Cultural Attachment Research Articles

Exploration of the roles of awe at temple sites: findings from structural equation modelling and fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis

ABSTRACT This study investigates the antecedents and outcomes of feelings of awe experienced at heritage locations using a structural equation modelling-fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis method. Based on the stimulus-organism-response framework, this research proposes an integrated model by examining the relationship between stimuli (natural environment and religious culture) and the emotional (e.g. awe) and cognitive (e.g. cultural attachment and subjective well-being [SWB]) organism they inspire, which subsequently increases tourists’ responses (e.g. tourist loyalty). The survey data were collected from 398 tourists visiting four heritage temples in Guangdong Province, southern China. The results demonstrate that awe significantly influences cultural attachment, SWB, and tourist loyalty. In particular, the study highlights the importance of cultural attachment and SWB as significant drivers of tourist loyalty. Furthermore, these factors mediate the relationship between awe and tourist loyalty. The study emphasises the central role of the natural environment and religious practices in evoking feelings of awe. Moreover, it examines the impact of word-of-mouth in shaping the relationship between cultural attachment and tourist loyalty. In addition, the research proposes configurations to enhance tourist loyalty. Moreover, it empirically tests the effect of multiple outcomes on awe, thereby contributing to the achievement of heritage tourism.

Cultural Attachment and Job Satisfaction Among Canada’s Indigenous Population

Cultural Attachment and Job Satisfaction Among Canada’s Indigenous Population

An Overview of Caribbean and African Literary Theories

As it is believed, Africa is the cradle of humankind, where humans also left for other parts of the world during the slave trade and also during World War I and II. At the abolition of the slave trade, many African descendants settled where they could call home, like in the Caribbean islands and other parts of the world, as a result of the ancestral and cultural attachment between Africa and the places where the descendants of the slaves where we could see some similarities in their ways of life. We can see these facts also translate into the African and Caribbean writers' literary works, among other spheres of life. The analyses show that while both literatures share common concerns related to colonial legacy and the quest for identity, they are distinguished by unique historical and socio-political contexts that influence their narrative perspectives. For example, African literature tends to focus more on the effects of colonization and decolonization on the African continent, while Caribbean literature often emphasizes the dynamics of the diaspora and the multiple facets of Caribbean identity. In addition, this study examines the use of language and literary techniques specific to each region, as well as the contributions of major literary figures such as aimé Césaire, Léopold Sédar Senghor, Monique Ilboudo, Werewe Liking, Wole Soyinka, Maryse Condé and many others. Finally, this comparison offers a deeper understanding of the richness and diversity of postcolonial literature while highlighting the unique voices and shared experiences of African and Caribbean writers.

Participatory intention and behavior in green cultural heritage conservation: an application of the extended theory of planned behavior

Cultural heritage is an important contributor to sustainable urban development, and its conservation is considered a global task. Previous research has primarily focused on the conservation of heritage buildings within architectural contexts and world heritage sites within geographical contexts. However, there is a notable gap in conservation of green cultural heritage (GCH) within a landscape-based framework. This study used the extended theory of planned behavior to explore the factors and pathways that influence the public's behavioral intentions toward GCH conservation. Based on 1075 questionnaires collected in Tokyo, Japan, the hypotheses of the newly constructed theoretical model were tested using partial least squares structural equation modeling. The results show that perceived behavioral control has the greatest positive influence on citizens' GCH conservation intentions and behaviors, while social norms do not influence people's behavioral intention to conserve. In the extended factors, the environmental awareness which including heritage awareness and cultural attachment, significantly influences public attitudes towards conservation. Additionally, environmental perception, including perceived usefulness and perceived quality, significantly affects the public's conservation intentions and behaviors, respectively. Our findings have implications for local governments and policymakers to enhance public participation in GCH, as well as some several new theoretical interests for further studies.

Not All Edible Nuts Are Eaten: Evidence for Continued Aboriginal Cultural Use and Dispersal of Bunya Pine (Araucaria bidwillii) in Southern But Not in Northern Queensland

Globally, there is increasing evidence that Indigenous peoples have manipulated plant and animal populations over millennia. The Bunya Pine ( Araucaria bidwillii Hook.) is a coniferous tree native to subtropical and tropical eastern Australia, which produces 30–100 large, edible seeds within a large cone weighing 5–10 kgs. Endemic Bunya populations occur as two disjunct populations: one in south-eastern Queensland/north-east New South Wales and the other in northern Queensland. We investigated possible pre- and postcolonial Bunya seed dispersal within and between the two separate populations by utilising multidisciplinary methods to examine Aboriginal cultural connections with Bunya. Analysis of historical sources and ethnographic interviews conducted with Aboriginal knowledge holders provided strong evidence for localised deliberate dispersal within the southern population but no solid evidence for dispersal in the north, suggesting two distinct modes of Aboriginal interaction with this species. Early European colonial records documented the Indigenous cultural significance of southern Bunya, evidenced by large feast gatherings, creation Stories, Aboriginal familial tree connections, seed carrying and planting, and storage in camps. The continued cultural attachment post-colonisation was evident from ethnographic interviews with Indigenous knowledge holders that revealed plantings of this species on Aboriginal missions and modern grave sites. The development of an overarching effective biocultural management plan to conserve the biological and cultural importance of this species is therefore particularly important for the southern population, especially in the face of new threats from pathogenic dieback. The individal tree connections of certain Aboriginal families also warrant deeper ethnographic study to target planting and restoration efforts that preserve these kin-based biocultural connections.

New Thoughts on Formation of Tourism Perceived Images: An Investigation of Guangxi’s Overseas Chinese Students from ASEAN

The research attempts to explain the psychological formation of the image of the sojourn by overseas students who are culturally homogeneous with the sojourn by constructing a comprehensive framework for the composition of the perceived image that contains the new dimension of cultural attachment. In particular, a group of 482 overseas Chinese students from ASEAN with learning experience in Guangxi are the respondents, benefiting from the deep ties between their ethnic and cultural backgrounds with mainland China. It is a strategic consideration based on Guangxi’s international tourism market and image promotion for ASEAN. The research uses quantitative analysis to combine the external influences previously supported in the literature, cultural attachment, and Cognitive-Affective-Conative (CAC) three-dimensional perceived image framework into a more comprehensive model to conduct a hypothetical-deductive study. The results of the quantitative analysis consolidate to a certain extent that the internal constitutive conditions of perceived image are promoted by the CAC model and further test the influence of perceived image under the combined effect of internal and external factors. Meanwhile, it is confirmed that cultural attachment has a strong role in the formation of the perceived image of a specific tourist group. The overall conclusions of the research are rich in academic significance and represent a theoretical expansion of the destination marketing system in response to real-world needs.

The Profiles, Predictors, and Intergroup Outcomes of Cultural Attachment.

The recent backlash against cultural globalization has raised a conundrum regarding how individuals should navigate their relationship with their cultural groups to both meet their basic need for belongingness and embrace diversity to fully leverage the benefits of globalization. Here we take an attachment perspective to tackle this issue. Employing both person- and variable-centered approaches in two studies (n1 = 328; n2 = 1,317), we verify that people can develop different cultural attachment styles toward their cultural groups (i.e., secure, preoccupied, dismissing, and fearful), which are influenced by various societal, interpersonal and intrapersonal factors. People who securely attach to their cultures will perceive less out-group threat, exhibit more identity inclusiveness, hold less intergroup biases and excessive collective self-esteem, display a greater willingness to engage in intergroup contact, and demonstrate better psychological functioning. All these effects of cultural attachment are independent from and incremental to those of general and place attachment.

EVERAGING THE HERITAGE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE CESME IN ISTANBUL TO CREATE A QUALITY URBAN PLACE

Istanbul's public fountain (cesme) has the potential to revitalise urban neighbourhoods following its significance as an Islamic heritage. Nevertheless, more are becoming out of favour since their decline as functional objects. Therefore, it is pertinent to see how we can reuse them as a generator for place-making. Can the cesme be a generator of quality urban neighbourhood revitalisation? Although much research has addressed the cesme's typology and topology, only some address the object from the Islamic city planning perspective. This article is a serious attempt to address its Islamic heritage significance and – new – meaning in the urbanity of Istanbul. The study in this article was carried out by adopting a participatory immersion study. Firstly, the urban experience was recorded and reflected upon to assess its vitality. This is followed by a comparative analysis of the repurposed cesme found during the field study. As an urban object, the cesme still has a strong cultural attachment to Istanbul. By returning them to the public with a repurposed use, a new meaning is appropriated for the cesme. Subsequently, the public place it defined is given new vitality. This new perspective on cesme and its potentiality can add to the approach to heritage-led regeneration. By repurposing the traditional workplace into a third place, its meaning as a social production continues to the current time.

Between flowers, humans, and honeybees: Local ecological knowledge associated with apiculture in two areas of Silípica department, Santiago del Estero, Argentina

The production of honey for consumption is one of humans’ most intriguing activities in biocultural terms. Studies on Local Ecological Knowledge linked to Apiculture with Apis mellifera (LEKHA) are limited, particularly in Santiago del Estero (northern Argentina). In this work, we compared the LEKHA of beekeeping families in two different landscapes that show distinct socio-ecological characteristics: “rainfed” and “irrigation.” Through semi-structured and free interviews and the construction of local calendars, together with 85% of the beekeepers of these zones, we investigated the LEKHA, honeybee flora and methods of acquisition and transmission of management knowledge and practices. Participants mentioned 96 honeybee flora species (63 in rainfed and 71 in irrigation), mainly native species, which provide with nectar and pollen. The apicultural and floral calendar was similar in these two areas, although the areas differed in the time of year certain activities were carried out and the richness and abundance of plant strata. This similarity could be related mainly to the strong cultural attachment of inhabitants to some elements of their native “Monte” landscape which, despite having undergone some anthropic modifications, remains functional for beekeeping. The LEKHA in both areas was learned idiosyncratically and by oblique transmission. We show how an activity related to the environment recreates and stimulates environmental knowledge, such that flowers, honeybees, and people form a bond of mutual care.

From the land of Gama: event attachment scale (EAS) development exploring fans' attachment and their intentions to spectate at traditional gaming events

PurposeThe desire to spectate at traditional events and festivals in different countries is dying. From a marketing perspective, researchers and practitioners need to understand why people spectate at these conventional events and festivals. Data-driven marketing approaches can help event and festival marketing policymakers in attracting potential spectators. Drawing on attachment theory, the current study fills this void and explores fans' motivation and intentions to follow Kushti (i.e. traditional wrestling) events while developing a new event attachment scale (EAS).Design/methodology/approachThree comprehensive studies were conducted. First, an exploratory study where 12 retired wrestlers, considered hardcore fans of Kushti were interviewed. The collected data was analyzed using thematic analysis. Second, a pilot study (n = 204) was performed leading to a main survey (n = 365). The survey data was analyzed using exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis techniques.FindingsResults revealed five types of attachments (i.e., ground attachment, game attachment, emotional attachment, cultural attachment and player attachment). An important intervention is the unique elements within each of these attachments, which may motivate fans to follow traditional gaming events. The new scale offers excellent psychometric properties.Practical implicationsEvent and festival marketers should consider the role of tradition while marketing such events. The retired wrestlers can be used as influences/reference points to attract visitors to spectate at Kushti events. Furthermore, facilities such as smooth roads, approachable grounds and excellent service operations during these events can help policymakers to attract more spectators.Originality/valueThe study is unique in contextualizing Kushti and presenting a unique scale to measure fans' motivations and intentions to follow traditional gaming events.

Understanding the Legacy of the Gulf Cooperation Council and Turkey on Bangladesh Politics

This commentary discusses Bangladesh’s interactions with Middle East countries, particularly focusing on the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and Turkey. Although Bangladesh’s relations with the GCC are seemingly and dominantly economic, there is a significant level of cultural interconnectedness as well, especially with Saudi Arabia. In Bangladesh–Turkey relations, there is also a similar type of cultural attachment operating via each country’s religious identities. This attachment, especially in the last decade, was bolstered by deepening cooperation in counterterrorism activities and further economic interactions. The interactions with these Middle Eastern countries are not only important to Bangladesh’s foreign policy and economy but also to assuage some domestic tensions.

The Effect of Cultural Attachment on Perceived Image of Sojourn Destination: an Evidence From Chinese Descent Students of Asean Coming to Guangxi, China

Purpose: The main purpose of this paper is to investigate how international students as experienced visitors constitute perceived images of their sojourns destination under the influence of cultural attachment. Theoretical framework: The framework extends the three-dimensional structure of perceived image consisting of the cognitive image, affective image, and conative image dimensions supported by previous literature (Agapito, Valle & Mendes, 2013), adding the relevant influence of the cultural attachment dimension (Hong, Fang, Yang & Phua, 2013). Design/methodology/approach: The research methodology used quantitative analysis. The deductive approach was used as a guide to build hypotheses based on the logical inter-dimensional relationships described previously in the literature. 525 ASEAN Chinese with study abroad experience in Guangxi participated in the questionnaire investigation as respondents, and related data were tested for the stated hypotheses using SPSS 26.0. Findings: The main findings further support previous similar studies that there are important interrelationships in the internal composition of perceived images, and innovatively confirm the important role of cultural attachment on perceived images. Research, Practical & Social implications: The research makes distinctive use of the cultural experiences of overseas students, offering possibilities for tourism image communication and destination marketing. Originality/value: The results uncover the academic value of cultural attachment to destination image marketing, which enriches the theoretical system of tourism destination marketing to some extent.

Citizens’ attitude towards subnational borders: evidence from the merger of French regions

Abstract Using the 2016 merger of French regions as a natural experiment, this paper adopts a difference-in-differences identification strategy to recover its causal impact on individual subjective well-being. No depressing effect is found in the short term; life satisfaction has even increased in regions that were absorbed from both economic and political viewpoints. The empirical evidence at stake suggests that local economic performance has enhanced in these regions, which includes a faster decline of the unemployment rate. In the context of a unitary state, economic gains have therefore outweighed cultural attachment to administrative regions.

The Concept of Cultural Attachment and Its Policy Applications

AbstractThe concept of cultural attachment is in the vernacular in the Appalachian region of the United States and served to stimulate policy attention to the concept when a 765 kV electric transmission line was proposed through Peters Mountain on the border between Virginia and West Virginia. The environmental impact statement of the U.S. Forest Service examined the extent of cultural attachment in the project area using our social science consulting company, which resulted in a rejection of the line in 1995 and an acceptance in 2002 when the proponent changed routes to avoid communities with high cultural attachment. The concept has been noted and used in several other settings and has evolved into a policy tool that accommodates the three pillars of cultural attachment—attachment to land, to place, and to kinship and social networks. We contend that use of the concept as evolving is an appropriate way to consider “endangered cultures.” The use of the concept of cultural attachment in decision making means there is now a track record and precedence that give legal weight to the concept, value to local residents in manifesting their voice, and improved prospects that we can continue to shape life in sustainable and human‐affirming ways.

Consistency of Balinese Family Education in Forming a Love of Culture From an Early Childhood

Forming cultural love is essential to stimulate a passion for the country's culture. Therefore, family consistency is needed in creating cultural attachment from early childhood, as Balinese families do in developing cultural love. This study aimed to see the Balinese tribal family in preserving Balinese culture in the Metro Rejo Oku Timur village as ancestral heritage and national identity. Get used to loving and implementing cultural values ​​in daily life, and anticipate the negative impacts of foreign cultures. This research method is a descriptive qualitative research type with the research subject being Balinese tribal families in the village of Metro Rejo Oku Timur using interview data from 15 respondents through data validity techniques using method triangulation and source triangulation. Then, the results of this study indicate that Balinese tribal families consistently provide the best education by including a series of cultural activities continuously and supported by the surrounding environment as a complement. From early childhood, Balinese children have been taught how to pray, make offerings, learn Balinese dance, compose gobagan and get used to using Balinese in their daily lives.

Toward Food Sovereignty: Transformative Agroecology and Participatory Action Research With Coffee Smallholder Cooperatives in Mexico and Nicaragua

The challenges that coffee smallholder livelihoods face suggest the need to move beyond incremental changes in production. Transformative agroecology offers a potential approach to guide systemic change to achieve food sovereignty among coffee smallholders and cooperatives. This work aims to understand the extent to which diversification practices among coffee smallholders can contribute to a transformative agroecology, and to what extent, participatory action research (PAR) projects may support related transformative processes. The PAR projects described in this paper took place over 3 years with participants associated with two smallholder cooperatives in Mexico, and Nicaragua. After establishing long-term partnerships among cooperatives and universities, we used a PAR approach to guide a mixed methods study that included 338 household surveys, 96 interviews, 44 focus group discussions, and participant observation during farmer-to-farmers exchanges. We found that, although coffee-producing households in both study sites report several diversification activities, more than 50% still face some period of food scarcity each year. In our reflections with farmers and staff from the participating cooperatives, that are also included as co-authors in this study, we conclude that coffee smallholders and cooperatives in both locations are in the early stages of developing a transformative agroecology, as a path toward food sovereignty. Several leverage points to achieve this include land access, native seed conservation, cultural attachment to certain diversification practices, and traditional diets. Some of the more significant challenges to advancing a more transformative agroecology are the prioritization of coffee as a crop (i.e., coffee specialization), and dependency on coffee income. Our PAR project also aimed to contribute to achieving change in the prevailing system through 1) capacity building with community facilitators/promoters, 2) co-creation of questions and knowledge relevant to the strategic planning by coffee cooperatives, 3) sharing farmer-to-farmer pedagogies across territories, and 4) the co-production of popular education material. We conclude that diversification remains an important agroecological strategy for smallholder commodity producers, as a way of achieving food sovereignty. Most of all, we find that achieving diversification is not a linear process, as there are many trade-offs, feedback loops, obstacles and opportunities that should be considered through long-term and collective approaches.

Conservation conflict hotspots: Mapping impacts, risk perception and tolerance for sustainable conservation management

Global processes manifesting as activities in local places have led to an increase in documented conservation conflicts. Conservation conflicts are sometimes labelled human-wildlife conflict, focusing only on the direct negative impact of species (usually wildlife) on humans or vice versa. However, many authors now recognize that conservation conflicts arise between people with diverse views, when one party acts against the interests of another. They are thus human-human conflicts and not merely an impact on or from conservation. Conflict is not always directly correlated with impact because perceptions of risk, levels of tolerance and conservation values influence human responses. This review aims to define the concept of ‘conservation conflict hotspots’ and explore its practical applications in conservation. We propose that the interaction of impact, risk perception, level of tolerance in a context of conservation values can be mapped at a local scale, with spatial visualization assisting the prediction, understanding and management of such hotspots. The term conservation value incorporates measures of indigeneity, endemicity and demography along with emotional or cultural attachment to species or places. The umbrella terms of risk perception and tolerance capture many of the aspects of attitude, values and individual demographics that can influence people’s actions, enabling contextualization of relevant social factors at local scales. Spatially mapped layers enable us to plan and target conservation efforts towards human as well as ecological factors. The concept of ‘conservation conflict hotspot’ emphasizes the need for transdisciplinary research to understand underlying drivers of conflict and for dialogical and peace-building approaches to facilitate trust and cooperation amongst actors. We can thus address conflicts and achieve sustainable outcomes.

Impact of Cultural Attachment on Intention to Drop Out of School in Public Primary Schools: A Cross-sectional Study Kazo district, Uganda

Intention to drop out of school and consequential child dropout due to cultural attachment, particularly among cattle keepers is a global challenge in various contextual settings. The study investigated the contributions of cultural attachment on intention to drop out of school in the primary schools in the Kazo district. Analytical cross-sectional design using a quantitative approach was conducted in January 2022 among 338 children in primary six and primary seven in the six public primary schools in Kazo district. Pearson product-moment correlations and linear regression were conducted using Stata 15. The study findings were that cultural attachment had a moderate positive impact on intention to drop out of school in the primary schools in Kazo district (r = .0.10, p =.242) and explained only 1% of the variance of intention to drop out of school in the primary schools in Kazo district (r2 = .01). Therefore, various cultural attachment influence intention to drop out of school. Strategies for cultural attachment are paramount.

Characterizing the Dependence on Non-timber Forest Products Among Communities Living Around Forest Conservation Areas in Marrupa-Mecula Corridor, Niassa Special Reserve, Niassa Province of Mozambique

The role of forests across the world has been recognized as key natural assets that offer several goods and services, especially to communities adjacent to them. Given this role, there have been minimal efforts to determine the factors characterizing this dependence of communities on non-timber forest products (NTFPs), especially in developing nations. This study surveyed and assessed different factors influencing household dependence on NTFPs in the Marrupa-Mecula Corridor, Niassa Special Reserve, Niassa Province of Mozambique. In total, 377 household members from eight villages attended the interview while employing proportional random sampling. Data analysis was done using descriptive statistics and binary logistic regression. The study revealed that 90.9% of the households participate in collecting, producing, and selling NTFPs. Three factors, namely, social, economic, and physical, with twenty sub-factors or characteristics were found to have a significant association with dependence on forest resources. They include the availability of NTFPs, taking a collection of NTFPs as a family job, strong cultural attachment to forests, seasonal engagement in collection, nearby forests being home for community leaders, distance to the nearby forest, the housing needs of forests, forests being a major source of medicine, forests being a resource for educational institutions, forests being a major source of household food security, forests being a ready income for households, forests being a tourist attraction in the area, and affordability of distance to markets. The binary logistic regression revealed that gender, age, education, family size, and time spent in the area are significantly associated with dependence on NTFPs. Additionally, strong cultural attachment to forests, seasonal engagement in collection, nearby forests being homes for community leaders, distance to the nearby forest, housing needs, a major source of medicine, education, household food security, ready income, tourist attraction, and affordability of distance to markets were found to have a significant influence. On the contrary, scary dangerous wild animals, restriction of cultivation in non-gazetted forests, restriction of hunting in non-gazetted forests, and forest fires negatively affected the dependence on NTFPs/resources. As a way of achieving sustainable utilization of NTFPs, management plans and strategies need to incorporate these factors characterizing the dependence on NTFPs.

Exploring Attachment among Iranian University Students with Respect to the Role of Age and Gender: A Mixed-Method Study

The home cultural attachment (HCA) theory deals with long-term relationships among humans and how they react when they leave their beloved family members and friends and their homeland. It is essential to explore the factors influencing it. In this regard, the present study explores the role of age and gender on Iranian university students’ HCA quantitatively and qualitatively. To this end, a total of 201 university students, including both genders, were selected from Ayatollah Boroujerdi University through a random sampling method. The required quantitative data were collected using the HCA questionnaire, validated by Shahsavandi et al. (2010) and the qualitative data were gathered through a reflective written statement from 20 university students who completed the questionnaire. The data were analyzed using an independent sample t -test, a one-way ANOVA test, and a content analysis approach. Findings evidenced that there was not any statistically significant difference between the two genders concerning HCA. The results indicated that age was not a strong predictor of HCA. Besides, the complementary qualitative findings confirmed that gender and age do not play a role in Iranian university students’ HCA. The study ends with offering some implications for stakeholders.