Arts And Humanities Research Council Research Articles

Introduction: Demography and Cultural Macroevolution

The papers in this special issue of Human Biology, which derive from a conference sponsored by the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) Center for the Evolution of Cultural Diversity, lay some of the foundations for an empirical macroevolutionary analysis of cultural dynamics. Our premise here is that cultural dynamics-including the stability of traditions and the rate of origination of new variants-are influenced by independently occurring demographic processes (population size, structure, and distribution as these vary over time as a result of changes in rates of fertility, mortality, and migration). The contributors focus on three sets of problems relevant to empirical studies of cultural macroevolution: large-scale reconstruction of past population dynamics from archaeological and genetic data; juxtaposition of models and evidence of cultural dynamics using large-scale archaeological and historical data sets; and juxtaposition of models and evidence of cultural dynamics from large-scale linguistic data sets. In this introduction we outline some of the theoretical and methodological issues and briefly summarize the individual contributions.

Introduction: Demography and Cultural Macroevolution

The papers in this special issue of Human Biology, which derive from a conference sponsored by the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) Center for the Evolution of Cultural Diversity, lay some of the foundations for an empirical macroevolutionary analysis of cultural dynamics. Our premise here is that cultural dynamics—including the stability of traditions and the rate of origination of new variants—are influenced by independently occurring demographic processes (population size, structure, and distribution as these vary over time as a result of changes in rates of fertility, mortality, and migration). The contributors focus on three sets of problems relevant to empirical studies of cultural macroevolution: large-scale reconstruction of past population dynamics from archaeological and genetic data; juxtaposition of models and evidence of cultural dynamics using large-scale archaeological and historical data sets; and juxtaposition of models and evidence of cultural dynamics from large-scale linguistic data sets. In this introduction we outline some of the theoretical and methodological issues and briefly summarize the individual contributions.

Introduction to the cinema issue

This special issue of South Asian Popular Culture grew out of an Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) Network that I have been involved with since 2006. The ‘Migrant and Diasporic cinema in ...

Archives of the Dance (21): Siobhan Davies Dance Online

In 2006, an Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) grant was awarded to researchers at Coventry University to create a digital archive of the work of Siobhan Davies Dance. The award is significant in acknowledging the limited resources readily available to dance scholars as well as to dance audiences in general. The archive, Siobhan Davies Dance Online, 1 will be the first digital dance archive in the UK. Mid-way through the project, Sarah Whatley, who is leading the project, reflects on some of the challenges in bringing together the collection, the range of materials that is going to be available within the archive and what benefits the archive should bring to the research community, the company itself and to dance in general.

Local Diasporas / Global Trajectories: New aspects of religious ‘performance’ in British Tamil Hindu practice

Click to increase image sizeClick to decrease image size ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Initial research and fieldwork in Leicester and London were carried out with the support of a three-year grant from the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC). Recent further research work has been funded by the Ford Foundation through the Social Science Research Council, USA(SSRC) and is part of a wider international and comparative research project on transnational religion. The author would also like to thank colleagues at the CORD (Congress for research on Dance) in New York, November 2007, for their comments on an earlier draft of part of this paper.

News from the field: ‘Town and townscape: the work and life of Thomas Sharp’

This Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC)-funded project ran between May 2006 and February 2008 and enabled the Sharp collection held at Newcastle University to be looked after properly for the first time. Equally important, it permitted a process of dissemination, allowing both the collection and the contribution of Sharp to planning history to become better known. This short paper relates something of the history of the collection, a brief description of the collection itself and the ‘Town and townscape’ project with some final reflections on planning archives and planning history in the UK.

The Historic Hammāms of Cairo

Hammāms (Islamic bathhouses) were key buildings in the Islamic city. Despite their large number and importance within the urban fabric of historic Islamic cities, they have rarely attracted much attention either from the academic community or from organizations dealing with the conservation and restoration of historic buildings. Studies of these buildings are scarce and rare. The future survival of the remaining ones is a real challenge to those concerned about the preservation of historic buildings.Based on a survey of the remaining bathhouses of Cairo, carried out by the authors in June 2007 as part of a research project funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC), this paper describes the hammāms of Cairo and highlights the lack of a strategy for their restoration. It focuses on the problems facing their safeguard; from selection and listing, to the lengthy process of restoration and the lack of expertise in restoration techniques. The paper finally concludes by proposing guidelines to help achieve a sustainable adaptive re-use of these buildings.

Why are we “Still Kissing the Rod”?: The future for the study of early modern women's writing

As the end of the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) funding for the Perdita Project drew near in autumn 2005, the team started thinking about a suitable finish to the project. We had had ...

Speaking the Same Language?

While blogging as a form of computer-mediated communication has attracted a growing amount of academic investigation in recent years, the majority of such research has so far focused on the North American experience. 120 UK and US bloggers (equal numbers of men and women) were surveyed about their approaches to blogging, including blogging techniques, habits, motivations and rewards. At the same time, data was collected directly from respondents blogs and by means of online tools (Technorati, Surfwax and The Truth Laid Bear). In addition, a blog related to the research was established, which gave the researcher first-hand experience of the challenges of blogging and also offered the opportunity for further data collection since the surveyed bloggers were invited to comment on the research as it was ongoing. While there was much that was similar in blogging on both sides of the pond, certain differences between UK and US bloggers were established, in particular relating to their aims in blogging; how the bloggers perceived blogging (for example, whether it was an IT-related product or more related to creative writing); and satisfactions gained from blogging. In addition, this research has highlighted the growth of a financial motivation for blogging. Research into the motivations of journal bloggers has so far focused on more indirect rewards such as influencing public opinion, sharing information with friends and family, and exercising creative skills. However, a large number of respondents, from both countries, indicated that one of their reasons for keeping a blog is the hope that it will generate income. Such financial recompense might come in the form of attracting new clients to an already established small business or new work or publishing opportunities. Bloggers might also be hoping to make money through the sale of advertising on their blogs. A few respondents could even be called ˜professional bloggers, supporting themselves entirely by their blogging. Such a financial motivation was particularly strong amongst women respondents, who may be looking for ways in which to generate income as an alternative to full-time employment outside the home. This paper is based on research conducted between September 2006 and May 2007 and supported by a research leave award from the UK Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC).

Absolute chronology and stratigraphy of Lepenski Vir

Absolute chronology and stratigraphy of Lepenski Vir

Jammed in an Unknown Device

Jammed in an Unknown Device

Temporary American citizens? British audiences, hollywood films and the threat of Americanization in the 1920s

In March 1927, the film columnist for the Daily Express declared that British film audiences’ enjoyment of American films was inextricably linked to their appreciation of the United States itself: ...