The incredible fantastic adventures of Mia: Diary of a teenager, keen observer and skillful writer

In the last 20 years in Italy, thanks to the continued effort of qualified authors, children’s literature has radically renewed, becoming an interesting workshop where different techniques and styles are tried out, and where important issues, sometimes even awkward ones, are confronted in an adequate way. In this panorama we find the bestseller of Paola Zannoner, Voglio fare la scrittrice, which was published in 2007. Its protagonist, Mia, is an average teenager who belongs to an average Italian family. This apparent normality is the strength of this character: girls can identify with her. Amusing and interesting, the text is an observation instrument of the modern Italian family: teenagers who criticise adults, family not fitting into traditional stereotypes, and parents who remain eternal children. The text contains pros even on an educational level by means of interesting metalinguistic reflections: practical tips for writing a good narrative text provided directly by a young girl whose dream is to become a famous writer. This strategy is functional: it connects young female readers with the typical constructs and technical terms of writing workshops, intending to begin to develop in readers a focused textual competence.

The main objective of my dissertation is to introduce the assumptions of the Jungian depth psychology to the bibliotherapeutic process. Bibliotherapy as an interdisciplinary method using psychology and literary studies enriched with the theory of integral psychology formulates a new theoretical perspective and constitutes a proposal of a holistic view of bibliotherapy. The extension of the theoretical basis of bibliotherapy will help to augment the therapeutic effect, activate unawareness (the sphere neglected in school education), and strengthen psyche. Integral bibliotherapy will create conditions to expand the dialogue between the rational side and unaware one, and it will contribute to a positive stimulation of the integration processes. Providing archetypal patterns reflecting the rules of life in culture, and drawing attention to the regulatory role of literary works, will enrich both the intellectual and spiritual side of the development of the participant of the bibliotherapeutic process. Archetypal content present in literary texts studied by the participant according to the bibliotherapeutic procedure will achieve an integral orientation focused on the humanistic dimension of existence.

The family is the environment that leaves its mark and imprint the most in the structure of the human identity. This is because of both the broadly reaching and permanent character of impacts. Every family creates and regulates its particular familial identity. It can be seen as a kind of azimuth of feeling of being a member of an important, specific family community, despite the changes that are taking place in and around us. The text presents the results of research conducted in the group of academic youth regarding the level of the sense of satisfaction with the functioning of their family of origin and an attempt to capture the determinants of them. There are significant differences in the range of predictors building models for the whole group, compared to models built separately for the group of males and females. This indicates a high level of diversity in the perception of the family of origin system among the surveyed students. Analyses of the presented models show the image of academic youth who, in their life orientations, highly values the family as the basic reference point in the construction of their own identity. There is a visible focus on the community nature of its functioning, the quality of the relations of individual members of the system and the possibility of participating in the rules and rules developed in the family. The family identity that develops with said rules is a kind of negotiated creation of the family traditions recognized by them, with simultaneous outlined tendencies of deconstruction of the existing model ways of capturing the family structure, in favor of seeking a different view, which is a kind of adaptation of the system to dynamically changing socio-cultural conditions.

Rodzina jest środowiskiem, które w największym stopniu pozostawia swój ślad i piętno w strukturze tożsamości człowieka. Wynika to zarówno z szerokiego w swoich ramach, jak i permanentnego charakteru oddziaływań. Każda rodzina wytwarza i reguluje swoistą rodzinną tożsamość. W tekście przedstawione zostały wyniki badań prowadzonych w grupie młodzieży akademickiej dotyczących poziomu poczucia satysfakcji z funkcjonowania ich rodziny pochodzenia oraz próba uchwycenia czynników je warunkujących. Analizy prezentowanych modeli ukazują obraz młodzieży akademickiej, która w swoich orientacjach życiowych bardzo ceni rodzinę, jako podstawowy punkt odniesienia w konstrukcie ich własnej tożsamości. Widoczne jest duże zorientowanie na wspólnotowy charakter jej funkcjonowania, jakość relacji poszczególnych członków systemu oraz możliwość własnego partycypowania w zasadach i regułach wypracowywanych w rodzinie. Kształtująca się w nich tożsamość rodzinna jest pewnego rodzaju negocjowanym tworem uznanych przez nich tradycji rodzinnych, z jednoczesnymi zarysowanymi tendencjami dekonstrukcji dotychczasowych modelowych sposobów ujmowania struktury rodzinnej, na rzecz poszukiwania innego spojrzenia, które jest rodzajem adaptacji systemu do dynamicznie zmieniających się warunków społeczno-kulturowych.

Who am I? Meanders of national identity on the example of the fate of an ethnic Pole Ivan Iosifovich Osinskiy on the example of the fate of an ethnic Pole Ivan Iosifovich Osinsk

Who am I? Meanders of National Identity on the Example of the Fate of an Ethnic Pole Ivan Iosifovich Osinsky. The article presents the profile of an ethnic Pole Ivan Iosifovich Osinskiy, professor at Buryatia State University. It presents the process of formation of his national identity, the influence of individual elements (family, local community, professional environment, among others) on its formation. Emphasising Osinski’s sense of national identification is based on the model of the triad of identity: inherited, acquired, presented.

There is currently a digital revolution ongoing across the globe that cannot be missed. It appears that it is bringing the newest solutions and answers to all latest requirements and expectations that seemed to be out of the reach for many decades. However, it is not only technology that is needed these days, but also societies are seeking credible tools and acceptable option implemented in order to provide an individual a state approved identity with access to legitimate services. Although each of us is subjected to rights and duties based on identity given from the very beginning of our lives, some may not have a chance to present a proof of this identity due to geographic, cultural or social issues. Various organizations both commercial and international, including state ones and NGOs, are concerned of a significant high rate of loss of opportunities by some due to lack of basic identification document, whether it is an old fashioned one or a digital ID. This paper brings some current activities and events for discussion in regards to response to deficiency in terms of equipping citizens of African countries with the latest type of identification document, which contains of access to multiple services. Moreover, while reading the study, it may be noticed the level of devotion and engagement by actors, which includes seeking and employing the best know-how practice and digital biometric traits. Thanks to such approach, some African countries may be already ahead of so-called “western developed economies”. However, digital biometrization of individuals could be a response to modern challenges on one side, and to crisis management and natural disasters on the other. The paper briefly describes the problem of identification with use of digital biometric features in Africa, and it rather invites others to carry out an independent research, as well encourage to discussion on advantages and disadvantages for using biometrics in the process of identification.

Identification and sense of pride among young Americans of Polish and Tibetan origins

Ethnic diversity in the United States is a dynamic phenomenon that affects all aspects of the country’s social, economic and cultural life. This is one of the characteristics that defines American identity and makes the United States one of the most diverse countries in the world. The article focuses on the identity of young Americans of Polish and Tibetan origins living in the Tri-State Area (Connecticut, New Jersey and New York). Students attending Polish and Tibetan Saturday Schools were selected for the study. These are two distinct ethnic groups, but it is assumed that maintaining the cultural heritage of their ancestors is what characterizes both of them. The research results confirm this thesis and indicate that the sense of identity is a natural need of a young person, expressed in a dual cultural pattern and a developmental task that should be undertaken. In both studies, a strong sense of pride in ethnic origin emerged, although it was articulated in different ways by young people. Students from both groups presented high cultural competences in their country of origin and country of residence.

The study aimed to investigate the attitudes of preschool teachers towards gifted children. A sample of 70 Slovenian preschool teachers was included in the study. The data was collected using a quantitative data collection technique and a questionnaire as a measurement tool. The results showed that preschool teachers believe gifted children’s characteristics are most easily recognised in the preschool years, especially in the second age group (3-6 years). Most respondents (82.9%) believe it is easier to recognise giftedness in children in the general intellectual domain. Most preschool teachers consider pedagogical differentiation and individualisation important when working with gifted preschool children. More than half of the respondents (57.1%) answered that they do not use tools for discovering gifted children, and the majority of them believe that they do not know the early signs of giftedness. In conclusion, gifted children should be identified in early childhood so that their development and potential can be adequately nurtured.