Elle Pearson, University of Warwick
I am very excited to present the first edition of Reinvention for 2023 – The Power of Perspective. As an assistant editor for the past two years, I have had the privilege of witnessing the growth and development of this journal first-hand, and I am honoured to now take on the role of editor. Reinvention has always been dedicated to showcasing interesting and interdisciplinary research, and I am committed to continuing this tradition by seeking out new and diverse perspectives as well as showcasing the remarkable capabilities of our undergraduate authors. This year, we look forward to pursuing new avenues of outreach to engage an ever-more diverse author and audience base. We are also working on increasing avenues to encourage engagement and share learning in research through our ‘Writing for Publication’ workshops. We will continue working with our talented team of student contributors and reviewers to publish high-quality articles that spark important conversations.
One of the many challenges when putting together a new issue is to create a titular theme that can encapsulate all the pieces together. This is normally a collaborative process within the Editorial team, although an unexpected contributor may become more commonplace within the workplace in the near future. So far, 2023 has brought with it many exciting new research advancements and perhaps controversial obstacles to the world of academia. Notably, artificial intelligence (AI) tools have recently taken centre stage in their ability to competently summarise information at the touch of a button. Therefore, in our technologically advancing landscape, I thought it appropriate to ask this new technology for a suggested theme for our issue: the title of this issue, ‘The Power of Perspective’, is in fact a ChatGPT suggestion! ChatGPT is an advanced language AI model that can generate human-like responses quickly and efficiently.
As we look to the future of academic writing, technology will evidently play an increasingly important role. AI tools can help us to summarise information already uncovered, but they cannot replace the human experience, novelty and natural curiosity that is essential to advancing meaningful research. The power of a human perspective remains a vital contribution. As we integrate these tools into our work, we must remain vigilant to the ways in which they shape our thinking and analysis but also embrace how these new tools can enhance our development and learning.
Reinvention issue 16 volume 1 delves into a range of topics that highlight the complexities of social structures and their impact on human experience. From machine-generated fake news to individual childhood experiences impacting mental health, the articles presented here demonstrate the breadth of interdisciplinary research being conducted today by our outstanding undergraduate authors.
Firstly, we have ‘Beyond the Nuclear Ideal: A Qualitative Analysis of Forum Posts by Single Mothers by Choice’. Martha Dean-Tozer’s thoughtful research explores a woman’s choice to start what has been considered a non-traditional family and the support received by online forums. This research is ever more important in a world where we have outgrown a one-size-fits-all view of families and where digitised and accessible support becomes the first port of call for so many.
‘You Had Better Check the Facts: Reader Agency in the Identification of Machine-Generated Medical Fake News’ by Barbora Dankova explores our ability to distinguish machine-generated medical fake news. Post-pandemic, public health information and education are at the centre of conversation. Within a rapidly developing artificial intelligence field, this paper is particularly relevant. Dankova conducts original research to assess how a person’s level of English language impacts on an individual’s ability to ascertain machine-generated fake news against already-existing headlines in the medical field.
Our third paper explores understanding the UK Government’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic in the first few months of the outbreak. In her paper 'The Conflict Between Public Health And Civil Liberties: The Initial UK Government Policy Response to the Covid-19 Pandemic', Minaa Mujib tackles the difficult consolidation many of the public faced between freedom and isolation in the interest of public health during the pandemic through the lens of government policy. This interesting paper encapsulates the theme of the issue by exploring how individual values can be collective within a community and how this influences wider decision making.
‘How is Sociological Knowledge Possible? Influences of Kantian Epistemology in Max Weber’s ‘Verstehende Soziologie’ and the Problem of Objectivity’ by Ümit Ege Atakan explores the problem of objectivity within sociological research as discussed in Max Weber’s ‘Verstehende Soziologie’ with consideration of the influences of Kantian epistemology. This exploration of how knowledge becomes possible breaks down a complicated philosophical narrative and discusses the conflicts between the two ideologies.
Carissa Samuel and colleagues’ paper considers ‘The Impact of Adverse Childhood Experiences on Mental Health Statuses of Students Across Various Ethnic Identities’. This original research attempts to dissect the triangular relationship between adverse experiences in youth, ethnic identity and mental health outcomes. Such research may help guide interventions in the future to ensure it best serves our diverse population.
‘An Appraisal of the Work of Gustave Le Bon Within the Case Studies of Fascist Spain (1936–1975) and Nazi Germany (1933–1945)’ is our penultimate piece in this issue. Benjamin Galbraith explores the work of the French sociologist in the context of historical propaganda campaigns in Spain and Nazi Germany. Furthermore, this piece questions whether we can quantify propagandistic success. Galbraith’s piece is a fascinating read (one of our fastest accepts at editorial review) and provides a balanced criticism of le Bon’s work and application within this case study.
Our final piece this issue, ‘Radical Landscapes at the Mead Gallery Addresses the Topic on Everyone’s Lips’, is an exhibition review conducted by Kate Laister Smith carefully exploring Radical Landscapes, which was shown at Warwick Arts Centre Mead Gallery Coventry UK in early 2023. Kate takes us through a tour of different artistic interpretations of rural landscapes and connections between land, ownership and our own bodies.
Reinvention has grown in many ways this year, and we look forward to moving forward with new students to showcase their capabilities. Special thanks go to our assistant editor Yit Wong for his work developing ‘Writing For Publication’ workshops to engage students and assist them with preparing their work for dissemination. I would also like to thank our marketing coordinator, Ines Robledo, for her continued hard work managing our online presence and for creating new and thoughtful pieces such as our interviews published on our blog.
Finally, I would like to acknowledge all our incredible team who work hard to process all the submissions to our journal: Ines, Yit, Molly, Naomi and Osamu – thank you.
To cite this paper please use the following details: Pearson, E. (2023), 'The Power of Perspective: Analysing the Human Experience Within Macro and
Micro Social Structures', Reinvention: an International Journal of Undergraduate Research, Volume 16, Issue 1, https://reinventionjournal.org/article/view/1353. Date accessed [insert date].
If you cite this article or use it in any teaching or other related activities please let us know by e-mailing us at Reinventionjournal@warwick.ac.uk.