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The Old Testament is the history of Israelite people expressed through their prophets. The original charismatic figures, prophets were chosen, rather than born – whether they wanted to or not. Prophets did not have an easy ministry. Their communities were reluctant to abandon hedonistic or sacrilegious lives while incorrect predictions of the future could lead to death. The Babylonian exile was a turning point in the history of the Jewish people. An elite group were forced to leave Jerusalem and make a new life in a distant location and foreign culture. Ezekiel, as one of the exiles and a descendant of a priestly family, is the only prophet to have operated outside the Holy Land. His famous chariot vision turned him to prophesy and the need to convince his flock to return to godly practices. The moral failings of the Israelites, he said, would lead to the destruction of the Temple.

The article discusses the lack of political accountability and cultural repression in the aftermath of the September 11 attacks. The author highlights events such as the invasion of Iraq and Afghanistan, the rise of the Taliban, and the formation of ISIS, which have caused irreparable damage to the affected regions. The author argues that it is necessary to be critical of the homogenization of an entire religion or region, and to acknowledge the diversity of experiences and identities within Muslim countries. The article emphasises the need to understand Muslim women's and men's writings in their own words, about their religious and political beliefs, practices, and perspectives. The author calls for dismantling outdated Orientalist myths and avoiding painting an overly romantic picture of the East.

In 2023, Josha brings a diverse range of publications. Jörg Friedrich explores death and the value of life through Hannah Arendt's quote, while Pernille Bülow proposes group-based activities as a better solution to depression than traditional treatments. Other contributions include Robert M. Kaplan's piece on the "mother of psychosomatic medicine," Sonia López Rendón's examination of privacy violations in social network inquiries, Usman Al-amin's study of tribal signs as cultural identification, and Soham Mukherjee's advocacy for wildlife conservation, including ways to avoid and deal with snakebites and the importance of the Gomti Lake in Gujarat for protecting an endangered freshwater turtle species.

Tribal marks are also known as facial scarification was a long cultural heritage that has been in practice in various ethnic groups in Nigeria. The Kanuri of Borno is not an exception to this traditional practice. These unique marks cannot only be seen in the face alone rather they can be seen in another part of the body including the belly. The cultural practice of facial marks has been performed among the Kanuri of Borno for several reasons which include fashion, identification of culture, security, beauty, and inordinate self-esteem. Apart from these, it is also very similar to today’s International Passport for the Kanuri wherever they found themselves Abubakar (2017). The process of marking face starts from the early stage in life especially during the infant stage and when the child grows discovers the cultural symbol on his face that represents its history, tribe, and origin. The facial scars vary from one ethnic group to another.

Modern zoos and animal sanctuaries play a vital role in wildlife conservation, research, and education. In addition to promoting ethical treatment of animals, these facilities also provide a unique opportunity for children to learn about social awareness, environmental guardianship, recognizing interdependence, social emotional learning, and developing empathy. Through experiential learning and hands-on experiences, children can gain a greater understanding of the natural world and the importance of compassion and respect for all living beings. By supporting these facilities and encouraging them to continue their good work, we can help to protect and care for animals, and promote a greater understanding and appreciation of the natural world.

In the Western culture, mental illness is often addressed with antidepressants and therapy sessions. While this strategy may provide relief for some, many do not improve and the effects are not sustained. What’s missing for these people? For decades, researchers have found significant improvement in mental wellbeing when people engage in community activities, such as dancing and volunteering. Yet, community strategies are most often neglected in the Western healthcare system. In this article I address the research on the effects of community activities on mental health, and demonstrate its potential as a treatment strategy for mental illness. I end the article with four evidence-based strategies for using community building as a frontline-therapeutic approach. This article was first published in Subkiton July 08, 2022 (https://www.subkit.com/pernillebuelow/posts/a-cry-for-community-166c64b4-8d08-4e9f-bdca-986eb0d6fff6).

Dear josha-journal readers, We have had a strange year 2022 with all its ups and downs. In the public perception, unfortunately, the negative aspects predominate: War in Ukraine and other regions of the world, climate change, poverty and inflation. Hopefully, we as a scientific community can do something to fight against the negative things and contribute something for the improvement of our world. On a small scale, through a diverse and global community, but perhaps also on a large scale with scientific research for the benefit of humanity. The josha-journal would like to contribute to both. And here we are with the highs of the year that is now coming to an end. Once again, we were able to provide our readers with a large number of articles from various fields and different regions of the world. And also in 2022 we supported young scientists with Demetrios Prizes in the categories Bachelor, Master and PhD. This is something to build on for the new year 2023.

Helen Flanders Dunbar, the mother of psychosomatic medicine, was an outstanding pioneer whose life was to end tragically. A brilliant academic career led her to becoming an authority on Danté, a leading psychosomaticist who studied the healing shrines and one of the first to promote the work of clerics in hospitals. She did several large studies that put psychosomatic medicine on the map. With Franz Alexander she was regarded as the leading authority in the field, becoming the first editor of the journal Psychosomatic Medicine. Inspired by her Danté studies, Dunbar believed in combining art and science, manifested in a holistic attitude. She differed from Alexander’s organ specificity model, instead using the term personality constellation. Not a traditional Freudian, she was more interested in the symbolism of Jungian and Reichian typologies. Her studies also led to the finding of accident proneness which, tragically, could apply to her own life.

Over ten weeks in Whitechapel in the Autumn 1888, five women (the ‘Canonical Five’) were brutally murdered by a mutilating serial killer. The murders represented a new form of killing. Jack the Ripper, the accepted metaphor for the killer, has become a cultural meme, with a new candidate surfacing every decade or so, without any solution as yet. A review of the killings is provided, followed by new forensic techniques that can be used to investigate the crimes. As it is accepted that new evidence will not arise after all this time, historians recommend a psychological approach as the only option to discover the killer. A promising approach, overcoming the limitations of profiling, is the spatial hypothesis developed by David Canter. This shows the likely base of the killer and posits that Aaron Kosminski, who died in an asylum, was the killer.

The place and status of ‘Ulamā as a major factor in the history of Borno are beyond all question. It is impossible to discuss much of Borno’s history, both past and contemporary, without paying attention to how ‘Ulamā have contributed to the intellectual, political, social, and economic development of the polity. First, they contributed greatly to the Islamisation of various places and peoples within and outside the polity. Second, the ‘Ulamā promoted literacy and scholarship. Third, some of the ‘Ulamā had succeeded in rescuing and building states and encouraged learning. The‘Ulamā’s blessing and prayer are also solicited in several individual rites of passage; and they are normally asked to preside over rituals related to naming ceremonies of newborns, marriage, and death. Yet, no research has been made on the status, position, and roles of the ‘Ulamā in Borno as well as their relationship with the state. This study, therefore, is designed to fill in this existing gap.