Prophets, puppets, and pinheads: Contesting the authority of science in the COVID-19 era

This article studies resemblances between academic postmodernism and today's popular contestations of the authority of science by means of a qualitative content analysis of 657 critical online comments on a Belgian newspaper article about the COVID-19 crisis that features a prominent Belgian virologist. The comments portray scientists as (1) prophets who pretend their knowledge to be superior to competing understandings of the world; (2) puppets who figure in hidden schemes that cannot stand the light of day; and (3) pinheads who lack the intellectual competence to give solid scientifically informed advice. While the first two critiques do at first sight resemble academic postmodernism, they are in fact informed by the markedly modern understanding that objective and neutral scientific knowledge is as feasible as it is desirable. What we find, then, are not contestations of the authority of science per se, but indeed of practices deemed deviant aberrations of science.

Researching what we practice-The paradigm of systemic family research: Part 1

This is part 1 of two articles that focus on the ideological and philosophical preference regarding how to relate to and conduct research in the field of systemic couple and family therapy. Thus, this article outlines the theoretical groundwork for part 2 of "Researching what we practice" in the same journal. Research in certain areas of systemic couple and family therapy (CFT), such as that influenced by social constructionism and postmodernism, has a different epistemological tradition than in the natural sciences. Thus, only research from a narrow, selected spectrum of epistemologies has been incorporated as a key source in the knowledge base of systemic CFT. The consequence is that the field of postmodern systemic CFT risks promoting only a limited range of research designs and knowledge while excluding other designs and knowledge types, reasoning that these are less useful in clinical practice. The rationale behind this perspective is derived from ideology and philosophy rather than scientific criteria. Accordingly, in our field of study, different epistemological perspectives are easily viewed as dichotomous, thus causing professional gaps in our field. This tendency constrains the mutual exchange and development that are needed. We present a possible way out of this dichotomized deadlock, first and foremost by acknowledging - and encouraging the use of - the great variety and breadth of existing research and knowledge. Referring to the guiding principles of evidence-based practice, we argue that this would endow the systemic CFT therapist and researcher with a greater knowledge base and range of research methodologies. This could help improve the quality of treatment provided to our clients and enhance the legitimacy of postmodern systemic CFT as a branch of psychotherapy.

Postmodernism and Medical Education

Postmodernism emerged in the mid-20th century in the context of postwar Europe where philosophers and artists were taking increasingly skeptical and critical positions on modernist thinking and practice. Postmodernism is not a single organized and coherent perspective; it is a collection of related philosophies, techniques, models, and perspectives that take a skeptical and critical perspective on thinking and practice. Ontologically, postmodernism is predicated on the belief that power and its underlying meanings, manipulations, and ideologies shape our ability to act in and think about the world. Epistemologically, postmodernism seeks to explore and understand underlying meanings, structures, and intents in the world and to consider alternative explanations and interpretations for them. Axiologically, postmodernism can be used to analyze value in the context of inequity, oppression, and hegemony within social systems and structures. Due to the lack of coherence within postmodernist thought, there is no one definitive methodological stance. However, there are many postmodernism-informed methodological stances, which vary both in terms of what is examined and how it is examined. As an approach within medical education, postmodernist perspectives can help to expose and analyze the political and ideological positioning of much of what is done, particularly in the interests of addressing systemic problems of justice and equity. It is somewhat paradoxical that postmodernism allows researchers to challenge the nature and expression of truth, and it allows them to problematize and deconstruct the ideologies and agendas of those who are themselves challenging the nature and expression of truth.

"You need to do your research": Vaccines, contestable science, and maternal epistemology

Individuals who refuse vaccines are often painted as anti-science or ill-informed. However, drawing from interviews with 50 mothers who refused one or more vaccines ( n = 50), results from this study suggest that such depictions lack nuance and may detract from the ability of communication efforts to effectively address concerns. In particular, participants' explanations for vaccine refusal relied on paradoxical arguments about science and expertise. On one hand, participants defended the ideal of science but criticized existing research for failing to meet requisite standards. On the other hand, they suggested that maternal experience could supplant the ways of knowing that give rise to such claims. Collectively, these explanations reflected critical, postmodern, and feminist perspectives on science and knowledge production and can help explain the persistence of the controversy surrounding childhood vaccines in the United States.

[Critical Review of Gender Ideology in the Light of Metaphysical Realism]

The implementing of gender ideology in the imaginary of current welfare-state societies owes much to a long process in the history of thought, which has culminated in an accommodation of post-feminist discourse. This paper sets out the epistemological principles that are present in gender ideology, as a response to both its recent and more-remote antecedents. It is furthermore framed by an urge for emancipation that began with medieval scholasticism, the latest manifestation of which lies in the post-structuralist deconstructionism that outlines the concept of queer. This concept has dissociated the categories of sex and gender to the point of making them irrelevant for the determination of sexual identity, leaving the latter susceptible to being infinitely de- and reconstructed. This article also reviews the liberal-hedonistic context of the new postmodern setting, while showing how the concepts of ″a subjective feeling of happiness″ and ″a life fulfilled″ do not express similar content. The paper goes on to challenge the theory of gender from the perspective of metaphysic realism; stressing that the human being only appears as a real person via the possibility of anticipating another's contemplation, thereby cancelling out the abstraction of pure subjectivity. It finally offers its conclusions, with certain substantive recommendations in the field of education.

Critical reflections on intersubjectivity in psychoanalysis

The authors review the philosophical trend known as postmodernism and the way it has influenced a part of psychoanalytic thought, concluding with some comments on the qualities and shortcomings of the new developments. The authors consider the origins and the cultural and aesthetic-philosophical meaning of postmodernism, identifying some key concepts such as deconstructionism, the disappearance of the 'individual subject' and individual identity, and the rejection of 'in-depth' models of psychoanalysis. Then they examine various, wide-ranging developments in psychoanalytic thought and treatment. They review the intersubjective field in psychoanalysis, especially in the USA, and then explore whether the underlying lack of truth to be discovered, stressed by these 'new view' statements, or the fact that the 'truth' only exists in linguistic-narrative constructions is consistent with basic analytic concepts such as the unconscious, phantasy, transference and countertransference, which recall the tri-dimensional nature of inner psychic reality. The psychoanalytic process is a condition activated through a bond that is able to hold and contain the relationship of the analytic couple and the patient's unconscious world and not through hermeneutic or narrative constructions.

Navigating Critical Theory and Postmodernism: Social Justice and Therapist Power in Family Therapy

The family therapy field encourages commitment to diversity and social justice, but offers varying ideas about how to attentively consider these issues. Critical informed models advocate activism, whereas postmodern informed models encourage multiple perspectives. It is often not clear how activism and an emphasis on multiple perspectives connect, engendering the sense that critical and postmodern practices may be disparate. To understand how therapists negotiate these perspectives in practice, this qualitative grounded theory analysis drew on interviews with 11 therapists, each known for their work from both critical and postmodern perspectives. We found that these therapists generally engage in a set of shared constructionist practices while also demonstrating two distinct forms of activism: activism through countering and activism through collaborating. Ultimately, decisions made about how to navigate critical and postmodern influences were connected to how therapists viewed ethics and the ways they were comfortable using their therapeutic power. The findings illustrate practice strategies through which therapists apply each approach.

Two Postmodernisms in Rheumatology

While randomization is an essential tool of data collection and interpretation, it can be misused. One such misuse is using a subgroup of a data set for validation purposes after randomizing the whole data set into two groups after which we attempt to validate the outcome data from one group with the outcome in the other. This surely validates only the randomization process. Two examples are given from disease criteria reports from Behçet's syndrome and gout. P-values are misunderstood and misused, and this is usually in the direction of investigators trying to show significant differences in their studies. Another, less criticized, misuse of the p-value is when the investigators try to use an insignificant and close to unity p-value as evidence for no difference. This author calls this a postmodern p-value.

An introduction to the origins, history and principles of ethnography

Background Ethnography is embedded in the history of research and has been considered a methodology in its own right. Its long history means those new to ethnography may find it complex to navigate the differing perspectives and its historical context. Philosophical perspectives further compound the complexities of understanding and making decisions about method. Aim To introduce the historical context of ethnography and its wide-ranging and differing perspectives. Discussion This paper provides an overview of the historical context of ethnography and discusses the different approaches to ethnography based on philosophical paradigms. Examples of ethnographic research in nursing literature are used to illustrate how these different approaches and types of ethnography can be used in nursing. Conclusion Ethnographic research has much to contribute to nursing knowledge. However, it is important to understand the philosophical influences when making decisions about research approach. Implications for practice This article provides an overview of the historic context of ethnography and may improve the knowledge of nurses wishing to employ ethnographic approaches in their own post-graduate and doctoral research.

Restraint and the Question of Validity

Restraint as an intervention in the management of acute mental distress has a long history that predates the existence of psychiatry. However, it remains a source of controversy with an ongoing debate as to its role. This article critically explores what to date has seemingly been only implicit in the debate surrounding the role of restraint: how should the concept of validity be interpreted when applied to restraint as an intervention? The practice of restraint in mental health is critically examined using two post-positivist constructions of validity, the pragmatic and the psychopolitical, by means of a critical examination of the literature. The current literature provides only weak support for the pragmatic validity of restraint as an intervention and no support to date for its psychopolitical validity. Judgements regarding the validity of any intervention that is coercive must include reference to the psychopolitical dimensions of both practice and policy.

The Practice Turn in Nursing Epistemology

This column presents the perspectives of two authors, Pamela Reed and Gary Rolfe, on the topic of knowledge production in nursing practice. The articles were written independent of each other, but readers may note areas of remarkable similarity as well as differences in emphasis between the two authors. The column concludes with a dialogue between Pamela Reed and Gary Rolfe.

Nursing, Healthcare, and Culture: A View of the Year 2050 From Germany and the United Kingdom

This column presents a dialogue with German nurse scholar Gerd Bekel and United Kingdom nurse scholars, Francis C. Biley and Kirstin Fragemann, who share their respective visions and understanding of each country's vision of nursing, healthcare, and quality of life in the year 2050.

Epilogue: the redux of postmodernity

The essays in this topical issue illustrate the changing cultural form and function of the biopsyche disciplines – disciplines that are both sciences and technologies of selfhood. To varying degrees, each essay actively engages Paul Forman's thesis on modern and postmodern cultural valuations of science and technology. Forman invites those who read his work to view the cultural space framing science and technology in new ways (Forman 2007; idem 2010).

New graduate identity: Discursive mismatch

For many new graduates the transition from nursing student to a professional in practice is marked by conflict and tension. Given that conflict may ensue from differing discursive constructions of new graduates, this article reports a review of discursive construction between new graduates from two institutions with vested interests in nursing graduates--comparing health service organisations and educational institutions in Victoria. Four discourses, common to both sets of texts and constitutive of new graduate identity were identified: these were the discourse of nursing practice; the discourse of the good nurse; the discourse of knowing and thinking; and the discourse of statute and regulation. A discourse peculiar to health service organisations only was identified as an organisational and bureaucratic discourse. This review reports the new graduate, as constructed in education texts, as a rational, independent, critically thinking and knowing care giver. In contrast, in health service organisation texts, the new graduate is constructed as a functional, efficient, organisational operative, providing a nursing service. New graduates are concluded to experience multiple discursive dissonances in their first employment which stem from differing constructions of new graduate identity within institutional discourses. If tensions experienced in the transition as discursively generated are understood, previously unthought of ways preparing and introducing nurses to the work place may ensue.

The GMO case in France: politics, lawlessness and postmodernism

The GMO debacle in France is analyzed in the light of the balance of forces around this controversy, the changes in position of governments and the opponents' strategic use of intimidation. These factors have caused insurmountable difficulties for scientific experimentations and assessment of the technology, as well as for farmers attempting to grow GM maize in this country. The change from a "modern" to a "postmodern" framing of official public debates and scientific institutions has not appeased confrontations concerning GMOs.

Anorexia nervosa: the diagnosis. A postmodern ethics contribution to the bioethics debate on involuntary treatment for anorexia nervosa

This paper argues that there is a relationship between understandings of anorexia nervosa (AN) and how the ethical issues associated with involuntary treatment for AN are identified, framed, and addressed. By positioning AN as a construct/discourse (hereinafter "AN: the diagnosis") several ethical issues are revealed. Firstly, "AN: the diagnosis" influences how the autonomy and competence of persons diagnosed with AN are understood by decision-makers in the treatment environment. Secondly, "AN: the diagnosis" impacts on how treatment and treatment efficacy are defined and the ethical justifiability of paternalism. Thirdly, "AN: the diagnosis" can limit the opportunity for persons with AN to construct an identity that casts them as a competent person. "AN: the diagnosis" can thus inherently affirm professional knowledge and values. Postmodern professional ethics can support professionals in managing these issues by highlighting the importance of taking responsibility for professional knowledge, values, and power and embracing moral uncertainty.

Parallels and problems of normalization in rehabilitation and universal design: enabling connectivities

PURPOSE

Universal design (UD) is oriented to creating products, buildings, outdoor spaces and services for use by all people to the fullest extent possible according to principles of enabling equal citizenship. Nevertheless its theoretical basis has been under-explored, a critique that has also been leveled at rehabilitation. This commentary explores parallels between UD and dominant rehabilitation discourses that risk privileging or discrediting particular ways of being and doing.

METHODS

Commentary.

RESULTS

Drawing from examples that explore the intersection of bodies, places and technologies with disabled people, I examined how practices of normalization risk reproducing the universalized body and legitimated forms of mobility, and in so doing perpetuates the "othering" of difference. To address these limitations, I explored the postmodern notion of multiple creative "assemblages" that are continually made and broken over time and space. Assemblages resist normalization tendencies by acknowledging and fostering multiple productive dependencies between human and non-human elements that include diverse bodies, not just those labeled disabled.

CONCLUSION

In exploring the potential of enhancing creative assemblages and multiple dependencies, space opens up in UD and rehabilitation for acknowledging, developing, and promoting a multiplicity of bodily forms and modes of mobility. Implications for Rehabilitation Universal design and rehabilitation both risk perpetuating particular ideas about what disabled people should be, do, and value, that privilege a limited range of particular bodily forms. The notion of "assemblages" provides a conceptual tool for rethinking negative views of dependence and taken for granted independence goals. In exploring the potential of enhancing various dependencies, space opens up for reconsidering disability, mobility and multiple ways of "doing-in-the-world".

Responsive persistence part I: therapist influence in postmodern practice

Feminist and social constructionist developments in family therapy highlighted the importance of attending to therapist-client power relations and incorporating clients' understandings and preferences as a part of therapy. Significantly, less attention has been given to how postmodern therapists do use their power and influence. This is an important topic because it is therapists who have the major responsibility for guiding the interaction with clients and persisting in this so that change is facilitated. Therapist persistence in various forms and across dimensions of therapy process is examined to expand understanding of therapist influence in postmodern and collaborative work. An analysis of responsive persistence in a session with Karl Tomm as the therapist is presented to illustrate this conceptual framing.

Responsive Persistence Part II. Practices of Postmodern Therapists

This article, a companion to Part I of this series of articles, discusses how therapists informed by social constructionist and postmodern ideas enact persistence in their work with families. Transcripts and video-recordings of therapy interaction facilitated by selected major champions for three postmodern (collaborative) therapies: Michael White (narrative therapy), Harlene Anderson (collaborative language systems approach), and Bill O'Hanlon (solution-oriented therapy) were examined for persistence practices. The article offers a range of possible ways in which postmodern therapists may enact their influence in facilitating generative and helpful conversations with families and remain responsive to clients' preferences and understandings. Implications for family therapy practice, training, and supervision are discussed.

The spirits of capitalism and christianity and their impact on the formation of healthcare leaders

In this article, I portray how the ethos of Christianity, broadly speaking, and the mores of capitalism intersect in the formation of healthcare leaders and the difficult decisions they make in insuring the viability of healthcare institutions. More particularly, I argue that healthcare leaders in Christian healthcare institutions are largely formed by and dependent on a capitalistic ethos in making decisions and less so by a Christian ethos. There are key differences in these two meaning systems, and these differences, in part, reveal an incompatibility between them. This incompatibility does not imply a rejection of capitalism, if that is even possible, but rather a recognition of its effects and limits vis-à-vis the formation of healthcare leaders and their decision-making process. Finally, I offer an approach that deals with the spirits of capitalism and Christianity in forming healthcare leaders and their decision-making.

Depression and suicidality in modern life

This paper describes the relationship between depression and the difficulties experienced in the postmodern world for human beings who must reconcile their consciousness of their own death and the feelings of powerlessness in the face of inevitable consequences. Depression and suicide are closely linked, and the consequences in terms of philosophy and psychology are described.

[Incorporation and adaptation of the postmodern belief system]

Every society develops a particular system of beliefs that summarizes its vision of socio-political organization, culture and interpersonal relationships. Each of these three basic dimensions has different forms, depending on the spatial and temporal context of societies. The belief system of the service societies is characterized by a democratic vision of social and political organization, rejection of radical social changes and high levels of interpersonal trust. This paper empirically examines the incorporation and adaptation of the postmodern belief system in a sample of university students. The participants belong to a country that is slowly integrating into the service societies. We used a scale of postmodernity to analyze the incorporation of the postmodern belief system. The results indicate that there is a peculiar combination of the three basic dimensions of the postmodern belief system, where the postmodern conceptions of culture and social relationships have lower acceptance.

Disability advocacy and reproductive choice: engaging with the expressivist objection

This professional issues paper outlines the experience and value of engagement with disability advocates, philosophy scholars and bioethicists for spirited debate of issues such as modern eugenics, the expressivist objection and reproductive choice. This process for one group of individuals, undoubtedly prompted deeper examination and questioning of some long held personal and professional views, for all participants. For this author, engagement in the "Disability Rights-Genetic Counseling Interest Group" over a full year resulted in several positive changes in genetic counselling practice as well as the development of meaningful, robust philosophical defence of the dual roles in genetic counseling; advocacy for those with disabilities, and facilitation of a full range of reproductive choices.

Ethical reflections: examining reflexivity through the narrative paradigm

Being reflexive and providing these reflections for public scrutiny is often considered a key element of ethical, rigorous qualitative research. Prevalent conceptualizations of reflexivity, however, need interrogating and sharpening. We aim to contribute to this by examining reflexive practice, and in particular researchers' reflexive accounts, through the lens of the narrative paradigm. Our aim is to demonstrate that acknowledging the role of narrative reconstruction in reflexivity creates more ethical research, and that it is therefore crucial for researchers to more explicitly recognize this. Both authors present an analysis of one particular exchange between interviewer and participant. This analysis highlights that despite our best efforts at "doing reflexivity," both immediately following and when reflecting back on an interview, there are influential factors that escape our gaze. Reflections of the past are particularly imperfect. Without fully recognizing this, we are not utilizing all the tools available for ensuring honest, ethical research.

Re-presenting the future of medicine's past: towards a politics of survival

The ‘death’ of the social history of medicine was predicated on two insights from postmodern thinking: first, that ‘the social’ was an essentialist category strategically fashioned in the course of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries; and second, that the disciplines of medicine and history-writing grew up together, the one (medicine) seeking to objectify the body, the other (history-writing) seeking to objectify the past. Not surprisingly, in the face of these revelations, historians of medicine retreated from the critical and ‘big-picture’ perspectives they entertained in the 1970s and 1980s. Their political flame went out, and doing the same old thing increasingly looked more like an apology for, than a critical inquiry into, medicine and its humanist project. Unable to face the present, let alone the future, they retreated from both, suffering the same paralysis of will as other historians stymied by the intellectual movement of postmodernism. Ironically, this occurred (occurs) at a moment when ‘medicine’ – writ large to include the biosciences and biotechnology – could easily be said to be the most relevant and compelling subject for understanding contemporary life and politics (global, local, and individual) and, as such, the place to justify the practice of history-writing as a whole. God knows, legitimacy has never been more urgent. But how can this be effected? Political action seems more likely than prayer. But let us begin by reviewing the nature of the problem that demands this response.

[Introduction to epistemology in nursing sciences]

The development of nursing research is one of the stages in the process for the professionalization of nurses. An epistemological reflection which took place gradually became necessary. Today, three traditions derived from the positivist, interpretative and critical approaches orientate reflections on nursing sciences, not without some controversy and debate.

Introduction: commentaries and author's response to "The rise and fall of the autochthonous self: from Italian Renaissance Art and Shakespeare to Hediegger, Lacan, and Intersubjectivism" by Richard D. Chessick

This article addresses the unresolved question of the existence of a private core autochthonous self, as it has been described by Winnicott, Modell, and others. The postmodern version of the self has eliminated this concept entirely, relegating the self to a changing and unstable display, or regarding it as totally chaotic, or even an illusion. The question is raised whether by returning to the origins of this notion of a private self and then tracing its apparent dissolution it might be possible to discover some evidence that it still exists. The methodology used is that of obtaining knowledge directly through the arts and the claim is made that because empirical science has clamored to be the only source of knowledge, we have lost what could be obtained by direct intuitive seeing and experiencing the works of creative geniuses. To explore the rise of the autochthonous self this article provides an examination of the shift from Gothic art to Italian Renaissance art, a time which engendered the origin of "man" with his or her elusive private individual self that then became expressed in changing works of art. As this spread north, Shakespeare appeared and similarly invented and illustrated in his characters the private individual self, a concept not appreciated or recognized before the Renaissance. But as science arose and Western civilization began to decline, a corresponding disillusionment with "man" took place. The self began to be viewed as solely a social construction with no core except perhaps a genetic endowment. This was accompanied by a reduction in the concept of the human as a valuable and precious living being and was replaced by regarding the human as an object of control and exploitation. After the Second World War a movement in contemporary United States psychoanalysis gradually replaced the ideas of Freud and his emphasis on the "I" in the psychoanalytic process, with forms of relational therapy, assuming that the self was ab initio intersubjectively formed and could be altered fundamentally by focus on intersubjective processes. The author contends that this attitude makes it less likely for the psychoanalyst to focus on the regressive transferences from which derivatives of the private self arise and to grasp the phenomenological whole of the patient (p. 625).

[The mixed design in nursing sciences or when a question of research calls for qualitative and quantitative strategies]

The use of a mixed method research design raises many questions, especially regarding the paradigmatic position. With this paradigm, we may consider the mixed method design as the best way of answering a research question and the latter orients to one of the different subtypes of mixed method design. To illustrate the use of this kind of design, we propose a study such as conducted in nursing sciences. In this article, the challenges raised by the mixed method design, and the place of this type of research in nursing sciences is discussed.

A constructivist model for teaching evidence-based practice

The Institute of Medicine has reported that it takes roughly 17 years for evidence generated through research to move into clinical practice. Bridging that gap is an urgent need and will require educators to rethink how nurses are prepared for evidence-based practice. The constructivist theory for learning--in which it is assumed that students construct knowledge and meaning for themselves as they learn--may provide a framework for a redesigned baccalaureate curriculum, one that supports evidence-based practice throughout a nursing student's education.

Valuing the gap: a dialectic between theory and practice in graduate nursing education from a constructive educational approach

Within nursing education, graduate pedagogies are relatively unexplored, with research commonly focused upon undergraduate and continuing education. In order to address the increasingly complex organisational challenges in the workplace, mid-career nurses and midwives are turning to graduate education. In one graduate course on cultures of learning in the workplace, a constructivist approach to learning was adopted. Post-course analysis of data, from the feedback on the course from students, student choice of assignment topics, and reflections of the course facilitators, revealed three pedagogies unique to graduate education. The pedagogies were labelled 'keeping the space open', 'theoretical concepts as tools', and 'resonance and action as praxis'. The intended outcome of the course is revealed in a fourth theme, 'developing practice in the workplace'. This evaluation suggests that constructivist pedagogies used with graduate students may be different to those pedagogies used with undergraduate and continuing education students. We argue that graduate pedagogies move nursing education beyond strategies that seek integration of theory and practice, towards a dialectic between theory and practice.

Current trends in feminist nursing research

Despite an increasing number of feminist studies in nursing, few reviews on current trends in feminist nursing research have been published. This article aims to explore the current trends in feminist nursing research and provide recommendations for future feminist studies in nursing. In multiple database searches, 207 articles were retrieved. These were reviewed based on 5 criteria: (1) epistemological background, (2) research questions, (3) research participants, (4) research methods, and (5) implications for changes. The review indicated that feminist nurse researchers with diverse epistemological backgrounds adopted new research methods to ask new questions; expanded their focus to include differences in ethnicity, class, sexual preference, and disability; and incorporated these diversities among women in a global context in their research. Based on these findings, recommendations for future feminist research in nursing are outlined.

Dance and sexuality: many moves

This literature review of dance and sexual expression considers dance and religion, dance and sexuality as a source of power, manifestations of sexuality in Western theater art and social dance, plus ritual and non-Western social dance. Expressions of gender, sexual orientation, asexuality, ambiguity, and adult entertainment exotic dance are presented. Prominent concerns in the literature are the awareness, closeting, and denial of sexuality in dance; conflation of sexual expression and promiscuity of gender and sexuality, of nudity and sexuality, and of dancer intention and observer interpretation; and inspiration for infusing sexuality into dance. Numerous disciplines (American studies, anthropology, art history, comparative literature, criminology, cultural studies, communication, dance, drama, English, history, history of consciousness, journalism, law, performance studies, philosophy, planning, retail geography, psychology, social work, sociology, and theater arts) have explored dance and sexual expression, drawing upon the following concepts, which are not mutually exclusive: critical cultural theory, feminism, colonialism, Orientalism, postmodernism, poststructuralism, queer theory, and semiotics. Methods of inquiry include movement analysis, historical investigation, anthropological fieldwork, autoethnography, focus groups, surveys, and self-reflection or autobiographical narrative. Directions for future exploration are addressed.

Philosophical aspects of dual use technologies

The term dual use technologies refers to research and technology with the potential both to yield valuable scientific knowledge and to be used for nefarious purposes with serious consequences for public health or the environment. There are two main approaches to assessing dual use technologies: pragmatic and metaphysical. A pragmatic approach relies on ethical principles and norms to generate specific guidance and policy for dual use technologies. A metaphysical approach exhorts us to the deeper study of human nature, our intentions, goals, values ideals and social relations when considering dual use technology. Use of science and technology (S and T) is determined by two components of human nature: human intentions and choices. We have drawn a distinction between specific measures, goals and intentions with respect to technologies in order to show that moral judgment about technologies must precede their use. Understanding of our intentionality and values, and our moral ideals, as a measurable, tangible part of the real world is important for the prevention of any possible harm from S and T. In the context of dual use technologies, we stress the importance of three main understandings of human nature: vulnerability, responsibility and narrative identity. These can become a strong ontological "antidote" to technology's poisoning of modern man. Each new technology can be measured and compared with man's values, traditions and societal norms. This can be done bearing in mind the concept that human nature is not dualistic, but pluralistic. A system of ethical principles that includes the principles of good intentions, the correspondence of goals and means, the balancing of risks and benefits, simplicity, and contextuality, will help ensure that technologies are more humanistic and friendly to human beings.

Beyond division: convergences between postmodern qualitative research and family therapy

Starting from examples of postmodern research and therapeutic practice, we raise the question on the role of the research-therapy dichotomy within these approaches. The article aims to show the profound convergence between postmodern ethnographic research and constructionist, collaborative therapeutic approaches on a double, epistemological and practice level. First, we point out their converging development toward narrative and constructionist epistemologies. Second, an inquiry into the core features of these disciplinary activities' goal, process, and expert role reveals their profound convergence into a dialogical practice in which the boundaries between research and therapy are radically transgressed. We conclude by questioning the implications and acceptability of this convergence for researchers' and therapists' understanding of their practices.

The rise and fall of the autochthonous self: from Italian Renaissance art and Shakespeare to Heidegger, Lacan, and intersubjectivism

This article addresses the unresolved question of the existence of a private core autochthonous self, as it has been described by Winnicott, Modell, and others. The postmodern version of the self has eliminated this concept entirely, relegating the self to a changing and unstable display, or regarding it as totally chaotic, or even an illusion. The question is raised whether by returning to the origins of this notion of a private self and then tracing its apparent dissolution it might be possible to discover some evidence that it still exists. The methodology used is that of obtaining knowledge directly through the arts and the claim is made that because empirical science has clamored to be the only source of knowledge, we have lost what could be obtained by direct intuitive seeing and experiencing the works of creative geniuses. To explore the rise of the autochthonous self this article provides an examination of the shift from Gothic art to Italian Renaissance art, a time which engendered the origin of "man" with his or her elusive private individual self that then became expressed in changing works of art. As this spread north, Shakespeare appeared and similarly invented and illustrated in his characters the private individual self, a concept not appreciated or recognized before the renaissance. But as science arose and Western civilization began to decline, a corresponding disillusionment with "man" took place. The self began to be viewed as solely a social construction with no core except perhaps a genetic endowment. This was accompanied by a reduction in the concept of the human as a valuable and precious living being and was replaced by regarding the human as an object of control and exploitation. After the Second World War a movement in contemporary United States psychoanalysis gradually replaced the ideas of Freud and his emphasis on the "I" in the psychoanalytic process, with forms of relational therapy, assuming that the self was ab initio intersubjectively formed and could be altered fundamentally by focus on intersubjective processes. The author contends that this attitude makes it less likely for the psychoanalyst to focus on the regressive transferences from which derivatives of the private self arise and to grasp the phenomenological whole of the patient.

The use of innovative pedagogies in nursing education: an international perspective

The purpose of this global study was to explore the types of innovative pedagogies used in nursing education worldwide; transformative learning theory served as the theoretical basis for the study. A descriptive, mixed-method design with a researcher-developed instrument was used to conduct the electronic survey. Respondents were 946 nurse educator members of Sigma Theta Tau International; more than 93 percent were Caucasian women. Respondents indicated that the conventional teacher-centered approach remains the most prevalent pedagogical style (56 percent); fewer than 20 percent of respondents used feminist or postmodern approaches. Ninety percent of respondents reported using instruments to evaluate the effectiveness of their teaching. The majority viewed their faculty role as facilitator (88 percent) or information provider (65 percent). Greater efforts are needed to create an evidence base for nursing education through research that focuses on the effectiveness of innovative pedagogical strategies. This study, by describing the current patterns of teaching/learning strategies and approaches used by nurse educators, provides a beginning research base for improving nursing education.