Multi-ethnic Context Research Articles

Evaluating the reliability and validity of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire in a heterogeneous ethnic young cohort from northeast India

Abstract Introduction: The strengths and difficulties questionnaire (SDQ) is extensively utilized to assess adolescent psychosocial problems. Despite its global use, the instrument’s reliability and validity across diverse ethnic populations remain under-examined. This study evaluates the reliability and validity of the SDQ among adolescents from an ethnic young cohort from Northeast India. Methodology: The present study followed a cross-sectional descriptive study design. The population for the study comprised children aged 13–17 years, studying in various government and public schools located in districts in Northeast India. In this study, a total sample size of 400 participants was selected. The SDQ was used. The researcher used the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 23 to analyze and measure the data. The study was undertaken with the approval of the scientific committee and ethical committee. Results: The internal consistency of the SDQ, as indicated by a Cronbach’s α of 0.846, suggests high reliability. Exploratory factor analysis identified five distinct factors from the SDQ items, with Bartlett’s Test of Sphericity and the Kaiser–Meyer–Olkin (KMO) measure confirming the appropriateness of factor analysis (χ² =1880, df = 276, P < 0.001; KMO = 0.848). Factors were deemed significant with loadings ≥0.3. Conclusion: The findings affirm the SDQ’s reliability and factor structure within this multiethnic context of Northeast India, underscoring its potential as a valid tool for screening psychosocial issues among diverse ethnic groups. This validation enhances the SDQ’s applicability for mental health assessments and interventions across varied Indian ethnicities.

Nyalamaq Dilauq tradition: A cultural policy for promoting social integration and cohesion in coastal communities

This study explores the Nyalamaq Dilauq tradition in Tanjung Luar, South Lombok, examining its role as a cultural policy for promoting social integration and cohesion in coastal communities. The Nyalamaq Dilauq tradition, deeply embedded in the lives of Tanjung Luar residents, serves as a powerful mechanism for fostering a harmonious and united community despite ethnic and cultural diversity. Through a qualitative approach involving interviews, participatory observations, and documentation, the research delves into the historical context, rituals, and ceremonies of the tradition, highlighting its significance in building social bonds and mutual respect among diverse ethnic groups. The findings reveal that the Nyalamaq Dilauq tradition enhances community resilience, supports economic interdependence, and attracts tourism, thereby contributing to the overall well-being of the coastal communities. This study provides valuable insights into the potential of cultural traditions to serve as models for social integration in other multicultural and multi-ethnic contexts.

EXPLORATION OF MULTICULTURAL APPROACHES IN HISTORY LEARNING IN MULTIETHNIC CONTEXTS: CASE STUDY AT SMAN 14 MEDAN

This research aims to explore a multicultural approach to teaching history at SMAN 14 Medan, especially in a multiethnic context. The multicultural approach here refers to the integration of various ethnic perspectives into the history curriculum to increase understanding and respect for cultural diversity. This study was conducted using qualitative methods and data collection techniques through classroom observations, interviews and document analysis. The research results show that the application of a multicultural approach to history learning at SMAN 14 Medan has helped students understand and appreciate cultural differences, as well as increasing student involvement in the learning process. Key success factors include teacher training, teaching materials relevant to multiethnic contexts, and an inclusive learning atmosphere. The implication of this research is the importance of applying a multicultural approach to history learning to enrich students' learning experiences in a multiethnic context. It is hoped that this research can contribute to the development of a more inclusive history curriculum in ethnically diverse schools. By understanding and appreciating cultural diversity, students are equipped with the skills necessary to interact effectively in a multiethnic environment. Teachers, as facilitators, have a key role in creating a supportive learning environment for all students, thereby creating valuable and relevant learning experiences. This research also highlights several limitations, such as the research being limited to one school and the qualitative approach used. Therefore, further research involving a number of schools and using quantitative methods can provide a broader understanding of the effectiveness of a multicultural approach in teaching history.Applying a multicultural approach to history learning not only benefits students academically but also helps prepare them to live and work in an increasingly multicultural society. Thus, inclusive and multicultural history learning is not only relevant in an educational context but is also important for building an inclusive and tolerant society in the future.

The Representations of Faith and Belonging: Locating Sri Lankan Muslim Women in Ameena Hussein’s The Moon in the Water

The study examines Ameena Hussein’s 2009 novel, The Moon in the Water, with the objective of unveiling an alternative form of religious faith and belonging among Sri Lankan Muslim women. This investigation delves into the intricate dynamics at play, wherein religious and cultural negotiations unfold within a multi-ethnic context. The primary focus is on unravelling the temporal and spatial stratification of mourning practices adopted by Muslim women in response to the encroachment of Wahhabi influences in Sri Lanka during the early 1980s. Moreover, the research underscores the practice of idda (the widow’s four months and ten days of required mourning) within the context of marriage and gender experiences. It illuminates how these women manoeuvre across areas of subversion, resistance and cultural norms, finally questioning and redefining the peripheries of their lives.

Transnational language teaching activism for intercultural/bilingual education in elementary school settings

Language teaching activism is a political movement for educational transformation where the role of teachers and languages, as a medium of instruction and literacy, are fundamental for equity and social justice. This paper analyzes the reflections from elementary school teachers from Austin (Texas, U.S.) and Oaxaca (Mexico) during a collaborative symposium to exchange transnational classroom pedagogies from February to December 2022. Specifically, it analyzes three topics: (a) curriculum critique, (b) instructional strategies, and (c) the impact of standardized high-stakes assessment. Collaboration between educators in this transnational and multiethnic context fostered critical perspectives toward the curriculum, instructional strategies, status of languages, and the assessment processes. Despite bilingual teachers being in different linguistic, educational, and political contexts, there is a common thread evident in this transnational collaboration where educator strengths inform purpose of a social justice curriculum.

“The World as a Pomegranate”: Intercultural Symbolism of the Fruit of Paradise

The article explores one of the constructive materials, or patterns, of the Armenian text – the image of a pomegranate. Its multicultural genesis is revealed based on Sergei Parajanov’s film “The Color of Pomegranate”. The authors analyze not only the multi-ethnic contexts of the image of a pomegranate but also its different facets: in particular, the role of the image of a pomegranate in liminary situations – rites of passage (using the example of the biography of the artist Alexander Volkov, and the picturesque plots “Pomegranate Teahouse” by A. Volkov and “Rejoicing with a Pomegranate” by Usto Mumin, depicting the painted characters in their liminary stage – the Sufi state of hal, which raises the heroes to the highest level of knowledge). The image of the pomegranate is presented in the reception of the authors of Russian poetic texts: Mikhail Matusovsky, Vasily Nemirovich-Danchenko, Boris Chichibabin, Fazil Iskander, Gevorg Kubatyan, German Getsevich, Amiram Grigorov, Sergei Gevorkyan, as well as in the translations from Omar Khayyám. The semantics of pomegranate is analyzed in the story “Pomegranate” by the Uzbek writer Abdullah Kahhar, as well as in the fragments of other prosaic texts (Dina Rubina, Timur Pulatov) and the film text “The Tree of Desire” by Tengiz Abuladze. The study reveals the Biblical and Koranic meanings of the pomegranate image. The polyphony of meanings of the image of a pomegranate in different cultures, in different types of art, and in different eras comes down to the homogeneity of the pomegranate, existentially revealed by Sergei Parajanov in the formula “the pomegranate is the whole world”.

The convergence of policy, commerce, and identity in the linguistic landscape of an Indian city

ABSTRACT This study investigates the complex interplay between language policy and linguistic landscape (LL) in the city of Vellore, Tamil Nadu, India. It highlights how local governmental policy advocating for Tamil prominence in public signage interfaces with the sociolinguistic realities of the city. Despite the policy directives emphasising Tamil, English retains a dominant role, suggesting an ongoing negotiation between language policy and practical language needs, particularly in the commercial sphere. This scenario suggests the city's response to global realities while preserving regional linguistic diversity. The presence of regional languages such as Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada, Bengali, and Hindi in Vellore's LL also reflects the city's multicultural character. The incorporation of these languages not only points to an inclusive language policy accommodating diverse communities but also contributes to the city's multicultural identity. The differential language use in top-down government-sponsored signs and bottom-up community-driven signs reveals the complexities associated with policy formulation and implementation in multilingual, multiethnic contexts. In conclusion, the study underscores the value of LL analysis as an effective tool for assessing the ground-level impact of language policy, illuminating the power relations among languages, the status of various ethnolinguistic groups, and the effect of commercialisation on language use.

Innovation in Developing Indonesian Language Learning Media Based on Problems to Enhance Critical Thinking Skills of Students in Multi-Ethnic Primary Schools

This research aimed to explore the effectiveness of innovation in developing Indonesian language learning media based on problems to enhance the critical thinking skills of elementary school students in multi-ethnic areas. The research method used was an experiment with a pre-test and post-test design on the same subjects, involving one group of students who use problem-based learning media. This research was conducted in South Jakarta, which has a population of students from diverse ethnic backgrounds. The number of respondents was 27 from various ethnic groups. During the research period, data on critical thinking skills were collected through validated assessment instruments, taking into account the multi-ethnic context. Data analysis indicated that students who used problem-based learning media experienced a significant improvement in their critical thinking skills compared to the control group. This improvement was reflected in students' abilities to analyze information, evaluate arguments, and produce vital and reflective thinking in the context of the diverse Indonesian language.

The Polish Criminal Police, the German Special Court in Lemberg, and the Prosecution of Poles for Giving Refuge to Jews, September 1943 to June 1944

Abstract This source publication contains three categories of documents related to the Nazi German occupation of Poland, specifically the city of Lwów (Lemberg) in District Galicia of the General Government, which have been translated from German to English. The documents were selected for their relevance to ongoing debates and research questions evoked by the “third phase” of the Holocaust characterized by both widespread police searches for Jews and help offered by non-Jews to the fugitives, here set in the multi-ethnic context of Eastern Galicia between September 1943 and June 1944. Documents 1 to 4 are the German laws that formed the legal basis of decrees limiting Jewish residence and sanctioning punishment for their violation. Documents 5 to 7 are verdicts handed down by the Special Court in Lemberg (Sondergericht im Lemberg) on the basis of these decrees, in which the judges imposed the death penalty on the accused for giving refuge to Jews. Documents 8 to 11 are final reports regarding the arrests of Poles and Ukrainians, and the Jews whom they were sheltering, written by members of the Third Commissariat of the Lemberg Polish Criminal Police (PPK), which were sent to their supervisors in the German Criminal Police (Kripo).

Sex and ethnic differences in unrecognized myocardial infarctions: Observations on recognition and preventive therapies from the multiethnic population-based HELIUS cohort

BackgroundEpidemiological studies suggest sex differences in the prevalence and characteristics of unrecognized and recognized myocardial infarction (uMI, rMI). Despite increasingly diverse populations, observations are limited in multiethnic contexts. Gaining better understanding may inform policy makers and healthcare professionals on populations at risk of uMI who could benefit from preventive measures. MethodsWe used baseline data from the multiethnic population-based HELIUS cohort (2011–2015; Amsterdam, the Netherlands). Using logistic regressions, we studied sex differences in the prevalence and proportion of uMIs across ethnic groups. Next, we studied whether symptoms, clinical parameters, and sociocultural factors were associated with uMIs. Finally, we compared secondary preventive therapies in women and men with a uMI or rMI. We relied on pathological Q-waves on a resting electrocardiogram as the electrocardiographic signature for (past) MI. ResultsOverall, and in Turkish and Moroccan subgroups, the prevalence of uMIs was higher in men than women. The proportion of uMIs was similar in women (21.0%) and men (18.4%), yet varied by ethnicity. In women and men, symptoms (chest pain, dyspnea) and clinical parameters (hypertension, hypercholesterolemia), and in women also lower educational level and diabetes were associated with lower odds of uMIs. Women (0.0%) and men (3.6%) with uMI were unlikely to receive secondary preventive therapies compared to those with rMI (28.1–40.9%). ConclusionsThe prevalence of uMIs was higher in men than women, and sex differences in the proportion of uMIs varied somewhat across ethnic groups. People with uMIs did not receive adequate preventative medications, posing a risk for recurrent events.

Youth in Social Science Research in Indonesia (Reflection on Directions and Perspectives in Anthropological Approaches)

This case study was done in an urban environment to investigate intercultural interaction in the multiethnic context of Makassar City. The research aims to understand how intercultural interactions occur in the daily lives of the residents of Makassar, which is a city rich in cultural and ethnic diversity. Data were through direct observation and in-depth interviews. Seven local residents with diverse ethnic backgrounds were selected as informants for the study. Intercultural communication, acceptance and tolerance, cooperation and collaboration, the influence of intercultural interaction, and challenges and barriers are some of the elements studied. According to the results of the study, intercultural communication in Makassar City requires the use of language and special signs to overcome language differences. The majority of Makassar City residents appreciate and accept ethnic diversity. However, there are still problems in overcoming differences in tradition and culture. In various initiatives and activities involving multiethnic communities, there is cooperation and collaboration between ethnicities. The social, cultural, and economic life of Makassar City is greatly enhanced by intercultural interaction. However, there are some challenges faced, such as language differences and cultural stereotypes, which can make inter-ethnic communication and understanding difficult. This study enhances our understanding of cultural interaction in a multiethnic urban environment and offers suggestions for improving inter-ethnic understanding, tolerance, and collaboration in Makassar City.
 Keywords: research, children, anthropological perspective

EMI Strategy: A Misconception in Early Grade

This article discusses on the debatable EMI (English as a Medium of Instruction) issue as there is confusion either English must be taught right from the Nursery or at some later stage. Nepalese classrooms are the product of multilingual, multicultural and bilingual society. Without considering the fact of multilingual and multi-ethnic context, EMI (English as a medium of Instruction) is strictly adopted in schools in early grade. Our school system, including textbooks, instruction, curriculum, teaching practices, is influenced heavily by the dominant English hegemony in early grade. In this context, this paper aims to explore the difficulties and struggles of Nepali language speaking children’s experiences as they find in between the Nepali-speaking home environment and English-speaking school environment at their early grades. To fulfill this objective, the researcher adopted narrative research design under qualitative method incorporating interpretative philosophical guideline. It is based on the unstructured interviews aimed at eliciting personal stories and experiences related to EMI in early grade. Discussing on a narrative analysis, this paper revealed that how the learners are discouraged to what Bourdieu’s term symbolic violence with some examples of how such demotivation is seen in school’s teaching-learning practices. The results further concluded that to address the problematic nature of schooling for such learners in most of the schools in Nepal, this paper highlights the need for socially responsive school policies and pedagogy understanding local context entertaining the linguistic and cultural diversity of students.

Persecuted Minorities and Defensive Cooperation: Contributions to Public Goods by Hindus and Muslims in Delhi

How does intergroup inequality, specifically minority experiences of persecution, affect contributions to local public goods? Based on an original survey experiment and qualitative research in slums in Delhi, we examine how Hindus and Muslims respond to social norms around promoting cooperation on community sanitation. Mainstream theories of development predict greater willingness to contribute to public goods in more homogeneous areas. In contrast to the “diversity-deficit hypothesis,” however, we find that social accountability mechanisms are more effective among Muslims, a group that routinely faces discrimination and violence in India. We propose that this reflects “defensive cooperation,” or a set of coping strategies developed by minorities to navigate a hostile sociopolitical environment. Our findings point to a new mechanism that helps to enforce prosocial norms and, hence, public goods provision in multiethnic contexts.

Caste, religion and the labor force participation of women: evidence from India

This study examines the origins and evolution of labor force participation rate differences between women from different ethnic groups in India. The data comes from the Indian National Sample Survey covering the period from 1983 to 2012. I use parametric and semi-parametric methods to study inter-group participation gaps and find that the caste gap has been narrowing over time, while the religion gap remains high. I find that Muslim women’s concentration in areas of low economic activity is the main driver of their low LFPR. I also test the role of culture in explaining inter-group gaps, using the India Human Development Survey. There has been a general fall in female participation in the labor market globally in recent years. These methods could advantageously be applied to data from other countries to investigate the employment and livelihood opportunities of women in other multi-ethnic contexts and regions.

Sexuality education: (re)producing ethnic boundaries in the school-migrant parents relationship

ABSTRACT In recognising sexuality education as a socially divisive topic in Canada and other national contexts, this article addresses the issues encountered at the elementary level in a multi-ethnic context regarding the implementation of the 2018 Quebec’s sexuality education program, through the lens of the ethnic boundaries framework. The findings come from the analysis of virtual asynchronous written focus groups conducted with migrant parents and elementary school SE educators in Montreal. The analysis highlights the (re)production of an ethnic boundary between the school and migrant parents and its impact on actors’ experience of SE in school. The discussion points out avenues for improving the SE pedagogy among other things, in terms of culturally responsible pedagogy and to recognise the legitimacy of migrant parents as partners of the school.

The Epuyén Outbreak of Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome, Argentina, 2018–2019

Abstract In the context of an emerging zoonotic disease, sources of knowledge are multidisciplinary. Considering this requires not only a medical approach but also the study of the Andean hantavirus clade, its animal host, Oligoryzomys longicaudatus , and the environmental conditions that favour its spread before infecting humans. Also, thanks to a multi-cultural and multi-ethnic context, the containment of this outbreak was achieved through selective respiratory isolation and the cooperation of the local actors involved. Following a transdisciplinary approach, an actor-oriented analysis and their interaction provide a better understanding of the process that led to this successful containment. It also gives important clues for the control of zoonotic outbreaks, with human-to-human transmission. Information © The Author 2023

Civilization Perilous: Resituating Coetzee's Barbarians and the West

Abstract: J.M. Coetzee's novel, Waiting for the Barbarians , has long been regarded as a political fable that takes place in an abstract, delocalized world. Source material in the Coetzee archive has revealed, however, that far from featuring a completely invented place, Barbarians is in fact set in the very real and recognizable terrain of Xinjiang, the Westernmost province of China. Relocating the novel into Xinjiang's multi-ethnic context has considerable implications for the way we are to understand Coetzee's positioning of civilized and barbarian peoples. It enables us to see how racialization is used to stabilize the abstract concepts of civilization and barbarism, moving beyond the black-white binary of South African apartheid. Perhaps most importantly, it draws attention to the racialized assumptions that readers themselves bring to the text and highlights the tenuous basis on which civilization constructs itself.

General Music Education in a Multi-Ethnic Context, on the Example of State-Run Schools in Poland between the World Wars

Abstract The paper concerns the presence and ideological identity-building function of Polish folk music in Polish state-run schools between the World Wars, and the experiences of Jewish children and teenagers in this regard. The young Polish state brought together populations from the former three partitioned territories, which included numerous national minorities. The need for bond-forming, powerfully symbolic elements supporting a collectively developed national identity was soon strongly felt. Polish folk music, with particular emphasis on its regional varieties, perfectly fitted into the ideological current of patriotic and civic youth education in both state-run and private schools. Dances and songs which children learned at music and PE lessons familiarised them with the wealth of traditions, imbuing them with pride and the love of national culture. The paper quotes examples of young Jews’ experiences in this context, as they encountered Polish folksongs and dances in state-run schools: their responses to this issue and the impact of such contacts on their identities. The source material comes from pre-WWII press, in which we hear the voices of the children themselves, reporting their experiences.

The teaching of English in multi-intercultural contexts in Ecuador with the support of technology

The purpose of this article is to analyze a communicative didactic method and its methodological procedures to guide English teachers on the teaching of this language using the multi-intercultural approach with Ecuadorian students in language schools. A bibliographic study was developed. Analysis-synthesis and hermeneutic methods were used to evaluate the sources and highlight the most important aspects of teaching English in multi-ethnic contexts and make valuable interpretations around this process. A descriptive case study with a qualitative approach was developed using the observation technique and pedagogical tests. The results show that the students were able to practice oral and written aspects of the English language, being more aware of their traditions and customs, origins and cultural diversity with the support of technology. The methodological procedures and strategies applied improved the teaching-learning process of English and attention to multi-intercultural diversity in a language academy in Ecuador.

Stronger brain activation for own baby but similar activation toward babies of own and different ethnicities in parents living in a multicultural environment

Specific facial features in infants automatically elicit attention, affection, and nurturing behaviour of adults, known as the baby schema effect. There is also an innate tendency to categorize people into in-group and out-group members based on salient features such as ethnicity. Societies are becoming increasingly multi-cultural and multi-ethnic, and there are limited investigations into the underlying neural mechanism of the baby schema effect in a multi-ethnic context. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was used to examine parents’ (N = 27) neural responses to (a) non-own ethnic in-group and out-group infants, (b) non-own in-group and own infants, and (c) non-own out-group and own infants. Parents showed similar brain activations, regardless of ethnicity and kinship, in regions associated with attention, reward processing, empathy, memory, goal-directed action planning, and social cognition. The same regions were activated to a higher degree when viewing the parents’ own infant. These findings contribute further understanding to the dynamics of baby schema effect in an increasingly interconnected social world.