Bridging Sacred Tradition and Secular Aspiration: Cultural Capital in Bar/Bat Mitzvah Rituals

BackgroundThe importance of medical professionalism has been well documented in the literature. Cultural background affects the constituents of professionalism. However, few studies have explored the domains of medical professionalism in an Asian context. We aim to describe the views and experiences of both patients and faculty on medical professionalism in an urban Asian city state.MethodsData for this qualitative study were collected through focus group discussions (FGDs) with patients and in-depth interviews (IDIs) with faculty members. The IDIs and FGDs were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. Thematic analysis was conducted by two independent coders using a priori framework derived from Professionalism Mini Evaluation Exercise (P-MEX). Sociodemographic data of faculty members and patients were obtained through brief questionnaires.ResultsA total of 31 patients (58.1% male, all had visited healthcare facilities within the past year) and 26 faculty members (42.3% male, 38.5% from medical disciplines, median years as faculty is 11) participated in this study. The results supported the four domains of medical professionalism - Doctor-patient relationship skills, Reflective skills, Time management and Inter-professional relationship skills. Two new sub-domains which emerged from data were (1) communicated effectively with patient and (2) demonstrated collegiality.ConclusionsThe domains of professionalism in Singapore were similar to previous studies. This study allows a better understanding of medical professionalism to enhance the assessment and ultimately, the teaching of medical professionalism in an urban multi-ethnic Asian city.

Muhammadiyah has experienced a reality that forces it to adapt to the challenges and pressures of the dynamics of social life. This research examines the dialectics of the Islam-based Muhammadiyah organization in the context of local culture in order to face challenges and make social adaptations. The main problem is the interaction between the Muhammadiyah organization and the dynamic socio-cultural environment. A qualitative approach was used with in-depth interviews and participatory observation as data collection techniques. The sample consisted of Muhammadiyah members and local community leaders. The results showed that Muhammadiyah faced various social challenges and successfully adapted to changes in the local community by integrating religious values with local culture. The relevant and inclusive adaptation strategies employed by Muhammadiyah reflect a dynamic response to changing social dynamics, allowing them to remain relevant and connected to local communities in a diverse cultural context. The implications of this study discuss the importance of a deeper understanding of the complexity of Muhammadiyah social adaptation in understanding local community dynamics and encourage further research and relevant interventions in this area.

This study explores students' experiences of anxiety and fear when engaging in public speaking and examines the impact of these emotions on language development. Despite the importance of public speaking in personal, academic, and professional domains, many students face challenges of anxiety and fear. Understanding how these emotions (affect) language development is crucial for teaching practices. Drawing on the theory of language development, this study aims to investigate students' anxiety and fear during public speaking and their language development processes. Through in-depth interviews and participant observations, the study seeks to capture students' perspectives and experiences in relation to their anxiety and fear. The qualitative analysis explored the nature and manifestations of the two, focusing on factors such as fear of judgment, self-consciousness, and performance anxiety. The research findings contribute to a deeper understanding of the complex interplay between anxiety, fear, and language development in the context of public speaking. This study provides valuable insights to inform possible instructional strategies. Recommendations based on the theory of language development highlight the importance of creating supportive and inclusive learning environments, implementing targeted interventions, and fostering students' self-confidence in public speaking contexts

Social, Emotional, and Academic Competence Among Children Who Have Had Contact With Child Protective Services: Prevalence and Stability Estimates

Effects of Positive and Negative Illusory Biases: Comparisons Across Social and Academic Self-Concept Domains

Host-guest relationship in tourist destinations is a type of cross-cultural communication in nature, within which intermarriage is the most significant form of interaction and communication. Intermarriage refers to inter-ethnic and transnational marriage, which was seldom studied in tourism contexts compared with one-night stands (hereafter referred to as “ONSs”) and love affairs in tourist destinations. In Yangshuo, intermarriage is a unique phenomenon as these couples are more than those of other counties with approximate population. The reasons why intermarriage exists in Yangshuo are the questions of the study. Ethnographic research paradigm and qualitative analyses are applied in the study with particular research methods such as participating observation and in-depth interview etc. More than 70 interviewees are interviewed in the field trip of 140 days in the case. Conclusions are as follows: 1) cultural capital is the main attraction, which consists of physical attraction, language proficiency in English and cultural image in personality, 2) Yangshuo is a unique destination whose external factors, such as countryside landscape, low consumption rate, friendly local tour guides and cross-cultural tourist products and comprehensive communities, facilitate intermarriage. Theories such as cultural capital, social adaption and mobility are involved in conclusion and discussion.

Cultural Capital of the Communities in the Mangrove Conservation in the Coastal areas of Ambon Dalam Bay, Moluccas, Indonesia

The aim of this study was to analyze the social emotional changes-of 4-year-old children brought about by dramatic-playing activities using ecological media. To this end, activities using ecological media were developed and used with 25 children 18 times (twice a week for nine weeks). Research materials were collected through participation observations and post evaluation interviews, in-depth interviews, telephone calls and e-mail communication as well as, teacher journals and research journals. The data collected in this study were analyzed by inductive analysis of qualitative data. The results of this study show that the social emotional changes of 4-year-old children were different according to self-concept, social competency_(adult interaction, peer interaction, and norm recognition) emotional competency_(emotional recognition and expression, and emotional regulation) skill, and sensibility. These results, show that dramatic play using ecological media can bring about social emotional competence. This study suggests dramatic play using ecological media could be used as practical activities at infant education institutions to help develop children's social emotional competence.

BackgroundMedical professionalism is important for establishing public trust in doctors. Its definition is culture-sensitive. However, no research has explored medical professionalism in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) practitioners. This study aims to (a) establish the domains of professionalism in TCM practitioners in Singapore, and to (b) compare the domains of professionalism of practitioners trained in TCM and practitioners trained in conventional medicine.MethodsData for this qualitative study was collected through in-depth interviews (IDIs) with TCM practitioners. IDIs were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. Thematic analysis was conducted by two independent coders using the Professionalism Mini-Evaluation Exercise (P-MEX) as a framework. The domains of professionalism in TCM and conventional medicine were then compared, using data from a similar study on professionalism in practitioners trained in conventional medicine.ResultsA total of 27 TCM practitioners (40.7% male) participated in this study. The four domains of professionalism in the P-MEX, namely doctor-patient relationship skills, reflective skills, time management and inter-professional relationship skills, and two new sub-domains, “communicated effectively with patient” and “demonstrated understanding and integrated with conventional medicine”, were relevant to TCM practitioners. This is largely similar to that of practitioners trained in conventional medicine, with a few differences, including “ensured continuity of care” and “used health resources appropriately”.ConclusionThe domains of professionalism in TCM practitioners were established and they are similar to that of practitioners trained in conventional medicine. This study is the first to define medical professionalism in TCM practitioners. Findings will provide guidance on the education of professionalism in TCM practitioners.

After a major earthquake in Taiwan in 1999, the Taomi community, a rural location in the mountainous part of the country, faced a number of livelihood impacts. But the earthquake disaster was not only a crisis; it presented residents an opportunity to transform their situation and solve their livelihood problems through developing ecotourism. The development of ecotourism required experts and scholars being invited to conduct an education and training programme to provide residents with ecotourism industry skills and knowledge, and establish their ability to alleviate poverty in Taomi community. This study examines the changes brought by ecotourism to this community over the past decade using the Sustainable Livelihoods Approach. The aim of this study is to explore and examine the relationships between the various elements of community capital when ecotourism is used to provide sustainable development as a solution to a crisis event. The study adopted a theoretical framework of social constructionism, using a range of data-collection methods to create a holistic picture of the ecotourism development in the Taomi community. In all, 26 residents and 10 experts were interviewed, with semi-structured and in-depth interviews, in face-to-face settings, and 3 focus group interviews conducted (involving another 15 residents). Interviewees were interviewed extensively; follow-up interviews were found necessary to clarify and further explore their perceptions and attitudes. Other data was collected data through participant observation, and examining documentary evidence, to be combined with the interviews findings, to crystallise emergent research. The aim of this triangulation was to better understand the whole picture of the ecotourism development in the Taomi community after the 921 earthquake crisis. This study uses the Sustainable Livelihood Approach and analyses the positive and negative changes to its six forms of capital–natural, human, physical, financial, social and cultural assets as perceived by all the interviewees from Taomi. These are documented through the social representations of respondents. A significant finding of this study is that a new ‘political capital’ asset should be adopted to examine ecotourism development applying the Sustainable Livelihood Approach lens. Political capital—essentially power and access to benefits—affected all interactions of the six forms of capital between the NGO groups, organizations, groups, and individuals in Taomi ecotourism development. Investigation of this element and discourses of power are a major contribution of this thesis. The entire Taomi ecotourism development was based on the NGO groups contributing their human capital, conducting ecotourism education and training programmes. An even more significant, essential factor was for the residents to identify a vision of a better, more attractive life associated with the whole eco-village paradigm - to give direction to and guide the various ecotourism stakeholders’ participation in and sharing of the benefits and power brought by developing sustainable ecotourism. This study proposes introducing a community-based ecotourism model to explain the dynamic relationships at play between political, natural, human, physical, financial, social and cultural capital in this ecotourism development case, and further suggests that community trust and core values were, and remain, essential in Taomi’s adoption of a socialist approach to developing sustainable ecotourism. It is also vitally important that all stakeholders commit for the long-term; NGO groups should play a continuing consultant role, particularly regarding interdisciplinary ecotourism courses and ecotourism planning, to assist maintain a healthy ecotourism community. These suggestions are designed to help reduce and resolve negative expressions of political capital and move toward a fairer sharing of benefits and power among all Taomi stakeholders.

Objective:To find out the relationship of collective social, economic, and cultural properties of a population on the perceived quality of life (QOL) among old age people.Materials and Methods:In a community-based cross-sectional study, we analyzed information on a representative sample of 900 old age (aged > 60 years) from 28 villages in Kollam district of Kerala. WHO-Quality of Life - BREF questionnaire was used. Ethical clearance from Institutional Ethics Committee was obtained. The mean scores for perceived QOL for domains such as physical health, psychological health, social relations, and control of environments were calculated. The three scales (social capital, cultural capital, and economic capital) were standardized using z-score transformation to make them comparable. Using multiple linear regression, we calculated the independent effect of economic capital, social capital, and cultural capital on perceived QOL among old people adjusted for age, sex, and the presence of chronic disease.Results:For overall QOL, only cultural capital contributed significantly. An increase of one unit z-score cultural capital led to three units increase in overall QOL score (β = 3.362; 95% CI: 2.645-4.078). Social capital and cultural capital contributed significantly to the physical health domain of QOL. With one z-score increase in social capital and cultural capital, QOL score of physical health domain increased by 0.2 units (β = 0. 227; 95% CI: 0.020-0.434), and 0.5 (β = 0. 596; 95% CI: 0.384-0.808) units, respectively. Psychological health domain and environmental domain were affected by all three capitals significantly. But, the social relations domain was significantly affected only by cultural capital (β = 0. 576; 95% CI: 0.373-0.779).Conclusion:Hence, the policies for old people should envision retaining our cultural and social norms along with the economic interventions for a better palliative care.

This paper adds to the growing body of literature concerned with the connection between gender issues and religious conflict by reporting a case of religious schism in which issues surrounding gender regulation were at the center of the struggle. For decades there had only been one synagogue in Northweston, Washington. However, in the early 1990s, this congregation experienced in-fighting and a complete schismatic rift, largely over issues involving women's role and status within the synagogue. Based upon data collected through participant observation and in-depth interviews with 29 informants, this paper explores the importance gender regulation plays in contemporary religious life, and describes the potential for controversy and division when issues of gender regulation are faced by American Jewish communities.

Reviewed by: Jews in America: From New Amsterdam to the Yiddish Stage by Stephen D. Corrsin, Amanda Seigel, and Kenneth Benson Susan L. Malbin (bio) Jews in America: From New Amsterdam to the Yiddish Stage. By Stephen D. Corrsin, Amanda Seigel, and Kenneth Benson. London: D.Giles, Ltd, 2012. 160 pp. The New York Public Library’s (NYPL) new book about its Dorot Jewish Division holdings stems from the 2004 NYPL exhibit in memory of the 350th anniversary of Jews landing in New Amsterdam. It is not the exhibit catalog but an exhibit overview, which attempts to present the exhibit’s richness without picturing all the cited catalog items while it tries to showcase the breadth and depth of the Dorot Jewish Division. As Jonathan Sarna notes in his introduction, this book on the exhibition signals the changes since the 1954 exhibit for the 300th anniversary. The focus here is not on “who was a Jew” and contributions of Jews, but rather on collaboration and the relationship of “Port Jews” across the Atlantic basin and the question of what American identity is. The 2004 exhibition was called “Jews in America: Conquistadors, Knickerbockers, Pilgrims and the Hope of Israel.” There are six chapters and the first five are pre-nineteenth century. The sixth, called the “Long Century,” goes from the American Revolution through the 1920s, when changes in immigration laws shut the door to East European Jews. Each chapter has a brief written narrative that summarizes that exhibit section, along with selected catalog illustrations. Chapter One deals with the Age of Discovery and places it within the context of the contributions of contemporary Jewish scientists, conversos, and financiers. It features a letter (cat. #10) from Christopher Columbus to Luis de Santangel, Chancellor of Aragon, a converso descendant who financed seventy percent of Columbus’ second voyage in 1493. Chapter Two, on Jewish involvement in seventeenth-century Dutch Caribbean expansion, places the 1654 Jewish arrival in North America in this setting. To me, a striking item is the responsa [cat. #14] sent to the Recife Jewish Community by the noted European rabbi Hayyim Shabbetai of Salonika, Greece, about changing the time of year for saying the prayer for rain to a “time more appropriate to the Southern Hemisphere. Shabbetai ‘chose a “’middle path:’ the Recife Jews should not pray for rain when it could be harmful, but they should not recite the prayer at a non-traditional time” (44). By the 1600’s New World Jews were already distinct. The third chapter focuses on the New Amsterdam Jewish community’s close relationship with the Dutch West India Company, whose business interests facilitated the Jewish settlement over Governor Peter Stuyvesant’s objections. The fourth chapter, which concentrates on the seventeenth-century theory that Native Americans were descendants of [End Page 444] the Lost Ten Tribes, features NYPL items that show both Jewish [cat. #43, 50] and Christian [cat. #40, 48] arguments and counter arguments. The fifth chapter is somewhat diffuse. There are two topics barely tied together other than by chronology. The first is the growth of religious freedom in the various North American Jewish communities. The expanding Jewish settlement in the New World meant wider use of English in daily dealings. Early American printed sermons and prayer books show the spread of English in religious use [cat. #57–8]. As Jews grew more secular, toleration grew, and NYPL has a strong collection of regional or state laws and constitutions which demonstrate this [cat. # 59–65]. The second, more minor topic concerns eighteenth-century Jewish merchant trading, exemplified by business records of both Sir Solomon de Medina [cat. #52] and Aaron Lopez [cat. # 66–68]. The last chapter–the “Long 19th Century”–is more diffuse. The focus is not the usual relative periods of Jewish linguistic immigration (German speaking, then Slavic and Yiddish speaking), but rather on the mid-century epoch of the Civil War as a major Americanizing event for Jews. It also contains important NYPL religious texts [e.g. Isaac Leeser’s 1845 bible translation, cat #84] and items about the development of Jewish women’s communal life [cat # 92–100], most of which are not shown. Yiddish cultural...

The purpose of this study is to analyze and describe the development of expressive vocabulary of Korean learners as a heritage language. Therefore, this study will check whether the vocabulary used by Korean learners as a heritage language actually expands from individual to social and professional fields in light of Vygotsky’s theory based on the learners’ corpus data. In this study, the Korean language learners’ corpus was used as research data. Keywords were selected using the TextRank algorithm. As a result, keywords in the individual domain were prominent in beginner, keywords in the social domain in intermediate, and keywords in the social and professional domain in advanced proficiency levels. Through the analysis, it was confirmed that the cognitive development area of heritage learners was expanded from the individual scope to the social, national, and professional domain, and it was possible to confirm the pattern of negotiation between areas. It can be seen that this is in line with the learning aspect of Vygotsky’s social-constructionism.

This studi aims to explore the role of cultural capital of Pandhalungan coffee farmers in Jember Regency in their efforts to build sustainable food security. This study used a qualitative approach with a phenomenological design to explore the experiences, perceptions, and practices of coffee farmers in utilizing their cultural capital to improve economic, social, and environmental well-being at the local level. Data collection used in-depth interviews and participatory observation with a number of coffee farmers. Data analysis was conducted thematically to identify the main patterns, key findings, and perspectives that emerged from participants' narratives. The results of this studi showed that the types of cultural capital owned by Pandalungan coffee farmers include traditional knowledge, local agricultural practices, community values, and social norms that support food security. The Coffee farmers in Pandalungan have in-depth knowledge of traditional farming practices passed down through generations. This knowledge includes specific techniques in planting, tending and harvesting coffee that are adapted to local conditions. In addition, the cultural capital of Pandalungan coffee farmers plays a crucial role in supporting sustainable food security.