Translational Contestation of Religious Concepts: A Case of Conversion Narratives

Drawing on a case study incorporating two opposing conversion narratives and their translations, thispaper explores the relationship between language, religion and translation. By examining linguistic,paralinguistic and paratextual framing techniques used by authors, translators and publishers, itdemonstrates that translation can be a powerful means of contesting fundamental concepts – such as “conversion”, “church” or “faith” – in the processes of safeguarding one’s own or challenging another’s religious identity, especially in the context of asymmetrical power relations.

Multiculturalism, freedom of religion, equality, and the British constitution: The JFS case considered

In the JFS case, the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom held that the admissions policy of a Jewish faith school constituted unlawful racial discrimination because it used the Orthodox Jewish interpretation of who is Jewish as a criterion for determining admission to the school. A detailed discussion of the case is located in the context of two broader debates in Britain, which are characterized as constitutional in character or, at least, as possessing constitutional properties. The first is the debate concerning the treatment of minority groups, multiculturalism, and the changing perceptions in public policy of the role of race and religion in national life. It is suggested that this debate has become imbued with strong elements of what has been termed “post-multiculturalism”. The second debate is broader still, and pertains to shifting approaches to “constitutionalism” in Britain. It is suggested that, with the arrival of the European Convention on Human Rights and EU law, the U.K. has seen a shift from a pragmatic approach to constitutional thinking, in which legislative compromise played a key part, to the recognition of certain quasi-constitutional principles, allowing the judiciary greatly to expand its role in protecting individual rights while requiring the judges, at the same time, to articulate a principled basis for doing so. In both these debates, the principle of equality plays an important role. The JFS case is an important illustration of some of the implications of these developments.

Defending Identity and Ethos: an analysis of teacher perceptions of school collaboration in Northern Ireland

The purpose of this article is to examine the process of collaborative working between teachers located in separate faith-based schools in Northern Ireland. Drawing on theories of intergroup relations, and with reference to in-depth interviews with teachers in post-primary schools, the article shows that despite earlier research which identified a reluctance amongst teachers in the different sectors to work together, most Catholic and Protestant teachers are motivated to collaborate to develop a more broadly based curriculum for pupils. However, it has also been shown that teachers tend to studiously avoid discussing their differences in mixed-faith contexts, and it is argued that this may have the potential to constrain collaborative relations. It is concluded that without strategic direction from policy makers to assist teachers in negotiating and exploring their differences it will be difficult to build the trust which is likely to sustain collaborative relations.

Managing palliative care for adults with advanced heart failure

The purpose of this study was to explore the care processes experienced by community-dwelling adults dying from advanced heart failure, their family caregivers, and their health-care providers. A descriptive qualitative design was used to guide data collection, analysis, and interpretation. The sample comprised 8 patients, 10 informal caregivers, 11 nurses, 3 physicians, and 3 pharmacists. Data analysis revealed that palliative care was influenced by unique contextual factors (i.e., cancer model of palliative care, limited access to resources, prognostication challenges). Patients described choosing interventions and living with fatigue, pain, shortness of breath, and functional decline. Family caregivers described surviving caregiver burden and drawing on their faith. Health professionals described their role as trying to coordinate care, building expertise, managing medications, and optimizing interprofessional collaboration. Participants strove towards 3 outcomes: effective symptom management, satisfaction with care, and a peaceful death. © McGill University School of Nursing.

Supernatural Beliefs, Unconscious Threat and Judgment Bias in Tibetan Buddhists

Individuals who have been subtly reminded of death display heightened in-group favouritism, or “worldview defense.” Terror management theory argues (i) that death cues engender worldview defense via psychological mechanisms specifically evolved to suppress death anxiety, and (ii) that the core function of religiosity is to suppress death anxiety. Thus, terror management theory predicts that extremely religious individuals will not evince worldview defense. Here, two studies are presented in support of an alternative perspective. According to the unconscious vigilance hypothesis, subtly processed threats (which need not pertain to death) heighten sensitivity to affectively valenced stimuli (which need not pertain to cultural attitudes). From this perspective, religiosity mitigates the influence of mortality-salience only insofar as afterlife doctrines reduce the perceived threat posed by death. Tibetan Buddhism portrays death as a perilous gateway to rebirth rather than an end to suffering; faith in this doctrine should therefore not be expected to nullify mortality-salience effects. In Study 1, devout Tibetan Buddhists who were subtly reminded of death produced exaggerated aesthetic ratings unrelated to cultural worldviews. In Study 2, devout Tibetan Buddhists produced worldview defense following subliminal exposure to non-death cues of threat. The results demonstrate both the domain-generality of the process underlying worldview defense and the importance of religious doctrinal content in moderating mortality-salience effects.

Do Nonagenarians siblings provide mutual support? Insights from the EU GeHA project

Introduction.– Sibling relationships have been described as intimate,
congenial, loyal, apathetic or hostile but little is known about
sibling relationships in very old age.Weasked nonagenarian brothers
and sisters from the EU-funded Genetics of Healthy Ageing
(GeHA) project whether they had felt supported by having a living
sibling to have better coping abilities.
Methods and results.– Nonagenarian siblings were a convenience
sample from four countries from the GeHA study–Italy, Poland,
N Ireland, Finland. All were consented willing participants. Most
male/female dyads demonstrated healthy respect for each other’s
opinion and their sibling relationship fits the “loyal” type, though
with a clear sense of independence.Noneof the eight female/female
nor the one male/male dyad seemed to fit the “intimate” description;
two might be described as “apathetic”, while the other two
seemed to show aspects of family “loyalty”, alongside other traits
perhaps best described as “congenial”. There were apparent different
cultural influences across Europe with siblings in Italy and
Poland more likely to report supportive siblinghood, compared to
sibling pairs/trios in Finland or N Ireland where self-resilience and
independence seemed more common. Polish and Italian nonagenarians
often felt supported by their religious faith and church.
Conclusions.– In general, nonagenarian siblings most often demonstrated
loyal family relationships, which may have helped each
other’s coping and survival mechanisms. However, there was
widespread evidence of tolerance for individual decision-making.
Perhaps rather, these 90-year-olds survive because they are
resilient and independent and don’t need to depend on each other!

Positioning Clinical Nurse Specialists and Nurse Practitioners as Change Champions to Implement a Pain Protocol in Long-Term Care

Pain management for older adults in long-term care (LTC) has been recognized as a problem internationally. The purpose of this study was to explore the role of a clinical nurse specialist (CNS) and nurse practitioner (NP) as change champions during the implementation of an evidence-based pain protocol in LTC. In this exploratory, multiple-case design study, we collected data from two LTC homes in Ontario, Canada. Three data sources were used: participant observation of an NP and a CNS for 18 hours each over a 3-week period; CNS and NP diaries recording strategies, barriers, and facilitators to the implementation process; and interviews with members of the interdisciplinary team to explore perceptions about the NP and CNS role in implementing the pain protocol. Data were analyzed using thematic content analysis. The NP and CNS used a variety of effective strategies to promote pain management changes in practice including educational outreach with team members, reminders to nursing staff to highlight the pain protocol and educate about practice changes, chart audits and feedback to the nursing staff, interdisciplinary working group meetings, ad hoc meetings with nursing staff, and resident assessment using advanced skills. The CNS and NP are ideal champions to implement pain management protocols and likely other quality improvement initiatives.

A mixed methods study of the work patterns of full-time nurse practitioners in nursing homes

Aims and objectives: The aim of this study was to explore the integration of the nurse practitioner role in Canadian nursing homes to enable its full potential to be realised for resident and family care. The objective was to determine nurse practitioners' patterns of work activities. 

Background: Nurse practitioners were introduced in Canadian nursing homes a decade ago on a pilot basis. In recent years, government and nursing home sector interest in the role has grown along with the need for data to inform planning efforts. 

Design: The study used a sequential mixed methods design using a national survey followed by case studies. 

Methods: A national survey of nurse practitioners included demographic items and the EverCare Nurse Practitioner Role and Activity Scale. Following the survey, case studies were conducted in four nursing homes. Data were collected using individual and focus group interviews, document reviews and field notes. 

Results: Twenty-three of a target population of 26 nurse practitioners responded to the survey, two-thirds of whom provided services in nursing homes with one site and the remainder in nursing homes with as many as four sites. On average, nurse practitioners performed activities in communicator, clinician, care manager/coordinator and coach/educator subscales at least three to four times per week and activities in the collaborator subscale once a week. Of the 43 activities, nurse practitioners performed daily, most were in the clinician and communicator subscales. Case study interviews involved 150 participants. Findings complemented those of the survey and identified additional leadership activities. 

Conclusion: Nurse practitioners undertake a range of primary health care and advanced practice activities which they adapt to meet the unique needs of nursing homes. Relevance to clinical practice: Knowledge of work patterns enables nursing homes to implement the full range of nurse practitioner roles and activities to enhance resident and family care.

Finding revelation in anthropology: Alexander Winchell, William Robertson Smith and the heretical imperative

Anthropological inquiry has often been considered an agent of intellectual secularization. Not least is this so in the sphere of religion, where anthropological accounts have often been taken to represent the triumph of naturalism. This metanarrative however fails to recognise that naturalistic explanations could sometimes be espoused for religious purposes and in defence of confessional creeds. This essay examines two late nineteenth-century figures – Alexander Winchell in the United States, and William Robertson Smith in Britain – who found in anthropological analysis resources to bolster rather than undermine faith. In both cases these individuals found themselves on the receiving end of ecclesiastical censure and were dismissed from their positions at church-governed institutions. But their motivation was to vindicate divine revelation, in Winchell’s case from the physical anthropology of human origins and in Smith’s from the cultural anthropology of Semitic ritual.

Meeting the needs of visually impaired people living in Lifetime Homes

This article explores perceptions on the suitability and effectiveness of Lifetime Homes Standards (LTHS) for those with visual impairment in Northern Ireland.
LTHS are a series of mandatory United Kingdom (UK) public sector housing design interventions, providing a model for ensuring accessible and adaptable homes throughout an occupant's lifespan. An ageing demographic with increasing incidence of diabetes, has led to rising numbers of elderly visually impaired people wanting to remain in their homes for longer.
Qualitative semi structured interviews were conducted with thirteen key stakeholders and thematically analysed. Although findings show that employing LTHS offers benefits to visually impaired residents, short-comings were also identified. Evidence indicates a need for Policy Makers, Health Care Professionals and Housing Associations to modify practices to better meet the housing needs of visually impaired people. Findings may also be applicable to those with other impairments and disabilities in relation to housing for elderly residents.

Northern Ireland: Religion, Religiosity and Politics in a Changing Society

The Handbook of Global Contemporary Christianity: Themes and Developments in Culture, Politics, and Society maps the transformations, as well as the continuities, of the largest of the major religions - engaging with the critical global issues which relate to the faith in a fast changing world. International experts in the area offer contributions focusing on global movements; regional trends and developments; Christianity, the state, politics and polity; and Christianity and social diversity. Collectively the contributors provide a comprehensive treatment of health of the religion as Christianity enters its third millennium in existence and details the challenges and dilemmas facing its various expressions, both old and new. The volume is a companion to the Handbook of Contemporary Global Christianity: Movements, Institutions, and Allegiance.