Cultural Amalgamation Research Articles

Supragingival Plaque Microbiomes in a Diverse South Florida Population.

Trillions of microbes comprise the human oral cavity, collectively acting as another bodily organ. Although research is several decades into the field, there is no consensus on how oral microbiomes differ in underrepresented groups such as Hispanic, Black, and Asian populations living in the United States. Here, using 16S ribosomal RNA sequencing, we examine the bacterial ecology of supragingival plaque from four quadrants of the mouth along with a tongue swab from 26 healthy volunteers from South Florida (131 total sequences after filtering). As an area known to be a unique amalgamation of diverse cultures from across the globe, South Florida allows us to address the question of how supragingival plaque microbes differ across ethnic groups, thus potentially impacting treatment regiments related to oral issues. We assess overall phylogenetic abundance, alpha and beta diversity, and linear discriminate analysis of participants based on sex, ethnicity, sampling location in the mouth, and gingival health. Within this cohort, we find the presence of common phyla such as Firmicutes and common genera such as Streptococcus. Additionally, we find significant differences across sampling locations, sex, and gingival health. This research stresses the need for the continued incorporation of diverse populations within human oral microbiome studies.

Celebration of Nature and Culture through Gaura Parba: An Interdisciplinary Study of Environmental Stewardship and Cultural Sustainability

Gaura Parba, also known as Gaura Purnima or Gaura Tritiya, is an ancient Hindu festival celebrated predominantly in Uttar Pradesh, India, and in the Far Western Region of Nepal, represents a unique amalgamation of nature, culture, and spirituality. This festival, dedicated to the worship of Goddess Gauri (an incarnation of Goddess Parvati), holds immense cultural and spiritual significance for the communities that observe it. However, beyond its religious connotations, Gaura Parba embodies a profound reverence for nature and serves as a conduit for the valorization of both natural and cultural heritage. This research explores Gaura Parba's significance in valorizing natural and cultural heritage within these communities. Employing an interdisciplinary approach encompassing various theoretical insights from cultural studies, anthropology, and environmental science, this study elucidates how Gaura Parba fosters a deep connection with nature and preserves cultural traditions. By examining the festival's rituals, beliefs, and environmental practices, the research explores the complex interplay between nature, culture, and spirituality within the context of Gaura Parba. The findings underscore Gaura Parba's contributions to ecological conservation, social cohesion, and the transmission of traditional knowledge, while also addressing contemporary challenges and opportunities for revitalizing the festival in the face of modernization and environmental change. This study provides valuable insights for scholars, policymakers, and practitioners aiming to enhance cultural resilience and sustainable development.

Negotiating Masculinity and Cultural Identity in Americanah: An Analysis of Hegemonic Norms in Nigerian Diaspora Literature

This article delves into the presentation of masculinity and cultural identity in diaspora literature, honing in on Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's Americanah. The study seeks to understand how cultural expectations and power dynamics contribute to the construction of masculinity within Nigerian diasporic communities, utilizing Connell's theory of hegemonic masculinity. Furthermore, it seeks to examine the impact of cultural fusion on the development of masculinity and cultural identity in male main characters in the chosen novel and to investigate how the intersections of race, gender, and immigrant background converge to influence the formation of masculinity in Americanah. Through a thorough examination of the male characters, the research delves into their engagements with dominant norms while striving to establish their sense of self and connection. The primary discoveries underscore the complex interplay among race, gender, and the immigrant background in moulding not only personal but also communal identities. The investigation pinpoints occurrences of defiance and rebellion against the prevailing masculine norms, while also exploring the potential for cultural amalgamation to redefine conventional ideas of masculinity. This scholarly inquiry enriches the comprehension of the intricate dynamics surrounding masculinity and cultural identification, providing valuable perspectives on the nuances of diasporic encounters and their influence on identity formation within diasporic literary works. In addition, this learned analysis creates opportunities for more inquiries into the relationships among sex, ethnicity, and individuality in contemporary literature, ultimately propelling the awareness of different plots within migrant communities.

Pedagogical sentiment analysis based on the BERT-CNN-BiGRU-attention model in the context of intercultural communication barriers.

Amid the wave of globalization, the phenomenon of cultural amalgamation has surged in frequency, bringing to the fore the heightened prominence of challenges inherent in cross-cultural communication. To address these challenges, contemporary research has shifted its focus to human-computer dialogue. Especially in the educational paradigm of human-computer dialogue, analysing emotion recognition in user dialogues is particularly important. Accurately identify and understand users' emotional tendencies and the efficiency and experience of human-computer interaction and play. This study aims to improve the capability of language emotion recognition in human-computer dialogue. It proposes a hybrid model (BCBA) based on bidirectional encoder representations from transformers (BERT), convolutional neural networks (CNN), bidirectional gated recurrent units (BiGRU), and the attention mechanism. This model leverages the BERT model to extract semantic and syntactic features from the text. Simultaneously, it integrates CNN and BiGRU networks to delve deeper into textual features, enhancing the model's proficiency in nuanced sentiment recognition. Furthermore, by introducing the attention mechanism, the model can assign different weights to words based on their emotional tendencies. This enables it to prioritize words with discernible emotional inclinations for more precise sentiment analysis. The BCBA model has achieved remarkable results in emotion recognition and classification tasks through experimental validation on two datasets. The model has significantly improved both accuracy and F1 scores, with an average accuracy of 0.84 and an average F1 score of 0.8. The confusion matrix analysis reveals a minimal classification error rate for this model. Additionally, as the number of iterations increases, the model's recall rate stabilizes at approximately 0.7. This accomplishment demonstrates the model's robust capabilities in semantic understanding and sentiment analysis and showcases its advantages in handling emotional characteristics in language expressions within a cross-cultural context. The BCBA model proposed in this study provides effective technical support for emotion recognition in human-computer dialogue, which is of great significance for building more intelligent and user-friendly human-computer interaction systems. In the future, we will continue to optimize the model's structure, improve its capability in handling complex emotions and cross-lingual emotion recognition, and explore applying the model to more practical scenarios to further promote the development and application of human-computer dialogue technology.

ECHOES OF TRADITION: FOLKLORE IN MAMANG DAI'S 'THE LEGENDS OF PENSAM

The North-east region is full of picturesque landscape depicting the rich culture and indigenous folklore. The region has created literature which embraces the beauty and rich literary tradition. North-east Indian literature is an amalgamation of unique culture and traditions of the eight states namely- Assam, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Tripura, Mizoram, Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim. Mamang Dai’s Legends of Pensam is a rich tapestry of narratives that intertwine folkloristic elements with contemporary storytelling. This research article delves into the folkloristic traditions embedded within Dai’s work, examining how these traditions contribute to the narrative structure, thematic depth, and cultural resonance of the text. Through a close analysis of key folkloristic motifs, narrative techniques, and thematic explorations, this article aims to elucidate the ways in which Dai employs folklore to construct a vibrant literary world that resonates with readers.

The Silicon Valley paradox: A qualitative interview study on the social, cultural, and ideological foundations of a global innovation center

Abstract Silicon Valley is both object of intense fascination and stark criticism. Academic observers have described it as a unique amalgamation of hippie culture, libertarian thinking, wild experimentation, but also scientific rigor, high-tech precision, and turbo-capitalism – a seemingly improbable, even paradoxical combination. Nevertheless, Silicon Valley continues to be an economic powerhouse and a global innovation hub. The current study explores its socio-cultural and ideological foundations through the lens of an insider perspective to find explanations for its stability and sustained success in light of conflicting components. Based on 15 interviews with Silicon Valley experts from start-ups, tech giants, and academic institutions, the study identifies several paradoxes on the level of ideology and environment, structure(s), and actors. These can be grouped into a binary, oppositional view, indeed describing the Silicon Valley paradox. However, alternative explanations are given, including the conceptualization as a non-dualist phenomenon.

Cultural Revival Among Kikuyu Christians: Impact and Implications in the 21st Century

The Kikuyu people were exposed to Christianity in the year 1900 following the arrival of Reverend McGregor. Subsequently, an overwhelming majority of individuals have adopted Christianity, with more than 90% identifying themselves as Christians. Nevertheless, the amalgamation of Western and Christian cultures throughout history has posed difficulties for the revival of Kikuyu traditional rituals. However, Anglican Christians have observed a revival of Kikuyu cultural traditions in Murang'a County, Kenya, during the twenty-first century. This return signifies a deliberate embrace of traditions that were previously forsaken. The objective of this study is to discover and examine the revived cultural traditions within the Anglican community, such as the reverence of ancestors, the categorization of individuals by age, the act of sacrificing animals, traditional marriage ceremonies, and the use of traditional brew. The study investigates the impact of cultural revival on Kikuyu Christianity through qualitative methodologies, including observation and interviews. The primary findings indicate that cultural revitalization entails both benefits and drawbacks. On one side, it assists in resolving identity challenges and enhances relationships with the community and family. Nevertheless, it also cultivates duplicity, undermines the Christian belief system, and engenders discord within the Christian community. These findings emphasize the necessity for dialogue among Kikuyu Christians to reconcile traditional behaviors with Christian principles. This will promote an authentic African Christianity that embraces Christian values while recognizing and integrating indigenous heritage. This study adds to the current discussion on the relationship between culture and religion in modern African settings by examining the intricacies and impacts of cultural resurgence in Christian communities.

Bangalore : The Pub Capital of India

The nightlife of Bangalore is a much spoken aspect of the city. The factor that adds to its popularity is the varied number of pubs one can find in and around the city. If we look at the industry analysis, Bangalore is one of the first cities of the country to come up with and popularize the concept of pub and nightlife culture. With the relaxation of opening pubs, bars and restaurants till 1 AM in the morning, the pub culture seems to have become more vibrant in the city in the last two years. Bangalore being a hub of many IT companies and MNCs, has experienced a lot of population influx in the past few years. This influx has led to the acculturation of various aspects and traditions. The pub culture seems to have benefitted from this influx and acculturation. Bangalore, emerging as the ‘Pub Capital of India’ has a lot to owe to the amalgamation of various cultures and ethos. As a result, the culture of this city seems to be more standardized and globalized as compared to other cities. The presence of multiple MNCs in the city also results in an increased number of travelers that frequently visit Bangalore. Visitors hailing from places where pubs and clubs are a common sight also seem to frequent the city. In order to give them a ‘feel at home’ experience the city provides a plethora of such places that cater to the taste of these visitors. Various other factors such as the music, environment, food, beverages, etc. also play a major part in the popularization and propagation of this pub culture.

Ancient mitogenomes suggest complex maternal history of one of the oldest settlements of western India

The ancient township of Vadnagar tells a story of a long chain of cultural diversity and exchange. Vadnagar has been continuously habituated and shows a presence of rich cultural amalgamation and continuous momentary sequences between the 2th century BCE and present-day. Seven cultural periods developed a complex and enriched settlement at Vadnagar in spatio-temporality. Although archaeological studies done on this oldest settlement suggested a rich cultural heritage, the genetic studies to pinpoint the genetic ancestry was lacking till date. In our current study we have for the first time reconstructed the complete mitogenomes of medieval individuals of the Vadnagar archaeological site in Gujarat. The study aimed to investigate the cosmopolitan nature of the present population as well as the migratory pattern and the inflow of different groups through trade, cultural and religious practices. Our analysis suggests heterogeneous nature of the medieval population of Vadnagar with presence of deeply rooted local ancestral components as well as central Asian genetic ancestry. This Central Asian component associated with mitochondrial haplotype U2e was not shared with any individual from India, but rather with individuals from the Bronze Age of Tajikistan and with an earlier age of coalescence. In summary, we propose that the medieval site of Vadnagar in western India was rich in cultural and genetic aspects, with both local and western Eurasian components.

Amalgamation of Bio-Eco Culture for Sustainable Island Tourism Development

Tourism development can benefit from integrating biology, ecology, and cultural elements. Bio-Eco culture in tourism development emphasizes preserving and showcasing a destination’s unique natural and cultural assets. This approach recognizes that ecosystems and cultural assets are often intertwined and should be considered in developing sustainable tourism. However, tourism development activities often conflict with these efforts. A recent study shows that tourism development has been pursued independently, leading to an imbalance in tourism development. The situation in the study area is identical. Therefore, this study aims to enhance the relationship between cultural ecology and human behaviour as a tool for developing sustainable tourism. Jerejak Island, Penang was selected as a study area. A quantitative approach was applied, involving 150 tourists as respondents. The research identified the potential of tourism resources in the study area and investigated tourist typology through their behaviour. The study revealed a gap between conserving the island’s ecological and biological quality, neglecting the protection of heritage resources, and excessively meeting the needs of tourists. To achieve sustainable tourism development, it is necessary to address these three areas in parallel. It makes the Bio-Eco Cultural in tourism development approach suitable for the study area. Overall, the Bio-Eco cultural approach is also an effort to conserve local tourism resources.

Practical Reflections on Enhancing Cultural Confidence in English Education in Colleges and Universities under the Big Data Platform

Abstract Day by day, we are realizing the goal of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, which necessitates the development of sufficient cultural self-confidence. The amalgamation of traditional culture and English learning is an essential prerequisite for us to effectively communicate the Chinese story to the world. This paper proposes an optimized ridge regression model with regularization constraints to enhance the preprocessing of cultural data. Subsequently, we propose a statistical model for analyzing the teaching styles of English texts from four perspectives, taking into account the characteristics of English language teaching and the cardinal text statistics algorithm based on word frequency optimization. This model’s analysis revealed that textbook articles reflecting traditional Chinese culture accounted for only 1.8% of all types, resulting in an uneven distribution of grades. Following the implementation of improvements to tackle this issue, 74.86% of the students expressed their belief that enhanced teaching could bolster their cultural confidence. Similarly, 86.6% of the teachers expressed their belief that incorporating Chinese culture into English teaching could enhance students’ cultural awareness, and 90% of the teachers believed it could boost students’ identification with Chinese culture and cultural confidence. It shows that the new teaching method optimized by conducting textual statistical analysis helps to bring into play the role of English education in colleges and universities in enhancing cultural self-confidence.

PERSIAN ARCHITECTURE: A SOURCE OF INSPIRATION FOR MUGHAL IMPERIAL MOSQUES IN NORTH INDIA

India and Persia have had a strong socio-cultural relationship since the ancient period. There had been a cultural link between the two countries. Indo-Persian cultural amalgamation had increased with the advent of Islam in the Indian subcontinent. The syncretism of these two cultures influenced all aspects of life, including literature, art and architecture. This paper discusses the influence of Persian architecture on Mughal imperial mosques in North India. A review of literature from various scholars on possible influencing factors is presented, accompanied by an observation-based analysis of the architectural features of Persian mosques. Subsequently, the paper identifies and examines various Persian architectural elements existing in Mughal mosques in India. The results indicate that Persian architecture significantly influenced Mughal mosques in North India and using locally available materials made these mosques unique in their architectural styles.

Kethoprak Reog Paguyuban Seni Reog Singo Bhirowo Lakon Suminten Edan (Kolaborasi Kesenian Rakyat sebagai Ekspresi Akulturasi Budaya)

ABSTRACT The city of Surakarta has approximately 35 groups or communities dedicated to the Reog art form. One of these groups is known as "Paguyuban Seni Reog Singo Bhirowo" which comprises 45 members spanning across different generations. This quantity reflects the high level of interest among the Banjarsari community in Reog art. Moreover, the establishment of "Paguyuban Seni Reog Singo Bhirowo" is a response from urban residents living outside Surakarta who have a background in Reog art. The group aims to create a performance format that combines Reog with the traditional Javanese art form called "Kethoprak," known as "Reog Kethoprak." The fusion of Kethoprak and Reog, both rooted in folk art, is seen as a suitable step to promote intercultural understanding, tolerance, and enrich the global heritage of the arts. This cultural amalgamation in the presentation of Kethoprak and Reog is an offering to strengthen their coexistence in society, particularly in Surakarta. The process of creating the Reog Kethoprak performance, exemplified by the Suminten Edan play, involves various stages: cultural exchange, acceptance and exploration, adoption and adaptation, integration, and transformation, resulting in the final show. In the implementation of the Suminten Edan play, contemporary conflicts related to the economic situation of the Reog community are incorporated into the narrative. The collaboration between these two folk art forms, Kethoprak and Reog, serves as a reflection of cultural tolerance and a recognition that differences can come together to produce something significant and have a positive impact on each other. This collaboration is not about division or competition but rather about unity. Keywords: Acculturation, Reog Kethoprak, Local Cultural Expression.

Mother-Tongue Biblical Hermeneutics and the Pursuit of Ethnic Harmony in Ghana

Ethnic disharmony exists among the people of Ghana. What are the reasons for this? Ghana is an amalgamation of different ethnic groups, cultures, peoples and states to form one entity. The partition of Africa is mainly responsible for this, though there are other contributing factors. The project to partition Africa led, in large measure, to the erosion of the African identity. The 19th- and 20th-century European Christian mission to southern West Africa exploited this reality to their mission advantage. Unfortunately, the result seems to be counterproductive because the mission project, for the most part, produced a version of Christianity that failed to affirm the African identity. Concerned Africans, now on a mission to deconstruct the imperialist, European mission-constructed West African Christian identity, realise that biblical interpretation is one major source of this decolonial agenda. How does a mother-tongue reading of Ephesians 2 help decolonise Eυe Christianity and promote ethnic harmony in Ghana? Using mother-tongue biblical hermeneutics, this paper argues that the pursuit of ethnic harmony in Ghana is a decolonial hermeneutic with potential for fostering ethnic harmony in Ghana.

A Study of Strategic Leadership Approaches in Culturally Diverse Sports Teams

Amidst the increasing manifestation of diversity in globalized societies, its pervasive influence has permeated various facets of human activity, including the labor market and workforce composition. This phenomenon is mirrored within the sports industry, where "diversity" signifies the amalgamation of unique identities and cultures within teams or organizations. This paper probes the imperative for sports industry leaders to calibrate their leadership approaches according to the cultural tapestry of their employees. By accentuating the pivotal role of team cohesion, innovation, and employee performance, the analysis underscores the complexities of managing diverse teams while debunking stereotypes. The recommendations advocate for leaders to embrace cultural sensitivity, flexibility, and integration, thereby effectively harnessing the latent potential of a multifaceted workforce.

In Search of a Borderland: Material Culture Patterns on the Southern Limits of the North American Southwest

ABSTRACT Recent research conducted in southern Sonora, Mexico provides an opportunity to revisit debates about interaction between Mesoamerica and the North American Southwest (NAS). In the borderland between these traditions, communities show few signs of cultural amalgamation, instead exhibiting either an avoidance of overt identity markers or an emphasis on more local connections. This pattern contrasts with most discussions of Mesoamerican influence on the NAS that focus on regionally atypical centers of foreign goods consumption or evidence of foreign religious traditions in distant localities. By recentering on local contexts where cultural amalgamation is expected but minimal, we raise important questions about why more distant groups found Mesoamerican societies to be worthy of emulation. The results suggest researchers should devote equal attention to cases in which distinct identities are erased or suppressed as they do to cases in which social boundaries are maintained or created anew.

Relevansi Konsep Pendidikan Multikultural dalam Perspektif Al-Quran di Era Kontemporer

This paper aims to present a complete abstract of the concept of multicultural education in the perspective of the Koran. This article uses the literature review method by analyzing the verses of the Koran related to multicultural education. The introduction describes the notion of multicultural education and its importance in the context of contemporary challenges. The method used is an analysis approach to verses of the Koran that are relevant to multicultural education. The results of the analysis show that the Al-Quran clearly emphasizes the importance of knowing, understanding, and respecting the diversity of cultures, ethnicities, and religions. Verses related to multicultural education emphasize the values of inclusion, tolerance, respect for differences, and human brotherhood. Discussion and analysis link the concept of multicultural education in the Koran with contemporary challenges such as globalization, multiculturalism, prejudice, discrimination, identity, and cultural amalgamation. This article also discusses the application of multicultural educational practices that involve an inclusive curriculum, diverse teaching methods, development of multicultural attitudes, training of educators, parental and community participation, and respect for language and cultural identity. In conclusion, this article emphasizes that multicultural education in the perspective of the Koran has significant relevance in dealing with contemporary challenges. This concept can be applied through a variety of practices, including an inclusive curriculum, diverse teaching methods, development of multicultural attitudes, training of educators, parental and community participation, and respect for language and cultural identity. In the context of multicultural education, the Koran provides solid guidelines for building a society that is inclusive, tolerant and respects diversity. Further research and implementation of multicultural educational practices from the perspective of the Koran can make an important contribution in creating a harmonious society in an increasingly multicultural global era.

The Universal and the Local in theCivitas Batavorum

AbstractIntense recruitment for the Roman army among the Batavians of the Lower Rhi­ne exposed their community more profoundly to Latin literacy and the universal cul­ture of the empire than many oth­er provinces. How­ever, through an anthro­polo­gi­cal examination of their commu­ni­ty, the present paper demonstrates that even under the­se con­di­tions, the cultural amalgamation of the impe­rial and the lo­cal was li­mi­ted, and Batavian society retained a markedly distinct cul­ture through­out centuries of Ro­man rule.

English Language Acquisition through Comparative Literature

Comparative literature facilitates amalgamation of cultures, traditions and nations bringing them all onto one common front. Reader gets an opportunity to compare and contrast these major features realizing cultural and religious sensitivity. When regional literatures are compared with English literature, reader may have a broader scope to learn English language from the context. Through this, reader may gain functional and practical English. Thus, my paper throws light on comparative literature between regional and English literatures with a note of practical and functional English acquisition.

An Analysis of the Combination of Chinese and Western Cultures in Discrete Literature -- Taking Li Yan's English novel Snow Lily as an Example

Cultural amalgamation is not only a striking phenomenon in discrete literary works, but also a literary reality in the creation of non-native language literary works in the multicultural context. Through the text analysis of the latest English novel "Snow Lily" by Li Yan, a Chinese Canadian writer, this paper discusses the application of the combination of Chinese and Western cultures in literary works in the multicultural context. At this time, Utopia plays a negative role in reality, alerting people to reset their hopes in time, in order to connect with the future; Although it is an exotic life from the bottom of the society, the protagonist Lily never gives up her efforts. She is pursuing a kind of universal values about the growth of the soul and human beings. Utopia has realized the budding role of the future ideology here.