Contemporary Changes Research Articles

Learning from past society-environment interactions is discursive rather than substantive

Abstract Environmental changes pose unprecedented risks to human societies worldwide. Over the past few decades, burgeoning academic literature argues or assumes that past societies’ responses to environmental impacts can provide valuable lessons to guide adaptation to contemporary environmental changes. The ancient Maya civilization, whose decline is often linked with historically unprecedented droughts, constitutes a major case study for extracting such lessons. To analyze these lessons, we conduct a meta-analysis of the discourse of learning from past Maya-environment interactions. We demonstrate that although studies often refer to learning from the Maya explicitly, the learning is primarily declarative and discursive rather than substantive, and lessons are often vague, misguided, or inapplicable. Only a few articles employ research designs conducive to learning from the past, and only a few reflect on the process of, or the problems associated with, learning from the past. On the other hand, many articles are content with reaching ‘inspirational’ lessons, calling, for example, for increasing resilience, while only a fifth of the papers drew more specific lessons that offer somewhat concrete recommendations and courses of action. Many studies also claimed that their findings are applicable to present-day societies far outside the core regions of Maya habitation, ignoring pertinent social and geographical differences. Although the paper does not preclude the theoretical possibility of learning from the past, it argues that such learning must undergo significant changes to achieve robustness and relevance for the present. This would also require a more open discussion between scholars of the past and adaptation practitioners.

Traditional Environmental Knowledge in a Changing Environment: Vuntut Gwitchin Observations of Change in the Yukon Territory

Scientists, resource managers and developers increasingly seek out Traditional or Indigenous Knowledge to deepen their understanding of the environment. Yet, even as the value of this knowledge is recognized, misperceptions remain; Traditional Knowledge is still often seen as something static, unchanged from one generation to the next rather than as something flexible and adaptive. Ethnographic research with the Vuntut Gwitchin First Nation challenges these perceptions. Their observations of contemporary environmental change in the western Canadian Arctic are becoming part of their Traditional Knowledge, proving that this system of knowledge is resilient and will continue even as the environment becomes ever more unpredictable.

Systematic development of a complex intervention: a theory and evidence-based physiotherapist led group intervention to increase physical activity and reduce sedentary behaviour following bariatric surgery (PARIS)

ObjectivesTo describe the systematic development of a physiotherapist led group behaviour change intervention targeting physical activity and sedentary behaviour in individuals who have undergone bariatric surgery. Study designIntervention development including evidence synthesis, qualitative research and mapping of intervention components, using the 2008 MRC framework for complex interventions. MethodsWe conducted a systematic review to identify the evidence for promising interventions and components to increase physical activity and reduce sedentary behaviour following bariatric surgery. We also conducted primary qualitative research exploring these behaviours with three key stakeholder groups: patients, clinicians and commissioners. We selected two contemporary behaviour change frameworks to inform intervention development and developed a conceptual matrix in which intervention objectives were defined to inform selection of appropriate behaviour change techniques, proposed mechanisms of action(s), and mode of delivery. We also developed two intervention handbooks for participants and facilitators to support delivery and receipt of the intervention. ResultsWe have developed a behaviour change intervention targeting physical activity and sedentary behaviour in patients following bariatric surgery. Eight intervention objectives were defined and mapped to the Behaviour Change Wheel and Theoretical Domains Framework. We identified what the intervention must be able to do (intervention functions), behaviour change techniques that could be used to achieve this, the proposed mechanism of action, and mode of delivery. This intervention will be subject to a feasibility study, with the intervention delivered online over a six-week period to participants who have had bariatric surgery within the previous five years. Contribution of the Paper•This paper clearly explains the process involved in developing a theory and evidence-based physiotherapy-led complex behaviour change intervention.•The full specification of the intervention including proposed mechanism of effect has been provided, which should facilitate faithful intervention delivery and allow it to be comprehensively evaluated in a planned feasibility study.•This paper aims to enable physiotherapists to develop their own complex interventions, targeting behaviours that are relevant to their patients in their own areas of clinical practice.

A Study of Nanorriutit – Polar Bear Dogs in Avanersuaq

Nanorriutit are specialized dogs integral to traditional nanoq (polar bear) hunting in Avanersuaq (Thule district, North Greenland). This practice, involving a deep relationship between the piniartoq (hunter), the nanoq, and the qimmeq (dog), is a crucial aspect of Inughuit cultural heritage in the region. However, the hunting culture associated with nanorriutit faces significant challenges due to the contemporary lifestyle, urbanization and impacts of climate change, which are deteriorating the traditional hunting grounds. This study aims to examine the evolving role of nanorriutit in polar bear hunting practices and the broader cultural context of Avanersuaq. Utilizing a qualitative approach, data were collected through fourteen semi-structured interviews with thirteen knowledge holders from the settlement of Savissivik and the town of Qaanaaq, conducted in Inuktun and kalaallisut. The findings illustrate both the enduring significance of nanorriutit, and the adaptations required in response to changing environmental conditions. This research contributes to the understanding of how the contemporary lifestyles and climate change is influencing Inughuit hunting practices and emphasizes the need to preserve this valuable cultural tradition amidst a rapidly transforming Arctic urbanization and environment.

Kaizen as a Form of Lean Management to Improve Human Performance in the Organization

This research aims to identify one of the important improvement approaches currently in the business world, namely Kaizen, which has achieved the enhancement of the quality of the organization's outputs and the achievement of the success it aspires to, which has been reflected in achieving profit and excellence, and effectively in improving the performance of human resources in particular, as we will learn about the mechanism of this, by reviewing the most important aspects related to the concept of the Kaizen approach, passing through to give a general picture of its impact on human resources performance, and reaching to shed light on the Japanese experience in managing human resources using the Kaizen approach. The study concluded that it is necessary to follow the Japanese experience in managing human resources, given its effective role in improving performance and keeping pace with the contemporary changes and challenges witnessed by the business environment.

New Social Variables and There Relationship to Women's Commission of Crime

The paper dealt with the issue of the new social variables and their relationship to women's attitude towards crime, and it aimed to know the nature and type of contemporary social variables and how this affected the push of women to crime. Crime and the development of digital means and technologies resulted in the difficulty of detecting and tracking the perpetrators, and it was explained through the study the tendency of women to crime, which the technical means contributed to its commission and what was newly called electronic and digital crimes , In its methodological aspect, the paper was used to describe and analyze social variables and their impact on women's commission of crime in particular, and the study reached a number of results. The pattern and form of the crime changed according to contemporary changes and its dependence on the technical and computer offenders. The study showed the difficulty of discovering crimes of a technical nature, as well as prosecuting their perpetrators. The development of crimes into intercontinental crimes, which increased their rates. The need for security and police agencies to keep up with the new crimes and know how to deal with them and control them. Establishing high-tech electronic monitoring so that all suspicious movements are monitored, tracked technically, and reduced.

Sensitivity of Simulated Arctic Ocean Salinity and Strait Transport to Interannually Variable Hydrologic Model Based Runoff

AbstractAs the Arctic warms at an increased rate compared to the rest of the globe, freshwater runoff has been shown to be increasing into the Arctic Ocean. The effects of this contemporary increase in riverine freshwater into the Arctic Ocean are estimated from ocean model simulations, using two runoff data sets. One runoff data set is based on older climatological data, which has no inter‐annual variability after 2007 and as such does not represent the observed increases in river runoff into the Arctic. The other data set comes from a hydrological model developed for the Arctic drainage basin, which includes contemporary changes in the climate. At the Pan‐Arctic scale this new data set represents an approximately 11% increase in runoff, compared with the older climatological data. Comparing two ocean model runs forced with the different runoff data sets, overall changes in different freshwater markers across the basin were found to be between 5% and 10%, depending on the regions. The strongest increases were seen from the Siberian rivers, which in turn caused the strongest freshening in the Eastern Arctic. As the surface waters of the Arctic Ocean are sensitive to runoff, incorporating hydrological model data can help to better understand current changes and potential future impacts from increased runoff with climate change.

Temporal scaling of carbon emission accumulations and rates of the Meso-Cenozoic hyperthermal events: implication to the Anthropocene global warming

Anthropocene global warming is largely associated with fossil fuel carbon emissions. Temporal scaling provides a way to place current carbon emissions on a geological scale. The scaling of carbon emissions at the onset of hyperthermal events suggests that we might anticipate higher carbon emission rates over longer time scales than what we currently observe in the Anthropocene. However, this inference is uncertain due to limited data concerning the accumulations and time intervals of carbon emissions of Meso-Cenozoic hyperthermal events. While on the long-time hyperthermal-event scales of several to hundreds of kiloyears, modern carbon accumulations and emission rates are 9 times greater than those of the hyperthermal-event emissions. The present-day carbon release can be effectively compared to the onset of hyperthermal events through temporal scaling. If current carbon emission trends persist, we may reach the carbon emission thresholds for hyperthermal events in one to three hundred years, getting an intensified hydrological cycle, enhanced continental weathering and ocean acidification. And if the situation gets worse, we may reach the upper limit of the carbon emission threshold for hyperthermal events (e.g., Permian-Triassic Boundary event, PTB) with a biotic mass extinction over four to thirteen hundred years. This study offers new insights into current carbon emissions from a temporal scale perspective, enhancing our understanding of contemporary climate change.

Inter- and intra-annual variability and climatic responses of ecosystem water use efficiency in a cool-temperate freshwater wetland

Wetland ecosystems play a pivotal role in terrestrial carbon and water cycles, thereby possessing great potential to regulate terrestrial water use efficiency (WUE), which is calculated as the ratio of gross primary productivity (GPP) to evapotranspiration (ET). However, it remains unclear the possible changes in wetland WUE under present and future climate conditions. In this research, WUE variations in a Phragmites australis-dominated freshwater wetland were determined by the eddy covariance method during 2020–2023. Further, we projected future GPP, ET, and WUE under four Representative Concentration Pathway (RCP) scenarios based on five Earth System Models. The 3-year average field observation suggested that the P. australis marsh exhibited high GPP (1149 g C m−2), but consumed large amounts of water through ET (611 mm H2O), resulting in relatively low WUE (1.89 g C mm−1 H2O). During wet years, the studied marsh consumed much more water through evaporation than through transpiration, thus exhibiting lower WUE. Contrarily, large amounts of water were utilized to maintain high primary productivity through transpiration in 2021–2022 dry year, leading to higher WUE. In future scenarios, GPP in the P. australis marsh shows consistently faster uptrends compared to ET from 2020 to 2100, consequently yielding persistent growths of WUE. Future growths of WUE indicate that P. australis marsh tends consume more water for maintaining productivity levels rather than loss via evaporation under future climate conditions, thereby intensifying the carbon–water interaction. Driven by the most rapid growth of environmental drivers, the RCP8.5 scenario shows the fastest increasing trends in GPP, ET, and WUE among four RCP scenarios, whereas the reverse ocurres under RCP2.6 scenario. Overall, our study advocates for more comprehensive research encompassing field observation and model simulation to address the current knowledge gap regarding the response of wetland WUE to contemporary and future climate change.

Advancing school education: A proposal for modernizing the school subject “Physical Education” for today’s needs

Individual behavior is considered the most significant determinant of health (GoInvo, 2017). There are six primary lifestyle factors—physical activity (PA), diet, substance use, sleep, stress, and relationships—that collectively contribute to a holistic concept of health and well-being (American College of Lifestyle Medicine, n.d.). Evidence shows that the widespread adoption of unhealthy lifestyle habits is associated with contemporary changes in children’s phenotypes, making them more vulnerable to chronic health issues that can persist into adulthood (Hruby & Hu, 2015). This is linked to the increasing prevalence of overweight and obesity among children and adolescents, which has risen dramatically from 8% in 1990 to 20% in 2022 (World Health Organization, 2024). Educational settings provide an ideal environment for developing lifelong healthy habits, as the cultivation of such habits requires prolonged commitment. Physical education (PE) is a school-based subject with the potential to promote an active lifestyle; however, concerns persist regarding its adequacy and effectiveness in other aspects of health promotion (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, 2014). This perspective study discusses the theoretical and practical aspects of modernizing PE curriculum, including its implications for public health policy. Methods We conducted a concise overview of the literature for this perspective study, highlighting school-based health programs and identifying key advocative approaches, with the aim of providing foundational insights for the present health-policy proposal. Results From a holistic perspective, we propose that PE should evolve into lifestyle education (LE), aiming to integrate all six factors of lifestyle medicine within the educational framework. Through the LE approach, children and adolescents can acquire a comprehensive package of health-related knowledge, skills, and competencies that extend beyond PA and encompass all lifestyle components. However, transitioning from PE to LE may impact the structure of the curricula and necessitate stablishing a supplementary curriculum titled sport education (SE), aiming to enhance students’ sport-related skills such as teamwork, leadership, resilience, and strategic thinking, while also promoting abilities in stress management, concentration, and emotional regulation. To effectively transition from PE to LE and SE, educational authorities and policymakers must provide comprehensive demonstrations outlining vision, mission, goals, roles, and detailed guidelines tailored to diverse school levels and student demographics, considering factors such as gender, BMI, (dis)abilities, and socioeconomic status. Conclusion Establishing school-based LE appears crucial for addressing the growing pandemic of chronic health conditions from their earliest origins. Alongside its direct effects of individual health, LE also appears to be beneficial in promoting children’s social and cognitive growth, optimizing their academic performance, and increasing the likelihood of their future occupational success. Therefore, implementing LE is crucial before expecting children and adolescents to adhere to the existing health-related recommendations. References American College of Lifestyle Medicine. (n.d.). What is lifestyle medicine? https://lifestylemedicine.org/ GoInvo. (2017). Determinants of health. https://www.goinvo.com/vision/determinants-of-health/ Hruby, A., & Hu, F. B. (2015). The epidemiology of obesity: A big picture. Pharmacoeconomics, 33, 673-689. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40273-014-0243-x United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. (2014). World-wide survey of school physical education: Final report 2013. https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000229335 World Health Organization. (2024). Obesity and overweight. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/obesity-and-overweight

THE STRUCTURAL, HUMAN, AND FUNCTIONAL ORGANIZATION OF ICJ AND ICC AND ITS EFFECT ON THE FIRMNESS OF THE INTERNATIONAL JUSTICE

Objective: This study focuses on the efficient role of ICJ and ICC in enshrining the principles of international justice firmness towards the international crimes that have spread lately due to the ideological, political, and economic armed conflicts that result from the contradicting interests of individuals or states. Methods: In so doing, we must tackle the structural, institutional, and functional organization of these international organizations to unveil their efforts in maintaining the international peace and security, mainly that some international law subjects and international actors disagree about respecting the binding provisions of these two organizations Results: The principle of complementarity between the international and national justices plays an important role in expressing the common will of the international society in promoting the international laws.The international jurisdiction fosters the anti-crime efforts and ensures the promotion of the international laws. Conclusion: The question of the international judicial firmness is very important for the international law, mainly at the present time due to the contemporary changes in the international society that influence the international and national penal policies. This influence manifests in the value of the international legal rule, what affects the international compliance to these rules.

REFLECTIONS ABOUT DOING ON-LINE QUALITATIVE RESEARCH DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC AND THE ABSENCE OF PUBLIC POLICIES REGARDING THE RELATION BETWEEN DIGITAL VULNERABILITY AND HEALTH INEQUALITY

The social restriction imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic challenged traditional qualitative research methods (e.g., face-to-face interviews or in situ participant and non-participant observations), requiring researchers to adapt classic qualitative practices to this new scenario. In this article, we proposed a reflection on how online communications can produce rich, meaningful, intricate, and detailed qualitative data. For that, we initially explained the pre-pandemic context of our research and the changes that were necessary after the pandemic onset. Afterward, we explored how we decided to do online research and how we prepared ourselves to do so, explaining how our data was produced and sharing the experiences that resulted from this. We also explored how the social inequalities in underdeveloped countries, such as Brazil, and the lack of public policies regarding the relation between public health policies and digital vulnerability still put people in what we call digital insufficiency, which might implicate in the social researcher finding different ways to engage with the population studied. Finally, we reflected on how misconceptions about the capacities of the fieldwork (e.g., that it must be in-person) could diminish the potentialities of qualitative research. We suggested that qualitative methods should move from a conventional single-site location to multiple sites of observation and participation. This approach aligns better with a more situated and contextualized qualitative researcher interested in contemporary sociocultural changes.

The de-structuration of eating models in East Asia under compressed food modernity: An empirical synthesis

The de-structuration of eating models refers to a multitude of contemporary dietary changes, such as meal skipping and eating out, that diverge from ‘proper’ eating models in given societies. This phenomenon has been studied primarily in Western societies and diagnosed as a more modest change than previously assumed by alarming social discourse. However, this view must be relativised from non-Western perspectives. De-structuration involves the weakening of dietary normative systems and the increased food anxiety, the typical symptoms of reflexive modernity. This concept is theoretically based on the paradigm of ‘plural’ modernities, but it has been scarcely tested empirically in non-Western regions. Web-based questionnaire surveys were conducted from 2021 to 2024 in four East Asian societies that have experienced compressed modernisation. The two studies in Japan (n = 973) and Taiwan (n = 920) have already been reported elsewhere. In this article, discussion on this Japan-Taiwan comparison is further extended with new datasets in South Korea (n = 1039) and China (n = 1035), providing an empirical synthesis of eating models and their de-structuration in four East Asian societies. In contrast to Western societies, de-structuration in East Asia has been more intense than a modest change. Similarly, in Taiwan and South Korea, the degree of change has been so large that de-structuration has extended to dietary norms. In Japan, the norm–practice discrepancy has been intensified by the country's gendered dietary norms. Finally, in China, there has been a time lag between dietary changes and the drastic socioeconomic reforms since the 1980s, manifesting an embryonic form of de-structuration. These phenomena are diverse aspects of compressed food modernity, and our article contributes by providing empirical support for plural views of food modernisation.

New Trends in Arabic Novels in the Current Era

This study explores the new trends in contemporary Arabic novels, analyzing the thematic and stylistic shifts that characterize modern Arabic literature. The research highlights several emerging trends, including the diversification of themes, stylistic innovation, cultural hybridity, and the integration of technology into narrative forms. The study discusses how modern Arabic novels have expanded beyond traditional topics like love and politics to include more complex issues such as identity, migration, gender, and the impact of globalization. Stylistically, there has been a move towards more experimental approaches, with authors adopting fragmented structures, multi-layered narratives, and blending of genres. The incorporation of cultural influences from the West and the East has also enriched the content of Arabic novels, reflecting the multicultural experiences of modern Arab writers. Additionally, the use of digital platforms and technologies in storytelling is reshaping the narrative landscape, offering new methods for engaging readers. Through an analytical lens, this study offers a comprehensive look at how Arabic novels are evolving to reflect contemporary societal changes and global cultural interactions.

Effectiveness of preventive intervention programmes aiming to improve oral health in children who have undergone caries-related dental extractions: a rapid review.

To determine the effectiveness of preventive interventions in children who have undergone caries-related dental extractions. Rapid review across five databases (CENTRAL, Ovid Medline, Embase, Web of Science and Scopus). Quality was assessed using the Risk of Bias 2 tool. Five studies were included, all randomised controlled trials involving pre-and/or post-extractions activity. Three studies involved oral health education (computer game, motivational interviewing, visual aids), one delivered clinical prevention (fissure sealants), and one an enhanced prevention programme combining additional health education and a clinical intervention (fluoride varnish). Retention was mixed (55%-80% in the intervention groups). Of the three studies measuring caries, all reported less caries development in the test group. However, only a study involving a dental nurse-delivered structured conversation, informed by motivational interviewing, showed an improvement in oral health. Two studies reporting on plaque and gingival bleeding had conflicting results. A study reporting on subsequent dental attendance did not demonstrate a clear improvement. Few published studies have explored prevention-based interventions in high caries-risk children requiring dental extractions. Whilst evidence of clinical benefit of preventive interventions in this population is limited, the potential use of contemporary behaviour change techniques appears promising. There is an urgent need for more high-quality longer-term trials using contemporary methodologies.

Millennial and contemporary dynamics of the barrier estuary entrance at Moruya, SE Australia

ABSTRACT This study presents optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dates, sediment coring, historical maps and charts and photography and airborne LiDAR to reconstruct the millennial and contemporary history of the Moruya River entrance. OSL dating reveals small estuarine beaches were active between 7000 and 5000 years ago, when the entrance was far more open than at present. At that time, a large flood-tide delta infilling a wide immature estuary is likely to have existed. Continued progradation of the Bengello barrier to the north, and the inception of the Moruya Heads barrier to the south from 4500 years onward, progressively constricted the river entrance. Several more low-energy estuarine beaches developed behind the Moruya Heads barrier and are dated to ~4400 and ~2800 years ago. Concurrently, the open mud basin of the estuary infilled with fluvial sediment. Following the arrival of Europeans in the region, in the early to the mid-1800s, engineering works were undertaken in stages to train the estuary entrance for navigation and have further constrained the system. OSL dating of beaches formed as a result of this activity concur with the historical accounts. These contemporary changes to the entrance have modified the estuary hydrodynamics and shifted the sediment transport and ecological regime of the lower estuary.

The importance of current megatrends and trends in the opinion of X and Z generations

Contemporary changes in the world can be described by looking for similarities in phenomena occurring in different places. Currently, such megatrends include, among others: Demographic Shifts, Multipolarization of the World, Symbiocene, Bioera, and Mirror World. They are strongly related to technological progress, digitalization, and changes in societies. The aim of this article is to answer the question of whether the development trends are perceived as equally important by representatives of generations X and Z. Their attitude will be related to the willingness to accept the anticipated and already occurring changes. The research was conducted in 2023 on a sample of 500 people from generations X and Z. It was found that regardless of their generation, the respondents considered all megatrends current and important. They rated the importance of the Mirror World megatrend as the lowest, which means they are skeptical about the rapid domination of relationships by those taking place mainly on the Internet. The trends perceived as important included Mental Well-Being, Loneliness, Depopulation, and Roboticized Life, while the following were considered less important: Deglobalization, Medicine Resistance, Nation-State Collapse, and Identity Nomads. By comparing the assessments of trends by the representatives of the X and Z generations, it was found that the importance of each of the examined trends was assessed higher by younger people from Generation Z. For the most current trends, the differences in the assessments are statistically significant.

Transformation of Humanities Education in Facing Contemporary Social Challenges

In the era of rapid globalization and modernization, humanities education faces significant challenges in responding to contemporary social changes. This article explores the transformations needed in humanities education to remain relevant and effective in the context of an ever-evolving society. This research aims to identify the main issues faced by humanities education as well as to formulate strategies and approaches that can be adopted to overcome these challenges. The method used in this study is qualitative, with a literature study and library research approach. Data were collected through an in-depth study of various academic sources, articles, and books relevant to this topic. The results show that humanities education needs to adapt its curriculum and teaching methods to respond to contemporary issues such as technological change, globalization, and increasingly complex social dynamics. The adjustments include the integration between traditional knowledge and modern skills, as well as an increased focus on critical and analytical skills. This article provides important insights into how humanities education can transform to meet today's societal needs, as well as offers recommendations for educational policies and practices that are more responsive to changing times.

What are the challenges to quality in modern, hybrid general practice? A multi-site longitudinal study.

Background Since 2022, general practice has shifted from responding to the acute challenges of COVID-19 to restoring full services, using remote and digital modalities as well as traditional in-person care. Aim To examine how quality domains are addressed in contemporary UK general practice. Design and setting Multi-site, mostly qualitative longitudinal case study, placed in national policy context. Method Data were collected from longitudinal ethnographic case studies of 12 general practices (2021-2023); multi-stakeholder workshops; stakeholder interviews; patient surveys; official reports; and publicly-accessible patient experience data. Data were coded thematically and analysed using Institute of Medicine domains, Starfield's core features of primary care and sociological and socio-technical theories. Results Quality efforts in UK general practice occur within cumulative impacts of financial austerity, loss of resilience, increasingly complex patterns of illness and need, a diverse and fragmented workforce, infrastructure unfit for purpose, and distanciated ways of working. Providing the human elements of traditional general practice is difficult and sometimes impossible. Triage systems designed to increase efficiency have introduced new forms of inefficiency and compromised other quality domains. Long-term condition management varies in quality; amidst some convenience gains, some practices rely on remote, asynchronous data entry by patients and fragmented care by underqualified staff. Measures to mitigate digital exclusion do not compensate for extremes of structural disadvantage. Many staff are stressed and demoralised. Conclusion Contemporary hybrid general practice features changes with the unintended effect of dehumanising, compromising and fragmenting care. Risks to patients and the core values of general practice should be urgently addressed.

Research on the brand design and cultural tourism development of Chinese minority festivals from the perspective of ritual theory

Under the background of the current national unity and the integration of culture and tourism, this paper deeply explores the development dilemma of ethnic minority festival activities, reveals the dynamic relationship between ethnic minority festival activities and social structure, and then identifies the root causes of its development dilemma, and seeks to promote its contemporary inheritance and development through brand design. Using literature analysis and theoretical analysis, this paper systematically combs the historical evolution, current situation and challenges of ethnic minority festival activities. Especially in the perspective of ritual theory, in-depth analysis of the cultural connotation and social function of national festivals, as well as its adaptation and change in contemporary social changes. The study found that due to the changes in the social structure, the fracture of cultural heritage and the intensification of external competition, the current ethnic minority festival activities are facing problems such as insufficient inheritance, low popularity and weakening of festival activities. By creating a festival brand with local characteristics and cultural connotation, it can stimulate national pride and cultural identity, promote the integration and development of national unity and cultural tourism industry, reconstruct the social foundation of ethnic festival activities, and enhance their cultural value and market influence. Therefore, we should actively explore and practice the application of brand design in ethnic minority festivals, and make positive contributions to the protection and inheritance of traditional culture of ethnic minorities.