Unofficial Channels Research Articles

Folklore Studies and the English Rural Myth

Academic folklorists today define their subject matter in a way which runs counter to popular conceptions of the field, both as regards the ‘lore’ and the ‘folk’ part of this old composite term. They see the ‘lore’ as a body of beliefs, activities, ways of making, saying and doing things and interacting with others that are acquired through informal, unofficial channels by the processes of socialising in family, occupational, or activity-related groups. The ‘folk’ in the old sense of a group of people distinguishable by class, education or location therefore disappears from the modern equation, for it follows that we are all folk. As academic folklorists use the term nowadays, ‘folklore’ is best seen as a ‘cultural register’ – on the analogy of a linguistic register – one of several options available to members of a cultural grouping for thought, activity and interaction. It follows that ‘folklore’ can be found anywhere and among any group of people, urban as well as rural, professional as well as ‘peasant’.

Role of tourism in unifying the two Koreas

This paper reviews the origin of the Korea division, the rationale for reunification, and the failure of past political efforts for reunification. Its primary focus is on the relationship between tourism and peace in the context of Korea and the role tourism could play in spearheading a thrust towards reunification. Two tracks in diplomacy are recognized. Track one diplomacy is the official channel of government relations. Track two diplomacy is the unofficial channel of people-to-people relations. In the context of Korea, tourism is perceived as a primary vehicle for facilitating successful track two diplomacy. It offers a nonthreatening apolitical way of tentatively initiating closer relationships and creating an environment which could facilitate more formal political negotiations.

Biochemical victims: False negative diagnosis through overreliance on laboratory results — A personal report

The increasing tendency of doctors to base diagnosis on the results of laboratory investigations entails a corresponding decrease in the exercise of clinical judgment. This state of affairs can have harmful consequences for patients suffering from biochemically atypical forms of disorder, who may acquire functional psychiatric labels when they are in fact suffering from organic physical disorders. The author's personal experience of this invidious predicament is described. Although hypothyroidism was correctly diagnosed on clinical grounds within a few months of presentation, laboratory results were inconclusive and three years and three specialist consultations were to elapse before replacement therapy was obtained, and then only through unofficial channels. The handling of this case illustrates some unfortunate trends in contemporary medical practice with important implications for the health of patients.