Global Culture Research Articles

BTS Beyond Beats: Disclosing Semantics Through Lyric Analysis

In the contemporary music landscape, BTS (Bangtan Sonyeondan) has risen as a global phenomenon, captivating audiences not only with mesmerizing beats but also through conveying profound messages in their lyrics. This article explores the multifaceted journey of BTS, emphasizing their impact on global pop culture, significant achievements, and role as cultural ambassadors. The study addresses three key research questions focused on how BTS lyrics reflect profound messages, identifying hidden meanings through semantic analysis, and appreciating music as an art form. "BTS Beyond Beats" serves as an invitation to appreciate music as an intricate art form, transcending the auditory experience to unravel the beauty and depth within BTS's crafted words. The study sheds light on the artistic depth and cultural impact of BTS's lyrics, offering a captivating journey into their semantic landscape. This research contributes to a deeper understanding of the wisdom and hidden meanings in BTS lyrics, fostering a richer appreciation of music as a profound art form that goes beyond mere melodic hums. The semantic revelation invites listeners to connect with BTS on a profound level, recognizing the cultural significance and wisdom encapsulated in each lyrical masterpiece. The research methodology integrates linguistic and cultural semiotics, content analysis, and qualitative research methods, aiming for a systematic exploration of nuanced meanings, metaphors, and connotations within BTS's lyrics. Results consistently highlight themes of self-discovery, resilience, love, and societal critique, showcasing the group's ability to navigate diverse emotional and social landscapes. Cultural nuances and references to Korean history, folklore, and societal norms contribute to BTS's identity as cultural ambassadors.

Food City: Ahmedabad as a Globalised Vegetarian Space

Existing studies, highlighting that dining out forms an important part of public cultures in India, have focused on the growing influence of consumer cultures on India’s middle classes and their identity formation. However, insufficient scholarly attention has been paid to the distinctly different ways in which middle-class experiences with modernity and cosmopolitanism unfold across different cities in India and in the worldwide South Asian diaspora. This article argues that in the major Gujarati city of Ahmedabad, middle-class engagement with new and global culinary practices is couched within dominant, regionally coloured vegetarian cultures, redefining vegetarianism as integral to the project of modern middle-class identity among certain upwardly mobile social groups. This ethnographic study of popular pizzerias sheds light on the transformative capacity and significance of vegetarian food. From being a symbol of exclusionary bourgeois hegemonic cultures, it has turned into a consumer item regarded as accessible and desirable for supporting middle-class aspirations to experience ‘global’ forms of consumption. The concluding analysis suggests that, since there are many diverse, cosmopolitan urban spaces like Ahmedabad, more research is needed especially on how global Gujarati food culture has been developing.

A Critique of the Discursive Turn of Australian Multicultural Policy in the Globalisation Era

This article examines the changing discourses of Australian multicultural policy from the late 1990s until now and discusses their ideological significance under the twin-frames of globalization and Australian political culture. By systematically analyzing the series of policy papers launched by successive governments, it becomes clear that the multicultural policy has completed a discursive turn, deviating from its progressive trajectory of cultural diversity and substantive equality to suit the neo-conservative agenda of national unity and economic productivity. While the strengthened national identity based on the civic model corresponds with the surging tide of social conservatism, the shrinking government funding in this policy area and the utilitarian perception of cultural diversity are tied up with market-oriented reforms, indicating the government's shifting interests from minimizing the existing cultural barriers to maximizing cultural dividends through diversity management strategies.

Improving attitudes toward brands with global consumer culture positioning: The triggering role of emotions

AbstractThis research examines how incidentally evoked approach‐oriented (vs. avoidance‐oriented) emotions help improve consumer attitudes toward brands with global consumer culture positioning (GCCP). Moreover, we demonstrate that promotion‐focused brand associations that are uniquely linked with GCCP messages mediate this effect, while this effect is eliminated when consumers are aware of the potential influence of their emotions on judgment. We conducted four experiments to examine and clarify the above effects. The findings contribute theoretically by introducing emotions as a novel antecedent to consumers' GCCP preferences. Practically, this research provides actionable guidelines for international marketers in effectively implementing GCCP strategies.

Magazines and Modern Identities. Global Cultures of the Illustrated Press, 1880–1945

Magazines and Modern Identities. Global Cultures of the Illustrated Press, 1880–1945

Role of Cultural Factors on Entrepreneurship Across the Diverse Economic Stages: Insights from GEM and GLOBE Data

Abstract This article conducts an exploration of culture’s roles on entrepreneurial activities among countries at different economic stages. Culture factors from the GLOBE are converted into motivation culture and hygiene culture. The framework of this research is derived from Herzberg’s motivation hygiene theory. Total entrepreneurial activity (TEA) and the ratio of opportunity-driven to necessity-driven entrepreneurship (OPP/NEC) from global entrepreneurship monitor (GEM) are taken as measures for both the quantity and quality of entrepreneurial behavior. Panel regression with fixed effects is employed to test both direct and interaction effects. The direct relations show that the improvement of economic conditions discourages the TEA, while promotes the OPP/NEC; motivation culture significantly promotes OPP/NEC, while makes no difference in TEA; and hygiene culture significantly promotes TEA, while reduces OPP/NEC. In terms of interactive effects, motivation culture reduces the containment of economic development on TEA, yet hygiene culture hurts its promotion on OPP/NEC; motivation culture mitigates hygiene culture’s stimulation of TEA, while hygiene culture damages motivation culture’s fostering of OPP/NEC. Finally, a global culture map of quadrant distribution diagram is visually drawn with the corresponding culture scores. Notably, countries or regions in quadrant IV with high motivation culture and low hygiene culture demonstrate the most favorable entrepreneurial quality as well as high economic development.

Towards Decolonial Praxes in Critical Peace Education for Sustainable Futures

This paper examines decolonial praxes in critical peace education using philosophical framework of African Conversational School. In the process, it examines: Conversational School of African Philosophy, critical peace education for sustainable futures, the importance of decolonial praxes, conceptual framework for critical peace education for sustainable future, Nigerian educational system and education policies of Federal Republic of Nigeria (FRN), Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and African Union (AU). The paper theorizes that decolonial praxes in critical peace education should be pursued with a combination of local and global cultures (glocalization) for sustainable futures since both cultures have positive contributions to human life. Therefore, the conclusion and suggestions of this paper are partly based on this theoretical position. Introduction of decolonial critical peace education as a separate subject and as objectives in other subjects is the main suggestion and conclusion made.

The Interrelation and Influence of Cultural Identity in the Performing Arts: Archetypes, Reflections, Interpretations

Relevance. In the modern global world, the relationship between cultural identity and the performing arts is becoming increasingly relevant. The academic paper focuses on the role of cultural identity, its search and transformation, based on archetypes, reflection and interpretation in forming the identity of performers. Archetypes, which are universal symbols and images, influence the creative process of performers. They can be manifested in musical compositions, choreography, acting, and other forms of art. Performers’ reflections on their cultural heritage and identity help them enrich their performances and express themselves. Purpose. The present academic paper will help reveal important aspects of the interaction between cultural identity and the performing arts, and it will also consider practical examples from the world of art, in particular, music. The object of the research is the specificity of the cultural identity of certain countries (Ukraine, the USA, Brazil, India, and China) and the possibilities of the performing arts to use cultural specificity/identity in the modern world. The principles of tolerance, awareness of cultural relativism and tolerance, cultural variety, and the aim to preserve cultural heritage by popularizing these notions served as the methodological basis for writing the academic paper. In order to accomplish the research tasks, the works of the following scholars and their methodological approaches were used, namely: the works of C. Jung, T. Adorno, the theories of F. Clackson and F. Strodtbeck, and the development of the study of cultural features of countries by G. Hofstede. In the context of cultural globalization, the issues of cultural identity are gaining particular importance. Musical art is particularly appropriate for demonstrating both timeless and supranational aspects of existence, and vice versa – for shaping and cultivating cultural differences, using both established archetypal images and performing reflections and interpretations of the author's intent, interpreted in accordance with the personal background and historical and cultural context. 

MAPPING TRADITION AND MODERNIZATION: A STUDY ON THE EVOLUTION OF COSTUMES OF THE TRIPURI AND REANG WOMEN IN TRIPURA

Tripura is a land-locked state in Northeast India that comprises of multiple communities. Majorly dominated by the Tribal and Bengali communities, this state has witnessed drastic changes in its culture and heritage. Since partition, a huge demographic and ethnographic change has ushered in major challenges for the tribal communities. One such major change was witnessed in the evolution of Tripuri and Reang costumes. The traditional dresses of the communities faced historic challenges that questioned their personal and collective identity. The impact of westernization and modernization on Tripuri dressing culture shall be analysed in this paper. This paper shall also try to study how patterns of cloth and style of dressing have evolved due to the impact of global culture over the local culture. The reasons for the evolution shall be mapped through qualitative data collected from different people (of different communities) belonging to different parts of the state.

Модель социокультурной адаптации иностранных курсантов военных вузов в современных теориях миграции

The article is devoted to the substantiation of the author’s model of foreign cadets’ entry into the environment of Russian military universities in the conditions of globalization. The relevance of the presented problematics is connected with the radical opposition of the available theoretical models of adaptation in the practice of military universities. One of them reflects the tendency to adaptation, the conditions of which are set by radical re-quirements of military discipline, ideas about military brotherhood, and the task of educating patriots of their states, while the other one calls for the protection and preservation of the individuality of cadets of different na-tionalities. The authors propose a solution to these contradictions, which can lead to the confrontation between “their own” and “strangers”, in the context of synthesizing the provisions of the theory of transculturalism and “segmental assimilation”, which have not been previously applied to explain the problems of adaptation of for-eign cadets in Russian universities. The article presents a model of sociocultural adaptation of foreign cadets in the host space of a military university as a continuous interaction of different individuals, groups of ethnic and religious cultures, as well as Russian military and global cultures. The difference of the presented understand-ing is the belief in the mutual influence exerted on each other by the participants of the transcultural polylogue, which leads within the framework of a military university not to full assimilation, but to segmental fusion and mutual changes.

Influence of the storage conditions of embryo culture media on mouse development.

The culture of preimplantation embryos in vitro is an important method for human and mouse reproductive technology. This study aims to investigate the influence of different conditions of culture media on the preimplantation stage of mouse embryos cultured in vitro, and monitor the post-implantation development of new mice after embryo transfer to surrogate females. We demonstrated here that mouse embryos cultured in vitro in fresh M16, KSOM, Global, and HTF embryo culture media from one cell to the blastocyst stage and the subsequent embryo transfer to surrogate females are able to proceed through post-implantation development and, after birth, develop into healthy mice. However, culture of embryos in differently aged media shows various (often unpredictable) results. To find the optimal storage conditions of culture media, we suggest that the freezing and long-term storage of these media at - 80°C will not influence the quality of the media. To test this hypothesis, we grew embryos from one cell to blastocysts in vitro in the selected media after thawing and subsequently transferring them to surrogate females. Embryo culture in these four media after thawing does not affect preimplantation and postnatal mouse development. Thus, we have shown that storage of embryo culture media at low temperature (- 80°C) does not impact the quality of the media, and subsequently, it can be used for the culture of embryos for the full preimplantation period, the same as in fresh media.

New secular holidays in modern Kazakh culture. Westernization of everyday life and transfor-mation of family rituals

The growing attention to processes related to the revival of Islam throughout Central Asia leaves in shadow some no less interesting tendencies associated with the westernization of the daily life. These processes have been recorded across the entire Central Asia but presently they manifest themselves to the greatest extent specifically in Kazakhstan, where interweaving of traditional elements of the East and the West created a remarkable distinctive culture of the 21st century. The voluntary or involuntary neglect of these processes undoubtedly leads to serious misrepresentation in our understanding of further routes of development of the traditional rites. Equally important is the fact that problems of Islamization itself undoubtedly appear more prominent when taking into account factors linked with the new ‘westernized daily routine’. In this regard, very interesting are the new secular rituals and festivities which appeared in modern Kazakh culture not long ago: gender reveal party, baby shower, tilashar (Kaz., literally ‘opening of the tongue’), constituting the subject of this research. This study employs methods of his-torico-cultural and ethnographic approaches, and it is based on fieldwork data obtained during the ethnographic studies in Western Kazakhstan in recent years and data from monitoring personal profiles of users of social networks and services. Gen-der reveal parties and baby shower celebrations are widespread in the entire world, and they are of a secular nature. The analysis of evidence from Kazakh culture shows an example of how modern Kazakhs attempt to fit the ‘westernized’ practices into the universal matrix of present-day Kazakh ritual activities based on three constituents: a repast with an indispensable na-tional dish of ‘meat in Kazakh style’, a symbolic exchange of presents between members of socially kindred group, and bata beru i.e. ‘best wishes from senior relatives’. This is also supported by the search for parallels in the rites, conventional synonymity of the new practices and established family rites. Thus, the secular celebrations of gender reveal and baby shower are acquiring a national colour. The culture is adapting the ‘westernized’ practice; copying of the original example and its re-interpretation at a new level is taking place. In contrast to family rites, the gender party and baby shower are not obligatory; following of such practices is rather a fashion of its kind — a response of the modern Kazakh young people to cultural globalization. The author is trying to find an answer to the ques-tion: why indeed the Kazakh culture is so readily accepting and adapting practices of this kind? The answer seems to lie in the specifics of the social organization of the Kazakh society, in the emergence of new channels for storing and broadcasting of information, and in the overall orientation of modern Kazakhstan towards globalization.

Turkish students' language‐learning perezhivanie, learner identities, and transformation of self

AbstractThis study used the Vygotskian concept of perezhivanie, an emotionally lived experience, to examine the identities of two Turkish language learners. Learner identity has been researched from social and psychological perspectives; however, the role of emotion and its relationship with cognition has not been sufficiently addressed. As a unit of analysis, Perezhivanie offers a holistic approach to examining learners' identities by considering their emotional and cognitive processes in their learning environments. This study reports on a qualitative case study. Data were obtained from Dodo and Uraz's observations while taking an elective course in Global English and Culture, their multiple reflections written throughout the course, and their interviews. The data analysis revealed ontological instances of perezhivaniya (plural) that stemmed from the two participants' emotionally charged, memorable moments. It revealed how these perezhivaniya formed and transformed their identities throughout their language‐learning experience. These results indicate the importance of assisting language learners by introducing them to the new World of Englishes, thus providing new theoretical frameworks that create a fertile environment for identity transformation.

Impact of Hallyu (Korean Wave) on Language Acquisition and Cultural Identity Among Vietnamese Youth

The phenomenon of Hallyu, or the Korean Wave, has become a pivotal influence on cultural identities and language learning worldwide, particularly among Vietnamese youth. This study examines Hallyu’s impact on their language acquisition and cultural identity formation, employing a mixed-methods approach that includes surveys and interviews. It investigates how Korean media, including K-dramas and K-pop, motivates Vietnamese youth to learn Korean and adopt cultural traits, reflecting broader trends in cultural globalization. Key findings indicate a marked increase in Korean language interest among Vietnamese youth, driven by media consumption. This engagement not only enhances language learning attitudes but also integrates Korean cultural elements into their daily lives, fostering community building around shared cultural interests. The study underscores the significance of non-Western media’s role in shaping global cultural and linguistic landscapes, highlighting Hallyu’s contribution to diversifying language education and cultural identity among global youth. This research provides valuable insights into the dynamics of media consumption, cultural globalization, and their implications for cultural identity and language learning.

On the media representation of the universal category of culture "sinfulness"

This article aims to analyze the manifestation of the universal axiological cultural category of sinfulness in the media space. The study's subject was this category's properties and functions, which are actualized when represented in digital media. In accordance with this goal, we used such methods as continuous sampling and observation of the facts of the representation of cultural categories, which allowed us to determine the linguistic material for analysis and a statistical method for quantitative analysis. The content analysis of the units selected for the study was used to identify the role, properties, and main functions of the universal axiological category of sinfulness. The novelty of the research lies in the fact that, for the first time, the universal nature of the category of sinfulness, its functions and properties, represented in media publications, were considered. Main conclusions: the study of the facts of actualization of the category of sinfulness in the media space allowed us to assert that the phenomenon under study is associated with topics such as politics, crime (in news media), and the assessment of citizens' behavior and morality (in religious media). These facts indicate that the primary function of the category of sinfulness is regulatory, aimed at evaluating and correcting the actions of members of society, as well as creating public opinion. In addition, the article proves that the category of sinfulness has transcultural properties, penetrating and being realized in all cultural layers, from local to global. In these cultural layers, the nature of the category acquires a different shade. In particular, at the global level, the category of sinfulness acquires the meaning of guilt, which is a consequence of the significant influence of Western culture on the global culture. It seems that the revealed properties of the category indicate its high importance for modern Russian society. The established regulatory function will make it possible to apply this category, including within the framework of regulating and managing public opinion and promoting basic values.

Cultural conflict - civilizational transition and civil transformations - factors of influence and crisis of the cultural identity of the Arab Gulf countries (confrontation / assimilation - influence / change)

The research deals with the issue of cultural confrontation experienced by the local culture of the peoples of the Arab Gulf countries in front of the civilizational tide and structural transformations in social life, which coincides with cultural globalization and the revolution of technology and information that transcended borders and barriers. The Gulf Arab states have witnessed major structural transformations in line with the civilizational development in the fields of life brought about by oil wealth. The study sought to identify the most prominent sources of challenge and change, the great variation in the demography of the population, where the population weight coming from abroad with its diverse culture and life practices that lead to a change in public behavior and cultural environment in the new reality, so the study stands on the size of the impact contributed by human migrations coming to the Arab Gulf countries by addressing the following variables: - Demographic difference between citizens and residents. - The density of educational institutions for communities and international schools. - The heavy presence of traditional non-Arabic media institutions and others directed at foreign communities. She presented an analysis of the implications of this, and monitored the manifestations of change, transformation and conflict experienced by local cultures, based on Julian Steward's theoretical model, which focuses on the dynamic interaction between man and the environment, technology, social structure, and organization of work. To understand the reality of the social space of the peoples of the Arab Gulf countries, And the impact of internal interactions and external influences on this space and know the shape of structural transformations in the local culture of these peoples, and determine their characteristics, and read the future of these changes by trying to understand the course of transformation.

Exploring the Impact of Social Media on the Integration of Western Cultural Elements by University Students in China

This paper delves into the profound impact of social media on the cultural dynamics of Chinese university students, with a particular emphasis on how these digital landscapes mediate the integration, adaptation, and at times, resistance to Western cultural elements. As digital platforms become increasingly central to daily life, they not only serve as conduits for global cultural exchange but also as arenas where cultural identities are negotiated and redefined. By conducting a comprehensive analysis of popular social media platforms among Chinese youth, such as Weibo, WeChat, and Douyin, this study uncovers the complex interplay between global cultural flows and local traditions. It examines how these interactions influence the formation of identity, the evolution of values, and the adoption of social practices among the youth in China. The investigation reveals that while social media facilitates the exposure to and engagement with Western culture, Chinese university students approach these encounters with a critical eye, selectively adopting elements that resonate with their personal and cultural identity while resisting those that conflict with traditional values. This selective engagement highlights a dynamic process of cultural hybridization, where Western influences are not merely absorbed passively but are actively interpreted, modified, and integrated into the fabric of Chinese youth culture. The findings underscore the role of social media as a significant force in shaping contemporary cultural landscapes, offering insights into the broader implications of digital technology on cultural globalization and identity formation in the context of China’s rapidly changing society.

All In

Abstract This article situates the recent explosion of online and app-based sports betting within longer histories of datafication and financialization in sports business and culture. The author tracks four histories in which media technologies and financial logics dissolved previously stable sporting events, athletes, and results into aggregations of data and derivatives that could be leveraged and wagered on. Photography established feelings of confidence and objectivity in horse-race results during the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Screen and computational technologies since the 1970s have enabled Las Vegas casino sportsbooks to overwhelm bettors with data abundance. Television and web-based play moved poker at the turn of the millennium away from surprise, chance, and reading people toward probability, risk, and reading data. Around the same time, fantasy sports and management-based video games mirrored financial markets in transforming athletes and leagues into derivatives, that is, disaggregated units that could be reassembled in new digital permutations. Each story helps position contemporary online sports betting within a longer historical arc in which gambling and speculation moved to the center of global economy and culture.

France’s Identity Crisis

While many other democracies in the world celebrate or simply tolerate public expressions of difference, France has traditionally remained hostile toward them in the name of republican universalism. The rise of identity politics in recent decades, however, has posed a serious challenge to this position. Today, France is torn between republican values that do not reflect the complexity of a multicultural society, and a global culture war that has supercharged local disagreements and polemics.

Research on the Creative Features of Performance Events at the National Traditional Ethnic Sports Games

The traditional sports performances of China's ethnic minorities are an indispensable part of global sports culture. These traditional sports activities not only play a crucial role in the national sports industry but also represent the valuable heritage of Chinese ethnic traditions and culture. The purpose of researching traditional sports performances of ethnic minorities across the country is to protect, inherit, explore, and develop their cultural practices. This article utilizes literature review, logical analysis, and video analysis methods to analyze the performances of the three recent National Traditional Sports Games of Ethnic Minorities. It concludes that the creative process of these performances exhibits characteristics of authenticity, reflecting the connection to nature, production and daily life, customs and folklore, regional diversity, physicality, and artistry. This research aims to provide meaningful insights for the development and creation of traditional sports performances of ethnic minorities and further promote the inheritance and promotion of traditional culture.