This study analyses the semantics of Kiswahili separation verbs, with the aim of exploring their categorisation, usage, and patterns of meaning extension. The research is grounded in Cognitive Semantics, drawing on Frame Semantics and Profiling and Base Theory. A qualitative approach was employed, using data from Kiswahili newspapers, storybooks, and other written sources. Thirty-four separation verbs were identified. The analysis demonstrates that these verbs map both concrete and abstract domains, featuring culturally grounded metaphorical extensions. They structure conceptual frames involving detachment, division, destruction, transformation, and exposure. Several verb classes emerged, including those expressing removal from surfaces, parting, cutting and breaking, opening, dispersing, and altering the body. Examples include bandua ‘peel off’, funua ‘reveal’, and pasua ‘split’, which extend systematically to figurative senses. Cultural factors also shape these verbs, as evidenced by chinja ‘ritual slaughter’ and keketa ‘circumcise’. Highly productive verbs such as mwaga ‘spill’ extend to reveal secrets or perform vigorously, while others exhibit more limited extension. The main argument of the study is that Kiswahili separation verbs systematically encode both concrete and metaphorical concepts of separation, reflecting embodied experiences and cultural practices through complex cognitive and semantic structures.
Memory M. Ntaimo, Bupe G. Mutono-Mwanza, Chikusela Sikazwe
The procurement of medical supplies and medications is essential for the delivery of public health services. It tends to convert allocated budgets into essential commodities that are accessible at the facility level. The Ministry of Health in Zambia operates within a regulated procurement framework. The Public Procurement Act No. 8 of 2020 governs this framework. Sector-specific institutions that are responsible for governance and supply coordination support it. Despite the implementation of electronic government procurement (e-GP) and regulatory reforms, planning delays, approval bottlenecks, and partial digital integration continue to be a major concern. This study examines the current procurement processes for medicines and medical supplies within the Ministry of Health using a mixed-methods design. Qualitative data from 30 Key Informant Interviews and 3 Focus Group Discussions were used to map the end-to-end procurement workflow, while quantitative data from 131 procurement-relevant respondents were analysed using correlation and multiple regression techniques. The findings affirm that procurement adheres to a legally compliant and formally structured cycle. While this is the case, operational constraints are primarily concentrated in the planning and approval phases. Qualitative data from key informant interviews further revealed that these constraints are largely due to the strong interdependence between procurement planning and budget approvals, which delays initiation of procurement activities, combined with multi-layered approval hierarchies that slow decision-making, and partial digitalization of procurement systems beyond the tendering stage. Correlations indicate that there are significant positive correlations between enhanced health care delivery and procurement planning and processes (r = 0.923), supplier relationship management (r = 0.875), procurement policies and systems alignment (r = 0.861), and procurement staff competence (r = 0.715). Regression analysis further demonstrate that procurement planning and processes have the most significant predictive influence (β = 0.394), followed by supplier relationship management (β = 0.283), procurement staff competence (β = 0.217), and procurement systems alignment (β = 0.195).
History of scholarship and learning. The humanities, Arts in general
Considering the fundamental role of higher education institutions (HEIs) in knowledge creation and dissemination, a strong culture of knowledge sharing is undoubtedly indispensable for their success and sustainability. Prior research reveals that knowledge sharing behavior (KSB) tends to be largely shaped by the job characteristics. However, these studies have surprisingly overlooked examining the link of job characteristics with KSB in the academic setting. Moreover, workplace attitudes have been disregarded as a possible linking mechanism between job features and KSB in the current literature. Thus, this study seeks to bridge the gap in knowledge by exploring the effects of job features, namely task significance (TS), job autonomy (JA), task identity (TI), skill variety (SV), and feedback (FB) on academic staff's KSB in HEIs. Moreover, the study aims at examining a workplace attitude (i.e., affective commitment) as a linking mechanism between job characteristics and KSB. The study acquired 224 replies from the academic staff of private HEIs in Bangladesh by means of convenience sampling technique and a structured questionnaire. The statistical analysis computed by the PLS-SEM indicates that TS, SV, and FB have a significant direct influence on KSB. However, TI and JA were discovered to be irrelevant to KSB in direct impact assessment. Moreover, affective commitment mediated the link between all five job features (i.e., JA, FB, SV, TI, and TS) and KSB. According to the findings, faculty positions that are furnished with favorable job attributes tend to encourage the academic staff to engage more in KSB directly and indirectly via affective commitment. The study's findings also put forward potential ramifications for the researchers, and university administrators.
History of scholarship and learning. The humanities, Social sciences (General)
Olga E. Bashina, Marina D. Simonova, Lilia V. Matraeva
et al.
Countries with a large energy sector are faced with the issues of forming and developing a state energy policy that takes into account not only sectoral and intersectoral aspects, but also the components of managing significant amounts of rental income. In this regard, any of these economic systems, on the one hand, has great opportunities associated with the management of energy resources as a factor of development, on the other hand, it is constantly at risk of destabilization of the economic system as a whole. To date, the economic history allows us to speak about the accumulation of a sufficient number of observations for conducting a comprehensive study of the features of the development of public energy policies. The study is based on the formalization of historical descriptions of the experience of 24 countries (30 cases). The article describes in detail the experience of 13 of the most striking cases. This made it possible to identify 14 variables for evaluating the state energy policy, while outlining three areas (areas of attention) of public administration. The choice of variables used in the model was made on the basis of the relative frequencies of the mechanism application for the observed population, MNRW-TF recommendations within the improving extractive industry, the formation of the contribution of resource industries to the socio-economic development of the country and etc. Further cluster analysis led to the identification of both a pronounced polarity in the development of the state energy policy and options for combining its areas. JEL Classifications: C82, Q43, Q48, P51, O57, O11.
History of scholarship and learning. The humanities, Social Sciences
This study aims to describe how the Loyang Mendale and Loyang Ujung Karang sites, based on their relics have the potential as a source of historical learning. The research method used in this research is descriptive qualitative method. Sources of literature in the study came from scientific articles and books related to the excavation results of the Loyang Mendale and Loyang Ujung Karang sites. The results of this study are to describe findings of Hoabinh cultural tools from the Mesolithic period, to Austronesian cultural tools from the Neolithic period at both sites. Based on the results of the archaeological finds, the Loyang Mendale and Ujung Karang sites have the potential to be used as sources for learning history, and can be grouped into KD 3.4 and 4. 4 in the Indonesian History subject class X with the teaching material of prehistoric Life in Indonesia. Learning history by using local pre-historic cultural relics is expected to foster students' interest in loving the history of their area.
ظهر مفهوم "التآزر" أولاً في مجال العلوم البيولوجية ثم في مجال العلوم الإدارية. بعد إدخال هذا المفهوم بنجاح في مجالات العلوم السلوكية والعلوم الاجتماعية والعلوم السياسية وعلوم الاتصال ، أصبح تطبيقه في مجال المناهج الدراسية أيضًا أمرًا شائعًا. في هذا المدخل ، تم تشكيل "منهج التآزر". تشير هذه الصيغة المفهوميه إلى نوع من تخطيط الدروس الذي غطى المنهاج على نطاق أوسع من أي وقت مضى. يوفر "منهج التآزر" القدرة على إشراك أعضاء هيئة التدريس كعناصر المناهج الدراسية ، وبالتالي يتجاوز المعنى التقليدي للمنهج. يتم شرح هذه الصورة الجديدة للمقرر ، مع التركيز على تطبيقها على المدرسة الابتدائية. النهج المستخدم في هذه الدراسة هو نوعي وتوليفها كما البحوث. يشمل السكان الإحصائيون لهذا البحث جميع الكتب والمقالات والأبحاث في مجال التآزر في المناهج الدراسية والتعليم. شكلت نتائج هذا التحليل ، ثم دمجها ، إطارًا مفاهيميًا في مجال المناهج الدراسية المتمحورة حول التآزر والتي أكدت ، نظرًا لأهمية المدرسة الابتدائية ، على إمكانات التحرر وتحقيق الذات والقدرة الاجتماعية على التحمل
History of scholarship and learning. The humanities, Arts in general
De theologicis complementis no ha tenido el mismo éxito que otras obras cusanas. Sin embargo, constituye un testimonio privilegiado de la función propedéutica que la matemática cusana tiene en relación con los escritos especulativos, sobre todo, los teológicos. Nicolás parte allí, en efecto, de los métodos de solución de la cuadratura del círculo expuestos en De mathematicis complementis y se dirige a una propuesta que adelanta los desarrollos de De visione Dei. En este sentido, los complementos teológicos ofrecen un ejemplo paradigmático de la utilización simbólica de la matemática por parte del Cusano.
History of scholarship and learning. The humanities, Philosophy (General)
Sunday C. Eze, Vera C. A. Chinedu-Eze, Clinton K. Okike
et al.
Abstract This paper examines critical success factors shaping the adoption of digital marketing devices (DMD) by micro-businesses. The study adopted a qualitative approach. Both unstructured and semi-structured interviews were conducted with a total of 26 micro-businesses drawn purposefully from the online database and underpinned by technology, organisation and environment (TOE) framework. This helped to unravel 14 critical success factors influencing the adoption of DMD by micro-businesses in Nigeria. These factors include functional capability, adaptive capacity and expandability which are related to technology context. Collective understanding, degree of partnership and diversity of information are linked to the organisation context while the level of training, quality of service delivery, customer fulfilment and intense competition are associated with environmental context. The study expanded the TOE framework by unravelling the impact expectancy context which is associated with factors, such as budget, business expansion, diversity and return on investment. This study will be of importance to academics and practitioners because it provides further awareness into DMD adoption framework, factors critical to the DMD adoption and may assist in reducing the number of resources spent in search of information aimed at helping DMD adoption by micro-businesses.
History of scholarship and learning. The humanities, Social Sciences
The role of institutions and judicial procedure in conflict resolution is a significant theme in recent scholarship on the later medieval Italian communes. It is usually difficult, however, to trace these themes in their broader social context, especially in rural communities. This article demonstrates judicial procedure’s role in a conflict between the notary Andrea and the magnate Bartolomeo in the parish of Latera during the 1340s. Its evidentiary basis consists of civic tribunals’ procedural registers, notarial cartularies, and legislation. The article excavates the relationship between institutional procedures, social networks, and local conflict on the eve of the Black Death.
History of scholarship and learning. The humanities
The Old English Saint Christopher has, like much anonymous vernacular hagiography, gone under-studied. This is partly because its manuscript context results in it being mentioned dismissively alongside more famous texts, and partly because no source has been identified or published. Based on a survey of the fifteen extant pre-thirteenth-century versions across about fifty of their manuscript forms, it is possible to show numerous and significant additions and alterations unique to this vernacular retelling. These changes ameliorate Christopher’s extreme passivity with some active attributes, make the king he opposes more deranged and cruel, and in particular tighten and clarify the story. The Old English Christopher is no masterpiece, but it is a skilful and creative reimagining of a very widespread text, developed by an authorial translator to meet the interests and needs of an Anglo-Saxon audience.
History of scholarship and learning. The humanities
This article focuses on the educational strategies that can be used to support female students of African descent in their persistence in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education and careers. STEM careers have historically been White male and White female dominated, which has yielded an underrepresentation of those of African descent. Drawing from a grounded qualitative case study, the data used for this article share the responses of Afro-Caribbean females in STEM who have immigrated to the United States from the country of Panama. As Latinas, they are representative of the changing face in the American educational system—bilingual, multicultural, and of African descent. The strategies offered reflect their own teaching practices, their former teachers, or experiences with their children’s teachers. What emerged were descriptions of four strategies and behaviors of effective teachers that align with Ladson-Billings’s culturally relevant pedagogy and Gay’s culturally responsive teaching. Included in the findings are the high standards and expectations embodied by effective teachers that serve to positively inspire their students. Culturally responsive teachers create an atmosphere of learning that supports academic success, conveying their belief in their students’ ability based upon their own reflectivity. As the U.S. educational system continues to become multilingual and multicultural, there is need for strategies for the successful inclusion and progression of students in STEM educational pathways and careers. This will occur as teachers challenge themselves to be the agents of change in the lives of their students.
History of scholarship and learning. The humanities, Social Sciences
Remaking Nordic television series and cinema has become a popular endeavor in the US. This article explores the remake as a category and sheds light on the specific choices that are deemed necessary to make something entirely Danish work in an American context. The article seeks to contribute to the understanding of a remake trend that, on the one hand, is inspired by all things Nordic, but on the other hand, actively engages in removing the Nordic feel from the remade productions. Using Susanne Bier’s Brødre (2004) and Jim Sheridan’s remake Brothers (2009) as cases and drawing on Danish and US war movie genre history, the article argues that the comparative analysis of original and remake can be used as a tool for contemporary cultural studies and shows that while stories travel, they might be stripped of humorous lightheartedness, local detail, and moral values in the process.
History of scholarship and learning. The humanities
Current ethics frameworks for regulating social science research seem to be based mainly on Western sociocultural traditions, arguably making it difficult for researchers in non-Western contexts to use them as ethics guides. Yet, these frameworks tend often to be used, un-adapted, as default ethics compasses to guide the conduct of research in non-Western contexts. In this article, the authors reflect on their experiences in obtaining informed consent for an educational research study in Zimbabwe using a Western-based ethics protocol. The experiences are reflectively interpreted in the context of literature with a view to suggesting some sensitive issues that need to be taken into account when seeking informed consent of research participants in non-Western contexts, particularly in Africa.
History of scholarship and learning. The humanities, Political science
La recherche d’Archaeus constitue l’objet des inquiétudes métaphysiques éminesciennes, les modalités de révélations étant la pensée créatrice et l’intuition poétique. Le concept définit la primordialité, le noyau de l’univers, ayant le même statut que les concepts philosophiques consacrés: l’ Idée chez Platon, le Logos chez Heraclit, l’Esprit chez Hegel, la Volonté chez Schopenhauer, l’Ego absolu chez Fichte etc. Dans l’essai Archaeus Eminescu fait la théorie du concept, comme «une sorte de mémoire de l’identité, qui se multiplie dans chaque individu», étant en tout et tout en lui, selon la formule indienne Tat twam asi. La conception d’ Eminescu est opérable au niveau cosmogonique, où Archaeus se manifeste dans l’hypostase du mot primordial (le Logos créateur de Dieu), ou dans celle du point primordial de lumière qui naît les planètes; au niveau de l’histoire des civilisations (la sociogonie), où le modèle archéique des peuples c’est le grain; enfin, au niveau de l’existence humaine on peut parler également d’une anthropologie archéique.
History of scholarship and learning. The humanities