Socio-cultural Elements Research Articles

Clubs as vehicles for inclusion in the urban fabric? Immigrants and elitist associational practices in Antwerp, 1795–1830

In both migration studies and sociocultural studies of associational practices, membership of voluntary associations has been considered as a vehicle for inclusion in the urban fabric. In migration studies, on the one hand, attention has been focused primarily on migrants’ own organizations, revealing questions about the role of these organizations as obstacles or incentives for social embedding in the new living environment. Associational studies, on the other hand, have emphasized social practices and social differences between clubs, without taking into account the impact upon immigration. This article brings together both historiographical traditions, and emphasizes the structural and socio-cultural elements of incorporation processes. The research investigates a group of immigrant-businessmen and their participation in club life in Antwerp between 1795 and 1830, asking whether associational life was used as a vehicle for inclusion, or whether access was only feasible when other inclusion mechanisms had been successful. By situating the timing of any entry into club membership in relation to other aspects of their personal and professional life-course, it becomes clear that access was preceded by other social mechanisms. Indeed, even for wealthy businessmen, mechanisms of exclusion existed as a consequence of existing social hierarchies amongst voluntary associations in Antwerp.

Trauma and creative healing: Reflections on providing music therapy in post-war Bosnia and Herzegovina

Abstract The Pavarotti Music Centre in Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina, was created to use music and the arts to address the traumas resulting from the Civil Wars. This article uses a case study to outline how the Centre’s music therapy department addressed intergenerational trauma in children following the wars. In addition, themes from the author’s recent qualitative research serve as a lens to re-examine the therapeutic work in a post-war environment. Resources for therapists, such as supervision, personal therapy and creative arts outlets, are highlighted. Self-examination is considered as it relates to sociocultural elements of a host country.

Alternative Mechanisms of Dispute Settlement Involving Individuals

In the last decades of the 20th century, ‘the access of individuals to international justice’ has drastically expanded in practice notably within the international regimes for protection of human rights. On the other hand, alternative dispute resolution (ADR) has not been consciously discussed as another mechanism of international justice accessible for individuals. ADR (Modes alternatifs de resolution des conflits (MARC) in French) is in fact a confusing expression. The rapid rise of the worldwide popularity of ADR in recent years can be explained by the speed by which it can handle disputes, low and often fixed fees, confidentiality, informality, freedom of abandoning the process at any stage, and the possibility to mutually choose the intervening third party. For these reasons, the use of ADR has become pervasive, especially in disputes involving private parties for cross-border civil and commercial matters. Considering these advantages and institutional developments, ADR can also create a new trend in resolving international dispute of public nature. Firstly, the general concept of ADR itself is not novel but traditional because resolving disputes without using the court is a long-established practice froma historical and inter-cultural perspective. Secondly, the preference for negotiation suggests that ADR may provide stronger satisfaction for disputing parties than adjudicative proceedings, especially in the context of individual’s access to justice. Based on these two insights, the present chapter examines different types of ADR mechanisms for disputes which involve one or more States. In order to identify how the most satisfactory resolutions can be achieved in particular contexts, this paper examines the scope of ADR, which is extremely large because ADR may include any kind of method for dispute settlement outside of the court: it may include any social methods rooted in the traditions, culture, and history, which take divergent forms from one society to another and reflect socio-cultural elements in order to provide better satisfaction for disputing parties. Unlike what is generally discussed for ADR, the present paper sheds light on the institutional aspect of ADR rather than its methodologies or techniques. This is because discussing ‘mechanisms’ as an entire process of international dispute settlement can better describe the access of individuals to international proceedings and remedies. In this sense, the alternative mechanisms ought to be understood as a set of communications. By vindicating a legal mechanism comprising several phases in a certain field of international law, this article promotes, elucidates, and refines a social theory of international legal dispute settlement outside the court room and addresses some of the practical questions that it raises.

Counselling in social work in Aotearoa New Zealand: Social workers’ perspectives and practice

This article is the second of a two-part series which looks at the role of counselling in social work in Aotearoa New Zealand. This article examines a quantitative piece of research which asked approximately 1,000 members of the Aotearoa New Zealand Association of Social Workers for their beliefs around, and practice of, counselling in social work.The first article reported on the historical and socio-cultural elements that have shaped the development of counselling in social work from information collected through in-depth interviews. Both pieces of research formed part of a PhD dissertation entitled Past, Present and Future Perspectives on the Role of Counselling in Social Work in Aotearoa New Zealand completed in 2010.

A New Hope: Negotiating the Integration of Transmedia Storytelling and Literacy Instruction

AbstractTransmedia storytelling occurs when integral elements of a particular narrative are dispersed across multiple delivery channels using multiple media for the purpose of creating an integrated and coordinated storytelling experience. Educators have the opportunity to reconceptualize what literacy and learning could and should look like in and out of school. It provides opportunities for students to create their own stories that expand the lore and mythology of the overarching narrative and challenges them to resolve a variety of open, nonlinear problems. These narratives also contain sociocultural elements and therefore have the opportunity to connect to readers on different levels. In this column, the authors examine the affordances and possibilities of embedding transmedia narrative and elements of gaming into literacy instruction.

Analysis of Socio-cultural Elements Influencing Villagers’ Orientation towards Sustainable Farming (Case Study: Villages of Babolsar County)

Extended Abstract 1. INTRODUCTION Agriculture sector takes up a huge share in the economy of developing countries and, considering the extent of activities in this sector, not only are its economic and environmental aspects considered in global policy making, but its social and cultural aspects are as important as the other ones. Simultaneous attention to all three mentioned factors is usually considered as sustainable development. Whereas the majority of extant studies have focused on the first two factors, the present research has emphasized the third aspect, that is the social one. The two major issues dealt with in this paper are as follows: A. understanding the degree of villagers’ orientation towards sustainable farming and B. identifying the socio-cultural factors influencing this orientation. 2. THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK Experts in social sciences are of the opinion that human behavior is based on attitudes and values. Initial alternation of attitudes and values is a prerequisite for any change in sustainable behavior. Social, psychological studies of the environment through assessing the link between the attitude and the environmental behavior reveal that attitudes play a role in having a responsible environmental behavior. It is usually said that people’s values are intertwined with environmental attitudes and behavior. Values constitute major goals or criteria in people’s lives and, for them, function as a reference point and a guide. In addition, social trust is one of the preconditions for participating in environmental plans and policies. Social trust makes the awareness of environmental problems and realization of environmental and scientific issues possible. Trust makes people act without any fear of the consequences and accept the policies for risk-taking or support them. Channels of reliable information, too, play an important role in responsible environmental behavior. Government organizations, media and experts provide the necessary environmental information, targeting various audiences. 3. METHODOLOGY Scaling was adopted as the research method. The data was gathered using a self-designed questionnaire. Research population constituted of 7861 of the villagers living in Babolsar county (located in Mazandaran province), among whom 140 villagers were chosen using multistage cluster sampling. Questionnaire’s face validity was determined through the opinions presented by faculty members of Sari Agricultural Science and Natural Resources University and the reliability of the questionnaire was determined to be more than 0.65. Farmers’ gravitation towards sustainable farming was the dependent variable and, in line with the theoretical framework, environmental attitude, environmental values, trust and information sources were chosen as independent variables. 4. DISCUSSION The findings of the study revealed that villagers have a positive and relatively high orientation towards sustainable farming. Evaluation of environmental attitude and villager’s adherence to environmental values was satisfactory, too. The level of social trust and utilization of information sources was moderate among villagers. Among the factors under study, villagers’ income, surface is of agricultural land, age and education had no relationship with their orientation towards sustainable farming. On the contrary, among the social factors social trust and among the cultural factors environmental values were influential in sustainable farming attitudes. 5. CONCLUSION The present study investigated the orientation of villagers of Babolsar County in terms of adhering to sustainability standards in farming, with emphasis on cultural and social factors. According to the findings, through bolstering social trust in rural communities, coordination in actions should be improved and individual capacities in attaining the objectives should be considered. Supporting villagers financially, through institutions operating in the agriculture domain, incorporating villagers’ views and opinions in the renovation of planting and harvesting processes, reinforcing and managing education of local people in terms of environmental risks and pollutions along with changing habits contrary to sustainable development in villages will not materialize unless the way is paved for burgeoning the social trust.

Procedimientos de comparación transcultural: La comparación sucesiva

El artículo realiza una revisión de las propuestas de métodos de investigación, científicos y hermenéuticos, que se han ido formulando a lo largo del siglo XX y los vincula a las distintas propuestas que desde la Antropología se han ido haciendo sobre los procedimientos de comparación transcultural. La comparación hologeísta propuesta por Tylor responde a la concepción inductiva del método, que también está detrás de la comparación controlada desarrollada por Radcliffe-Brown, mientras que el segundo gran proyecto hologeísta, el de Murdock, basado en la elaboración de un gran archivo etnográfico, los Human Relation Area Files, responde a la idea postpopperiana de poner a prueba hipótesis formuladas previamente. La versión digital de los HRAF permite con facilidad reintroducir contextos culturales, salvando la crítica que desde Boas se hizo de las comparaciones de alcance mundial.Sin embargo, la tesis central que se defiende es que si se aplican a la etnografía el método abductivo y la concepción estructural de la teorías –pensando que las etnografías establecen relaciones no necesariamente causales entre elementos socioculturales, algunos previamente interpretados– podemos integrar métodos científicos y hermenéuticos y aplicar la dinámica del desarrollo de la teorías científicas para establecer el alcance de las teorías antropológicas

Analysis on the Theology Research of Homosexuality in Korea

By analyzing homosexuality-related dissertations for theology degree in Korea, this research aims to understand theology research trend on homosexuality, spread the correct awareness of homosexuality, and become a basic data to develop a program for homosexuals. Using 28 theology dissertations published in Korea from the database in the National Assembly Electronic Library, this research analyzed research design, keywords, specific majors of researchers, and research contents by research design. For research design of theology dissertations on homosexuality in Korea, literature review was the most common as it was used in 25 dissertations, followed by 2 surveys and 1 case study. Next, keywords were divided into sex, religions, and others. In the distribution of researchers' majors, practical theology and systemized theology were the most common. In research content by research design, Christian ethical perspective research was the most common with 8 dissertations, 5 biblical perspective, 4 pastoral counseling perspective, 3 theological perspective, 2 each for legalization of homosexuality and other research, and 1 cultural perspective in literature review research. Although there were few results and dissertations that analyzed theology research on homosexuality in Korea and many studies that repeated similar concepts in a limited research design, broad opinions on homosexuality could be obtained through studies that cited various references related to homosexuality. Based on this research, it is suggested to develop an intervention program for homosexuals that fit the survey on their internal characteristics and the sociocultural elements of Korea in the future.

A contribuição das True-Life Adventures para a formação do gênero wildlife films

Este trabalho visa discutir a importância da série True-Life Adventures, lançada pela Disney entre 1948 e 1960, para a formação daquilo que é conhecido como wildlife films. Foram privilegiados os aspectos socioculturais e econômicos que acompanham a reprodução imagética de animais não humanos desde o surgimento da câmera fotográfica para traçar uma perspectiva que permita analisar tanto as relações desses filmes com os ambientes sociais que os tornaram possíveis quanto à importância da série na construção do gênero em questão. Recorreu-se, assim, à pesquisa bibliográfica da literatura dedicada não só aos wildlife films, mas também à que trata de produções imagéticas precursoras.

Cultural Globlization and Its Impacts on Students in Socio-Economically Backward District Bhakkar of Pakistan During 21st Century

Globalization is currently an important wonders subjecting on economic activities, socio-cultural element, political aspect and so on. This paper is made mainly on cultural changes directing the impact on moral issue and lifestyle in the Pakistan and particularly Government College Bahkkar, University of Sargodha students. The study finds the domination of Western culture on all lives that wear away cultural heritage and moral values. There has been creating consumerism by which western lifestyles are on diffusion. The specific objective of the study is to analyze how globalization rapidly transforms the social values and living pattern in the traditional societies in Bahkkar students. There have been some negative aspects; but modernization process is positively functioning as well. Most of the data is mainly collected from two institutions; government college Bhakkar and University of Sargodha Bhakkar Campus sources. The study findings would be helpful for the Bhakkar students to be aware of cultural hybridization in the age of globalization. It is thought that some new ideas and information may be added into social sciences.

Using Objectification Theory to Examine the Effects of Media on Gay Male Body Image

Research has increasingly noted that gay male adults are more at risk for developing body image dissatisfaction than other male populations. Body image issues warrant attention, particularly since they have been connected to the development of disordered eating patterns. Studies have often traced gay male body dissatisfaction to various sociocultural elements and phenomena, particularly the media. In fact, various media genres have been implicated as being instrumental in propagating idealized male physiques, which in turn may negatively influence observers. Using objectification theory, this paper aims to review the process by which media imagery are internalized by some gay men and how such internalizations harmfully impact their body image. The clinical implications and treatment of body dissatisfaction will be reviewed in terms of social work practice with gay male populations.

Culturally Responsive Education: Developing Lesson Plans for Vietnamese Students in the American Diaspora

This article focuses on the application of the philosophical principles of John Dewey and Culturally Responsive Education in the creation of lesson plans for Vietnamese students in the American Diaspora. Through a Fulbright-Hayes Program a group of teachers from the New York City Public School System and Long Island spent six weeks in Vietnam studying the language and culture in order to develop lesson plans that would address the needs of Vietnamese students in their classrooms. This study demonstrates the importance of teachers connecting with their students through the incorporation of sociocultural elements that translate to a culturally responsive curriculum, not just for students in the Vietnamese Diaspora but for all students.

The influence of the degree of formality on lexical variation in Spanish

Despite the enormous usefulness of variationist studies on a lexical plane, until the present day there has been little research in comparison with the attention paid by sociolinguistics to other levels of linguistic analysis such as phonetic –phonological analysis. This is due, we believe, to the theoretical and methodological problems that may occur at a lexical level. In this paper we present the results of research carried out on fifty lexical variants in Spanish. The results obtained show, on one hand, the possibility and necessity of designing tests which may help us to study the relationship between sociocultural factors and lexical elements and, on the other, the influence of the factor which we have called the degree of formality (based on the existence of different texts and communicative situations on a scale going from the most formal to the most spontaneous) in the choice of lexicon.

A family-focused intervention for heart failure self-care: conceptual underpinnings of a culturally appropriate intervention.

A discussion of the conceptual elements of an intervention tailored to the needs of Lebanese families. The role of informal caregiving is strongly recommended for individuals with chronic conditions including heart failure. Although this importance is recognized, conceptual and theoretical underpinnings are not well elucidated nor are methods of intervention implementation. Discussion paper on the conceptual underpinning of the FAMILY model. This intervention was undertaken using linked methods: (1) Appraisal of theoretical model; (2) review of systematic reviews on educational interventions promoting self-management in chronic conditions in four databases with no year limit; (3) socio-cultural context identification from selected papers; (4) expert consultation using consensus methods; and (5) model development. Theories on self-care and behavioural change, eighteen systematic reviews on educational interventions and selected papers identifying sociocultural elements along with expert opinion were used to guide the development of The FAMILY Intervention Heart Failure Model. Theory and practice driven concepts identified include: behavioural change, linkage, partnership and self-regulation. Heart failure is a common condition often requiring in-hospital and home-based care. Educational interventions targeting the socio-cultural influences of the patients and their family caregivers through a structured and well-designed program can improve outcomes. As the burden of chronic diseases increases globally, particularly in emerging economies, developing models of intervention that are appropriate to both the individual and the socio-cultural context are necessary.

Creative Tourism In Destination Brand Identity

This paper analyses the emerging trends in creative tourism, as well as the possibilities of developing creative offer as a means of sustainable development (protection of resources, socio-cultural elements, natural elements and improving the local population’s standard of living) of small historic towns on the Opatija Riviera (Volosko, Kastav, Lovran, Veprinac, Moscenice, Brsec). It further analyses the current state of creative offer, sets the goals and suggests some possible strategies for developing creative tourism (educational workshops, creative workshops, etc.) as both the basic and additional element of the tourist offer based on sustainable principles, and for creating a recognizable destination brand identity through a valorization of uniqueness and diversity. The paper also answers the key questions of creative tourism offer enrichment and enhancement, and defines the means to innovate the promotional strategy with the goal of repositioning. The reconception of development in small historic towns and, ultimately, attracting future tourists , requires a synergy of all offer stakeholders, local communities and indigenous residents in forming new elements of creative initiatives through a valorization of the past and the present. Creative tourism represents an opportunity for tourism development of Moscenicka Draga, as well as for its qualitative transformation from a sun-and sea destination to a cultural and creative tourism destination which provides a unique experience through a valorization of culture, tradition and heritage. The paper puts special emphasis on the competitiveness analysis of creative events Moscenicki Pinel (art colony) and Moscenicki Pinelic (creative workshops for children) in Moscenice, and the analysis of operational strategies innovation, with the goal of differentiating these events from similar events and branding Moscenicka Draga as a competitive creative tourism destination.

Sexual Protective Strategies and Condom Use in Middle-aged African American Women: A Qualitative Study

The heterosexual transmission of HIV has affected middle-aged African American women at alarming rates; yet there is a paucity of research and interventions focused on this population. This study used a qualitative approach to understand middle-aged urban African American women's experiences with HIV-related sexual risk behaviors and to identify the sexual protective strategies they employed to reduce their risk for HIV infection. Ten African American women, ages 45 to 56 years, were recruited from low-income neighborhoods in New York City. Data were collected using in-depth interviews and analyzed using content analysis. Investigator triangulation and member checking were used to ensure rigor. Five salient themes emerged that highlighted the individual, gender/relationship power factors, and the sociocultural elements that influenced sexual protection or risk-taking behavior. Findings provide new insight into the complexities of HIV sexual risk behavior and can guide future HIV prevention interventions for middle-aged, African American, urban women.

Adoption of ISAD(G) in practice: a close look at the standardization process of ISAD(G) in a manuscript archives of Korea

This study explains the adoption of the General International Standard Archival Description – ISAD(G) – from a cultural as well as technical perspective. Using a manuscript archive in Korea as a case study, this paper explores how ISAD(G) is adopted in non-Western countries, what factors influence local practice and also which local socio-cultural elements have an important effect on the process. Through in-depth qualitative research, the author examines specifically how organizational culture shaped the adoption process by means of staff work identity, attitude and education, as well as communication patterns1.

Le vodou guérit-il ?

In Haitian culture, the concept of illness is based primarily on religious, cultural and social beliefs. This culture also offers a multi-dimensional interpretation of man and relies heavily on voodoo which is considered a religion for some, a cultural folk element for others and a system of cultural and ethnographic references for researchers. Regardless of the perception that we have of voodoo, it is an integral part of Haitian culture. It occupies a prominent spot in traditional medicine and it is a complex system of health care that includes preventive and curative practices. However, preventing or healing does not only pertain to biomedical but also to a set of socio-cultural elements that will play a key role in how the individual looks at his illness and his relationship with others and his environment, voodoo thereby participates in this healing.

Therapeutic landscapes of traditional healing: building spaces of well-being with the traditional healer in St. Louis, Senegal

Literature on therapeutic landscapes has not sufficiently explored the relational dynamics that contribute to shaping therapeutic landscapes. In particular, not enough attention has been paid to the patient–healer relationship and its role in producing well-being, especially in non-western settings. This article is a first attempt to address these deficiencies by exploring the role of the patient–healer relationship in shaping therapeutic landscapes especially as regards traditional healing in the city of St. Louis in Northern Senegal. By exploring the understandings of health and well-being of 160 people (including patients, herbalists and traditional healers), this article will show how therapeutic landscapes of traditional healing are built relationally in the patient–healer encounter; it will also underscore the strong link between the herbal component of traditional healing, the cognitive component of dialogue with the healer and the spiritual and sociocultural elements associated with rituals. The findings have relevant policy implications. This article takes a stand in the debate on integration between ‘traditional’ and ‘western medicine’ in Africa by stating that integration should give more serious consideration to the ability of traditional healing systems to create well-being because, as the case study shows, the latter strongly relies on the relational dimension of healing.

Do microfinance schemes shape gender relations in developing countries? Insights from a critical review of the literature

Micro-finance programs targeting women have become the central means of donor poverty alleviation strategies. In view of the renewed focus on post-millennium development goals (MDGs) poverty reduction strategies, there is the likelihood that donor agencies might increase funding in the next coming decades to support different initiatives. In this paper, we critically review the evidence of the nexus of microfinance and gender inequality in developing societies. One aim for providing and reaching out to women with credit methodologies is to increase womens bargaining power and challenging existing gender subordination thereby releasing them from power structures which dominate their lives. This paper suggests that relying on microfinance alone, as a strategy in addressing gender inequality in developing societies is insufficient. Drawing on several empirical cases on the microfinance literature from numerous contexts, we show that the empowerment potentials of microfinance schemes in addressing gender inequality are not straightforward. Failure to incorporate other household members (men) and a lack of recognition of the socio-cultural elements in societies constrains the empowerment potentials of microfinance programs. We conclude by suggesting pathways for improving the design and implementation of microfinance schemes in relation to addressing gender inequality in post-2015 development era.