Socio-cultural Functions Research Articles

Toward a Cultural Sustenance View of Reading

AbstractThis article highlights a Cultural Sustenance View of Reading (CSVR), a complex reader model illuminated by vivid findings from an eight‐year collaborative classroom‐based study and extensive reviews of cognitive and sociocultural research. Within the CSVR, reading is conceptualized as being shaped by a readers' culturally and linguistically situated knowledge (ways of knowing), experiences and relationships (ways of being), and cognitive reading processes (ways of reading) which overlap and interact through the non‐linear, active process of culturally mediated cognition. In extending the CSVR, the authors hope to supplant long‐ standing false dichotomies between the cognitive and sociocultural functions within the human experience of reading. In doing so, we hope to advance ideas about how learning to read can foster cultural sustenance—with children and their lifeways centered as full and complete.

Cathedrals as Instruments of Influence on Public Consciousness in Medieval Western Europe (10th-16th Centuries)

This study explores the functional impact of Christian cathedrals in Western Europe on medieval public consciousness. Utilizing a systemic analysis method and a values-based approach, cathedrals are examined as structural elements within the framework of religious communication, serving as key instruments for shaping public consciousness during the Middle Ages. Through these edifices, the core tenets of Christianity were disseminated to the masses. Special attention is given to the art of stone calendars, which are considered a significant factor in the formation of a Christian worldview during this period. The study identifies the value-laden, symbolic, and functional characteristics of medieval cathedrals as tools of religious communication. It outlines the overarching principles of architectural organization in Catholic churches in relation to their roles in influencing public consciousness. The influence of Romanesque cathedrals on the trajectory of public consciousness in medieval Western Europe is also examined. The author concludes that Christian cathedrals, as instruments of influence on medieval public conscious-ness, possessed a pronounced managerial and motivational effect, fulfilling a wide range of sociocultural functions that contributed to the stabilization and spiritual-moral development of medieval Western European society.

The pain, the pedagogy, and the politics of IELTS: a critical autobiographical inquiry

ABSTRACT Language tests, including international high-stakes English proficiency tests widely used around the world, are to be viewed as ideological constructs connected with power relations and center–periphery demarcations at different social levels. In this paper, we examine the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) as an instance of such tests to uncover some of its underlying sociocultural functions. Adopting a critical autobiographical approach that revisits three personal trajectories in relation to each other and in connection with wider contextual dynamics, we reflect on our own lived experiences of engagements with IELTS in various social and institutional settings and in different roles. Each one of us first shared narrative accounts of turning points in our learning, taking, teaching, and using IELTS within the past two decades. Then, we explored these narratives through multiple rounds of reflections and discussions of their common underlying ideas related to the sociocultural functioning of IELTS. Although the narratives presented unique trajectories, three common themes of Pain, Pedagogy, and Politics emerged from our collective analytic reflections. We discuss these themes and how they can problematize different aspects of IELTS from a critical point of view.

Pemberdayaan dan Partisipasi Masyarakat dalam Pengelolaan Ekosistem Mangrove: Strategi Regenerasi Lingkungan di Desa Bedono, Demak

The abrasion and tidal disasters had the impact of reducing the area of Bedono Village, both administratively and functionally. Environmental regeneration through mangrove ecosystem management that focuses on community participation and empowerment is a solution to overcome these impacts. However, low participation, the existence of people who are less empowered, and a lack of understanding of the importance of mangroves are problems raised in this research. This research was conducted with the aim of analyzing the relationship between empowerment and participation of coastal communities in managing mangrove ecosystems as an environmental regeneration effort in Bedono Village, Demak Regency. This research method is a mixed method using quantitative and qualitative approaches and carried out 4 stages of analysis, including quantitative descriptive analysis, scoring and weighting, Spearman Rank correlation, and qualitative descriptive analysis. The research results show that there is a positive relationship between mangrove ecosystem management, the level of empowerment, and forms of community participation. The mangrove ecosystem in Bedono Village has an ecological function (resisting abrasion and tidal erosion), a socio-economic function (development of MSMEs and creating employment opportunities), as well as a socio-cultural function (ecotourism). The community also has a level of empowerment in the "sufficient" criteria and the form of community participation that dominates is contractual participation at 77%. So, efforts to regenerate the environment through mangrove ecosystem management will work well if the community is empowered and has control over managing the mangrove ecosystem.

Housing and utility complex in the system of sociocultural institutionality

The article examines the issue of the housing and utility services as a sociocultural institution. It has been noted that the larger the urban settlement, the more difficult it is to organize orderly interactions necessary for the sustainability of the urban structure, convenience for residents, safety, expressiveness of the cultural landscape, etc. Housing and utility services perform an important function of forming a positive image of a city, making it competitive in attractiveness in comparison with others cities. The research problem lies in the fact that the housing and utility services are generally considered from the standpoint of economics and management, despite the fact that the activities of this complex have a pronounced socio-cultural orientation. This allows us to talk about the relevance of the study of housing and utility services as a sociocultural institution in order to identify factors that contribute to the effectiveness of the activities of public utility organizations, or lead to institutional dysfunctions. The main research method chosen is structural and functional analysis, which allows us to consider housing and communal services from the point of view of the implementation of sociocultural functions and the search for the causes of possible dysfunctions. Consistently the institutional features of housing and utility complex are revealed. In conclusion, the main reasons for possible institutional dysfunctions of the object under consideration have been determined: violations of functionality are possible, firstly, as a result of general crisis conditions in the economy and politics; secondly, as a result of natural disasters; thirdly, as a result of a lack of understanding of the importance and complexity of housing and communal services by state and municipal authorities. Also, the gap in this area may be affected by shortcomings in the organizational culture of specific enterprises in the public utilities sector.

Motivations to Enhance One’s Facial Hair: Affiliation, Rivalry, and Stress

Facial hair is a sexually dimorphic trait with potential evolutionary and sociocultural functions. Bearded men are perceived as dominant, aggressive, and masculine, but also as having better parenting skills. Men may intentionally manage the amount and shape of their facial hair as a part of their self-promotion strategy; however, facial hair management entails costs in terms of time, effort, and money. We explored psychological factors associated with facial hair enhancement motivation among men. A total of 414 men (aged 18–40 years) reported the current amount of their facial hair along with their facial hair enhancement motivations, gender role stress, intrasexual competitiveness, and fundamental social motives. Willingness to care for facial hair was associated with the amount of facial hair men claimed to have and correlated with the fundamental social motives of affiliation and social status, intrasexual competition, and gender role stress. Therefore, facial hair enhancement may be regarded as a self-presentation strategy aimed at acquiring a beneficial position in social networks.

"COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF EPICS"

This paper presents a comprehensive comparative analysis of epics across different cultures, delving into their intricate narratives, thematic underpinnings, and socio-cultural significance. Epics, as timeless literary masterpieces, serve as repositories of cultural heritage and collective memory, embodying the ethos and values of diverse civilizations. Through a comparative lens, this study aims to elucidate the commonalities and divergences among epics, shedding light on the universal themes that resonate across human experiences while also highlighting the nuances shaped by specific cultural contexts. Drawing upon a diverse array of epic traditions such as the Indian Mahabharata, the Greek Odyssey, the Norse Edda, and the African Sundiata, among others, this analysis navigates through the rich tapestry of myth, legend, and heroic exploits. It examines the archetypal motifs of heroism, fate, and the struggle between good and evil, which permeate these narratives, transcending geographical boundaries and temporal epochs. Furthermore, this comparative study explores the socio-cultural functions of epics, elucidating their roles in shaping collective identity, moral codes, and societal norms. By juxtaposing epics from different cultures, this research seeks to unravel the intricate interplay between myth and history, oral tradition and written text, and the dynamic process of cultural transmission and adaptation. Through this interdisciplinary approach, this paper contributes to a deeper understanding of the human condition, elucidating how epics serve as mirrors reflecting the aspirations, fears, and aspirations of humanity across epochs and geographies. Ultimately, this comparative analysis endeavours to foster cross-cultural dialogue and appreciation, recognizing the enduring relevance and timeless allure of epic literature in the global mosaic of human civilization.

Peran Ganda Janda dalam Menjalankan Fungsi Keluarga di Desa Unte Mungkur III Kecamatan Kolang Kabupaten Tapanuli Tengah

This research aims to determine the dual role of widows in carrying out family functions in Unte Mungkur III Village, Kolang District, Central Tapanuli Regency. This research uses qualitative research with a descriptive type in the form of written and spoken words from people and observed behavior. The aim of the research is to understand in depth the conditions regarding the role of widows in carrying out family functions. The data collection techniques used were observation, interviews and documentation. Apart from secondary data obtained from reading sources, researchers also use direct data obtained directly from the research object. The results of this research show that the role played by a widow is carrying out her life within the family as well as carrying out family functions and taking full responsibility for her children. It can be seen that there is a shift in a family because of the dual roles played by a woman, in general women are more focused on household matters and taking care of children. However, there is a dual role of a widow who has to work every day for the survival of the family, both in earning a living and taking care of children. Researchers found that there are 7 family functions carried out by widowed women in Unte Mungkur III Village, namely: religious function, socio-cultural function, love and affection function, protection function, socialization and education function, economic function and environmental development function.

Старомонгольская письменность в Байкальском регионе на современном этапе: курс на ревитализацию?

This paper aims to provide an analysis of the development of the Mongolian script in the sociocultural context of the Baikal region in modern times. The main purpose of this article is to characterize the key trends in society from the point of view of sociolinguistic processes. Materials and methods. The research is based on a thorough examination of official data from the Government of the Republic of Buryatia, government departments of the Irkutsk region and Transbaikal region, as well as publications in the media and field materials gathered through an expert survey of heads of educational centers and language activists. The authors have adopted a systematic approach and applied a range of general scientific and special methods, including comparative historical and statistical methods, to conduct this study. Results and conclusions. It has been revealed that the Mongolian script has significant role in performing various socio-cultural functions. Mongolian script has gained widespread popularity in the form of calligraphy in the Baikal region. Furthermore, the language is deeply embedded with ethno cultural symbolism, making it a valuable source for the development of the Buryat language and culture as a whole. There is a growing interest in analyzing the language situation in Mongolia and the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region of the People’s Republic of China, particularly in terms of the implementation of state language policy in perspective. The status and functional role of Mongolian script in these regions are of utmost importance in understanding its impact on the overall language landscape.

The semiotic remediation of hardtack biscuits during World War One

This study offers the first detailed examination of the materiality of World War One hardtack biscuits – a dense biscuit made from flour, water and salt, which was a key component of ration packs for both Australian and British soldiers. It is specifically concerned with the types of repurposing – or acts of semiotic remediation – that take place, their broader sociocultural functions and the semiotic resources drawn upon to make meaning. Using a combination of multimodal analysis and archival research, it identifies five key acts of semiotic remediation by soldiers – declarations of ownership, letters, diary entries, photo frames and objets d’arts – which showcase hardtacks as unique, unmediated resources for understanding WW1 experiences. It also notes the frequent use of humour as a coping mechanism, as well as the important memorialisation function of hardtacks, acquiring symbolic values disproportionate to their everyday value for bereaved families. Hardtacks, thus, stand as a testimony to the resourcefulness of humans in trying circumstances, holding a wealth of knowledge on the aestheticisation of war that no living person possesses.

트라우마 이론에 기반한 예술치유콘텐츠 구독자의 치유 과정에 관한 질적연구

channel, which specializes in therapeutic arts content. The research interrogates the therapeutic effects derived from engagement with therapeutic art content in EMOR’s channel, employing Judith Herman's Trauma Recovery Stage Model(1997) as an analytical framework. Data collection involved analyzing comments on a video clip created in collaboration with the channel's creator, augmented by participant observations with ten-time field visits and interviews with thirteen research participants. Findings reveal that the therapeutic experiences facilitated through the consumption of therapeutic arts contents and interactive engagement within the channel lead to establishing safety, remembrance and mourning, and re-connection. These processes echo the healing trajectories observed in traditional offline therapeutic contexts. The study highlights the efficacy of digital media in facilitating therapeutic arts approaches, suggesting its potential to broaden the socio-cultural functions of art within a cultural-economic framework.

The Role of Fashion Illustration as a Communicative Tool in Design

This qualitative study investigates fashion illustration's role as a conceptual communication tool within Ghana's developing design education landscape through interviewing 5 fashion lecturers and 10 undergraduate students. The thematic analysis uncovers multifaceted pedagogical and socio-cultural functions of illustration in nurturing students' cultural visual literacies, critical perspectives, and creative confidence during early design stages. Perspectives highlight persistent challenges balancing mainstream global aesthetics and meaningful representations of local cultural traditions and identities across the curriculum. Findings provide empirically grounded, localized insights on leveraging this visual medium to bridge modernity and tradition at the intersection of Ghana's emerging formal fashion infrastructures and dynamic transnational design flows. Foregrounding Ghanaian voices shape the understanding of how hybridity manifests through selectively integrating foreign illustration techniques to nurture local relevance. Interpretations posit illustration's capacity to strengthen pluralistic communication and identity expression anchored in indigenous visual culture yet resonating globally. This exploratory study constitutes an early step toward decolonizing African design pedagogies by elevating Ghanaian standpoints and creative-educational priorities to enrich conceptual communication functionality. Wider survey and comparative research can further generalize and contextualize findings toward this long-term goal.

Humor, Politics and the Global North: A Systematic Literature Review of Internet Memes

Internet users commonly use the phrase “Internet meme” to refer to a diverse range of online content, such as jokes, gossip, and videos in online communication (Shifman, 2013). Internet memes play a crucial role in influencing public discussions and activism in the digital era. Studies reveal their potential for spreading false information (Wells, 2018), trigger sociopolitical activism (Nabea, 2021), encourage contemporary protest movements, public communication and serve several sociocultural functions of society (McGowan, 2016; Tammi & Rautio, 2022). Thus, conducting a systematic review of Internet memes can shed light on their role in political activism and various sociocultural functions of the digital society. The review can also help in identifying unexplored opportunities for promoting media literacy and investigating misinformation, disinformation, and hate speech. Therefore, a systematic review of Internet memes is conducted following Okoli’s (2015) framework. The findings highlight the research gap in terms of examining their economic functions, research design, and regional research output on Internet memes. The findings also highlight the need for general awareness and clarity about the concept of the Internet meme phenomenon and its different types.

Geographical Reality or Literary Fantasy: The Tainaron nekuomanteion as a Natural Deathscape

ABSTRACT This article redefines the dualism of nekuomanteia’s real and imagined topographies via a novel analysis of the tertium quid that is “natural deathscapes.” This framework is applied to the case study of the nekuomanteion at Tainaron. Comparison between the literary descriptions and the archaeological record reveals numerous anomalies within this landscape’s presentation, including an imaginary grove, spring, and impossible localizations. While traditional analyses explain away such matters as the result of poetic license or tradition, this approach cannot account for all identifiable inconsistencies. Thus, the site’s identification as a natural deathscape, a place associated with death / the dead and imbued with multifaceted sociocultural meanings, serves as a tertium quid that coalesces the site’s real and imagined topographies into a holistic landscape. Within this paradigm of spatial syncretism, particular attention is paid to the interaction of sociocultural functions inherent within the processes of landscape creation and eschatological reflection.

Гендер как социокультурный феномен

The aim of the article is to define the content of the concepts of gender and gender culture as socio-cultural phenomena. The method of comparative critical analysis of alternative interpretations of these constructs is used, on the basis of which an integral approach to understanding gender and gender culture is formulated. It is noted that the former characterizes the sociocultural functions of sexes and the system of interpersonal rela-tions between men and women. It includes images that reflect physiological and social differences between the sexes, social and cultural norms of behavior, as well as the system of social interactions between their rep-resentatives. The gender culture of society is defined as the system of organization of intersex relations that has developed in the social structure, including the balance of interpersonal interactions, gender standards of masculinity and femininity; norms in the sphere of communication (legal, moral, religious, etc.), stereotypes of behavior of representatives of different sexes. Gender culture of an individual is the consciousness and self-consciousness of the individual in the context of belonging to the male or female sex. In addition, the gender consciousness of an individual is the subject's perception of gender and the relationship between men and women. Gender self-awareness of an individual is gender self-identity, that is, who an individual imagines himself to be, and on the basis of which an individual’s gender behavior is formed. The concepts of gender and gender culture as sociocultural phenomena are methodological tools for studying the specifics and dynamics of specific gender cultures emerging in certain sociocultural public systems.

Contemporary Urban Agriculture in European and Chinese Regions: A Social-Cultural Perspective

With its early start in urbanization, Europe has accumulated a wealth of practical experience in urban agriculture (UA), exploring various development models. This paper compares and analyzes the characteristic patterns of UA in Europe and China through theoretical research, academic frontier exploration, and case analysis. In order to investigate and analyze theoretical developments and the current state of academic frontiers in a systematic, accessible, and comprehensive approach, the methodology of bibliometric analysis has been utilized. A bibliometric method is applied to analyze relevant data from the Web of Science (WoS) core collection database and 2230 CNKI publications. The case study section conducts separate field research on nine representative European practices of urban food gardening and urban farming. Additionally, the study scrutinizes UA research development and its implementation in Hangzhou, China. Based on the findings of this study, the authors recommend that European approaches to the development of UA in China’s future UA practice be taken into account, in particular their methods and strategies for realizing social and cultural benefits. It is imperative to integrate UA projects into urban green space system planning and to rationalize their construction types. Simultaneously, Chinese scholars are encouraged to explore the socio-cultural functions of UA, with a particular focus on urban agricultural heritage conservation.

СИБИРСКИЙ ФИЛИАЛ ИНСТИТУТА НАСЛЕДИЯ: 30 ЛЕТ ИЗУЧЕНИЯ, СОХРАНЕНИЯ И ТРАНСЛЯЦИИ КУЛЬТУРНОГО НАСЛЕДИЯ В ОТРАЖЕНИИ ЮБИЛЕЙНЫХ ИЗДАНИЙ

Anniversary publications are part of commemorative practices, they clearly implement all the well–known socio-cultural functions of anniversary events - preserving, unifying, self-identifying and representative. The article presents the results of a problematic historiographical study revealing the representative function of jubilee publications. The specifics of understanding the history and heritage studies of the Siberian branch of the Institute of Heritage are revealed in the monographs "Science of Culture ..." (Moscow, 2017, 2022) and "Cultural studies in Siberia ..." (Moscow, Omsk, 2023).

Tok Pisin metalanguage: why is Sinasina Sign Language not tok (‘language’)?

Linguists recognize that sign languages are highly complex linguistic systems which meet all the criteria used to define a ‘language’. My ongoing language documentation with the Kere community in Papua New Guinea (PNG) and their local languages, Kere, and Sinasina Sign Language (SSSL), suggests that the English word ‘language’ is not a direct correlate of the Tok Pisin words tok or tok ples, as the current literature suggests. Drawing on interviews and collaboration with Kere people, I explore the culturally specific concepts and functions embedded in Tok Pisin metalanguage, focusing on differences between tok, tok ples, aksen, and ‘language’. Unlike spoken Kere, SSSL is aksen, not tok or tok ples because sociocultural functions are core to the meaning of tok, which only refers to spoken languages, unlike ‘language’. Understanding these differences is essential for translation and for further research with sign languages in PNG. This analysis of tok, tok ples, aksen, and ‘language’ also highlights the reality that ‘language’ is not a universal concept and there is a need for more research to unpack what ‘language’ means across languages and cultures.

1996-2018 Yılları Arasında Orman Ekosistemi Fonksiyonlarındaki Mekansal-Zamansal Değişimlerin Karşılaştırılması: Türkiye'den Bir Örnek Çalışma

The objective of this study was to determine the temporal changes in forest ecosystem values (economic, ecological, and socio-cultural functions) for the 1996, 2009 and 2018 planning periods. For this purpose, forest management plans and forest cover type maps were used to reveal the changes in forest ecosystem values for the planning periods. Temporal changes in forest ecosystem functions were discussed in terms of economic, ecological and socio-cultural functions which are three essential functions. There has been a decrease in the amount of area for economic purposes in the region in the following planning periods. A general decrease in areas for economic purposes and a general increase in areas for ecological purposes were determined during the planning periods. While there was not any area for socio-cultural purposes in the 1996 planning period, there was an area of 1631 ha in the 2009 planning period and 1575 ha in the 2018 planning period. Demands of the society and the changes in forest management planning approaches over time, changes have occurred in forest functions. Depending on these changes, decreased in production forests and increases in non-production forests (ecological and socio-cultural) were observed.

CONCEPTUAL TRANSFORMATIONS OF ETHNODESIGN IN UKRAINE, WITH REGARD TO THE PROCESSES OF GLOBALIZATION AND THE INTRODUCTION OF DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES

In the work, it is determined that the processes of globalization, characteristic of modern society, require an understanding of the problems of national revival, a reflection of the manifestation of the features of national culture in modern ethnodesign. Therefore, the study of its phenomenon in the system of ethno-cultural values as an important component of culture is relevant, because namely design affects the formation of the mentality of both an individual and the people in general. The role of ethnodesign as an element of culture in the context of globalization and multicultural transformations, in particular against the background of glocalization processes, is studied. It is shown that design today acts as a kind of intermediary, reproducing the peculiarities of the functioning of objects, things in the sphere of culture, performs sociocultural functions, increasing the value characteristics of the environment with its works. Conceptual provisions for the development of Ukrainian ethnodesign as a creative modernization of traditional artistic forms, creation of a cultural image and a national brand as a tool of soft power in the conditions of globalization are suggested.