Socio-cultural Milieu Research Articles

Essays in Narrative and Fictionality: Reassessing Nine Central Concepts

Essays in Narrative and Fictionality: Reassessing Nine Central Concepts

A Translation and Literary Analysis of Adebayo Faleti’s Poem: Ojo Ilayefun”

The concept of friendship in the Yorùbá cultural milieu is very germane to their communal life. Suffice to say that there seems to be no human being without, at least, a friend, the major issue usually is how well-grounded such friendship is, especially in times of need. Friendship development among the Yorùbá usually begins during the formative years via social interaction. However, sustaining such friendship through inter-personal relationship, which requires great sacrifices, is the most difficult aspect of it. This essay examines the Yorùbá concept of a mutual acquaintance, as depicted in one of Faleti’s poems titled “Ọjọ Ìláyẹfún.” The essay employs the hermeneutics model to undertake a literary analysis of the poem, which serves as the primary data for the study. By analyzing the representational meanings that are attributed to the concept of friend (òré in Yorùbá, the study shows that the term friendship has many metaphorical meanings in the traditional Yoruba worldview. The study also foregrounds the cultural, metaphorical, and metaphysical meanings of the Yoruba concept of mental imbalance (wèrè) beyond the conventional meaning or common knowledge about it in the Yorùbá socio-cultural milieu. The essay concludes that the Yoruba indigenous system, through several notions and metaphorical expressions about mental malady socially stigmatizes people suffering from such ailment. Mental pictures/images of incurability being rammed the native sub-consciousness, orthodox medicine has proved that it could be managed, suggesting that a lunatic could eventually be reformed, rehabilitated, and re-absorbed into the functionality of society.

The Materialisation of “torrential languages” within the Avant-Garde: Mina Loy, James Joyce, and Aesthetic Modernism

Abstract Modernist literature was obsessed with a metaphysical problem regarding the word. A series of formal and material experiments started to address the word’s self-referentiality and aesthetic autonomy, against the backdrop of a new sociocultural milieu in the early twentieth century. To discover how this materialisation of language explored the interplay of literary and artistic modernisms, this paper will critically scrutinise Mina Loy’s and James Joyce’s radical reforms of writing and try to answer the following questions: how did Loy’s multifarious artisthood and poem-writing exchange, interact with, and reinforce each other? As both were closely associated with avant-garde art movements between Europe and America, how did Joyce influence Loy’s refashioning of “torrential languages” (LoLB 88) as a creative model of linguistic experimentation? How did their visual aesthetics and experimental poetics help to declare the independence of language and the shape of aesthetic modernism in a new historical epoch?

Pygmalion in Paris

ABSTRACT Pygmalion opened in London in 1914 but took almost a decade to reach Paris, where it premiered in 1923. During that interim, Shaw and his French translator Augustin Hamon exchanged countless cross-Channel letters and debated how to translate the play and adapt it to a foreign sociocultural milieu. “Pygmalion has never failed,” Shaw boasted to him in 1919. Yet despite their combined efforts at fine-tuning the play to suit the French temperament, it did. While Hamon blamed the Théâtre des Arts manager and what he called a “cabal” of French critics, Shaw blamed Pauline Pax (Eliza), the “tomfoolery and vulgarity” of the production (photos of which he found “appalling”), and “the cretinous imbecile who produced the play.” “If theatrical people persist in regarding the play as a love affair between Higgins and Eliza,” he told Hamon, “they deserve all they get in the way of failure.”

Creative hubs in Hanoi, Vietnam: Transgressive spaces in a socialist state?

Vietnam's capital city has recently witnessed the emergence of a new type of cultural space akin to what have been labelled creative hubs in other contexts: that is, locales that foster creation, collaboration, community engagement and business development in the cultural sector. During the 2010s, Hanoi saw a proliferation of small-scale, art-oriented creative hubs, most of them community-led and developed without state funding. In a context marked by a government historically wary of contemporary and experimental arts, these spaces face various forms of state control ranging from the censorship of events, to stiff fines or even closure. Despite these barriers, creative hubs have become important sites for the gathering and formation of Hanoi's contemporary arts scene and countercultures. Based on over 80 interviews conducted in 2019, this paper investigates the motives behind the rise of these spaces in Hanoi and the political engagement techniques their founders, operators and users employ to remain in operation. Drawing on the notion of 'informal life politics', we argue that creative hubs seek to provide spaces of (partial) autonomy from governmentality in Hanoi. We further find that artists, intellectuals and other creative individuals use these spaces to challenge state controls. They do so not by lobbying formal institutions for policy changes, but instead by enacting the more open and free socio-cultural milieu they seek, from the bottom up.

Image War: Interview with Marie-José Mondzain

In this interview, Marie-José Mondzain, prominent French philosopher, historian, and cultural critic, discusses some of the key concepts in critical visual studies central to her work. In her typical keen, learned fashion, Mondzain demonstrates the unbreakable relationships among image, desire, subjectivity, collective identity, and the broader sociocultural milieu, in which image making and unmaking work in situ to constitute our political realities and the conflicts therein. Never a mere visual object, an image, as Mondzain shows, is as dynamic an element in the display of power as all the acts of negotiations and struggles that make up what is called politics. In plain but lively language and peppered with ticking examples, Mondzain’s replies to the interviewer provide a helpful introduction to her work on culture, theory, criticism, and politics over more than forty years.

The Impact of Socio-Cultural Factors on the Transformation of House Layout: A Case of Public Housing - Zebdeh-Farkouh, in Jordan

House is a socio-cultural milieu that is strongly connected to its residents’ lifestyles; thus, any change in their way of living could be reflected in its layout. This research aimed to highlight the impact of socio-cultural factors on the internal layout of public housing residences, especially with the absence of a clear policy that defines the framework of their flexibility or the scope of transformation. In order to develop a comprehensive understanding of this relation, six variables were addressed: social role, social network, hospitality, gender segregation, safety, and privacy. The researchers adopted a mixed-method approach involving a questionnaire survey of 202 residents and 35 face-to-face interviews along with documentation of transformed layouts. The results showed that gender segregation, privacy, social network, and safety are significant socio-cultural factors affecting internal layout transformations. The findings underline the need for a public housing policy incorporating design guidelines which suit a wide range of residents to enhance the adaptability of future projects and, consequently, promote residents’ satisfaction.

Metamorphosis of the English Language

The English language, as a dynamic and ever-evolving entity, has undergone a profound transformation over the last two decades. The study delves into the intricate web of factors that have contributed to the metamorphosis of English, tracing its evolution from the late 20th century into the 21st century. Through meticulous research and analysis, we explore the pivotal role of technology, globalization, and cultural shifts in reshaping English vocabulary, syntax, and communication norms. Additionally, we scrutinize the impact of social media, digital communication platforms, and the emergence of new dialects on the contemporary linguistic landscape. The study also investigates the consequences of these changes on language acquisition, teaching, and preservation. The study offers insights into the challenges and opportunities posed by the evolving English language, emphasizing its adaptability and resilience in an interconnected world. By examining linguistic phenomena such as neologisms, code-switching, and the influence of popular culture, we aim to provide a comprehensive understanding of how English has not only adapted to but also shaped the sociocultural milieu of the 21st century. "Metamorphosis of the English Language" serves as a scholarly exploration of a language in flux, shedding light on the intricacies of its transformation and the implications for communication, education, and cultural identity. The study invites readers to embark on a journey through the evolving linguistic landscape of English, fostering a deeper appreciation for the vitality and diversity of this global language.

The Moderating Role of Context: Relationships between Individual Behaviors and Social Networks

ABSTRACT A social context can be viewed as an entity or unit around which a group of individuals organize their activities and interactions. Social contexts take such diverse forms as families, dwelling places, neighborhoods, classrooms, schools, workplaces, voluntary organizations, and sociocultural events or milieus. Understanding social contexts is essential for the study of individual behaviors, social networks, and the relationships between the two. Contexts shape individual behaviors by providing an avenue for non-dyadic conformity and socialization processes. The co-participation within a context affects personal relationships by acting as a focus for tie formation. Where participation in particular contexts confers status, this effect may also lead to differences in popularity within interpersonal networks. Social contexts may further play a moderating role in within-network influence and selection processes, providing circumstances that either amplify or suppress these effects. In this paper we investigate the joint role of co-participation via social contexts and dyadic interaction in shaping and being shaped by individual behaviors with the context of a U.S. high school. Implications for future study of social contexts are suggested.

IDENTITY AND SELF-REALISATION: A STUDY OF WOMEN CHARACTER IN SELECT PROSE OF RABINDRANATH TAGORE

The paper basically highlights character of women in proses of Rabindranath Tagore. Tagore’s female characters are steadfast and headstrong in their own ways. Some of them have challenged the ways of the world, while others have held onto their ground strong and steady without ever compromising their honour and dignity. The thematic concerns of the short stories discussed here reflect Tagore’s ideas regarding his immediate socio-cultural milieu. Needless to say, Tagore’s personal association with them has profoundly impacted the way in which he has sketched the women characters in the short stories. True to the spirit of the age in which the stories have been written or are set, his women characters too tread on a forward journey towards finding their selves and identities by shedding off the shrouds of depreciation and disgrace.

Exploring Communication Patterns Among Adolescents Engaged in Self-Harm: A Social Penetration Approach in Pekanbaru City

This research delves into the complex interplay between communication patterns and self-harm among adolescents in Pekanbaru City, employing a Social Penetration Approach as its theoretical framework. The study unfolds layers of insight by exploring how adolescents navigate the challenges of self-harm through communication, both online and offline, within the unique socio-cultural context of Pekanbaru City. A mixed-methods approach, encompassing in-depth interviews and surveys, was employed to capture the diverse facets of communication dynamics. Participants included adolescents engaging in self-harm, providing a rich tapestry of narratives that elucidate the role of communication in their experiences. The research reveals that communication serves as a multifaceted coping mechanism, offering both solace and challenges. Trust within offline relationships is identified as a catalyst for open communication, highlighting the pivotal role of familial and peer dynamics. Importantly, the severity of self-harm behaviors correlates with the preference for online communication, emphasizing the nuanced interplay between the digital realm and mental health. Drawing from the findings, recommendations are proposed for practitioners, policymakers, and educators. Culturally tailored mental health interventions, digital literacy programs, and the integration of mental health education in schools are advocated. Strengthening family support structures and peer-led initiatives within educational settings emerge as crucial strategies, while collaborative community-based approaches are underscored for a holistic impact. In conclusion, this research contributes a nuanced understanding of communication patterns among adolescents engaged in self-harm in Pekanbaru City. The implications for intervention and the identified avenues for future research set the stage for a holistic approach, emphasizing resilience, cultural sensitivity, and community collaboration in addressing the challenges faced by adolescents navigating self-harm in this unique socio-cultural milieu

Encountering the Age of Civility: The Late Ottoman Etiquette Literature (1890–1918)

ABSTRACT This article explores the rise of etiquette books in late Ottoman world as a genre and analyses the emergence of this literature in late nineteenth century as the response of Ottomans to the age of civility in etiquette and lifestyle. It discusses the attitudes and approaches of the Ottoman authors in composing etiquette book, creating content and defining the etiquette by addressing the particular conditions of the late Ottoman socio-cultural milieu. By studying etiquette books as a genre representing the realms of aspirations, ideals and visions, this article reveals insights into how Ottoman authors defined the Ottoman etiquette under the increasing impact of European lifestyle and how they confronted, negotiated and coped with the predicaments of alla franca.

FACTORS INFLUENCING DIGITAL PROBLEM-SOLVING SKILLS AMONG B40 CHILDREN LIVING AT THE PUSAT PERUMAHAN RAKYAT (PPR)

In Malaysia, the B40 indicates the percentage of the country's lowest-income population, sometimes known as the "Bottom 40 percent." While the Malaysian government is doing everything it can to integrate the B40s in all of its policies, one of the most difficult challenges it faces is ensuring that the B40s are up to date with the present needs of information and communication technologies. More particular, poverty frequently deprives children of positive and useful digital media experiences and skills, as well as other opportunities. These children typically do not have access to digital media and are therefore unable to fully appreciate the possibilities offered by digital technologies. This study aims to investigate the current level of digital literacy among children living in Pusat Perumahan Rakyat (PPR), a segment of the B40 group that includes children from three PPRs in the Klang Valley area. A phone survey was conducted among 308 children from three PPRs in the Klang Valley area. The Digcomp framework for digital competency was used in this study to assess the children's digital skills, with a particular emphasis on the digital problem-solving skill. Based on their informational and operational abilities, safety and security skills, communication skills, and digital participation, as well as problem-solving skills, the children were deemed to be of moderate competence. They, on the other hand, are lacking in terms of content creation and innovation. The researchers discovered that the children's problem-solving skills are significantly influenced by their other digital-literacy skills, according to the findings. The study closes by recommending the development of more inclusive digital literacy programs that are attentive to the socio-cultural milieu in which Malaysian children are raised.

Depiction of the Hegemonic Internalization of Socio-Cultural Biases: A Study of Sharankumar Limbale’s The Outcaste

Sharankumar Limbale (1956 b.) is a Marathi author who is primarily known for his autobiography Akkarmashi (1984) originally published in Marathi. Having been translated into several Indian languages, the English translation of the autobiography by Santosh Bhoomkar got published by Oxford University Press in 2003. This paper aims at the portrayal of the abject poverty, utter helplessness, and biases prevalent in the socio-cultural milieus while offering contemplation to the practices of untouchability or discrimination based on caste, like how the minds of the people in a particular culture or society are trained to internalize the particular behavioural patterns of the dominating class of society. The paper also analyzes the ironic attitude of the men of upper-caste like how do they wish to cherish the physical charm of the beautiful women of the outcastes secretly, whereas socially they seek complete dissociation from them. Everything leads to the ostracization of the outcastes overtly and the outcastes stop reacting to the discriminatory patterns of behaviour, thus, their indifference to these becomes their habit turning them senseless.

Superheroines, their costumes and patriarchal representations:a case study of three Indian comic book ‘superheroines’

ABSTRACT The study of Indian comic book superheroines holds tremendous potential for analysing issues of gender, colour and other social processes in the Indian socio-cultural milieu. Among Indian vernacular comics, Shakti, Visarpi and Chandika are three popular women characters, each possessing a unique socio-cultural representation. While Chandika and Visarpi are supporting characters in popular male superhero comics, Shakti has her own independent identity. This paper relates the socio-cultural positioning of these characters to their costumes and analyses the importance of costumes in the construction of any superhuman character in comics. In doing so, the paper critically analyses the costumes of the characters mentioned above. Chandika, socially placed within a traditional Hindu family, dresses up in a purple costume and a mask, which covers her almost completely. Visarpi and Shakti’s costumes, on the other hand, leave a significant portion of their bodies uncovered, while still conforming to traditional aesthetic values. Taking these superheroines as subjects of study and locating them within broader pop-culture and comics studies, the paper comparatively analyses the costumes and socio-cultural location of these Indian superheroines and their western counterparts, and argues that costumes further the reiteration of the patriarchal ideas of dependency, social status, morality and femininity.

Not only a muse: María Luisa Elío’s creative network during her exile in Mexico

ABSTRACT Scholars have mainly studied the work of María Luisa Elío (Pamplona, 1926 – Mexico City, 2009) by examining the influence exile had on her writing. But her fruitful cultural life outside of her own writing has been overshadowed. In order to fill this research gap, the present article focuses on the impact that Elío has had on various forms of cultural production, including novels, short stories, poetry and a film. It gauges her sociocultural resonance through an analysis of her private relational sphere and the public influence she had on the cultural production of those surrounding her, for she was not only a muse but a crucial member of a transnational community. This article first discusses network theory. Second, it presents Elío’s work as a case study to reevaluate the experiences of exile through an interconnected analytical framework. It examines the ways in which her contributions and creative influence transcend the exile community and reach a wider creative network of friends that included Eliseo Diego, Salvador Elizondo, Carlos Fuentes and Gabriel García Márquez, among others. Finally, this study shows how Elío has been kept alive over the years in different cultural forms and evaluates her cultural legacy and artistic relevance within her sociocultural milieu.

Matrices of Violence: A Post-structural Feminist Rendering of Nawal El Saadawi’s Woman at Point Zero and Lola Soneyin’s The Secrets of Baba Segi’s Wives

There is quite a significant discourse on patriarchy and women identity in neo-colonial states. These studies border on dehumanization, victimization, and discrimination against women. Gender activists and women right advocates have been in the forefront of calls for recognition and protection of the rights of women in the African patriarchal society. The interventions recognize the African patriarchal structure, but the advocacy emphasizes the need to accord the female gender a pride of place in the sociocultural milieu. This study identified and analyzed lopsided societal treatment of the female gender in literary works of two African writers of different sociocultural backgrounds using Poststructuralist feminist theory. The study identified the societies reflected in the literary writings as representations of patriarchal societies that place the female gender in less favorable conditions; thus, making it subservient to the male gender. The study concluded that the female gender is disadvantaged in some African societies. The study recommends that all patriarchal societies need to accord the female gender respect and recognition in order to enhance their contribution to social and economic development of the society.

Revisiting the food security system in India in the pandemic era: the case of a Southern Indian state

PurposeThe objective of this paper was twofold-revisiting the in-kind public distribution system (PDS) – India's flagship food security intervention and seeking beneficiary perspectives on its efficacy. The feasibility of cash transfers as an alternative mechanism is also examined, especially in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.Design/methodology/approachPrimary and secondary data from the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu were used. In-depth interviews with beneficiaries using phenomenology were conducted to evaluate their perception and willingness to shift to a cash-based PDS in the pre and post-pandemic periods. Secondary district-level data were also used to ascertain institutional preparedness for this shift.FindingsIn-depth interviews of 105 beneficiaries revealed valuable insights, which seem to have significantly changed post-pandemic. Beneficiaries in the post-pandemic period seem much more inclined toward cash transfers, though a combination of cash plus in-kind benefits seems to be strongly preferred. Secondary results pointed out to the lack of institutional preparedness in financial inclusion. The research suggested that while the existing PDS needs to be overhauled, policymakers should look at a model of cash plus in-kind transfers as a probable alternative to pure cash transfers.Originality/valueThere is a dearth of in-depth state-specific studies on beneficiary perception of PDS, and this is important since the economic and sociocultural milieu in each region is unique. Being the only state with universal food security, its experience could yield important insights for other states or even middle or low-income countries similar to India.

Didacticism and Philosophical Tenets in Ọbasa’s Poetry

Projection and promotion of Yoruba cultural ideology and philosophy are motifs in D.A. Ọbasa’s poetry. As an ingenious poet, Obasa adroitly blends the tropes of didacticism and philosophical tenets in his poetry. Existing works on his poetry have explored the thematic preoccupations of his poems, as well as their forms and stylistic features. However, little attention has been paid to the correlation between didacticism and philosophy in his poetry. Tis essay, therefore, identifies the basic tenets of philosophy in the form of ethical, metaphysical, and epistemological aspects of Yoruba philosophy in Obasa’a poetry with a view to establishing the way Yoruba philosophy is used to teach morals in the poems. Ọbasa’s philosophical inclination is anchored on Yoruba philosophy. Some of the philosophical tenets identified are ethical issues, like obedience, truth, hospitality and being respectful. Virtues are extolled, while vices, like jealousy, pride, disobedience and deceit are condemned. The metaphysical beliefs of the Yoruba in death, destiny, and life after death, as well as the belief in the Supreme Being (Olodumare) are also discussed. The epistemological values of Yoruba communal system and ìwà, and ọmọlúàbí concept are also entrenched in Ọbasa’s poetry. It is also revealed that satirical elements, especially humor are used to project Yoruba philosophical belief in order to imbue the reader with moral rectitude. There is a close link between Ọbasa’s poetry and the Yoruba sociocultural milieu. The essence of didacticism and philosophical tenet in his poems is to advance the social development of the Yoruba society and the larger Nigerian society.

Digital Boundaries and Imaginaries of Khasi Ethnic Identity in Social Media

Identity is an integral aspect of human cognition and a composite of varied elements and subjectivities; it is fluidic and contextual. Identity discourses have dominated the socio-cultural and political milieu of Northeast India. A range of scholarship emanating from both within the Northeast region and outside has explored several identity dimensions. As the social media site Facebook allows for the formation of different kinds of interactional groups, this study explored a closed private Facebook group of twenty-five thousand members belonging exclusively to the Khasi ethnic community to understand the phenomenon of ascribing Khasi social identity among members in the online group. The study adopts Tajfel’s Social Identity framework and engages in a netnographic study on an online group. The study’s findings reveal a range of key symbolic manifestations in the co- constructions of Khasi identity in the online space. The study also discovers unique possibilities and affordances proliferated by social media in building collectivities, strengthening ethnic ties, and belongingness in the online space.