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CrossBridge International Journal of Multidisciplinary and Progressive Research, Art, and Commentaries

Editor-in-Chief Robert S. E. Caine, Ph.D.

ISBN 978-0-9939938-7-9 The views and opinions expressed herein are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the positions of the publisher.

© 2017 Papers are licensed by WaterHill Publishing. Copyrights of individual papers are retained by authors. The papers in this edited volume may not be reproduced in any form or by any means without the prior written permission of the authors. Cover image: Turmoil © Louis Massey Entire book design and images with no credit: © 2017 WaterHill Publishing

Table of Contents Message from the Editor-in-Chief ............................................................... 1 Kayfabe Politics: Donald Trump’s Wrestling Roots ................................... 4 Andrew Zolides Implications of Journalism’s Tall Tales on a Telling Public ....................... 8 Joshua D. Nathan Poetry: The Muse Object Project ............................................................... 20 Kofi Forson Dependency in the Age of American Fascism .......................................... 24 Jarret Ruminski Celebrating Life with Grief – The Talent of Deep Living......................... 33 Samita Nandy Time Zone ................................................................................................. 36 Saul Courrier Between Light and Darkness ..................................................................... 42 Louis Massey The Magic Strings of Frankie Presto ......................................................... 48 Christine Bode Submission Instructions ............................................................................. 52

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Message from the Editor-in-Chief

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e are living in uncertain times. Social, political and economic turmoil persists around the globe. The issues we are facing intertwine a broad spectrum of critical concerns pertaining to sustainability of cultures, of the environment, of people's lives, in everchanging circumstances. Media carry the responsibility of accurately reporting facts so that citizens can make the right choices, but they are often found in blatant failure in that role. Moreover, to face the many challenges facing Humanity, we lack adequate leadership. Indeed, numerous leaders around the world comprise a cast of, at best, opportunists, and at worse, oppressors, under whom countless lives are at the mercy of unsound and irrational policies and governance. Simultaneously, messages of hope for a better future persevere as we envision the best possible outcomes for how we would prefer to evolve in our lifetime and conceive a promising future for generations yet to come. We are living in challenging and often frightening times; more than ever, it is critical that we devise remedies that will bring sanity to this planet through peaceful negotiation, ongoing discussion and debate, and perhaps most important, the need to listen to the voices around the world that cry out for empathy and compassion. As always, CrossBridge endeavors to engage its readers through discussion and assessment of matters that affect all of us. In this issue, we specifically delve into 1

CrossBridge is a multidisciplinary and thought provoking cross-over between peer-reviewed academic journal, public affairs magazine, and visual art/literary review. The name CrossBridge conjures the connecting of ideas, subject areas, and philosophies, bringing together schools of thought not usually viewed as having a relevant association or interconnected discourse. The journal’s vision departs the usual solely academic focus also to include practice-based research that enables social progress, opinions and commentaries, and arts. We aim at embracing marginalized and often neglected members, ideas, and needs of and for the whole Earth community.

Submission instructions can be found on the journal’s web page (http://waterhillpublishing.com/periodical.html) and at the end of this issue.

Editor-in-Chief: Robert S. E. Caine, Ph.D. Editorial Board Members: Nalini Mohabir, Ph.D. Celia Lam, PhD Jackie Raphael, PhD Jarret Ruminski, Ph.D. Hilary Wheaton, Ph.D. Sales & Advertizing Department [email protected]

CrossBridge April 2017

significant unfolding events and repercussions created by both those in power and the media that influence our lives in profound ways. First, we look at the latest U.S. Presidential election in Andrew Zolides' article, "Kayfabe Politics: Donald Trump's Wrestling Roots," which puts forth the notion that Donald Trump's campaign was a well-crafted performance and clever sales pitch to the American people. Trump's supporters allegedly bought into promises of "making America great again" through the assurances of bringing American jobs back home to be filled by American workers, protecting the American people from terrorists, deterring unwanted illegal infiltrators from the southern border, and as Trump puts it, draining the swamp of government corruption in Washington. Zolides suggests that voters projected their need to believe these promises during a time of economic upheaval, job loss, and fear of terrorism reaching American soil. Reservation and suspicion over the legitimacy of Trump's campaign promises hover among Americans as well as throughout the global community—specifically, were these promises a mere ploy to gain access to the highest seat in the land, or were/are there ulterior motives behind the billionaire's winning American voters' trust? Following, Jarret Ruminski's commentary "Dependency in the Age of American Fascism", strengthens the argument of corruption of politics in Washington, providing a tenacious critique of Trump's motivations for securing the Presidency by exploring and denouncing several Cabinet picks that include self-serving billionaires, most of whom are not qualified for their appointments, either due to lack of experience or deficiency of genuine integrity necessary for “we need to listen to the honestly serving the people. and a fervent quesvoices around the world Mistrust tioning of truthfulness surfaces that cry out for empathy as we witness wealthy billionaires abiding by their unwaverand compassion.” ing interests of increasing their own prosperity while accepting positions under a President who promised to work for the people and to oust corruption of lobbyists, and who pledged to ensure that he would represent all citizens—even some Republican supporters of the current administration are now suspicious of the real motivations of their newly elected leader, and many are experiencing a sort of cognitive dissonance over their decision in the voting booth. Ruminski lays out a sober commentary of the political and social relevance possibly resulting in a very real burgeoning of American Fascism. Additionally, the integrity and honesty of media are explored in Joshua Nathan's research paper, "Implications of Journalism's Tall Tales on a Telling 2

CrossBridge April 2017

Public." What can or should we expect from professional journalists and from the arena of journalism? Nathan delves into the importance or perceived importance of honesty pertaining to journalists/reporters; specifically, an inquiry as to whether the news audience places greater emphasis on the delivery of honest and accurate news reporting or whether the personality (persona) and the ability of the celebrity reporter to connect with her/his viewers is of greater influence with regards to how much the viewer trusts televised news. We seem to be living in a time where it is difficult, if not close to impossible, to find true integrity in our politicians and throughout the crossroads of media in terms of accurate and trustworthy reporting: whether television, radio, newspapers, or even more suspicious, the reports we read on the internet on so-called legitimate news sites as well as blogs that overload the information highway. To lighten things up a bit, we include three charming poems by Kofi Forson and an intriguing, fast-paced short story by Saul Courrier. Yet, in keeping with CrossBridge’s aims of being thought-provoking, welcoming speculative ideas, and providing a space that allows “collision of creativity,” these authors’ work were selected for their appropriately critical social and psychological messages. Forson addresses gender and sexual politics, and the extremes of innocence and maturity, while Courrier explores life, death, and time. To counterbalance the socio-political commotion discussed in the commentaries and research paper, this issue’s secondary theme is more personal but just as serious: life and death. Hence, to continue on this topic started with Courrier’s short-story, the reader will undoubtedly be inspired by Samita Nandy’s touching reflection “Celebrating Life with Grief – The Talent of Deep Living” and by Christine Bode’s moving review of the book The Magic Strings of Frankie Presto. And, as usual, we feature a visual artist’s work alongside biographical commentaries gleaned during an interview with CrossBridge’s staff. You will observe that Louis Massey’s colorful work and life experience appropriately connect all the dots of turmoil, life, and death. Above all, these artistic contributions on the topic of life and death carry messages of hope, determination, and resilience. I think you will find the variety of work by our contributors engaging politically, socially, philosophically, psychologically, and spiritually. Robert S. E. Caine, Ph.D. Editor-in-Chief, CrossBridge

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Commentary

Kayfabe Politics: Donald Trump’s Wrestling Roots Andrew Zolides, University of Wisconsin-Madison, USA

A great deal about how U.S. President Donald Trump presents himself and how to best understand him as a political entity can be gleaned from his time in the world of professional wrestling. Similarly to professional wrestlers, the Trump persona relies on a knowing audience that takes him as ‘reality’ even when that very audience knows that he is performing. This is not merely suspension of disbelief; this is a willing participation in a semi-fiction, a world where facts and opinions merge, and narrative becomes more powerful than reason. The best way to address such a situation is increased media literacy, but this media literacy must go beyond just identifying what is true and what is false. We must understand the process through which people utilize media to create images of themselves and shape the perception of the world around them.

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onald Trump touted many accolades during his campaign to become President of the United States, mostly focusing on his supposed business successes in real estate, beauty pageants, licensing, and his tenure on NBC’s The Apprentice. One thing he did not mention was his 2013 induction into the World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) Hall of Fame, Celebrity Wing. This may seem like a silly fact of Trump’s past exploits, but I posit a great deal about how Trump presents himself and how to best understand him as a political entity can be gleaned from his time in the bizarre world of professional wrestling. It is not a coincidence that critiques of ‘fake news’ and ‘alternative facts’ can be tied to a man that once took part in the staged spectacle of WWE. My goal in this essay is to help inform some discussions of Trump through the lens of professional wrestling, particularly how the creation and maintenance of a semi-fictional persona like Trump’s can be seen as drawing on the storytelling conventions we see in professional wrestling. I do not use this framework facetiously – in fact, I feel it is of utmost importance

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Research Paper

Implications of Journalism’s Tall Tales on a Telling Public Joshua D. Nathan, Colorado State University Fort Collins, USA

NBC’s former star Managing Editor and Anchor Brian Williams returned after six month’s suspension following attacks on his credibility in early 2015. Like dominoes, a host of tall tales told to the American public in his broadcasts seemingly fell one-by-one starting from when he worked as a reporter covering the war in Iraq. The damage to his profession is done. However, Williams’ fate, and future, may still be bright when viewed through the sheer inertia of Maurice Halbwachs’ theory of collective memory. While the majority of Americans think journalism’s role is more important in society than ever before, the perception that the news is not accurate or fair hit a 30-year low (Pew Research Center, 2013). Unless press tactics change, errors, lies, and biases will remain rooted in the collective unconscious, leading all parties away from any semblance of accuracy as history becomes the exclusive realm of mythic narratives.

Introduction More than 15 years ago, NBC’s Brian Williams likely already knew that he was being groomed to succeed former Managing Editor and Anchor, Tom Brokaw. People highlighted the potential when naming Williams one of 1997’s “Breakthrough Celebrities” in entertainment and sports. NBC ramped up a veritable public relations and branding strategy in 2003 before making the formal announcement that Williams would replace the retiring Brokaw (Westin, 2015). It is during this period, while reporting on the U.S. invasion of Iraq, that the seed to Williams’ undoing began culminating in an unpaid suspension from NBC on February 10, 2015. Never revealing the results of an internal factfinding investigation into allegations that Williams lied while reporting other stories too, NBC broke the silence in mid-June 2015 when announcing that Williams will remain with the network as a breaking news and special reports anchor for MSNBC. 8

CrossBridge April 2017

Perhaps the largest question is what Williams’ story says about the American public, namely to what degree most really learn any semblance of the truth. Society clings, more than ever before, to mythic narratives that are disrupted, changed, and swayed with each new tweet gone viral.

References Amid criticism, support for media’s ‘watchdog’ role stands out. (2013, August 8). Pew Research Center. Retrieved from http://www.people-press.org/files/legacypdf/8-8-2013%20Media%20Attitudes%20Release.pdf Bauder, D. (2015, June 22). NBC’s Holt ready to take over as ‘nightly’ anchor. Associated Press. Retrieved from http://news.yahoo.com/nbcs-holt-ready-over-nightlyanchor-210032048.html;_ylt= Breakthroughs ’97. (1997, December 29). People, 48(26), 122. Bourdon, J. (2003, fall/winter). Some sense of time. History and Memory, 15(2), 531. Burrough, B. (2015, May). The inside story of the civil war for the soul of NBC news. Vanity Fair. Retrieved from http://www.vanityfair.com/news/2015/04/nbcnews-brian-williams-scandal-comcast Dayan, D., & Katz, E. (1992). Media events: The live broadcasting of history. London, U.K.: Harvard University Press. Fine, G. A., & White, R. A. (2002). Creating collective attention in the public domain: Human interest narratives and the rescue of Floyd Collins. Social Forces, 81(1), 57-85. Goodale, G. (2015, February 10). Brian Williams suspended: How big a blow was dealt to network news? Christian Science Monitor. Retrieved from http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/2015/0210/Brian-Williams-suspended-How-biga-blow-was-dealt-to-network-news-video Halbwachs, M. (1992). On Collective Memory. (L.W. Coser, Ed. & Trans.). New York, NY: Harper Colophon. (Original work published 1950) Korzh, N.N. (2001, May-June). Representation of historical knowledge in collective memory. Journal of Russian and East European Psychology, 39(3), 69-83. Mahler, J. (2015, June 19). In Brian Williams decision, NBC clings to the past. The New York Times. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/2015/06/19/business/in-brian-williams-decision-a-compromise-that-leaves-many-questions.html?action=click&contentCollection=Media&module=RelatedCoverage®ion=Marginalia&pgtype=article&_r=1

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CrossBridge April 2017 Matsa, K. E. (2015, July 15). Early morning, noon and late evening slots drive growth in local TV news. Pew Research Center. Retrieved from http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2015/07/15/early-morning-noon-and-lateevening-slots-drive-growth-in-local-tv-news/ Merleau-Ponty, M. (1964). On news items. (R. C. McCleary, Trans.). Evanston, IL: Northwestern University Press. Mitchell, A. (2015, April 29). State of the news media 2015. Pew Research Center. Retrieved from http://www.journalism.org/2015/04/29/state-of-the-news-media2015/ Mitchell, K. (2003). Monuments, memorials, and the politics of memory. Urban Geography, 24(5), 442-459. Ostrow, J. (2015, July 5). Donald Trump, Brian Williams and NBC crisis management. The Denver Post. Retrieved from http://www.denverpost.com/television/ci_28428024/donald-trump-brian-williams-and-nbc-crisis-management Poniewozik, J. (2015, June 25). Brian Williams’ demotion sends a mixed message. Time, 186(1/2), 37. Schwartz, B. (2000). Abraham Lincoln and the forge of national memory. Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press. Schwartz, B. (1996, fall). Introduction: The expanding past. Qualitative Sociology, 19(3), 275-282. Shafer, J. (2015, February 5). Why did Brian Williams lie? Politico. Retrieved from http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2015/02/brian-williams-lie114950.html#.VaGmQ2BUjeU Vanacker, B. (2012). Don’t shoot the messenger: Journalism and mass media in The Sopranos. Journal of Popular Film & Television, 40(1), 32-41. doi: 10.1080/01956051.2011.578171 Westin, D. (2015, February 12). It wasn’t all Brian Williams’ fault. Time.com. Retrieved from http://time.com/3703411/brian-williams-journalists-turned-celebrities/ Zobel, H. B. (1991). Paul Revere. In E. Foner & J.A. Garraty (Eds.), The reader’s companion to American history. New York, NY: Houghton Mifflin Company.

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Arts

Poetry: The Muse Object Project Kofi Forson

Kofi Forson is a writer, poet, and playwright living in New York City. His blog, Black Cocteau (www.kofosu.blogspot.com), presents a mixture of philosophy and art on the topic of modern culture. As a writer, he aims at sharing his inspiration and advice for artistic and literary treatments of cultural figures and artifacts of popular culture.

he following poems are part of Kofi Forson's Muse Object collection. The collection is the result of over a decade working with muses. It began with a chanteuse he directed in songs and performances. Then, his inspiration came from his work in the theater, directing actors and actresses in one-act and showcase presentations. Forson also illustrated and painted live models, and directed actresses in video and films.

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The basis for Forson's art is gender and sexual politics. He deals with extremes of innocence and maturity, with the impressionable ingénue and experienced adult. These subjects are based on the interplay between himself and the muse as lover and artist, using her to create works of art inspired by cinema, theater, and literature.

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Commentary

Dependency in the Age of American Fascism Jarret Ruminski, Toronto, Canada

In 1944, Henry Wallace observed that American fascism was largely a front for untrammeled corporate rule of life. He warned that fascists appeal to prejudice and fears to gain power. Seventy years later, power was finally achieved in that very manner. Coupled with conservatism ideology that wealth is both the means and the ends to measuring human worth, it should not be a surprise that President Trump has filled his cabinet with a gallery of corporate billionaires. This article is adapted and reprinted from That Devil History (originally published February 5, 2017) with permission from the author. http://thatdevilhistory.com/index.php/2017/02/05/dependency-in-the-age-of-americanfascism/ Twitter: @TheDevilHistory

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onservatives harbor an aversion to all things “public.” They tend to see the world through a deeply individualistic lens in which there’s no public interest, only private gain. Their world is one in which capitalism is not a system created by human beings that’s subject to human flaws and shortcomings, but a sanctified doctrine received from atop Mount Sinai for the purpose of separating the worthy from the unworthy via an unassailable “market” that capriciously decides who shall rot in shantytowns and who shall lord from golden penthouses. Of all the ideas that come together to “make” conservatism, chief among them is that the pursuit of material wealth and social power through capitalism constitutes the ultimate human purpose on this earth. For the Right, wealth is both the means and the ends to measuring human worth.

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Reflection

Celebrating Life with Grief – The Talent of Deep Living Samita Nandy, Centre for Media and Celebrity Studies, Canada

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n his seminal work Stars, Richard Dyer argues that “talent is historically and culturally specific." He then asks, "Even if one simply meant talent as skill, one would have to ask, skill at what?” Indeed, in our modern, fame and wealth-based culture – a celebrity culture – many essential skills are ignored. Stephen Jenkinson’s teachings on living with grief are probably the least mentioned skills in our society1. Yet, many heroic public personalities and fellow human beings achieve deep living and celebrate life through the wisdom of death that Jenkinson shares. I received Jenkinson’s knowledge of ‘Orphan Wisdom’ during a writing retreat near Kawartha Lakes in Ontario, Canada. As I prepared course content and lectures on celebrity culture, I reflected on his words of uncon-

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Samita Nandy earned her PhD in media and celebrity culture from the Department of Media and Information at Curtin University, Australia. She is currently the director of the Centre for Media and Celebrity Studies and writes as a cultural critic on fame. Dr. Nandy has been featured on CBC and CTV, as well as in The Globe and Mail and Chatelaine, among many others. Her academic work has been published in a variety of journals. Dr. Nandy is the author of Fame in Hollywood North: A Theoretical Guide to Celebrity Cultures in Canada.

More information on Jenkinson and on his healing words can be found on this website: www.orphanwisdom.com.

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Arts

Time Zone Saul Courrier

Courrier is a nomadic writer, poet, and photographer who roams the world in search of himself and of new experiences. He claims that this short story is based on actual events, many of which have not yet taken place. The story is playful with time, told in a hurried pace that conveys how we tend to rush through life, coming to the end point at the arranged place and time despite our best efforts to run away. Courrier submitted this work while traveling in Australia, but we were not able to ascertain what year it was.

Perth, Western Australia, June 5th, 2008. I was playing basketball and drinking beer with friends. I made a fantastic shot. I saw dancing stars. It was not my teammates rejoicing. I sat with my head between my legs. Too much beer? Blood flowed out of my nose… Miniature explosions of red on the court… Music? Strange… Darkness. I open my eyes. Sam is crying but smiling at the same time. I try to smile back, but I am uncertain of my success. The doctor is attempting to reanimate one of the machines I’m connected to by slapping on its top, then on its side, in an expert alternating rhythm. It gives me confidence in his abilities. I ask him what happened. Too preoccupied with his current life-or-death task, he points his chin to the other side of the bed. A cute nurse is the doctor. The male doctor is the nurse. It may sound confusing and incredibly sexist, but indeed, I am confused. The doctor tells me that in her professional opinion, I will be dead by the end of the next day. Indifferent, as if saying my car needed an oil change. Even that would be traumatic. “Didn’t you feel any pain over the last few months or weeks?” My head shook no. She continues with eyes full of suspicions: 36

Arts

Between Light and Darkness Louis Massey

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ouis Massey was born in Montréal in 1963. Wherever he is in the world, he gets lost in cities backstreets or nature trails with all his senses receptive to colors, sounds, shapes, textures, scents, and light. This is how he becomes inspired. The subjects are not specific places or times, but raw emotions originating from residual and tangled memories. He creates experiences of wonder and connectivity expressed with flowing interlacing streams of colors; they are the channels between everything. Other paintings are fierce storms of colors, with light and darkness fighting for space on the canvas. In both cases, energies are in incessant fluidity and inherently unstable.

Stormy (2016). Acrylic on canvas board, 7” x 9” © L. Massey

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A self-taught artist, Massey started his professional life1 with a 22-year career in the Armed Forces. During the Cold War, he managed high-security telecommunication systems for the intelligence services.

More information about Massey’s professional activities, including more paintings and also his photographs and writings, can be found at www.louismassey.com.

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Book Review

The Magic Strings of Frankie Presto Christine Bode

Review of: The Magic Strings of Frankie Presto Author: Mitch Albom Imprint: Harper Paperbacks Released: October 25, 2016 Pages: 368 ISBN-10: 0062294431 ISBN-13: 9780062294432 Stars: 5.0 Christine Bode is a social media marketing professional offering services to artists. https://scullylovepromo.com

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nce in a very blue moon, a book comes along that is so unique and wonderful, no – downright magical – that it immediately becomes one of the best books you’ve ever read. Those books are what I call five-star desert island classics; books I want to have with me for the rest of my life because I know I will read them again and again. Recently, my client and dear friend Deborah Ledon recommended a book that she said she loved and was certain that I would love too. I bought the book, called The Magic Strings of Frankie Presto by Mitch Albom, whose work I had read previously and especially adored in The Five People You Meet in Heaven (which I’ve so far read twice). Albom is a maestro of the rhythm of storytelling, and I believe he has created his magnum opus with The Magic Strings of Frankie Presto, a book narrated by Music itself.

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Submission Instructions CrossBridge An International Journal of Multidisciplinary and Progressive Research, Art, and Commentaries Editor-in-Chief: Robert S. E. Caine, Ph.D. We welcome speculative ideas, exploratory practices, position papers, manifestos, creative writing, art as well as traditional academic papers from both affiliated and independent scholars, students, practitioners, activists, and artists. Submit written work according to the template and instructions (http://www.waterhillpublishing.com/template-instructions.doc), unless specified otherwise for a specific submission type (see below). The following is a list of submissions types we are seeking:     

Short research papers: 1800-2500 words main text plus abstract and references (the paper should fit within 4-7 pages of the template) Long research papers: 2500-4500 words main text plus abstract and references (the paper should fit within 8-12 pages of the template). Opinions or essays: 400-1200 words, no abstract, no references required but they can be included if needed, either as footnotes or in the format specified in the template. Columns (more regular contributions from our editorial team or from external contributors): 250-1000 words, no abstract, references not required. Book reviews (450 words maximum; each review should fit within one half to one page of the template). 52

CrossBridge April 2017

 



Creative writing pieces (poetry, short story, etc.) of no more than 13 pages of the template (450-1300 words maximum). Art (photography, paintings, sculpture, videos, music, etc.). We publish photographs of paintings and sculptures and links to videos and music. Submit high-resolution pictures or links to video/sound files accompanied by an artist statement (maximum 450 words). Other video pieces such as interviews, talks, documentary, etc. of 530 minutes. We will publish a link to the video. Submit the video link along with a synopsis and a short director's commentary (maximum 450 words).

Submissions must be made by email to: [email protected] Your submission must be an MS Word file attachment (doc or docx) for text files, JPEG for images, or a link in the case of videos and music/sound files. In the email itself, provide: a highlight of the main ideas/arguments (or in the case of artwork, a description of your work/artist statement), your name, e-mail address, biography (maximum 150 words), and affiliation if applicable. Also state the type of submission, as per the list above: opinion, long paper, book review, column, art, etc. Important (for research papers): We seek original papers that cross disciplinary boundaries and explore linkages and synergies between academia/theory and social/personal realities. We are particularly interested in papers that not only study or theorize issues, but that also propose solutions. Progressive and innovative practices, opinions, theories, and methodologies are also welcome. Because the journal reaches readers with a wide variety of backgrounds, papers should be engaging and inspiring; avoid using a purely academic style and discipline-specific language. Important notes for all submissions: Please read carefully before submitting, including the content of the copyright agreement (2nd point below) 1. Selected CrossBridge submissions may appear on-line or in print, at the discretion of the editorial team. 2. Authors must submit a signed copyright form (http://www.waterhillpublishing.com/copyrightformcrossbridge.pdf) before their work is published.

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