Cultural Realities Research Articles

Examining Barriers to the Utilization of Malaria Control and Prevention Services in the South West Region, Cameroon

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to examine the barriers to the utilisation of malaria control and prevention services in the southwest region of Cameroon precisely in the Fako division. Cultural beliefs and practices significantly influence health-seeking behaviours in communities, even when faced with life-threatening diseases like malaria. Methodology: Qualitative data were collected through structured interviews to understand the preferred treatment methods for malaria, the rationale behind the disease's continuous prevalence within the community, and the low usage of prevention methods prescribed in the hospitals. The data were analysed using a thematic technique, and presented following the themes that were elicited during the in-depth interviews and focus group discussions. Findings: This study found that herbal medical practices are deeply rooted in the community's culture and need to be more quickly supplanted by modern medical practices. The study found that the resistance to malaria prevention methods was fueled by a lack of awareness about the importance of malaria prevention and control, contributing to the high malaria prevalence rate in the community. Also, the study found that the current healthcare system needs to be culturally sensitive, potentially leading to a lack of trust and confidence among community members. Additionally, financial constraints significantly impact the utilisation of preventive and treatment measures like mosquito nets, health centres, and community health workers. Unique Contribution to Theory, Practice and Policy: These findings aligned with the Health Belief Theory (HBT), which explains that individuals' beliefs and attitudes towards malaria prevention in these communities constitute a significant barrier to malaria eradication. Community members perceive malaria as a severe disease and believe they are at risk of contracting it, leading to action due to susceptibility. However, traditional remedies are preferred due to perceived barriers to mosquito nets, such as cost, lack of access, and perceived ineffectiveness of the mosquitoes’ nets. The study concluded that a culturally sensitive approach to malaria treatment and prevention, built on the community's beliefs and practices, can improve health outcomes. Therefore, organisations in charge of malaria prevention must adapt their approach to align better with the community's cultural values. The study further recommended that education and awareness campaigns about malaria prevention and control should be tailored to the community's cultural realities.

Resource nationalism: the intersection of politics and economics

Resource nationalism has a complex economic, political, and cultural history and reality. The evolution of the supply and demand structure of the global mineral metal market influences it. It is closely linked to the “economic-political” system within resource-rich countries. We analyze the ‘economic-political’ logic of resource nationalist behavior using the two-tier game theory. We examine 261 cases of resource nationalism since 1990 and test the theoretical hypotheses using quantitative techniques. The results show that rising mineral prices are the main trigger for contemporary resource nationalism. However, ideology, institutional quality, social climate, and economic dependence within resource countries play a non-negligible role. Resource wealth dependence in host countries makes it difficult for policymakers to escape national resource interventions. We argue that (1) The global economic trading system imbalance is the root of resource nationalism. (2) Resource nationalism is an endeavor by resource-rich countries to seek entitlements from mineral resource endowments. (3) Resource nationalism is not a zero-sum competition in the national economic trading system. In the face of the potential risks posed by resource nationalism to the global supply of minerals, the relevant interest groups should have sufficient strategic reserves to cope with the possible game of interests.

Methodology of Strengthening Students’ Media Literacy

In today’s digital age, media literacy has become an essential skill for students. The rise of social media, fake news, and information overload necessitates that students critically evaluate and understand media messages. Media literacy involves the ability to access, analyze, evaluate, create, and communicate using various forms of media. It is not merely about learning to use digital tools, but about understanding how media influences perceptions and behavior. The growing role of media in shaping political, social, and cultural realities makes it essential to adopt methodologies that strengthen students' media literacy skills. This article explores key methodologies that educators can implement to enhance media literacy in students.

What to do with our Memory Sites: A Reflection on the Contribution of Archaeology and Architecture in the Tourist Development of the Bimbia SITE

The article deals with historical memory and the importance of memorial sites, focusing on Bimbia, a site associated with the slave trade in Central Africa. It examines the historical context of Bimbia, highlighting its role as a transit point for slaves, while also addressing present challenges, such as armed conflict in the region. Theoretical debates on the conservation and restoration of monuments, illustrated by interventionist and anti- interventionist positions, are presented to stand up for a balanced approach to the enhancement of Bimbia. The article proposes a synthesis of preservation methods, with a view to guaranteeing the historical integrity of the site while developing its tourism potential. Finally, the article argues for tourism development that respects and integrates local cultural and social realities, thereby promoting sustainable and inclusive development.

Translation and cross-cultural adaptation of the Posthumous Dignity Therapy Schedule of Questions to Brazilian Portuguese.

Dignity Therapy (DT) is a brief form of psychotherapy that helps people with life-threatening illnesses and their loved ones cope with emotional pain and demoralization. Unfortunately, not everyone has the opportunity to receive DT during their lifetime. Posthumous Dignity Therapy (PDT) was then devised to be administered to bereaved family members. However, PDT has not yet been validated or studied in the specific cultural and linguistic context of Portuguese-Brazilians. This study aims to fill this gap by validating PDT for the Portuguese (Brazilian) context. Using Beaton's methodology, including the processes of translation, synthesis, back-translation, evaluation by an expert committee, and pre-testing, the PDT Schedule of Questions underwent validation and cultural adaptation. The research was conducted in a Palliative Care Unit at a tertiary cancer hospital in Brazil. The questionnaire was translated, back-translated, and evaluated by the panel of experts, obtaining a Content Validity Index of 0.97. During the pretest phase, it was observed that the participant's interview method needed to be changed from remote (telephone or videoconference) to in-person. Additionally, it was necessary to modify some terms related to death and dying, as they caused discomfort to the participants. As a result of this process, the PDT was modified, and adapted to the Brazilian cultural and linguistic reality. This validation study will be significant for future DT research from the caregivers' perspective and for projects aiming to implement this therapeutic modality in palliative care units, in addition to helping participants remember their loved ones better by providing a tangible legacy document that assists them emotionally and materially in coping with the grieving process.

Between the East and the West. Regional Transformations and the Development of Polish Research Libraries 1989–2023

Abstract The article explores developments and challenges in Polish research libraries from 1989, which opened the country up to new economic, technological, educational, and cultural realities to the present. These decades saw intense development, particularly in technology, although not without stumbling blocks. How have libraries benefitted and changed? How sustainable and useful for user communities are these changes? The article is based on available data and studies, and on the author’s own observations and experience from 30 years of managerial activity in one of Poland’s research libraries.

Model Pendidikan Karakter Peduli Lingkungan Berbasis Agama dan Budaya Lokal: Studi Kasus di Masyarakat Adat Kampung Dukuh Kecamatan Cikelet Kabupaten Garut

This research aims to form a model of character education that cares about the environment in religious-based forest conservation which has characteristics in accordance with the realities of life and culture of the indigenous people of Kampung Dukuh, Ciroyom Village, Cikelet District, Garut Regency in particular and rural communities in general. The method used is a qualitative approach, namely research that does not carry out calculations (numbers) in carrying out epistemological justification. As a result, the indigenous people of Kampung Dukuh live their social life based on religious and cultural values ​​that refer to the sayings of their ancestors.

Sustainable Digital Transformation In Africa: Integrating Indigenous Knowledge Systems With Modern Technology

Today, the continent of Africa is at an epoch in its digital transformation journey. As the continent embraces modern technologies, it often encounters a disconnect between them and its indigenous cultural practices and environmental contexts. This paper proposes a radical shift from the Western-centric technological paradigms to a model that integrates Indigenous Knowledge Systems (IKS) with digital transformation efforts. This study offers a unique view on sustainable and culturally congruent technological development by examining the limitations of current digital frameworks and presenting successful case studies where IKS have been harmoniously integrated with technology. We explore the potential of IKS to complement and redefine the global technological landscape. Our analysis predicts that by 2040, Africa could emerge as a trailblazer in global technology by embracing and amplifying its indigenous wisdom within its digital advancements. This paper challenges conventional wisdom and advocates for a transformative approach to digital development deeply rooted in Africa's cultural and environmental realities.

The tsarist policy of russification of education and the “unfavorable realities” in Bessarabia (second half of the 19th century)

The article reveals the process of radical transformation of the education system in Bessarabia in the second half of the nineteenth century, as a result of the tightening of the national policy of the Russian Empire and the intensification of the national-cultural Russification of the non-Russian peoples, the attempts of the Czarist authorities to modernize and homogenize the multinational Russian Empire, according to the model of European states. The author highlights two stages of the policy of Russification of education in Bessarabia. The first stage – years 1866-1872 – is characterized by the undermining of Romanian and mixed parochial primary schools (Romanian-Russian), the prohibition of teaching Romanian language at the regional gymnasium, theological seminary, county schools, etc, by creating a Russian primary and secondary education system in Bessarabia. The second stage – years 1873-1900 – is characterized by the attempt to radically transform the linguistic and cultural realities of the Bessarabian villages, causing the exponential growth of the number of Russian schools in rural areas, mass learning of the Russian language by the Romanian peasants in Bessarabia, the imposition of the Russian language not only in state institutions, but also in the privacy of families. The discussions in this regard within the Committee of Ministers of the Russian Empire highlighted the following dilemma: either the application of force to boost the policy of Russification, or the continuation of the policy of gradual Russification.Understanding the impasse that the Russian Empire would have entered, the authorities finally decided to achieve the goals of the policy of russification of the Romanians in Bessarabia, not through repressive methods, but „gradually and without violence”.

WEAVING THE HARMONY OF CULTURES INTO THE INFINITE TAPESTRY OF MATHEMATICS

This study explores Ethnomathematics as an innovative and transformative approach to teaching mathematics, highlighting its potential to promote inclusive and culturally relevant education. Ethnomathematics challenges the traditional view of mathematics as a neutral and universal science, proposing it as a cultural construct that reflects the practices, values, and needs of different social groups throughout history. By integrating students’ cultural realities into the school curriculum, this approach not only enriches mathematics education, making it more accessible and meaningful, but also serves as a catalyst for social inclusion and educational equity. Ethnomathematics promotes a dialogue between formal academic knowledge and diverse cultural practices, suggesting that mathematics education should be deeply contextualized and connected to students’ everyday experiences. This transforms mathematics education into something more relevant and engaging, while valuing and acknowledging the cultural traditions that shape students’ identities. This integration is seen as a form of social justice, as it challenges the hegemony of Western mathematical knowledge and values ​​the contributions of other cultures. To understand how Ethnomathematics can be effectively incorporated into the school curriculum, the study uses a rigorous bibliographical analysis, based on works by renowned authors such as Ubiratan D'Ambrósio, Milton Rosa, and Daniel Clark Orey. This detailed analysis allowed us to identify the main theoretical and practical contributions of Ethnomathematics, as well as highlight pedagogical strategies that value students' cultural traditions and adapt teaching materials for a more inclusive mathematics education. The study points to Ethnomathematics as a promising path for an education that respects and values ​​cultural diversity, promoting the development of critical and socially engaged citizens. This approach contributes to the construction of a more just and egalitarian society, where all forms of mathematical knowledge are recognized and celebrated.

Conflict And Consensus in Fiqh Siyasah: The Practice of Islamic Law Across Various Cultures

The Acehnese in various regions face the challenge of reconciling Islamic teachings with local cultural realities. Addressing religion-based conflicts is particularly difficult because local cultures often contain norms and traditions that differ from Islamic teachings. This research aims to explore how the dynamics of conflict and consensus in fiqh siyasah shape the cultural life of the Acehnese. The research consolidates previous studies using a Systematic Literature Review (SLR). The findings indicate that the practice of siyasah jurisprudence is highly relevant in fostering social solidarity and tolerance. Local traditions and customs hold deep significance for the Acehnese community; however, conflicts often arise due to differences in approaches and interpretations of Islamic law, leading to tension, mistrust, and suspicion among individuals. Presently, religion-based conflicts are mediated solely by Sharia courts, raising concerns as the prevailing consensus favors a socio-cultural approach. Such resolution methods generate diverse perspectives, as decisions made by customary institutions may not endure in a dynamic socio-cultural context. Although the Acehnese community firmly adheres to a culture-based approach, religious issues remain difficult to compromise. These findings imply a need for harmonization between local customs and interpretations of Islamic law to reduce conflict.

Does the Cultural Context Influence on Reading Comprehension?

Language is an essential tool that shapes human interactions and understanding from birth, blending innate abilities with environmental factors. Oral language is the first form of communication, while written language develops through structured learning. Piaget's theory suggests a strong connection between language development and cognitive growth, with cultural context playing a significant role. Sociolinguistic theory also emphasizes how social and cultural factors influence linguistic interactions, shaping expression in different settings. This study examined the relationship between reading comprehension and cultural identity. A reading test, featuring texts reflecting diverse linguistic and cultural realities, was administered to 120 students in Barranquilla. The test included informal, informational, and literary readings, each tied to specific contexts. The results demonstrated that students more easily understood culturally familiar texts, while unfamiliar contexts posed greater challenges. This suggests that cultural familiarity significantly enhances reading comprehension, while cultural distance can hinder interpretation. The findings highlight the critical role of cultural and linguistic context in reading comprehension. Texts aligned with a reader's cultural experiences improve understanding and retention, pointing to the need for educational approaches that integrate students' cultural backgrounds to enhance learning and motivation.

Revolution, Counter-Revolution, and Political Violence in Latin America during the Long 1960s

Abstract The article reflects on the strategies of political violence used by Latin American revolutionary and counterrevolutionary actors during the long 1960s. It argues that the notions and practices of political violence used by revolutionary actors were adapted to different social, cultural and geographical realities, so there was no single strategic definition. In the case of the counterrevolution, its practices of violence were mostly linked to state apparatuses and structures, without which its expansion and survival within the public space would have been more difficult.

Toward a sociological explanation of anxiety: Precariousness, class and gender among independent musicians

While anxiety is generally explained using an individualistic and biological framework, this article contributes to sociological approaches to emotions, considering anxiety as being triggered by social structural conditions, such as, in the case studied here, an outcome of precariousness faced by musicians in the music industries. Confronted by unbearable forms of anxiety triggered by an uncertainty encompassing all aspects of life, participants struggle to secure ontological security. Although experienced individually, the article reveals (1) how the disadvantages and exclusions associated with gender and class background are unevenly distributed, ultimately triggering different forms of anxieties; and (2) how emotions are differently managed depending on these social variables. Methodologically, the article presents an original study looking at the working lives of semi-professional musicians aged 25–37, based in Paris (France), Brooklyn, San Francisco and Portland (United States), Stockholm (Sweden) and Reykjavík (Iceland). Often considered as being at the forefront of precarious working lives in previous literature, cultural workers embody the current transformation of the psychosocial impact of contemporary precarity. Ultimately, this article argues for a repoliticisation of emotions, considering them as cultural realities and not ‘just’ idiosyncrasies.

Youth and Service Work in Fast Food Restaurants: Some Structural and Cultural Considerations

The India Employment Report (2024) highlights the problem of youth unemployment and its insufficient absorption in the non-farm sectors and recommends the skilling of youth as a remedy for tardy economic growth and employability. In view of the proposed solution, I suggest that we inquire into the nature and conditions of non-farm work in alternative sectors and the experience of this work for young people. The issue is the adequacy of training and skilling as sole measures to counter insufficient absorption. My concern regarding the recommended solution is a short shrift it gives to structural and cultural factors as facilitators or barriers to absorption, and the retention of workers. This article is an inquiry into the organization and culture of service work in fast food industry– a non-farm sector–under conditions of globalization. The experience of service workers reveals the relation between service work and attitudes towards cleaning, meaning of toilet cleaning, gendered division of labour, hierarchy of tasks, ascriptive and unequal access to jobs, and dignity of labour. The experience of service work is not the same for girls and boys; it is fraught with different sorts of tensions for them. These insights question the efficacy of training and skilling as the talismanic measures for countering the problems under consideration. They make a strong case for the consideration of cultural and structural realities of India.

Sports Narratives and Historical Nationalism: Re-Visiting the Context and Use of Field Hockey in Chak De! India

Indian cinema is known for its dramatic narratives that celebrate emotionally elevated visual spectacles through which people from different sociocultural backgrounds come across popular domains of cultural practices, social norms and historical realities that unify them. Field hockey belongs to the popular realm of sports in India which is part of the country’s national identity. India’s participation and success in field hockey at the Olympic Games make it one of the country’s most successful international sports. Indian film narratives about field hockey help to create public discourse about how the sport has historically played a role in shaping national pride and identity in India. Hockey evokes nationalism by symbolizing historical achievements, unity, and cultural identity, inspiring pride and patriotism through the portrayal of heroes, national symbols, and emotional narratives in media and public discourse. The film Chak De! India portrays Indian hockey as a patriotic unifying national narrative and as an empowering discourse that can upend traditional gender stereotypes. It delineates that hockey not only acts as a sports game for entertainment but is an indicator of nationalistic significance and cultural identity that elevates the emotional realm of Indians through the notion of patriotism.

TRANSCENDING BOUNDARIES – REPRESENTATION OF CHANGING GENDER DYNAMICS IN SELECT INDIAN TELEVISION ADVERTISEMENTS

Advertisements are primarily intended to persuade the consumers to buy a particular brand of product. In modern times Television advertisements or TV commercials as they are known, have emerged as one of the most visible and popular form of advertisements. Traditionally, selling a product entailed roping in a celebrity to either pose with the product or to highlight its advantages over other products. But the advent of various domestic and foreign channels offered the viewers the option to skip the advertisements and switch over to more interesting content in other channels. Besides, the stiff competition between the brands necessitated the advertisements to be more creative, resulting in the incorporation of engaging storylines. Thus, advertisements have transitioned from a means for merely selling products to cultural artefacts mirroring the socio-cultural practices and values of the society. They portray social norms, cultural reality, and gender patterns in keeping with the patriarchal ideology. Culture profoundly impacts gender-related behavior, roles, values, identity, and their perception in various social contexts. It governs the expectations placed on men and women and influences their attitudes and behavior. Since advertisements are predominantly created by men with the intention of appeasing the male consumers, women are often objectified. The recent decades have seen women progress in leaps and bounds but the advertisements have been slow in acknowledging their achievements. The winds of change have been very subtle but steady progress is being made in making progressive and socially relevant ads which has captured man - woman equation from a different angle. This paper proposes to analyze select TV advertisements that appeared after 2000 which show both men and women breaking away from the narrow confines of patriarchy to don new and unconventional roles.

Lexical Means of Hierarchization of Value Ideas about Russian Culture among Chinese Students (Based on Materials from the Textbooks “Russian Language for Universities” of the “Vostok” Series)

Introduction. The article analyzes the contexts of the textbooks published in the Peopleʼs Republic of China and addressed to students studying Russian at universities. The analysis includes contexts devoted to the realities of Russian culture and texts containing evaluative vocabulary. The purpose of the study is to present the lexical means used by the textbook authors to form a hierarchy of value ideas about Russian culture among Chinese students studying the Russian language. Methodology. The work was conducted in linguocultural and linguoaxiological aspects, using modern research into ethno-oriented methods of teaching Russian as a foreign language. Results. The analysis showed that one of the main means of creating ideas about Russian culture among Chinese students studying Russian as a foreign language is evaluative vocabulary, which is used to form a value picture of the world, hierarchically structured and determined by the ideas existing in Chinese culture. Conclusions. Words having evaluative meaning set a hierarchy in accordance with the evaluative scale reflected in them.

Intersectionality of Disabled People through a Disability Studies, Ability-Based Studies, and Intersectional Pedagogy Lens: A Survey and a Scoping Review

Disabled people face many social problems in their lives, as outlined by the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. These problems often increase when disabled people also belong to another marginalized identity. The first aim of this study was to report on the extent and what intersectionalities are mentioned in academic abstracts in conjunction with disabled people. Various intersectional concepts are used to discuss intersectionality-related issues. The second aim was to ascertain the use of intersectionality-based concepts to discuss the intersectionality of disabled people. The field of intersectional pedagogy emerged to discuss the teaching of intersectionality linked to various marginalized identities. The third aim was to ascertain the coverage of how to teach about the intersectionality of disabled people in the intersectional pedagogy-focused academic literature we covered. Ability judgments are a general cultural reality. Many ability judgment-based concepts have been developed within the disability rights movement, disability studies, and ability-based studies that could be used to discuss the impact of ability judgments on the intersectionality of disabled people and enrich the area of intersectional pedagogy. The fourth aim was to ascertain the use of ability judgment-based concepts to analyze the intersectionality of disabled people. To obtain data for the four aims, we performed a manifest coding and qualitative content analysis of abstracts obtained from SCOPUS, the 70 databases of EBSCO-HOST and Web of Science, and an online survey in which we ascertained the views of undergraduate students on social groups experiencing negative ability-based judgments. As to the 34,830 abstracts that contained the term “intersectionality”; the 259,501 abstracts that contained the phrase “intersection of”; and the 11,653 abstracts that contained the 35 intersectionality-based concepts, the numbers for these abstracts that also contained the disability terms we used for our analysis were 753, 2058, and 274 abstracts, respectively, so 2.16%, 0.79%, and 2.35%, indicating a low academic engagement with the intersectionality of disabled people. We found many different intersectionalities mentioned in conjunction with disabled people, but most were mentioned only once or twice, with the main ones mentioned being race and gender. The literature covered made little use of most of the 52 intersectionality-based concepts we looked at (35 identified before the study and 17 more identified during the analysis). The literature covered also did not link to the area of intersectional pedagogy. Of the 25 ability judgment-based concepts, only the term ableism was used. As to the surveys, most students saw many of the social groups experiencing negative ability judgments, suggesting that the ability judgment-based concepts might be a useful tool to discuss intersectional consequences of ability judgments, such as intersectional conflict. Our data might be useful for intersectionality studies, intersectional pedagogy, disability studies, ability-based studies, and other academic fields that engage with intersectionality or with disability issues. Our study might also be useful for academics covering various topics to engage with the intersectionality of disabled people as part of their inquiries.

Global influencers’ content creation strategies: Negotiating with platform affordances to practice vernacular creativity

We examine how globally oriented-influencers from India utilize specific strategies of content creation to negotiate with the dominant logic of platform affordances to engage with global audiences. It involves individual negotiations by the influencers with the platform affordances in creating content that foregrounds their cultural realities and aspirations while remaining relevant to global audiences. We do so by deploying the critical technocultural discourse analysis (CTDA) framework to understand influencers’ strategic choices and discursive practices as they interact and negotiate with the platform affordances. Our analysis shows two processes that help the influencers communicate their content to the global audience and sustain their local connections and followership: (1) Templatization: a process through which influencers from the global South attune themselves to the technological possibilities of the platform and utilize its features to produce content with a set of replicable patterns, formats, and practices; and (2) Cultural brokering: a negotiation strategy which allows the influencers to foreground and express their quotidian lived realities and cultural experiences in an increasingly globalized digital environment.