Search

Copyright of African Journal of Reproductive Health is the property of Women's Health & Action Research Centre and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Tijdschrift voor Geschiedenis is the property of Amsterdam University Press and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Native Americans (Indigenous Americans) have high rates of serious illness in the United States. Informal caregivers are heavily relied on in caring for patients in low-resource settings. The needs of caregivers residing on reservations are sorely underreported. Therefore, our objective was to examine relationships between facilitators (communal mastery, cultural identity, and spirituality) and barriers (depression, anxiety, stress, and burden) with supportive care needs among adult informal caregivers in 1 reservation- based community. A cross-sectional survey was distributed in July and August 2022 as part of a larger multimethod, community-based participatory research study. We used descriptive statistics and linear regression models to examine relationships against the primary outcome, the Supportive Care Needs Assessment Tool for Indigenous People. Overall, 127 participants were included; mostwere female (n = 92, 72.4%), were between 30 and 49 years (n = 57, 44.9%), and had 6 months or less of caregiving experience (n = 41, 32.5%). Higher depression, anxiety, stress, and burden were significantly associated with higher Supportive Care Needs Assessment Tool for Indigenous People scores. Overall, mental health is a significant barrier that may indicate greater supportive care needs among informal caregivers, although further work is needed to differentiate symptoms and their impact on caregiving froma cultural perspective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Though network scholars long have observed that people experience high rates of network turnover, theorization on how ties dissolve has lagged behind, with natural tie decay dominating as the primary explanation. Many deviants face stigma and become social pariahs from communities of origin, yet current network theories struggle to explain how such processes of network dissolution occur. Using interviews conducted with Korean unwed mothers, a highly stigmatized and hard-to-reach population, this study shows that shared culture in networks—norms, expectations, and meanings—plays a key role in how people navigate stigma in their networks. I demonstrate that tie severance requires work : relational work that matches network-specific culture. I propose a typology of tie severance processes along two dimensions, actor and motive, and identify associated relational work for each type. This study shows that macro-level cultural values are adapted to each network and (re)interpreted before relational work can be engaged to manage social relations. • Explores how tie severance occurs beyond natural tie decay. • Stigmatized alters engage relational work throughout the tie severance process. • Case study of a hard-to-reach population, Korean unwed mothers. • Proposes a tie severance typology along two axes, actor and motive. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of African Journal of Reproductive Health is the property of Women's Health & Action Research Centre and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The legend of Shamaran holds significant cultural significance in Kurdish mythology and serves as a prominent creation myth. Despite variations in traditions, this article undertakes a comparative analysis between the Shamaran legend and the narrative of the Garden of Eden, employing a structuralist approach and drawing upon mythological and biblical data. Through this research, it is revealed that these two narratives share a coherent and uniform structure, as well as common themes. The central focus of both narratives lies in the creation of existence and mankind. Key elements, such as the Garden of Eden and creation myths, serve as focal points for comparison. Utilizing textual analysis and comparative methodologies, this study aims to identify common motifs, theological perspectives, and historical contexts shared by these cultural narratives. By critically evaluating the primary sources of each tradition, we seek to shed light on the potential intersections and divergences within the mythologies under scrutiny. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cultural tourism, which includes the values of cultural heritage, aims to contribute by focusing on the values of cultural heritage, its promotion and protection. Kosovo as a tourist region in terms of cultural heritage is divided into seven cultural heritage regions: Prishtina Region, consisting of 118 heritage cities, Prizren Region, consisting of 500 heritage monuments, Peja Region, consisting of 856 monuments of cultural and natural heritage; Mitrovica region, consisting of 64 assets; The region of Gjakova, consisting of 148 monuments of all categories; The region of Gjilan, consisting of 174 monuments placed under temporary protection; and the Ferizaj region consists of 130 assets on the list of Cultural Heritage for temporary protection. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the role of cultural heritage in the development of tourism as an economical asset in Kosovo. Kosovo has many attractions and natural beauty, presents special cultural values from different periods and a favorable climate, which contribute and have potential in the development of different types of selective tourism. In order to determine if and to what extent cultural heritage in Kosovo is a factor in attracting foreign tourists, this research includes 300 foreign tourists, as well as the coefficient of determination and correlation between the attractiveness of cultural heritage and the motivation of foreign tourists to visit Kosovo. The coefficient of determination of 0.687 and the correlation coefficient of 0.829 between the attractiveness of cultural heritage and the motivation of foreign tourists to visit Kosovo indicate a very strong direct relationship between these two variables. All of this represents a very significant factor for the development of an alternative type of tourism, i.e. cultural tourism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Qualitative research with an ethnographic approach is used to reveal the overall condition of the social facts of the Minangkabau indigenous people. In line with the global issue of sustainability in the Sustainable Development Goals program where the mandate is to preserve the Culture of Indigenous Peoples and Indigenous Peoples of an area, this research becomes important when changes have impacted shifting indigenous cultural values in indigenous peoples. The construction of indigenous knowledge and Minangkabau cultural values has been used and developed for a long time in the social structure of their society. Minangkabau custom contains values and knowledge, something that is original and inherent as a worldview and outlook on life. Minangkabau's original cultural values and knowledge are inherited and become clothing in the daily order of indigenous peoples. The concept of Surau and Silek became the starting point for the development of science. It became the center for studying an in-depth understanding of the natural surroundings which has inherited the wisdom, reason and local wisdom of the Minangkabau people. Minangkabau indigenous cultural values and knowledge have become social and intellectual capital in developing and strengthening human resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In her novel The Stone Virgins , Zimbabwean author Yvonne Vera provides a model of orature writing by using sound in the interaction between literature and history as well as literature and politics. This essay will principally draw on the ideas of Kenyan author Ngugi Wa Thiong'o as well as Roland Barthes' ideas about listening to analyze this effect. As a medium of oral tradition that carries traditional aesthetic and cultural values throughout the text, sound and its spatiotemporal framework establish an interpretative community among the author, the character, and the reader. In this community, silence—an extreme state of sound—and distorted sound highlight the individual memories of the suppressed people and form a contrast with the collective national memory that is put under the framework of the history of patriotism by official nationalist discourse. To reconstruct the suppressed history of the common people, Vera adopts the performance mechanism of orature by sound and thereby presents the inner monologue of the characters, which helps restore the subjectivity of the oppressed and sends out a call to the reader to participate in the reconstruction of a new history with the people as subjects. Vera's sound presentation of the silenced Zimbabwean history is an important example of orature writing, showcasing a strong sense of historical responsibility among Zimbabwean writers and contributing to the formation of originality of African Europhone literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of bilig: Journal of Social Sciences of the Turkish World is the property of bilig: Journal of Social Sciences of the Turkish World and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Preserving the spatial characteristics of the built environments is a critical component for retaining historical cultural value. However, there is a lack of quantitative and systematic spatial analysis of Historic Chinese Built Environments (HCBE) in the literature especially at a medium scale. This study applies angular segment analysis (ASA) to analyse both the spatial structures and morphological changes of HCBEs. Four case studies exemplifying the core characteristics of HCBEs were selected for ASA (Pingyao, Lijiang, Kulangsu, and Wuzhen). The resulting knowledge yielded by this ASA provided three outcomes including the spatial structures, the morphological changes and the influence of traditional Chinese ideology on the design and planning principles of HCBE. While the ASA has provided insights into the inherent unique characteristics of the four HCBE cases, it has also illuminated specific spatial and morphological characteristics that should be acknowledged in any future heritage-conservation or -tourism renewal planning policies and projects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on defending travel writing against various criticisms, arguing its relevance in an era of cheap flights and abundant online information. Topics include the cultural value of travel writing in capturing unique perspectives, its ability to transcend personal experiences, and its role in presenting diverse viewpoints that enrich understanding beyond conventional tourism.

Copyright of Journal of Values Education is the property of Journal of Values Education and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The conceptualisation of internationalisation of the curriculum has evolved over the last 30 years. Simultaneously, its contextual foundation has also gradually shifted from being Euro-centric to encompass a broader landscape beyond the Western domain. Therefore, understanding of Internationalisation of the curriculum needs to include practices in these contexts. This special issue hence has invited researchers and practitioners in the field of higher education internationalisation to participate in this conversation. The focus of the discussion is on emerging and alternative understanding and practices of internationalising the curriculum which include incorporating local cultural values and perspectives in the curriculum. This Special Issue features articles that firmly situate the Internationalisation of teaching, learning, and the curriculum in their specific contexts and acknowledge the influence of important contextual factors on the motivations, processes, and outcomes of internationalisation. Closely associated with taking an inclusive lens in understanding internationalisation of the curriculum, we also discuss the inclusivity of communicating research in this field. Specifically, we discuss the challenges encountered by scholars working outside the English-speaking domain to communicate their research with English-speaking research communities. We hence call for support for international academics from the publication outlets. We hope that this Special Issue constitutes a step towards a more diverse and inclusive scholarship in the field of internationalisation in higher education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The conceptualisation of internationalisation of the curriculum has evolved over the last 30 years. Simultaneously, its contextual foundation has also gradually shifted from being Euro-centric to encompass a broader landscape beyond the Western domain. Therefore, understanding of internationalisation of the curriculum needs to include practices in these contexts. This special issue hence has invited researchers and practitioners in the field of higher education internationalisation to participate in this conversation. The focus of the discussion is on emerging and alternative understanding and practices of internationalising the curriculum which include incorporating local cultural values and perspectives in the curriculum. This Special Issue features articles that firmly situate the Internationalisation of teaching, learning, and the curriculum in their specific contexts and acknowledge the influence of important contextual factors on the motivations, processes, and outcomes of internationalisation. Closely associated with taking an inclusive lens in understanding internationalisation of the curriculum, we also discuss the inclusivity of communicating research in this field. Specifically, we discuss the challenges encountered by scholars working outside the English-speaking domain to communicate their research with English-speaking research communities. We hence call for support for international academics from the publication outlets. We hope that this Special Issue constitutes a step towards a more diverse and inclusive scholarship in the field of internationalisation in higher education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This Instructional Note, grounded in Latin American cultural values, offers "wise practices" for instructors to connect lived experiences to course curriculum, encourage authentic voice and "home language practices," and treat students as extended family to reduce academic isolation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of African Journal of Reproductive Health is the property of Women's Health & Action Research Centre and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The limited ability of an organization to formulate cultural values in leadership practices fosters a sense of inferiority, reduces the feeling of trust in the original culture, and erodes national identity. This study tested the integration of local cultural values into leadership skill development in establishing leadership excellence in Indonesian organizations. Questionnaires were distributed to 710 leadres representing various ethnicities across organizations in Indonesia. The respondents were selected using cluster sampling technique based on ethnicity and geographic location. The respondents were further purposive sampled based on the research objective. Data analysis consisted of SEM analysis and hypothesis testing. The results suggest that integrating local cultural values into developing leadership skills can significantly enhance leadership excellence. Local cultural values can strengthen the effect of leadership skills on leadership excellence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

English language learning has become deeply ingrained in Iranian society, with a rich historical legacy. However, recent concerns voiced by Iranian authorities highlight English as a perceived threat to the preservation of Iranian culture and identity, leading to attempts to limit its presence. This study investigates the beliefs, perceptions, and views of Iranians regarding their culture, practices, and their relationship with English. Employing an openended survey, the research examines Western influences on English language learning through a cultural lens, capturing a snapshot of the Iranian language ecology and societal cultural layers. The findings underscore the integration of English within Iranian society, emphasising that language learners actively engage with English as a tool for communication and personal growth, challenging the notion of passive recipients. This study contributes to a deeper understanding of the authorities' concerns and sheds light on the evolving relationship between English and the Iranian cultural environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Language's capacity to shape and perpetuate ideologies, cultural values, and social conditions is well-established across linguistic theory. From this perspective, combatting linguistic prejudice and promoting language equity are key to contemporary cultural concerns around challenging prescriptivist worldviews and disrupting hegemonic historical perspectives. Institutional collections represent promising staging grounds for such efforts, with wide reach and accessibility, but are typically focused and curated in mainstream language varieties. This paper explores how institutional collections may correct this homogeneity, through connecting materials containing regional/social language varieties, including those of community archives, into collections more representative of diverse linguistic and cultural landscapes. Using an AHRC-funded project integrating communitygenerated content into the UK national collection as example, this paper addresses challenges and makes recommendations for effectively valorising language varieties in institutional collections. Consequently, this paper argues for the potential of linguistically diverse institutional collections as transformative tools for promoting language equity and reducing linguistic prejudice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Africa Spectrum is the property of Sage Publications Inc. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Emerging Asian economies are undergoing significant economic expansion and cultural adaptation aided by globalization and the pervasive spread of ICT. This study empirically examines the depiction of cultural values in digitally transformed business websites from India, China, Malaysia, and Indonesia to determine if website culture is showing a shift from the national culture of the selected countries taken up in the study. We empirically examined 53 B2C websites, and the findings show that aside from the government-owned, organizations are demonstrating a marked shift from high context to low context cultural attributes. The study findings also indicate that organizations are increasingly leaning toward culture-neutral designs. Prior studies in this domain have focused on developed countries, and no comparable study exists on emerging economies. The findings of this research can shed light on the contemporary world views of the audiences from the selected country contexts, which in turn can enable firms to adopt appropriate engagement strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to further understand the artistic characteristics of green-glazed pottery in the Ming Dynasty and the value of modern painting, this study takes the green-glazed pottery of the Ming Dynasty as the research object, such as the blue and white twined lotus flat bottle and the blue and white twig lid jar, etc., and uses the test 4K microscope to observe the tire glaze and blue and white pigments, and the Microsoft viso software compares the production style, decoration and style of the green-glazed pottery patterns to analyze, and classifies the artistic characteristics of the green-glazed pottery with reference to relevant literature. The results showed that the dyes of green-glazed pottery were mainly iron, manganese, cobalt and other elements, and the patterns were mainly arc-shaped lines, and there were halos and crystalline spots in the dyeing, and the color was gray-blue. At the same time, the green-glazed pottery of the Ming Dynasty are more artistic, and the bottle mouth and shape are mainly streamlined, and the proportion is close to the golden ratio. Therefore, the artistic characteristics of green-glazed pottery in the Ming Dynasty and the value of modern painting have the characteristics of the Ming Dynasty, which have a certain influence on modern painting and visual art, and promote the promotion of the value of modern painting and visual art. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article provides a systematic and in-depth study of the form, function, craftsmanship, usage, and cultural connotations of Qing Dynasty ritual vessels from an archaeological perspective. They are intended to clearly reveal the profound historical and cultural value carried by Qing Dynasty ritual vessels, as well as their practical impact on modern society. Through a combination of detailed archaeological data analysis and design theory, this article not only explores how the Qing Dynasty ritual vessels reflected the political concepts, cultural identity, aesthetic taste, and living habits of rulers but also further analyzes the influence and inheritance of these ritual vessels in the development of daily utensils in later generations. This article pays special attention to the materials, shapes, patterns, and colors of Qing Dynasty ritual vessels. It compares and analyzes the similarities and differences between these features and contemporary everyday objects, as well as their innovation and changes in modern design. This article also delves into the influence of Qing Dynasty ritual vessels from multiple perspectives, such as politics, economy, culture, and religion, providing readers with a new perspective to understand the social culture of the Qing Dynasty and the inspiration of Qing Dynasty ritual vessels on modern design ideas. This study not only deepens the academic understanding of Qing Dynasty ritual vessels but also provides essential theoretical support and practical guidance for practical fields, especially cultural heritage protection, and modern design innovation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Culture is the driving frame within which all human action takes form. This article explores the elements and characteristics of culture and applies them to the nursing professional community of practice. As it drills down to the work in the cultural context, it argues for the central role of the preceptor in evidencing the influence of culture. For onboarding nurses and the nursing community, the preceptor becomes the carrier of culture, demonstrating the impact of culture in a way that exhibits its influence and impact on nursing practice and patient care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Floating markets are a unique form of traditional commercial business, playing an important role in waterway trade and featuring distinctively attractive local cultural values. Studies of floating markets not only provide insights into cultural heritage but also foster better conservation and effective destination marketing and promotion. Research data were collected from structured interviews with 80 merchants and 8 representatives of state management agencies responsible for culture and tourism. Moreover, unstructured interviews with 34 merchants were undertaken. Field observations and literature review also provided relevant sources of information to frame our research. The findings in this study indicate that floating markets in Vietnam have distinctive features that have been historically long formed as a consequence of both natural and socioeconomic factors. Floating markets are found to play a focal role in the socioeconomic and cultural development of the country. There are also some critical changes made to conventional spaces, trading boat quantity, travel and trading activities, community relations, and impacts in the floating markets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the tourism sector leaders need a clear, speedy, and practical style of communication to handle rapidly changing situations. This article investigates this perception in South Korea, a highly contextbased society. The author deploys the systems model of leadership communication to explore how tourism employees perceive leaders' communication styles and behaviors. Qualitative data were analyzed using concepts of cultural characteristics and a leadership communication model. The findings highlight that respondents draw on cultural beliefs and prefer leaders who exercise communicative elusiveness, despite the merits of clear communication in tourism. This discussion illuminates that leadership communication is affected by cultural variations. The embeddedness of cultural values in leadership behaviors is demonstrated, with traits shaping perceptions of effective communication in different cultural contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Business Process Management adoption requires extensive effort, time, resources and discipline. Therefore, several studies have attempted to identify the factors that influence BPM adoption. Most of studies identify organizational culture among the key factors, but few attempted to explore its influence on BPM adoption. Thus, this study sets out to explore the role of organizational culture in BPM adoption. This study employed a qualitative approach and held in-depth interviews. Twenty BPM professionals who are working in different Saudi Arabian organizations started adopting BPM have been selected. Commitment, Continuous improvement, Cross-functional teamwork, Customer centricity, Innovation and Process ownership are important organizational culture values influencing BPM adoption positively. This study contributes to theory by proposing a model including six important cultural values in BPM adoption and also increases awareness among practitioners of the importance of organizational culture in BPM adoption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The evaluation guideline for performance accountability (EGoPA) is a commonly used framework to assess the performance of public sector organizations. It is important to develop a comprehensive evaluation guideline that considers the legitimacy of these organizations and incorporates their distinct cultural and religious values. This study aims to reconstruct the EGoPA to internalize the actual state of Indonesia's philosophy by considering Notonagoro's hierarchical-pyramidal semiotics of Pancasila. This study utilized the critical paradigm to analyze and address structures or circumstances that impose oppression or present problematic practices within society. This study revealed components of EGoPA with Pancasila values as the basis of Indonesian philosophy that refers to Notonagoro's hierarchical-pyramidal semiotics. This guideline reflects every value in Pancasila, the entire line of Notonagoro’s public management, and employs the fundamental state of philosophy in a proper guideline of EGoPA on the components as whole concepts. In addition, the reconstruction developed a better and original accountability system in the Indonesian government. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study questions whether tourists are culturally homogeneous regardless of the destination visited or type of travel undertaken. This question is premised on the belief that tourists are culturally homogeneous, which underlies research that applies Hofstede's national cultural value framework; yet, it has not been asked before in the tourism literature. To address this research gap, a survey of Hong Kong residents who had travelled outside of the city for pleasure was conducted using the Cultural Value Scale (CVSCALE), a scale developed and validated to measure Hofstede's national cultural values at an individual level. The study revealed significant differences in expressed national cultural values on most dimensions tested, as well as the overall scale by destination choice and style of trip. This study contributes by showing that an examination of individual-level culture may be more important when looking at sub-populations of tourists from the same source market. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Turkbilig/Turkoloji Arastirmalari Dergisi is the property of Turkbilig/Turkoloji Arastirmalari Dergisi and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This paper aims to deeply study the close relationship between architectural image and design intention in the field of architectural art design. Through an in-depth analysis of architectural works from different periods and styles throughout history, we will explore the key role that architectural images play in how they convey the designer's deep intentions, and how they shape the viewer's perceptions and emotions. This paper will make full use of examples to elaborate on how architectural images convey and embody designers' unique ideas and creativity through ingenious visual elements, unique spatial layouts and symbolic symbols. At the same time, we will also study how the audience can gain a deeper understanding and experience of the architectural works through the interpretation of these images. Through this study, we can more thoroughly understand the creative thinking process behind architectural art design, as well as the rich cultural value it contains. Since ancient times, architectural works have not only been practical structures but also carriers of culture, history and human thought. The discussion of this paper will help to reveal the profound meaning behind the architectural images, so as to provide a more comprehensive perspective for us to understand and interpret the multiple levels of architectural art. Finally, this research is expected to provide far-reaching implications for future architectural design and cultural research and promote the continuous innovation and development of the field of architectural art design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic challenged existing institutional arrangements that govern the society. During that time, nation-states had to prevent the collapse of society and rapidly establish new institutions and adapt existing ones to address public health, job security, and freedom-of-movement concerns. At the same time, institutional developments are explicitly or implicitly related to the cultural and moral values relevant to societal well-being. Values hold a significant role in governing society during crises, guiding states’ institutional response to unforeseen challenges. However, values themselves are not static: research has shown that values may change rapidly during crises. This paper studies the relationship between value change and institutional change in times of crisis using agent-based modelling and machine learning techniques. In our model, we represent countries as agents who define institutional strategies to control disease spread and subsequently protect the well-being of their citizens. Institutional change and value change are modelled as two independent processes. Yet, the model confirms the seemingly trivial inverse correlation between them: when the value of openness-to-change increases in a society, the institutional strategies also become less strict. Conversely, when conservatism increases, the strategies become stricter on average. However, there is no direct causal relationship between the two changes: being open to change does not necessarily make a government select more relaxed rules, but this correlation is rather an emergent consequence of being more flexible in changing rules, whether the new ones are stricter or more relaxed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Media literacy is a much-needed competency in the digitalised world, but it is still an unknown knowledge base for older Thai adults. This design-based research set out as an initiative to promote media literacy through an agefriendly and culture-responsive training programme. The design process involved focus groups with key stakeholders and older adult 'learners' as well as field observations. This type of research work, in the Thai context, revealed the primacy of integrating media literacy learning with the Buddhist practice of mindfulness. It also highlighted the importance of incorporating certain cultural values and practices - collectivism, a sense of enjoyment, beliefs about the supernatural - into any media literacy programme particularly aimed at older Thais. The findings provide significant insight into the ways in which media literacy - especially as it has developed in a Western context - has to be thoughtfully integrated into specifically located everyday practices and cultural perspectives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Contaduría y Administración is the property of Facultad de Contaduria y Administracion-Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Background: Obuntu bulamu , a peer-to-peer support intervention for children, parents and teachers to improve the participation and inclusion of children with disabilities (CwD), was developed and tested in Uganda. The intervention consisted of disability-inclusive peer-to-peer training and support activities. In this article, parent participation in and evaluation of the intervention are discussed. Objectives: The study aims to evaluate the acceptability and feasibility of the intervention. Methods: A qualitative Afrocentric intervention study was implemented in 10 schools in Wakiso district in Central Uganda. Researchers purposely selected CwD aged 8–14 years, their peers and parents from 10 primary schools with on average three CwD per school. A total of 64 study parents (33 parents of CwD and 31 peers) were interviewed at baseline and endline. Two focus group discussions were held with 14 parents at midline. Parents also participated in a consultative meeting about the intervention design at baseline and two evaluation and feedback workshops at midline and endline. Thematic data analysis was conducted. Results: Findings showed that parents found the intervention inspiring, acceptable, culturally appropriate and supportive, as it built on values and practices from their own cultural tradition. Parents reported that the intervention enhanced a sense of togetherness and belonging and helped them to develop more positive attitudes towards CwD and disability inclusion. They felt the intervention increased participation and inclusion of CwD at home, school and in communities. Conclusion: The Obuntu bulamu peer-to-peer support intervention is an acceptable, culturally appropriate intervention with the potential to improve inclusion of CwD. Further studies are recommended to measure the effectiveness of the intervention. Contribution: The paper contributes to existing evidence that there is need for more Afrocentric interventions, which built on cultural values and practices. Interventions based on indigenous values have a greater potential to be acceptable, can foster integration and are likely to be more sustainability to achieve disability inclusion. In the article we describe parental perspectives of the Obuntu bulamu intervention, an intervention to improve inclusion of children with disabilities, which was designed by children, parents, teachers, educationalists, and academics from Uganda. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This scholarly investigation undertook a comparative analysis and discussion on the Visual Narrative Characteristics discernible in Chinese classical poetry picture books and storytelling picture books. Method: Purpose of the study is achieved by employing qualitative coding methodologies. The examination focused on the three dimensions of Visual Narrative Characteristics, namely Interpersonal Meaning, Ideational Meaning, and Textual Meaning, thereby contributing to the extant body of multimodal discourse analysis in the realm of children's picture books. The study adopted Visual Narrative theory as theoretical framework, employing qualitative analyses of individual images, sequential images, and the interplay between images and text on a page-by-page basis. Findings: The comparative analyses brought to light certain observations. Notably, Chinese classical poetry picture books were found to necessitate a heightened sense of pictorial immersion in the construction of Interpersonal Meaning. Furthermore, the construction of Ideational Meaning necessitated the establishment of a cohesive continuum of images and narrative logic. The examination of Textual Meaning construction revealed a deficiency in image-text interaction, prompting the identification of a need for increased variety and flexibility in the visual subjects. It is imperative, however, to underscore the necessity of contextualizing Visual Narrative analysis within the disparities inherent in Chinese and Western cultural contexts, particularly in light of the distinctive features of Chinese traditional culture. Implications for Research and Practice: The study's findings not only provide insights into the cultural distinctions between Chinese and Western contexts but also advocate for a nuanced exploration of the Visual Narrative Characteristics framework to enhance its applicability across diverse cultural milieus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines historical urban fabrics' challenges regarding quality of life and visual disturbances despite their cultural and identity value. Regeneration and social-oriented approaches considering social, economic, and cultural dimensions preserve and enhance these valuable materials. Tactical urbanism, with its people-oriented approach, can address these issues. This study focused on Sarpol in Khomeinishahr County, Isfahan Province of Iran. The city's urban structure divides into two parts: despite its active social structure and valuable spaces, Sarpol is a historic neighborhood with significant deterioration. We followed Corbin and Strauss's version of Grounded Theory in the qualitative research methodology. Purposive and snowball sampling methods were employed to select 21 participants from the Sarpol neighborhood for semi-structured interviews. The analysis involved three stages of coding: open, axial, and selective. The themes included religious participation, identity, sustainable social bonds, indigenous dependence, and low environmental quality. The central issue identified was the crucial role of religious and cultural values as a driving force for tactical urbanism, which emerged as the most critical semantic domain related to the research problem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of African Journal of Reproductive Health is the property of Women's Health & Action Research Centre and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Black ash (Fraxinus nigra), the most highly preferred and vulnerable host of the invasive emerald ash borer (EAB; Agrilus planipennis) in North America, is of cultural and spiritual importance to many Tribal Nations in the US and First Nations in Canada. To date, EAB has invaded nearly 60% of the native range of black ash, with annual spread averaging approximately 50 km per year. On the basis of the predicted expansion of EAB distribution, we estimate that more than 75% of black ash basal area will be lost across 87% of the species' North American range by 2035. Census data indicate that 98% of Indigenous people currently residing within the geographic range of black ash in the US will be within the area experiencing more than 75% basal area loss by 2035, suggesting broad and multidimensional impacts of EAB invasion for those who value black ash as a cultural keystone species. Collaborative efforts among scientists, resource managers, and Indigenous experts are needed to mitigate EAB impacts and preserve or protect black ash resources, given the species' vulnerability to EAB and its associated cultural and ecological value. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the role of symbolic objects in shaping the cultural heritage and urban identity of Aleppo through understanding of the symbolic value of historic landmarks and their contribution to the city's cultural landscape. The study explores the process of producing symbolic objects in Aleppo, the criteria met during their various stages of development, and their strategic employment in urban planning and design to promote a sense of place and belonging among inhabitants. By analyzing three specific examples - the Citadel, the Bazaar, and the Umayyad Mosque - the study demonstrates the critical role of symbolic objects in shaping urban identity, fostering social cohesion, and reinforcing cultural values. The findings suggest that symbolic objects have the potential to significantly impact a city's cultural, economic, and political landscapes, and recognizing this potential can help urban planners and policymakers create more vibrant, inclusive, and sustainable urban environments that meet the needs and aspirations of the city's inhabitants. The study concludes with twelve criteria and seven key processes related to symbolic object creation, providing insights into the hidden meanings associated with the Aleppo cases and defining their symbolic dimensions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Replicas have the ability to communicate artistic, cultural and intellectual values outside their original context. They do this by physically establishing a canon for ordering and interpreting history. Epigraphical squeezes, as fragmentary impressions of sculpted or incised surfaces, are one example of such replicas, occupying a transitory space between source and copy. However, they are rarely studied within this framework, instead seen primarily as an aide for publication. To better understand how squeezes are implicated in our own processes of knowledge formation, this paper focuses on a single case study, the collection of early Christian squeezes held at Musée L. In mapping the biography of this collection, tracing its connection to the emergence of archaeology as a science based on interaction with material remains at the turn of the twentieth century, this case study will provide a rich model for how squeezes can act as sources for historiographical inquiry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since the outbreak of COVID-19, an increasing number of educators around the world have been challenged to support student engagement in online environments. However, there is a lack of research in online learning that considers the role of the country context. This study explores student engagement in online learning, comparing the experiences of 9 German and 11 Thai students with help of in-depth interviews. Findings reveal differences in affective, behavioral, and cognitive engagement across groups. Only German students referred to a lack of affective engagement due to ineffective communication with peers and lecturers, tools used, and privacy concerns. The learning environment influenced affective and cognitive engagement differently. German students felt exhausted because of increased self-study time and lack of guidance. Thai students spent more time studying via videoconferences due to institutional policies. They highlighted a lack of focus due to distraction by digital technologies as well as family members, which they associated with Thai cultural norms to spend time with family. Behavioral engagement, particularly verbal participation during videoconferences, was negatively affected among Thai students. They worried about the effect voicing behavior could have on classmates' feelings, which they attributed to cultural values of being considerate and the need for social harmony. These and other findings are discussed considering the possible role of national, local, and cybercultures as well as institutional contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Breast cancer disproportionately impacts Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander communities in Hawai‘i, as exemplified by high breast cancer prevalence and mortality rates. Breast cancer disparities are linked to socio-cultural determinants of health, signifying the importance of culturally-based interventions. This paper systematically reviewed breast cancer studies conducted in Hawai‘i. The literature search yielded 813 published studies, with a final total of 13 peer-reviewed studies that met this paper’s inclusion criteria. All but 1 study incorporated cultural components. By evaluating key intervention components and assessing the quality of each study, the research team aimed to analyze the importance of cultural values in health interventions. Family and spirituality in coping with a cancer diagnosis were key themes in patients’ lived experiences. Other culturally-based components in these studies included community-engaged research and cultural training for health professionals. The collective findings suggest that breast cancer health interventions that incorporate cultural strengths, values, and worldviews may play a central role in reducing the overall breast cancer burden among these communities. The present review advocates for future research to take a more culturally-based strategy in addressing breast cancer health disparities among Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islanders in Hawai‘i. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, I study Ismat Chughtai's short story "Lihaaf" ("The Quilt," 1942) side by side with her essay "The Lihaaf Trial" (English translation, 2000). I also analyze their reception of these texts in regards to their treatment of sexuality, women, and morality in the colonial period. I engage the texts through the lens of intersectionality. Multiple aspects affected the reception of Chughtai's "Lihaaf" because it explores the intersection of multiple axes of oppression like gender, colonialism, class, and sexuality. During the colonial period in India, the British colonizers directly influenced Indian morality through laws and emphasized British cultural superiority. One Indian response to this Western influence was a fear that Indian women, who were made to hold the onus of the cultural values and virtues, would want to break free from this role. This made the women doubly oppressed by both the colonizers and the colonized men. Partha Chatterjee also asserts that there has been a marked difference in the degree and manner of the westernization of women as distinct from that of men. Chughtai explores several social taboos, including women's sexual desire and homosexuality, which demarcated "Lihaaf" from other works produced by women in the mid-20th century. She can be considered a writer who challenged the boundaries set for women's writing in the colonial period, paving the way for other women writers to explore and represent social taboos. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined the dual forces of national culture and rising consumerism on consumers' propensity to express their service sentiments and how intensely they do so. We text-mined online customer restaurant reviews from China, a transformative nation with rising consumerism (brought on by improved socio-economic conditions), and compared these with online restaurant reviews from Japan and the United States. Although Chinese and Japanese consumers share a similar set of Far Eastern cultural values, we found substantial differences in their online reviews. Chinese customers expressed a more significant number of sentiments with greater intensity than those in the US and Japan. Our findings demonstrate that Far Eastern cultures are not homogeneous and that subtle differences in cultural values can substantially impact customer expectations. The results also reflect the impact of rising consumerism in China and heightened consumer expectations. Overall, this study indicates that prevailing views of Eastern vs. Western consumer behaviors might no longer be valid. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The courtyard form of the traditional African house responds to people's culture and traditions. Nevertheless, in the era of globalization, the private open space (POS) is fast disappearing in African homes due to neglect and lack of awareness of its value. This study, thus, aims to explore how culture relates to open space design in traditional houses of three major ethnic groups (Hausa-Fulani, Yoruba and Igbo) in Nigeria. This is with a view to encouraging planners and designers to create open spaces in housing developments according to people's cultural values and needs. Design/methodology/approach: This study is based on qualitative and quantitative research approaches involving a literature review, focus group discussions and a questionnaire survey. The quantitative survey was designed based on the literature review of the concept of culture and the use of space in traditional courtyard houses. Focus group discussions were conducted to identify the specific cultural components that dictated the use of the courtyard as a POS in the Nigerian context. Subsequently, a questionnaire survey was carried out to determine the importance of each cultural component in the outdoor sociospatial design. Through systematic sampling, one of every five traditional houses in the study area was selected to determine where respondents were surveyed. Findings: The results reveal that the cultural components that influenced the design and use of the open space were gender and privacy, family and social relations, religious practice and belief, and status and lifestyle. However, the importance attached to each of the cultural components varied from one culture to another in Nigeria. The findings also showed that the open space is used for a variety of purposes, such as ancestral worship, family gatherings and reunions, small-scale ceremonies, and leisure activities. Research limitations/implications: This study offers professional planners and designers helpful insights to protect culture in housing development and improve daily living in residential environments. Originality/value: Based on Amos Rapoport's theoretical framework, this study dismantles the concept of "culture" into different components and examines how they affect outdoor sociospatial design in a developing country. The study also provides researchers with ideas and inspiration to study the culture of POSs in traditional housing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]