Contemporary Cultural Values Research Articles

From ‘white man’s science’ to a ‘Brave Space’: an art of decolonising landscape from Environmental Science

In 2021, prompted by the claim of a colleague that the climate and species crises are ‘white man’s science’, two small, seed-funding research projects, explored contemporary cultural values and colonial barriers to people of colour engaging in Environmental Sciences. The project partners included organisations from diverse ethnicities, sectors, cultures and generations in specific locations across the UK. A form of deep listening (consciously focusing on people’s cultural narratives) was explored with creative storying (the making and telling of stories), as an approach to research. And from this a Brave Space emerged between the project participants; gaining the courage to face the challenges of deeply difficult and sensitive topics, such as race, power, privilege and oppression. Climate, species and cultural crises were perceived as the nexus of one crisis or emergency.

Adaptation of Dream of the Red Chamber in the Age Ofmass Media: A Study on the Transformation of Animationand the Sustainable Development of Cultural Inheritance

Context: In recent years, animation has become an important vehicle for adapting literary works with its unique artistic charm and wide audience base. Given the classic status and influence of Dream of the Red Chamber, it is both necessary and feasible to adapt it into an animated film. Such an adaptation will transcend the limitations of traditional media, showcase the artistic charm of the work, attract young audiences, expand communication channels, and contribute to the sustainable development of cultural heritage by linking traditions with contemporary cultural values. Objective: The main aim of this study is to delve into the phenomenon of animated adaptations of The Dream of the Red Chamber, highlighting its importance in disseminating the classic work, and investigating its potential contribution to realizing sustainable cultural heritage development as a bridge between traditions and innovations. Method: This study adopts the literature review method and case study method to review the history and current situation of the film and television adaptation of Dream of the Red Chamber, and analyses the characteristics and difficulties in the process of adaptation, as well as the communication effect of the animation adaptation on the original text. Results: The study reveals how animation has injected new vitality into this classic literary work and effectively attracted young audience groups. It also highlights how the new media platform can broaden the communication channels of the anime adaptation, thus promoting the cross-cultural communication of Dream of the Red Chamber. Contribution: This study not only highlights the important role of animation adaptation in the inheritance of Chinese culture but also provides theoretical support for the integration and development of the animation industry and classic literature.

Beyond the call of duty: Reimagining military service through hero narratives in the US Army’s ‘The Calling’ campaign

Abstract This study employs Erwin Panofsky’s iconographic analysis to decode the 2021 US Army recruiting campaign ‘The Calling’, situating it against the historical backdrop of military recruitment since the all-volunteer force’s inception. Panofsky’s framework allows for a dissection of the campaign’s layered narrative and its animated aesthetics, which notably diverge from prior campaign’s emphasis on the warrior archetype. The analysis progresses from a description of visual and narrative element’s (pre-iconography), to an investigation of symbolic meanings (iconography), culminating in an interpretation of underlying societal attitudes (iconology). ‘The Calling’ reimagines military enlistment as a heroic pursuit, echoing the superhero genre’s origin stories, and emerges as a response to waning interest in military careers. The campaign targets the zeitgeist of the young American population, offering a sense of heroism as compensation in a challenging recruitment climate marked by a robust economy and low unemployment. By presenting service as a ‘calling’, the Army navigates the complex terrain of contemporary cultural values, seeking to resonate with potential recruits on an ideological level, particularly within race and gender minority communities.

Erotism and poetic hybridization of Koffi Kwahulé

Since the 19th century, we have witnessed a liberation of morals testifying to the overabundance of sex in which contemporary people are immersed to the point of being tolerated by social and even religious morals. The body and sexual manifestations appear everywhere, especially in literature. With balanced writing and representations of sexuality, contemporary authors are part of a daring, even erotic poetics. The present contribution entitled “Eroticism and poetics of hybridization of Koffi Kwahulé”, is structured around this axis of analysis. The article takes into account all of the author's romantic work, namely Babyface, (Paris, Gallimard, 2006, 212 p), Monsieur Ki, rhapsodie parisienne à sourire pour caresser le temps (Paris, Gallimard, 2010, 160 p) and Nouvel an chinois (Paris, Zulma, 2015, 233p). In these novels, the author bets on anerotic aesthetic. The sexualization of narration eroticizes both textuality and narrative discourse. The body of and in the novel expresses itself and frees itself from social constraints through the enterprise of scriptural games and themes relating to this notion such as those of love, seduction and romanticism. Our approach, which aims to be postmodern, is limited to pointing out the socio-cultural dimension of eroticism. By examining the aestheticization of the body in Kwahulean fiction, the analysis explores the way in which the author constructs behavior and certain sexual practices. Thus, this article, based on a narrative semiotic analysis, demonstrates that the playful exploitation of the body leads to the deconstruction of preconceived ideas about novelistic creation while reflecting on contemporary cultural values and norms. By posing the problem of the body as a paradigm for representing the relationships of man to his being and to society, eroticism contributes to modifying the view on sexuality in general and initiates the reconfiguration of the social discourse on sex which is defined as an expression of human’s freedom. Key words: erotic, aesthetic, body, sexuality, hybridization

The New Life of the Yurt

Abstract The yurt has always been a crucial element of Tuvan culture and the economy of cattle herding, especially for those who keep up the herding tradition. However, their number is small, with most Tuvans living in villages or towns and working in other industries. But the yurt has never been forgotten even by settled Tuvans. The article examines the presence of the yurt (Tuvan ög), the traditional dwelling of nomadic cattle herders in the various spheres of the socio-cultural life in the Republic of Tuva. It is an anthropological study of nostalgic nomadism, a contemporary aspect of nomadism when descendants of original nomads remember the past of their ancestor, feel nostalgic about and accept its elements as their own contemporary cultural values. The study is based on observations made in Tuva from 2014 to 2021 and interviews with Tuvans of different generations in 2021–22.

A 150-Year Debate over Surnames vs. Patronymics in Iceland

Iceland stands out in today’s Europe due to the fact that most Icelanders use patronymics rather than surnames. However, a small percentage of Icelanders do have surnames inherited in a fixed form. The first surnames were adopted in the 17th and 18th centuries. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, increasing numbers of Icelanders were taking up surnames, often Danicized or Latinized versions of Icelandic patronymics or place names. The practice became controversial with the rise of the independence movement, which was closely connected to linguistic purism. The use of surnames in Iceland has been debated since the 19th century. Whereas the other Nordic countries introduced legislation requiring citizens to have surnames, Iceland went in the opposite direction, forbidding new surnames starting in 1925. However, the surnames that were already in use were allowed to remain in circulation. This created an inequality which has haunted Icelandic name law discourse since. Having a surname in Iceland has often been linked with social prestige, and surnames have been perceived as a limited good. Since the 1990s, the fraction of Icelanders with surnames has increased through immigration and some liberalizations in the rules regarding the inheritance of existing Icelandic surnames. In the name of gender equity, surnames can be inherited along any line, not only patrilineal. Since 1996, immigrants seeking Icelandic citizenship are no longer required to change their names, and their children can inherit their surnames. The category of millinöfn (middle name), surname-like names that are not inflected for gender, was introduced in the 1996 law; some Icelanders with millinöfn use them as surnames in daily life even if they officially have patronymics. Despite the expansion in eligibility to take surnames, the basic principle that no new Icelandic surnames are allowed remains in the law and remains a point of contention. Many of the same themes—individual freedom vs. the preservation of cultural heritage, national vs. international orientation, gender equity—have recurred in the discourse over more than a century, reframed in the context of contemporary cultural values at any given time.

Lukautim Yu Yet Gut (Take Good Care of Yourself): Moka Gomo Women Pursuing Health in Papua New Guinea

Drawing on ethnographic research and interviews with women in Imbonggu (Southern Highlands Province), this article explores contemporary cultural beliefs and health practices, including health-seeking experiences. We show that contrary to some expectations, women do believe in biomedicine and their cultural beliefs do not generally seem to prevent them from seeking medical care. We find that women aspire to ‘take good care’ of themselves, and repeatedly pursue medical treatment, even when a cure is elusive. Contemporary cultural values such as comfort, strength and freedom encourage women to use medical services and they rarely engage with healers categorised as traditional. Reproductive abandonment in Papua New Guinea includes failing to provide medical infrastructure, failing to recognise the structural and social origins of ill health, and making assumptions or generalisations about women’s health beliefs and behaviours. These conditions limit women’s ability to have healthy (re)productive lives.

Culinary Processes as Body of Knowledge and Cultural Phenomenon

The central broadest interest besides nutritional values and culinary procedures evaluated there is also commitment to the reflections on the presence of food in ceremonial and communal festivals across the world. For that reason and as focused discourse this paper would give specific cultural examples from Hindu traditions. Discreetly never losing sight of the intercultural interests that give sense of daily nourishments being also as sharable metaphors and part of communal bonding in many cultures. Four examples of culinary techniques will be the approach to the researched tested and transmitted ways of nourishment.1. Ghee: Clarified butter traditionally made by churning fermented milk curd and boiled until fat is separated from milk solids. Discussed are the practicality and symbology of the most commonly used substance in Indian subcontinents as a nourishment, social sharing and part of auspicious rituals and religious beliefs 2. Khichri: As old as Vedic time researched by Rishi’s tested and integrated into daily diet as highly nutritive value, culinary delicacy and also used for dish as celebrating new crop, alleviating medical conditions. The chapter would also look into Khichri as a part of food folklore and food proverbs. 3. Galouti Kebab: Extremely tenderized and fine textured Lamb’s ground meat. Associated in Indian subcontinent as an example of desirable delicacy. It was minced nine times to get extremely fine texture and marinated with spices and raw papaya as a tenderizer. This procedure and its story of origin (Emperor Nawab Asad-ud-Daula 1748 -1797) will be discussed as an example of a relationship of story and food process and enjoyment. Conclusions:In closing the general reflections on culinary skills commitment, social engagement and aesthetic values will be complimented and briefly summarized by presences of traditional, historic and contemporary cultural values

Social Dance as a Phenomenon of Modern Dance Practice

The article is devoted to the study of social dance as a phenomenon of modern dance practice. It is emphasized that in modern culture there is an increase in interest in social dance, which necessitates a theoretical understanding of this phenomenon in particular and dance culture in general from the standpoint of modern science, because at the moment its level does not correspond to the degree of practical interest in social dance. It is stated that for most world civilizations, dance in general and social dance in particular, is one of the most important expressions of their worldview, which represents both historical and contemporary cultural values. And forms of movement illuminate and define gender, shape personal and group identity, and reflect and define political and religious status and aesthetic values. Thanks to advances in the media, social dance is now one of the most popular pastimes in the world, combining dance forms of past centuries with new ones, such as hip-hop and contact improvisations. The study found that the phenomenon of social dance in the context of dance practice in the XXI century. is an organic combination of elements of various areas of dance culture with the culture of modern society, as well as the promotion of philosophical and ideological paradigm of freedom of movement and communication in dance.

Seeing and managing rock art at Nganjarli: A tourist destination in Murujuga National Park, Western Australia

The Nganjarli site complex, which includes a rich body of rock art, shell middens and artefact scatters, has been identified by the Murujuga Aboriginal Corporation (MAC) as the primary location within Murujuga National Park for tourism and interpretation facilities. Murujuga National Park lies on the north-west coast of Western Australia, and within the Dampier Archipelago (including Burrup Peninsula) National Heritage Place. MAC owns and co-manages the National Park with the Department of Biodiversity Conservation and Attractions. Facilities have been upgraded to accommodate increasing tourist numbers and enhance their cultural experience at Nganjarli. Archaeological evidence was documented ahead of the installation of a boardwalk and concrete walking trails for viewing rock art. The national heritage values of this place are demonstrated, and we outline how existing co-management has mobilised contemporary cultural values and the aspirations of the Murujuga custodians. We document the role of innovative scientific approaches in the interpretive strategy for Nganjarli. New recording techniques and digital imaging demonstrate the diversity of animal motifs in the rock art near the installed boardwalk and identify opportunities for further digital interpretation of this significant landscape. Geochemical testing of surface lithic artefacts using X-ray fluorescence indicates mixed sourcing in the preferred lithics despite this being a tool-stone rich environment. Surface shell derives from targeted harvesting of a single species. The combined archaeological evidence indicates that Nganjarli has functioned as an aggregation locale through time. The rock art assemblage indicates that occupation here began during the earlier phases of art production. All these findings have been incorporated into the interpretative facilities in the tourist area.

Unpacking the Aesthetics of Working in Public Space in Malaysia and Southeast Asia through the Lens of Art-Led Participative Processes

This article examines the organisation and methodologies of current art and cultural collectives in Malaysia, with resonance for Southeast Asia, through the lens of socially engaged and public participatory art theories. The article proposes an inclusive aesthetics that looks at the complementary effects of dialogue, reciprocity, transitional meaning and durational process in responding to the everyday. It employs the framework of Art-Led Participative Processes, a concept-based cross disciplinary critical framework that I have constructed to raise discussion. The works of Buku Jalanan will be mapped out within the contexts of Kuala Lumpur, those of inherited postcolonial structures that prescribes current usage of public spaces, acts of expression and activities, paying attention to a particular form of ‘distant subjectivity’ that informs contemporary cultural values called ‘functional harmony’ that is prevalent in Southeast Asia. The experiences of BJ, while not treated as representational of other collectives, are used to launch discursive points for coming to terms with open-structured, socially engaged, public participative and democratic activities.

Maurice Gee’s ‘anti-Cartesian meditations’: narcissism and relational trauma in Plumb

ABSTRACTIn playfully positioning Descartes – recast as ‘Des Cartes’ – as ‘a cousin of Les Miserables’ in his best-known novel Plumb (1978), New Zealand writer Maurice Gee demonstrates that what lurks beneath Western culture’s Cartesian heritage is a disavowed story of pain and misery. Reading the Cartesian cogito’s withdrawal from the world as a narcissistic defence response to relational trauma, this article considers the relational damage that such a withdrawal causes. It argues that the ensuing cycle of intergenerational trauma can be broken only if the narcissistic ego reconnects with what Emmanuel Levinas calls the ‘marvel of exteriority’ – a reconnection that is predicated upon the ego’s ability and willingness to tolerate the kind of vulnerability that Gee’s solitary protagonist persistently disavows. What Gee’s novel therefore offers us, in drawing attention to the ‘misery’ that may be both covered up and caused by such a disavowal of vulnerability, is a provocation to reconsider not just our contemporary cultural values of self-reliance, individualism, etc., but the Cartesian foundations upon which they are based.

Media, art and technology: a contemporary reflection

This article is based on a report about cultural industries and their reflexes on media saturation. From that point, a reflection on technology, media and contemporary arts is presented, especially on the role of the body in the manifestation of art. This work seeks to ratify the influence of technology, of mass media and of information over the construction of the contemporary cultural values. It also provides a reflection on current contemporary artistic practices as elements that seek to evidence and question the standardizing influence of mass media and of the market. The background for the development of this article is the evolution of technologies, which expand the commodification of culture and make possible the deep social and cultural changes experienced in contemporary Western society. Finally, it is outlined a brief analysis of cultural identities and diversities in the teleinformatics era.

Significance of Cinema in Shaping Cultural Values of Young Consumers

With technological advancement in the digital realm and ever-increasing accessibility to variety of media, innumerable forces are shaping the cultural mind set of present day consumer. Cinema is one such powerful media vehicle widely considered as a microcosm of social, political, economic, and cultural life of a nation. India's Hindi language movie industry called ‘Bollywood’ is the world's most prolific factory of cinema. The ever-increasing popularity of Bollywood suggests the need to explore the messages that are being conveyed through this medium of entertainment. This empirical research paper attempts to study the influence of Bollywood movies on selected contemporary Indian cultural values. Primary data is collected through a survey of 202 post-graduate students in the city of Ahmedabad in India. Response towards the cultural values is measured using structured questionnaire and relevant statistical testes are performed for data analysis. The findings of the study suggest a definite impact of Bollywood movies on urban Indian youth's orientation towards contemporary cultural values. The practical implications suggest adopting Indian cultural cues in designing brand communication as well as combining a unique mix of Indian cultural values to a particular product. Since consumption decisions made in the market are closely related to cultural orientation and allegiance of the consumers, Bollywood has a huge potential of being a brand shaper for marketers.

Shawn B. Redford. Missiological Hermeneutics: Biblical Interpretation for the Global Church. Eugene, Oreg.: Pickwick Publications, 2012, 363 pp.

Shawn B. Redford. Missiological Hermeneutics: Biblical Interpretation for Eugene, Oreg: Pickwick Publications, 2012, 363 pp. At outset, author of this book intends to build new bridge across great divide between biblical studies and missiological theology. Shawn Redford notes that past, both schools have ignored each other and have thereby created confusion. Biblical scholars have mainly asked questions about origin, form, faith community, and surrounding human civilisations order to examine how these shaped biblical text. But at same time, they failed to ask missiological question regarding purpose, design, and God's intentions as presented Bible. Meanwhile, missiologists have continued to superimpose their particular agendas on scripture or ignore Bible altogether (xi-xii). By addressing above-identified issues, Redford attempts to give shape to mission and nature of missional from perspective of what he calls the Church. He attempts to examine scripture as his primary source while taking into consideration secondary sources such as contemporary cultural values, historical struggles, and experiences of those who are engaged missio Dei (the mission of God). For Redford, key to understanding missiological is to overcome scientific polarisation Western hermeneutic and to perceive and learn from overarching missional and spiritual found throughout scripture. In this way, readers can balance missional, spiritual, historical-critical, and hermeneutical paths and are thereby empowered biblical interpretation for Global Church. Redford summarises chapter overview on pages 6 to 7. In terms of this book's structure, chapters 2 through 5 comprise major chapters, with chapters 2 and 3 addressing hermeneutical theory, and chapters 4 and 5 dealing with contemporary issues related to missional hermeneutics. Chapter 2 focuses on biblical studies that investigate some of most influential found within scripture, as well as distorted that author finds disturbing. Redford here offers complex and fascinating biblical study on texts such as Genesis 12, Daniel 9-12, and Matthew 8-12. In same vein of complexity, chapter 3 presents current hermeneutical trends in West and present state of missiological hermeneutics (6). Chapter 4 is historical case study, examining underlying employed over wide range of authors who address theological implications and missiological responses to issues African polygamy. From biblical and missiological perspectives, this is very timely study on human sexuality, looking at how Christian church has addressed or is addressing what author refers to as a difficult missional issue. Unfortunately, Redford ignores another contemporary issue related to human sexuality--namely, homosexuality. Both issues ought to be addressed today because both are applicable to evangelical and ecumenical churches. I wish author could have identified another contemporary issue chapter 5 as case study, but he instead focuses on missiological hermeneutics. This particular is not only beneficial for biblical understanding, but is essential for developing missiological insights scripture, while avoiding tendency to relegate valid mission insights scripture to realism of theology. The final chapter is summary, drawing together all insights and offering recommendations for future of missiological hermeneutics. …

The generation game: The rise of the large-scale family ‘epic’ and its role within publicly funded theatre in Britain

ABSTRACTSpearheaded by successes like War Horse and Matilda the Musical, large-scale family productions have made a phenomenal impact on British theatre in recent years. Distinguishing the family ‘epic’ from pantomime and the commercial musical, this article explores its current popularity and significance, focusing on developments since the Boyden Report of 2000 which opened the way for the current boom in the form. It contextualizes the rise of the family epic by tracing its history from Peter Pan through the early days of regional repertory and the growth of publicly funded theatre in the United Kingdom. Comparing the output of the major national companies and the regions, it goes on to show how the family epic has become an integral component of the twenty-first century producing playhouse, an inclusive form of theatre reflecting contemporary cultural values, with a family-orientated philosophy linked to Blairite social mores.

Media literacy and semiotics: Toward a future taxonomy of meaning

The pervasiveness of mass media and our dependence on it in contemporary life suggest that special skills are necessary in order to understand the nature of media and its effects on the interpretation of issues and events that happen outside the scope of an individual's experience. This essay explores the need to develop a semiotic method designed to promote media literacy. This method must be intuitive, use common language, and appeal to contemporary cultural values. The complexities of the language and concepts of semiotics engender resistance. The purpose of this project is to work toward a new taxonomy of semiotics by taking complex ideas from various theories that can be adapted into a simple yet practical method for media analysis.

Culture and Social Structure: Identity in Turkey

Using a historical and biographical perspective, this paper examines the structural elements and cultural signs of contemporary social events and problems in Turkey in order to understand their basic features. Hermeneutics is used in order to understand contemporary Turkey by way of its historical background and prominent biographies. Two basic epic texts were interpreted using Gadamarian hermeneutics with the help of key concepts such as gaza1 and gaza cult. Semiotics is used to examine key concepts as binary opposites. Dialectics is used to understand these concepts as the unity of binary opposites coexisting at the same time and place. It is concluded that the contemporary cultural values and biographies explored are linked to their historical past and Islam seems to be more influential on hybrid identities than on ethnic status.

Functionalism, Darwinism, and the psychology of women.

Examines the psychology of women as it was studied from the middle of the 19th century to the 1st 3rd of the 20th century. During that period 3 topics received the most attention: sex differences in brain size and complexity and their implications for cognitive and affective behavior; the hypothesis of greater male variability (a corollary of evolutionary theory) and its social implications; and the expression of maternal instinct. Each topic is examined in relation to evolutionary theory and its influence on the conduct of 19th century science. The antecedents of each topic are traced as is the subsequent redefinition of each within the paradigm of behaviorism. It is proposed that each of these topics functioned as scientific myth which justified and explained contemporary cultural values. (71 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2006 APA, all rights reserved)