Karel Nel & COSMOS: A Far-Reaching Artist-in-Residence Collaboration

The phenomena of the universe form a common focus for the interrelationship between art that has space as its central concern and the astronomical sciences, as both disciplines strive to observe and express the mysteries of the cosmos. An unwavering mutual interest in space and mutual respect for each discipline form the nexus between the two. Some scientific projects have artist-in-residence programs that promote innovative art/science dialogues. Although most residencies are designed for the short term, one has certainly stood the test of time. The authors analyze one 15-year collaboration between visual artist Karel Nel and Caltech's Cosmic Evolution Survey, COSMOS.

Etymological methods in ethnolinguistic research into mythological vocabulary

The first part of the article provides a brief overview of works reflecting the mutual interest of ethnolinguistics and etymology in which the capabilities and achievements of each other are used (articles by V.N. Toporov, O.N. Trubachev, S.M. Tolstaya, A. Loma and M. Bjeletiћ, K., O. and M. Stachowskie, H. Schuster-Šewc, books by U. Dukova, N. Hobzey, R. Dźwigoł and others). The result of this interaction in the field of mythological vocabulary shows its fruitfulness in the study of lower Slavic mythology. In the second part of the article, the etymologies of two rare Slovak demonyms are proposed. The first is the name of the local Ccentral-Slovak character grgalica / grgolica, which, based on the assessment of the mythological image, its typological features, as well as the analysis of the same root vocabulary in different Slavic languages, is proposed to be associated with the onomatopoetic verb grgať and similar. The second term – West-Slovakian Bendúš - known from the description of the young people spring game and understood by the author of information about him as a relic of a certain deity, is plausibly explained as an anthroponym derived from the root bend- ‘belly, thick’.

Etymological methods in ethnolinguistic research into mythological vocabulary

The first part of the article provides a brief overview of works reflecting the mutual interest of ethnolinguistics and etymology in which the capabilities and achievements of each other are used (articles by V.N. Toporov, O.N. Trubachev, S.M. Tolstaya, A. Loma and M. Bjeletiћ, K., O. and M. Stachowskie, H. Schuster-Šewc, books by U. Dukova, N. Hobzey, R. Dźwigoł and others). The result of this interaction in the field of mythological vocabulary shows its fruitfulness in the study of lower Slavic mythology. In the second part of the article, the etymologies of two rare Slovak demonyms are proposed. The first is the name of the local Ccentral-Slovak character grgalica / grgolica, which, based on the assessment of the mythological image, its typological features, as well as the analysis of the same root vocabulary in different Slavic languages, is proposed to be associated with the onomatopoetic verb grgať and similar. The second term – West-Slovakian Bendúš - known from the description of the young people spring game and understood by the author of information about him as a relic of a certain deity, is plausibly explained as an anthroponym derived from the root bend- ‘belly, thick’.

Finding Mutual Interest Between Neuroscience and Aesthetics

In the article under review in this chapter, a discussion between an art historian and neuroscientists led to a collaborative project to study the influence of authenticity on the reception of artwork. Brain-scanning with functional magnetic resonance imaging led to the identification of a number of distinct areas of the cortex that might be implicated in complex aesthetic judgments. This article provides an informal account of some of the background that led to this study.

Submission signals in animal groups

Aggression is costly, and animals have evolved tactics to mitigate these costs. Submission signals are an underappreciated example of such adaptations. Here we review submissive behaviour, with an emphasis on non-primates. We highlight the design of submission signals and how such signals can reduce costs. Animal societies necessitate frequent social interactions, which can increase the probability of conflict. Where maintaining group proximity is essential, animals cannot avoid aggression by fleeing. Mutual interest between group members may also select for efficient conflict avoidance and resolution mechanisms. As a result, submission signals may be especially well developed among group living species, helping social animals to overcome potential costs of recurring conflict that could otherwise counter the benefits of group living. Therefore, submission signalling can be a crucial aspect of social living and is deserving of specific attention within the broader context of social evolution and communication.

Cordial Cold War:Cultural Actors in India and the German Democratic Republic

Cordial Cold War examines cultural entanglements, in various forms, between two distant yet interconnected sites of the Cold War—India and the German Democratic Republic (GDR). Focusing on theatre performances, film festivals, newsreels, travel literature, radio broadcasting, cartography and art as sites of engagement, the chapters spotlight actual spaces of interaction that emerged in spite of, and within, the ambits of Cold War constraints. The inter-disciplinary collection of contributions sheds light on the variegated nature of translocal cultural entanglements. By foregrounding the role of actors, their practices and the sites of their entanglement, the book exposes how creative energies were mobilized to forge zones of friendship, mutual interest and envisioned solidarities.

Comments on the Brussels Summit Communique, 14 June 2021

All in all, the document sadly contains few tangibles on NATO-Russia military risk reduction even on practical issues of obvious mutual interest. At the same time, it has incorporated a new dose of harsh rhetoric against Russia, which in some instances runs counter to the results of the Geneva summit. Some parts of the documents contradict each other. There is an impression that as far as Russia is concerned the task of the document was to strengthen even further its “hard talk” on Russia while keeping a minimal set of formal references about selective engagement. The Communique tilts further in the direction of raising stakes and showing no interest of NATO in playing its own or at least supportive role in military de-escalation in Europe. It seems that in this regard the Alliance’s intention is to wait and see what will happen next in Russia – US relations.

“Oriental” specificity of in the works of A. A. Fet: comparative analysis of the verbless poems of A. A. Fet and ancient Chinese poets

The subject of this research is the works of A. A. Fet, namely verbless poems, which are used as manifestation of his interest in the Orient and ancient Chinese poets. Analysis of A. A. Fet’s works from the perspective of projection on the compositions of Chinese poets and reflection of oriental specificity in his poems is a widespread topic in cross-cultural studies on the peculiarities of the establishment of literature. Multiple Chinese scholars keep seeking similar motifs as the factors mutual interest in depiction landscapes and surrounding reality. The acquired results allow interpreting the works of the poets belonging to different cultures. The scientific novelty of this research lies in combining different opinions on studying the oriental specificity in the poems of A. A. Fet, placing emphasis on the analysis of one his verbless poems. The article presents a compilation of various approaches towards examination of the works of A. A. Fet. The materials can be valuable for those interested in the creative path of the Russian poet. In future structuring the route of interaction and enrichment of knowledge in the field of cross-cultural communication, the obtained result of the works of authors of foreign cultures contributes to the understanding of culture, strengthens relations between the cultures, as well as improves the quality of translation, which is also important in the dialogue of cultures.

‘We went from the anonymity of the internet into my private WhatsApp’: Rituals of transition among dating app users in Berlin

This article focusses on the courtship rituals and practices of intimacy among young dating app users, aged between 20 and 33, in Berlin. Dating app users participate in ‘rituals of transition’ as they signal mutual interest and heightened intimacy by moving conversations from dating apps to social media messaging platforms such as WhatsApp. These rituals of transition play a far more prominent role in signalling romantic interest than the matching-mechanisms inherent in the design of dating apps. Drawing on ethnographic data incorporating 36 semistructured interviews and 45 chat interviews across three popular dating apps, Tinder, Bumble and OkCupid, the study finds that users code the apps installed on their smartphones as hosting spheres of varying intimacy. These spheres are substantiated through the infrastructure of notifications on users’ devices. Rather than drastically altering how users communicate across different apps, rituals of transition are a key moment of communication in themselves.

United Nation dan Sos Children's Villages Internasional Menjalin Kemitraan Global untuk Mengakhiri Kekerasan terhadap Anak-Anak Di Dunia

Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk memahami global partnership menggunakan pandangan Liberal Intstitusionalisme. United Nations (UN) dan SOS Children’s Villages International (SOS CVI) sabagai aktor yang terlibat berusaha untuk mengakhiri kekerasan terhadap anak-anak di dunia. UN dan SOS CVI menjalin kemtraan global ini bertujuan untuk memperluas jangkauan dampak dari program Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) yang dijalankan sehingga tingkat kekerasan terhadap anak-anak bisa diakhiri. Metode penelitian kualitatif digunakan karena objek penelitian yang akan dikaji bersifat deskriptif dan cenderung menggunakan analisis. Hasil dari penelitian ini membantu para stakeholder ataupun INGO memahami dan menganalisa setiap potensi program yang mereka jalankan hingga bisa terus berkembang. Tentunya bisa memberikan hasil yang baik bagi masyarakat dan mendorong terciptanya sumber daya manusia yang mampu memudahkan terwujudnya tujuan dari pembangunan berkelanjutan (SDGs). Oleh karena itu, perlindungan untuk anak-anak dari segala bentuk kekerasan adalah hak fundamental yang dijamin oleh Konvensi Hak Anak (UNCRC) dan perjanjian serta standar HAM internasional lainnya. Kesamaan kepentingan (Mutual Interest) antara United Nations (UN) dan SOS Children’s Villages Internasional (SOS CVI), usaha advokasi dari SOS CVI untuk menumbuhkan awareness bagi masyarakat dunia malalui berbagai macam kampanye, serta penelitian-penelitian yang dilakukan oleh SOS CVI bertujuan untuk menghilangkan rasa kecurigaan antar Negara. Maka hal ini yang mendorong United Nations (UN) menjadikan SOS Children’s Villages International (SOS CVI) sebagai kemitraan globalnya.