We discuss three patterns of palatalisation in Czech, each of which is associated with certain suffixes. The data suggest that the trigger of palatalisation is not the initial vowel of these suffixes, but different sets of floating melodic features. We provide a formal analysis of the palatalisation patterns, as well as of the internal structure of the Czech phoneme inventory, in terms of Element Theory and strict CV. This allows us to straightforwardly model their lateral (leftward) effect, as well as some peculiar behaviour in the context of labials and the lateral . Besides Element Theory and strict CV, we argue that this analysis provides further support to a substance-free view of phonology, in which phonological representations do not necessarily have a universal, fixed phonetic implementation.

Constructivist research has observed punctuated equilibria in international politics, with rapid changes interspersing more prolonged periods of stability, characterised by a single and enduring dominant security narrative. However, in the contemporary era of affective polarisation, single dominant security narratives are no longer the norm. This, in part, reflects the decline of the bully pulpit, following the rise of a cacophony of storying actors. We argue that constructivism requires a theoretical supplement to help make sense of this new empirical reality. Drawing on eventful sociology, we complement extant IR research on narrative with greater focus on contingency, iterative interaction, and agentic creativity as part of a configurational account of the storying of political events. We explore this in the US case – characterised by inward-looking, hyper-partisan politics. Analysing a new dataset of 1288 political and media texts, we trace the construction of the Capitol riots, through the combined actions of myriad storying agents, within two distinct, enduring, and synergistic national security narratives. The outcome is surprising: highly divergent but intimately entwined stories of continuity. Our findings suggest that constructivism requires updating – to be more contingent, agentic, and configurational – to meet the demands of the new, hyper-polarised era.

Cholera is associated with devastating outbreaks among forcibly displaced people. Insights into the relative contributions of the public (extra-household) and domestic (intra-household) domains to cholera spread in camps, as well as the circumstances under which each may drive transmission, can support the design of response strategies. However, these have yet to be systematically investigated. We developed an agent-based model of cholera transmission in camps informed by a rapid appraisal conducted in Northeast Nigeria, an expert consultation, and humanitarian minimum standards. We simulated outbreaks in a stylized camp that meets water quantity standards and compared this with conditions where water supply is overwhelmed or compromised following floods and population influxes. We found that domestic transmission can exclusively drive cholera outbreaks. However, unless hygiene conditions are extremely poor and water is not adequately chlorinated, these outbreaks appear to be small. Following shocks, outbreaks can be large and progress rapidly. Although they are initially shaped by the public domain, domestic domain transmission can sustain or exacerbate them. We recommend directing humanitarian and development activities towards mitigating the consequences of extreme weather events and unplanned population influxes, as well as developing adaptive preparedness and response strategies that explicitly and comprehensively address them.

Recent research suggests that a cognitive bias, the illusion of causality, can be attenuated when the task is presented in a foreign language (Díaz-Lago & Matute, 2019a, Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology, 72(1), 41–51), supporting the well-known foreign language effect on decision making and reasoning. We conducted a replication study with a large sample (N = 220), determined through a Bayes factor design analysis, but our results did not support the original findings. This finding challenges the generalizability of the foreign language effect on reducing cognitive biases. Additionally, we found that the magnitude of the illusion decreased with increasing years of formal education and was generally weaker among male participants compared to females. These findings emphasize the importance of using samples with balanced demographic characteristics to avoid potential confounds in between-group comparisons. Overall, our study highlights the need for further research to clarify the conditions under which the foreign language effect can influence cognitive biases.

This article examines the paradoxical impact of emerging communication technologies on social cohesion by investigating the struggle to standardize Ramadan observance among Chinese Hui Muslim communities in the early twentieth century. Reform-minded Hui intellectuals hoped that modern media, such as print periodicals and the telegraph, would disseminate moon-sighting news and unify the diverse temporal practices of Hui Muslims across China, thereby forging a modern, unified Hui identity. However, this article argues that these technologies did not lead to seamless temporal homogenization. Instead, they amplified local divisions and precipitated a crisis of authority by forcing Hui communities to confront a new and divisive question: who and what to trust in a new information landscape? Drawing on case studies of disputes in Guangzhou, Xi’an, Beijing, and Chengdu between 1931 and 1934, the article demonstrates that Hui Muslims’ trust was not monolithic but fragmented along lines of faith in the communication technology, the messenger, and the information itself, which in turn prevented the implementation of a standard Ramadan temporality. By centring the analysis on the social dynamics of trust, this article contributes to the history of technology and media studies, revealing that the adoption of technology is fundamentally a process of building, challenging, and negotiating authority through the fragile and fragmented medium of trust.

The Korean Peninsula is often neglected in investigations on Islam in East Asia. The region already occupies the conceptual peripheries of studies on Muslim societies. During the two decades after the Korean War (1950–1953), however, Seoul hosted a small yet active community of Korean Muslim converts and visitors from places such as Malaysia/Singapore, Pakistan, Turkey, and Saudi Arabia. The early Korean Muslim leaders, some of whom first encountered Islam in Japanese-occupied Manchuria, attempted to plug themselves into transnational Islamic networks and politics in the transformed context of the Cold War. Internally, Korean Muslim leaders advocated for the utility of Islam as a diplomatic resource for the South Korean government in the struggle against communism, thereby reformulating pre-war articulations of Islam policy that had circulated across China and Japan, as well as narratives on unified Islamic civilization with an inherent cultural essence. Externally, they forged educational and philanthropic networks by connecting with Muslim diasporic figures in the East and Southeast Asian sphere, such as Ibrahim Omar al-Saqqāf, the Hadrami Arab consul of the Saudi consulate in Singapore and an agent of the World Muslim League in Mecca. By situating the emergent Korean Muslim community in Seoul within a regional and trans-regional religio-political nexus, this article repositions it as having formed through encounters with modern state(s) and power, and through interactions with Muslim diasporic agents who (re-)directed post-war mobility channels.

Natural language processing (NLP) technologies increasingly shape public life, yet their deployment for social good remains unevenly distributed across domains, languages, and geographies. This piece inaugurates the NLP for Social Good column in this journal. In this piece, I map the current state of NLP for Social Good (NLP4SG) across nine application domains. The picture that emerges is one of striking imbalance: AI harms, inclusion, and digital violence attract the bulk of research attention, while poverty, peacebuilding, and environmental protection remain critically underexplored. I argue that the field must address three structural gaps, domain coverage, linguistic diversity, and evaluation methodology, if NLP is to fulfil its potential as a force for equitable social progress. The piece concludes with five directions that I believe will define the next chapter of NLP4SG research.

This study investigates individual factors and workplace practices associated with self-perceived communication competence in the workplace (SPCCW) at a university in Norway. Via an online survey, 313 international academic staff members reported their SPCCW in Norwegian as a second language (L2). Although 92% of the permanent staff who responded reported having taken formal training in L2 Norwegian, only 54% of these felt that they knew enough Norwegian to perform their work effectively. Findings showed that, in addition to length of residence in Norway, having a Germanic first language (other than English) was a significant predictor of SPCCW. Qualitative comments indicated that activities in Norwegian outside of work and having patient interaction partners to practise with were perceived as beneficial for L2 confidence in the workplace. The findings are discussed from a second language acquisition perspective and add to our understanding of how the language competencies needed for work in higher education can be developed.

Multiple myeloma (MM) is one of the most common blood cancers. Despite lengthening survival with modern therapy, it remains largely fatal. Understanding the influence of common modifiable risk factors on MM risk is necessary to inform prevention. We investigated the association between dietary exposures and MM in an Australian population-based case–control study (2010–2016). Incident cases of MM (n 746) were recruited primarily via cancer registries. Controls (n 706) were siblings or spouses of cases. We estimated OR and 95 % CI for associations between MM and dietary exposures, including dietary patterns, fish consumption and a healthy lifestyle index, adjusting for confounders. Higher scores on a modified version of the Alternative Healthy Eating Index-2010 were associated with reduced risk of MM (mAHEI: OR = 0·88, 95 % CI = 0·78, 0·98). There was weaker evidence for reduced risk associated with higher healthful plant-based dietary index score (hPDI: OR = 0·91, 95 % CI = 0·81, 1·02). Increased MM risks were observed with higher scores on empirical dietary indices for inflammatory pattern (OR = 1·20, 95 % CI = 1·07, 1·35), hyperinsulinaemia (OR = 1·15, 95 % CI = 1·02, 1·31) and insulin resistance (OR = 1·21, 95 % CI = 1·08, 1·37). There was no clear evidence of association with MM risk for fish consumption or a healthy lifestyle index. We observed an association between adherence to a healthy diet and lower MM risk. Adherence to dietary patterns with the potential to increase insulin levels, insulin resistance or promote inflammation was associated with increased MM risk. Results of studies assessing dietary intervention for MM prevention could reveal whether dietary modification directly influences MM risk.

This study investigates the extent to which language learning tasks in the Super Minds textbook series promote environmental awareness. Using a critical micro-semiotic discourse analysis, it examines 52 tasks from seven sub-units labelled “Environmental Studies” or “Environmental Science” across six textbooks. The analysis reveals that the majority of tasks promote an ecocentric worldview, with fewer instances of anthropocentric, biocentric and mixed perspectives. In terms of levels of environmental literacy, most tasks fall within the functional literacy category, followed by nominal and operational levels. These findings indicate a tendency towards surface-level engagement with environmental issues. The study calls for more diverse and transformative environmental perspectives in language education materials to support deeper learner engagement. At an international level, the findings highlight the potential of global English language curricula to play a more active role in fostering environmental literacy and sustainability-oriented mindsets among learners.

This multicenter study describes the convergence of multidrug resistance, biofilm formation, and hypermucoviscosity in Klebsiella pneumoniae clinical isolates from tertiary-care hospitals in Pakistan. The high prevalence of these phenotypes highlights significant therapeutic challenges and underscores the need for strengthened surveillance, infection control, and antimicrobial stewardship.

Small glaciers (${ \lt }0.5\,\mathrm{km}^2$), glacierets (${ \lt }0.25\,\mathrm{km}^2$) and, in particular, very small glacierets (${ \lt }0.01\,\mathrm{km}^2$), despite being numerous in mountain environments, are underrepresented in scientific inquiry when assessing their response to climate change. We present new insights into the vanishing (no visible surface ice whilst underlain by bedrock or water) of 77 very small glacierets distributed in the Northern and Central Andes of Chile. We also analyse the presumable vanishing (no visible surface ice whilst underlain by regolith) of 244 additional very small glacierets, comprising a total dataset of 321 very small glacierets within the study area, equivalent to the loss of $5.69\times 10^6\,\mathrm{m}^3$ of water equivalent ice volume according to the 2022 Chilean Public Glacier Inventory. Our results show that 45.5% of the sample shrank from individually small glaciers at the beginning of the 21st century, whereas 53.0% of the sample vanished after being fragmented from larger glaciers in the same time span. The observed generalised reduction behaviour and vanishing results after extremely dry conditions at the end of the 2009–2022 Central Andes megadrought. We discuss our results in terms of the minimum area threshold for classifying very small glacierets, and whether their vanishing poses a hydrological impact.

East Asia is rarely identified as a distinctly Muslim space. This article sheds light on the hitherto neglected history of modern East Asia as a site of Muslim activity and encounters. Mobile Muslims, who travelled and migrated to the East Asian space in the course of imperial globalization, often suffered discrimination as colonized subjects, but in other instances benefitted from imperial privileges and protection. The Tatars of Harbin, who came to Manchuria as Russian subjects, are emblematic, but understudied, actors in this regard. The city of Harbin, administered by the Russian-controlled Chinese Eastern Railway, emerged in the late nineteenth century as a rapidly growing transport hub and colonial settlement in Manchuria. Similar to colonial port cities, Harbin simultaneously exhibited characteristics of both the metropolis and the multi-ethnic and multi-religious composition of the empire. This situation created many opportunities for Tatars to seek their fortunes, especially in trade. Zooming in on the Harbin Tatars, this article discusses, first, the place of Tatar Muslims and their institutions in Harbin’s colonial society; second, the intertwining of notions of (economic) competition in the colonial space with ideas of progress and decline; and third, the potential for Muslim encounters across colonial boundaries. Taking into account the Muslim side of modern East Asian history is not only an essential part of understanding the development of global connections, it also helps us to rethink the dichotomy between colonizer and colonized, and focus our attention on the ambitions of Muslim actors in shaping their futures across the colonial space.

Our decisions frequently involve combinations of gains and losses occurring at different points in time, such as enduring early losses for future gains (investments) or enjoying immediate gains at the expense of future losses (loans). This research introduces novel experiments that examine how binary intertemporal payment options, framed as either investments or loans, influence decision-making. Each option comprised two payment components: common payments, which are identical between the options, and focal payments, which vary between the options. Through strategic manipulation of these payments, the research explores how Investment or Loan frames affect time preferences. Our three studies consistently indicate that the common payments tend to be disregarded and thus the preferences are affected by framing. Notably, this remained true even when common payments were substantial (Study 2), and the framing effect was also found in scenarios where decisions carried real financial consequences (Study 3).

Twenty-five years ago in this journal, Hilary Whitehouse described the cultural discourse of “greenies” evident in regional Queensland, Australia, and its implications for educators and students undertaking sustainability initiatives in schools. The present article draws on data from research conducted in Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, to show that this cultural discourse persists in regional Australia and continues to challenge educators and students. Data from interviews and focus group discussions demonstrate that teachers and students are cautious about sharing environmentalist views at school, lest they be labelled as “greenies.” The contentious rollout of renewable energy infrastructure seems to have added further charge to the pejorative discursive practice originally described by Whitehouse in 2001. Contending with the “greenie” appellation, and its associated negative connotations, appears to be an ongoing impediment to teaching and learning about environmental issues in regional Australia.

This article explores the global imagining of China as a site of Islamization at the turn of the twentieth century. While previous scholarship examined this fantasy-making among European Orientalists and Christian missionaries, we put the writings of the latter in dialogue with other (Arabic and Ottoman Turkish) discursive nodes and networks in the Middle East, as well as those of Chinese Muslims, highlighting the production and co-constitution of this narrative on a global scale. We argue that by the late nineteenth century the birth and spread of this narrative was tied to the growing acceptance of a particular conception of religion as a classificatory framework wherein ‘world religions’, as bywords for separate civilizations, were locked in intense Darwinian competition with one another. Entangled with narrational processes like the invention of global religions and the construction of the Muslim world, the vision of an Islamized China became a fertile (and long-lived) battleground for a wide range of imperial anxieties, anti-colonial aspirations, and minority counterclaims, many of which we explore in this article.