We propose Neural Responding Machine (NRM), a neural network-based response generator for Short-Text Conversation. NRM takes the general encoder-decoder framework: it formalizes the generation of response as a decoding process based on the latent representation of the input text, while both encoding and decoding are realized with recurrent neural networks (RNN). The NRM is trained with a large amount of one-round conversation data collected from a microblogging service. Empirical study shows that NRM can generate grammatically correct and content-wise appropriate responses to over 75% of the input text, outperforming state-of-the-arts in the same setting, including retrieval-based and SMT-based models.
Ne Zha 2 (Ne Zha: Mo Tong Nao Hai, 哪吒之魔童闹海, 2025) is a prime example of the modernization of traditional literary intellectual property (IP). It has achieved the highest box office gross in Chinese cinematic history and ranks among the top five highest-grossing films globally. This article uses a case study approach to examine the adaptation strategies of Ne Zha 2 (2025), offering strategic insights for future film adaptations. The analysis focuses on four key dimensions—character, plot, theme, and esthetics—to explore how these elements contribute to the film’s adaptation. The findings reveal that the film strikes a balance between intertextuality and innovation, achieved through multidimensional character development, narrative subversion, contemporary thematic reinterpretation, and sophisticated esthetic techniques. By maintaining the emotional connection to the classical IP, the adaptation not only delivers stunning visual spectacles but also provides a culturally immersive experience, revitalizing traditional mythology with contemporary relevance.
This paper explores the 1948–1949 exhibitions showcasing Polish folk art, initially held in Poland and then sent westwards: to Paris, Brussels, and Amsterdam. They were organised by Polish Communist authorities under the ‘Recovered Territories’ campaign that aimed to assert Poland’s historical and ethnographic ties to its new territories that before World War II had belonged to Germany. This propagandist effort sought to reinforce the post-war European status quo, with the exhibitions in question serving as an important element of the campaign. This case study constitutes therefore one of the earliest manifestations of the East-West Cultural Cold War. Analysing exhibition catalogues, press reviews, and archival documents, this study investigates the extent to which the propagandist objectives were achieved in the West. Additionally, it examines how French, Belgian, and Dutch representatives of the field of culture responded to Communist propaganda and mitigated its effects.
Mochamad Aviandy, Fajar Muhammad Nugraha, Zeffry Alkatiri
et al.
The Tabot Festival has been held for centuries in Bengkulu, a province on the west coast of Sumatra, Indonesia. Recently, in 2023, it was made an official national-level event, representing the cultural heritage of Bengkulu. For years, the Keluarga Kerukunan Tabot (KKT, lit. ‘The Tabot Family Association’) has served as the key initiator and organizer, supported by local and provincial governments to preserve and promote the Tabot tradition. Throughout its existence the tradition has been marked by fluctuating dynamics, shaped by competing narratives around Islamic customs, economic interests, and diverse societal perceptions. Since the start of the Reform era in 1998, following the fall of president Suharto’s regime, new discourses have emerged, contesting cultural, religious, and economic elements of the festival. This article examines how Bengkulu’s Tabot tradition, as constructed to a significant extent by the KKT, encompasses various societal dimensions. Using a cultural studies approach, this study, based on field observations and in-depth interviews, reveals the ‘hidden framing’ around the tradition. Based on these interviews with stakeholders of Bengkulu’s Tabot tradition new insights are offered into how this tradition is a site of negotiation between different interest groups; whether political, economic (through the commodification of culture), tourism-related, or religious.
This study aims to propose design principles and concrete models for liberal-arts-based micro-degree programs built on the general education system of Korean universities in the context of the Fourth Industrial Revolution and the shift to a lifelong learning society. To this end, it reviews the concepts, functions, and quality assurance (QA) standards of micro-credentials presented by international organizations such as the OECD and the EU, as well as domestic discussions on micro-degrees and liberal arts micro-degrees, and theoretically examines how liberal-arts-based micro-degrees can be aligned with these global frameworks. Using the competency framework of K University as a reference, approximately 230 general education courses were analyzed by applying a competency keyword dictionary to course objectives and overviews, thereby examining the coherence between stated competencies and course content. Based on these results, the study proposes design principles for liberal-arts-based micro-degrees, a QA model, and specific program examples such as “Wellness Life Coaching (Basic)” and “Cultural Contents Planning and Storytelling Production.”The findings indicate that four key design principles are required for liberal-arts-based micro-degrees: (1) maintaining the identity of liberal education, (2) competency-based design, (3) coherence and stackability, and (4) a full-cycle QA system covering the stages of establishment, operation, outcomes, and improvement/feedback. The competency coherence analysis further demonstrates that it is possible to construct liberal-arts-based micro-degrees with stepwise learning pathways (basic-intermediate-advanced) using existing general education courses alone, and that the proposed QA framework can function as a program-level QA scheme encompassing program approval, operational monitoring, assessment of competency achievement and its utilization, decisions on improvement or discontinuation, and the issuance of digital badges.
While the cultural phenomenon known as vaporwave is commonly traced back to 2009, its defining characteristics remain a subject of ongoing debate within both popular culture and academic circles. Various perspectives categorize it as a microgenre of electronic music, a meme, an art movement, a critique of capitalism, or even a manifestation of pure aesthetics. As such, vaporwave remains a complex and multifaceted topic for research.
In this paper, I explore the influence of post-internet culture on the formation of vaporwave and its aesthetics by analyzing the methods and strategies used to create what is recognized as vaporwave, rather than attempting to label or define it precisely. As a further step in this inquiry, I document an attempt to apply these methods and strategies, resulting in the publication of four music albums. This practice-based approach to analyzing vaporwave through creation and publication helps to better understand some core qualities and aesthetics of this art movement.
The purpose of this study is to investigate the educational applications of the metaverse and to gather empirical data on its uses. The metaverse encompasses various types applications, such as augmented reality, life logging, a mirror world, and a virtual world. Many universities have already incorporated or are planning to introduce the metaverse into their curricula or non-curricular events. In conclusion, metaverse literacy is becoming increasingly important in liberal arts education, and in order for instructors to effectively use these tools in their classes, it is necessary for them to employ a variety of platforms as motivational tools.
Résumé : L’étude menée par nous qui se solde par la présentation des résultats sous format d’un article porte sur « le magistrat congolais face au blanchiment d’argent sale ». Il répond à la question de savoir si le magistrat congolais peut-être classé parmi les usagers du blanchiment d’argent sale ? Après analyse, il s’est dégagé une opinion. Il y a lieu de faire la part des choses, dans la mesure où la corruption étant un interdit en droit positif congolais, ce qui renvoi à ce que tout juge ou magistrat selon le cas, qui recourt à cette pratique, tombe sous le coup du blanchiment d’argent sale que nous qualifions de « blanchiment d’opportunité ». Cependant, il y a lieu de préciser qu’après une observation de la situation, l’appareil judiciaire congolais est bourré d’un mal, qu’est la corruption voire même la concussion, raison pour laquelle depuis un certain temps, soit de 2010 à nos jours, il y a une abondance des procès en procédure de prise à partie devant la Cour de Cassation pour dol ou déni de justice.
Mots-clés : Magistrat, blanchiment, argent sale
Arts in general, Computational linguistics. Natural language processing
Este texto explora en la historia de las compañías nacional de teatro y sus contextos para buscar considerar su pertinencia en este momento. La investigación se desarrolló a partir de la revisión de libros, documentos, artículos académicos, artículos periodísticos y entrevistas con los responsables de algunas de las iniciativas. El resultado fue la identificación de cuatro hitos: el nacimiento en 1946 con Santiago Ontañón, el paso a la INSAD y a La Cabaña con Armando Robles Godoy y el Teatro Ambulante en 1957, el Teatro Nacional Popular con Alonso Alegría en 1971 y el Teatro Nacional en 1995 con Ruth Escudero. Tras la revisión, se concluyó que, en este momento, no es pertinente ni necesaria una compañía nacional, ya que competiría con la producción local.
History of scholarship and learning. The humanities, Literature (General)
This study investigated the role of extra lessons in the general administration of the secondary schools in Chegutu, Zimbabwe. The case study design was adopted. Interviews, focus group discussions and document analysis was used to collect data. Twenty-three participants, consisting of 8 teachers, 6 learners, 6 parents and 3 school inspectors were purposively sampled. Findings revealed that the general administration of schools was affected by extra lessons. Extra lessons helped in raising the school pass rates. They helped build a good image for the schools and assisted in the reduction of the teachers` workload. However, the lessons created a dent in teacher professionalism. Teachers were accused of neglecting formal schoolwork by creating a demand for extra lessons among learners. The lessons also contributed to indiscipline among learners. Relations between learners and teachers were also strained. The study recommended that extra lessons should continue as they reduced the workload for teachers and provided a conducive working environment at the school. It is prudent that MOPSE, school heads and parents monitor work given to learners during normal school hours to avoid the creation of artificial demand for extra lessons.
In 2008, architect Patrick Schuhmacher, from Zaha Hadid Architects, proposed an architectural manifesto for the 21st century, extendable to other arts of design and even to other areas of technological and artistic activity in which the human factor is associated with creation: Parametricism. In the subsequent debate, problems such as those of a new style as produce of digital technologies, and the totalizing claims of a design theory based on Niklas Luhmann’s postulates on his General Systems theory, have been repeatedly discussed. In this article, the topics of the Parametricism manifesto associated with the human factor and creation in design in the current technological environments, have been extrapolated to its plausible revision from the heuristics discipline perspective and to a possible re-definition of the co-creation concept in the arts developed by the Informal Art Movement of the mid-XX Century.
Although dance as a topic has been explored through various theoretical and thematic discourse, little attention has been paid to the presence of dance motifs in Christian imagery. An examination of Orthodox Macedonian medieval fresco painting provides a fascinating point of entry into this overlooked subject. Analysis reveals the presence of two dominant approaches, conditioned primarily by the position of dancing in the philosophical-ethical discourse present in the Bible and other late antique and medieval theological texts. Some frescoes and icons show the body as a channel through which the Lord is glorified. Others show it as an instrument and reflection of immorality instigated by demonic powers. As in each approach, the bodies have differing semantic qualities, valuable information can be obtained about the performing practices present in this historical period.
Josué García Arch, Cèlia Ventura-Gabarró, Pedro Lorente Adamuz
et al.
The aim of the present research was to test whether involvement in a 14-days training program in the performing arts could reduce implicit biases. We asked healthy participants to complete an Implicit Association Test (IAT) to assess biased attitudes to physical illness in two separate sessions, before and after the training program. Two separate control groups matched by age, gender and educational level completed the two IAT sessions, separated by same number of days, without being involved in the training program. Results showed that participants who were involved in the training program reduced their implicit bias toward illness measured through IAT in the second session. This reduction in IAT measures was not observed in the control samples, despite the two IAT measures being matched in temporal delay with the experimental group. These findings suggest that an interventional program based on the performing arts could be effective in reducing levels of implicit biases among the general population.
Background: General practitioners (GPs) and other health professionals have a key role in signposting their patients to appropriate opportunities for engaging in arts and creative activities for the health and wellbeing benefits they may bring. Training is needed to ensure that GPs are aware of the evidence supporting the role of the arts, and the local availability of ‘creative arts for health’ activities for their patients. Aim: This article describes the content and evaluation of three arts and health training events for trainee GPs conducted over the period 2016–2019. They took place in association with Guy’s and St Thomas, Hillingdon and York and Scarborough General Practice Vocational Training Schemes (GPVTS). Methods: Evaluation was undertaken for the London events using a specially constructed questionnaire, with rating scales, completed before and after the training events. For the York event, a simple bespoke evaluation questionnaire was employed at the end of the training day. All participants gave consent for photography and filming during the events. Results: Feedback from GPs on the training events revealed increased awareness of the evidence for arts and health interventions, and more positive attitudes towards the role of creative arts in primary care in promoting the health and wellbeing of patients. An additional finding was a recognition by GP trainees that creative activities can enhance a holistic approach to patient care and play a positive part in supporting their own wellbeing. Conclusion: Training events of the kind described, with opportunities for creative participation for GP trainees, can enhance awareness of the benefits of creative activity for patient health and wellbeing, and may motivate future GPs to signpost patients towards opportunities for engaging in creative activities. This training model is applicable for any health worker who can refer patients to arts for health activities and has potential to be scaled up nationally.
QUE TRAGÉDIA É ESSA?
Contextualizando Tragédias Gregas no Ensino de Teatro na EJA
RESUMO
O presente artigo traz reflexões sobre práticas do ensino de teatro na modalidade EJA - Educação de Jovens e Adultos, tendo como base dramaturgias de Sófocles e as teorias de Augusto Boal, Paulo Freire, Eric Bentley e Martin Esslin. As práticas em sala de aula foram desenvolvidas durante dois trimestres com discentes de uma escola pública do Vale dos Sinos, no Rio Grande do Sul, cuja ênfase se deu na contextualização de tragédias gregas, por meio das atividades de leitura, produção de escrita e encenações teatrais.
Palavras-chave: Educação de Jovens e Adultos; Ensino de teatro; Tragédias.
WHAT TRAGEDY IS THAT?
Contextualizing Greek Tragedies in Theater Teaching at EJA
ABSTRACT
This article brings reflections on theater teaching practices in the EJA - Youth and Adult Education modality, based on Sophocles' dramaturgies and the theories of Augusto Boal, Paulo Freire, Eric Bentley and Martin Esslin. The classroom practices were developed during two quarters with students from a public school in Vale dos Sinos, Rio Grande do Sul, whose emphasis was on the contextualization of Greek tragedies through reading activities, writing production and staging theatrical.
Keywords: Youth and Adult Education; Theater teaching; Tragedies.
In the last months of 1960, the art historian and philosopher Edgar Wind delivered that year’s BBC Reith Lectures, which made him a well-known public intellectual. Under the title of Art and Anarchy, Wind criticized throughout six lectures several aspects of modern art. Wind’s critiques, even though the end result of a lifetime of historical research and philosophical speculation on the artistic phenomenon, were formulated in response to contemporary events. According to Wind, Art and Anarchy was a tract for the times. This article describes the reasons why Wind was invited by the BBC to deliver the Reith Lectures of 1960, examines the aims of his critique vis-à-vis the artistic developments of those years, and evaluate his position as a public intellectual questioning the assumption that a wide diffusion of art was intrinsically good for society.
Julia Marina Cunha, Letícia Takayama, Giselle Merino
et al.
Neste artigo, são propostas quatro diretrizes integradas para projetos de produtos ou dispositivos de tecnologia assistiva (TA). As diretrizes foram redigidas a partir de informações e argumentos resultantes de pesquisa teórica, em textos de diversos autores. As fontes de pesquisa foram selecionadas em uma etapa exploratória, pesquisadas em bases digitais online. O tema de estudo é a relação entre os dispositivos assistivos e o estigma social das pessoas consideradas deficientes. A proposição central é a associação estético-simbólica positiva dos projetos de dispositivos assistivos à cultura da moda. Isso é justificado pela possibilidade de alteração do comportamento social em função de mudanças socioambientais, como indica a teoria Behaviorismo Radical no contexto de Psicologia Comportamental.
Background and Study Aim: The impact of ideas on teaching and training in martial arts has not been widely studied yet. Novum here is specially designed methodology – by expert’s judgements, not directly. On the ground of General Theory of Fighting Arts, the question is: How do ideological (philosophical, religious) conditions affect the process of training in different martial arts? The scope of research was limited to contemporary Europe and selected martial arts organizations (1980-2015). Method: The first method used here is based on analysis of the content of the literature of the subject, or rather qualitative analysis of the discourse. Then the opinions and teaching of 5 highest rank masters of martial arts from France, Germany and Poland were taken into account (expert court method). It comes to this own, long-standing participant observation of the author. Results: There are 5 issues taken from the literature of the subject and 5 of their western applications, according to master-teachers’ teaching. They represent the classic canon of martial arts. The attitude to martial arts traditions varies from preference towards faithfulness to innovation. Disciples of Asian masters are more often in favour of the original version of the curriculum. Conclusions: Most of the ideological content of today's Asian martial arts comes from the philosophy of Taoism. In many cases the symbols and rules derive rather from the cultural traditions of the country of origin of the martial arts, rather than directly from certain religious or philosophical systems. The attitude of widely perceived perfectionism is one of these universal values of martial arts, which is worth promoting regardless of world-view.
Abstrak Jurnal ilmiah ini menganalisis manajemen risiko dalam tradisi kirab pusaka Malam 1 Suro di Keraton Surakarta, Jawa Tengah. Tradisi ini memiliki nilai-nilai keunggulan yang sesuai dengan Pancasila serta memiliki relasi dengan alam. Tetapi, tradisi ini juga rentan terhadap ancaman bencana fisik maupun nonfisik, sehingga membutuhkan manajemen risiko yang baik untuk mengatasi masalah ini. Penulis menggunakan metode kualitatif dengan wawancara dan studi pustaka. Strategi manajemen risiko terkait dengan pengelolaan dan pelestarian bisa melibatkan banyak pihak. Respons berbagai pihak sangat dibutuhkan dalam menanggulangi risiko tersebut. Selain itu, ada potensi yang ditemukan untuk mengembangkan manajemen tradisi ini dan berdampak untuk ekonomi yang berkelanjutan. Abstract This scientific journal analyzes the risk management in Malam 1 Suro heritage procession in Surakarta Palace, Central Java. This tradition has values of excellence that are in accordance with Pancasila values and it has relations with nature. However, this tradition is also vulnerable to the threat of physical and non-physical disasters so it requires good risk management to overcome this problem. The author uses qualitative methods with making interviews and literature. Risk management strategies related to management and preservation can involve many divisions. The response of various divisions is needed in overcoming these risks. In addition, there is a potentiality which is found in developing the management of this tradition and it has an impact on a sustainable economy.