Abstract:The article presents a phenomenological-hermeneutic account of everyday aesthetics based on the Playful Eye, an experiential method for encountering the "Other" through contemplative, somatic, and embodied practices informed by the concept of play. The experiences co-curated with participants—illustrated here by a Playful Eye event held in Osh, Kyrgyzstan—are grounded in an understanding of the relationship between the self and Other, cultivating a sense of inner truth that is unconcealed when the sensing agent experiences itself through being sensed. It is contended (...) that everyday aesthetics provides a muted, fleeting experience of the Other, the seamless and ceaseless succession of the parts that constitute the totality of engagement with the world. This transformative understanding as "extended self," also evident in many Indigenous traditions, can provide the common ground for dialogue, empathy, and compassion in contexts where conflicting values and beliefs might otherwise result in indifference or hostility. (shrink)

Many developing countries prioritize sponsoring graduate students to study abroad to bring expertise and knowledge to their home country. However, the success of knowledge transfer depends on the extent to which returning graduates can utilize their potential at home. This study explores challenges faced by Cambodian scholars who obtained their Ph.D. degrees abroad and describes strategies they used to overcome them. In a home country environment with limited funding, over-bureaucratization, and low priority of university research, graduates see the value of (...) their foreign Ph.D. degrees in teaching and consultation. It requires motivation and significant efforts to transition as researchers in such an environment. Returning scholars rely on networks with their peers abroad and supervisors, form local research societies, engage with graduate students at their universities to keep themselves active as researchers. (shrink)