Cultural Theory Research Articles

Research on the Integration of Traditional Culture into Situation and Policy Course Teaching

Traditional culture is a historical accumulation of more than 5,000 years of the Chinese nation, which highlights the national spirit of self-improvement, perseverance, innovation, hard work, and indomitable struggle, which provides quality materials for ideological and political teaching in colleges and universities. Ideological and political teachers in colleges and universities should integrate the traditional culture into the teaching of Situation and Policy courses, explain the idea of governing the country in the traditional culture, and build a system of excellent traditional Chinese culture theory. Teachers should focus on current affairs, integrate relevant traditional cultural elements, and build a teaching system that integrates and promotes each other to deepen students’ understanding of traditional culture by using the teaching method of historical observation. Integrating regional excellent traditional culture into the course can guide students to explore traditional culture in depth, enhance their cultural self-confidence, and improve the quality of ideological and political education.

Gender assignment in doctoral theses: revisiting Teseo with a method based on cultural consensus theory

Gender assignment in doctoral theses: revisiting Teseo with a method based on cultural consensus theory

An animal as a cultural landscape: the horse in Seoul, South Korea

ABSTRACT The horse holds a special place in Korean culture and history. This paper explores how this animal is manifested in Seoul, aiming to reveal the interests and agendas that these manifestations serve, and what this nonhuman presence can tell about contemporary Seoul and South Korea. The paper adds a new perspective to the literature on Seoul’s development and identity formation. It also provides a case study on the interaction between humans and nonhuman-animals. Lastly, it intervenes into cultural landscape theory by offering the concept of ‘collaged cultural landscape’. It is argued that, the multilayered presence of the horse in Seoul represents South Korean aspirations for economic success, positive branding, and post-colonial strength, confidence, and legitimacy, by conveying a wide range of images, including beauty, cuteness, vigor, and valor. Furthermore, there is no other animal in Seoul, and perhaps in all of South Korea, that matches the horse’s complex presence.

Embodied learning with metaphors and Rich Picture-like diagrams in actor training: an articulated, playful approach to teaching and practice-led research

Metaphors and diagrams are underutilised in actor training, both for teaching and practice-led research, creating a gap in the literature. Combining practice-led research and phenomenology as a methodology, this paper examines the author’s metaphor exercise “INTERACTION IS PLAYING TABLE TENNIS” and four Rich Picture-like diagrams, all constructed through a personal philosophy lens as an acting teacher/coach in the process of redefining Stanislavski’s term “communication” as “psychophysical interaction” and inventing the corresponding technique named “Transitive Psychophysical Interaction Score (TPI Score)”. This examination draws on an interdisciplinary perspective, incorporating Johan Huizinga’s cultural theory of “play” metaphor, George Lakoff and Mark Johnson’s, and Zoltán Kövecses’s theories of “conceptual metaphor”, along with Simon Bell, Tessa Berg, and Stephen Morse’s “Rich Pictures” concept, to reveal how metaphorical and visual elements rooted in physical experiences such as “games/sports”, “colour”, “icons”, and their inherent quality of “playfulness’ reshape actors” embodied understanding of the concept of “interaction” and fostering trainer-trainee dynamics. This inquiry also critically reflects on ineffective instructions commonly used by trainers, arguing that the combination of metaphor exercises and visual metaphors can bridge tacit and explicit knowledge in a structured, engaging way, thereby improving practitioners’ and researchers’ ability to articulate complex knowledge and reveal deep insights in teaching and academic writing, and fostering a more effective and relaxed communication. This creative approach to teaching and practice-led research can be used by a broader community of actor trainers and researchers in the future.

Development and Mode Innovation of Cultural Tourism Resource based on Industrial Integration

The cultural tourism industry contributes to the growth of both cultural and tourism industries. Cultural Tourism Resource (CTR) is the prerequisite for the integrated development of the cultural tourism industry. Developing potential CTR can promote the new transformation and upgrading of the urban cultural tourism industry. Luoyang has the advantages of location and resources in the development of CTR, but its tourism industry develops slowly. Therefore, Luoyang City was taken as the research object and the relevant evaluation index system was established. The entropy method and grey correlation model were used to analyze the development trend and influencing factors of the city’s CTR. The entropy values of the eight indicators of the evaluation system of CTR established in the study were all above 0.96, indicating that the evaluation system was relatively stable. The grey correlation degree of CTR of historical culture and folk customs was high, which was 0.668 and 0.642, respectively. The grey correlation degree of religious culture and calligraphy and painting CTR was low, which was 0.625 and 0.617, respectively. The CTR of historical culture and folk customs have developed well, but the resources of religious culture, calligraphy, and painting need to be improved. The knowledge of cultural tourism location theory and regional economic growth theory are applied. According to the evaluation results and problems of the development of CTR in Luoyang, this paper puts forward targeted strategies for CTR.

Analysis of the Cultural Dimensions of Indonesian People on Purchase Decisions: A Case Study of Karen's Diner Restaurant in Indonesia

This study uses a constructivist paradigm and a qualitative approach to analyse six elements of Hofstede's Cultural Dimensions Theory. Data analysis was taken from four viral tweets collected with the keyword Karen's Diner on Twitter from December 15 to 22, 2022. The study results show that six elements of the Cultural Dimensions Theory are inherent in Indonesian consumers, so they oppose the concept of service presented by Karen's Diner. The element of power distance applies where most Indonesian people have been instilled with the idea that "the buyer is the king", so they do not tolerate the slightest bad action done by the seller. Uncertainty avoidance applies when the Indonesian people protest and urge Karen's Diner Indonesia to make clear written regulations and improve the restaurant's service procedures. The element of masculinity or femininity is represented by netizens who think the restaurant's existence will disappear quickly amid competition in the dynamic Indonesian F&B industry. The Long Term vs Short Term Orientation element applies where the public considers the concept of Karen's Diner Indonesia service intolerable and raises concerns about behavioural deviations in the future. The Indulgence vs Restraint element is represented by people who oppose things that can potentially offend Eastern norms, one of which is product marketing.

Using Cultural Repertoires during Unsettled Times

Abstract This research draws on the theory of culture in action, which explains how consumers selectively mobilize their cultural repertoires to understand and solve daily problems. Contemporary life, however, is increasingly unsettled, challenging the adequacy of consumers’ repertoires and how they use existing institutional cultural resources. This qualitative study identifies four ways in which consumers use their cultural repertoires and institutional resources during unsettled times. Formulaic uses are when consumers mobilize familiar cultural tools and existing resources to resettle. Versatile uses are when consumers develop new cultural tools to transform while working within demanding institutional resources. Freewheeling uses are when consumers mobilize familiar cultural tools for play but rework institutional resources to be less demanding. Finally, troubleshooting uses are when consumers extend their existing cultural tools to suffice but reject institutional resources. These varied uses of culture capture how consumers either mobilize or develop their cultural repertoires and institutional resources to serve different ends. This study provides a more dynamic, pragmatic, and nuanced explanation of how consumers summon culture to solve problems during unsettled times. A conceptual model explains this process, and the discussion highlights the theoretical contributions.

Umu-Ada (Ama’oma-Ada) women institution in Igala and Igbo Nsukka communities: a comparative socio-cultural analysis

ABSTRACT While many studies have been devoted to interrogating the political history of the centralized Igala society and the enormous influence of the Atta and Achadu institutions on the Igbo polity and economy, little scholarly attention has been paid to analyzing, in reverse order, the influence of Igbo culture on the Igala society. Despite the precarious placement of women in traditional Igala-Igbo Nsukka borderland, the Umu-ada (women) institution represents one of the means through which women organize and assert power while promoting collective peace, security, development and socio-cultural transformation. We argue that the diffusion and adaptation of Umuada heritage in this region is traceable to geography, the influence of inter-ethnic marriage, trade, burial and funeral rites. The similarities and differences in organization and impact of this women institution in both Igbo Nsukka and Igala communities are appraised to show the preponderance of cultural dispersals in contemporary Nigeria. This paper relied on the use of both primary and secondary data. Primary data was obtained through oral interviews with aged Umuada (women) members of Igbo Nsukka-Igala communities including men. Oral data were intermeshed with secondary literature, especially published books and journal articles. The collected data were qualitatively analyzed using the cultural diffusion theory.

Paradoxical gender effects in meat consumption across cultures

Men tend to eat more meat than women, but it is not clear why. We tested three hypotheses in a cross-cultural design (20,802 individuals in 23 countries across four continents): that gender differences are (a) universal, (b) related to gender roles and thus weaker in countries with higher gender equality and human development, or (c) related to opportunities to express gender roles and thus stronger in countries with higher gender equality and human development. Across all countries, men tended to consume more meat than women. However, this difference increased significantly in countries with greater human development and gender equality. The paradoxical gender gap in meat consumption aligns with previous research that suggests greater differences in behavior across genders in contexts that are more developed and gender equal. We discuss implications for theories of culture and gender as well as practical implications for global meat reduction.

VALIDATING HISTORICAL INTERPRETATIONS: AN APPROACH FROM CULTURAL ANTHROPOLOGY

ABSTRACTHistorians and anthropologists share a common problem of setting criteria for the validation of their interpretations. While many features are shared and explicit—for example, that a full range of data needs to be considered and that information should be reliably sourced—the actual criteria for assessing supportable interpretations are frequently left unexamined. Following consideration of schemes that have been put forth for validating interpretation in literature, this article considers the criteria applied to the history of an Indonesian town and those employed when scholars have revisited the site of a predecessor's research. Because no interpretation is without some theoretical backdrop, this article considers a particular theory of culture that may facilitate the refinement of standards. The criteria that are then suggested—conjuncture, scope, intersection, comparability, and self‐accounting—may help to pinpoint not uniquely correct interpretations but better or worse ones. To test these criteria, this article briefly analyzes two case studies of both historical and anthropological concern: one relates to the history and organization of tribal‐based polities and the other concerns the dispute over the circumstances surrounding the death of Captain James Cook. The article concludes that reinvigorating a conversation about such criteria can reinforce the shared interests of historians and anthropologists that have proven so fruitful to recent scholarship.

Challenges and strategies for effective online examinations in higher education institutions: Insights from lecturers and students

Paper-based examinations are gradually being replaced as a reasonable number of Eswatini Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) have adopted online examinations. As a new phenomenon, the perspectives of both academic staff and learners had to be assessed. Hence, this study sought to assess the use of online examinations in the Kingdom of Eswatini HEIs. The research was qualitative in nature utilizing the Participatory Action Learning and Action Research (PALAR) design to unravel the impact of the pedagogical innovation as well as factors such as security and practicality to effect best action in the advancement of HEI in the country. Similarly, the Cultural Historical Activity Theory (CHAT) gave insight to the study. For comprehensive data collection, 15 learners and 10 academic staff from from HEIs who use e-exams were purposively selected and interviewed. Generated data were analysed thematically; data were transcribed, coded, and categorised to come up with major patterns and perceptions as themes. Major findings revealed that online exams were easy to administer and mark, secured, flexible, promotes lifelong learning, and reduce risk associated with student travel. However, online examinations promoted malpractice among students. Other challenges on the administration of online examinations include: students and lecturers lack technological skills and poor internet connectivity. The results suggest training of lecturers and students on the use of online examinations, and investing in powerful technologies to support online examinations. With the emerging adoption of digital technology in the HEIs, it is necessary for policymakers to address academic misconduct by drafting relevant policies and procedures.

A meeting place for meaningful collaboration – student teachers’ experiences and learning

ABSTRACT Background Internationally, teacher education usually involves close school-university cooperation. In Norway, such collaboration includes enabling student teachers to develop into researching teachers. In this article, our interest lies in how the Change Laboratory (CL), a form of participatory workshop, can lay the foundation for three-way collaboration between student teachers, teacher educators, and practice teachers, in terms of resolving practice issues and facilitating student teachers’ research planning. Purpose The study, contextualised within cultural historical activity theory (CHAT), sought to better understand student teachers’ experiences and learning gleaned from collaboration in the CL. Method Eight student teachers participated in the research, which was carried out over a four-year teacher education research and development project involving one university and one primary school. During this time, the student teachers met in the CL with the teacher educators from the university, and the practice teachers, who were working as mentors in the training schools. The data collected, comprising presentations and dialogues from the CL sessions, were analysed qualitatively. Findings According to the analysis, the student teachers thought that their CL experiences had supported them along the trajectory of becoming reflective, professionally oriented practitioners. They felt that, through participatory meetings with the teacher educators and practice teachers, they had developed in-depth subject knowledge; learned to collaborate; learned about school development; and learned how to be well prepared for the profession they were entering. In addition, they considered whether the project could be expanded to the entire teacher education system. Conclusions The findings draw broader attention to the role of participatory meeting places in creating a community of trust, and their potential to support teachers’ learning at crucial stages of their professional journeys, from early career phases and beyond.

The problem of the Other in the field of cultural theories

The problem of the Other in the field of cultural theories

COMMON SENSE IN FOLKLORE “ASAL USUL NAMA KELANTAN”: GAME BASED LEARNING APPLICATIONS IN TEACHING OF STUDENT PERSPECTIVE USING KAHOOT

Malay Folklore, traditionally transmitted, has long served as a vessel for imparting advice, teachings, and values that accentuate the identity of the Malay community. However, the tide of modernity has altered the delivery of folklore, transitioning it from oral tradition to various graphic media formats. Hence, this study aimed to explore and analyze commen sense in folklore “Asal Usul Nama Kelantan” as a game based learning applications in teaching of student perspective, utilizing the Kahoot application. Employing qualitative methods such as library research, fieldwork, and questionnaires, the study sought to enrich its findings. Additionally, Cultural Theory, as proposed by Chris Barker (2009), was adopted through an ethnographic approach. The Kahoot application was employed to gauge the understanding of common sense among to students at Universitiy Malaysia Kelantan. The findings revealed that the story of Asal Usul Kelantan significant relevance in reinvigorating its heritage for today’s younger generation.

Ethnography of Science: A Literature Review

<p class="7Abstract"><em>The study of how certain communities or ethnic groups perceive and comprehend science is known as ethnoscience. This discipline investigates how various communities use, comprehend, and interpret science. While some communities could be more skeptics and hesitant to adopt new science and technology, others might be more receptive to both. Beliefs, culture, and religion may all have an impact on how society applies science.</em><em> </em><em>In addition, ethnoscience investigates the ways in which science affects society. An educational strategy called ethnoscience links the actual knowledge of a society to scientific understanding . It is a new type of ethnography that allows cultural researchers to develop grassroots ideas based on ethno and folk without necessarily accepting western cultural theories that may be irrelevant.Ethnoscience is an interdisciplinary field of study that combines the principles of ethnography and science. This field aims to understand the relationship between culture and science. This article discusses the origins of ethnoscience, the scope of the field of ethnoscience studies, and the future of ethnoscience. Ethnoscience encompasses a variety of scientific disciplines, including anthropology, sociology, history, and philosophy of science. One of the main research areas in ethnoscience is the study of indigenous knowledge systems. Ethnoscience also studies the relationship between science and religion. Ethnoscience can help us understand how scientific knowledge is produced and used in different cultural contexts.</em></p>

Role of Arts and Cultural Events in Community Development and Social Cohesion

Purpose: This study sought to investigate the role of arts and cultural events in community development and social cohesion. Methodology: The study adopted a desktop research methodology. Desk research refers to secondary data or that which can be collected without fieldwork. Desk research is basically involved in collecting data from existing resources hence it is often considered a low cost technique as compared to field research, as the main cost is involved in executive’s time, telephone charges and directories. Thus, the study relied on already published studies, reports and statistics. This secondary data was easily accessed through the online journals and library. Findings: The findings reveal that there exists a contextual and methodological gap relating to the role of arts and cultural events in community development and social cohesion. Preliminary empirical review revealed that such events acted as catalysts for economic and social revitalization, enhancing local business and infrastructure through increased foot traffic and investment. They significantly boosted social cohesion by providing a platform for diverse groups to engage and share cultural experiences, thus strengthening community ties and civic engagement. Additionally, participation in these events was linked to improved mental health and personal well-being, as they offered emotional and psychological benefits that extended from communal to individual levels. The findings highlighted the necessity for ongoing support and investment in the arts, underscoring their integral role in fostering cohesive, vibrant, and resilient communities. Unique Contribution to Theory, Practice and Policy: Social Capital Theory, Cultural Development Theory and Urban Regeneration Theory may be used to anchor future studies on the role of arts and cultural events in community development and social cohesion. The study provided comprehensive recommendations across theoretical, practical, and policy realms. It advocated for the integration of cultural activities into theories of social capital and community dynamics, emphasizing their dual role in fostering both inclusivity and deeper social bonds. Practically, it offered guidance on making cultural events more accessible and engaging for diverse communities, while on the policy level, it pushed for increased governmental investment and the incorporation of arts into broader development strategies. The study also suggested innovative funding models, continuous program evaluation, and the use of cultural indicators to track and enhance the impact of arts on communities. Additionally, it underscored the importance of promoting and advocating for the benefits of cultural events to secure sustained support and recognition.

‘Just One Day of Unstructured Autonomous Time’: Samuel A. Moore Supporting Editorial Labour for Ethical Publishing within the University

Universities have traditionally supported the distribution of critical and cultural theory through departmental and centre publishing (e.g. Working Papers in Cultural Studies) and the establishment of university presses. However, over recent decades publishing has been increasingly outsourced to commercial providers, buttressed by volunteer academic labour extracted for profit by the publishing industry. At the same time, faced with ongoing casualisation and ever-increasing workloads, the labour required for academic publishing is severely undervalued by the university and in a permanent state of crisis. In this article we put forward a radical proposal for universities to provide scholars dedicated time to support publishing as part of their academic service work. We intervene strongly into discourses that approach the publishing labour crisis by arguing for calculative solutions in the form of payment or credit. Instead, this article explores reorienting the labour underpinning academic publishing within the university itself by positioning it as an integral part of scholarly research and what it means to be a researcher. We make this argument through an in-depth engagement with debates on academic citizenship on the value of service work and discourses on academic labour derived from within critical university studies. We further support our argument by drawing on discussions on labour and open access (OA) publishing, referencing various alternative models currently being developed that, based on scholar-led, library-led and ‘new’ university press publishing, are experimenting with innovative ways to value and perform labour relations as part of community-controlled collective organisations. As universities are increasingly financially and infrastructurally supporting such initiatives, particularly with recourse to library budgets, we explore how this in many ways has left labour issues for publishing as a service performed as part of an academic’s workload unaltered. We therefore argue for the urgent need to reconfigure how universities view the labour behind academic publishing, to support more ethical engagements and relations with publishing, bring knowledge production back under the control of academic communities, and to support greater academic autonomy within universities.

The Things of Order: Affect, Material Culture, Dispositif

Abstract: Commenting on Frantz Fanon's account of the material culture created by European colonizers in the aftermath of invasion, Achille Mbembe notes that the colony is fundamentally a state of war, a contest of forces, in which "sensory life"—the continuum of bodies, objects, and landscapes—is a battlefield. "From this point of view," he writes, "colonial domination requires an enormous investment in affect and ceremony and a significant emotional expenditure." This essay argues for a reappraisal of the work of Michel Foucault as a theory of material culture. Linking Foucault's work on power to studies of material culture, it reviews Foucault's late concept of the dispositif , which specifies the ways power is projected by objects like the scaffold and the panopticon. The article then puts Foucault's approach to material culture in conversation with two strands of contemporary critical thought—New Materialism and affect theory—to show how a full-fledged analytics of power–matter–affect might emerge. What Foucault calls the "analytics of power" supports the critical study of affect and ceremony—the streams of force that constitute subjectivity above, beneath, or outside of language. By way of example, this article explores how this emergent framework can provide new resources for moving beyond liberal approaches to the problem of Confederate monuments. Although Foucault is often read as a theorist preoccupied with discourse, a reconsideration of the dispositif shows that Foucault's analytics of power enhances our understanding of the role of material culture in guiding political affects.

Cross-Cultural Differences in Emotional Regulation Strategies in United States

Purpose: The aim of the study was to analyze the cross-cultural differences in emotional regulation strategies in United States. Methodology: This study adopted a desk methodology. A desk study research design is commonly known as secondary data collection. This is basically collecting data from existing resources preferably because of its low cost advantage as compared to a field research. Our current study looked into already published studies and reports as the data was easily accessed through online journals and libraries. Findings: Cross-cultural differences in emotional regulation strategies in the United States show variations across cultural groups, with collectivist cultures leaning towards socially-oriented strategies like seeking social support. Cultural norms influence these strategies, emphasizing interpersonal harmony. Individual differences, including acculturation, also play a role. Understanding these dynamics sheds light on how cultural context shapes emotional regulation in diverse U.S. populations. Unique Contribution to Theory, Practice and Policy: Cultural models of emotion, cultural syndromes theory & acculturation theory may be used to anchor future studies on the cross-cultural differences in emotional regulation strategies in United States. Mental health practitioners and educators should incorporate cultural sensitivity training into their programs to better support individuals from diverse cultural backgrounds in managing their emotions. Governments and organizations should prioritize the development of culturally sensitive mental health policies and programs that recognize and address the diverse emotional regulation needs of multicultural societies.

Death from Failed Protection? An Evolutionary-Developmental Theory of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome

Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) has been mainly described from a risk perspective, with a focus on endogenous, exogenous, and temporal risk factors that can interact to facilitate lethal outcomes. Here we discuss the limitations that this risk-based paradigm may have, using two of the major risk factors for SIDS, prone sleep position and bed-sharing, as examples. Based on a multipronged theoretical model encompassing evolutionary theory, developmental biology, and cultural mismatch theory, we conceptualize the vulnerability to SIDS as an imbalance between current physiologic-regulatory demands and current protective abilities on the part of the infant. From this understanding, SIDS appears as a developmental condition in which competencies relevant to self-protection fail to develop appropriately in the future victims. Since all of the protective resources in question are bound to emerge during normal infant development, we contend that SIDS may reflect an evolutionary mismatch situation—a constellation in which certain modern developmental influences may overextend the child’s adaptive (evolutionary) repertoire. We thus argue that SIDS may be better understood if the focus on risk factors is complemented by a deeper appreciation of the protective resources that human infants acquire during their normal development. We extensively analyze this evolutionary-developmental theory against the body of epidemiological and experimental evidence in SIDS research and thereby also address the as-of-yet unresolved question of why breastfeeding may be protective against SIDS.