Reinforcement Of Identity Research Articles

Construction of the Blackademic: An arts-based tale of identity in and through academia

Abstract The act of making a doctoral gown is a response and metaphor to describe the construction, reinforcement and intersections of racial and academic identity within a probationary period of employment in academia known as tenure-track. A collective arts-based autoethnographic project inspired my garment-making to examine three salient racializing moments during my transition from a Ph.D. programme and into the first four years of a tenure-track position. I use concepts of garment construction – marking, pinning, measuring, pressing and stitching – as aesthetic interludes to illuminate and organize moments of intersubjective dialogue, which ultimately lead to an ascribed racialized academic identification. The construction of a Blackademic identity emerges, inspiring the creation of academic regalia. This arts-based project describes a hypervisibility of racial experience within academic spaces and acts as a visual representation of systemic and intersectional factors, which have guided my movements in academia.

Jedność europejska: wizje i sposoby urzeczywistniania integracji

The idea of European unity is a political challenge that has been addressed in various forms since the states started forming in the vicinities of the Rhine, Danube and Elbe. In the course of history European integration has evolved to face the challenges of a) merging, crossing and diffusion of cultural patterns represented by different local, regional and supra-regional communities; b) the submission or conquests of regions by empires and imposing defined patterns of cultural life on them; c) the reinforcement of the continental identity vis à vis other civilizations, in particular Asiatic ones; d) the guarantee of safety for states and nations as well as the promotion of the ideas of liberty, the rule of law, self-governance and democracy. In creating the spiritual unity of Europe, the repertoire of values developed by the cultural life of ancient Greece and Rome, as well as Judeo-Christian communities, is commonly referred to. European identity is characterized by a division into cultural and political identification. The idea of European unity is both an intellectual, and a theoretical-doctrinal concept, oriented at the broadest range of cultural and civilizational integration of the continent, as well as a concrete political and economic undertaking. At present, particular significance is attached to the attitude of public opinion when implementing it. The Union’s integration is an aspect of numerous implementation projects which depends on the support and legitimization of public opinion.

Advancing the Practice of CRCs: Why Professional Development Matters.

Clinical research coordinators (CRCs) assume critical responsibilities central to the success of the research team. The complexity of their role requires essential professional qualifications. One barrier to professionalization, however, has been the inconsistent, or absent, competency-based training. This study explored participants' perceptions of training experiences designed to prepare them for the national certification exam. Focus group methodology was used to document their experiences. The findings showed that sustainable mentoring relationships developed, participant confidence levels increased, and anxiety about performance capacity diminished. Cognitive reframing of the work environment and CRC roles was facilitated by training that fostered sharing and social reinforcement of professional and personal identities. Findings from this study suggest that access to meaningful training and quality instruction supports the professionalization of CRCs.

Urban Heritage in the Arabian Peninsula, the Experiences of Jeddah and Dubai

Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates feature ultra-modern cities with millions of residents that developed in opposition to the physical patterns of traditional historical settlements. In the past years, however, there has been a renewed attention to urban heritage and two metropolises, Jeddah and Dubai, have decided to aim for World Heritage status and to leverage historic city centres as engines of economic development and tools for the reinforcement of national identity. In Dubai, the conservation and reconstruction of historic neighbourhoods gives residents an urban historic depth previously unrecognised, favouring the integration of different ethnic communities while contributing to the tourist development of the Emirate. In Jeddah, the preservation and revitalisation of the historic centre is part of a larger strategy focusing on the reinforcement of the private sector to trigger new urban dynamics building upon its rich heritage. Recent strategies and plans are briefly discussed, underlining the specificities of the Arabian Peninsula context and its complex and evolving relationship with history and heritage. It is argued that the nominations for inscription on the UNESCO World Heritage List have been a catalyser for the definition of new planning and conservation policies integrating urban heritage into urban development strategies.

The end of pan-Arab media? National, transnational media and identity in Morocco, Tunisia and Jordan after 2011

The article explores the relation between identity definition and trust in different information sources in Morocco, Jordan and Tunisia following the 2011 Uprisings. While prior to 2011 literature mostly highlighted the role of pan-Arab news channels in consolidating a transnational Arab public sphere, recent studies argued that there has been a reinforcement of national media and identities in the Middle East and North Africa, as a consequence of a partial liberalisation of national broadcasting. Our study is based on the Arab Transformations survey (2014), which unlike previous surveys included questions covering both media consumption and identity definition. We looked at how in the three countries the choice of Muslim, Arab or national identity definition was associated with the preference for distinct sources of political news. The results only partially confirmed the hypothesis of a renewed importance of national media and showed that in the three countries people tended to attribute very different values to the same news sources.

Politics of belonging and the Eritrean diaspora youth: Generational transmission of the decisive past

This article addresses the generational transmission of the decisive Eritrean past and illustrates its influence on the reinforcement and maintenance of Eritrean identity and sense of belonging to Eritrea on young Eritreans grown up in the diaspora. It argues that the transmission and preservation of narratives and knowledge about the decisive Eritrean past makes the Eritrean history a “chosen trauma”, which constitutes an important aspect of the formation of a collective identity. Thereby, the article focuses on two particular modes of transmissions: first, within families from parents to children and second, by the international conferences of the YPFDJ, the exile youth branch of the country’s ruling People’s Front for Democracy and Justice PFDJ. The generational transmission of a decisive past helps to understand the formation of identity and belonging of second-generation Eritreans and further contributes to the broader debate on post-migrant generations constituting belonging in a transnational field.

La cultura como camino de afirmación, coesión y desarrollo de las geografias de la interioridad en Portugal

This article deals with the question of interiority in Portugal, characterizing one geography that represents almost 2/3 of the country and where only 20% of the population is concentrated. This is a sign of desertification that have resulted from a process of abandonment, isolation, economic disruption and lack of territorial cohesion that have lasted for decades. A new strategy now aims to mobilize public and private actors and stimulate citizenship for one rescue of memory as well to promote the reinforcement of identity and hope in the future. Among other instruments in articulation in the terrain are expected results of one bet in the culture as a way of affirmation, cohesion and development of the interior territory of Portugal.

Sing, eat, pray: transmission of tradition in Lemba communities in Southern Africa

ABSTRACTMost Lemba traditions and customs are transmitted by means of songs, chants, recitations, praises, proverbs, and prayers, in addition to written documents. Songs, recitations, and certain prayers could be described as poems or set speech; they form part of everyday language and are memorised. Others are sung, chanted, or prayed only on special occasions, such as the ritual slaughter of animals or during circumcision rites. The way the Lemba sing, eat, and pray expresses their unity and their conscious transferal and reinforcement of cultural and religious identity. It also reflects their understanding of their origin and the belief that their religious-cultural practices (embedded in an African culture) have been handed down to them from their Hebrew ancestors.

Buy memes low, sell memes high: vernacular criticism and collective negotiations of value on Reddit’s MemeEconomy

ABSTRACTWhile existing scholarship has focused on distilling the attributes of successful memes and the dynamics of their propagation in online spaces, there is a lack of research on the vernacular criticism of memes beyond quantitative markers of popularity. By examining the MemeEconomy community on Reddit, where ‘meme traders’ appropriate stock market terminology to discuss and appraise memes, this article aims to understand how this particular subculture of self-proclaimed meme insiders assigns value to viral media. Our findings point to the salience of four key features that are seen to determine a meme’s value: its positioning in relation to the mainstream, its versatility and expansion potential, its topicality or cultural relevance, and its perceived quality. We discuss implications for the formation and reinforcement of subcultural identities around memes, and theorize the role of vernacular criticism as fulfilling significant social functions in online communities.

‘We are… we are everything’: the politics of recognition and misrecognition at immigration museums

Qualitative interviews were undertaken with visitors at five museums that display the histories and experiences of immigration in the United States and Australia. This paper outlines the range of embodied performative practices of meaning making that visitors undertook during their visits and the meanings and political values that they created or reaffirmed in doing so. The key performance at these museums were the affirmation and reinforcement of familial, ethnic and national identities in which individuals explored the tensions between migrant identity and the nationalizing narratives of the resident nation. The performance of reinforcement could also be used to justify both politically progressive and conservative narratives of inclusion and exclusion. Building on performances of reinforcement some visitors also engaged in acts of justification, recognition and misrecognition. In illustrating and mapping out the range of banal and complex ways these museums were used by visitors, the paper argues that museums may be more usefully understood as arenas of justification rather than resources for public education.

Boticas e o “Vinho dos Mortos”: reforçar a identidade cultural do território na experiência de enoturismo

Propósito justificado do tema: O território de Boticas (Norte Portugal), embora de baixa densidade populacional é visto como um espaço de valorização do património cultural, ao integrar de forma harmoniosa o seu ecossistema de enoturismo através de várias dinâmicas potenciadoras dos recursos endógenos, resultando num reforço da identidade e singularidade culturais. Objetivo: O objectivo deste trabalho é mostrar o “vinho dos mortos” como uma tradição vitivinícola peculiar e um símbolo da astúcia e sobrevivência do povo de Boticas, tendo surgido no período da 2ª Invasão Francesa (1808). O seu nome resultou do facto do vinho ter sido enterrado no chão das adegas, no saibro, debaixo das pipas e dos lagares para salvaguardar o património do saque dos soldados franceses. Design/Metodologia e abordagem: No estudo foram utilizadas duas metodologias qualitativas: MatrizPCI (Matriz Património Cultural Imaterial) para inventariação dos recursos endógenos, seguindo as orientações da UNESCO quanto à “Salvaguarda de Património Cultural” e o modelo dos 6 A’s de Buhalis para o reconhecimento dos atributos do destino turístico e sustentar a propostas de criação de valor na experiência de Enoturismo. Resultados: Os resultados mostram Boticas como um espaço geográfico multifuncional onde as suas características/atributos endógenos asseguram um posicionamento privilegiado e competitivo no quadro do turismo de vinho. Originalidade do documento: Este trabalho é original quanto ao tema e enquadramento.

The Faces of the Enemy: The Representation of the ‘Other’ in the Media Discourse of the Falklands War Anniversary

The year 2012 marked the thirtieth anniversary of the Falklands War, amidst a revival of public discussion of the conflict due to the Argentine demand that the issue of sovereignty be reconsidered. This article will explore how the figure of the ‘enemy’ was constructed by the British newspaper discourse around the anniversary of the war by offering an analysis of language and press imagery in a selection of tabloid and quality British national newspapers from 2012. The article argues that the British press made little effort to show Argentina's position. The Falklands War of 1982 continued to be justified and validated as a just war by the British press in 2012, supporting official positions and presenting a negative image of the Argentinian enemy ‘other’. This brought about a reinvention and reinforcement of British national identities in connection with the war, 30 years after its conclusion.

City boosterism and place-making with light rail transit: A critical review of light rail impacts on city image and quality

As an agent in the production of place, transport plays a key role in shaping cities and their wider urban regions. Light rail transit can contribute to city boosterism - helping to enhance a city’s image and quality towards broader development agendas such as economic growth and creation of sustainable and liveable cities. This paper examines the place-making role of light rail (supertrams, light metros and streetcars) through analysis of its material and meaningful impacts in relation to boosting city image and quality. It provides a critical synthesis of empirical ex-post evidence from a literature review of published and unpublished sources on wider economic impacts of light rail. Impacts include a modern image, reinforcement of cultural identity, prestige, social inclusion/exclusion, environmental quality, and physical transformations such as pedestrianisation and ‘greening’ the city. More positive impacts than negative impacts were found, though these vary with geographical location and over time. Some cities deliberately seek to maximise impacts through integrated transport and urban planning strategies. The paper complements existing cultural approaches to transport geography to shed light on the relationship between transit development and city boosterism. The paper makes recommendations for future research.

A digital key to understanding the landscape

This essay deals with the relationship between the laser scanner survey, the digital modelling techniques and the forms of architectural representation applied to the analysis and the project. Carried out in an archaeological site a few kilometers north of Trento, the central theme of the research is the elaboration of images that are both the result of scientific processes of knowledge and awareness‒raising tool, preservation and enhancement of the building and the entire territory: images that look to cultural tourism as to the reinforcement of local identity. The goal is twofold: the virtual reconstruction of the past, when the artefacts and their functions were more clearly recognizable; and the study of a lighting project that will involve architecture in environment even in the dark of night.

Las Suscripciones Patrióticas en Galicia

El objetivo principal de este artículo es analizar las características que presenta en Galicia el fenómeno de las Suscripciones Patrióticas. El amplio catálogo de fuentes utilizado permite resaltar su importancia para la financiación de la guerra y su naturaleza esencialmente coactiva. Se destacan, asimismo, sus relaciones con el proceso de institucionalización del régimen en el ámbito local, el carácter interclasista y transversal de los sectores sociales implicados y su papel en el proceso de construcción simbólica del régimen y en el reforzamiento de las identidades colectivas de la población afecta.

Hurry up and ‘like’ me: immediate feedback on social networking sites and the impact on adolescent girls

ABSTRACTAt an age identified as the period with the most intense focus on appearance, and where young girls are establishing their identity, it appears that social networking site (SNS) interactions are playing a pivotal role in determining what is, and what is not, socially endorsed. This paper draws on data obtained during five separate focus group interviews with a total of 28 middle school aged girls from three South Australian schools. Results indicated that feedback from other SNS users was central in the construction of identity and had an impact on self-esteem. It was found that immediate feedback was highly desired in response to images and comments posted on SNSs. It was also found that the immediacy of the feedback directly influenced the emotional state of the study participants. Understanding the impact of SNS communication, specifically pertaining to feedback, can be directly linked to the Australian Curriculum Health and Physical Education key ideas. Furthermore it is relevant to educative practices where schools are sites for technological advancements and positive reinforcement of identity and appearance.

Becoming a nurse as a moral journey: A constructivist grounded theory.

Nursing students, during their study, experience significant changes on their journey to become nurses. A major change that they experience is the development of their moral competency. The purpose of this study is to explore the process of moral development in Iranian nursing students. A constructivist grounded theory method was adopted. Twenty-five in-depth, semi-structured, face-to-face intensive interviews with 22 participants were conducted from September 2013 to October 2014. All interviews were audio-taped, transcribed, and analyzed using writing memos and the constant comparative method. Participants and research context: The setting was three major nursing schools within Tehran, the capital of Iran. Nineteen nursing students and three lecturers participated in the study. Ethical considerations: The study was approved by the Tehran University of Medical Sciences Committee for Medical Research Ethics (92/D/130/1781). It was explained to all participants that their responses would be treated with confidentiality and that they would not be identified in any way in the research and any publication ensuing from the research. All participants agreed to be interviewed and signed written consent forms agreeing to the recording and analyses of the interview data gathered. Findings indicated three levels of moral development along with the formation of professional identity. The three levels of moral development, getting to know the identity of nursing (moral transition), accepting nursing identity (moral reconstruction), and professional identity internalization (professional morality), were connected to the levels of professional identity formation. The proposed model added a new insight to professionalism in nursing. From the findings, it was concluded that to enhance higher moral practice, nursing instructors should promote the professional identity of nursing students. Reinforcement of moral characteristics and professional identity within registered nurses occurs over a series of phases and, once fully integrated into the identity of nursing students, the moral characteristics that they acquire become part of their both professional and personal identities.

Understanding cycle tourism experiences at the Tour Down Under

ABSTRACTSport tourism experiences are subjective and emotional, laden with symbolic meaning. This study explores the experiences of participants who adopted the multiple roles of both an active participant and event spectator, within the parameters of one chosen sporting event. A professional cycling race event, the Tour Down Under in South Australia was chosen for this investigation, and 20 face-to-face individual interviews were conducted with cycle tourists. The three main themes emerging from the data were the interaction of people and temporary spaces on a sport tourism ‘stage’; the co-creation of authentic personal experiences and meanings; and identity reinforcement and the development of a sense of belonging. Consequently, a model for understanding sport event tourism experiences is proposed. The findings suggest that providing tourists with authentic and memorable experiences lies at the heart of what constitutes sport tourism. Whilst the results demonstrate that cycling events provide the individual with a sense of belonging or membership to a wider social group, they also illustrate that there is a continued need for more focused and nuanced approaches towards understanding sport tourism experiences that reflect the ever-increasing diversity and complexity of the interaction between sport, events and tourism.

Thematisation of space as a local development factor. Case study of Sierakowo Sławieńskie and Masłomęcz

From the perspective of cultural transformations in rural areas within the last 30 years, the core process is the empowerment of local communities and thus reinforcement of social and territorial identity. The aim of the article is to identify good practices applied in the process of positive changes in selected villages as a result of mobilisation and coordination of own resources and energy, creativity and hard work of people, supported by various external incentives. Adjustment to the “place” in the process of thematisation of space results from cooperation of the local community with its nearest environment, which consists in analysing and interpreting the existing conditions with regard to the planned changes. Then, the specific assets of the environment were identified to develop further local stories, related to the original motif. Those original concepts constitute an extraordinary act of creation of the place and its adjustment to the needs of the local community and visitors. In both cases, the identification and use of specific resources was of key importance, combined with important external incentives in the form of first process creators (experts) and then possibilities of financing the entire initiative (e.g. EU funds).

We Are All Ballooning: Multimedia Critical Discourse Analysis of ‘Measure Up’ and ‘Swap It, Don’t Stop It’ Social Marketing Campaigns

We Are All Ballooning: Multimedia Critical Discourse Analysis of ‘Measure Up’ and ‘Swap It, Don’t Stop It’ Social Marketing Campaigns