79 research outputs found
Chalcogenides applied to microring switching
We show that switching a phase-change material between its two bonding states can be used to shift the resonant wavelength of a ring resonator and change its Q-factor and extinction ratio, in a reversible and non-volatile way
Contemporary understanding of riots: classical crowd psychology, ideology and the social identity approach
This article explores the origins and ideology of classical crowd psychology, a body of theory reflected in contemporary popularised understandings such as of the 2011 English âriotsâ. This article argues that during the nineteenth century, the crowd came to symbolise a fear of âmass societyâ and that âclassicalâ crowd psychology was a product of these fears. Classical crowd psychology pathologised, reified and decontextualised the crowd, offering the ruling elites a perceived opportunity to control it. We contend that classical theory misrepresents crowd psychology and survives in contemporary understanding because it is ideological. We conclude by discussing how classical theory has been supplanted in academic contexts by an identity-based crowd psychology that restores the meaning to crowd action, replaces it in its social context and in so doing transforms theoretical understanding of âriotsâ and the nature of the self
Stretching and Bending the Frame â Green Possibilities in Popular Romantic Narratives
This article examines frame theory, popular culture, and environmental values. Reviewing frame theory across journalism, communication studies, linguistics, and fine art, it will examine in particular âcultural framingâ. Radical thought is invariably associated with the avant-garde, yet narrative or genre innovations in popular culture can also trigger âdeeperâ cognitive shifts, potentially transforming âcommon cultureâ. Citing comics, films, and animation, the main example is popular music and how Björk and British Sea Power have subverted generic and acoustic conventions (e.g. melody), and musicâs habitual romantic narratives, to re-frame humanânonhuman relationships ecologically. By stretching and manipulating frames, popular culture can adapt and engender environmental narratives for mass consumption
The English Riots of 2011: Misreading the signs on the road to the society of enemies
Most of the riots that occurred in England throughout modernity were associated with symbolic protests and fuelled by an underlying sense of injustice about specific, objective grievances related to the position of the agrarian or industrial working classes in the socioeconomic and political structure. In the period that stretched from the 1880s to the 1930s, however, it is possible to discern a significant shift in form. Perhaps the most important aspect of this shift was the gradual emergence and development of coherent, unifying political discourses amongst the popular classes (Thompson, 1991). To be specific, the motivation and symbolism that underpinned both protests and riots became increasingly shaped by the related but competing political visions of communism, socialism or Labourite social democracy. These discourses did not incorporate populations en masse, and indeed many individuals remained apolitical or conservative in outlook despite their continued economic exploitation and political marginalization. However, the influence exerted by these discourses was most certainly on the rise and, between the two World Wars, it could be seen at the forefront of most protests and riots
A social identity model of riot diffusion: from injustice to empowerment in the 2011 London riots
Previous research has shown that riots spread across multiple locations, but has not explained underlying psychological processes. We examined rioting in three locations during the August 2011 disorders in England to test a social identity model of riot diffusion. We triangulated multiple sources to construct a narrative of events; and we analysed interviews with 68 participants to examine experiences. In line with the model, we found evidence for two pathways of influence: âcognitiveâ and âstrategicâ. For some participants, previous rioting was highly self-relevant, and shared identity was the basis of their subsequent involvement. For others, previous rioting was empowering because it demonstrated the vulnerability of a common enemy (the police). In each location, interaction dynamics mediated the link between initial perceptions and collective action. The utility of this social identity approach is that it is able to account for both the boundaries and the sequence of urban riot diffusion
Conversations in a Crowded Room: An Assessment of the Contribution of Historical Research to Criminology
The relationship between history and social science generally, as well as history and criminology specifically, has long been considered problematic. But, since the likes of Burke (1992) and King (1999) spoke of a âdialogue of the deafâ, crime history has rapidly expanded and, more latterly, historical criminology has begun to emerge. This article reappraises the relationship of the subject areas by considering the impact that historical research has had on criminology. Although the impact is found to be somewhat patchy, the article identifies positive signs within the two fields that might point towards a more mutuallyâenriching future
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