Abstract This study presents a contemporary model of artistic graffiti, centering on the composition of Arabic poetry. Adopting a descriptive and analytical approach, it investigates the poetic inscriptions adorning the column walls of the “Ithra” Library in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia. The research aims to interpret these inscriptions, classify them, analyze their poetic structure, and explore their aesthetic and thematic dimensions. The study focuses on selected verses, delving into the unique characteristics of the poetry and the familiar discourses it communicates to Arab audiences. It also considers the literary stature of the poets behind these works. Rather than encompassing all the poetic texts inscribed throughout the library, the research highlights representative examples drawn from various literary periods accompanied by critical commentary. The study is structured into an introduction and three main sections. The introduction outlines the historical context of the murals and emphasizes the significance and scope of the research. Each section corresponds to a different library floor, with each axis showcasing multiple inscription models relevant to the respective floor. A conclusion summarizes the key insights and findings. This research underscores the role of aesthetic awareness in shaping cultural institutions—particularly public libraries—and highlights the importance of integrating literary discourse into visual media designed for the broader public. Ultimately, the “Ithra” Library is proposed as a model for other libraries to emulate, demonstrating the enriching potential of poetic expression in public cultural spaces.

Abstract As demonstrated by their fundamental role in our modern societies, the humanities represent an important area of research and study at university level. However, in the light of increased social, economic, and political interest in STEM-related subjects, the humanities appear to have become less prominent in recent years. Noting the rise of online education, this study presents and analyses the online taught postgraduate provision currently available at the four ancient universities in Scotland (St Andrews, Glasgow, Aberdeen, and Edinburgh). After a short historical summary of the position of the humanities in university education, as well as the particularities of Scotland and the four selected universities, this study employs a qualitative and desk-based approach to analyse the relevant online programmes. It aims to look at the types of subject areas covered, the level of qualifications available, as well as giving a comparative overview of the different offerings, thus illustrating and discussing the range of online humanities-based provision at the present time.

Building on an ontological and epistemological shift away from the essentialization of leadership (Grint, 2000), the works in this issue expand the understanding of leadership as a discursive, co-constructed, and materially influenced phenomenon.The concept of discursive leadership challenges traditional views that focus on individual characteristics or static organizational structures.Instead, it emphasizes leadership as an ongoing process shaped by rhetorical and material dynamics.Fairhurst and Uhl -Bien (2012) highlight how leadership is deeply embedded in socio -cultural and material environments, where interactions between leaders and followers are co-constructed.Rhetoric

Abstract Most toponomastics research has ignored the importance of indigenous places as sites for identity and other cultural and social significance. Using Cape Coast as a historical site of the transatlantic slave trade, this study explores the origin, meanings and relevance of indigenous place names in the suburbs of Cape Coast, Ghana. Through an interdisciplinary approach that synergizes an interview with a chief, who is a prosopographer, historical documents, and literary sources, this study traces the city’s evolution from its ancestral hunting origins. The findings revealed that Cape Coast’s identity is encapsulated in the indigenous names, which point out the complex dynamics of culture, geography, identity and power. The names reference landmarks, events, environment and communities, transforming the city itself into a living archive with historical relevance. The literary interpretations uncovered metaphorical meanings encoded in some toponyms. Tracing connections across people, events, geography and time, these names reveal an interconnection often obscured by colonial ruptures. Based on these findings, there is a need to preserve the indigenous place names to foster intergenerational connections to the city’s storied landscape. The study contributes to Critical Toponymy theory and empirical insights into using indigenous toponyms to decolonize urban heritage.

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Abstract Throwing food at famous paintings (e.g., a can of soup thrown at Van Gogh’s Sunflowers) represents a rather novel form of climate change protest. The study, which is further presented in the article, seeks to unpack the way British mass media cover the food-throwing incidents that take place in the context of climate change activism. To that end, a corpus of texts was collected on the official websites of the leading British mass media outlets that describe the instances of throwing food at the world-known canvases by climate change activists. The corpus was analysed qualitatively in line with the theoretical premises of i) intermedial ecocriticism proposed by Bruhn (2020a, 2020b) and ii) framing methodology developed by Entman (2007). The results of the corpus analysis indicated that British mass media frame the famous paintings involved in the climate change protest incidents by foregrounding the monetary value of the paintings and the extent of damage done to them concurrently with de-emphasising the climate change component. The findings are further discussed and illustrated in the article.

Abstract When the fictional character Forrest Gump said: “Life is like a box of chocolates,” he offered an intriguing insight into at least one aspect of human existence. However, in creating his analogy he likely fell into a trap that sometimes ensnares social science researchers. For example, since the 1950s authors in disparate academic and professional genres have used metaphors/analogies to better understand organizational culture and create imagery encapsulating its key components. However, this essay argues that this genre is not always associated with methodological rigor. Problems include: metaphors/analogies are often employed without associated rationale; and, authors define their object of analysis in overly broad ways and/or fail to specify an agenda. This article explores these limitations in their historical context and offers a strategy for remedying them, a strategy with implications for scholarly written communication. Identified problems and a proposed solution are somewhat generic and are therefore relevant wherever analogies are used.