Items

• Sticky Identity: The Panters' Rawr in Nea Smyrni

  This research paper focuses on the football fan stickers in the city of Nea Smyrni and more specifically, those produced by the “Panthers”, the organized football fans of Panionios. This exploratory approach highlights how these seemingly miscellaneous objects function as a lens to understanding the Panther shared identity, and how its various aspects, such as territoriality, militancy, history, alliances, and political views, are symbolically communicated. Methodologically, the study adopts an exploratory qualitative analysis based on flânerie for the collection and spatial analysis of the sticker grid within the city, in addition to visual analysis at the level of individual stickers to examine their symbolic content. To better comprehend organized fan identity, the analysis draws selectively on theoretical concepts from social psychology, sociology and anthropology, establishing an interdisciplinary perspective through which fan stickers are examined as media of identity communication. Rather than generalizing beyond Nea Smyrni or testing individual theories, this paper addresses a gap in literature by examining stickers both as singular symbolic objects and as elements of a broader urban visual collage, an approach that provides deeper insight into the multiple roles of the sticker within the shared identity and practices of the Panthers.
• “I will never stop writing trans stories:” Identity construction through stance-taking on transphobia among fanfiction writers of Harry Potter on Archive of Our Own

  This paper investigates the construction of pro-transgender activist identities of Harry Potter fanfiction writer. Using the Corpus Linguistics software AntConc, collocates and concordances of the terms “trans,” “transphobia/transphobic” and references to J.K. Rowling were identified in their Notes Sections of their fanfiction stories. A stance-taking analysis showed that fanfiction writers evaluate (a) transgender retellings as affirming in gender identity, (b) transphobia as a triggering topic that is marked with Content Warnings, and (c) J.K. Rowling as a TERF. Ultimately, their positions towards transgender people and J.K. Rowling showcased that they construct activist identities that advocate for transgender rights.
• Beneath the Surface of Gender-Based Violence Against Trans Women

  Globally, almost one in three women (30%) aged 15-49 years have reported to experiencing violence in their lifetime (Sardinha et al., 2024). In an interview with George Yancy, Judith Butler emphasizes that gender-based violence (GBV) seeks to secure the class of women as dispensable, defining their very existence as something decided by men, as a masculine prerogative (2016). Considering that, compiled statistics of GBV against women often exclude trans women. In 2023, forty-six-year-old Anna Ivankova was murdered inside her apartment in Athens. As her body was identified by the authorities, news outlets reported that “a man of Cuban descent had been found murdered in St. Panteleimon” (Hansford, 2023). Anna’s murder is the only reported case of murder of a trans woman in Greece, in which hate was flagged as a motive by the media. This lack of reported cases of anti-trans violence in Greece shows that such incidents are either totally dismissed, or that the death of trans women led to their nonconsensual detransitioning. In 2024, two queer individuals were physically and verbally harassed in Thessaloniki, reporting that more than a hundred people attacked them. Working towards highlighting the factors that have been fueling GBV against trans women, this paper will utilize thematic classifications that revolve around the disciplines of gender, sociology, and legal studies. This interdisciplinary approach of understanding the basis of GBV against trans women is critical, in order to point out that GBV against trans women can only be studied through the lens of intersectionality, that bases discrimination on the intersection of different grounds of distinction.
• "DeFi the Odds: An Interdisciplinary Analysis of the Trade-off Between Financial Inclusion and Crime"

  This study investigates the relationship between decentralized financial inclusion—proxied by cryptocurrency adoption—and crime rates across countries. Grounded in interdisciplinary theories from economics, criminology, and sociology, it examines whether emerging financial technologies serve as tools for economic empowerment or enablers of illicit activity. Using a panel dataset of 55 countries over six years (2019–2024), the analysis employs advanced econometric techniques. The results indicate that while cryptocurrency adoption exhibits a positive association with crime rates, the relationship is statistically insignificant, suggesting that macro-level effects of DeFi-related crime may remain limited during the observed period. Socio-economic factors reveal more robust relationships: higher unemployment rates are strongly associated with increased crime, while higher GDP per capita significantly reduces crime, supporting established criminological theories. Internet penetration and education show unexpected or statistically insignificant impacts, underscoring the complexity of crime dynamics in the digital age. While DeFi offers expanded financial access, it simultaneously poses new challenges for crime prevention and governance.
• Swiping Between Liquid Love and Plastic Sexuality: A Greek Interdisciplinary Perspective on Modern Intimacy

  Dating apps have been integrated into modern romance, yet their impact on relationship stability and emotional depth, remains contested. The purpose of this study was to examine a research gab by exploring the ongoing debate between Gidden’s concepts and Bauman’s theory in the context of dating app use among Greek young adults, aged 18 to 35, through attachment styles, choice overload, and dating app motives. The data were obtained through a survey from 207 participants. No difference emerged between anxious and avoidants for frequency of use. No significant results were found for attachment anxiety and its association to sexual and relationship motives. No effect emerged for relationship formation being affected by choice overload, and choice overload did not mediate the pathway between attachment style and dating app motives. However, it was found that avoidants are more likely to use dating apps for sex. Additionally, the current study supports the presence of a hybrid model between Liquid Love and pure love for the use of dating apps in Greece. Dating apps do not suppress commitment, instead they serve as platforms where users can negotiate their goals. The current study challenges existing literature, due to the non-significant findings and it provides empirical evidence on how dating apps operate in Greece, by introducing a hybrid model of intimacy.
• Talking Hands: The Role of Gestures in Language Comprehension and Classroom Anxiety

  Gestures are essential in communication, yet their role in comprehension is understudied. This study explores how gestures could aid understanding in English as a foreign language, as well as a potential link between gestures and anxiety when using a foreign language in class. Gesture perception and production and foreign language classroom anxiety were measured via an online questionnaire with a hundred ACG-Deree undergraduate students. The results showed that gestures aid comprehension, especially when communication is compromised. Although students lack confidence when speaking in class, they do not experience anxiety; therefore, no correlation was found between gesture use and classroom anxiety.
• Parenting Styles and Moral Disengagement: Unraveling Trolling in Greek Female College Students

  This Thesis examined the relationship between moral disengagement, parenting styles and trolling behavior in Greek female college students (N=154), testing whether parenting styles could predict trolling. Participants completed the GAIT, MDM, and (s)-EMBU scales. Trolling was positively correlated with moral disengagement, rejection, and overprotection and negatively correlated with warm parenting styles. Moral disengagement showed similar correlations, and parenting styles weakly predicted trolling. Findings suggest a link between trolling, moral disengagement and parenting styles, contributing to existing literature. Some limitations include time constraints and sample size. Future research can work on developing interventions and exploring moderators between trolling and parenting styles.
• Adaptive and Interactive Fiction as a Therapeutic Tool: Supporting Cognitive and Social Development Through Personalized Digital Engagement

  This Thesis explores an adaptive interactive fiction platform which implements personalized interactive storytelling and collaborative problem-solving to support cognitive and social development for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). Using large language and diffusion models, the platform creates dynamic, personalized narratives and visuals tailored to specific user needs. Key features include multimodal engagement, customizable narration, adjustable content complexity, and real-time feedback which ensures equitable participation among users. The platform aims to complement traditional therapeutic methods in the holistic development of individuals with IDD.
• The Nexus of Human Psychology and Cybersecurity Practices

  The work explores how human behaviors and rationale risk the overall cybersecurity of an organization, arguing that technological defenses alone are insufficient and the focus should be on the humans and not the technology.