Distinct Identity Research Articles

Culturally Informed Technology: Assessing Its Importance in the Transition to Smart Sustainable Cities

Since the idea of the smart city was first introduced, over two decades ago, there has been an increasing focus on sustainability as a core strategic priority. However, as the relevance, importance and even definition of sustainability is a function of cultural context, planners must take account of local and regional cultural factors in the selection and adaption of digital infrastructures, as well as in the management and encouragement of public acceptance. Achieving this is not a sequential process, but a concurrent one, as these factors are interdependent. This raises the question of what factors affect and mediate the technology, choice, and public acceptance of smart sustainable cities. This paper attempts to address this question by proposing a new model which advances our current, and considerable, understanding of Technology Acceptance Modelling—using an analysis based on Structural Equation Modelling. This new model, called the Culturally Informed Technology Acceptance Model, was validated using data from a survey of residents of a variety of Saudi Arabian cities. The proposed model is designed around important factors that can be influenced by cultural context, such as digital literacy, process improvements, cost savings and privacy, and is a useful tool for understanding the role of culture in the public acceptance of smart sustainable technology. This design focus is for a number of reasons, such as helping development bodies ensure that the technologies used align with the socio-cultural context. It will also help in the management of at-scale technology roll out in a way that is resource-efficient. Although the Culturally Informed Technology Acceptance Model has been developed and validated using data from Saudi Arabia, the authors believe that it could be adapted to meet the needs of countries/cities that are looking to implement smart city strategies matched to their own distinct socio-cultural identity.

From vocation to profession: multiple identities of Chinese management academics

The academic landscape in China has undergone a profound transformation, shifting from a spiritually rooted vocation to a model driven by managerial efficiency, catalyzed by market reforms that dismantled the traditional, centrally planned system. This seismic shift has forced scholars to adapt to a performance-oriented environment, leading to significant transformations in their professional identities. Contemporary literature, primarily centered on Western role-theory perspectives, often fails to capture the intricate cognitive dynamics that shape academic identities under the varied influence of power dimensions. This study addresses this gap by exploring how Chinese academics’ identities are constructed amidst a complex interplay of power dynamics, external changes, and internal motivations, moving beyond simplistic group-level categorizations. Employing an intersectional approach within a multidimensional organizational power framework, this research utilizes case study methods to probe deeply into the multiple identities of academics in the Business Management discipline across various Chinese higher education institutions. The study reveals a dynamic interplay among multiple power dimensions, including American research hegemony, industrialization of academic governance, self-regulation, and rebellion against ‘academic games’. These forces collectively shape distinct identity modules among Chinese academics: fanatic convert of American research, career survivor, diligent game player, and career retreater, each responding uniquely to the evolving academic pressures. This research significantly enhances our understanding of academic identity construction by extending beyond traditional role-based analyses to encompass a broader spectrum of cognitive processes. It highlights the nuanced intersectionality of academic identities, effectively integrating structuralist perspectives with personal agency. This comprehensive examination provides critical insights into the development of Management disciplines, university governance, and professional practices within the academic community in China.

Genetic Profile of Greek Indigenous Honey Bee Populations, Local Extinctions, Geographical Distinction, and Patterns, by Using mtDNA COI and Nuclear CSD Gene Analysis Markers

Evaluation and conservation of local genetic resources of the domestic honey bee populations is important, especially in regions with high diversity levels as well as high honey bee colony density. Greece is rich in honey bee biodiversity, hosting several subspecies, with the status of them being, though, doubtful. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the genetic relationships of both stationary and movable honey bee populations, originating from many location throughout Greece. Two molecular markers were utilized, namely, the conserved mitochondrial COI gene and the highly variable complementary sex determination (CSD) gene. Samples were collected from nine distant populations: eight populations from colonies that followed the traditional stationary beekeeping model and one following the modern migratory beekeeping model type, where the hives are transferred from place to place according to the season. Regardless the beekeeping model, all populations were characterized by sufficient genetic diversity indicating no signs of inbreeding or any bottleneck effects. Nevertheless, genetic differentiation and phylogenetic analysis in comparison with haplotypes obtained from GenBank revealed a genetic admixture pattern suggesting that movement causes genetic homogeneity, occasionally in the stable reared populations as well. Interestingly, two populations, namely, Kastoria and Protokklisi, belonging to A. m. macedonica population, were significantly differentiated, supporting the maintenance of their genetic integrity. Unfortunately, on the other hand, genetic structure of the populations from Crete (Sasalos population) provided evidence that the indigenous breed from the island, A. m. adami, has probably gone extinct. Future management strategies should focus on the conservation of the local genetic resources in which distinct genetic identity has been sustained.

Factors Driving Exclusion and Discrimination of Elmolo in Kenya: A Case of El Molo in Turkana County

The indigenous peoples in Kenya face a huge hurdle in protecting their fundamental rights and freedoms due to lack recognition as distinct groups with specific needs, cultures, and ways of life. This study sought to address to identify and map the El-Molo community in Turkana County, documenting varying levels of marginalization among different demographics and understanding the structure through which the community coordinates and advocates for their rights and development. The study focused on 1,104 El Molo residents in Kalokol, Longech, and Kapua, and utilized a descriptive research design. The researcher employed key informant interviews as well as Focus Group Discussions to collect primary data. To ensure the reliability of the findings, a triangulation of methods was utilized, including interviews with local chiefs, ministry officials, and representatives of faith-based organizations in Central Turkana. During public Baraza and FGD, a checklist was used to guide the discussions. The El-Molo community, the smallest ethnic group in Kenya, is at risk of losing their distinct identity through intermarriage and the adoption of Western practices from neighbouring tribes. Without intervention, their traditional food, clothing, housing, and cultural practices will disappear. Therefore, it is crucial to expose the community to methods of preserving their heritage, including material culture, music, and dance

Toward an operationality perspective on fandom: Exploring Chinese fans’ emerging practices in platform-mediated environments

The rise of platforms has reshaped fan participation. Based on participant observation and in-depth interviews, this study examined celebrity fandom in China, where the Internet-powered entertainment industry and fan economy have flourished. We propose an operationality perspective as a wider-angle lens to conceptualize the multitude of fan practices emerging in platform-mediated environments. Moving beyond the text-centered approach, the operationality perspective sees fans’ platform practices (e.g. cross-platform engagement, curation of fan texts, data work) as a new logic of participation in digital fandom that could generate distinct identities and lifestyles. Operationality can be understood as a set of strategies fans employ in response to the growing influence of platformization. Operationality not only enables fans to align their practices with platform interests, but also affords them opportunities to negotiate their identities and adjust their degree of involvement in fandom.

Killing off the good little boy: transition as a solution to the problems of separation from the primary object

ABSTRACT This paper explores clinical work concerning a group of gender-questioning natal males who experienced physical difficulties in childhood. The author argues that these individuals develop a transgender (trans) identity as a defence mechanism against the psychological challenges associated with development, particularly the struggles of forming a distinct mind and identity. Anxieties related to physical health may have contributed to the formation of an anxious attachment to their primary caregiver, perceived as intrusive and demanding. Moreover, these individuals struggle to identify with their fathers, often experiencing them as distant, absent, or unsupportive of their relationship with the mother or other primary caregiver, thereby hindering separation from the primary attachment figure. These early experiences may lead to difficulties in acknowledging and owning their evolving sexuality and aggression, as well as in bearing the necessary guilt associated with separating from the primary caregiver. Consequently, the individual may fantasise about relinquishing identification with an idealised version of themselves and replacing it with a liberated version capable of living autonomously. Through a composite case, the paper illustrates how these conflicts manifest in the therapeutic setting through transference dynamics. Themes explored include gender dysphoria, confusion, adolescence, and transition.

The Utilisation of Identity and Heritage in Protests Against Police and Water Mergers in Orkney and Shetland, 1966–9

Between 1966 and 1969, Scotland’s police forces and water services were amalgamated into larger regional bodies. The mergers provoked significant protest in Orkney and Shetland, as the islands’ local authorities spearheaded unsuccessful campaigns to retain local control over police and water services. Largely neglected by historians, this article argues that the protests played a key role in mobilising the islands’ communities and local authorities against a perceived external threat to their social, economic, and political sustainability. Although the central arguments against amalgamations were based on geography and logistics, councillors and protesters utilised Orkney and Shetland’s distinct identity and heritage as rhetorical devices to oppose the proposals. Rather than literal displays of Norse nostalgia or Scandinavian affinity, this politicisation of identity offered strategic opportunities for maximising external attention towards the campaign. However, this element to the campaign also reflected sincere commitments to the principles of local control and self-sufficiency, fostering the development of distinct political identities in each archipelago. As a result, the anti-amalgamation protests can be considered an early manifestation of political regionalism in the Northern Isles and an important antecedent in understanding the emergence of autonomy movements in Orkney and Shetland in subsequent decades.

State formation, diplomacy and sport: the British Empire Games, Ireland and Northern Ireland, 1930–38

AbstractThis paper considers the interconnected practices of state formation, diplomacy, national identity and sport through an examination of ‘Irish’ involvement in the British Empire Games of 1930, 1934 and 1938. These events had a contradictory role in bolstering diplomatic relations between those who were committed to the empire but also in expressing the aspirations of those who sought independence from it, or a distinct identity within it. State formation and diplomacy played out in sporting contexts — which we term sportcraft — and this process was especially complex in post-partition Ireland. In the period under examination, a gradual but significant hardening of ideologies and identities occurred in certain sports on the island, notably athletics, mirroring the effects of partition and reflecting British and unionist political actions and sportive interests. Original archival and documentary material is presented from state archives in Dublin, London, Belfast and Ottawa, and from official sports collections in Birmingham, London, Stirling, Melbourne (Australia), Hamilton (Canada) and Lausanne (Switzerland). This demonstrates that by the early 1920s, government officials and sports administrators had already recognised the propaganda functions and utility of sport for state formation purposes and for issues of political control, jurisdiction and territorial boundaries.

Just who wanted dominion home rule?: ‘moderates’ and the Irish War of Independence

AbstractThis article discusses political ‘moderates’, those individuals who reacted to the turmoil of the War of Independence by coalescing around a vision of a dominion of Ireland within the British Empire, with appropriate safeguards for minorities. It will consider how reformist gentry, parliamentary and former unionist elements came together to bring about their preferred settlement. Through statistical examination of the membership of the Irish Dominion League, the leading moderate movement, it will establish the political backgrounds, religion and social class of supporters, and demonstrate the various means by which moderates worked as intermediaries between British forces and the rebels. Southern unionists made efforts to avoid working with moderates and to retain a distinct political identity, and, ultimately, divisions within the movement, and the changing structure of Irish politics, inhibited the creation of an effective moderate party.

The Role of Cultural Tourism in the Preservation and Promotion of Traditional Cultural Values among Ethnic Minority Groups in Tuyên Quang

Cultural tourism has emerged as a vital mechanism for safeguarding and disseminating the traditional values and practices of ethnic minority communities around the world. This study examines the role of cultural tourism in preserving and promoting the unique cultural heritage of ethnic minority groups residing in Tuyên Quang province, Vietnam. Drawing on qualitative fieldwork and in-depth interviews with local stakeholders, the research investigates how tourism-oriented initiatives have been leveraged to bolster the visibility and vitality of distinct cultural identities in the region. The findings indicate that when carefully designed and implemented, cultural tourism can serve as an effective tool for conserving endangered traditional arts, rituals, and livelihoods among ethnic minority populations. By facilitating deeper engagement with indigenous knowledge systems and cultural expressions, such initiatives have succeeded in counteracting the homogenizing forces of globalization and revitalizing community pride in ancestral traditions. Furthermore, the study highlights how tourism-driven preservation efforts have generated sustainable economic opportunities for minority groups, empowering them to be active stewards of their own cultural heritage. The research offers critical insights for policymakers, tourism operators, and community organizers seeking to harness the transformative potential of cultural tourism for the benefit of marginalized ethnic minority communities. It underscores the need for holistic, community-based approaches that prioritize the agency and self-determination of these groups in the design and management of cultural tourism programs. Overall, the study contributes to scholarly debates on the dual role of tourism as both a threat and an opportunity for the protection of intangible cultural resources worldwide.

The Influence of Exterior Design Style on Geely Automotive

In addition to superficial alterations, this study indicates a comprehensive transformation stemming from the integration of advanced technology, cultural representations, and principles of sustainability. The redesign undertaken by Geely Auto showcases the company's commitment to innovation, as evidenced by the use of streamlined designs, modern lighting, and aerodynamic features, which collectively contribute to the establishment of a distinctive corporate identity. The cultural factor is further emphasised, since the utilisation of cultural motifs is shown to foster emotional connections with a global audience. The research further emphasises Geely Auto's dedication to sustainability through the integration of environmentally friendly materials and energy-efficient characteristics. The research reveals that Geely Auto has established itself as a dominant player in the industry by implementing a proactive approach, primarily through its design-focused initiatives that intersect with brand image and market expansion.

The Influence of Personal Branding, Influencer Endorsement, and Customer Engagement on Brand Affinity in the Cosmetics Industry in Indonesia

This quantitative study explores the influence of personal branding, influencer endorsement, and customer engagement on brand affinity within the cosmetics industry in Indonesia. A sample of 176 cosmetic consumers was surveyed, and data were analyzed using structural equation modeling (SEM) with partial least squares (PLS) path analysis. The findings reveal significant positive relationships between personal branding, influencer endorsement, customer engagement, and brand affinity. Specifically, personal branding and influencer endorsement were found to have strong positive effects on brand affinity, highlighting the importance of cultivating a distinct brand identity and leveraging influencer partnerships to resonate with consumers. Additionally, customer engagement emerged as a critical determinant of brand affinity, underscoring the value of fostering meaningful interactions and experiences with consumers. These findings provide valuable insights for cosmetic brands seeking to enhance consumer perceptions and behaviors, drive brand loyalty, and achieve long-term success in the Indonesian market.

India's Muslim Exclusion: Need for an Inclusive Policy

India has made a pledge six decades ago to build an inclusive, plural and secular society which would equitably integrate its religious minorities while respecting their distinct identities and honoring difference. This is particularly true of sour largest minority community, Muslims, who constitute 18.4 per cent of the population and also socially economically and educationally backward. Muslim exclusion can be seen in the form of segregation socially, politically, economically, culturally, educationally in Indian society. The main objective of this article is to study the complexities and nuances of exclusion of Muslims, a dominant minority group in India. It is an exploration of how Muslims, a religious minority in India, are facing exclusion in different spheres of life, namely socio-economic and physical spaces. It offers an account of the fact that Muslims stand on the periphery in social and secular spheres of life and how this is closely related to their identity. Finally suggests for the inclusiveness of the Muslim minorities in the development agenda of the Government.

Whole-cortex in situ sequencing reveals input-dependent area identity.

The cerebral cortex is composed of neuronal types with diverse gene expression that are organized into specialized cortical areas. These areas, each with characteristic cytoarchitecture1,2, connectivity3,4 and neuronal activity5,6, are wired into modular networks3,4,7. However, it remains unclear whether these spatial organizations are reflected in neuronal transcriptomic signatures and how such signatures are established in development. Here we used BARseq, a high-throughput in situ sequencing technique, to interrogate the expression of 104 cell-type marker genes in 10.3 million cells, including 4,194,658 cortical neurons over nine mouse forebrain hemispheres, at cellular resolution. De novo clustering of gene expression in single neurons revealed transcriptomic types consistent with previous single-cell RNA sequencing studies8,9. The composition of transcriptomic types is highly predictive of cortical area identity. Moreover, areas with similar compositions of transcriptomic types, which we defined as cortical modules, overlap with areas that are highly connected, suggesting that the same modular organization is reflected in both transcriptomic signatures and connectivity. To explore how the transcriptomic profiles of cortical neurons depend on development, we assessed cell-type distributions after neonatal binocular enucleation. Notably, binocular enucleation caused the shifting of the cell-type compositional profiles of visual areas towards neighbouring cortical areas within the same module, suggesting that peripheral inputs sharpen the distinct transcriptomic identities of areas within cortical modules. Enabled by the high throughput, low cost and reproducibility of BARseq, our study provides a proof of principle for the use of large-scale in situ sequencing to bothreveal brain-wide molecular architecture and understand its development.

The sustainability of university education toward national development: The Nigerian perspective

In regard to national development (ND), this review article (which is basically a perspective approach) presents retroactive and forward-looking perspectives on university education in Nigeria. In the past, particularly during the 1970s, the Nigerian university (NU) sector was among the most outstanding in Africa as well as globally. The best institutions drew students from around Africa, who flocked to Nigeria to study. The NU structure evidently contained four essential components for an international and effective university system, viz., world-class instructors, world-class students, a conducive learning environment, and global competitiveness. The NU structure, nevertheless, has undergone some neglect over the past thirty years and lost its distinctive identity, which raises questions about its function and applicability at the current stage of ND. Hence, some retrospective and forward-looking observations on university education in Nigeria in connection to ND are conveyed in this perspective article uses basically published articles and other relevant literature, as well as other sources and data from available literature. Hitherto, there is an urgent need for reinforcement of the university system in order to give it the desired and comparable international quality and functionality needed to meet the demands of current issues and the near future. However, this article conveys an intense belief and conviction that the NU system is still important for both the political and socioeconomic development (growth) of the nation. The article concludes by recommending the way forward in this regard.

From Lavender Menace to Queer Nation: the transformation of lesbian identity in the baby boom era

Women of the early baby boom years in the U.S. came out into an environment in which same-sex desire was stigmatized and criminalized. For working-class lesbians, the bar scene provided an environment in which women could find companionship and a way to live a life decoupled from traditional heterosexual roles. For middle class women, bar life was fraught with legal and social risk, and some–mostly white–women worked to establish a more “socially acceptable” communal life through organizations such as the Daughters of Bilitis. As the women’s movement flourished in the late 1960s and 1970s, women born in the early years of the baby boom (1946–1950) created distinctive lesbian feminist cultures and identities. In contrast to early baby boomers, women born at the tail end of the baby boom (1960–1964) came out in a vastly different cultural context. Second-wave feminism had already peaked, the AIDS epidemic and debates about sexuality changed the context for lesbian identity and activism, and organizing by women of color created the development of an intersectional view of lesbian identity and activism. Through an analysis of feminist magazines, newsletters, and texts of the late 1960s through the 1990s, this paper explores the cultural contexts through which radical lesbian feminist identities arose and, for a period, flourished in the U.S. By the end of the 1980s and 1990s, as second-wave feminism declined, lesbian feminist identity shifted. Over the last decades of the twentieth century, new queer forms of identification emerged, coupled with a decline of lesbian identification among younger people. I argue that these new forms represent both continuity and disruption with earlier forms of lesbian identification.

Palladian Architecture in Thailand : Its meanings and Evolution

This research aims to study Palladian architecture in Thailand focusing on its meaning and evolution Palladian architecture is originated from an Italian architect, Andrea Palladio, in the Renaissance period. The distinctive identity is that it has beautiful proportions that are harmoniously consistent, with the style which unraveled from ancient Greco-Roman architecture. Around the 17th century, Palladian architectural style was popular in Europe. Therefore, It can be clearly reflects as a symbol of Western architecture. In 19th century, Western powers began to gain more influence in Southeast Asia as well as in Thailand. The arrival of Westerners led to the development of western architecture in many cities. The Palladian architectural style was used as a model for the design of many buildings. This study finds that Western architects worked in Thailand had applied their knowledge of classical architecture to design the buildings according to Thai’s cultures. Palladian architecture in Thailand are mostly applied for large buildings. Its layout is outstanding. The main circulation uses the central hall as a link to different functions. Palladian architecture reflected luxury, simply majestic, easy to be applied to suit the terrain and modernity equivalent to the developed western nations.

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You Can’t Climb a Broken Ladder: Examining Underrepresentation of Multiply-Disadvantaged Groups in Secure and Senior Roles in UK Geochemistry

Geochemistry provides useful research tools related to fundamental processes in Earth, Environmental and Planetary Sciences. It has a distinct identity among the academic communities in these subjects, yet there is no specific data on workforce diversity among geochemists. We present the first demographic data of UK geochemists from a voluntary anonymous survey. We scrutinise the data with respect to protected characteristics (e.g., age, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation and disability) and seniority of those within the community. We furthermore use this UK data to compare the career progression of geochemists who belong to multiply-privileged identities with those who belong to multiply-disadvantaged identities, to assess their representations with increased seniority on the academic career. This UK based case study on diversity and inclusion suggests that the career paths of geochemists belonging to multiple disadvantaged groups are restricted, including overrepresentation among those on fixed-term contracts or in service roles for laboratory support. Our data highlight that there is a decrease in diversity with an increase in seniority; specifically, UK geochemists from sexual and gender minorities, neurodiverse, and women from ethnic minority groups were not represented among the participants of our survey at the top of the academic ladder. There are many reasons for the loss of diversity in the UK geochemistry community with increased seniority. In order to address this and the underrepresentation of particular groups in senior leadership roles, our findings suggest that the career progression of geochemists requires an intersectional lens to examine the complexity of identity data. Such an approach would enable a better understanding of the impact of multiple and compounded disadvantages, biases, negative experiences and discrimination faced by multiply-disadvantaged identities.

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