JAMMO ISSN 2146-3328

JAMMO Editorial Chief, Prof. Dr. Paul Silva Interviews Prof. Dr. Ilona Buchem Professor of Communication and Media Studies, Head of the Communication Laboratory, Department of Economics and Social Sciences, Berlin University of Technology

This essay explores the complex literary analysis of Zoë Wicomb's widely read book "You Can't Get Lost in Cape Town,” paying particular attention to how the story undermines authority and gender norms. Employing a qualitative approach founded in literary criticism, the study dives into the intricate layers of Wicomb's work, giving light on the character dynamics, socio-political circumstances, and power structures woven into the fabric of the tale.

Much has been made about the Abrahamic Faiths monotheism, yet Christianity’s concept of G-d is almost alien to that of Islam, and although Judaism shares the belief that God has no son as does Islam, nonetheless it has a unique perception about who the messiah is and what constitutes the messianic lineages and message quite differently from the dominant positions of orthodox Christianity or Islam.

To explore the eschatology of the Abrahamic faiths in respect of end times, these series of interviews will endeavour to establish core paradigms relating to the Divine and G-dhood, Mankind as created being, Heavens as After-life Worlds and Before-Earthly Life Worlds, Hell as a real domain or as a state of existence, Salvation and Redemption from what into what? Judgement, and the End-time.

Prof. Dr. Paul Ade Silva & PTR LM Dumizulu discuss polytheism or henotheism as the basis of all religious ideologies from the Kemetic-Afrikan civilisation till today.

Kadri Özayten counts among the early representative of a contemporary art practice that goes beyond traditional understanding of painting and sculpture. At the same time, he became an important figure at the university through his intellectual and conceptional approaches to art. Also, his combination of social-political criticism with minimal and conceptual approaches gave him an outstanding position in the art scene of the 1990s in Turkey. As person, artist and teacher, he was beloved and highly respected.

The title FIGURATIO of Agnieszka Cieslinska’s 2014 exhibition at the Galeri Işık of the Işık University, Istanbul curated by Prof. Dr. Hasip PEKTAŞ, seems the most appropriate to describe her work as it crystallises her focus on the human figure and its transformations. Undoubtedly, the exhibition was the result of a consistent involvement; not only in the figurative art, but also in the thoughtful observation of the human figure and its metamorphosis. It is informed by Cieslinska’s belief that the human diversity, characteristics and features are fascinating basis for observation and for wandering in the areas of illusory memory full of evocations and references; where the boundaries between illusion and reality get blurred.

Büyük veri (big data), yirmi birinci yüzyılın en önemli fenomenlerinden biridir. Büyük verinin ortaya çıkışı, eğitimden siyasete, sağlıktan pazarlamaya kadar yaşamın her alanını dönüştürmektedir. Endüstri 4.0 devrimi ile birlikte verinin hızı, çeşitliliği ve hacmi de giderek artmaktadır. “İnsan merkezli” bir dünyadan “veri merkezli” bir dünyaya geçiş, devasa boyutlardaki verinin nasıl yönetileceği sorununu gündeme getirmekte ve işletmelerin karar alma süreçlerini etkilemektedir. Büyük veriyi doğru yöntemlerle analiz eden markalar bulundukları sektörde lider konumuna yükselmektedir. Netflix, bunun en çarpıcı örneklerinden biridir. 1997 yılında bir DVD pazarlama şirketi olarak ticari hayatına başlayan Netflix, 2007 yılından itibaren müşterilerinin film izleme deneyimini internet ortamına taşımıştır. Netflix, büyük veriyi verimli bir biçimde kullanarak kısa bir sürede dünyanın sayılı görsel içerik dağıtıcısı ve film yapımcılarından biri hâline gelmiştir. DVD kiralama ve satış pazarının devi Blockbuster’ı piyasadan silmiş; HBO ve Disney’in en güçlü rakibi olmuştur. İzleyicilerin yalnızca kimlik bilgilerini değil, duygu ve deneyimlerini de veriye dönüştüren Netflix, nicelleştirme önyargısını aşarak etkili tavsiye algoritmaları geliştirmektedir. Bu sayede üyelerine cazip gelecek film önerileri sunarak müşteri memnuniyetini en üst düzeye taşımaktadır. Netflix, dijitalleşmeyle uyumlu iş modeli, programatik pazarlama stratejisi ve yarattığı kişiselleştirilmiş içerikle izleyicinin nabzını tutmaktadır. Bu çalışmanın amacı, Netflix örnek olayı aracılığıyla büyük veriyi ancak içgörüyle analiz edebilen şirketlerin ayakta kalabileceğini göstermektir.

The second part of the “Islam and Life - Islamic Art Inspiring Western Art, Artists” an interview between two Islamic scholars published as audio visuals by the Press TV, warrants transcription here and re-focussing with respect to the continuing debate on the relationship between Islam’s monotheistic credence and its pluralistic settings because the interview’s position on the particularities of the Western Muslims makes the distinctive point that Islam is not an Eastern or “Middle Eastern” religion, but a universal one that absorbs the characteristics of whichever locale its adherents flourish in.

As a counter-weight to the overt demonization of Islam by the Western media hegemony’s futile attempt at redefining and subsuming the Islamic way of life negatively within the narrative of terror, radicalisation and a global cultural clash of civilisations; the interview presents a positive appraisal of the contributions Islam is making to Western culture and civilisation. Professor Ramadan of the Oxford University and Professor Bleher do not indulge the Western corporate media extremist reportage in which Islam is presented in tandem with every major conflict the West is involved with, in any way whatsoever. (https://www.google.com.tr/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-8#q=Islam+in+major+news+outlets+2014+-+2015) Rather, the interview engages serious and uncomfortable issues such as the multiple and sometimes fragmented identities of Muslims in the West and the role of Islam in the lives of Muslims and non-Muslims.

I have insisted on providing further bibliographies for both the interviewer and the interviewee to avail readers the opportunity to evaluate the depth of the discussion and discussants beyond the confines of the broadcast interview and this edited transcript.

I am in gratitude to both scholars and to the Press TV for undertaking the Islam and Life series to promote Peace and Understanding and for making the interview available for public use.

Islamic Art is both a sacred and mundane art form and brings to the fore the redressing of the balance of identity for Western Muslims in which their faith, duties and worship serve as vehicles of elevation to understanding that God is beauty. The paper refreshes promoting our commonality and uniqueness. It strikes the right tone in its balanced approach challenging and undermining “the negative associations with Islam prevalent in the [corporate] media”.