I Am Not Alive : A Bionian Reading of Life and Death in Balzac\u27s Le Colonel Chabert and Tynianov\u27s Podporuchik Kizhe

This essay investigates the themes of life and death in Balzac’s novel, Le Colonel Chabert (1832), and Tynianov’s novella, Podporuchik Kizhe (1927). In these works, life and death are as much socio-political and legal constructs as they are organic or ontological states—that is, the chronological, biological beginning and ending of a “life.” In other words, life and death become conceptual spaces into which one may enter, or from which one may be excluded. Additionally, this essay asserts that while the approach taken in one text may to be a kind of conceptual inversion of the approach taken in the other, in fact, Balzac and Tynianov grapple with the same ontological question: what constitutes a human life? Using the theoretical concepts of the British psychoanalyst, Wilfred Bion, I address this question and identify additional ontological states of being that I call “non-life” and “non-death.” This essay, moreover, presents an interpretation of some of his core theoretical concepts: the alpha- and beta-elements, the alpha-function, and the container and contained paradigm. That is, I put forth a heuristics, a way of reading Balzac and Tynianov, informed by Bion’s thought

Cultural Evidence: On the Common Ground Between Archivists and Museologists

Museums and archives represent two of the most durable and long-lived means for perpetuating culture and social memory. Like their sister repository, the library, museums and archives fill long-established and specialized roles in the care of cultural materials. These roles, crafted over centuries of changing responsibilities and pressures, must be reexamined in the face of modem needs, technologies, and expectations. While archival repositories and museums have developed into two distinctive types of cultural institutions, they now find themselves amidst a need to consolidate their efforts and provide the public with a coherent means for accessing the increasingly fragmented and diverse cultural evidence produced today. Making this cultural evidence accessible implies not only offering the actual materials but also requiring concerted efforts to link the historical and intellectual functions served by all forms of historical records. Accordingly, it is incumbent upon archivists and museum professionals to provide a holistic context for the materials they hold and to build avenues by which users can connect information from all types of historical evidence

On the experience of temporality: Existential issues in the conservation of architectural places

In discussions of the conservation of culturally significant architecture, awareness about issues of temporality and its theoretical import has been approached from varied, partial, perspectives. These perspectives have usually focused on accounts of temporality that focus on the past and the present – and more rarely the future – without considering either the complete spectrum of human temporality or its ontological bases. This article addresses this shortcoming with a phenomenology of conservation grounded on the fundamental attitudes of cultivation and care. After a phenomenological and existentialist analysis of Cesare Brandi’s thought – focusing on his paradigmatic Theory of Restoration – his attitude comes forth as a limited instance of the modern conservation attitude that is concerned exclusively with architecture as art. This attitude results in a limited temporal intentionality. Following Ingarden and Ricoeur, the existential approach is here applied to the deduced dimensions of the space and time of Dasein – in Heidegger’s terms – outlining the grounding of conservation on an existential interpretation of the more fundamental notions of cultivation and care. This interpretation suggests a solution for the modern impasse with an existential account of both the artistic grounding of architecture and its characterisation as the place that temporally accompanies Dasein. Architecture thus emerges as a manifold being, constituting existentially the space for the authentic human being, whose temporal consciousness compels it to cultivate and care about that space, thus enriching the possible approaches to conservation as a collective endeavour

Shalamov\u27s Testament: Pushkinian Precepts in Kolyma Tales

In a letter from 1972, the author of Kolyma Tales and survivor of the gulag Varlam Shalamov, declared “In my prose, I consider myself the inheritor of the Pushkinian tradition \u3c…\u3e.” Indeed, in Kolyma Tales, Shalamov exhibited a studied understanding of Pushkin’s artistic technique. Through his implementation of Pushkinian artistic principles, Shalamov was seeking to restore the poet’s image to what it had been prior to the Soviet Union’s politicized interpretation while simultaneously revealing the truth about life in the labor camps to a readership that could not otherwise fathom what the inmates endured on day-to-day basis. In writing this paper, my aim is to demonstrate how Shalamov manifests Pushkinian narrative strategies in his work of documentary prose. I first consider how the Soviet writer, in response to Pushkin’s poem, “I have raised a monument to myself,” formulated his authorial mission. I follow this up with a comparison of Pushkin’s Belkin Tales with several of Shalamov’s short stories. I emphasize Shalamov’s implementation of the principles of “the poetization of prose,” as outlined by Wolf Schmid. I conclude my analysis with a look at Pushkin’s historical works, in particular The History of the Pugachev Rebellion, and how he defined the role of the historian. I then compare Pushkin’s views on the subject of history to those of Shalamov and Alexander Solzhenitsyn. Ultimately, I hope to have proven that Shalamov’s commitment to Pushkin’s legacy resulted in a canonical body of work unsurpassed in its honesty, clarity and artistic and civic merit

La representación del museo portátil. Un concurso para un contenedor icónico

[EN] The idea of a transportable architecture has been present throughout history. Different architects have experimented with this concept, managing to materialize it in typologies such as the pavilion at international exhibitions. Along the same lines, the museum, as a typology that seeks to get closer to the masses, has found a useful variant in the portable building. If temporary exhibitions acquire their value in their constant contact with the public, the idea of bringing the exhibition together with the architecture becomes relevant. Thus, this paper analyses the paradigmatic experience of the Guggenheim Foundation, a leading museum institution in the competition for a temporary museum in Tokyo. Through the analysis of the proposals of Ban, Nouvel, and Hadid, it will be observed how architects use the full force of their representational styles whilst facing a typological innovation, aiming to appeal and to communicate the original architectural content that will be the main object of the exhibition.[ES] La idea de una arquitectura transportable ha estado presente a lo largo de la historia. Diferentes arquitectos han experimentado con este concepto, logrando materializarlo en tipologías como el pabellón en exposiciones internacionales. En esta misma línea, el museo, como tipología que busca acercarse a las masas, ha encontrado en lo portátil una variante útil. Si las exposiciones rotativas adquieren su valía en su contacto constante con el público, la idea de llevar la exhibición junto con la arquitectura se vuelve pertinente. Así, en este trabajo se analiza la experiencia paradigmática de la Fundación Guggenheim, institución museística puntera, en el concurso para un museo temporal en Tokio. Mediante el análisis de las propuestas de Ban, Nouvel y Hadid, se observará, cómo los arquitectos, ante una innovación tipológica y buscar convencer, utilizan toda la fuerza de sus estilos representacionales, para comunicar contenidos arquitectónicos originales que, serán el objeto principal de la muestra.Falcón Meraz, JM. (2020). The representation of the portable museum. A competition for an iconic container. EGA Expresión Gráfica Arquitectónica. 25(40):180-191. https://doi.org/10.4995/ega.2020.14569OJS180191254

La reforma constitucional como defensa de la constitución de 1917. Un análisis desde la problemática del poder constituyente y las ideas de libertad y democracia

[ResmMen:] La Constitución mexicana de 1917 está próxima a cumplir un siglo de vida, ante esto, existen diversas posturas; una que afirma la necesidad de elaborar un nuevo ordenamiento constitucional, y otra que sería transitar a través de la reforma constitucional. Este artículo va encaminado en la última dirección, ya que consideramos que es a través de la revisión constitucional con la que se puede actualizar la Carta Magna frente a los nuevos retos del siglo XXI. Sin embargo, esto se debe hacer respetando la voluntad del poder constituyente, guiados por los principios de libertad y democracia, con todo lo que esto representa[Absract:] The Mexican Constitution of 1917 is about to celebrate a century of life, before this, there are various positions; one that affirms the need for a new constitutional order, and another that would transit through constitutional reform. This article is aimed at the last address, as we believe that it is through the constitutional revision that can update the constitution to face the new challenges of the XXI century. However, this must be done respecting the will of the constituent power, guided by the principles of freedom and democracy, with all that it represents

El referéndum constitucional, la dialéctica entre la democracia representativa y la participativa*

[RESUMEN] El concepto de democracia ha ido evolucionando desde su surgimiento en la época antigua. Mientras que este término ha sido analizado, estudiado desde hace varias centurias o milenios, sin embargo, hoy en día la discusión sobre la democracia como sistema político ha dejado de ser central. El proceso de universalización de la democracia que inicio en el siglo XVIII, en la actualidad somos más de las dos terceras partes de la población que vivimos en ella. La discusión ya no se va a centrar que tipo de democracia estamos buscando, la democracia representativa o la participativa. Es en este debate, en el que se va a posicionar el referéndum constitucional, ya que por un lado se plantea la idea de que aparezcan mecanismos con la intención de salvaguardar el principio democrático, y por otro es limitar la toma de decisiones a los órganos representativos{ABSTRACT]The concept of democracy has evolved since its inception in ancient times. While this term has been analyzed, studied for several centuries or millenniums, however, today the discussion on democracy as a political system is no longer the main argue. The universalization of democracy that began in the eighteenth century, today we are more than two–thirds of the population that we live in it. The discussion is no longer going to focus in democracy itself, but in what type of it we are searching for, representative or participatory democracy. Is in this debate, which will position the constitutional referendum, because on one side the idea of appearing mechanism intended to safeguard the democratic principle, and in the other side is to limit the decision–making to the representative bodies

Evaluación de la validez de las proporciones estéticas dentales en dentición natural de la población mexicana

Introducción: Una de las bases en el diseño de sonrisa es la correcta relación de las dimensiones dentales. Para obtenerlas se han propuesto diferentes teoremas matemáticos dentro de los cuales están la Proporción Divina, la Proporción Dental Estética Recurrente (RED) y el porcentaje dorado. Propósito: Evaluar la validez de la Proporción Divina, Porcentaje Divino y Proporción Estética Dental Recurrente como parámetros de diagnostico en la evaluación de diseño de sonrisa para determinar las proporciones dentales en la población Mexicana. Materiales y Métodos: Se estudiaron 50 pacientes mexicanos (25 mujeres y 15 hombres) a los cuales se les tomo una impresión con material hidrocoloide irreversible (alginato) de la arcada superior con dentición intacta, posteriormente se tomaron fotografías estandarizadas de los modelos de estudio. Utilizando el software Photoshop se midió en cada fotografía el ancho de los dientes anterosuperiores para evaluar la prevalencia de las tres diferentes proporciones : La Proporción Divina, el Porcentaje Dorado y la Proporción Dental Estética Recurrente. Resultados: La relación en cuanto al ancho de las proporciones divinas fue: central derecho y lateral derecho 74%, central izquierdo 76% y lateral con canino no se encontró relación. En cuanto al RED entre central y lateral derecho es de 79.88%, lateral con canino derecho fue 79.72%, en el lado izquierdo la relación entre central y lateral fue de 79.03% y 77.36% de lateral y canino izquierdo. En el porcentaje dorado comenzando desde el canino derecho y moviéndose hacia el canino izquierdo fueron de 12.33, 15.64, 22.46, 22.37, 15.40 y 11.79. Conclusión: Con las limitaciones de este estudio se encontró que la RED fue la proporción mas constante encontrada en este estudio. La proporción divina y el porcentaje dorado no se encontraron en las piezas anterosuperiores evaluadas

Seabird ecology in relation to fisheries

Previous research has hinted at changes in the migratory patterns of seabirds nesting in Scotland, including a decreasing number of Northern Gannets Morus bassanus wintering in the North Sea, and an increase in numbers of Northern Gannets and Great Skuas Stercorarius skua spending the winter off north-western Africa (NWA). Both species show increasing numbers of colonies in northern areas, including Norway and Russia. These seabird species move through the North Sea during autumn migration, and from there search for favourable wintering grounds mainly around Iberia, including the Atlantic coast of Portugal, the Bay of Biscay and the Gulf of Cadiz. By means of historic ring recovery data, provided by the British Trust for Ornithology, it was possible to establish that the number of records of adults of both species are increasing in recent years from NWA coasts, despite having to attend their nests in the colonies and, as a result, having limited time to migrate south. Differences were observed in ring recovery locations between years and months. The number of ring recoveries by month coincides with records from observation points along the coast of Western Europe. However, ring recovery data are limited and potentially biased. Using data loggers, it was possible to establish that both species are diurnal in habits during the entire winter period, showing noticeable differences in the times spent flying during the migration months (September-October) and during the wintering and breeding months (January and March respectively), and to confirm the increasing tendency to winter off NWA in recent years. Analyses of fishing landings, discard rates, and sea surface temperature data, show that food available to Northern Gannets and Great Skuas is increasing in NWA coasts where oceanographic conditions are stable; in contrast in the North Sea fisheries are decreasing and the sea surface is warming. Both species are apparently changing their migratory behaviour in order to face the constant changes in the abundance of food. Given the long life-span of Northern Gannets and Great Skuas, genetic changes can be ruled out of an explanation for the changes in migration behaviour, and the fact that the changes in winter distribution appear to be occurring within one generation of the birds. The winter distribution of Northern Gannets and Great Skuas may be due to an ideal free distribution over a wide range, in response to changes in the distribution of fish and the availability of discards

Application of Quantum Cryptography to Cybersecurity and Critical Infrastructures in Space Communications

As society becomes more dependent on technology and the internet, critical infrastructure, which provides the fundamental services that millions of people depend on, becomes more vulnerable to cyber threats. This paper presents the importance of cybersecurity in critical infrastructure addressing the communications sector which is prevailed by space systems. It gives an overview of laser communications via satellite, and it argues the utility that quantum cryptography can provide to secure the data transmitted between communication satellites and ground stations from cyber attacks. Common encryption algorithms are briefly introduced as well as a review on quantum computing. Quantum cryptography is still a primitive concept, but as technology advances more and more researchers are focusing their attention into this visionary cryptography system