Cultural Consequences Research Articles

Singapore’s postcolonial ethnic revival in parks design

Either led by state, market or civil society, ‘ethnic revival’ — a process associated with multiculturalism — helped countries respond to last century’s challenges of immigration and identity formation. In postcolonial states, politics of multiculturalism negotiated colonial policies and their expressions in the built environment. In postcolonial Singapore, ethnic revival informed design and planning of its public park system. What aesthetic was used in postcolonial Singapore? How precisely does it reveal political ideas? Were these ideas and aesthetics general or specific to Singapore? How did local history influence that aesthetics? The paper situates Singapore’s postcolonial parks design, with its use of ‘multiethnic’ popular symbolism, within the discourse around the aesthetics of fast-growing urban environments of the mid-nineteen hundreds. It examines its contradictions and merits, casting a light on the consequences of postmodern culture for socio-political and economic gain: a state’s negotiation of local history and culture versus globalized trends; and the commodification of landscapes for tourism purposes and consequent ephemerality of urban imagery. The research examines the design of over 400 parks built between independence (1960s) to the late 1990s — the majority of those (90%) are sited in public housing estates, where 81% of the population of over 5.6 million lives.

A Comparative Study of Life Quality in Urban and Rural Areas of Afghanistan: A Case Study of Jawzjan Province

The difference between households in terms of quality of life has many economic, social, and cultural consequences. One of the factors behind the difference in the quality of life and the level of welfare among households is the place of residence. This article compares the quality of life and the level of welfare among households in rural and urban areas of Afghanistan. The data used in this research is first-hand, which was obtained by the self-made questionnaire of the researcher. The variables of this research include all the socio-economic characteristics of rural and urban households, and the variables of the quality of life and welfare of the households in terms of nutrition, cost, housing, housing facilities, ownership of durable consumer goods, etc., have been studied. The results show that in all indicators of quality of life and welfare, urban households have a much better situation than rural households. The most important factors affecting the low quality of life in rural areas are the low level of income in rural areas, the methods of earning income, the type of work, the lack of rural development policies in the country, the low level of investment in rural areas, the lack of development projects.

Purity Culture: Measurement and Relationship to Domestic Violence Myth Acceptance

Though discussed extensively in popular culture, purity culture, a conservative Christian movement that builds on traditional sexual ethics by proscribing additional rules and regulations to govern sexual behaviors and prioritize virginity, has scarcely been examined from a psychological perspective. The present study was designed to develop and validate a measure of purity culture, the Purity Culture Beliefs Scale (PCBS). We explore and confirm the factor structure of the PCBS and establish convergent and discriminant validity. We also demonstrate the utility of the scale showing incremental validity in the prediction of domestic violence myth acceptance. Convergent validity was established between purity culture and heterosexual scripts, sexual–spiritual integration, and shame. Discriminant validity was established between purity culture and manifestation of God in sexuality, sacred qualities of sexuality, Christian orthodoxy, and affect. The PCBS was also used to find that purity culture beliefs predicted domestic violence myth acceptance above and beyond the constructs of hostile sexism, benevolent sexism, and traditional sex roles. The introduction of the PCBS allows for the empirical study of the internalization and consequences of purity culture, which may inform interventions around Christian engagement with the topics of gender and sexuality.

Pulling back the curtain: Exploring norms and practices among a sample of anatomy-related departments in U.S. medical schools.

Anatomy-related departments have access to comparative research productivity data (e.g., Blue Ridge Institute for Medical Research), yet no datasets exist for comparing departments' general practices pertinent to education-focused faculty. Practice trends in anatomy-related departments across U.S. medical schools were explored by surveying departmental leaders. The survey inquired about: (i) faculty time allocations, (ii) anatomy teaching services, (iii) faculty labor distribution models, and (iv) faculty compensation practices. A nationally representative sample of 35 departments (of 194) responded to the survey. On average, anatomy educators are allotted 24% (median = 15%) protected time for research, irrespective of funding, 62% for teaching and course administration (median = 68%), 12% for service, and 2% for administration. Forty-four percent (15 of 34) of departments taught at least five different student populations, often across multiple colleges. Many departments (65%; 11 of 17) applied formulaic methods for determining faculty workloads, often as a function of course credits or contact hours. Average base salaries for assistant and associate professors reported by this survey were consistent (p ≥ 0.056) with national means (i.e., Association of American Medical Colleges Annual Faculty Salary Report). Merit-based increases and bonuses averaged 5% and 10% of faculty's salaries, respectively, when awarded. Cost-of-living increases averaged 3%. Overall, departments' workload and compensation practices vary widely, likely a consequence of different institutional cultures, locations, needs, and financial priorities. This sample dataset allows anatomy-related departments to compare and reflect upon their practices and competitiveness in recruiting and retaining faculty.

The Varieties of Afterlife Experience: Epistemological and Cultural Implications

When parapsychologists talk about survival, they are usually implying personal survival, that is, a process in which memories, motivations, and personality characteristics of a given person somehow persist after bodily death. Are there other conceptions of survival (and of personal identity) that deserve further scientific examination? My purpose with this brief commentary is to expand on Rock et al’s approach by urging survivalists to discuss and investigate further the many different conceptions of (and explanations for) survival. I propose we critically reflect on our theoretical assumptions and their epistemological and cultural consequences.

Forme del passato nel presente. Victoria e Europe di D. Greig fra memoria culturale e ricezione teatrale

"The articulation of time-space dimensions is a theme both for theorists of various disciplines and for those who deal with the problems of the exegesis of texts. The globalization process makes us perceive a hybrid present and permeable spaces, both with cultural consequences in relation to the process of attribution of meaning. This is the very broad outline in which I read the texts of D. Greig presented here, texts that, in the crisis of traditional historicism, address the theme in an unusual way: the relationship between history and memory has changed the nature of historical writing, accentuating the function of cultural memory (mnemo-history), with individual and collective past inevitably as its objects."

Librarians as Agents of German Foreign Policy and the Cultural Consequences of the First World War

AbstractIn this article I explore the cultural impact of the First World War by analysing the work of libraries and librarians in different settings, from German-occupied Belgium and prisoner-of-war camps to Germany's own public and private libraries. By examining the work of German, Russian, Polish, Ukrainian, and American librarians, the article makes a case for applying the notion of a ‘long’ First World War to cultural and intellectual history. Considering ephemeral and established libraries, along with new types of collections generated by the war itself, the article sheds light on the changes to library work as a result of mobilization, censorship, and the growth of mass readership. While these changes concerned librarians in all belligerent states, German librarians were particularly affected after the burning of the Leuven library during the city's occupation by German forces. This singular event damaged Germany's national reputation and thereby laid the groundwork for a significant politicization of library work all the way to the Second World War. In addition to tracing the importance of librarians for German foreign policy, the article reconstructs how this professional community, whose intellectual formation was ultimately supranational, responded to the First World War.

The making of a mushroom people: Toward a moral anthropology of psychedelics beyond hype and anti‐hype

As regulatory agencies have put psychedelics on an expedited path to market approval, North Americans and Europeans might turn away from their repression and join the subset of cultures that have institutionalized the use of hallucinogenic drugs. What is the place of anthropology in this psychedelic renaissance? More specifically, how should anthropology relate to the cycles of hype and anti‐hype, which have been identified as a recurrent pattern in the careers of new drugs as psychedelics have entered a second round of cultural enthusiasm and critique? This article suggests extending ethnographic studies of the psychedelic renaissance from medical to moral anthropology. The case of psychedelics is especially interesting for moral anthropology because these drugs frequently induce mystical‐type experiences, which can play an ethically irritating role as mysticism challenges a strict moral order enforced through disciplinary practices. What cultural consequences would the spread of mystical experiences have for contemporary European and North American societies?

Emirati Perceptions of Aging and Aged Care in the United Arab Emirates

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is facing a significant challenge regarding accessible high-quality aged care and service provisions for its growing senior population. While only accounting for two percent of the current population (165,000 people), the population of Emiratis aged 60 and older is estimated to increase twelvefold by the year 2050. This demographic shift will have major financial, social, and cultural consequences. To provide a knowledge base on seniors in the UAE and expectations about aged care, this policy paper discusses the findings of a recent study about the perceptions, knowledge, and attitudes of Emiratis on aging and senior care in the context of the UAE. Our findings suggest that younger Emiratis have a limited understanding of aging and their future physical and financial well-being. Moreover, while younger Emiratis prefer family as primary caregivers, younger Emiratis also want to receive secondary support from friends. Older Emiratis prefer to live in their homes or reside in aged care facilities and hospitals to receive care, whereas younger Emiratis tend to prefer living near family and friends for support and care. Overall, this study reveals that amongst both younger and older Emiratis, perceptions about care and support are highly influenced by their existing close relationships and connections with Senior Emiratis.

The Linguistics of Connotation of Profanity in Ewe Place Names

Aim: Toponyms are universal to the globe but relevant and specific to cultures across the world. Humans use toponyms in various contexts in society. Toponyms are avoided in a particular speech context, due to its social, linguistic and cultural consequences for the name bearer and users. Toponyms sometimes attract ambiguity in the meaning assigned them. This ambiguity degenerates into connotative meanings. One such connotative practice among the Ewes is profanity. The Ewes frown on the use of profane words and has punitive codes and consequences for its guilt. However same community beautifully internalizes profane connotation into place names. This paper investigates the morphology of profanity in Ewe toponyms using linguistic anthropology and lexical morphology.
 Methods: Data for the qualitative study was collected using a WhatsApp platform for Tutors of Ewe.
 Results: The study found that the connotation centered on the human genitalia (penis, scrotum, vagina) have been the sources of compounding in the crafting of profanity in the place names. The names are used mainly by the youth in teasing and in group joking practices in oral language generally in casual or playful communication. The names usually have roots and stems that take on derivational and inflectional morphemes in the process of forming the profane connotation.
 Conclusion: Though the Ewes frown upon profanity in official language, the usage in place names is decorous and linguistically acceptable. The appropriate use of these names in jovial in-group and entertaining utterances demonstrates the linguistic competence of the interlocutors of the speech act. 
 Recommendation: The study recommends a further research on the syntactic implications of the profane names in the Ewe language.

Theorizing Potential Downstream Cultural Consequences of LGBT+ Activism

Abstract To what extent does local LGBT+ activism have impacts beyond its immediate surroundings? We offer a theoretical framework emphasizing how a combination of local movement visibility and LGBT+ cultural receptivity can account for disseminating influences of LGBT+ activism. We illustrate our framework in part through an analysis of the potential diffusion of LGBT+ support in Bosnia in the aftermath of the country’s first-ever Pride. Our model explains why the 2019 Sarajevo Pride increased LGBT+ support locally but had no immediate effects on attitudes in greater Bosnia. It also explains why LGBT+ support has since expanded beyond the capital to Bosnia’s surrounding regions in a follow-up 2021 study. Even when local LGBT+ visibility is low or nonexistent, underlying cultural receptivity can be conducive to the gradual diffusion of LGBT+ support. Moreover, the challenging circumstances of the pandemic did not undermine the expansion of LGBT+ tolerance across Bosnia. Our findings illustrate the persistent power as well as limitations of LGBT+ activism to usher in downstream cultural change.

Metacontingency Terminology, Philosophical Assumptions, and the Scientific Dialogue: A Response to Ardila-Sánchez and Hayes (2023).

Ardila-Sánchez and Hayes (2023, this issue) discuss how differing philosophical assumptions might reflect on differing metacontingency terminology and debate some of the arguments presented by Sampaio and Haydu (2023). We respond by restating the urgent need to clarify the definition of cultural milieu, which is illustrated by an argument about discriminative stimuli as components of the cultural milieu. We clarify that the differences in metacontingency terminology that we did not emphasize were related to interlocking behavioral contingencies (IBCs) and cultural consequences, and not to cultural milieu and group-rule generation. We question any rigid separations of "Skinnerian" and "Kantorian views" of cultural phenomena, insisting that we focus on a unified culturo-behavior science. We elucidate that verbal responses and stimuli may participate in IBCs, cultural antecendents, or selecting environment variables; answer some questions about the latter two concepts; and clarify that the we presented a COVID-19 psychological support project not to empirically validate the concept, but to illustrate and test the conceptual coherence of the terms and theory.

A comprehensive review of international students' perceptions of the learning environment in relation to academic achievement

Purpose: The primary purpose of the research is to pursue the international student's perception of the learning environment related to academic achievement in international universities to establish the elements of an educational culture that contribute to the academic achievement of international students. Research methodology: Numerous studies have been conducted over the last few decades to determine how students perceive their learning environment as reflected by their average level of academic achievement. The impact of international students from the Asian & African continent and their social, cultural, and educational experiences on their academic achievement was evaluated by reviewing global and local materials conducted at one Chinese university in Zhejiang province. This study commenced with a search of computerized educational, sociology, and psychology databases using the exploratory phase method. The materials for the review are divided into two sections: a synopsis of academic, social, and cultural consequences & a description and criticism of strategies for promoting international competitiveness and fostering intercultural understanding. Results: International students' perception of the learning environment has a significant impact on academic achievement at international foreign universities, and the findings of this study stimulate the researcher to emerge with new strategies that can heighten the performance of international students.

The intricate web: network and rhizome metaphors in hypertext and the web and the epistemic challenge of fake news

PurposeThis article analyses the structure of hypertext and the world wide web through the contrasting metaphors of the network and the rhizome and applies that analysis to the epistemic challenge presented by fake news.Design/methodology/approachThe paper is a critical and theoretical study of the development of concepts in information science. It outlines the limitations of the network metaphor and analyses the ways in which it has influenced both the development and critical understanding of the World Wide Web and its wider social and cultural consequences. The paper develops an alternative description of the ontological structure of the Web in terms of interrupted and dissipated energy flows.FindingsThe paper argues that the Web is better described as a dynamic reorganization of the socio-cultural system that has no determinate boundaries and which is constituted properly in the spaces between technologies and the spaces between persons.Originality/valueThe paper contributes to and extends research into the rhizomic nature of hypertext and the Word Wide Web and in understanding the role of metaphor in descriptions of hypertext and the web.

Exploring the cultural perspectives and implications of infertility among couples in the Talensi and Nabdam Districts of the upper east region of Ghana

BackgroundInfertility remains a major clinical and social problem, affecting approximately one in every 10 couples. It is a reproductive health condition that is silently experienced with deep repercussions in the essence of self. In Ghana childbearing is considered a social prestige, where the couples are unduly pressurized to bear children for purposes of genealogical continuity.PurposeThis study explored the cultural perspectives and implications among males and females experiencing infertility in the Talensi and Nabdam districts of the Upper East Region of Ghana.MethodsThis study used an ethnographic design to explore the perspectives of couples on socio-cultural beliefs about infertility on 15 participants made up of 8 male and 7 female couple units. Participants were selected using a purposive sampling technique while semi-structured interviews were used to explore the cultural implications on male and female couple units. The data were analysed using Tesch’s method of analysing qualitative data.ResultsTwo broad themes and five subthemes emerged from the data analysis regarding the cultural implications of infertility. The major themes and subthemes include: (1) Varying cultural perceptions of infertility (Cultural beliefs and perceptions regarding causes of infertility, cultural consequences of infertility and traditional remedies for infertility), and (2) family dynamics stemming from infertility (abuse from family members, and parenthood as a standard for family inheritance).ConclusionsThis study adduces evidence of the cultural implications of infertility in rural Ghana. Considering the cultural inclination of most Ghanaian communities, especially the current study setting, it is imperative that policymakers and public health practitioners should consider fertility interventions that are culturally sensitive. Also, culturally sensitive intervention programs that are targeted at increasing the awareness of the rural population on fertility and its treatment should be considered.

Phraseology of French Literature

This article explores the phraseology of French literature, which are unique phrases that reflect the cultural and historical aspects of France. The study focuses on analyzing and categorizing the most important phraseology in French literature, highlighting their linguistic and cultural significance. The research methods used in this study include a review of fiction texts and an analysis of the language structure and syntax of phraseology. The results section provides a complete list of the most widely used phraseology in French literature in combination with its meaning and cultural contexts. The discussion section examines the linguistic and cultural consequences of phraseology and their importance in modern French literature. The article concludes with suggestions for further research on the topic

Do regional characteristics influence PPP contract governance skills requirements?

PurposeThis study aims to seek, on the basis of Hofstede's culture consequences, to explore the notion that regional characteristics may influence the prioritisation of certain types of public-private partnerships (PPP) contract governance skills over others. It further sets out to determine which skills are considered the most critical between the groups of respondents surveyed.Design/methodology/approachTo bring this important and neglected perspective into the mainstream of PPP discussions, the study, being of an exploratory nature, relied on a survey of 340 respondents from around the globe. The respondents are a rich mix of public policy experts, economists, construction professionals, project finance experts, lawyers and academic researchers in PPP.s.FindingsAnalysis revealed that, regional characteristics was an important factor influencing skills prioritisation. Furthermore, exploratory factor analysis with Monte Carlo principal component analysis (PCA) confirmation revealed that project management, contract design, negotiations, performance management and stakeholder management skills were very critical for successful contract management of PPP projects.Practical implicationsThe findings indicate that the design and implementation of regulatory governance for infrastructure PPPs should be context-specific rather than the current one-size-fits all model. Training should be tailored to reflect regional specific characteristics.Originality/valueStudies are increasingly pointing to the absence of critical PPP skills among institutions responsible for managing PPP contracts. This lack of capacity has resulted in poor oversight of private companies providing public services resulting in poor services, and financial recklessness, which threaten the sustainability of service provision.

Traffic Safe Municipality: a Norwegian approval scheme to facilitate development of a municipal traffic safety culture

This study examines the consequences of being approved as a Traffic Safe Municipality for municipal traffic safety culture, based on surveys (n = 2255) and interviews (n = 17) in 24 municipalities. Traffic Safe Municipality is an approval scheme for Norwegian municipalities, which defines criteria for systematic traffic safety work. Development of a positive municipal traffic safety culture is an explicit aim of the approval scheme. The respondents in the survey state positive consequences for the traffic safety culture in their own workplace after being approved as a Traffic Safe Municipality. The self-reported focus on traffic safety has increased among immediate managers and among colleagues, and it has become easier to address issues related to traffic safety in one's own workplace. In multivariate statistical analyses, we see that these changes are also linked to the respondents stating that they think more about traffic safety in their everyday work and they state that they behave safer in traffic during working hours. The study has also mapped factors that promote or impede implementation of Traffic Safe Municipality. Lack of resources in the municipality, time pressure, high workload and replacement of personnel may hamper implementation, while top managers' involvement throughout the implementation period is one of the most important prerequisites for successful implementation. We conclude that Traffic Safe Municipality can be interpreted as a measure to establish a traffic safety culture through the implementation of a safety management system in the municipality. Such systems are required as a measure to create a positive safety culture in a number of different high-risk sectors (aviation, nuclear power, oil, and gas). Our study is unique, since we apply this perspective in the municipal sector.

Local gambling culture and corporate tax aggressiveness: A trait activation perspective on informal institutions

AbstractBased on the theory of new institutionalism and trait activation, we empirically evaluated the role of gambling culture on aggressive corporate taxation. A positive association was found between gambling culture and tax aggressiveness, the gambling culture increased the risk preferences of firm executives. The relationship was more pronounced in non‐state‐owned firms, firms with a high proportion of male executives, shortsighted executives, local CEOs, and those located in areas with less intense tax regulation and lower levels of Islamic faith. The findings enrich studies investigating the economic consequences of gambling culture and provide innovative ideas for external regulators to formulate anti‐avoidance measures.

Attitude of Russians towards immigrants during the COVID-19 pandemic (2020–2021)

The objective of the author was to identify the presence, nature and factors of changes in the attitude of Russians towards immigrants during the coronavirus pandemic. It was revealed that the pandemic exacerbated the problems of natural population decline, and migration flows decreased, thereby reducing the compensation for natural decline by the influx of immigrants. On the one hand, this could increase the negative attitude of the host society towards immigrants, exacerbating the negative consequences of the coronavirus for society. On the other hand, the reduced “contact” with immigrants could switch the perception from immigrants to more acute problems, thereby making the attitude more neutral. For the empirical basis of the analysis the data of the European Social Survey for 2018 were used (for comparison with the pre-pandemic level of attitudes towards immigrants), as well as data from the Department for Comparative Political Studies of the Federal Scientific Research Center of the Russian Academy of Sciences (FCTAS RAS) for 2020–2021. The results of the analysis demonstrated that the assessment of the changes brought by immigrants to the economy, culture and everyday life of the country remains predominantly negative among Russians. The assessment of the consequences for the economy became more neutral during the study period, the perception of the consequences for the daily life of the country practically did not change, but the assessment of the consequences for culture became more negative. The regression analysis showed that the predictors of the negative attitude of Russians towards immigrants during the pandemic were: the perception of the acuteness of the problems of interethnic relations and the influx of visitors, the problem of increasing unemployment and the education of youth and adolescents, violation of the norms of public behaviour, as well as tension between men and women, the type of settlement (the larger it is, the more negative the attitude). Positive predictors turned out to be the level of institutional trust, age (the younger, the better the attitude), as well as awareness of the severity of the problem of population decline and low fertility in Russia.