to majority and then minority ethno-national groups, who leverage positions of relative dominance to establish the terms of acceptance and integration into society. By negotiating these terms, ethnicity becomes a performative construct through which difference is asserted and reified. We illustrate these ideas through an empirical analysis of Singapore's minority Indian community, and how Singaporean Indians perform an idea of "Indianness" in response to their Singaporean Chinese …

Hawker Culture And Its Infrastructure: Experiences And Contestations In Everyday Life, Lily Kong, Aidan Marc Wong

Research Collection College of Integrative Studies

Hawker foods characterize urban Asia, with similarities and differences across cities that forge both cultural commonalities and distinctions. From the itinerant to the fixed location, from the temporary sites to the purposebuilt, hawker foods are served in informal settings, with varying degrees of tradition and innovation, hygiene and squalidness, local authenticity and globalized influence. In the side-streets of Beijing where local delicacies such as scorpion are served, to the abundant food cart vendors on Bangkok streets, to the warung (small, typically family-owned eateries) in Surabaya, and the carefully planned and designed hawker centres in Singapore, hawker culture is a distinctive

Food Tourism As A Means Of Promoting Food Sustainability: A Case Study Of Street Food In Bangkok, Marissa Soltoff

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

In 2002, the Thai government lauched two gastrodiplomacy initiatives to promote cultural awareness, increase export revenue, and boost tourism by increasing the number and quality of Thai restaurants abroad. These iniatives have been vastly successful and have since been emulated by other countries. This paper builds on the gastrodiplomacy initiatives' success by exploring the possibility of the same methods being applied to promotion of food sustainability. This research addresses the questions surrounding the factors that both enable and risk food sustainability, the sustainability projects currently being pursued in Thailand, any possible link between food sustainability and gastrodiplomacy with regards to …

Thailand's Role In Asean's Preventive Diplomacy, Usaimeen Waenalai

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

This research delves into Thailand's pivotal role in the context of ASEAN's preventive diplomacy efforts, aiming to provide a nuanced understanding of the nation's contributions and challenges in maintaining regional stability and conflict prevention. As a key member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), Thailand's diplomatic engagements have significant implications for the collective security of the region. The study employs a multidimensional approach, combining historical analysis, policy evaluation, and case studies to elucidate the evolution of Thailand's preventive diplomacy strategies within the ASEAN framework. The research begins by examining the foundational principles and historical antecedents of preventive diplomacy, …

Utilization-Focused Evaluation On The Impact Of A Sports-Based Youth Development On Unaccompanied Youth Students, Eric Cortez

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

Unaccompanied immigrant youth (UIY) face obstacles that can hinder their education in their host countries. Given that educational attainment can help interrupt intergenerational cycles of poverty, the examination of support systems for UIY is critical. This study examined the role of sports-based youth development (SBYD) programs in supporting UIY students using a utilization-focused evaluation. To do this, two groups’ high school graduation rates were compared: (a) UIY participating in an SBYD program and (b) UIY not participating in a SYBD program. In addition to this quantitative analysis, UIY were surveyed and interviewed to contextualize the results of the graduation rate …

Strategic Survival In Syria, Omar Abu Layla

Faculty Journal Articles

How Russia and Iran maintain their grip in Syria under the shadows of the Ukraine war.

Zambia’S Missing Narrative Of Structural Adjustment, Michael Gubser

Zambia Social Science Journal

In 1991, Zambia launched one of the most orthodox structural adjustments programs (SAPs) in Africa. The last and longest chapter of its fitful history with the IMF and World Bank, Zambia’s SAP commenced during the euphoria following the ouster of long-time President Kenneth Kaunda, when it was presented as the only strategy for dealing with the country’s economic collapse. What followed was one of Africa’s most striking experiments with rapid liberalisation, leading to budgetary stabilisation and increased investment but also sudden unemployment and impoverishment. If in retrospect liberalisation seems inescapable, given the ballooning debt of Kaunda’s last years, Zambians at …

The Vilnius Summit: A Platform For Female Leadership And Flexibility In Europe's Security Infrastructure, Amber Brittain-Hale, Amber Brittain-Hale

Education Division Scholarship

This paper examines the strategic evolution of Europe’s security framework in the context of the Russo-Ukrainian War and the concluded Vilnius Summit — a critical juncture, with the possibility of selecting a new Secretary General. Among the nominees was Kaja Kallas, Estonia’s Prime Minister, whose innovative vision advocated a departure from traditional models. Kallas promoted a more inclusive and flexible NATO membership structure, more active and robust support for Ukraine against Russian aggression, increased roles for women in security architecture and policymaking, and the utilisation of public diplomacy and strategic communication in novel ways. The summit culminated in the reappointment …

Redefining The Diplomatic Stage: The Evolution Of Feminine Foreign Policy In The Russo-Ukrainian War, Amber Brittain-Hale, Amber Brittain-Hale

Education Division Scholarship

No abstract provided.

Theory-Building And Tool-Building For A Science Of Dysfunctional Political Discourse, Eric Hamilton, Marguerite Williamson, Andrew Hurford

Education Division Scholarship

This paper extends a developing analytic framework for political discourse that takes place over digital social media. Earlier presentations of the framework have furnished a rationale for applying the conceptual framework of epistemic frame theory and the tools of quantitative ethnography for political discourse analysis. They have provided early existence proofs of the viability of epistemic network analysis (ENA) for rudimentary models of social media threads that involve political content. The current theoretical paper moves significantly beyond this foundation. It summarizes and deepens the explanation of the constructs of discursive transactions, response grammars, and epistemic frames in political discourse. It …

Frontmatter (Volume 43, Issue 1), Paul B. Mojzes

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

No abstract provided.

On The Phenomenon Of Populism And Extremism In The Balkans, Mustafa Cerić

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

This paper is based on my personal experience of war and peace in Bosnia. The basic notion is that it is easier to start a war than to stop it. Thus, postwar recovery or peacebuilding is not easy. But thanks to open-minded people who have been all along against a mythical populism that caused the bloody war against Bosnia and its autochthon people, the peace, although unjust, was reached after all. The focus here is on the idea of pluralism in Bosnia as an opposite to "populism" and "extremism." For a positive narrative like pluralism is a good way to …

A Discourse Of Modernization Of Religion In The Soviet Ukrainian Study Of Religion, Oleg Kyselov

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

The paper explores the Soviet scientific atheism discourse on the evolution of religion in the modern world. The author argues that the modernization of religion was a key concept for Soviet scholars, which was used to criticize religious trends of that time.

The article focuses on the published works of Soviet Ukrainian scholars, which discussed the definition of modernization of religion, its reasons, and the spheres of its manifestation. The current research focuses on the modernization of religion and the peculiarities of scientific atheism in Soviet Ukraine.

The author argues that there were no differences between religious modernism and modernization …

Uninvited Guests In The Backyard: Dangers And Risks Of Terrorist And Anti-American Activity In Latin America, Santiago Spadiliero

MSU Graduate Theses

The international security environment has changed. In the last two decades, new challengers to the American liberal order arose, with China being the most defiant one, in political and military terms. Beijing’s Belt and Road Initiative opened the doors to these extra-continental powers, as their loans provided an alternative source of funding for Latin America, walking these countries away from American-led lending institutions. In this new context, Latin America becomes a desirable piece of land in which these new challengers can safely create trade routes while decreasing American influence. Russia and Iran also want to project power in America’s backyard. …

The Czech Republic: From The Center Of Christendom To The Most Atheist Nation Of The 21st Century. Part 1. The Persecuted Church: The Clandestine Catholic Church (Ecclesia Silentii) In Czechoslovakia During Communism 1948-1991, Scott Vitkovic

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

This research examines the most important historical, political, economic, social, cultural, and religious factors before, during, and after the reign of Communism in Czechoslovakia from 1918 to 2021 and their effect on the extreme increase in atheism and decrease in Christianity, particularly Roman Catholicism, in the present-day Czech Republic. It devotes special attention to the role of the Clandestine Catholic Church (Ecclesia Silentii) and the changing policies of the Holy See vis-à-vis this Church, examining these policies' impact on the continuing decline of Roman Catholicism in the Czech Republic after the collapse of Communism. The article also deals with Pope …

Frontmatter (Volume 43, Issue 7), Paul B. Mojzes

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

No abstract provided.

Representation Of South Asia In American Television, Zahin Zaima

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.