Teaching Across Cultures: Building Intercultural Competence in University Classrooms

E-book

Iveta Bónová - Lucia Jasinská

Language culture is not only for linguists; it is a professional publication suitable as a textbook, in which we attempt to describe and explain the most frequent phenomena of speech practice in an innovative way.

These phenomena are observed not only in the media environment but also in the academic sphere, which, with regard to the communication sphere (mass media communication, scientific research), are often used incorrectly and thus subconsciously penetrate the language awareness of all language users.

This includes those for whom language is a working tool with a primarily representative function (teachers at all levels of schools or radio and television workers).

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E-book

Peter Getlík

The main goal of the monograph "Moving Towards Cognitive Adaptation Studies: Adaptation as Play" was to orient current research in adaptation studies towards the empirically responsible cognitive branch of non-radical constructivism.

This intention results from the rapid progressive differentiation of adaptation studies research, which has mainly manifested itself in this area in the last two decades. With the model of adaptation as play in a cognitive-scientific perspective, author provides the possibility of predicting the nature (also in a broader sense) of the experience of adaptation. Since the form of this experience significantly shapes the products of the adaptation process into their final form, the model of adaptation as play can be applied even in the interpretation of individual adaptations. In the monograph, the author synthesized the model of adaptation as play based on the knowledge of various disciplines. In the field of cognitive sciences, he saw help from the starting points of philosophy, linguistics, informatics, psychology, anthropology, biology and neuroscience – especially affective neuroscience, which also deals with the emotional dimension of the play.

In the intersection with the essential interdisciplinary components of adaptation research, he also used the knowledge of classical and cognitive variations of literary science, film science (also theatrology) and media studies to a large extent. Consistent with other similar results of cognitive sciences, it turns out that even seemingly serious adaptations, like in many aspects of our culture, have a ludic base.

Download the e-book for free  (pdf)

E-book

Mária Bačíková - Anna Janovská - Oľga Orosová

The textbook is primarily intended for students of teaching academic subjects, but it will enrich anyone who needs to familiarize themselves with research methodology focusing on psychological and educational sciences. In the textbook, students become acquainted with the basic principles of conducting research, the process of research implementation, and the basic methods of quantitative or qualitative approaches.

The examples used in the textbook are mostly focused on research conducted in a school environment. By acquiring the basic knowledge presented in the textbook, the reader will be able to conduct simple research in school conditions. At the same time, understanding the principles of research methodology helps with the critical evaluation of information from various sources.

The second, expanded edition has been extended by three chapters, focusing on conducting research directly during the teaching process in the form of teacher action research, on the possibilities of evaluating preventive programs, and the final chapter deals with the possibilities of publishing research.

Download the e-book for free  (pdf)

E-book

Štefan Jusko

The stimulus for this monograph was my two studies on Heidegger’s interpretation of Nietzsche’s ideas of the will to power and eternal return of the same, published in Heidegger and Modern Metaphysics (supported by the Slovak Research and Development Agency, APVV-14-0706, under the leadership of V. Leška and M. Sobotka). In the submitted monograph, I present both studies in expanded (particularly “Will to Power as Art”) and refined versions (“Eternal Return of the Same”) and add a third chapter addressing the question of the meaning of interpreting philosophical texts, which themselves are interpretations of other texts.

In seeking an appropriate approach to the meaning of interpretation, I conclude that—generally—the purpose of interpretation is to uncover the productive dimension of the interpreted text, which can only be revealed if the interpreter enters the text openly and as neutrally as possible. If the interpreter does not open themselves to the text, allowing it to interpret them in turn, interpretation remains trapped. I believe that without mutual openness between interpreter and interpreted, interpretation has no meaning and typically becomes either rejection or misinterpretation—a form of violence.

In the third chapter, which I consider foundational, I attempt to “balance” the interpretive context of “Heidegger–Nietzsche” from the first two chapters through a reversible context of “Nietzsche–Heidegger,” albeit with the risk that my interpretation of Nietzsche’s thought—specifically his ideas of eternal return and will to power—may remain subjective, even if unintended as misinterpretation. Ultimately, the ambition of the third chapter is to explore intersections between the two philosophers, one of which—a rudimentary yet significant overlap—I identify as Heidegger’s concept of being-in-the-world, reinterpreted through Nietzsche’s lens. It is Nietzsche who challenges us to adopt a self-defined stance toward the world, to confront what it means to be in the world.

The challenge for me—and perhaps the reader—is to remain faithful to oneself, which is only possible by persisting in the context of mutual interpretation between interpreter and interpreted, regardless of who/what is interpreting or being interpreted. For the context of being-in-the-world is always co-created by both sides.

Download the e-book for free  (pdf)

E-book

Renáta Orosová - Lucia Diheneščíková - Katarína Petríková - Lívia Nemcová

Proceedings of Abstracts from the International Scientific Conference: Education and Training 2018: The 21st Century Educator and Their Perspectives in Educational Practice

The international scientific conference focuses on issues related to education and training in primary, secondary, and higher education institutions from the perspective of educators.

It emphasizes the current state and future perspectives of 21st-century educators in educational practice, addressing pedagogical and sociological aspects of education within foundational educational institutions. Additionally, it explores contemporary aspects of pre-service teacher preparation.

The conference is aimed at researchers, young university lecturers, doctoral students, as well as professional and educational practitioners. Its goal is to present the educator—whether a teacher, social pedagogue, or special educator—in a modern perspective, highlighting their essential collaboration in the context of education. Furthermore, it seeks to stimulate discussions on pressing issues within the fields of education and training in light of the current situation in the education sector.

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E-book

Lucia Tóthová - Eva Žiaková

The current time is fast, hasty, with strongly asserted women's emancipation, absorbed by information and communication technologies that overcome distances but create them at the same time. The lifestyle of humans is changing, many diseases are on the rise, and cancer is becoming a "trend of the present". Claims on man, and especially on women, are now too great. Women perform multiple roles and perform many tasks. They become caregiving mothers, understanding and surrendered wives, workers with professionalism and flexibility, and idols the myth of beauty too. Due to the overlapping of the traditional gender division of labor, the life of women takes place on several levels. Their work day does not end when they leave the job, but they continue to care for their household and their own family. Besides all, they strive to fulfill not only personal expectations, but also the expectations of the family, social environment and society, reject failure and strive for perfectionism.

In our lives, situations that affect and burden us more or less appear. Even though we can not in control everything and everyone, we are able to control situations that are of direct concern to us. In life, we encounter problems in employment, financial problems, illness or death of near. As well as negative, also positive situations affect us. Each responds to each situation different ways.

Monograph is one of the ways in which we aim to draw attention to the so "C-coping style" as a maladaptive way of managing the burden that is typical of oncological ill patients. It is one of the possible concepts that affect the manifestation of breast cancer. Based on this, we have focused on the used coping strategies and we consider the life events to be a significant burden in the lives of cancer patients. The research is aimed at synthesizing the life events and the coping strategies used to coping them, conceived as a risk behavior of patients with breast cancer. As the coping of the burden can be different between men and women, the monograph is intended predominantly for women, to which we have also focused in realized research. They can be patients with oncological diagnosis, but also women who want to prevent this disease by use effective coping life events. We also believe that the monograph will enrich everyone who is interested in the same target group.

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E-book

Jana Bajusová - Dušan Šlosár

The integration of immigrants into society is currently of interest to many professionals and to the general public. Immigration is a consequence of a variety of factors, mainly due to political, social, economic or security conditions in the countries of origin. Immigration is subsequently linked to the process of integrating immigrants into the host country. The integration of immigrants into society or integration, as this process is called in the monograph, is a complex phenomenon that extends to many spheres of everyday life for the citizens of the receiving country, and at the same time is often difficult for immigrants. Many governmental and non-governmental organizations are involved in the process of social integration of immigrants, who develop different strategies and mechanisms to streamline the outcome of this process.

In relation to immigrants, the Slovak Republic is bound to provide social and legal protection and therefore it is necessary to deal with the issue of social services, which could potentially significantly contribute to their social integration into Slovak society. From the legislative point of view, however, these services are unified and do not take into account the differences of immigrants resulting from their culture, religion, social, ethical or other characteristics. That is why the monograph focuses on social integration of immigrants in Slovakia in the context of provided social services.

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E-book

Michaela Ružičková - Patrik Furik - Lukáš Jakabovič (eds.)

The collection of articles from the XI. International Scientific Conference for Students and Young Scientists, organized by the Department of Political Science of the Faculty of Arts of the Pavol Jozef Šafárik University in Košice, in cooperation with the Res Publica Civic Association, the Department of Security Studies of the Faculty of Political Science and International Relations of the Matej Bel University in Banská Bystrica, Institute of Political Sciences and Administration, Faculty of Political Science and Journalism, Marie Curie-Sklodowska University in Lublin, Institute of Social Studies, Faculty of Regional Development and International Studies, Mendel University in Brno, and the Department of Political Science, Faculty of Arts, University of Miskolc, held on 20 May 2022 in Košice.

The aim of this publication, entitled Truth vs. Post-Truth. „It is not true, but it could be.”, is to highlight the threats arising from the issue of the spread of disinformation, conspiracies and hoaxes today, reflecting not only on the national context, but also on the impact of these elements in the international environment.

The proceedings consist of 12 articles written in Slovak and English. The individual contributions deal with selected topics and aspects of the spread of disinformation, conspiracy theories or hoaxes, among others in the context of elections, media landscape and politics.

The topics of the contributions are the limits of freedom of expression, media freedom and regulation in the media space, the issue of propaganda or information warfare. The present volume also includes papers focusing on issues in the field of political ideologies or the issue of false narratives about the COVID-19 disease.

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E-book

Henrich Hrehor - Martin Pekár (eds.)

(Košice, Kraków, Miskolc, Opava) : From the Middle Ages to the End of the 18th Century.

Proceedings of the International Scientific Conference, Košice, June 28–29, 2012

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E-journal

Juraj Schenk et al.

The scientific journal Sociálne a politické analýzy (Social and Political Analyses) serves as an interactive electronic platform for communication and the presentation (publication) of experts and their work in the fields of basic and applied research and analyses within sociological, psychological, political, and methodological contexts. It is a medium focused on intensively supporting research activities and analyses within an interdisciplinary framework, facilitating the exchange of experiences, fostering collaboration, and revitalizing the production of scientific work in this area.

The publication section of the journal offers space for works such as:

- Original sociological, psychological, and political studies and analyses in any areas of social life

- Methodological studies

- Research reports

- Studies from qualification theses Research and analysis projects

- Reviews

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Ľubov Vladyková (ed.)

In the present text, opinions on environmental literacy are integrated. The most important discoveries of the 21th century exist not in the realm of science, medicine, or technology, but rather in the dawning awareness of the earth's limits and how those limits will affect human evolution. Humanity has reached a crossroad where various ecological catastrophes meet what some call sustainable development. While a great deal of attention has been given to what governments, corporations, utilities, international agencies, and private citizens can do to help in the transition to sustainability, little thought has been given to what schools, colleges, and universities can do. As the health of our planet continues to deteriorate, it is vital to educate and raise ecoliterate citizens.

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E-book

Vladimír Leško - Zlatica Plašienková (eds.)

Philosophical Proceedings Kant in the Contexts of Husserl's and Heidegger's Philosophy is a presentation of the results of the Second International Philosophical Conference, which took place on November 5-7, 2008 at the UPJŠ in Košice.

The conference was prepared by the Department of Philosophy and History of Philosophy, Faculty of Philosophy, UPJŠ in very close cooperation with the Slovak Philosophical Association at the Slovak Academy of Sciences in Bratislava. The structure of the presented proceedings was divided into three basic parts. The first part contains the papers that were presented at the conference and constitute a crucial part of the content of our proceedings. The individual papers are arranged in the order in which they were presented at the conference. The second part of the proceedings contains the speeches from the inauguration ceremony of the award of the honorary title of Doctor honoris causa to Milan Sobotka and Teodor Münz. In the third part, a photo-documentation is published in which the ceremonial academic act of conferring the honorary degree of Doctor honoris causa is captured. Translated with DeepL.com (free version)

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E-book

Mikuláš Jančura - Maroš Melichárek (eds.)

The textbook is derived from the outcomes of the eleventh annual student scientific conference, which took place in December 2022.

The student scientific conference is an integral component of the curriculum within the Department of History at the Faculty of Arts, UPJŠ, and has been implemented since 2011. Its primary objective is to provide a platform for Bachelor's and Master's degree students to present segments of their original research as part of their thesis development.

The purpose of this textbook extends beyond the mere publication of these diverse thematic texts. It also strives to emphasize the significance of exceptional pedagogical initiatives and the added value of university education for students, manifested through the dissemination of their scholarly output.

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E-book

Gabriel Eštok - Renáta Bzdilová - Jakub Bardovič

Proceedings of the 4th Annual Scientific Conference of Students and Young Scholars, held on May 14 and 15, 2015, by the Department of Political Science, Faculty of Arts, Pavol Jozef Šafárik University in Košice, in cooperation with the civic association Res Publica, are part of the project VVGS-2014-214. Title: The Electoral Census in the 21st Century.

This proceedings volume is the result of the fourth conference of its kind, which provides a platform for the young scientific community to meet and discuss political issues of the Slovak Republic as well as the international political scene. Once again, it can be stated that the discussion was stimulating and of a high qualitative level. The selection of topics reflects the interests of the young scientific community.

The resulting publication discusses and analyzes a wide range of diverse problems and issues that the young scientific community in Central Europe addresses in connection with citizenship and civil society. Topics such as civil society; the relationship between citizen and state; the hypersocial networked society; the potential of civil society in reducing corruption in public administration under the conditions of the Slovak Republic; barriers to political participation-the electoral census and its historical context in Slovak conditions; dual citizenship; protection of human rights in a democratic society; motherhood; the position of women in Islam or the status of Jewish women; protection of victims of crime; women in revolutions or the role of women’s civic associations in the context of the Ukrainian crisis; Chinese interests in the Arctic or the issue of labor camps and human rights violations-all enrich this publication with perspectives and analyses from young people with strong scientific potential.

Our common goal is to stimulate interest in the study of a wide range of societal issues and to contribute our perspectives to attempts at solving the topics raised.

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E-book

Peter Getlík  (ed.)

Methodological Overlaps in Literary Research (15th – 16th April 2024 in Košice)

Proceedings of Extended Abstracts from the International Conference Allusions 2024: Methodological Overlaps in Literary Research (15th – 16th April 2024 in Košice) are being published in the final phase and last year of the APVV-19-0244 project, Methodological Procedures in Literary-Scholarship Research with an Impact on the Media Environment. The collection captures the mutual communication of several related disciplines. The authors of the abstracts present literary, translation, media, cultural, and other methodological approaches in their research on various topics, which are united by the theme of overlapping and connecting disciplines, methods, directions, or even the art works themselves, as hinted at by the playful term "allusions" in the conference title.

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E-book

Karin Sabolíková

The monograph provides a brief insight into the theory of news structures in the press and, consequently, the theoretical framework of critical discourse analysis is applied in an examination of the structures of news. Critical discourse analysis following the theory and methodology of Teun van Dijk is used to analyse the representation of an industrial dispute, the Miners’ Strike of 1984-1985 in the UK, in the Czechoslovak newspaper Pravda.

The aim of the monograph is to examine the ways in which a single news item dealing with an international event was presented in a national newspaper based on its ideological perspective. The presented analysis does not cover all possible aspects of van Dijk’s approach of critical discourse analysis. A variety of issues remains to be explored in order to develop a richer, more complex analysis of the text structures. The monograph also intends to demonstrate that critical discourse analysis can complement more qualitatively the traditional method of quantitative content analysis.

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E-book

Iveta Bónová - Lucia Jasinská

Language culture is not only for linguists; it is a professional publication suitable as a textbook, in which we attempt to describe and explain the most frequent phenomena of speech practice in an innovative way.

These phenomena are observed not only in the media environment but also in the academic sphere, which, with regard to the communication sphere (mass media communication, scientific research), are often used incorrectly and thus subconsciously penetrate the language awareness of all language users.

This includes those for whom language is a working tool with a primarily representative function (teachers at all levels of schools or radio and television workers).

Download the e-book for free (pdf)

E-book

Peter Getlík

The main goal of the monograph "Moving Towards Cognitive Adaptation Studies: Adaptation as Play" was to orient current research in adaptation studies towards the empirically responsible cognitive branch of non-radical constructivism.

This intention results from the rapid progressive differentiation of adaptation studies research, which has mainly manifested itself in this area in the last two decades. With the model of adaptation as play in a cognitive-scientific perspective, author provides the possibility of predicting the nature (also in a broader sense) of the experience of adaptation. Since the form of this experience significantly shapes the products of the adaptation process into their final form, the model of adaptation as play can be applied even in the interpretation of individual adaptations. In the monograph, the author synthesized the model of adaptation as play based on the knowledge of various disciplines. In the field of cognitive sciences, he saw help from the starting points of philosophy, linguistics, informatics, psychology, anthropology, biology and neuroscience – especially affective neuroscience, which also deals with the emotional dimension of the play.

In the intersection with the essential interdisciplinary components of adaptation research, he also used the knowledge of classical and cognitive variations of literary science, film science (also theatrology) and media studies to a large extent. Consistent with other similar results of cognitive sciences, it turns out that even seemingly serious adaptations, like in many aspects of our culture, have a ludic base.

Download the e-book for free  (pdf)

E-book

Mária Bačíková - Anna Janovská - Oľga Orosová

The textbook is primarily intended for students of teaching academic subjects, but it will enrich anyone who needs to familiarize themselves with research methodology focusing on psychological and educational sciences. In the textbook, students become acquainted with the basic principles of conducting research, the process of research implementation, and the basic methods of quantitative or qualitative approaches.

The examples used in the textbook are mostly focused on research conducted in a school environment. By acquiring the basic knowledge presented in the textbook, the reader will be able to conduct simple research in school conditions. At the same time, understanding the principles of research methodology helps with the critical evaluation of information from various sources.

The second, expanded edition has been extended by three chapters, focusing on conducting research directly during the teaching process in the form of teacher action research, on the possibilities of evaluating preventive programs, and the final chapter deals with the possibilities of publishing research.

Download the e-book for free  (pdf)

E-book

Štefan Jusko

The stimulus for this monograph was my two studies on Heidegger’s interpretation of Nietzsche’s ideas of the will to power and eternal return of the same, published in Heidegger and Modern Metaphysics (supported by the Slovak Research and Development Agency, APVV-14-0706, under the leadership of V. Leška and M. Sobotka). In the submitted monograph, I present both studies in expanded (particularly “Will to Power as Art”) and refined versions (“Eternal Return of the Same”) and add a third chapter addressing the question of the meaning of interpreting philosophical texts, which themselves are interpretations of other texts.

In seeking an appropriate approach to the meaning of interpretation, I conclude that—generally—the purpose of interpretation is to uncover the productive dimension of the interpreted text, which can only be revealed if the interpreter enters the text openly and as neutrally as possible. If the interpreter does not open themselves to the text, allowing it to interpret them in turn, interpretation remains trapped. I believe that without mutual openness between interpreter and interpreted, interpretation has no meaning and typically becomes either rejection or misinterpretation—a form of violence.

In the third chapter, which I consider foundational, I attempt to “balance” the interpretive context of “Heidegger–Nietzsche” from the first two chapters through a reversible context of “Nietzsche–Heidegger,” albeit with the risk that my interpretation of Nietzsche’s thought—specifically his ideas of eternal return and will to power—may remain subjective, even if unintended as misinterpretation. Ultimately, the ambition of the third chapter is to explore intersections between the two philosophers, one of which—a rudimentary yet significant overlap—I identify as Heidegger’s concept of being-in-the-world, reinterpreted through Nietzsche’s lens. It is Nietzsche who challenges us to adopt a self-defined stance toward the world, to confront what it means to be in the world.

The challenge for me—and perhaps the reader—is to remain faithful to oneself, which is only possible by persisting in the context of mutual interpretation between interpreter and interpreted, regardless of who/what is interpreting or being interpreted. For the context of being-in-the-world is always co-created by both sides.

Download the e-book for free  (pdf)

E-book

Renáta Orosová - Lucia Diheneščíková - Katarína Petríková - Lívia Nemcová

Proceedings of Abstracts from the International Scientific Conference: Education and Training 2018: The 21st Century Educator and Their Perspectives in Educational Practice

The international scientific conference focuses on issues related to education and training in primary, secondary, and higher education institutions from the perspective of educators.

It emphasizes the current state and future perspectives of 21st-century educators in educational practice, addressing pedagogical and sociological aspects of education within foundational educational institutions. Additionally, it explores contemporary aspects of pre-service teacher preparation.

The conference is aimed at researchers, young university lecturers, doctoral students, as well as professional and educational practitioners. Its goal is to present the educator—whether a teacher, social pedagogue, or special educator—in a modern perspective, highlighting their essential collaboration in the context of education. Furthermore, it seeks to stimulate discussions on pressing issues within the fields of education and training in light of the current situation in the education sector.

Download the e-book for free (pdf)