Distinct Identity Research Articles

Deconstructing the Fable of Inclusive National Identity in Pakistan Account of Dwindling Kalasha Indigenous Identity in Chitral Authors

Ideological and Cultural identities are commonly observed as a few of the integral facets of human societal identity variables, but in Pakistan, ideological alterations are oftentimes equated as binary to the commonly shared notion of Islamic identity. The animistic ideological identity of the Kalasha community in Chitral holds a global prominence and recognition that dates back to centuries, but in recent decades their indigenous identity and norms have been under a consistent spell of exclusivist identity projection, leaving their distinctive identity norms and animistic cultural values at the peril of hovering extinction. The study initially builds on the ongoing religiously influenced national identity formation in Pakistan aiming further to highlight the systematic causes of the Kalasha community's endangered indigenous identity decline, using the lens of Identity Subordination theory’. The paper aims to unveil how exclusive identity formation through incentivized stratagems is being perpetuated against the community by the dominant religious Sunni (Clerical) group. The paper finally proposes the need for the adoption and implementation of inclusive attitudes and actions, along with much-needed measures both at the grassroots and state level for combatting the ethno-terrorism carried out against the Kalasha identity and indigenous culture.

In Search of a Borderland: Material Culture Patterns on the Southern Limits of the North American Southwest

ABSTRACT Recent research conducted in southern Sonora, Mexico provides an opportunity to revisit debates about interaction between Mesoamerica and the North American Southwest (NAS). In the borderland between these traditions, communities show few signs of cultural amalgamation, instead exhibiting either an avoidance of overt identity markers or an emphasis on more local connections. This pattern contrasts with most discussions of Mesoamerican influence on the NAS that focus on regionally atypical centers of foreign goods consumption or evidence of foreign religious traditions in distant localities. By recentering on local contexts where cultural amalgamation is expected but minimal, we raise important questions about why more distant groups found Mesoamerican societies to be worthy of emulation. The results suggest researchers should devote equal attention to cases in which distinct identities are erased or suppressed as they do to cases in which social boundaries are maintained or created anew.

Neo-Luddism in the Shadow of Luddism

Abstract Technology is adopted regardless of its results; however, technology does not always result in absolute progress. The Luddites, the first movement to resist the effects of technology, made a series of uprisings in the nineteenth century, and even today they represent anxiety against technology. Neo-Luddism, as the successor of Luddism, peacefully opposes technology’s adverse effects with a distinct identity. This study evaluates the role Neo-Luddites can play in countering technology’s consequences. The study examines the Neo-Luddite perspective on technology, which seeks to find its own identity between the optimism of scientism in the technographic world and the pessimism of Luddism, considering the consequences of technology on employment and work. Neo-Luddites should emphasize technology’s political side, establish an identity, and determine their methods. Through these efforts, Neo-Luddites can raise awareness of technology’s adverse effects, build pressure on social policies and legal regulations, and shape society’s perspective of technology.

Notch Signaling in Insect Development: A Simple Pathway with Diverse Functions.

Notch signaling is an evolutionarily conserved pathway which functions between adjacent cells to establish their distinct identities. Despite operating in a simple mechanism, Notch signaling plays remarkably diverse roles in development to regulate cell fate determination, organ growth and tissue patterning. While initially discovered and characterized in the model insect Drosophila melanogaster, recent studies across various insect species have revealed the broad involvement of Notch signaling in shaping insect tissues. This review focuses on providing a comprehensive picture regarding the roles of the Notch pathway in insect development. The roles of Notch in the formation and patterning of the insect embryo, wing, leg, ovary and several specific structures, as well as in physiological responses, are summarized. These results are discussed within the developmental context, aiming to deepen our understanding of the diversified functions of the Notch signaling pathway in different insect species.

Identity performances on professional accounting association magazine covers

PurposeThe authors examine and compare accounting associations' identities in distinct segments of the accounting profession surrounding the 2014 merger of three Canadian accounting associations.Design/methodology/approachThe authors conceive of accounting associations' magazine front covers as a setting for “identity performance” (i.e. a scenery through which identity dimensions are intentionally communicated to target audiences). The authors examine pre-merger and post-merger associations' identity performances that took place between January 2011 and December 2020 and identify 21 broad themes that the authors interpret in terms of identity logics (i.e. professionalism/commercialism) and audience focus (society/association members), underscoring (dis)similarities in identity performances pre- and post-merger.FindingsThe authors' analysis reveals distinct identity performances for the different segments of the pre-merger accounting profession and for the post-merger unified accounting association. Identity logics manifest differently: a commercial logic dominated for two of the associations and a professional logic dominated for the third. Identity fluidity was evident in the merged association's shift from commercial toward professional logic when the association ceased publishing one magazine and introduced a new one. Society rather than associations' members dominated as a target audience for all associations, but this focus manifested differently. Post-merger, identity performances continued to focus on society as the audience.Originality/valueThe authors highlight the Goffmanian identity performances (Goffman, 1959) taking place via accounting associations' magazines. The authors adopt a segment perspective (Bucher and Strauss, 1961) that demonstrates that commercialism does not trump professionalism in all segments of the profession. For the first time, the authors juxtapose identity logics (professionalism/commercialism) and targeted audiences to better understand how these facets of accountants' identities compare between segments.

Effect of Protein Corona on the Specificity and Efficacy of Nanobioconjugates to Treat Intracellular Infections.

Encapsulating drugs into functionalized nanoparticles (NPs) is an alternative to reach the specific therapeutic target with lower doses. However, when the NPs are in contact with physiological media, proteins adsorb on their surfaces, forming a protein corona (PC) biomolecular layer, acquiring a distinct biological identity that alters their interactions with cells. Itraconazole (ITZ), an antifungal agent, is encapsulated into PEGylated and/or functionalized NPs with high specificity for macrophages. It is evaluated how the PC impacts their cell uptake and antifungal effect. The minimum inhibitory concentration and colony-forming unit assays demonstrate that encapsulated ITZ into poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) NPs improves the antifungal effect compared with NPs lacking PEGylation. The improvement can be related to the synergistic effect of the encapsulated ITZ and NPs composition and the reduction of PC formation in PEG NPs. Functionalized NPs with anti-F4/80 and anti-MARCO antibodies, or mannose without PEG and treated with PC, show an improved uptake but, in the presence of PEG, significantly reduce the endocytosis, dominating the stealth effect from PEG. Therefore, the PC plays a crucial role in the nanosystem uptake and antifungal effects, which suggests the need for in vivo model studies to evaluate the effect of PC in the specificity and biodistribution.

Assessing malingering and personality styles in dissociative identity disorder: a case study

ABSTRACT Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID), formerly Multiple Personality Disorder, involves two or more distinct identities controlling behaviour, stemming from trauma-related dissociation. Understanding DID’s cognitive, neural, and psychometric aspects remains a challenge, especially in distinguishing genuine cases from malingering. We present a case of a DID patient with nine identities, evaluated to rule out malingering. Using the Millon Index of Personality Styles, we assessed the primary and two alternate identities, revealing marked differences. High consistency scores support validity. We suggest employing personality inventories beyond symptomatology to characterise dissociative identities’ consistency and adaptation styles, aiding in malingering assessments in future studies.

Իսլամիդերըքրդականազգայնականությանառաջացմանմեջ

This article delves into the intricate relationship between Kurdish nationalism and Islam during its formative years and subsequent development. The historical backdrop reveals a profound interconnection, with profound implications for the shaping of Kurdish national identity. Kurdish nationalism's emergence and evolution were deeply enmeshed with Islamic influences. This connection found its expression through the pivotal roles played by Sufi brotherhoods and Islamic educational institutions known as madrasas. Sufi brotherhoods occupied a central position in the lives of Kurds, and it is notable that a significant majority of prominent Kurdish nationalist figures were devout followers of Sufism, nurtured within the nurturing embrace of these brotherhoods. In their turn, medreses, functioning as indispensable Islamic educational establishments, exerted a substantial influence on the rise of Kurdish national sentiments and the eventual crystallization of Kurdish nationalism. Notably, the inclusion of Kurdish language instruction within the curriculum of medreses played a pivotal role in fostering a distinct national identity, thereby providing a sturdy foundation for the emergence of Kurdish nationalism. This article sheds light on the intertwined narratives of religion and nationalism in the Kurdish context, offering valuable insights into the complex historical forces that have contributed to the shaping of Kurdish identity and the enduring relationship between Kurdish nationalism and Islam.

Molecular Mimicry of NodA Genes by an N-acetylmuramoyl-L-alanine Amidases Gene in a Nodule Forming Staphylococcus cohnii [RESEARCH NOTE

A rare, nodule-forming, Gram-positive bacterium (Sub4) was isolated from the forage and cover crop Pueraria phaseoloides, which aligned at 99.26% sequence identity to a partial 16S rDNA sequence of Staphylococcus cohnii sp. This was the first record of a strain/species of Staphylococcus capable of independent, unassisted nodule formation in a legume host. When a nodA gene was sought by PCR using a pair of gene-specific primers synthesized using a related (Firmicutes) Paenibacillus sp. nodA gene, the reaction yielded a PCR product of similar size but a distinct identity. The resulting ~400bp PCR product coded for a likely N-acetylmuramoyl-L-alanine amidase and not an acyltransferase. It may be inferred that the N-acetylmuramoyl-L-alanine amidase gene was amplified due to sequence similarities/mimicry between 2 cosmetically unrelated loci. There was also an analogy in protein backbones between homology models of the Sub4 N-acetylmuramoyl-L-alanine amidase and a Paenibacillus nodA gene product, which also suggests that the 2 protein families may have an evolutionary relationship. When the phylogeny of the sequenced locus was inferred, a unique clade with high bootstrap support was formed by the sequence under study with an Azorhizobium nodA gene. Azorhizobia were distinct in relation to their nodule formation on stems and their ability to fix nitrogen in the free-living and the symbiotic forms. N-acetylmuramoyl-L-alanine amidases may have roles to play in remodeling peptidoglycan for LysM receptor interactions, likely without nod factors.

문화관광상품으로서의 커피 소비 활성화 고찰

Purpose The purpose of this study is to discuss the revitalization of coffee consumption as a cultural tourist product through the discussion of theme cafes with a clear identity and the value of coffee that functions as a culture of modern people.
 Methods As a means to achieve the research purpose, this study selected about 15 cafes with different, unique, and distinct identities by reviewing more than 100 coffee-related blogs among cafes scattered in Gyeonggi-do, Seoul, and Incheon. visited in person. This study developed a discussion while attempting a mutual comparative analysis of coffee-related literature research and the characteristics, themes, and charms of visiting cafes.
 Results Coffee culture has value as a tourism product in that it includes new resting values and leisure activities. Cultural tourism products should include a variety of contents that can satisfy the needs of tourism consumers by utilizing the identity of a specific region.
 Conclusion A cultural space-oriented cafe is not just a place to sell coffee, but a space for rest, conversation, communication, exchange, and sympathy. The implication of this study is to understand the value and function as a cultural tourism product through discussions on the origin, culture, and characteristics of coffee culture in Korea. On the other hand, the limitation of this study can be said to be that there is a lack of discussion about the flavor of coffee and cafes with atmosphere because the focus is on exotic cafes.

제주도의 토착지식을 활용한 장소 기반 시민성교육

This paper examines the need and possibility of the convergence between school geography education and traditional geographical knowledge. To this end, it empirically analyzes that indigenous knowledge is a knowledge inherent in liberal community citizenship in Jeju Island’s haenyeo community and traditional residential cultural landscape, and that indigenous knowledge of Jeju Island is highly valuable to pass on to future generations as well as the current generation. Ultimately, this emphasizes that the scope of geography education should include not only objective and scientific geographical knowledge that is empirically verified and universally accepted by students, but also traditional geographical knowledge for cultural appropriateness that provides a distinct cultural identity and explanations that are suitable for local emotions and views.

De novo assembled mitogenome analysis of Trichuris trichiura from Korean individuals using nanopore-based long-read sequencing technology.

Knowledge about mitogenomes has been proven to be essential in human parasite diagnostics and understanding of their diversity. However, the lack of substantial data for comparative analysis is still a challenge in Trichuris trichiura research. To provide high quality mitogenomes, we utilized long-read sequencing technology of Oxford Nanopore Technologies (ONT) to better resolve repetitive regions and to construct de novo mitogenome assembly minimizing reference biases. In this study, we got three de novo assembled mitogenomes of T. trichiura isolated from Korean individuals. These circular complete mitogenomes of T. trichiura are 14,508 bp, 14,441 bp, and 14,440 bp in length. A total of 37 predicted genes were identified consisting of 13 protein-coding genes (PCGs), 22 transfer RNA (tRNAs) genes, two ribosomal RNA (rRNA) genes (rrnS and rrnL), and two non-coding regions. Interestingly, the assembled mitogenome has up to six times longer AT-rich regions than previous reference sequences, thus proving the advantage of long-read sequencing in resolving unreported non-coding regions. Furthermore, variant detection and phylogenetic analysis using concatenated protein coding genes, cox1, rrnL, and nd1 genes confirmed the distinct molecular identity of this newly assembled mitogenome while at the same time showing high genetic relationship with sequences from China or Tanzania. Our study provided a new set of reference mitogenome with better contiguity and resolved repetitive regions that could be used for meaningful phylogenetic analysis to further understand disease transmission and parasite biology.

Enhancing Brand Visual Identity for Addressing Digital Customers’ Pain Points: A Structural Equation Modeling Approach

This study aimed to identify the dimensions can help develop a brand’s visual identity to address digital customers’ pain points. An online survey was distributed to 600 digital customers in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Structural equation modeling by the partial least squares method was used for the data analysis. The current study contributed to reaching the most important dimensions of creating a distinctive and unique visual identity, which was represented in the Emotional connection, Mental positioning, Professionalism, Brand eloquence. Marketers can benefit from these results in creating a distinctive and unique visual identity that contributes to overcoming the customer’s pain points, and then reaching the target customers and attracting them to the brand and linking with it, and increasing the sales and profits of the digital organization. also, can benefit from these findings when preparing the marketing strategy to match the components of the organization’s unique and distinctive visual identity.

Heritage, memory and identity of Harbin: A confluence of Russian and Japanese colonial effects

Harbin is the capital of Heilongjiang Province and China’s northernmost metropolis. The modern city of Harbin was founded by the Russians in 1898 and colonised by Russia and Japan during the first half of its 120-year history. After the Second World War, the post-colonial Harbin had to deal with its Russian and Japanese colonial pasts and their architectural remains. While the city initially tried to forget its colonial pasts by demolishing the colonial-era buildings, in recent decades, Harbin is re-remembering those pasts through the presentation and (re)interpretation of its colonial built heritage. It is noteworthy that the local government has approached Harbin’s Russian and Japanese colonial heritages in very different ways, and public opinion has polarised on the issue of colonisation regarding the city’s Russian and Japanese colonial pasts. Using archival analysis, observation and semi-structured interviews, this paper investigates the evolution of Harbin’s urban memory of the colonial pasts from both official and popular perspectives. It is argued that the different approaches to Russian and Japanese colonial heritages have historical reasons in cultural, economic and political terms and serve to achieve a common goal in the present, that is to construct a distinct and consistent identity for the city’s future. Further, post-colonial identity constructed in this way is questioned as it still does not overcome the self–other dichotomy that features in colonisation.

Strategic distinctiveness: awakening the ‘sleeping giants’ of England and Wales’s NHS charities

Building on remarkable and sudden fundraising success during the Covid-19 pandemic, many National Health Service (NHS) charities in England and Wales have undergone a period of rapid organisational transformation and growth. This article explores these developments by considering how claims to distinction contribute to new organisational identities and allow access to valuable resources and funding opportunities. After situating recent developments within the policy background and key changes in governance and regulation since the 1990s, we report on interviews with directors and trustees of NHS Charities Together (NHSCT), the national membership organisation of NHS charities. These offer new insight into strategic shifts and the desire to form a distinct and unified identity for NHS charities. Highlighting ongoing tensions and debates within the sector, findings raise important questions over the role of NHS charities and their position in relation to the NHS and the state.

Victoria’s change-model to TAFE: building a framework for tertiary education

ABSTRACT This thesis presents the findings of research into institutional change and how structural re-modelling of TAFEs in Victoria may be assessed as fit-for-purpose for institutions operating in tertiary education. Technical and Further Education (‘TAFE’) in Australia developed a distinctive identity during the twentieth century, yet institutional arrangements were not static: this involved the reorientation of vocational education in Australia to be funded and regulated under the auspice of micro-economic reform national policy. This institutional change triggered incremental transformation across Australia’s complex federalism and shared institutional structures and ultimately impacted TAFEs as state organisations. The thesis applies gradual change theoretical modelling to these TAFE Institutes, adopting an empirical research method that records the insights and reflections of that leadership through this change. This intra-organisational analysis seeks to explore the challenges of organisational leaders through changing institutional dynamics and the extent (or otherwise) of strategic change modelling while also reviewing outcomes including suitability of TAFE governance. The research question is to explore if, or to what extent, does the conceptual framework of gradual institutional change assist to explain (and model) the policy changes at the Victorian TAFEs during this changing environment. The thesis contends that this may be a viable framework that may enable predictive modelling of change for TVET institutions, as public and private sector organisations manage their sustainability in a broader competitive tertiary education sector.

Understanding organizational identity in universities: Unravelling autonomy, governance and leadership in the case of the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam

AbstractThis paper offers a historical analysis of organizational identity development at a particular Dutch university, the Vrije Universiteit (VU) Amsterdam. Our analysis contributes to the discussion on what factors contribute to organizational identity maintenance and evolution. Whereas the literature suggests a rather straightforward development, with national and institutional governance arrangements offering more institutional autonomy and providing significant scope for identity development and profiling, this case study shows that these relationships between identity, governance, and autonomy are not that obvious. In this particular case, the opposite happened. Despite more autonomy, VU Amsterdam was not able to maintain its historically distinctive identity, nor was it able to replace this with a new, unambiguous identity. External factors (demographics) and internal dynamics (leadership strategies) explain the anomalies.

Toward a design theory of strategic enterprise management business intelligence (SEMBI) capability maturity model

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to demonstrate that Strategic Enterprise Management (SEM) and Business Intelligence (BI) have the potential to integrate management decisions vertically through an organization’s hierarchy. This study also aims to present a design theory framework and build a model dimension using eight principles serving as mid-range theories.Design/methodology/approachThis study uses a design science perspective to posit how organizations can successfully implement SEMBI (a union of SEM and BI). This study then completes the design theory by building the method dimension using two principles. Finally, the study presents testable hypotheses for the theory and an evaluation using stakeholder attitudes and judgments as proxies for objective measures.FindingsIn the search for a prescription for SEMBI success, this study finds that the notion of the Capability Maturity Model (CMM) is a good artifact with which to organize the principles the authors are seeking. CMM has since been adapted to suit different contexts by incorporating relevant principles from those domains. Hereafter, this study refers to SEMBI–CMM as the adapted solution for SEMBI's success.Originality/valueThis study coins and uses the term SEMBI to represent the union of SEM and BI. This term retains its distinct identities and principles and forms a holistic and integrated view of SEM and BI implementation strategies. In an effort to advance this line of research, this study employs a design science perspective to address the question of how an organization can successfully implement SEMBI.

Decolonising Bengali Theatre: A Study of Selim Al Deen’s Kittonkhola and Chaka as Postcolonial Resistance Drama

Selim Al Deen, a prominent figure in Bengali theatre, questions the hegemony of Western forms in literature through his dvaitadvaita (dualistic dualism) theory and fusion theory of art and literature. Modern art and literature in Bengal, since the beginning of the nineteenth century, was shaped by European art and literature in its form, structure, and content. Modernity imposed literary styles that undermined the potential of Bengal’s own ancient literary traditions, which include the rich rural forms of literature, such as jatragan, palagan, puthi, pachali, geetnatyo, natyogeet, kothokota, etc. The well-defined and static genres of European tradition pushed these literary traditions to the margins of Bengali literature, where these were regarded as forms of low culture or low literature, in contrast to the literary “highs” created through the modern traditions. Selim Al Deen in Bengali theatre and drama counters this modernity by resisting its genre style, structure, form, and content. The subaltern literary forms rooted in rural Bengali tradition and in the lives of marginal people come to the centre in Deen’s literary experimentations since 1980s. Kittonkhola (1985) and Chaka (1991) are two well-known among many such dramatic works by Deen, where attempts to decolonise Bengali theatre and drama through newer forms, structures, subject-matters, and even punctuation are obvious. This paper, by studying Kittonkhola and Chaka, explores Selim Al Deen’s counter-modernist struggle for self-identity of Bengali theatre and drama. Deen’s use of dvaitadvaita style, fusion, and non-western punctuation are, on the one hand, a postcolonial resistance to European modernity and, on the other hand, stylistically postmodern. Further, they symbolise his search for a distinct identity of Bengali theatre.

Teaching Multiculturalism To Fight Against Racism In The Freedom Writer By Richard Lagravenese

Multiculturalism is refers to cultural differences caused by the existence of different groups in society, where people's attitudes and practices create a distinctive group identity. While, Fredom Writers movie which was released on 2007 portrayed the multiculturalism in a school taught by Erin Gruwell. This movie directed by Richard LaGravenes. This study examined the teaching multiculturalism in the movie to fight racism in the school. This research belongs to qualitative research and the result og this research are: first, the multiculturalism approach applied so well in the movie by Erin Gruwell. Second, the multiculturalism can change the attitude and behavior of the students in the movie. Third, Freedom Writers movie provide great example of the effectiveness of multiculturalism approach in education.