Topic Review
Dutch Expedition to Southern Chile (1643)
The following article analyzes how the Dutch expedition to southern Chile during the 17th century (1642–1643) was narrated, in Dutch and in its translations into German, English, and Spanish, considering the interests of empires and the discursive differences that translational variations reveal. This transdisciplinary analysis, combining historiography, translation studies, and historical geography, consists of a critical reading of the original narration and a comparative reading of the aforementioned translations, and within them ethnographic representations made about the Mapuche-Huilliche people and the city of Valdivia and changes introduced by different translations are identified.
  • 890
  • 04 Jan 2024
Topic Review
The Modernity of Ancient Pigments
Naturally occurring and synthetic ancient pigments have a history of use spanning thousands of years. Curiously, some of their newly discovered properties make them excellent candidates for semiconductors, anticounterfeiting agents and so much more. 
  • 887
  • 21 Jul 2022
Topic Review
Formalising Biodiversity Inclusive Design
Biodiversity Inclusive Design (BID) is an approach to design that seeks to foster functional ecological systems, enable species’ persistence within the built environment and (re) connect people with nature. BID can support designers’ quest toward biodiversity positivity.
  • 887
  • 17 Jan 2023
Topic Review
Unilalianism
Unilalianism (/junɨˈleɪ.li.ən.ɪzəm/) is an satirical internet-based art and aesthetic movement, social theory, speculative philosophy, and countercultural thread of post-conceptualism pioneered by tens of indigenous artists who claim to be guided by one central motivation – the deconstruction of the object as an organizing principle of perception. It refers to both a particular subcultural network of performance and multimedia creatives, practicing primarily in one neighborhood within Washington state, as well an ontological reorientation towards decolonization rooted in semiotics, Debordian logic, linguistic theory a la Julia Kristeva's signifiance, theatre, and most generally, gnosticism. Unilalian works of satire often involve adaptations of the Letterist technique of détournement in tandem with demonstrations of psychogeography, typically expressed as deliberate interactions with the public milieu that appeal to themes consistent with unitary urbanism, culture jamming, and durative displays reminiscent of the Situationist Internationale and the Cacophony Society. Unilalianism's etymology is related to Charles Richet's 1905 coinage of xenolalia, the linguistic phenomenon of echolalia, and the religious preoccupation and putative observation of glossolalia. In the case of all three, speech and language lie at the center of attention, providing insight into the direction of Unilalian inquiry.
  • 887
  • 04 Nov 2022
Topic Review
Haridasa
The Haridasa devotional movement originated in Karnataka, India, after Madhvacharya, and spread to eastern states such as Bengal and Assam of medieval India. Over a span of nearly six centuries, several saints and mystics helped shape the culture, philosophy and art of South India in general and Karnataka in particular by exerting considerable spiritual influence over the masses and kingdoms that ruled South India. This movement was ushered in by the Haridasas (lit "servants of Lord Hari") and took shape in the 13th century – 14th century CE period, prior to and during the early rule of the Vijayanagara empire. The main objective of this movement was to propagate the Dvaita philosophy of Madhvacharya (Madhva Siddhanta) to the masses through a literary medium known as Dasa Sahitya (lit "literature of the servants of the lord"). Prominent Hindu philosophers, poets and scholars such as Sripadaraya, Vyasathirtha, Vadirajatirtha, Purandara Dasa and Kanaka Dasa played an important role during this time. Though the movement found its roots in the Kannada country and later spread to other parts of South India, it was a net result of earlier devotional movements such as the Veerashaiva movement (of Vachana literature in Kannada) of northern Karnataka led by Basavanna (12th century) and the Alvar saints of Tamil Nadu (10th century). Later, Vallabhacharya in Gujarat and Guru Chaitanya were influenced by the teachings of Madhvacharya. Chaitanya Mahaprabhu's devotees started the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) - known colloquially as the Hare Krishna Movement. The Haridasas were saints, some of whom were wandering bards, and considered themselves as slaves of their supreme lord - Hari. While the movement was mainly heralded by the Brahmins, it was a devotional one whose ideals and thoughts pervaded and received noteworthy contributions from all sections of society. The Haridasa movement can be considered as a part of a larger Bhakti movement whose devotional inspiration to the masses lasted over a millennium. The Haridasa movement made significant contribution to Kannada devotional literature.
  • 885
  • 29 Nov 2022
Topic Review
Healthy Residential Buildings
Healthy residential buildings represent the future of construction concerned with the environment, which is increasingly emphasized. This is directly related to the research and development of environmentally friendly building materials, which on the one hand meet the specific requirements of the builder, and on the other hand do not harm the environment. It has possibility of achieving increased variability in healthy residential buildings via the customization of recycled polyvinyl butyral using smart technologies for sustainable design. 
  • 885
  • 09 Sep 2021
Topic Review
Japanese Zen
Zen is the Japanese variant of Chan Buddhism, a Mahayana school that strongly emphasizes dhyana concentration-meditation. This practice, according to Zen proponents, gives insight into one's true nature, or the emptiness of inherent existence, which opens the way to a liberated way of living.
  • 883
  • 04 Nov 2022
Topic Review
Theravāda Abhidhamma
The Theravāda Abhidhamma is a scholastic systematization of the Theravāda school's understanding of the highest Buddhist teachings (Abhidhamma). These teachings are traditionally believed to have been taught by the Buddha, though modern scholars date the texts of the Abhidhamma Piṭaka to the 3rd century BCE. Theravāda traditionally sees itself as the vibhajjavāda ("the teaching of analysis"), which reflects the analytical (vibhajjati) method used by the Buddha and early Buddhists to investigate the nature of the person and other phenomena. According to Bhikkhu Bodhi, a modern Theravāda scholar, the Abhidhamma is "simultaneously a philosophy, a psychology and an ethics, all integrated into the framework of a program for liberation." There are different textual layers of Abhidhamma literature. The earliest Abhidhamma works are found in the Pali Canon. Then there are exegetical works which were composed in Sri Lanka in the 5th century. There are also later sub-commentarial works composed in later historical periods.
  • 882
  • 25 Nov 2022
Topic Review
Tectonic Archaeology
Tectonic Archaeology is conceived as an umbrella term for efforts to deal with evidence of volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, and tsunami in the archaeological record and the consequences for society. It also can serve as a foundation for Geoarchaeology in general.
  • 881
  • 28 Sep 2021
Topic Review Video Peer Reviewed
The Human Passion for Music
Music is a universal feature of human societies, which suggests that an evolutionary perspective should help people understand the appreciation. The reward (pleasure) system of the brain offers a suitable framework. The primary evolutionary advantage is probably related to the importance of language; features of sound, such as purity, harmony, complexity, and rhythmicity, are useful for facilitating oral communication. One would expect evolution to associate rewards with these qualities in order to stimulate the development of brain regions involved in interpreting and producing relevant sounds. There are additional adaptive aspects of music, such as relaxation, social coherence, and sexual selection. Music can be regarded as a superstimulus that accentuates and exploits rewards associated with hearing. As such, music is not necessarily adaptive in a biological sense, but serves the purpose of improving quality of life. 
  • 879
  • 09 Jun 2022
  • Page
  • of
  • 134
Video Production Service