Cultural Transition Research Articles

Heterogeneous effects of socio-economic and cultural factors on fertility differentials in Burundi and Morocco during their fertility transition periods: a retrospective, cross-sectional and comparative study.

few studies have examined the factors influencing fertility differentials and the variation in their effects in countries with different socioeconomic and cultural backgrounds and different fertility transition paces. To address this gap, our study sought to first identify the factors that influenced fertility differentials in Morocco and Burundi during their fertility transition periods, and then to compare the effects of these factors between the two countries. using data from the 2003-4 Morocco and 2010 Burundi Demographic and Health Surveys, bivariable and multivariable Poisson regression analyses offset by the natural logarithm of the women´s age were performed to identify the socioeconomic and cultural factors that influenced fertility differentials in Morocco and Burundi during their fertility transition. our main findings showed that the total number of children ever born ranged from 0 to 17 with a mean of 2.71 ± 2.89 in Burundi and from 0 to 16 with a mean of 1.88 ± 2.80 in Morocco. In Burundi, both socioeconomic and cultural factors like rural residence adjusted incident rate ratio (AIRR) = 1.159, 95% CI: 1.103 - 1.217, P=0.020), women´s illiteracy (AIRR=1.465, 95% CI: 1.241- 1.729, P <0.001) and agricultural profession (AIRR=1. 332, 95% CI: 1.263 - 1.401, P = 0.004), household poverty (AIRR= 1.381, 95% CI: 1.223 - 1.431, p<0.001), infant mortality (AIRR= 1.602, 95% CI: 1.562 - 1.643, p<0.001), early marriage (AIRR= 1.313, 95% CI: 1.264 - 1.364, p<0.001), lack of knowledge of any contraceptives (AIRR= 1.263, 95% CI: 1.125 - 1.310, p = 0.003) and failure to use modern contraceptives (AIRR= 1.520, 95% CI: 1.487 - 1.611, p<0.001) were associated with high number of children ever born. However, in Morocco socioeconomic factors like residence place, women´s agricultural profession and household poverty were not significant. In this country, women´s illiteracy (AIRR=1.428, 95% CI: 1.315 - 1.551, P <0.001), lack of access to mass media (AIRR= 1.241, 95% CI: 1.108 - 1.375, p = 0.006), infant mortality (AIRR=1.222, 95%CI: 1.184 - 1.361, p<0.001), early marriage (AIRR1.481, 95% CI: 1.435 - 1.529, p<0.001), lack of knowledge of any contraceptives (AIRR1.508, 95% CI: 1.409 - 1.613, p<0.001) and failure to use modern contraceptives (AIRR1.745, 95% CI: 1.627 - 1.863, p<0.001) were associated with high fertility but with different effects than in Burundi. the evidence from this study suggests that interventions to accelerate the fertility transition processes in Burundi and many other countries with slow fertility transitions should be designed and implemented according to each country's local context.

Социальная обусловленность репродуктивного поведения населения

The article presents analysis of the current demographic situation associated with the reproductive activity of population. Rosstat data, secondary studies of attitudes, behavior, opinions and attitudes of the population in relation to reproductive behavior are given. As a theoretical justification, the author relies on the theory of R. Inglehart, which is based on the idea of a cultural transition from an industrial society to a post-industrial. Another theoretical approach chosen by the author defines the role of emancipative values and implies freedom of choice and equal opportunities (K Welzel). According to the author, these are important structural elements that expand the understanding of the concept of «reproductive behavior». Reproductive behavior can be viewed from the point of view as a medical phenomenon associated with conception, childbearing and childbirth and medical impact; as a socio-political phenomenon associated with the decisions and measures of authorities at all levels to improve the demographic situation. Purpose – on the basis of a comprehensive analysis, to identify the main changes and trends in the development of the demographic situation associated with reproductive behavior, to identify factors that act both motivating and destabilizing reproductive activity of the population.

Changes and Consistencies in Bone Technologies as a Sign of Cultural Transition About 4000 Years Ago in Eastern China: Insights from the Yinjiacheng Site, Shandong, China

The study of cultural changes associated with the emergence of complex societies in Ancient China has heavily relied on evidence from ceramics, lithic technologies, changes in settlement pattern, burial practices, and prestige goods. However, it remains unclear whether, and if so to what extent, other aspects of material culture follow similar evolutionary trajectories. Here, we analyze a large bone tool assemblage found in Longshan (n = 76) and Yueshi (n = 124) contexts at Yinjiacheng, a key site from the Haidai region. These two cultural entities are of particular interest as they allow to investigate cultural change dynamics in the Haidai region during the transition between the Late Neolithic and early Bronze Age. Our assessment allows us to document changes in bone technology along three lines of evidence: typological diversity, technological know-how, and morphometric standardization. From a typological standpoint, we document an increased diversity in tool types during the Yueshi period compared to Longshan. However, the techniques used to manufacture bone tools during the Longshan and Yueshi periods remain broadly the same. Furthermore, we identify the persistence of specific reduction sequences for the manufacture of some awl and projectile point sub-types shared by the two cultural systems. Morphometrically, Longshan domestic tools are generally more standardized than Yueshi tools, while Yueshi hunting implements show a higher degree of standardization compared to their Longshan counterparts. We argue this pattern reflects the preservation of a common know-how among Longshan and Yueshi settlers at Yinjiacheng. We interpret the typological diversification of Yueshi hunting implements and changes in the standardization of Yueshi bone tools as a proxy for the articulation of this knowledge through applying less rigid rules of production to meet new emerging needs.

Venus Figurines

Following studies that uncovered an apotropaic meaning and function of Venus figurines, for which a basis was found in bodily processes, this article examines apotropaic iconography from the end of the Late Upper Paleolithic to the Mesolithic in northern Europe. The research focuses on the Venus of Geldrop, while the retoucher from Linne is briefly discussed. These artefacts are compared to artefacts from northern and southern Europe. The apotropaic message of Venus figurines lost its form after the Magdalenian. This is the result of cultural changes caused by the receding of the ice and the ecological, technological, and social instability that accompanied it. This study proposes a substantive continuity of the apotropaic message, embodied by the accentuated vulva of female representations. Triangles and loincloths as “form euphemism” are also carriers of this message. [apotropaism, Venus figurines, vulva, loincloth and triangle as apotropaic form euphemism, cultural transition Upper Paleolithic to Mesolithic]

Conceptualizing multi-level determinants of infant and young child nutrition in the Republic of Marshall Islands-a socio-ecological perspective.

The East and Pacific region includes 14 Pacific Island Countries where, between 2000 and 2016, indicators of stunting, wasting, and micronutrient deficiencies have plateaued or worsened, while rates of overweight, obesity, and associated disease have risen. The Republic of Marshall Islands (RMI) is no exception: maternal and child nutrition indicators have not improved in decades. A study of the contemporary factors shaping the RMI nutrition situation was needed for informing policy and tailoring interventions. This formative study had an iterative design utilizing qualitative methods. An exploratory Phase 1 included 59 semi-structured interviews with community members, 86 free lists with caregivers, 8 participatory workshops, and 20 meal observations (round 1). Findings were synthesized to inform a confirmatory Phase 2 where 13 focus groups, 81 pile sorts, 15 meal observations (round 2), and 2 seasonal food availability workshops were conducted. Textual data were analyzed thematically using NVivo while cultural domain analysis was conducted in Anthropac. RMI faces interrelated challenges that contribute to a lack of nutritious and local food availability, which is compounded by high food costs relative to household incomes. A decades-long cultural transition from local to processed diets has resulted in infant and young child diets now characterized by morning meals of doughnuts, bread, and ramen with tea, coffee, or Kool-Aid and afternoon meals that include rice with canned meats (e.g., store-bought chicken, hot dogs). Individual preferences for processed food imports have increased their supply. Low maternal risk perception toward nutrition-related illnesses may further explain sub-optimal diets. Improving the RMI food environment will require approaches that align with the multi-level determinants of sub-optimal diets found in this study. As the ten-year 2013 RMI Food Security Policy soon ends, study findings may be used to inform new policy development and investments for improving the nutrition situation.

Comparative Study of Jepara Carving Design in the Era of Islamic Kingdom and Colonialism Era

Jepara carving experienced the transition of three major cultures, namely Hindu-Buddhist-Javanese to Islam and Islam to the Dutch colonial period. This research uses case studies in the form of artifacts created in each of these periods. In the Demak Kingdom era, the Bledeg Door carving design was used in the Kalinyamat Kingdom era, the Kalinyamat Mosque wall ornament carving design was used. In the Islamic Mataram Kingdom era, the Gong Senen carving was used, while in the colonial era or Kartini era, the Kartini Jewelry Box carving design was used. This research hopes to provide answers and analye whether during these cultural transitions there were significant changes to Jepara carvings, then whether these 3 major cultures had an influence on changes in Jepara carvings and what factors influenced the changes in Jepara carvings. One of the conclusions of this research is that the artifacts made during the golden age of the Islamic Kingdom of Mataram (Gong Senen) do not reflect Islamic culture at all, but instead the principles of Islamic teachings are present in the overall symbolic value of each motif.&#x0D; &#x0D; Keywords: comparative, design, Jepara carving, Islamic Kingdom, colonial

‘Just another world’: an interpretive biography of the cultural transition of two West African footballers in Germany

This paper explored the cultural and career transition experiences of two elite West African footballers in Germany using the approach of interpretive biography. By analysing data collected through semi-­structured interviews, the players’ narratives revealed a range of experiences emerging at different temporal points or life domains. The experiences included the psychosocial states of pre-transition, the challenges associated with language and weather, the increased demands of professionalism, the challenge of adapting to a new environment and routines of daily life, the superficiality of relationships and the attendant loneliness. It however, advanced literature by demonstrating how an African footballer in Europe may locate self and progress career within the European football economy and how a high-status African migrant athlete may use his social position to characterise self in a certain manner so as to exercise the right to belong.

Y-chromosome target enrichment reveals rapid expansion of haplogroup R1b-DF27 in Iberia during the Bronze Age transition

The Y chromosome can yield a unique perspective into the study of human demographic history. However, due to the repetitive nature of part of its sequence, only a small set of regions are suitable for variant calling and discovery from short-read sequencing data. These regions combined represent 8.9 Mbp or 0.14% of a diploid human genome. Consequently, investing in whole-genome sequencing to resolve Y-chromosome questions is poorly efficient. Here we use, as an alternative, target enrichment technology to greatly increase sequencing effectiveness, validating and applying the technique to 181 males, for 162 of whom we obtained a positive result. Additionally, 75 samples sequenced for the whole genome were also included, for a total sample size of 237. These samples were chosen for their Y chromosome haplogroup: R1b-DF27. In the context of European populations, and particularly in Iberia, this haplogroup stands out for its high frequency and its demographic history. Current evidence indicates that the diffusion of this haplogroup is related to the population movements that mark the cultural Bronze Age transition, making it remarkably interesting for population geneticists. The results of this study show the effects of the rapid radiation of the haplogroup in Spain, as even with the higher discriminating power of whole sequences, most haplotypes still fall within the R1b-DF27* paragroup rather than in the main derived branches. However, we were able to refine the ISOGG 2019–2020 phylogeny, and its two main subbranches, namely L176.2 and Z272, which present geographical differentiation between the Atlantic and Mediterranean coasts of Iberia.

Biocultural perspectives of infectious diseases and demographic evolution: Tuberculosis and its comorbidities through history.

Anthropologists recognize the importance of conceptualizing health in the context of the mutually evolving nature of biology and culture through the biocultural approach, but biocultural anthropological perspectives of infectious diseases and their impacts on humans (and vice versa) through time are relatively underrepresented. Tuberculosis (TB) has been a constant companion of humans for thousands of years and has heavily influenced population health in almost every phase of cultural and demographic evolution. TB in human populations has been dramatically influenced by behavior, demographic and epidemiological shifts, and other comorbidities through history. This paper critically discusses TB and some of its major comorbidities through history within a biocultural framework to show how transitions in human demography and culture affected the disease-scape of TB. In doing so, I address the potential synthesis of biocultural and epidemiological transition theory to better comprehend the mutual evolution of infectious diseases and humans.

Reconstructing biographical knowledge: Biographical policy evaluation toward a structural understanding of transnational migration

In our article, we address how migrants in transnational spaces are affected by policies of citizenship, language policies, labor market, and education and training policies, among others. The analysis of autobiographical narrative interviews can provide methodical access to latently effective structures of transnational spaces. Transnational spaces can be conceptualized as opaque structures of multiply interconnected state, legal, and cultural transitions toward which individuals orient themselves biographically and in which they are simultaneously intertwined as collectives of experience. Transnational biographical knowledge is not only a result of subjective agency, but at the same time produces the structure of migration biographies, which are experienced and repeatedly reconstructed by migrating subjects. Through biographical policy evaluation we analyze policies and their simultaneous and sometimes paradoxical effects that force family members to find solutions for shaping their life practice. Thus, members of a family of several generations might be affected differently by policies due to their incomplete rights and family status, age, and gender. In reconstructing biographical evaluations, typical effects of the underlying policies can be discerned and critically assessed.

Modeling transitions in nation brand equity: An empirical assessment of the nation equity power grid

The purpose of this study is to assess longitudinal nation brand performance by modeling transitions in nation brand equity and to develop a method for nation brand performance assessment. This study has two objectives: (1) to empirically test Steenkamp’s nation equity power grid conceptual framework; its categories (dominant, receding, niche, emerging, and weak nation brands), and their expected development trajectories, and (2) to identify new types of nation brands and development patterns to complement the framework. To do this, this study used objective secondary data and applied the smooth transition technique. We assessed 41 countries’ nation brand performance over the 1995–2017 period to understand the development of their nation brand equity. Particular attention was paid to countries that had significantly improved their performance and countries that had lost their brand strength. Our findings support the categories proposed by Steenkamp, but we provide a more nuanced approach to analyzing countries’ brand strength and the possible development trajectories, and introduce new categories of nation brands called volatile nation brands and booming nation brands. Our approach to using the nonlinear smooth transition demonstrated how countries’ brand strength evolved over time, and also detected the speed of any transitions; in other words, how fast nation brands moved from one level to another. Our findings benefit country brand managers, enabling them to better determine their country’s positioning and the necessary means to improve brand equity. Understanding the mechanisms behind transitions in brand equity can also help researchers link these transitions back to various economic, social, cultural, and political transitions that have occurred in nations. Our method therefore has powerful explanatory value for a wide range of marketing, economics, and other social science studies.JEL Classification:M31

Grief as an Integral Part of the Third Culture Kid Transition Experience: A Position Paper

Arising from increasing globalization, growing numbers of families may find themselves relocating internationally because of work, while children in these families, often referred to as Third Culture Kids, may find themselves grieving for family, friends or possessions left behind. Research suggests that what Doka (2002) describes as disenfranchised grief may influence how such students perceive their experience with school transition programs. This article is part of a larger, ongoing study on Third Culture Kids and their experience with transition programs. Schools are increasingly recognising that supporting Third Culture Kids is essential to ensuring student transitions are successful, while continuing to develop strategies to guarantee the positivity of the student transition experience. International schools also need to consider and include strategies for specifically addressing disenfranchised grief in the Third Culture Kid transition programs. Academic research, as opposed to anecdotal evidence, is needed to better understand how Third Culture Kids experience grief during their transition and how they can best be supported by the school. This article examines the current research around several existing grief models, and how they potentially relate to Third Culture Kids and transition programs. The article is a position paper that presents a call for further research relating to Third Culture Kids through the theoretical lens of grief and loss, in order to provide education professionals with resources that can best support Third Culture Kids on their educational journey.

Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis of East Turkistan Students’ Somatic Complaints

Kültürel ya da coğrafi geçiş sürecindeki insanlar, somatizasyon için daha büyük bir risk altındadır. Uluslararası öğrenciler de yaşadıkları değişim süreciyle bu geçişten etkilenen gruplar içerisindedir. Ülkemizde ve yurt dışında yapılan araştırmalar, çoğunlukla bu öğrencilerin psikolojik ve sosyokültürel uyumlarını incelemeye yönelmiştir. Konuyla ilgili nitel çalışmalar ise oldukça sınırlıdır. Bu nitel çalışmanın amacı, uluslararası öğrenci statüsü ile ülkemizde eğitim gören 19-25 yaş aralığında somatik yakınmalara sahip Doğu Türkistanlı öğrencilerin duygusal deneyimlerinin anlaşılmasıdır. Yorumlayıcı Fenomenolojik Analiz (YFA), homojen bir grup içerisinde katılımcıların öznel deneyimlerini keşfederek bu deneyimleri nasıl anlamlandırdıklarını derinlemesine araştıran bir yöntemdir. Bu sebeple YFA bu araştırmanın yöntemi olarak seçilmiştir. Yedi öğrenci ile toplam 14 yarı yapılandırılmış görüşme yapılmıştır. Analiz sonuçlarına göre, dört ana tema ve bu temalarla bağlantılı alt temalar ortaya çıkmıştır. Bu temalar; “Olumsuz duyguların yansıması olarak ağrılar’’, “Farklılık hissi ve hata yapma kaygısı ile içe çekilme’’, “Sorumluluk duygusunun getirdiği yükler’’ ve “Hedeflere ulaşılamadığında hissedilen baskı ve kendini suçlama’’ olarak adlandırılmıştır. Ortaya çıkan temalar literatür eşliğinde tartışılmış ve somatik yakınmaların klinik etkileri açısından değerlendirilmiştir.

An exploration of elite Japanese female footballers’ acute cultural transition experiences in Europe

ABSTRACT The globalisation of women’s football reflects the increasing number of female football players moving abroad for their professional careers. Yet, the cultural transition of Asian female athletes into western culture is merely studied. This study focused on the experiences of nine elite Japanese female football players competing in the professional league in Spain and Portugal in the immediate period after moving from Japan. During the semi-structured interview participants shared their experiences of their sporting and non-sporting lives abroad and the impact of this transition on their athletic and non-athletic self and well-being. By using thematic analysis three themes illustrating their positive acculturation experiences were identified: opening up to people’s kindness, redefining family, and learning a new mentality. Based on the concept of two types of happiness (interdependent and independent), and the collectivism versus individualism dichotomy, the influence of culture on the relationship between life satisfaction and athletic performance, personal growth, and expanding the support system were critically discussed. Practical implications include insights for sport professionals on how cultural change can affect transnational athletes’ sporting and non-sporting lives and influence their mental health.

Drought and water management in ancient Maya society

Paleoclimate research in the Maya region of Mesoamerica provides compelling evidence of drought during key periods of cultural transition in Maya society. These include the transition from the Preclassic to the Classic, and from Classic to the Postclassic. Previous research emphasized a causal relationship between drought and cultural change, or so-called “collapse” in the Maya region. Recent advances in the range and precision of climate-sensitive proxies and the development of new archives have enabled quantitative reconstructions of past hydroclimate, as well as providing evidence of high impact, short-duration events, such as tropical cyclones. Simultaneously, archaeological research has unearthed widespread evidence of technologies used by the Maya to exert control over water resources in urban, rural, and agricultural settings. Evidence suggests that many of these water features were in use for multiple generations, possibly centuries, and many were constructed during the Terminal Preclassic and Terminal Classic periods. We suggest that, given the availability of new archaeological and paleoclimate records, these data can be combined to identify the full complexity of Maya adaptation to hydroclimate variability to emphasize adaptation and resilience to both water scarcity and over-abundance (e.g., flooding). Such syntheses, which can offer lessons for present-day efforts to grapple with regional climate change, will benefit from additional studies in data-poor zones of the Maya region, as well as public archiving of paleoclimate and archaeological data.

COVID-19's Impact on Digital Health Adoption: The Growing Gap Between a Technological and a Cultural Transformation.

Health care in the 21st century has started undergoing major changes due to the rising number of patients with chronic conditions; increased access to new technologies, medical information, and peer support via the internet; and the ivory tower of medicine breaking down. This marks the beginning of a cultural transformation called digital health. This has also led to a shift in the roles of patients and medical professionals, resulting in a new, equal partnership. When COVID-19 hit, the adoption of digital health technologies skyrocketed. The technological revolution we had been aiming for in health care took place in just months due to the pandemic, but the cultural transition is lagging. This creates a dangerous gap between what is possible technologically through remote care, at-home lab tests, or health sensors and what patients and physicians are actually longing for. If we do it well enough now, we can spare a decade of technological transformations and bring that long-term vision of patients becoming the point of care to the practical reality of today. This is a historic opportunity we might not want to waste.

“A Beautiful Experience”: The Cultural Transitions of Latin American Minor League Baseball (MiLB) Players

This article aims to understand how Latino Minor League Baseball (MiLB) players describe their cultural transitions to life in the United States (US) while pursuing baseball professionally. Moreover, through the lens of social identity theory (SIT), this article investigates how these players primarily identify themselves. To better understand the experiences these players have gone through to pursue their lifelong goals of being professional players, 24 current Latino MiLB players and one coach, who recently retired as a player, were interviewed. Interview questions asked about their early transitions, the main cultural differences between their home countries and the US, and how they identify themselves while in the US. It was concluded from the interviews that, while there were difficulties, the majority of their transitions were positive. It was also found that players primarily identify themselves in terms of personality traits and nationality.

On marine wind power expressiveness: Not just an issue of visual impact

Technological research for the exploitation of marine energy has produced significant advances which promise to expedite the process of transitioning to renewable resources. However, many issues hinder the effective exploitation of marine energy: among these are cultural concerns regarding the visual impacts of these technologies used. Assuming that “protecting” means preserving without banning evolutive changes, seascape protection and ecological transition are not alternatives because both converge toward sustainability. Even so, scientific concepts, technical practices, social perceptions, and the decisions and actions associated with them raise contradictions and conflicts. Within the complex challenge of ecological transition, clean energy availability arises as a necessary and imperative condition. This article proposes a critical landscape design perspective which focuses on the importance of understanding and expressing contemporaneity through the changes it brings to habitats and life. A focus on the visual impact of marine wind turbine is proposed as an example for a general discussion on technical and social perceptions in a context of both cultural and spatial transition. Site-specific critical visions have to be imagined and discussed to produce not business as usual transformations. This article aims to show that decisions predominantly influenced by issues of visual impact do not adequately express the cultural dimension of ecological transition.

Intercultural mentoring among university students: The importance of meaningful communication

In many universities, peer mentoring is a popular practice aiming to ease cultural transition for newcomers. Despite the ubiquity of such practice, the factors involved in short-term mentoring programmes and how they relate to mentoring outcomes remain under-researched in Malaysia. This collective case study aims to address this gap by exploring the factors shaping participants’ intercultural mentoring practice in a one-month programme. Interviews were conducted with ten participants comprising equal numbers of Korean mentees and local mentors, backed up by observations. Subsequently, five factors were identified: interest in cultural exchange, building rapport, obstacles to meeting, group conformity, and language accessibility, together highlighting the key role of meaningful intercultural communication in achieving the mentoring objectives. Through the lens of activity theory (Engeström, 2001, 2015), this study helps to shed light on the dynamics of successful mentoring practice shaped by undercurrents from the institution, the local context, cultural variation, and personal characteristics of the participants.

Genetic structure and differentiation from early bronze age in the mediterranean island of sicily: Insights from ancient mitochondrial genomes.

Sicily is one of the main islands of the Mediterranean Sea, and it is characterized by a variety of archaeological records, material culture and traditions, reflecting the history of migrations and populations’ interaction since its first colonization, during the Paleolithic. These deep and complex demographic and cultural dynamics should have affected the genomic landscape of Sicily at different levels; however, the relative impact of these migrations on the genomic structure and differentiation within the island remains largely unknown. The available Sicilian modern genetic data gave a picture of the current genetic structure, but the paucity of ancient data did not allow so far to make predictions about the level of historical variation. In this work, we sequenced and analyzed the complete mitochondrial genomes of 36 individuals from five different locations in Sicily, spanning from Early Bronze Age to Iron Age, and with different cultural backgrounds. The comparison with coeval groups from the Mediterranean Basin highlighted structured genetic variation in Sicily since Early Bronze Age, thus supporting a demic impact of the cultural transitions within the Island. Explicit model testing through Approximate Bayesian Computation allowed us to make predictions about the origin of Sicanians, one of the three indigenous peoples of Sicily, whose foreign origin from Spain, historically attributed, was not confirmed by our analysis of genetic data. Sicilian modern mitochondrial data show a different, more homogeneous, genetic composition, calling for a recent genetic replacement in the Island of pre-Iron Age populations, that should be further investigated.