Ethnic Regions Research Articles

О ВОПРОСАХ СОЗДАНИЯ ЕДИНОГО КАТАЛОГА АЛТАЙСКИХ СКАЗИТЕЛЕЙ (С XIX ПО XX ВВ.)

The article deals with the need to systematize all available materials about epictellers with their repertoire. The first mentions of the names of Altai epictellers are found in the works of researchers of Altai folklore and ethnography in the 19th century and rare information about their repertoire or fixation of a particular text of the legend from them. More complete information is found in scholarly publications of the mid-20th century concerning the biographies of now famous epictellers with an indication of their teachers. Several ethical rules contributed to the preservation of the names of epictelling teachers by their students: the faith of the epictellers themselves in the magical gift of epictelling and the veneration of the names of their mentors as sacred guides to the world of legends. So, in this article we define approaches to collecting information to create a unified catalog of Altai epictellers. Upon completion of the compilation by ethnic regions, prerequisites may be created for the formation of and additions to the Catalogue of epictellers of Russian and Eurasian epictellers. The relevance of such a study is dictated by the fact that when presenting information about the work of Altai epictellers about their teachers in publications of the mid-19th–mid-20th centuries, information is limited. This does not make it possible to reveal their repertoire in detail, but at the same time, separate indications of the names of texts, places of recording contribute to clarifying the places of distribution in different periods of a particular text of legends. Such a summary work contributes not only to the comprehensive identification of the Altai epictelling repertoire as a whole, taking into account the early periods of fixing epic texts, but also to clarifying the epic context of the work of famous Altai rhapsodies against the background of the revealed names of lesser-known epictellers. The goals and objectives of the study are the need to restore the names and, if possible, their repertoire of Altai epictellers of the 19th and early 20th in order to compile a Unified Catalog of epictellers in the future, based on information, taking into account archival and field materials recorded from their disciples – epictellers. The article reflects a summary search work to restore the names of epictellers based on published materials of researchers of the 19th and 20th centuries, who did not pursue a specific task of systematizing the names and repertoire of epictellers, but fixed one or another epicteller. However, it is the systematic cataloging that will contribute not only to the full identification of the list of names of Altai epictellers with an indication of their repertoire, but also to the clarification of the epic context of the work of famous Altai rhapsodies against the background of the revealed names of lesser-known epictellers. The main conclusions, the results of the study are that an attempt was made to restore the names and repertoire of epictellers from the 19th to the 20th century, available from publications and archival materials, and the stability of the plot composition of Altai legends is also being clarified.

MULTIDIMENSIONAL APPROACH TO EVALUATION OF POPULATION RELIGIOSITY IN RUSSIA'S ASIAN BORDERLANDS

The article is focused on an analysis of sociological methods of evaluation of religiosity in the context of current transformations of religious consciousness and worldview, the blurring of boundaries between the secular and the religious, and the prevalence of hybrid variants of religious identity, which imply religiosity "beyond confession" and passive religious practices. The authors defend the vision of religiosity as a multidimensional construct that combines objective and subjective, static and dynamic, internal and external characteristics and manifestations. The authors present the results of sociological studies of the population's religiosity in four border regions of Russia - Altai Krai, Novosibirsk Oblast, Republic of Altai, and Republic of Tyva (n = 400 in each region). The Centrality CRS index (Centrality CRS Sh. Huber) is used as the main tool for analyzing religiosity, which allows for an assessment on five dimensions (levels) - cognitions (information), belief (ideology), personal and public practices and religious experience, taking into account the polyconfessional nature of regional societies. The objectives of the study were to compare the results obtained on the national sample with the results in the conditions of the border region and its separate regions characterized by ethno-confessional uniqueness, to analyze the individual dimensions of religiosity and their interrelation with the general index on the basis of factor analysis. It is shown that the index has good psychometric properties, and its individual dimensions are well described by a single-factor structure. The level of religiosity in all four regions generally corresponds to the all-Russian level, while there are serious differences between the regions, caused not only by the axis - national (ethnic) regions - multi-ethnic regions with a dominant Russian and Orthodox population, but also by individual dimensions.

Tibetan medicine Bang Jian: a comprehensive review on botanical characterization, traditional use, phytochemistry, and pharmacology.

Tibetan medicine Bang Jian refers to a range of botanical drugs within the Gentiana genus. It serves as a prominent traditional Tibetan botanical drug primarily found in the ethnic minority regions of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau in China. Traditionally, the dried flowers of Bang Jian, known as "Longdanhua" have been employed in Tibetan medicine to address detoxification, pharyngeal relief, acute and chronic bronchitis, bronchiectasis, lung infections, pulmonary fibrosis, and throat disorders. Surprisingly, there has been no comprehensive review published to date on Tibetan medicine Bang Jian. This passage systematically presents and critically assesses recent advancements in botanical characterization, traditional applications, phytochemistry, pharmacology, and clinical uses of Bang Jian, aiming to provide a scientific foundation for its reasonable use and further exploration. To date, researchers have isolated and identified 92 structurally diverse compounds, with a predominant presence of iridoids, flavonoids, xanthones, and triterpenoids. The crude extracts and metabolites derived from Bang Jian have been found to exhibit a wide range of pharmacological effects, encompassing anti-inflammatory, anti-tumor, anti-bacterial, antiviral, antioxidant, hepatoprotective properties, and protect the respiratory system. Nevertheless, detailed data on the biological effects, metabolic activities, and mechanistic research concerning active monomer metabolites remain insufficient. Consequently, there is a pressing need for comprehensive and in-depth research to guide rational clinical drug usage and evaluate the medicinal attributes of Bang Jian.

Exploring the Development of Highway Tourism in Ethnic Minority Areas within the Context of Cultural and Tourism Integration

Economic development in China's ethnic minority regions is vital for strengthening the collective national identity of the Chinese nation. As material living standards improve, there is an increased focus on cultural and spiritual needs, with highway tourism emerging as a current trend. This paper delves into the development of highway tourism in ethnic minority regions, examining routes such as the Tacheng, Duku, and Nenmo highway tours. It evaluates the existing state and distinctive features of these tours, identifies developmental challenges, and proposes strategies for optimizing spatial distribution, enhancing promotion of ethnic uniqueness, strategic route planning, and encouraging ethnic integration.

Entropy Change of Historical and Cultural Heritage in Traditional Tibetan Area of China Based on Spatial-Temporal Distribution Pattern

The traditional Tibetan area of China is an ethnically and culturally significant region with a historical geographical connection. This study investigates the spatial-temporal distribution patterns and entropy changes of historical and cultural heritage by examining the association between cultural heritage and socio-historical factors. It utilizes analytical methods such as information entropy and incorporates temporal, spatial, and typological information from the data obtained in the Third National Cultural Relics Census. The findings are as follows: (1) The three major regions in the Tibetan area of China alternately serve as development cores for the traditional Tibetan area, exhibiting a fluctuating “dispersion-aggregation” trend of historical and cultural heritage, which also displays notable regional variations. (2) The quantity and entropy change of historical and cultural heritage exhibit correlations between different periods, but there are also some intergenerational differences. (3) The spatial-temporal distribution pattern of historical and cultural heritage demonstrates an inter-era correlation, indicating that socio-historical development is a nonlinear process characterized by both “transition” and “accumulation”. These findings are of significant importance for further understanding the social evolutionary process of human settlements in high-altitude areas and for the comprehensive protection of cultural heritage in ethnic regions.

Exploring Village Spatial Patterns for Sustainable Development: A Case Study of Diqing Prefecture

Alexander’s A Pattern Language is an important text and focuses on the theory of diverse environmental spatial sustainability. With the contemporary digital development of villages, it is urgent that village spatial patterns are analyzed in a scientific and quantitative way in order to determine heritage village diversity. The village settlements in the Diqing region are typical representatives, having a changeable terrain, being large in number, and being multi-ethnic in China; in recent years, they have also faced slow development and limited conditions. However, few studies have focused on the multiple quantitative analysis of the diverse spatial patterns of village settlements in an ethnic minority region. Therefore, this study selects 2486 village settlements in Diqing and, using KED, NNI SSIA, etc., proposes a spatial pattern analysis framework (SPAF) based on pattern language theory. According to the spatial influencing factors, spatial analysis criteria are constructed to analyze the village spatial pattern types and subtypes. The results show that the region’s topographic conditions are the dominant factors that form the diversified village spatial patterns existent in the Diqing Prefecture. Among them, the dominant pattern of building villages along slopes with a small-population scale and large-dispersed settlements achieves a healthy and sustainable living environment that is oriented well, cost-saving, and conforms to nature. Meanwhile, the dominant pattern is also the reason for the inhibition of development due to inconvenient transportation and difficult management. Therefore, sustainable strategies should strike a balance between the two opposites. Based on the SPAF, spatial patterns can be effectively extracted for diverse village spaces, providing digital and visual references for the regeneration of contemporary rural areas.

Exploring Perceptions and Misconceptions of Witchcraft and Wizardry: The Shifting Meanings and Beliefs in Nigeria

Witchcraft and wizardry have long been embedded in Nigerian culture and belief systems, evoking fear, stigma, and misunderstandings. Accusations related to witchcraft have severe consequences, leading to violence, social exclusion, and human rights abuses. These consequences not only perpetuate harm against individuals but also hinder the social progress and development of Nigerian society, highlighting the urgent need for comprehensive efforts to address and rectify the misconceptions surrounding witchcraft and wizardry. This paper explores the multifaceted topic of perceptions and misconceptions of witchcraft and wizardry in Nigeria, adopting an interdisciplinary approach drawing upon anthropology, sociology, history, cultural studies, and religious studies. It delves into the historical origins, cultural significance, and shifting meanings of witchcraft, examining the diverse interpretations across different ethnic groups and regions. The paper also addresses the consequences of witchcraft accusations, including human rights issues and social exclusion. This paper aims to contribute to a greater understanding of witchcraft and wizardry in Nigeria and promote informed interventions, social change, and the protection of human rights by shedding light on these complexities.
 
 Received: 31 August 2023 / Accepted: 20 October 2023 / Published: 5 November 2023

Factual importance and self-significance of ideals in the cultural identification of European countries

The research relevance is determined by the active growth of cultural exchanges in the context of globalisation, as well as the multifaceted phenomenon of European culture, which is often perceived differently within the continent and beyond. In this regard, scholars and artists are faced with the task of correcting the situation using a variety of methods. The study aims to prove the global role of values in the identification of European society based on the analysis of Ukrainian and international experience. The main research methods were ideographic and nomothetic methods of cultural studies, as well as methods of synthesis, abstraction, and generalisation. The examples of Norway, Finland, San Marino, Greece, Luxembourg, the United Kingdom, Lithuania, Ukraine, Switzerland, and Slovakia are used to study the promotion of national values with the support of the government to form a national identity. Values are seen as the key to preserving and deepening this identity and developing popular art forms in different geographical and ethnic regions of Europe. A parallel is drawn between economic development and the level of national identity, which leads to the conclusion that there is a directly proportional relationship between the two values. The practical significance of the study is the differentiation of the European cultural space and the study of the consequences of its impact on modern society and socio-political relations, which can be applied in the educational and political spheres, as well as benefit business leaders and employers

Multi-omics analysis of microbial communities and metabolites during the fermentation of traditional Midu Juanti

The current study employed a combination of high-throughput sequencing and non-targeted metabolomics techniques to elucidate the changes in the quality, microbial communities, and metabolites throughout the fermentation process of traditional Midu Juanti, a traditional fermented meat product that originates from ethnic minority regions in southwestern China. The findings show that 22 dominant genera (7 bacterial and 15 fungal genera), with a relative abundance >1%, were successfully identified during the fermentation of Midu Juanti. Additionally, 979 metabolites were identified using the Human Metabolome Database (HMDB) annotation. Among these, lipids and lipid-like molecules constituted the largest proportion, followed by organic acids and their derivatives. Moreover, based on the variable importance in the projection (VIP) > 2 and P < 0.05, 60 differentially changed metabolites (DCMs) were identified. Meanwhile, the presence of Lactobacillus was positively correlated with 54 DCMs (P < 0.05, |r| > 0.5), including tryptophyl-threonine and (5R)-5-hydroxyhexanoic acid. Conversely, a negative correlation was observed between the presence of Monascus and these 54 DCMs (P < 0.05, |r| > 0.5). This study has the potential to enhance the processing theory of fermented meat products and establish a solid theoretical foundation for the control and enhancement of the quality of Midu Juanti.

Historical architectural and town-planning centers in the ethnic culture of Ukraine

The article considers the features of the location of small historical settlements - carriers of the architectural and urban culture in 12 ethnic regions of Ukraine. Among them: Bukovyna, Volyn, Halychyna, Donbas, Zakarpattia, Crimea, Podillia, Polissia, Naddnipryanshchyna, Sivershchyna, Slobozhanshchyna, Tavria. For the analysis, an original method was used to identify the areas of historical settlements and the formation of the corresponding 57 polygons. The areas that form the centers of regional culture are identified according to the principle of territorial proximity of settlements, taking into account the tracing of communication routes between them. Accordingly, the polygons are formed from small towns with historical monuments of architectural and town-planning art, which are connected to each other along the perimeter in the shortest possible way by regional and local roads. For example, on the territory of Bukovyna there are 10 villages, small towns, settlements, castles and monasteries, which form 2 polygons around Chernivtsi: the western (Kitsman, Vyzhnytsia, Storozhynets) and the eastern (Khotyn, Novoselytsia, Banchaky, Boyany, Molodiy). As a result, groups of small provincial cities and towns, towns and villages, temples and monasteries were formed with signs of a historical architectural environment. In each ethnic region, a different number of such groups have been formed, which form the corresponding number of polygons: Bukovyna – 2, Volhynia – 4, Galicia – 6, Donbas – 4, Transcarpathia – 2, Crimea – 3, Podillia – 5, Polissia – 8, Naddnipryanshchyna – 6, Severshchyna – 6, Slobozhanshchyna – 4, Tavria – 6. The identified groups of historical architectural and urban centers require further thorough study. The results of these studies can be used to develop a concept for the restoration and further sustainable development of the historical settlements of Ukraine.

Study on Chinese-style Modernisation for the Common Prosperity of All People

The century-long development of the Communist Party of China (CPC) has also been a journey of exploration for the construction of common wealth in China. The common wealth, with its rich connotation, has been advancing in different forms at different stages of history. To solve the problems of low-income groups in rural areas, low-income groups in western regions and key groups in employment is the focus of the modernisation of China's common prosperity, and it is necessary to adhere to the leadership of the Party, take high-quality development as an important tool, and optimise the distribution system and the related security system in an integrated manner, so as to realise the goal of modernising China's common prosperity for all ethnic groups and regions as soon as possible.

Research on anti-poverty efforts in China’s ethnic minority areas since the 1970s

Poverty remains a significant global challenge, despite ongoing efforts throughout history to address it. China’s fight against poverty, as part of global poverty governance efforts, has yielded valuable insights and examples for anti-poverty strategies, propelling changes within the global poverty governance system. This paper conducts a review of post-1978 anti-poverty research covering China’s ethnic minority regions, roughly dividing the research history into three distinct phases: 1978–2012, 2013–2020, and post-2020. The research findings at each stage are summarized in terms of research topics, perspectives, and paradigms. Based on these findings, the paper provides a forward-looking outlook on future research into anti-poverty efforts in China’s ethnic minority regions.

A Cost-Benefit Analysis of Individual Investment in English Language Education for Ethnic Minorities in Yanbian

As a cross-discipline between linguistics and economics, the Economics of Language has been widely discussed by scholars both at home and abroad in recent years as economic globalization advances. Among them, English, as the most widely spoken language in the world, is involved in many economic activities of human beings. The location disadvantage of inland minority regions makes their average English education level low. Therefore, this study analyzes the costs and benefits of individual English education investment based on the Economics of Language and human capital investment theory, using questionnaire survey method and cost-benefit analysis method in economics, and taking English majors of Yanbian minority as the research object. The results of the study show that the benefits of personal investment in foreign language education of English majors in Yanbian minority areas outweigh the costs, and it is also an effective economic investment behavior. The results of this study can also provide an empirical basis for the formulation of policies on English education and economic development in ethnic minority regions. And to a certain extent, they can contribute to the economic development of ethnic minority regions, promote foreign communication and provide some help for regional language policies.

Ethnic inequality and public health.

We examine the association between ethnic inequality and various key health outcomes for a global set of developed and developing countries. Our results show that higher ethnic inequality is associated with a poor state of public health, such as higher child and maternal mortality, increased stillbirths and child stunting, and reduced life expectancy at birth. This set of effects is found to be predominant mainly in developing countries, and Sub-Saharan African countries. Results remain robust to the inclusion of various other measures of inequality, ethnic composition indices, geographic endowments, and other relevant controls. We argue that lower contraceptive usage and poor vaccination rates are potential mechanisms through which ethnic inequality affects health outcomes. Policies targeted at improving public health may need to focus more on these key intermediate channels in ethnic minority regions.

Analysis on the Penetration and Potential of Foreign Direct Investment in Ethnic Provinces and Regions of China

Analysis on the Penetration and Potential of Foreign Direct Investment in Ethnic Provinces and Regions of China

Research on the cultivation mechanism of “double-creative” talents in ethnic regions with the integration of industry and education in the context of the Internet

Abstract In the context of the rapid development of the Internet and big data technology, it is both an opportunity and a challenge for cultivating “dual-innovation” talents in ethnic regions. This paper proposes a fuzzy hierarchical analysis-fuzzy comprehensive evaluation model to study the cultivation mechanism of “dual-creative” talents in ethnic regions. The fuzzy hierarchical analysis-fuzzy comprehensive evaluation model consists of the evaluation system, a fuzzy comprehensive evaluation method, and a fuzzy hierarchical analysis. Then, based on the characteristics of fuzzy hierarchical analysis, the factors are organized and stratified to obtain a reasonable index set and build a hierarchical analysis structure. Using the fuzzy comprehensive evaluation method to analyze the school-enterprise cooperation in the integration of industry education in Tibetan higher vocational colleges, the results show that 55.4% of the students chose extremely unsatisfactory and unsatisfactory, indicating that they are not satisfied with the current communication status between the school and the internship enterprises, and another 28.6% of the students chose uncertainty full or unsatisfactory. This study explores the causes of the problems in the integration of industry-education personnel training from four levels: government, enterprises, society, and schools, and proposes guiding reference values for the integration of industry-education personnel training in Tibetan higher education institutions.

Research on the Integration of Traditional Chinese Culture into Kindergarten Curriculum in Ethnic Regions

Based on the background of early childhood education curriculum, kindergartens in various regions have begun to pay attention to the development of kindergarten curriculum. Most of teachers search for the characteristics of kindergarten curriculum that is suitable for young children’s age groups. The excellent Chinese traditional culture, as an important element with Chinese cultural symbols, is gradually being used by kindergarten teachers. When carrying out activities, kindergartens in ethnic regions integrate traditional Chinese culture into the development of kindergarten curriculum. This study starts with the background of integrating traditional Chinese culture into the development of kindergarten curriculum. Through interviews with preschool teachers, it identifies the current problems and reasons, and proposes some suggestions for better integrating traditional Chinese culture into the kindergarten curriculum.

Political party ideology in Zambia: comparing the PF and the UPND on social welfare policies

AbstractThis paper challenges existing analyses of party cleavages in Sub-Saharan Africa which over-emphasise the centrality of ethnicity. Parties express ideological positions that reflect the socio-economic interests of specific regions, which, especially in Zambia, coincide with particular ethnic groups. We demonstrate this through an examination of party manifestos, policy documents and semi-structured interviews with members of two political parties in Zambia – the Patriotic Front and the United Party for National Development. These parties express clear normative ideas about social welfare, especially the role of the state in providing social assistance to the poorest. These ideological positions reflect the socio-economic interests of the ethnic groups and regions where support for each party is dominant. These are shaped by the ways in which these regions were historically incorporated into the colonial economy. In order to gain a better understanding of African politics, ethnicity must be conceptualised as a socio-cultural construct and situated historically.

Trend and Hot issues of Governance Research in China from the Perspective of Government Funding ——Based on the National Social Science Fund Project from 1991 to 2021

Government funding is an important way to promote the academic development, discipline construction and cultivation of scientific research talents in China. Based on the data of 3911 projects funded by the National Social Science Foundation from 1991 to 2021, this paper analyzes the development process and evolution of the hottest topic of "governance" research. The research shows that governance research in the field of social sciences in China has experienced through three stages: sprout development, quasi-localization and full-speed climbing. The academic contribution rate and competitiveness present a "Pareto’s law" distribution in terms of disciplines and regions. The research topics mainly focuses on the modernization of national governance system and capacity, rural and ethnic region governance, grassroots governance of urban communities, collaborative governance of ecological environment and network security governance are carried out in the core clusters. Social governance, national governance and collaborative governance are the most concerned research topics at present.

Mutation Spectrum of β-Globin Gene in Patients with β-Thalassemia at Tidar Hospital, Magelang, Central Java, Indonesia

β-Thalassemia is genetic disorder characterized by β-globin chain deficiency resulting from mutations in the β-globin coding gene. Both the quantity and quality of blood produced will be impacted by this condition. The distribution of mutation causing thalassemia is vary across ethnic and different regions in Indonesia. This study aims to identify the variant mutation in patients with β-thalassemia at Tidar Hospital as representative samples of Javanese population, the largest ethnicity in Indonesia. Sixty-one blood samples were obtained from blood transfusion-dependent patients with β-thalassemia. Mutation was identified using ARMS and RFLP PCR-based methods, and inconclusive samples were subjected to DNA sequencing. Results showed that the mutation variants were Cd 26/IVSI-5 (G > C) 47.54%, Cd 26/Cd 35 16.30%, Cd 26/IVSI-1 (G > T) 11.47%, Cd 26/IVSI-2 4.91%, IVSI-5 (G > C)/Cd 40 3.27%; 1.63%; IVSI-5 (G > C)/IVSI-1 (G > A) 1.63%; IVSI-5 (G > C)/Cap + 1 1.63%; Cd 26/Cd 15 1.63%; Cd 26/Cd 30 1.63%. We also found three homozygous of IVSI-1 (G > T), IVSI-5 (G > C) 6.55%, and Cd 35 1.63%. The most prevalent alleles would be recommended to be used as part of screening for β-thalassemia in the Javanese ethnicity in Central Java, especially for families affected by thalassemia.